Organic Foods: Know the Facts - Dr. Trent Maly

52
Lifestyle Choices to
help prevent autism
>read before vaccinating
6 Principles of
Informed Choice
How Health Insurance Is
Making Us Sick
Organic Foods:
Know the Facts
Understanding
Your Baby’s Cries
issue 26 / summer 10 / $6.95
please display until 9.21.2010
Top 10 Resources for Locally Grown Foods

TM
executive editor
Jeanne Ohm, DC
editor@pathwaystofamilywellness.org
associate editor
Lisa Reagan
copy chief
Robert Staeger
contributing editors
Cynthia Overgard
creative director
Tina Aitala Engblom
advertising / license coordinator
Crystal Gloistein
subscriptions
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technology coordinator
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circulation director
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event coordinator
Corinne Pitts
advisory board
Claudia Anrig, DC • Sarah Buckley, MD
Bruce Lipton, PhD • Stephen Marini, PhD, DC
Larry Palevsky, MD
Pathways to Family Wellness is a quarterly publication
offering parents articles and resources to make informed
healthcare choices for their families. Pathways to Family
Wellness provides thought-provoking information from
the holistic health perspective and invites parents to
explore options for family wellness.
The individual articles and links to healthcare information
in Pathways to Family Wellness are based on the
opinions of their respective authors, who retain copyright
as marked. The information provided is not intended to
replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare
professional and is not intended as medical advice. It
is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information.
The publisher of Pathways to Family Wellness
encourages you to make informed healthcare decisions
based on your researched knowledge and in partnership
with a qualified healthcare provider.
Pathways to Family Wellness is provided to you by
the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association in
collaboration with the HPA: Alliance for Holistic Family
Health and Wellness. Both organizations are 501-C3 nonprofit
status organizations and sales of Pathways to Family
Wellness support their mission for public education.
Images used are for illustrative purposes only.
© 2010 Pathways to Family Wellness
Issue 26, Summer 2010. Printed in the USA.
on the cover
52 Ways to Help Prevent Autism .................. 8
Read Before Vaccinating ............................ 52
How Health Insurance Is Making Us Sick ... 58
Organic Foods: Know the Facts ...................18
Understanding Your Baby’s Cries ............... 32
Top 10 Resources for Locally Grown Foods ... 56
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4 letter from the editor
6 the ConsCious Path
8 feature
Pathways Connect: Your Educational
Outreach and Conscious Community Toolkit
By Lisa Reagan
16 Wellness lifestyle
The DNA Overlay
By Monika Buerger, D.C.
18 nutrition
Which Organic Label Should You Trust?
By Joseph Mercola, D.O.
22 Mindfully Growing Salad Greens
By Lisa Reagan
24 ChiroPraCtiC for life
The Truth About Chiropractic
By Lloyd Fielder, D.C.
26 PregnanCy
Breath Walk for Pregnancy
By Anna Stewart, B.A., C.M.T., C.H.T.
28 Birth
Birth: From Fear to Faith
By Laura Shanley
32 the outer WomB
Understanding Your Baby’s Cries
By Pinky McKay, IBCLC
34 Parenting
The Science of Father’s Love
By Patrick M. Houser
in this issue
What Can Be Done to
Prevent Autism Now?
Kids are showing signs of autism spectrum disor-
ders in greater numbers than ever. Whether you’re
pregnant, have just given birth, or have not yet con-
ceived, there are steps you can take to minimize
your child’s risk.
By Maureen H. McDonnell, R.N.
36 family living
Vitalism in the Family
By Jennifer Maciejewski
39 gratitude
A Thank You a Day:
Gratitude Enhances Health
By Christiane Northrup, M.D.
40 mind—Body—sPirit
The Nature of Dis-ease
By Steve Bhaerman and Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D.
43 holistiC healthCare
The Underground Healthcare Revolution
By William B. Ferril, M.D.
48 movement and learning
Getting the Inside Out
By Caron Goode, Ph.D.
52 informed ChoiCe
Read Before Vaccinating
By Barbara Loe Fisher
56 reCommendations
Top Ten Resources for Locally Grown Foods
58 Current ConCerns
How Health Insurance Is Making Us Sick
By Robert Johns Jr., D.C.
60 The Lancet Retraction Changes Nothing
By David Kirby

letter from the editor, jeanne ohm, d.c.
pathways | issue 26
for six years, it has been my privilege to meet and connect
with numerous authors, heads of organizations and practitioners
through Pathways magazine. Our authors are from all walks of
life, each integrating his or her perspective and specialty of the
family-wellness lifestyle into their writings. Aspects of parenting,
health, holism, nutrition, pregnancy, birth, child care and newedge
science, along with countless resources supporting these
topics, have been explored and shared to contribute to the shift
in consciousness our earth so desperately cries out for. Meeting
these writers and learning from them has truly been a growing
experience for me, and, I’m sure, for our readers.
What I see as a common thread tying our contributors all
together has been the willingness to open their perspectives,
challenge the status quo, embrace their inner wisdom and stand
forward on their inner knowing. Pathways is filled with strong
and courageous statements from these leaders whose intent is
to challenge our readers to awaken their consciousness.
In every issue of Pathways, there is a synchronicity of articles,
concepts, visions and goals. Where does this synchronicity come
from? Having conversed with every author, I see another com-
istockphoto.com
/
mon thread: recognition of their source of knowing. Yes, their
Banú
knowledge has come from years of experience. And the passion
with which they share it has been fueled by their connection to a
Martínez
greater knowing, and a willingness to trust this inner wisdom and
dedicate their lives to its expression. Carmen ©

We can all relate to hearing the voice of knowing from within.
Sometimes called intuition or guidance, this voice will speak to
us about decisions both trivial and life-changing. I have learned
that the more we listen to this voice, the louder it speaks. The
more we trust in its guidance, the further we grow and succeed.
When my husband and I were first exploring the field of chiropractic,
we were exposed to many writings from its founder,
D.D. Palmer, and its developer, his son B.J. Palmer. One of my
favorite stories exemplifying listening to this voice was printed
in B.J. Palmer’s book, the Bigness of the Fellow Within—a story
titled, “That Something.” It reflects a time in the writer’s life before
he “awakened,” as he terms it. It was a rough time in his life,
filled with strife and discord. He was homeless, poverty-stricken,
hungry and dissolute. He recounts a moment when he asked a
stranger in the street for a meal, and the stranger’s reply.
“No,” he answered, a note of pity in his voice. “I cannot
help you. No man can.” “But you could feed me,” I
said, with some petulance in my voice. “It is not food
you need!” “What then?” I asked. “That Something,” was
his reply.
The author then recounts an experience of falling asleep, having
a dream and hearing a voice.
“Who are you?” I asked. “I am ‘That Something’,” came
the reply. “But where are you?” “I am hidden in your
soul.” For some moments I thought over what was said.
Then I stammered, “How—how did you get there?” “I
was born there.” “Why have I not known you were there
before?” “No man knows it,” answered the voice, “until
he awakes.” “Are you in other men’s souls, as well?”
“There is ‘That Something’ in every man’s soul, which
can move the mountains or dry the seas.” “Then you
must be Faith!” “Yes,” came the answer, “I am Faith,
but I am more—I am that which makes men face the
fires of hell, and win.” “Then you must be Confidence,
as well.” “Yes, I am more than Confidence—I am that
which makes the babbling brooks lift worlds upon their
wavelets.” “You are Power,” I cried. “Yes, I am more
than Power,” answered the voice. “I am that which
makes the wretched failure lift up himself and rule the
world.” “You are Ambition—I know you now.” “Yes,
I am all you say—Faith, Confidence, Power, Ambition,
and more. For greater than all is ‘That Something.’ I am
that which every man must find in his soul or else he
will be but a clutter of the earth on which he lives.”
“But how can man find you?” “Even as you are finding
me now. First you must awaken, then seek, and when
you have found you must learn to control…” “Control
what?” I asked, confused. “‘That Something’…borrow it
from your soul and baptize your life with it. Anoint your
eyes, that you may see; anoint your ears, that you may
hear; anoint your heart, that you may be!”
“But tell me,” I cried frantically, for the voice was trailing
off to almost nothing, “how can I do this? How? How?”
“This is the secret,” came the voice to me as the whisper
of a gentle breeze, “these words—‘I will’.”
The story continues with how the author listened to the voice,
and followed its moment-to-moment promptings. By doing so,
within one year’s time, he not only had a job, but was approaching
the highest level of management in the company. Opportunities
and shifts in all areas of his life occurred.
I know that throughout my life, when I have listened to this
voice, it has led me to creation, success and fulfillment on all
levels of expression. I know all of our authors are propelled by
this voice, and so the synchronicity of our message has become
a movement.
To honor this movement, and to add to the dynamics of this
synergy, we are holding our second Freedom for Family Wellness
Summit on October 21–24 in Washington, D.C. Our subtitle is:
Celebrating the Shift to Conscious Choice. Many of our favorite
authors and leaders in this movement will be there, so we can all
connect as vital participants in the momentum that has been created.
Truly, this weekend will be a celebration for every attendee
of who we are, what we’ve accomplished and where we need to
go. I know each presenter is thrilled to participate, and the many
registrants we have so far are as excited to attend. When they
heard That Something, each one has said, “I will.”
I am sure this weekend will exceed all expectations. When
hundreds of people of like mind, heart and vision come together,
there is a shift in consciousness that ripples the earth.
Many, many blessings,
Jeanne Ohm, D.C.

the conscious path
Pathways Connect:
Your Educational Outreach and Conscious Community Toolkit
By Lisa Reagan
In more than a decade
of conscious-living conferences
and retreats
with parents and practitioners
around the country,
I’ve witnessed repeatedly
that when it is time to put
into practice all that we’ve
acknowledged is true—to embrace the wisdom we’ve carried
in our hearts all along—there’s one burning question on everyone’s
mind: In a practical, day to day way, how can we create
wellness in our families when our dominant culture conspires at
every turn to undermine our efforts? From seminal thinkers like
Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of The Crack in the Cosmic Egg,
to practicing physicians like Larry Palevsky, M.D., of the Holistic
Pediatric Association, the answer, in a nutshell, is always this:
Get connected.
With the airways over our heads humming with tweets and
texting, getting connected today seems simple enough. But the
sort of connection required to create a solid foundation of wellness
for our families must be envisioned by practitioners and
parents who not only trust their own instincts, but courageously
reach out to one another to create a supportive and resourceful
conscious-living community. Only an intentional, empowered
community can provide the clarity and strength required to
simultaneously create a foundation of family wellness while
defying our dominant culture’s demand for the distracted
busyness that keeps us disconnected and dependent upon
fear-based, disease models.
Throughout the last decade, I worked through the nonprofit
Families for Conscious Living to help parents create their
own conscious-living communities with turnkey tools like our
Gathering Guide. When FCL parents first began to meet in parks
in 1996, our precious lending libraries were jammed into the
trunks of our cars and photocopied handouts were the norm.
Cradling our children in circles under park trees, we wished for
access to more information and relationships with holistic practitioners
who would support our conscious choices.
Fast forward to 2010, and it appears a good fairy granted
our hearts’ desires through the World Wide Web, where we can
now find limitless information and local referrals from organizations
like the Holistic Pediatric Association and the International
Chiropractic Pediatric Association. And amazingly enough, the
necessary tools for creating a supportive “family wellness”
community are now available in a potent and evolving outreach
program born of the mission-driven magazine you are holding in
your hands.
6 pathways | issue 26
In its initial phase, Pathways Connect works like this. A
subscription to the program entitles ICPA and HPA members to:
a) A bulk order of magazines for free distribution.
b) A Discussion Questions and Resource Guide to accompany
each issue of the magazine.
c) A Gathering Guide, to help parents in a practice establish
independent study and support groups.
d) An array of specialized benefits for holistic practitioners,
including members-only discussion boards.
The discussion questions are rallying points for parents
and practitioners to examine issues together, as well as to
explore the language and exciting possibilities of the paradigm
shift away from the disease model approach, and toward
whole family wellness.
As Albert Einstein once said, “The significant problems we
face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were
at when we created them.” Pathways Connect’s content-driven
Discussion Questions and Resource Guide are designed to
help shift our thinking out of fear and dependency toward
confidence and sustainability because they are grounded in
the understanding and truth of the holistic paradigm. The truth
is, everything we need to create wellness for families exists,
and the practical tools of Pathways Connect lets us connect
with those resources and support.
If you would like to learn more about the Pathways Connect
program, visit us online at pathwaystofamilywellness.org/
PathwaysConnect, or better yet, visit us in person at the upcoming
Freedom for Family Wellness Summit: The Conference for
Conscious Choice, October 21–24, in Washington, D.C. (see
page 7 for more information). This historic summit will showcase
many of Pathways’ authors, including new-edge science
visionary Bruce Lipton and alternative medicine pioneer
Joseph Mercola, D.O. There will be opportunities at the summit
to connect with practitioners, network with parents, learn to
use Pathways Connect as an educational outreach tool—and
together, find our pathways to family wellness.
Lisa Reagan is the cofounder of the educational nonprofit,
Families for Conscious Living. Join her for interactive teleconferences
on Empowered Parenting in the Paradigm Shift
at consciouslyparenting.com

CeLeBRaTING THE SHIFT
TO CONSCIOUS CHOICe
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
BRUCE LIPTON, PHD
Author of Biology of Belief
and Spontaneous Evolution
JOSEPH MERCOLA, DO
Best-selling author and
owner of Mercola.com
JOE DISPENZA, DC
Author of Evolve your Brain
and presenter in What the Bleep?!
BARBARA LOE FISHER
Cofounder of National
Vaccine Information Center
LARRY PALEVSKY, MD
President of the Holistic
Pediatric Association
PEGGY O’MARA
Author, and publisher and
editor of Mothering magazine
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Holistic Practitioners: DCs, NDs, MDs,
PhDs, OBs, Midwives, Doulas, Homeopaths,
Acupuncturists, Family Wellness Counselors,
Consultants and Therapists • New-Edge
Science Promoters: Visionaries, Authors,
Teachers • Advocates for Informed Choice:
Leaders of national groups and their members
• Parents and Community Group Leaders
who want to make a difference in the lives of
their families and communities
JOIN US FOR OUR SECOND SUMMIT
WASHINGTON, DC • OCT 21–24, 2010
Co-sponsored by:
GUY RIEKEMAN, DC
President of Life University and author
of Make Your Life Extraordinary
CASSANDRA VIETEN, PHD
Director of Research at the Institute
of Noetic Sciences and author
JOHN BREEDING, PHD
Director of Texans For Safe Education,
psychologist and author
CHRIS KENT, DC
Cofounder of the Chiropractic
Leadership Alliance
LAUREN FEDER, MD
Author of The Parents’ Concise
Guide to Childhood Vaccinations
SUZANNE ARMS
Founder of the Alliance for
Transforming the Lives of Children
CONNECT, COLLABORATE and EXPAND
at this enlightening weekend for
leaders in the Vitalistic movement
A MEETING OF THE MINDS AND SOULS IN A SPACE CALLED VITALISM
FOR EARLY REGISTRATION VISIT
FAMILYWeLLNeSSFIRST.ORG

feature
pathways | issue 26
What
CAn BE DOnE TO
© Camilo Jimenez / istockphoto.com

PREVEnT AuTiSM
Now?
By Maureen H. McDonnell, R.N.
It’s a fact that more and more kids are showing signs of autism spectrum disorders
(ASD) than ever before. What’s causing this epidemic is still a mystery, but we now
have some strong clues about prevention and treatment, based on emerging science
and parents reporting the specific treatments that have created improvement (and, in
some cases, recovery) in their children.
There are many theories about why the autism rate has exploded. Some think it’s due to better diagnosis, rather than a real increase.
Other people blame maternal age at the time of conception. Still others suggest that a mix of genetic predispositions and environmental
factors (including a dramatic increase in the number of vaccines given before the age of 5) is a more likely cause. But while the
experts debate these theories, more and more children are being negatively impacted by this condition. In the meantime, moms of
affected children who want to have another child, and women who have never conceived, are asking what they can do to increase the
chances of a healthy baby. Instead of waiting for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or the American Academy of Pediatrics to issue

feature
new guidelines or policy changes, savvy individuals are examining
the published scientific research and listening to parents who
have improved their children’s conditions. They’re coming up with
new strategies for carrying, birthing and raising healthier children.
A Sense of urgency
During the last decade, as the debate about the causes of autism
has raged, the Autism Research Institute has been gathering
experts from around the world to brainstorm and research the
underlying metabolic dysfunctions associated with autism, as
well as safe and effective interventions to treat this condition.
The founder of the Autism Research Institute (and cofounder
of Defeat Autism Now), Dr. Bernie Rimland, instilled a sense of
urgency in the group. Its mission is to focus on solutions that
will improve the lives of children right now, rather than conduct
research that would only have relevance for future generations.
As a result of Dr. Rimland’s vision, many children diagnosed on
the spectrum have improved and, in some instances, recovered
from autism.
Research funded by ARI and other organizations revealed
abnormal patterns and metabolic dysfunctions in the ASD
population. They include: gastrointestinal dysfunctions
(constipation, diarrhea, reflux, increased permeability, decreased
enzyme production including DPP1V, abnormal microflora);
neuro-inflammation (neuro-glial activation, decreased blood
flow to certain parts of the brain, abnormal brain size); hormonal
disturbances (including increased cortisol production, disorders
of serotonin and dopamine); immune dysfunctions (including
a shift from Th1 to Th2, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production);
oxidative stress (decreased methylation capacity indicated
by lowered methionine levels and other markers, increased
homocysteine, lower levels of glutathione, increased lipid
peroxidation, decreased B-12 levels); and mitochondrial
10 pathways | issue 26
dysfunction (decreased carnitine level, increased lactate levels).
As parents and clinicians work feverishly to address these
abnormalities by assessing each child’s individual issues and
attempting to normalize or correct their disturbances, children are
improving in speech, behavior, cognition, attention and general
health. In some instances, they are even recovering. But this is
tremendously difficult and expensive work. Since some of these
biochemical abnormalities may be preventable, more and more
parents are working at optimizing their health prior to conceiving.
I’ve been a pediatric registered nurse for 33 years, during
which time I’ve worked as a certified natural childbirth instructor,
labor and delivery nurse, and had a private practice where I
provided nutritional counseling. For ten years I coordinated the
Defeat Autism Now! (DAN) conferences, interacting with hundred
of parents of autistic children. These parents worked tirelessly
to implement the biomedical approach (a combination of
detoxification, nutritional supplements and dietary changes)
to treating their children’s autism symptoms. Many of them,
exhausted (and often broke) from instituting various treatments,
said to me, “If only I knew then what I know now. I would have
made very different choices.”
Autism can not always be prevented, of course, and no one
should harbor guilt. We know there are genetic components. But
we also now know that environmental toxicity and suboptimal
nutrition play a role, as well. As a result of research and from
parental reporting, practitioners like me have come to realize that
we must build more awareness that autism can be prevented.
I believe we now know enough to encourage couples—
whether they’re contemplating pregnancy, are currently pregnant
or already have an infant—to implement certain precautionary
principles to minimize the risk of autism. These strategies involve
minimizing exposure to environmental toxins; maximizing the
nutrition and general health of the mother at all stages; provid-
© BlueOrange Studio / istockphoto.com

We now have a deep well of wisdom, science and common sense from which to draw safe, effective
and practical recommendations for preventing autism, right now.
ing superior sources of nutrition for the infant and child; and
careful, strategic and individualized consideration and use of
vaccines.
Of course, there are no guarantees. However, countless
parents, physicians and researchers are pooling their experience
to learn what is contributing to autism, and those strategies are
bringing about improvements in affected children. We now have
a deep well of wisdom, science and common sense from which to
draw the following safe, effective and practical recommendations
for preventing autism, right now.
Prior to conception:
1. If you are considering becoming pregnant, one of the best
things you can do is to spend six months to a year improving
your diet and making better lifestyle choices. You should
consume organically grown grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts
and lean sources of protein. Laying the foundation for a healthy
pregnancy by putting yourself in optimal shape prior to
conceiving will do much to minimize the chance of miscarriage,
or developing other complications of pregnancy and delivery.
2. Many intended mothers reduce or eliminate the “white foods”
(sugar, white bread, pasta, pizza and bagels), along with
chemical preservatives and other processed foods, before
conceiving. But because gastrointestinal problems are so
common in children with autism, some women I’ve been
working with are choosing to address their own GI related
conditions prior to conceiving. Women with a history of
candida (yeast) overgrowth, for instance—or digestive
problems, gluten intolerance, food allergies, bloating,
constipation or parasites—are treating these conditions
before becoming pregnant. Reducing sugar consumption,
minimizing the use of antibiotics, taking probiotics and using
specific diets and herbs for intestinal pathogens can all be
helpful in optimizing your health. These steps increase the
likelihood that your child won’t be prone to GI problems.
3. Reduce or eliminate your alcohol and caffeine intake,
and eliminate tobacco.
4. Begin (or continue) an exercise routine.
5. Prior to conceiving, switch to using green cleaning and
personal care products (e.g., shampoo, toothpaste, body
lotion and facial cream). A 2006 report from the CDC found
that Americans, on average, tested positively for 116 of 148
synthetic compounds, including dioxin, polycyclic hydrocarbons
and organochlorine pesticides. These same substances
were also found in human milk, placental tissue, umbilical
cord blood, and the blood and body fat of newborns. The
average American home contains 3 to 10 gallons of hazardous
materials, and 85 percent of the chemicals that are registered
have never been tested for their impact on the human body.
(For more information on this, see the Green This! series of
books by Deirdre Imus.)
6. If your toxic load has been high (for example, if you’ve taken
many prescription or over-the-counter drugs, or you work or
live in a chemical-laden environment), you might want to
consider a detoxification or cleansing program, such as those
found at BlessedHerbs.com.
7. If a detox program alone does not relieve fatigue, migraines
or other symptoms associated with being toxic, you might
want to consult a chiropractor or medical doctor familiar
with nutritional and chelation protocols for a more advanced
detoxification process. Contact a local M.D., N.D., D.C. or
D.O. affiliated with the American Academy of Advancement in
Medicine. (For a list of physicians in your area, visit ACAM.com.)
8. If you have several mercury-based amalgam dental fillings,
consider having them removed by a dentist familiar with
safe procedure for the removal of dental mercury. A dentist
associated with the American Holistic Dental Association
(holisticdental.org) can safely remove mercury-based
amalgam fillings at least 6 months before you becoming
pregnant. Do not have them removed while breastfeeding.
9. Begin taking a comprehensive multivitamin mineral supplement.
One of the most comprehensive and easily absorbed
prenatal supplements is OptiNatal. Start by taking one, and
work up to taking six per day.
10. Adding a source of animal-based omega-3s is also essential
for optimal health. Krill oil is a popular option, as are
mercury-free sources of fish oil, such as supplements like
Nordic Natural or OmegaBrite.
11. Find a “green” dry cleaner. The chemical used in most drycleaning
facilities, perchlorethylene, is a known carcinogen.
13. Drink filtered water. For more information about water filters,
call NSF International at 800-673-8010, or see their website
at nsf.org/Certified/DWTU. Also, visit the Natural Resources
Defense Council’s website at nrdc.org/water/drinking/
gfilters.asp.
issue 26 | pathways 11

feature
Select providers who will support your philosophical core beliefs. Decisions made about “necessary
treatment” vary drastically between home birth midwives, birth center midwives and obstetricians.
Define your values and beliefs, and then seek a provider accordingly.
12. Use a stainless-steel water bottle to carry and consume filtered
water. Whether they’re heated or not, soft plastic bottles will
release phthalates. Antimony can also be released from
polyethylene terephthalate.
14. Limit your mercury intake by minimizing the consumption
of large fish. For mercury levels of fish, visit gotmercury.org.
15. To build beneficial microflora, consume more fermented foods
and take high quality probiotics. In addition to improving
levels of beneficial intestinal flora, these have been shown
to decrease intestinal absorption of certain chemicals by
facilitating their excretion. See BodyEcologyDiet.com.
16. Improve indoor air quality in your home or office by opening
the windows and creating cross ventilation.
17. Test your vitamin D levels, and add additional vitamin D3 if
necessary. Many studies support higher levels of Vitamin D
than what was previously recommended. This boosts your
immune system, cardio and neurological function.
18. Eat a diet rich in colorful, organically grown vegetables. This
will provide an adequate intake of antioxidants to fight off the
damaging effects of free radicals. Juicing organic vegetables
is a great alternative if you find it daunting to consume the
daily recommended 4 1 /2 cups of veggies and fruit.
19. If anticipating pregnancy, I would also suggest you avoid the
flu shot and any other vaccine for a year prior to conception.
20. Minimize your exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs).
Computers, TVs and cell phones emit electromagnetic
radiation, so do not sleep with these in your bedroom. Use
cell phones only when necessary, and keep your phone in
your pocketbook, rather than in your pocket.
21. Do what is reasonable to green your home and minimize
exposure to EMFs and toxins in your food, water and cleaning
products. If you’re planning to remodel your house, or are
building a new home, try to select no-VOC paints and sustainable
wood instead of composites or resin-based products.
Minimize your exposure to building materials, and allow
outgasing of new materials.
22. Begin regular chiropractic care with a family wellness practitioner.
The specific adjustments will begin optimizing your nerve
12 pathways | issue 26
and immune system function and balancing your pelvic
muscles and ligaments.
During Pregnancy:
1. Continue a high-quality organic diet that eliminates,
or greatly reduces, sugar and other processed foods.
2. Continue to take a comprehensive, natural and easily
absorbed multivitamin with at least 1,800 milligrams
of calcium and 800 mg of folic acid. You might want to
consider adding 2,000 IU or more of Vitamin D. Continue
(or begin) taking a mercury-free source of omega-3,
fish oil and probiotics.
3. If possible, avoid dental work while pregnant—especially
the removal or insertion of amalgam fillings.
4. If possible, avoid antibiotics and other over-the-counter and
prescription medication. There is no pharmaceutical drug on
the market that has been proven safe for pregnancy. A new
study, published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent
Medicine, shows that antidepressants are especially dangerous
to take during pregnancy.
5. Continue an exercise program to improve circulation and
stimulate peristalsis. Intestinal motility slows as a result of
pregnancy hormones, so, in order to continue having good
bowel movements, daily exercise is essential. In addition,
take good sources of fiber, such as ground flaxseed, psyllium
husks, bran, nuts, whole grains and seeds.
6. Eat a diet that contains at least 80 grams of protein per day.
High-quality, organic, lean sources of protein include turkey,
chicken, nuts, meat, eggs and whey protein powder for
smoothies. Divide them up into four or five 2-ounce servings.
7. Always have a protein-rich snack on hand for any dips in
blood sugar.
8. Avoid the flu vaccine or any other immunizations. If you’re
RH negative and require Rhogam, ask to see the package
insert to make sure there is no thimerosal in the vaccine.
9. If you get sick, rest. Drink lots of hot water with lemon;
take extra vitamin C, and possibly use echinacea drops.
(Do not use goldenseal during pregnancy.)

© Mary Gascho / istockphoto.com
10. Interview midwives and or obstetricians until you find one who
makes you feel comfortable and empowered. Home birth is an
option that is not right for everyone. However, a 2005 study
published in the British Medical Journal found that natural
birth, at home, with certified practicing midwives is safe for
low-risk mothers and their babies. The study followed 5,000
mothers in the U.S. and Canada, and found that these home
births with low-risk mothers had much lower rates of medical
interventions when compared to the intervention rates for
low-risk mothers giving birth in hospitals.
11. Avoid unnecessary ultrasounds—which may include all
ultrasounds. There are no conclusive studies showing that
ultrasounds are safe in pregnancy. Of greater concern are
the studies showing how prenatal ultrasound affects brain
development. Even standard, routine ultrasounds are not
medically necessary and have not been shown to improve birth
outcomes. Issue No. 22 of Pathways has an informative article
on the potential relationship between ultrasound and autism.
13. Minimize intrusive procedures during labor (such as induction
with Pitocin, pain meds, epidurals, forceps, C-sections and
early cord clamping) by researching them and discussing with
your midwife or doctor which procedures you wish to avoid,
if possible, and which ones you wish to have be part of your
labor and birth experience. Pathways No. 21 has an article
that relates many of these often unnecessary procedures to
an increased risk of autism.
14. Choose your birth care providers wisely. Rather than selecting
a provider or place of birth because of insurance coverage,
select providers who will support your philosophical core
beliefs about birth. Decisions made about “necessary
treatment” vary drastically between home birth midwives,
birth center midwives and obstetricians. Define your values
and beliefs, and then seek a provider accordingly.
15. Start childbirth classes early. Seek classes outside of the
hospital, with independent groups that offer support and
knowledge about natural birthing. Additionally, finding a
birth-support doula is essential for a better birth outcome.
The perceived need for medication can be eliminated with
proper breathing and relaxation techniques and adequate
support during birth. Additional information on natural
labor and birth procedures is available in Pathways No. 24.
16. There is a higher risk of autism in cesarean-delivered babies.
So, although it’s tempting to think of skipping labor, labor
is actually mother nature’s way of preparing the child for
life outside the womb. The baby’s neurological function is
enhanced by naturally passing through the birth canal and
through cranial molding.
17. Walk during labor, and stay in an upright position or on all
fours for pushing and delivery. This will greatly maximize
your pelvis’ ability to easily open and birth, minimizing the
need for doctor assisted pulling, the forceful use of forceps,
and vacuum extraction. Any form of pulling and rotation to
the baby’s delicate spine in labor may have a lasting affect
on her future nerve system function.
18. Interview several pediatricians during your pregnancy to find
one who accepts your views on health and is open to discussing
and giving careful consideration to invasive care with drugs
and vaccines. Today, many parents are seeking providers
outside of the typical allopathic model, choosing instead
issue 26 | pathways 13

feature
holistic practices that offer safer, more natural options to
achieve health and well-being.
19. Continue regular chiropractic care on a weekly basis with a
doctor who caters to pregnant women. This will optimize both
your nerve system function and your pelvic biomechanics in
preparation for an easier, safer birth.
During the newborn and infant stages:
1. Bond with your baby as much as possible. You will need your
sleep, so rest when you can. But be sure to hold and talk
to your infant as often as possible. Co-sleeping is an option
many parents are adopting to ensure continued contact with
their babies.
2. Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to not only provide
optimal nutrition, but to ensure there is a good amount of
bonding time between mother and child. While breastfeeding,
keep up your excellent dietary habits of 6 to 9 servings of
colorful, antioxidant-rich veggies and fruit, 80 to 100 grams of
high-quality protein sources (divided into four or five 2-ounce
servings) and plenty (6 to 8 glasses) of filtered water per day.
3. Wear your baby as often as possible, utilizing various baby
carriers. Having you baby held close allows them comfort,
emotional ease and, very importantly, constant motion. These
factors all strengthen and enhance neurological development
in your baby.
4. Because birth is strenuous on both the mother and baby, you
should both be checked by a qualified chiropractor shortly after
birth. Spinal alignment is essential for your healthy recovery
1 pathways | issue 26
and continued stamina. Your baby’s cranial and spinal
development will affect her nerve system function for
the rest of her life. Early care supports strong nerve and
immune system function.
5. Consume extra fiber to ensure a good bowel movement
each day.
6. Purchase an organic crib and or bed mattress. Be aware of
bedding and clothing treated with flame retardants, as they
contain high levels of antimony and other toxic substances.
7. Continue taking multivitamin and fish-oil supplements with
extra vitamin D if your blood work shows a deficiency.
8. Unless you are positive for hepatitis B, there is no need for your
newborn to receive the hep B vaccine in the nursery or within
the first few months of life.
9. I would suggest you avoid all vaccines until the child is older,
and then make an informed decision about each one based
on its potential affects to your child’s immune, digestive and
neurological systems. This issue of Pathways has an outstanding
article on informed choice by Barbara Loe Fisher, cofounder
of National Vaccine Information Center. [See page 52.]
10. To minimize the possibility that your child will develop food
allergies, postpone the introduction of solids until at least 6
months. When it is time to introduce solids, only use organic
vegetables. Steam them and purée them in a blender. You
can make batches of these and freeze them in ice cube trays.
Introduce each new food no sooner than 4 days apart to make
sure there is no reaction. After a few weeks, you can begin
© Aurimas Mikalauskas

I have heard several respected pediatricians say that a child’s immune system can handle
hundreds of vaccines in one day. Honestly, what are these people thinking?
introducing fruits. Grains should not be introduced until the
baby has teeth. Before teeth appear, babies do not have the
digestive enzyme to assimilate grains. If you have a history of
eczema, food allergies, celiac or autism, avoid dairy, soy and
gluten grains (such as wheat, barley, oats, rye and Kamut).
11. Continue breastfeeding for at least one year (preferably two).
A child’s own immune system does not kick in until they are
about 18 months of age, and your breastmilk offers the best
immune system support available. Contact your local La Leche
League for support and knowledge before and during the
breastfeeding period.
Regarding Vaccines
Almost every article about autism and vaccines printed in the
mainstream media states that all studies have shown there is
absolutely no link between vaccines and autism. This is simply
not true. There is good science pointing to a connection,
including studies published in Toxicological & Environmental
Chemistry and The New England Journal of Medicine. More
important, there are thousands of parents of sick children who
can tell you they had a normal child until he or she received
several vaccines in one day, or that their child was vaccinated
despite being ill. More research needs to be done, but these
accounts by intelligent, observant parents cannot be discounted.
To me, these reports are of equal or greater importance to any
scientific study.
Parents are choosing which vaccines to give after careful
consideration of their child’s history and genetic background.
If a child was born prematurely, for instance, or has had recurrent
ear infections, or if the parents have a history of autoimmune
disorders or allergies—these are all indicators that the infant
or toddler may not respond well to a vaccine (and certainly not
when several are given at one time). I’d like to suggest discussing
all of this with your pediatrician, but, unfortunately, most would
not agree to postpone, spread out, or avoid vaccines based on a
family history or current illness. As a matter of fact, I have heard
several respected pediatricians say that a child’s immune system
can handle hundreds of vaccines in one day. Honestly, what are
these people thinking? And where are the studies proving their
theory? They don’t exist!
If you do decide to give a vaccine, make sure your child has
not been ill recently, or is not coming down with something.
You also shouldn’t give a vaccine if the child is (or recently was)
taking antibiotics. Ask for single-dose vials of the vaccines, and
give them one at a time. There are no long-term studies showing
that giving multiple vaccines at once is a safe practice. I also
suggest, prior to vaccinating, that you prime your child’s immune
system with immune-protective nutrients. Give 250 mg of vitamin
C, 2 or 3 echinacea drops and 1 /2 teaspoon cod-liver oil each day
for a few days, before and after the vaccine. For more information,
please download the pdf “A Safer Way to Vaccinate,” at
sokhop.com/pdf/a_safer_way_to_vaccinate.pdf.
If you decide not to vaccinate, know you are among a growing
group of parents who are shifting their paradigm of health from
a fear-based, disease model to a vitalistic, trust-based wellness
model. Although you may sometimes feel isolated, there
are many parents making this shift, and support and updated
information are available. On the International Chiropractic
Pediatric Association (icpa4kids.org) and Holistic Pediatric
Association (hpakids.org) websites, you can find listings of
providers who have have committed their practices to be a resource
for vitalistic family wellness options. There you can find information,
support and holistic care congruent with your choices.
We don’t have all the answers. No one does. But we should
consider the research that has already be done, and the stories
of improvement and recovery told by parents who have already
traveled this difficult path. Let’s apply common-sense precautionary
principles as we prepare for and enter motherhood. If we wait
for all of the research to be conclusive, or for public health policy
makers to issue new edicts and catch up to what many smart
and observant parents, researchers and physicians already know,
how many more children will be unnecessarily affected by
autism? The time to prevent autism is now.
Maureen McDonnell has been a registered nurse for 33 years in the fields of childbirth education, clinical nutrition, labor and delivery,
newborn nursery and more. Since the late 1970s, she has been a vocal advocate and promoter of whole foods, green living and
preventative health measures as the most logical and cost-effective methods for minimizing complications associated with pregnancy
and birth and reducing chronic illnesses in children. From 1998 to 2008, Maureen coordinated the Defeat Autism Now! conferences. In
2008, she cofounded Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet (sokhop.com), and established the blog Raising Healthy Kids Naturally. Visit her online
at RaisingHealthyKidsNaturally.blogspot.com. View article references and author information here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 15

wellness lifest yle
Scientists are looking into epigenetics, a promising
new way to break free of our genetic heritage
The DNA OverlayBy Monika Buerger, D.C.
It is often said that you are what you eat. That’s true, to a
point, but you are so much more than that! You are also what
your mother ate, and possibly what your grandparents ate.
You are your environment. You are how you were nurtured and
loved, and you are where you live. You are the way you think.
The you that you become is regulated by your epigenetics.
Science now tells us that epigenetics play a key role in everything
about us, from the way that we handle stress, to the chronic
illnesses we get, including diabetes and neurodevelopmental
disorders. No longer can we conclude that we’re trapped within
the confines of our genetics. Through epigenetics, we have the
ability to control or regulate how our genes express themselves.
What Are Epigenetics?
The root epi means “on top of.” Epigenetics are the biological
mechanisms that lie overtop of our genomes. They are responsible
for activating or deactivating different characteristics or
expressions of our genes, without changing the actual DNA
structure. In other words, they determine which genetic characteristics
will—or won’t—develop, and to what degree. Take, for
example, a caterpillar that changes into a butterfly. It is still the
same species, with the same DNA. The outward expression of
that DNA, however, changes over time, undergoing a metamorphosis
into a beautiful expression of life.
Epigenetics are known to be affected by exposure to toxins
and synthetic compounds, environment, nutrients, behavior,
and physical, chemical and emotional stress. The exposure triggers
a chemical change in the body or brain, which leads to a
release of a group of molecules, called methyl groups. The addition
(or a loss) of a methyl group changes the direction of gene
expression. It is thought that most of these changes, which set
the stage for an adult’s susceptibility to diseases and behavioral
attitudes, occur either during embryonic and fetal development,
or shortly after birth. These early epigenetic changes can lie
dormant for years, and result in cancer or various other diseases
later in life. Or, they can express themselves early in life as
neurodevelopmental disorders.
16 pathways | issue 26
Good news, Bad news
Bad news first: Epigenetic changes can be passed from generation
to generation. This could explain the ever-increasing rates
of many disorders and diseases in the United States today. It is
thought that in the U.S., one out of six children has some form
of neurodevelopmental disorder or delay, such as a learning
disorder, hyperactivity or spectrum autism. Diabetes rates are
said to be climbing to 11.3 percent of American adults, or about
26 million Americans. If current trends continue, 15 percent of
American adults will be living with diabetes by the end of 2015.
Cancer, leukemia and other such diseases are also on the rise.
Now the good news: Scientists believe that the methylation
process responsible for these epigenetic changes is reversible.
Unlike a permanent defect in the gene itself, these epigenetic
changes can be undone through various means, changing our
gene expression—at least to a degree that will benefit our mental,
physical and emotional health. Not only can we change our own
gene expression, but we can start to turn the tide for future generations
by not handing down our negative epigenetic changes.
The science of epigenetics is helping to bring together the
beliefs of Western and holistic medicine. It is helping many to
understand the mind, body and spirit of healing. In order to slow
the increase in diseases and disorders, we must each look at different
factors in our own lives. By taking responsibility for our own
health and well-being, we can protect future generations, as well.
Key Factors
1. Environmental exposures to toxins, chemicals, and pesticides
are known agents of epigenetic changes leading to neurological
disorders and chronic illnesses. In 2004, researchers analyzed
umbilical cord blood samples from 10 neonates, all born in U.S.
hospitals in August and September of that year. Of the more
than 400 chemicals tested for, 287 were detected in umbilical
cord blood. Of these chemicals, 180 are known to cause cancer
in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain or nervous
system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development
in animals. The researchers believed that had they been able to
© Anja Hild / istockphoto.com

test for a broader array of chemicals, they would almost certainly
have detected far more than 287. Scientists now refer to the presence
of such toxins in the newborn as “body burden.”
What to do? Start by identifying and minimizing any potential
exposures. This may be easier said than done, but do your best.
Secondly, consult with a reputable healthcare practitioner, such
as a naturopath, homeopath, chiropractor or medical doctor who
understands and works with safe detoxification methods for you
and your family. For those considering becoming pregnant, this
is an important step to take prior to conception. However, never
undergo a detoxification process during pregnancy.
2. Diet and nutrition are also big factors when it comes to
epigenetics. In today’s world, this is one of the easiest factors to
identify, yet one of the most difficult factors to change. Because
of our fast-paced society, many of us rely on fast food, boxed food
or canned foods as our primary source of fuel. Unfortunately, these
foods are empty of the good nutrients that our bodies and cells
need, and they often contain harmful additives or toxins.
What to do? Start by eating as many fresh or “live” organic
foods as possible. (Live organic food is organic food in its natural
state, without undergoing cooking, which can destroy some
of the vitality of food.) Challenge yourself to take one day a
week and eat nothing but live organic food for the entire day.
Of course, if you have a family, the same rule applies. Then slowly
start to introduce more fresh organic foods and meals throughout
the week. If you are able, start growing your own fruits and
vegetables, or join a local organic co-op. Supplement your diet
with a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D and phytonutrients,
and consult a healthcare practitioner who can help you
and your family with other proper nutritional supplements. To
understand what is in some of your food, go to whatsonmyfood
.org or foodnews.org.
3. Stress to the body can either be chemical, physical or emotional.
Chemical stress is the result of environmental toxins, foods,
alcohol, tobacco and drugs. All can occur during fetal development.
Physical stress is generally the result of injury or trauma.
These can either be macro injuries (such as a broken leg or
sprained ankle) or micro/repetitive injuries (such as carpal tunnel
syndrome). The physical stress a developing fetus is exposed to
in utero and during the birthing process is often overlooked. The
stress on a developing child’s spine and nervous system must always
be taken into consideration. It is imperative that a mother’s
pelvis be in optimal alignment to allow for proper fetal movement
and positioning and to prevent the possible need for a cesarean
section delivery. Emotional stress can arise from many factors.
For example, maternal care has long been known to affect behavioral
outcomes of children. In one study using rats, it was found
that rats not properly licked by their mother (a form of nurturing)
produced more stress hormones as adults. As humans, we also
all need emotional nurturing and healing.
What to do? Avoid chemical stressors to the body, especially
prior to and during pregnancy. Exercise and avoid physical stressors
within your control, and consult a family-wellness chiropractor
to ensure proper spine and nervous system function. For those
considering becoming pregnant, seek chiropractic care prior to
and during pregnancy for optimal fetal development and have your
newborn checked by a family wellness chiropractor. Finally, learn
ways to deal with the “emotional backpack” we all carry around.
When we carry our emotional wounds with us, it only weighs us
down on our journey. Some suggestions to handle life’s stressors
include yoga, meditation, Reiki and massage therapy.
Outlook Affects Outcome
A positive mental attitude goes a long way in changing the tide
of epigenetic insults. The body and mind are twins, and should
not be separated in regard to healing. To paraphrase Napoleon
Hill, “What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.” From
a spiritual perspective, epigenetics supports the belief that disorders
and diseases caused by the mind can be fixed by the mind.
In other words, most of our thoughts and beliefs are stored in
our subconscious mind.
We come preprogrammed into this world, with thoughts
and beliefs of our parents, and their parents, and so on. From
there, we are granted various societal thoughts and beliefs,
many of which are negative and harmful to our body. However,
if we can become conscious about our subconscious, we can
feed our mind positive thoughts and images, and change our
epigenetic destiny. No more can we use the excuse that our
genetics determine our fate in life. It is all in our mind…and in
our epigenetics!
Monika Buerger, D.C., has been in full-time chiropractic
practice since 1992, and has developed a highly successful
and comprehensive treatment program for working with
individuals diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders.
She teaches about neurodevelopmental disorders and functional
neurology and is a contributing author to the textbook Pediatric
Chiropractic. Her office is located in Ammon, Idaho; visit her online
at eaglecanyonwellness.com. View article references and author
information here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 17

nutrition
Which Organic Label
Should You Trust?
Many “health” experts continue
to argue that there is little
difference between organic and
conventionally raised produce,
but the scientific evidence—and
common sense—says otherwise.
By Joseph Mercola, D.O.

© Angela Santiago
Food grown in healthier soil, with natural fertilizers and no
chemicals, is, quite simply, more nutritious. As an added
boon, it won’t load you up with dangerous toxins that can
destroy your health. A 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural
Food Chemistry, for example, found that organic foods are better
for fighting cancer. And in 2005, scientists found that, compared
to rats that ate conventional diets, organically fed rats experienced
various health benefits. Rats that ate organic or minimally
fertilized diets had:
• Improved immune systems
• Better sleeping habits
• Less weight and were slimmer than rats fed other diets
• Higher vitamin E content in their blood (for organically fed rats)
But some of the most compelling evidence favoring organic
food comes from a $25 million study funded by the European
Union—the largest study of its kind to date. The researchers
obtained their results after growing fruit and vegetables, and
raising cattle, on adjacent organic and non-organic sites. This
four-year study, called the Quality Low Input Food project, found
that organic food is far more nutritious than ordinary produce,
and can help improve your health and longevity. The researchers
found that:
• Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent
more antioxidants.
• Organic produce has higher levels of beneficial minerals
like iron and zinc.
• Milk from organic herds contains up to 90 percent
more antioxidants.
The study showed that eating organic foods can help to
increase the nutrient intake of people who don’t eat the recommended
five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This study
may have considerable impact once it’s officially published, as
its findings could overturn government advice—at least in the
U.K., where the current official position is that eating organic
food is no more than a lifestyle choice.
Reading Organic Labels
Although the organic label has really only become widely popular
in the last several years, it has already been greatly compromised.
Consumers need to adopt a “Buyer Beware” approach
to shopping, as not all organic labels are truthful or even pertinent.
Whereas organic foods were once truly raised naturally,
on small farms with great integrity, big business has now stepped
in and tainted many of the principles upon which the organic
label was founded.
Wal-Mart, for instance, is now the largest organic retailer in
the United States. According to the Organic Consumers Association,
the mega-store is:
• Selling organic milk that comes from intensive
confinement, factory-farm dairies
• Importing cheap organic foods and ingredients from
China and Brazil, and
• Posting signs in its stores that mislead people into
believing that non-organic items are actually organic.
Organic food now represents a $16-billion business, with
sales growing by as much as 20 percent each year. Unfortunately,
the quality and meaning of the organic label is undergoing an
equally fast and exponential decline. The sad fact is, you are
being ripped off by much of the organic food you are buying.
One of the biggest rip-offs, in my opinion, is organic milk.
Milk is not something I recommend that anyone drink unless it
is in raw form. Organic milk is not raw milk; it is still pasteurized,
Organic food now represents a $16-billion business, with sales growing by as much as 20 percent
each year. Unfortunately, the quality and meaning of the organic label is undergoing an equally fast
and exponential decline.
and is associated with all of the same health problems as regular
pasteurized milk, regardless of its organic certification.
Another major deception is “organic” junk food, such as ice
cream, crackers, cookies, pizzas and potato chips. A potato chip
is one of the worst foods you can eat, regardless of whether or
not the potato is organic. Yet big business is cashing in on people’s
desire to “have their cake and eat it too,” so to speak, and deceiving
them into believing that they can eat cookies, ice cream and
potato chips without feeling guilty because they’re “organic.”
Food for Thought
With all of the above in mind, here is what you need to know
about organic labeling.
Of the many different organic labels out there, only one relates
directly to foods—the USDA Organic seal. This seal is your best
assurance of organic quality. Growers and manufacturers of
organic products bearing the USDA seal have to meet the strictest
standards of any of the currently available organic labels.
The USDA’s National Organic Program, NOP, took effect on
October 21, 2002, and regulates the standards for any farm,
wild crop harvesting, or handling operation that wants to sell
an agricultural product as organically produced. The labeling
requirements of the NOP apply to raw, fresh products and processed
products that contain organic agricultural ingredients.
In order to qualify as organic, a product must be grown and
processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources
and promote biodiversity. Crops must be grown without synthetic
pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers
or sewage sludge-based fertilizers. Organic livestock must have
issue 26 | pathways 19

nutrition
12 low-pesticide produce items
asparagus
kiwis mangos
avocados bananas
access to the outdoors and cannot be given antibiotics or growth
hormones. The NOP labeling standards are as follows.
• Products labeled “100 percent organic” must contain only
organically produced materials.
• Products labeled simply “organic” must contain at least
95 percent organic ingredients.
• The label “made with organic ingredients” can contain
anywhere between 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients.
• Organic products cannot be irradiated, and are not allowed
to contain preservatives or flavor-enhancing chemicals.
• Additionally, organic products cannot contain traces of
heavy metals or other contaminants in excess of tolerances
set by the FDA.
• The pesticide residue levels in organic foods cannot be higher
than five percent of the maximum EPA pesticide tolerance.
(For a free downloadable iPhone app on pesticides and
produce, visit the Environmental Working Group at ewg.org.
For the complete National List of Allowed and Prohibited
Substances under the USDA organic label, visit ams.usda.
gov/AMSv1.0/NOP.)
Should everything you buy be organic? Aside from the fact
that organic food contains higher levels of vital nutrients, and
is naturally lower in residues and compounds that are seriously
Growers and manufacturers of organic
products bearing the USDA seal have
to meet the strictest standards of any
of the currently available organic labels.
onions pineapples
broccoli cabbage
eggplant
sweet corn sweet peas
detrimental to your health, such as herbicide and pesticide
residues. Organic fruits and vegetables are, by definition, grown
without the use of harmful chemicals. Aside from that, the use
of pesticides and herbicides in conventional farming practices
contaminates groundwater, ruins the soil structure and promotes
erosion. They’ve also been linked to the mysterious “colony
collapse disorder” that threatens pollinating honeybees populations
around the world.
Eye on Pesticides
It is apparent that buying or growing as much organic food as
possible is not only best for your health, but for the health of the
entire planet. However, certain fruits and vegetables are subjected
to far heavier pesticide use than others. With food prices
rising, many are looking for ways to buy the healthiest foods
possible at the lowest cost.
One such way would be to focus on purchasing certain
organic items, while settling for others that are conventionally
grown. The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization
that advocates for policies that protect global and individual
health, produces the Shoppers’ Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
It is based on the results of nearly 43,000 pesticide tests.
Of the 43 different fruit and vegetable categories in the EWG’s
Guide to Pesticides, the following 12 foods had the lowest pesticide
load when conventionally grown: asparagus, avocados,
bananas, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, kiwis, mangos, onions,
pineapples, sweet corn and sweet peas. Consequently, they are
the safest conventionally grown crops to consume.
Meanwhile, these 12 fruits and vegetables had the highest
pesticide load, making them the most important to buy or
grow organic: apples, celery, cherries, imported grapes, lettuce,
nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, spinach, strawberries and
sweet bell peppers. Conventionally grown strawberries, in particular,
were found by a 2007 European Union study to be highly
toxic due to a poisonous blend of pesticides. But be aware that
© tina aitala / corn: istockphoto.com

© tina aitala / cherries: istockphoto.com
12
high-pesticide produce items
apples
pears potatoes
celery cherries
these lists cover fruits and vegetables only. Non-organic meats
actually have far higher concentrations of pesticides than all of
the fruits and vegetables. And the highest concentration of pesticides
is actually in non-organic butter.
So, if you can only buy one organic food item, it should be
butter. Your next priority should be meats, and once those are
addressed, focus on the fruits and vegetables listed above.
Bear in mind, also, that locally grown organics are your absolute
best bet. Oftentimes, buying locally grown food is your best
choice even if it’s grown conventionally, as the environmental
impact of shipping organic produce across the globe can cancel
out many of its benefits. Organic farming standards are also
questionable in many parts of the world.
Watch for Genetic Engineering
What about genetically-modified (GM) foods? While you may
have heard about the most common GM food sources, such as
corn, many people are clueless about just how much of your
produce is now available in GM varieties. Perhaps even more
alarming, how many deliberate GM field trials of new crops are
actually going on across the world? A perfect example of the repercussions
of this practice can be seen in Hawaii, where non-GM
papaya seed supplies are now so seriously contaminated by GM
seeds that at least 50 percent of organic seeds test positive for
genetic modification! That means you have a greater than 50/50
chance of buying a genetically modified fruit even when buying
organic Hawaiian papaya.
Although the U.S. does not require GM foods to be labeled,
you can still find out whether or not your produce has been
genetically engineered by visiting the Institute for Responsible
Technology’s site at NonGMOShoppingGuide.com and perusing
the long lists of non-GM and GM brands by category. Download
a two-page version, order the pocket guide, or even equip your
iPhone with the new app ShopNoGMO. Unfortunately, the urban
legend that you can differentiate GM produce from conventional
spinach strawberries
grapes lettuce
nectarines
sweet bell peppers peaches
or organic by looking at the PLU codes on the little stickers on
fruit or vegetables is just not true.
Here are a few other fruits that are low in pesticide residue,
and therefore good candidates to purchase as conventionally
grown. Double-check, however, to make sure you’re not buying
a GM variety.
• Avocados. A new GM avocado variety was introduced in 2009
that is immune to “stress” and pests.
• Bananas. The first GM banana, with extra genes that increase
its levels of provitamin A and iron, was unleashed in Australian
field trials last year. At Cornell University, researchers are
also working to develop a banana that carries the hepatitis B
vaccine.
• Pineapples. GM pineapples, designed to produce greater
levels of proteins, vitamins and sugars, may already be on
the market. An Australian GM pineapple called “Smooth
Cayenne” has delayed flowering and herbicide resistance.
It also contains the tobacco acetolactate synthase gene
(SurB) from Nicotiana tabacum.
• Kiwis. The transgenic variety of kiwi fruit is the Actinidia
deliciosa from Italy.
Remember, if you can’t afford to purchase all organic food,
at least aim to buy produce that has a lower toxic load and has
not been genetically modified.
Dr. Mercola has the most visited natural health site in the
world, Mercola.com, with more than 1.5 million subscribers.
He has published seven books, two of which were NY
Times bestsellers. He has been featured in national news
media health reports, including CNN, NBC’s The Today Show, ABC
World News Tonight, and on hundreds of national and local TV and
radio stations. View article references and author information here:
pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 21

nutrition
M ndfully Growing Greens
from Sprout to Leaf to Smoothie! By Lisa Reagan
So, the White House is growing their own organic First Family
garden, and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution is inspiring
a national run on home gardening supplies. Just before
following this welcome trend and jumping with abandon onto the
family gardening bandwagon, what if we paused long enough to
shift the impetus for polishing our hoes from fear of fast food to
appreciation for life? Would a mindful approach to growing food
ensure our investments weren’t based on fads, but our commitment
to sustainable living? Could an intentional, simpler approach
to growing our own food reveal insights that would allow
us to see the world in our backyards?
During the years that I ran a Community Supported Agriculture
program, CSA, on my small farm in Virginia, I taught numerous
newbies how to plan a family garden to grow a portion of
their own food. Many of these “highly motivated” souls were
recovering from a first glance at the industrial agriculture origins
of the Standard American Diet
(SAD) through documentaries
like The Future of Food,
and were wondering where to
begin to grow their own food,
as their grandparents did.
Again and again, I witnessed
the same obstacles to success.
The cultural conditioning
and industrial paradigm values
we all share—production,
performance and constant
evaluation—consciously or
unconsciously imposed the
idea of perfection on garden
plans and crop yields, ultimately
diminishing the joy and
wisdom readily found in connecting
with the earth.
Watching myself and others
approach a whole, complex
garden plan in a frantic frenzy,
with multiple crops and planning
times, preparation and
storing needs, it became
apparent that something was
missing, a crucial piece that
might be the main point of all
The sprouts, micro-greens and mature leaves
we reverently harvested were proudly presented
at our family dinner table, where the prayerful
hands that grew them, and the people who knew
them, encircled and blessed them. It turns out,
mindful growing also leads to mindful eating!
of this well-intentioned busyness. Curious, and probably a little
burned-out, I decided to cull this sacrosanct and grand process
down to the simplest form I could find. I shifted my focus to one
type of crop, the ubiquitous one offered on menus around the
country as a panacea to our shared epidemic of chronic health
ailments: greens. Specifically, Red Russian kale.
The idea became to cultivate a “relationship” with this
nutrient-dense, raw food favorite that was edible at all nine
stages of its life cycle, from sprouts and micro-greens to baby
greens and mature plants. Working with just one crop to discover
all its possibilities, and to witness those transformations up
close, was a fascinating process. It inspired me, my family and
my gardening students to slow down and consider the revelations
springing forth from a mason jar, seed tray, homemade salad box
and outdoor salad patch. In retrospect, I had decided to mindfully
grow food.
The versatile Red Russian kale is the perfect food to teach us
mindful growing. Spoonfuls of its seeds can be scooped into a
mason jar, converted into a mini-greenhouse on a kitchen counter
with cheesecloth and a rubber band, where they grow the most
enzymatically perfect food ever: sprouts. Children will enjoy
spying on tiny leaves and shoots bursting from their shells, and
can help with daily rinsing. Spouts can be grown from an amazing
variety of leafy greens, as well as other vegetables. Most sprout
seed today is screened for E. coli, but check your source to be
sure. Always purchase organic seed.
A handful of seeds sprinkled into compost-rich soil in reclaimed
buckets, pots, seed trays or “salad boxes” (made from
untreated timber) will grow quickly into the sought-after and expensive
“micro-greens” seen in upscale restaurants and farmers
markets. A large tray of micro-greens can be selectively thinned
© Lisa Reagan

to allow the remaining greens to develop into another expensive
delicacy—baby greens!
Allowed to grow to its full glory, Red Russian kale in a large
salad box or outdoor patch can offer “cut and come again” abundance.
Because of its hardiness, kale is an excellent year-round
crop that has been known to over-winter well in many parts of the
country. We’ve had kale patches last for two and three seasons.
Their stalks get woody, but their leaves are still delish (a tip for
the lazy farmer or permaculture enthusiast!).
Raw food activists know the satisfaction of stuffing handfuls
of raw kale into blenders for nutrient-dense smoothies, but as
this daily health routine requires a steady supply of kale, don’t
hold back when planting your kale crop! If unused plants “go to
seed,” you have your next planting on the way. As experienced
farmers know, you only need to allow three percent of your entire
crop to form seeds to have enough for the next planting of the
same size. And finally, spent plants can retire to the compost pile
where they form new soil for new plants and help to complete the
cycle of life.
Well, not really finally. Most of the sprouts, micro-greens and
mature leaves we reverently harvested from their various growing
mediums were proudly presented at our family dinner table,
where the prayerful hands that grew them, and the people who
knew them, encircled and blessed them. It turns out, mindful
growing also leads to mindful eating!
The process of mindfully growing Red Russian kale, in a very
practical way, helped to reaffirm our reasons for growing a family
garden in the first place: not fear of something outside ourselves,
but because we are grateful for our connection to the earth
and awed by the natural life cycles that nourish us. Integrating
these mindful growing exercises also helped to till up some of
the old industrial beliefs like “bigger and complicated is better,”
replacing it with “simpler and slower yields wisdom and insight
not otherwise obtainable.” We still grow our family garden, but
our mindful growing exercises enable us to embody a deeper
appreciation and awareness of the life processes taking place
all around us, below and above ground, and more importantly,
within ourselves.
Lisa Reagan is the associate editor for Pathways to
Family Wellness. She lives with her family on their small
farm in Toano, Virginia. View article references and
author information here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org/
references.html.
How to Grow Sprouts
To sprout seeds, use mason jars that
have been sterilized in boiling water, but
are cool. No fancy sprouting equipment
is required. Your seeds will come with instructions that
you will need to follow, as each variety of seed will have a
different amount to put into the mason jar and a time for
completion of sprouting, just a few days. Put seeds in the
jar with warm water and allow them to soak overnight.
The next day, pour the seeds and water into a strainer.
Put rinsed seed back into the jar and cover with cheese-
cloth, securing it to the jar with a rubber band. Place the
jar on its side, and cover with a cloth. Rinse seeds at least
three times daily, until the sprouts fill the jar!
These days, you can order seeds for sprouting that have
been tested for E. Coli. Check to make sure your source
is organic, and that the seeds are approved for sprouting.
issue 26 | pathways 23

chiropractic for life
The Truth About Chiropractic
A closer look at a misunderstood philosophy By Lloyd Fielder, D.C.
We are both growing and
dying each day—but one
process will predominate
over the other. One is an
upward spiral of growth,
leading to fulfillment
and ease; the other is a
downward spiral of decay,
leading to death.
I
am a chiropractor. When I tell people what I do for a living, the most
frequent response is that the person I’m speaking to grabs his back
and says, “Oh, Doc, I need ya!” As a society, we misunderstand chiropractic.
But with your permission, I would like to tell you the truth
about it, and what a true gift it is.
A great philosopher named Hippocrates once stated, “We are
either growing or dying.” Not to be outdone, Confucius stated,
“Our lives are like that of an egg, we are either growing or decaying.”
Every day, our environment bombards us with chemical,
physical and mental stressors. It is the job of our nerve system
to detect these stressors, interpret them, and either adapt to
them and continue our growth, or shrink from them and stop
growing while in a survival or protective mode.
As the philosophers said, we are both growing and dying
each day—but one process will predominate over the other.
One is an upward spiral of growth, leading to fulfillment and
ease; the other is a downward spiral of decay, leading to death.
Our Bodies’ innate intelligence
Our bodies have an inborn intelligence, often called innate intelligence.
This intelligence runs, regulates, heals and grows the body
to its fullest potential, allowing us to reach our God-given purpose
in life. There are many things you have to accept in order to understand
the full breadth of chiropractic: Either we are on this earth due to
the grace of a higher consciousness, or we are simply a random assimilation
of organic substance that has evolved over many years, making
us nothing more than a higher order of mud.
If you have a live person and a dead person side by side, what is
the difference? They both have all the same stuff, the same potential
for life. In chiropractic understanding, the difference is that the live
one possesses an innate intelligence, or life force. Most people think
the body is run and regulated by the brain, but let me ask you: What
runs the brain? There are those who think genes dictate life, but we
know that they turn off and on regularly, even mutating and adapting.
So I ask: What turns genes on or off?
For a hundred years, chiropractors have been saying that there is a
perfect, inborn intelligence inside us that continually gives 100 percent
of the information we need to run, regulate, grow, heal and flourish. Ill
health, disease and lack of potential arise only from a lack of expression
of this intelligence.
The Expression of Light or Darkness
This lack of expression leads to dis-coordination of the body, or a lack of
a body’s ability to comprehend itself in its own environment. That leads
to an inability of the body to adapt to outside stressors, which causes a
loss of function and a breakdown of tissue—a downward spiral of decay
and, ultimately, death.
collaged with images from istockphoto.com © Greg Epperson (climber) / yewkeo (spiral)

If we look at the full expression of this innate intelligence as
being the fullest expression of life as light, we can look at the lack
of this expression—decay or disease—as darkness. How do you
remedy darkness? You can study darkness, examine it, qualify it,
be aware of it and focus on it. But there’s only one way to remove
darkness: Add light.
Chiropractic understands this premise. It doesn’t look to cure
disease, address disease or diagnose disease. We understand
disease for what it truly is—a lack state, one that arises only in
the absence of the fullest expression of life.
The Subluxation Process
Chiropractic detects and corrects interference with the expression
of this intelligence in relation to the spine. Our nerve system is
what conducts the expression of this innate intelligence. Since
our spinal cords are surrounded and protected by vertebrae,
chiropractors became synonymous with backs. In truth, chiropractic
deals with the innate intelligence and the nerve system.
A chiropractor is not a doctor of the spine, especially not spinal
disorders, decay or disease.
As a chiropractor, the only conclusion that I can make with
any degree of certainty is that your body is better off with a clear
nerve system than one with interference. Chiropractors are the only
practitioners with the philosophy and the technique to find that
interference—called subluxation—and to assist in correcting it.
Allopathic practitioners (i.e. mainstream medical doctors)
usually regard us as “not whole,” and needing something outside
ourselves to heal or grow. They assume that it takes an outside
intelligence to look at us and tell us what we need, be it ultrasound,
electrical stimulation, pharmaceuticals, supplements or
something else.
We need to go back to our original thought process and ask: If a
practitioner directs the energy where he thinks it needs to go, how
does that honor an individual’s innate intelligence? Doesn’t innate
intelligence know what is needed where, and how much? How does
applying ultrasound to the mid-back honor that process?
In our society, sitting for five minutes in a drive-through can
seem like an eternity. Commercials bombard us five to seven times
in three minutes, and we can see problems get resolved in three
eight-minute segments on TV. It can be challenging to shift our
consciousness from that fast-paced lifestyle to comprehend that
all of life, including healing, is a process, and that being under
care is also a lifetime process.
Ask yourself: If you start to exercise because it’s good for you,
when do you get to a point when you can stop? What about brushing
your teeth, or eating vegetables and other healthy foods?
You can always choose to stop doing those things, but that’s not
congruent with the fullest expression of your life’s potential.
The Effects of interference
So chiropractic care is a process that gives its greatest rewards
over a lifetime. It starts with your getting checked to see how
much the subluxation process is interfering with your nerve system
and your life. We usually think we feel fine, but symptoms
are the last thing to show up in a process, and therefore the worst
possible way to judge your life’s expression.
We all know someone, or have heard of someone, who has
dropped dead from a heart attack without warning. Or perhaps
you know someone who got a routine check-up and discovered
they had a 99 percent blockage in their coronary arteries and
needed immediate open-heart surgery. There might have been
no outward signs, yet we know that cardiovascular disease is a
process that occurs over decades.
Similarly, diabetes is said to be at epidemic proportions, mostly
due to there being no obvious signs until the process has gone
rampant for years. Even a smaller systemic problem, such as tooth
decay, occurs for years before you feel any pain or sensitivity.
These things are all just examples of processes that are a
function of our fundamental disconnect with the understanding
of life and health. We are out of touch with ourselves. To live, it is
not enough just not to die, or to be alive with no symptoms and
never need surgery. I don’t believe that’s why God put us here on
this planet.
Flourish and Grow
I believe we all have a purpose. We are all meant to flourish,
grow and reach our optimum potential. You see, you cannot be
in fear and love at the same time; you cannot be in survival mode
and grow at the same time. I know we are meant to live in love
and growth, and honor the gift of grace, always.
To me, it is impossible to accomplish this with a nerve system
that is compromised—one that disconnects the creator from the
creation and allows a little less life in us each and every day. So,
from a person who has searched as a chiropractor for the meaning
of our profession for the last 10 years—a person who has seen
thousands of patients, read hundreds of books and listened to
dozens of tapes and lecturers—please get checked.
Get checked for the subluxation process. Get your families
checked, and your friends, your loved ones and anyone you care
about. Even mention it to the people you don’t care about, as
maybe it’s the subluxation process that’s preventing them from
their fullest expression of love and happiness. You never know:
With a clear nerve system, anything becomes possible.
Lloyd Fielder, D.C., completed his undergraduate studies
at the State University of New York at Albany and received
his Doctor of Chiropractic degree at the National College
of Chiropractic in Lombard, Illinois. He also has bachelor
of science degrees in biology and human biology. He has owned and
operated the Schaumburg Chiropractic Wellness Center in Schaumburg,
Illinois, for the last seven years, transforming the practice into one
that is focused on the innate ability of each person to achieve and
express his or her full health potential. Visit him online at schaumburg
chiropractor.com. View article references and author information here:
pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 25

pregnancy
Breath Walk
for Pregnancy
By Anna Stewart, B.A., C.M.T., C.H.T.
26 pathways | issue 26

© travis manley / istockphoto.com / swirls: © dra_schwartz
Pregnant women all over the world walk throughout their pregnancies.
Most of the time it’s to get from one place to another, but occasionally,
a woman slows her pace and slows her mind. She walks with her breath,
which she shares with her baby.
A breath walk is a walking meditation, much like those that monks
practice. It can be done anywhere, but a quiet place with minimal distraction
is best. Do not carry anything in your hands—they need to swing
freely. Wear a backpack over both shoulders if you need to carry water
or a sweater.
To begin, stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Let
your weight spread evenly across the heels and balls of your feet.
Relax your jaw and shoulders. Close your eyes and take several
deep breaths, in a four-part rhythm:
1. inhale slowly for a count of four.
2. Hold your breath for a count of four.
3. Slowly release your breath for a count of eight.
4. Pause again for a count of four.
Repeat this four times. Then, on your fifth inhalation, open
your eyes while stepping forward. Pause, then take your next step
as you exhale. Then, pause again. Now repeat this four times.
You might find it difficult to exhale to the count of eight, particularly
late in pregnancy, when lung capacity is inhibited. If so,
start by exhaling to a count of four, and slowly work your way up.
You’ll be surprised at how much your deep breathing will improve
with some practice.
If you enjoy the slow pace, keep walking that way. Otherwise,
increase your speed by breathing normally and walking in rhythm to
your breath. Try both of these paces:
1. Take one step for each inhale, and one step for each exhale.
2. Take four steps (two per foot) with each inhale, then four steps
with each exhale.
Play with the length of your step. Let your arms hang and swing in
response to your body’s movements. Moving meditations require a different
way of being in your body. By practicing how to keep your upper
body and jaw relaxed while maintaining awareness of your breath and
walking in rhythm, you are practicing for labor and beyond.
Most women can talk and move comfortably through their early contractions.
When in labor, do a breath walk with your partner around the
block. You could also use your breath to move to music (either your own
inner choir, or a piece you’ve practiced moving to already).
By learning how to stay present to your breath while doing something
else, you are learning to mindfully multitask, a skill that will serve you well as
you care for a newborn.
Enjoy the walk.
Anna Stewart, B.A., C.M.T., C.H.T., is mother to three young children, one with
special needs. In her classes, workshops and services, she weaves her expertise as
a professional writer, creative artist and student of rhythm dance. Her intention is
to provide a safe environment for women to explore their personal experiences and
feelings as mothers. She can be reached at anna@motherhands.com. View article references
and author information here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 27

irth
image created with original photos by Tina Aitala and Shannon Long

BirTh
from fear to faith
Giving birth in a culture that continually
depicts labor as painful and dangerous
is a feat in itself these days. Everywhere
we look, we’re shown images of women
screaming while giving birth, and masked
doctors heroically saving the day. TV
medical dramas abound with women being
rushed into operating rooms for emergency
C-sections, and sitcoms are notorious for
showing laboring women bitching at their
guilt-ridden husbands for making them
endure the “trials of labor.” Rarely is birth
depicted as a pleasurable experience.
No wonder most women fear it.
By Laura Shanley
issue 26 | pathways 29

irth
Some women, in fact, are so afraid of birth that they literally
can’t conceive. I spoke with a doctor recently who told me
that she was infertile. “My husband and I have had numerous
tests and there is absolutely nothing wrong with us physically,”
she said, “but I’ve always been terrified of giving birth.
I’ve known since I was a child that I was never going to give birth.
Do you think my fear has actually kept me from conceiving?”
I’ve spoken with other women who have been able to conceive
but unable to give birth vaginally. They, too, have wondered what
role fear played in their experiences.
Still others have given birth vaginally, but endured a great
deal of pain. One woman said to me, “My sisters and I were
all C-section babies. For me, it was a triumph just to give birth
vaginally. Maybe next time I’ll be able to eliminate the pain.”
So, as much as some women may criticize me for saying that
one way of giving birth is more desirable than another, or that
there are goals to strive for in birth, I truly believe there are. And
the goal I’ve chosen to strive for is a painless, drug-free, medically
unassisted home birth.
Red flags go up—even among unassisted birthers—when I talk
about painless birth. Most women have pain in labor and they’re
defensive if I say that birth doesn’t have to hurt. Some women feel
that I’m “blaming” them for their pain, but that certainly isn’t my
intention. Given the culture that most of us have been raised in,
pain, unfortunately, is actually to be expected in most cases.
However, I don’t see birth as inherently painful, and I know
there will come a time when labor will be enjoyed rather than
endured. But before that can occur, there must be a change in
the consciousness of humanity, and ultimately that change has
to start with the individual.
If we truly wish to experience a painless birth, it helps to know
a little about the nature of pain, including its function and cause.
Pain is a sign telling us that something is wrong. It doesn’t happen
30 pathways | issue 26
Fear is the source of pain in labor. No other
natural bodily function is painful, and childbirth
should not be the exception.
indiscriminately. It only occurs when we’re doing something we
shouldn’t be doing. The pain is a message telling us to stop.
In the case of a laboring woman, it is obviously not a message
to stop labor. What then, could the pain be telling us? According
to Grantly Dick-Read, author of Childbirth Without Fear, fear is the
source of pain in labor. No other natural bodily function is painful,
he writes, and childbirth should not be the exception.
When a person is afraid, messages are sent to the body
telling it there is a danger out there that must either be fought
or avoided. Blood and oxygen are instantly sent into the muscle
structure, enabling the frightened person to strike out or run.
But the extra blood and oxygen must come from somewhere,
so the body drains it from organs it considers nonessential for
“flight or fight.” This is why people turn white when they’re
afraid. The body knows that the arms and legs need that blood
and oxygen more than the face does.
Unfortunately, the body considers the uterus a nonessential
organ when it comes to flight or fight. According to Dick-Read,
the uterus of a frightened woman in labor is literally white. It
doesn’t have the fuel it needs to function the way it was designed
to, nor can waste products be properly carried away. Consequently,
there is pain. To eliminate the pain, we must eliminate the fear.
Sometimes that’s easier said than done. Fear runs deep in our
culture, and many of us could spend a lifetime (or two) purging
ourselves of the fear we’ve developed. Even the most “enlightened”
people have had childhoods that weren’t perfect. And even
a child raised by fearless parents still has to live in a culture that is

constantly emphasizing the “dangers” of being alive. I’m reminded
of a statement made by Eric Sevareid. “The biggest big business in
America,” he said “is not steel, automobiles or television. It is the
manufacture, refinement and distribution of anxiety.”
Faith is understanding that the consciousness
that created us does not want us to suffer in birth
or in life. Faith is trusting that our bodies were
designed to give birth safely and painlessly.
And yet, eliminating fear is not impossible, for there is
something much more powerful than the most all-consuming
fear: faith. Faith is believing that all is well. Faith is knowing that
we’re not alone in the universe. Faith is understanding that the
consciousness that created us does not want us to suffer in birth
or in life. Faith is trusting that our bodies were designed to give
birth safely and painlessly. Faith is accepting the fact that we
are the creators of our lives and our births.
Faith is not the opposite of reason. Having faith does not
mean that we sit back and do nothing during our pregnancy.
When we have faith, we understand the psychological origins
of the majority of pain and problems most women encounter
in labor, and we do our best to face and conquer our fears.
We don’t run to specialists for blood work or urine tests or
vitamins, for we know that with good food (neither too much,
nor too little), fresh air, exercise and the proper beliefs, our
babies will thrive.
Having faith is the first step toward eliminating the cycle
of fear, tension and pain that most women experience in labor.
Faith leads to relaxation, and relaxation leads to pleasure.
There is no doubt that the energy of birth is powerful. But its
power can be like the wind that scatters the seeds of the willow
tree, or a sunrise that bathes the sky in a beautiful yellow light.
This is my vision of birth. Someday, I know the rest of the world
will share it with me.
Laura Shanley is a writer, speaker, birth consultant
and author of the book, Unassisted Childbirth.
She lives with her daughter, Joy, and dog, Molly, in
Boulder, Colorado, where she maintains the website
unassistedchildbirth.com. Laura also writes periodically
about the joys, trials and tribulations of being an unassisted
birth activist on her blog, laurashanley.blogspot.com. View
article references and author information here: pathwaystofamily
wellness.org/references.html.
“Women have the inner power and the inner
knowledge of giving birth. There is a parallel of
sexuality and giving birth. Women who are giving
birth, trust yourselves. Trust your inner power. Trust
your ability to give life. This is something absolutely
sacred that is inside all women in the world.”
– Ricardo Jones, M.D.
“Can we create a world where all needs are met with
dignity and individual culture is retained; where
a baby anywhere in the world is born nonviolently
and according to the instincts of its mother; where
people progress in directions of full potential and
spirit is not sacrificed; where women no longer obey,
submit and apologize for who they are?”
– Sister MorningStar
“Let us initiate our daughters into the beauty
and mystery of being strong and confident women
who claim their right to give birth and raise their
children with dignity, power, love, and joy.”
“The knowledge of how to give birth without
– Barbara Harper
outside interventions lies deep within each woman.
Successful childbirth depends on the acceptance
of the process.”
– Suzanne Arms
“We have a secret in our culture, and it’s not that
birth is painful. It’s that women are strong.”
“Birth is as safe as life gets.”
– Laura Stavoe Harm
– Harriette Hartigan
issue 26 | pathways 31

the outer womb
Understanding
Your Baby’s Cries
By Pinky McKay, IBCLC
One of the inevitable realizations experienced by new parents is that
there are times when your baby will cry, and be seemingly inconsolable.
This often leaves you, the parent, feeling inadequate, frustrated
or as though you’ve done something wrong. But the first rule of the
crying game is “don’t blame yourself.” It’s not your fault, or anybody’s,
that your baby cries—and cries! According to a University of London
study, there is no correlation between persistent crying and a stressful
environment, inadequate parenting, obstetric complications, breastfeeding
vs. bottle feeding, birth order or sex.
Crying is your baby’s first language. It’s pretty much the only way an
infant can express feelings like discomfort, hunger, exhaustion and loneliness.
By understanding your baby’s cries, you will find that you can comfort
your baby more often, and more easily, than you might have initially thought.
Crying is also the only way your baby can release pent-up stress. He might be
saying, “I don’t feel right; please help me.” As your baby grows, he will learn other
ways to communicate—through facial expressions, body language and, eventually,
by telling you how he feels and what he needs. For now, though, here are some
tips to help you soothe the sobs.
Learn Your Baby’s Language
By learning your baby’s pre-cry signals—wriggling, anxious
facial expressions, little grimaces, flailing arms, “rooting” at the
breast, changes in breathing and little noises that say, “I am
working up to a cry,” you will be able to see when he is bored,
frightened, hungry, tired or overwhelmed. By responding
accordingly, you may be able to avert full-blown crying.
Offer Womb Service
Ease the transition from womb to room by snuggling
your baby against your bare skin, letting him feel your
heartbeat. In the early weeks, protect your little one’s
senses by avoiding sudden movements, changes in
temperature, loud noises, bright lights and excessive
handling by “strangers.”
Feed Him Well
Tiny tummies don’t hold enough food to go for long between
feedings—day or night. If you are breastfeeding, remember,
the more your baby nurses, the more milk you will produce.
He needs to suck long enough to get the more satisfying hind-
© Marina Dyakonova / istockphoto.com

milk, which is thicker, richer and higher in calories. The best
way to do this is to watch your baby, not the clock. Allow him
to decide when he is finished at the first breast before you
switch sides.
Respond Quickly
If you leave your baby to cry, she will become more upset as
her crying picks up momentum. Soon she won’t even know
why she was crying in the first place, and she will be much harder
to soothe. If you are breastfeeding, it is particularly important to
respond quickly to hunger cues. A baby who has worked up
to a full-blown cry will have a less efficient latch, or she may only
nurse for a short time before she falls asleep from exhaustion.
Wear Your Baby
Studies have shown that carrying your baby may minimize crying.
Having her in a sling against your own warm body will reduce
your baby’s stress levels and help relieve symptoms of colic and
reflux. Baby-wearing is also reputed to help babies adapt more
quickly to a day/night sleep cycle. As an added bonus, you’ll
have both hands free!
Try the “Colic Carry”
If your baby is restless, don’t hold her in a cradle (feeding) position.
There are various other positions for holding and carrying
your baby which she might find soothing:
• Lay your baby face-down across your arm, her cheek at your
elbow.
• Carry her with her backbone against you, with her knees
pulled up toward her stomach.
• Lay your baby tummy-down across your knees, perhaps
with a warm water bottle on your lap.
• Hold your baby up against your shoulder and walk around,
or gently rock her back and forth.
Offer Your Finger
Sucking is comforting to babies and helps them relax. However,
the different sucking action between breast and a pacifier could
cause “nipple confusion” in the early weeks, so offer a clean
finger to suck on if it is inconvenient to offer a breast, or if your
baby isn’t hungry.
Wrap Her up
Primitive survival reflexes—such as the startle reflex, which
produces spontaneous, jerky movements, even in sleep—can be
upsetting to your baby. Provide a sense of security by swaddling
your baby—wrapping her firmly in a blanket.
Soak Away the Sobs
A bath will often soothe a tense, crying baby. Try a deep, warm relaxation
bath. If your baby is over three months, you can add a few
drops of lavender or chamomile oil for their added calming effects.
Kick Butt
Studies show that the risk of colic is increased whenever a parent
smokes. Not only does smoking increase the risk of SIDS in the
short term (and countless other diseases in the long term), it also
inhibits prolactin, the hormone that aids relaxation and milk flow.
So be sure to quit. If you (or anyone in your house) must smoke,
smoke outside, far away from your baby.
Consider Food intolerance
If you are breastfeeding, don’t discount the possibility that crying
spells can be related to your diet. Keep note of your baby’s crying
episodes and what you have eaten. If there appears to be a
link, eliminate the suspected food for at least a week. Common
culprits are caffeine, dairy, citrus, chocolate and peanuts.
Offer a Gentle Touch
With warm hands and warm oil, massage your baby when she
is calm, so she associates your gentle touch with relaxation.
Tummy massage can aid in digestion and help ease constipation.
Massage in a clockwise direction—the direction that food travels.
If your baby has some gassy discomfort, alternate massaging
her tummy with bending her knees.
Beat the Blues
If your baby has a regular fussy time or suffers from colic,
try to preempt the wails with a combination of massage and
a relaxation bath about an hour before her usual crying time.
Sing Soothing Sounds
Sing a lullaby, incorporating your baby’s name, or play calming
classical music.
Take Care of Yourself
Eat well, especially at breakfast, to maintain your energy level.
Take a high-quality multivitamin, exercise to stimulate your
endorphins, and snuggle up with your baby during the afternoon.
A little siesta can have a marked effect on your milk supply as
well as your stamina, and may help ease your baby’s (and your
own) stress levels.
Pinky McKay is an international board certified lactation
consultant, infant massage instructor, mother of five
and the author of Parenting by Heart, 100 Ways to Calm
the Crying, Sleeping Like a Baby, Toddler Tactics and
her baby massage DVD, Gentle Beginnings. Based in Melbourne,
Pinky regularly holds workshops and is available for mothers groups
and conferences. Her website is pinkymckay.com.au. View article
references and author information here: pathwaystofamilywellness
.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 33

parenting
THE SCiEnCE OF
love
FAThEr’S
By Patrick M. Houser
© Pascal istockphoto.com Genest / istockphoto.com
/ xxxx

The transition to fatherhood is one of the most
significant and challenging experiences a man will
ever face. In order to have a satisfying and success-
ful experience, fathers must feel safe, supported
and confident. To optimize the possibilities for our
families, we need to provide appropriate education-
al, physical and emotional support for father love.
Long gone are the days when a father paced back and
forth in a smoky hospital waiting room while his wife
gave birth elsewhere, in a room full of strangers.
This was the archetype during the mid-twentieth century.
Fathers are now more in alliance with the creative process of
pregnancy and birth, and therefore, mothers and babies. They
have also taken up the mantle of being nurturers over the last
several decades, and have increased their participation in the
family. This trend is producing astonishing results.
Today, nearly 90 percent of fathers are present at the birth
of their children. They are also caretaking their children with
increasing frequency. In one-third of households with preschool
children at home, if a parent is the caretaker, it is the father.
Fathers are beginning to discover, and
put into action, additional facets of their
instinctive nature—paternal love.
In 1975, fathers spent an average of 15 minutes per day with
their children. By 1995, it was two hours.
Can it be a coincidence that this timing correlates perfectly
with fathers entering the birthing room and becoming lovingly
involved in their children’s arrival?
Fathers are beginning to discover, and put into action,
additional facets of their instinctive nature—paternal love.
Science can shed some light on this phenomenon.
Research shows that a father’s hormonal activity is altered
during his mate’s pregnancy, even more so if he is present
at the birth. Hormones are chemicals secreted by endocrine
glands that regulate the function of specific tissues and
organs. They’re essentially chemical messengers that transport
signals from one cell to another. In a way, they tell us
what to do and how to act.
Prolactin, vasopressin and oxytocin are among the hormones
found at higher levels in men around the time of their child’s
birth. Increased production of prolactin is known to promote
bonding, attachment and caring. Raised vasopressin levels cause
a man to want to protect his family and be at home rather than
on the prowl in search of a mate. Vasopressin is also known as
the monogamy hormone; it fosters commitment. Also, if a father
is intimate with his child, especially through skin-to-skin contact,
his oxytocin production increases. Elevated oxytocin in a father is
recognized as a key component in jump-starting and maintaining
his nurturing instincts.
Oxytocin is also produced in men and women during loving
contact, and because of this has been named “the hormone of
love” by experts in the field, including Dr. Michel Odent, Sheila
Kitzinger and Dr. Sarah Buckley. It is also a necessary hormone
for a mother’s body to produce in order to ensure a successful
pregnancy, labor and birth.
Since couples are already in the habit of producing oxytocin
during intimacy, they can contribute this dimension of their
relationship to the mother’s labor. Consequently, father love,
added as an ingredient in the scientific recipe of mother’s labor,
can be a useful enhancement for birth.
This increased hormonal activity enhances that bonding,
promoting attachment, protection, love, loyalty, commitment and
caring in a new father. Science shows us that a father with close,
strong, intimate contact with mother and child during pregnancy,
birth and early infancy
will be supported by
Mother Nature during
his early engagement
in the family.
Fathers are acquiring
tenderness and
a sense of belonging,
which establishes a
more durable foundation
for a lifelong
loving relationship between father and child. Our society as a
whole is benefiting as a result of this transformation.
An added bonus of this new father/child relationship is that
the life expectancy of the family is enhanced. A father who is
attached and committed to his children (remember the science)
is more likely to stay with the family. Science is on our side, and
nature and nurture are working in harmony.
When men’s nurturing instincts and hormones are awakened,
we are destined for a future that is different from our past. As a
culture, we have the responsibility to see to it that our fathers
and children have the opportunity to fulfil their potential together.
Children have led fathers through the doorway of tenderness,
and we have all entered a new era.
Patrick M. Houser is the author of the Fathers-To-Be Handbook, a road map for the transition to fatherhood. He is a
freelance writer, a keynote speaker and a parenting and childbirth professional educator. Visit him online at
FathersToBe.org. View article references and author information here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.

family living
Vitalism
in the Family
By Jennifer Maciejewski
At its core, chiropractic—which emphasizes the body’s
innate ability to heal itself without the use of drugs or
surgery—is steeped in vitalism. But although spinal adjustments
make up part of the wellness equation, a vitalistic approach
to healthcare means that individuals must make conscious choices
to support their body’s ability to function at its best. This includes
avoiding physical, emotional and chemical stressors that affect
nerve system function and impede optimal health.
Although adults can understand and follow a vitalistic lifestyle
with ease, things get much more complicated once they give birth
to their first child. Life as a vitalistic family presents its own
challenges, from how to explain the philosophy to a pint-size
person to how to respond to a teenager’s rebellion to the lifestyle.
Teaching the Basics
When talking to young children about living vitalistically, it’s
important to keep it simple. “Talk to them about the fact that
they heal, and the body heals itself,” explains Dr. David Koch,
36 pathways | issue 26
professor of philosophy at Life University and father of one.
For example, when they get a cut, does the bandage heal the
wound, or would the body heal itself even if Mom or Dad doesn’t
cover the scrape? Once they understand that they themselves
are doing the healing and not an outside source, you can take it
to the next level. Ask them: When you eat an apple, do you just
have an apple inside of you, or does it become a part of you?
“You have to make real the body’s own conscious power,”
Koch says. “A person talking to a child vitalistically is describing
the sickness in terms of how the body is striving to heal itself
rather than a mechanist, who is describing the sickness as something
that is attacking the child’s body. Then children can start
to understand that they have the power within them to build
themselves out of apples and peanut butter, and heal themselves
when they are hurt or cut.”
Another principle of vitalism is recognizing that common
childhood ailments, such as vomiting or fever, are signs of proper
function, not illness. Instead of telling the child that he or she
© Andrey Artyko / istockphoto.com

© Andrey Artyko / istockphoto.com
is sick, the vitalistic parent explains that the body is doing
exactly what it needs to do in order to make itself well: the
vomiting helps the body clean something out of the digestive
tract that doesn’t belong, and a fever brings the body’s temperature
up high enough to kill off a virus or bacteria.
“If our kids had a ‘sick day’ and missed school because
of it, we would write their note to the school saying our child
was absent ‘because of health reasons,’ not because they
were sick,” says Dr. Jeanne Ohm, mother of six. “If the school
questioned, it gave us the opportunity to explain this vitalistic
perspective.”
“There were days we would allow our children to stay
home because we could sense high stress in their lives,” Ohm
continues. “Recognizing that emotional stress directly affects
physical well-being, we would encourage some R&R time,
something our Western society does not always support.”
A day off from the hectic school-year routine may give their
mind, body and spirit the opportunity to strengthen and
prevent a symptomatic response from the immune system.
Living Vitalistically
Vitalism isn’t just a philosophy; it’s a way of life. Living vitalistically
means that you must consciously consider everything that
you ingest, whether it’s a food or a thought. Everything you put
into your mind and body, from the negative messages that inundate
television shows and video games to the pesticide residue
on fruits and vegetables, affects the body.
“The information that we put in creates a physiological response
in the body,” says Dr. Lisa Rubin, director of the Student
Success Center at Life University and mother of one. “When you
see a negative image, the body will release chemicals based
upon a negative viewpoint, and the body then has to figure out
how to adapt to that.”
In order to fight back against the constant bombardment of
negative images from society, many vitalists limit their family’s
exposure to media, especially when their children are too young
to fully understand and talk about what they’re viewing. For instance,
children’s books and toys are carefully selected to ensure
that they contain positive messages and images. Kids in vitalistic
families often don’t watch television or play video games until
they’ve reached middle-school age, and even then the content is
scrutinized to make sure that it is age-appropriate.
For Rubin’s son, Palmer, video games started becoming a
sticking point in their house when he turned 9. “Video games
have become such a huge part of kids’ everydayness, and it was
emotionally upsetting [for him] that he couldn’t dialogue with
other kids and didn’t know who the characters were,” Rubin
notes. “That is the biggest challenge: How do you allow your
child to be a kid, enjoy themselves and just have fun, and also
try to do the best of what you believe is in your philosophy.”
Because Rubin believed that keeping the games out of the
house was causing her son greater emotional harm than letting
In order for children to use their innate sense
to get all of the nutrients that they need to
continually heal and grow their bodies, it’s
important to expose them to a wide variety
of natural foods as soon as they’re old enough
to begin eating them.
issue 26 | pathways 37

family living
him play them, she allows Palmer, now 12, to play them for an
hour each on Saturday and Sunday, unless he has friends over
and they choose to spend their time together playing video
games. Since Rubin monitors the content and ratings and keeps
some games out of the house, Palmer has found creative ways
to educate himself about edgier games, such as by reading video
game guides.
To give the body the nutrients it needs to do the healing,
vitalists eat whole, natural foods, opting for whole grains over
refined white flour; organic instead of conventionally grown
produce; and natural sugars, like oranges and honey, in lieu of
a candy bar. While some vitalists prefer to adopt a vegan lifestyle,
others choose to remain omnivores. Those who do consume
meats and dairy products take a vitalist approach, opting for
growth hormone- and antibiotic-free products from grass-fed
animals whenever possible.
In order for children to use their innate sense to get all of
the nutrients that they need to continually heal and grow their
bodies, it’s important to expose them to a wide variety of natural
foods as soon as they’re old enough to begin eating them, including
ones that their parents don’t particularly like. “There is
no right diet for my daughter that I can determine by a prior formula,”
says Koch, who notes that yogurt didn’t taste like “food”
to him until he turned 30. “There is only the diet that works for
her, and only her body knows that diet.”
Dealing with Teenage Rebellion
Whether they’re raised in a vitalistic home or not, one thing is
certain: Children will question their family’s values when they
reach the teen years, if not before.
During the grammar school years, parents need only send
their kids to school with a healthy lunch to ensure that they eat
right. By the time children reach middle-school age, it’s more
complicated. Kids are exposed to new-to-them foods in other
homes and in school, and they will taste-test the boundaries.
Sometimes, teens are just curious about what the “forbidden”
foods taste like. But often, children give in to temptation because
of peer pressure—if they don’t eat what everyone else is eating,
it can affect their social status.
3 pathways | issue 26
“We keep our food selections at home
healthy,” Ohm says. “Most of our kids
choose to select the best foods they can
when not on the home front, but one of
our sons had a voracious sweet/carb tooth.
Eventually he discovered he preferred good
foods, but it wasn’t until he was old enough
to really grasp the need for healthy nourishment
and was able to recognize he felt better
when eating the better foods. I believe if we
give kids the room to discover on their own
and we stay consistent, they will eventually
come around to what is best for their individual selves.”
One interesting perspective is that rebellion in a vitalistic
home isn’t viewed as a rebellion against either the rules established
by the parents or the parents themselves. Rather, it’s the
children rebelling against their own responsibility to listen to
their innate, vital intelligence and do what is healthy for their
body, whether it’s wanting to experiment with alcohol or binge
on candy bars.
“We were ready to give our daughter that power as soon as
she was ready to take it,” Koch says. “When you have raised
someone with an attitude that says, ‘Your body knows what it
is doing,’ then it is easy to help them learn the lesson the first
time they try all those things that they think that they want to
try, even though they may be bad for them.” Whether it’s harmful
or healthful, he says, “your body is going to tell you.”
A Lifelong Lesson
For vitalists, raising their children doesn’t end when they leave
the nest. Rather, they continue to provide each child with the
support and resources necessary in order for his or her true self
to emerge, which will happen naturally if given the opportunity.
“I am a teacher, and I have lots of children in that sense,”
Koch says. “Students come to me and say, ‘Help me become who
I can become.’ I say, ‘I will do that, but I will do that vitalistically,
because I can’t tell you who you are becoming, and I can’t give
you that becoming; you can only create that for yourself.’ With a
lot of other child-rearing, people believe that children will fail to
raise themselves properly if you don’t do something about them;
they need to be directed and molded and shaped. I don’t believe
that at all. I believe that they need to be provided resources, but
that children have the perfect capacity to direct and mold and
shape themselves.”
Jennifer Maciejewski is a writer and the mother of two
(mostly) well-fed girls, Katie, 8, and Liz, 5. She can be
reached via her website at JenniferMaciejewski.com.
View article references and author information here:
pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
istockphoto: © Andrey Artykov / Sean Locke

© tina aitala
gratitude
A Thank You a Day:
Gratitude
Enhances Health
By Christiane Northrup, M.D.
The health benefits of gratitude are an amazing example of
just how sturdy the bridge is between the mind, body and
emotions. Research shows that heart-centered feelings
associated with gratitude, appreciation and caring—essentially,
love—enhance health. When you find one thing, however small,
to be thankful for, and you hold that feeling for as little as 15 to
20 seconds, many subtle and beneficial physiologic changes take
place in your body. For instance:
• Levels of the stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine
decrease, creating a cascade of beneficial metabolic changes,
such as an enhanced immune system.
• Coronary arteries relax, increasing the blood supply to
your heart.
• Heart rhythm becomes more harmonious, which positively
affects other bodily organs, and lifts your mood.
• Breathing becomes deeper, increasing the oxygen level of
your tissues.
Other scientific evidence that gratitude improves health comes
from research accumulated by Robert A. Emmons, professor
of psychology at the University of California, Davis. Emmons
found that gratitude makes people healthier, smarter and more
energetic. He also showed that people who practiced gratitude
daily, such as by writing in a gratitude journal, reported higher
levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness
and energy than those who didn’t.
If all of this happens when you focus for just 15 to 20 seconds
on something that brings you pleasure, joy or a feeling of gratitude,
imagine what would happen to your health if you were able to
cultivate thoughts of appreciation on a consistent and regular basis.
Practice Makes Perfect
Cultivating gratitude, like maintaining strong muscles and bones,
takes discipline and will. That’s right: It takes practice to feel
gratitude and reap its physical and emotional benefits. There are
valid physiologic reasons why focusing on gratitude isn’t easy.
Physically, we humans evolved along with a nervous system
wired to ensure our survival by alerting us to possible danger
from the occasional wild animal or violent storm—events that
were relatively infrequent within a life span. Now fast-forward
that same nervous system to our current era of mass media,
when all of the possible dangerous events from the entire planet
are beamed into our living rooms, day and night. You can see
why holding thoughts of appreciation is hard.
Here’s a good way to start. Get a piece of paper and list your
blessings. Pay special attention to those people who enhance
your life on every level: the checkout person at your favorite
grocery store; the FedEx driver; a sunny, optimistic coworker.
Thanking the people who bestow these blessings on you will
uplift them, and enrich your life in ways you never thought
possible. The more you notice the people and things you’re
grateful for, the more of them you’ll attract.
In my book Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, I wrote,
“Thinking with your heart takes practice, but if you faithfully
learn to start thinking with your heart and pay attention to areas
of your life that bring you joy and fulfillment, over time you
will evoke biochemical changes in your body that will recharge
your batteries.” Not only does it enhance your energy levels
and reduce stress, but recognizing and appreciating life’s many
blessings is one of the most powerful ways I know of to enhance
the immune system, balance your hormones and promote heart
health. This exercise can literally change your life.
A board-certified ob/gyn, Christiane Northrup, M.D., is a
visionary pioneer, and the author of the groundbreaking
New York Times bestsellers Women’s Bodies, Women’s
Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause. Her latest books,
The Secret Pleasures of Menopause and The Secret Pleasures of
Menopause Playbook, teach how to experience joy, pleasure, prosperity,
fulfillment and vibrant health. Following a 25-year career in both
academic medicine and private practice, Dr. Northrup now devotes her
time to helping women truly flourish on all levels through tapping into
their inner wisdom. Through her exclusive Women’s Wisdom Circle,
Dr. Northrup shares cutting-edge medical and lifestyle advice at
drnorthrup.com. View article references and author information here:
pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 39

mind–body–spirit
The NATure of
0 pathways | issue 26
© istockphoto.com / xxxx

© istockphoto.com / xxxx
By Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D., and Steve Bhaerman
Dis-Ease
Sometimes, the body’s natural harmony breaks down, and
we experience dis-ease, which is a reflection of the body’s
inability to maintain normal control of its function-providing
systems. Because behavior is created through the interaction of
proteins with their complementary signals, there are really only
two sources of dis-ease: Either the proteins are defective or the
signals are distorted.
About 5 percent of the world’s population is born with birth
defects, which means they have mutated genes that code for dysfunctional
proteins. Structurally deformed or defective proteins
can “jam the machine,” disturb normal pathway functions, and
impair the character and quality of lives. However, 95 percent of
the human population arrives on this planet with a perfectly functional
set of gene blueprints.
Because the majority of us have a perfectly healthy genome
and produce functional proteins, illness in this group can likely be
attributed to the nature of the signal. There are three primary situations
in which signals contribute to dysfunction and dis-ease.
The first is trauma. If you twist or misalign your spine and physically
impede the transmission of the nervous system’s signals, it
may result in a distortion of the information being exchanged between
the brain and the body’s cells, tissues and organs.
The second is toxicity. Toxins and poisons in our system represent
inappropriate chemistry that can distort the signal’s information
on its path between the nervous system and the targeted
cells and tissues. Altered signals, derived from either of these
causes, can inhibit or modify normal behaviors and lead to the
expression of dis-ease.
The third, and most important, influence of signals on the dis-
ease process is thought, the action of the mind. Mind-related illnesses
do not require that there be anything physically wrong with
the body at the outset of the dis-ease. Health is predicated upon
the nervous system’s ability to accurately perceive environmental
information and selectively engage appropriate, life-sustaining
behaviors. If a mind misinterprets environmental signals and generates
an inappropriate response, survival is threatened, because
the body’s behaviors become out of synch with the environment.
We may not think that a thought could be enough to undermine
an entire system, but, in fact, misperceptions can be lethal.
Consider the situation of a person with anorexia. While
relatives and friends clearly perceive that this skin-and-bones
individual is near death, the anorexic looks in a mirror and sees
a fat person. Using this distorted view, that resembles an image
in a funhouse mirror, the anorexic’s brain attempts to control a
misperceived runaway weight gain, by—oops!—inhibiting the
system’s metabolic functions.
The brain, like any governing entity, seeks harmony. Neural
harmony is expressed as a measure of congruency between the
mind’s perceptions and the life we experience.
An interesting insight into how the mind creates harmony between
its perceptions and the real world is frequently illustrated
in stage hypnosis shows. A volunteer from the audience is invited
onstage, hypnotized, and asked to pick up a glass of water, which
the volunteer is told weighs one thousand pounds. With that misinformation,
the volunteer struggles unsuccessfully with straining
muscles, bulging veins, and perspiration. How can that be? Obviously
the glass doesn’t weigh one thousand pounds, even though
the mind of the subject firmly believes that it does.
issue 26 | pathways 1

mind–body–spirit
Cells, tissues and organs do not question
information sent by the nervous system.
Rather, they respond with equal fervor to
accurate, life-affirming perceptions and
to self-destructive misperceptions.
To manifest the perceived reality of a thousand-pound glass of
water, something that cannot be lifted, the hypnotized subject’s
mind fires a signal to the muscles used to lift the glass at the
same time it fires contradictory signals to the muscles used to set
the glass down! This results in an isometric exercise wherein two
groups of muscles work to oppose each other, which results in no
net movement—but a lot of strain and sweat.
Cells, tissues and organs do not question information sent
by the nervous system. Rather, they respond with equal fervor
to accurate, life-affirming perceptions and to self-destructive
misperceptions. Consequently, the nature of our perceptions
greatly influences the fate of our lives.
While most of us are aware of the healing influences of the
placebo effect, few are aware of its evil twin, the nocebo effect.
Just as surely as positive thoughts can heal, negative ones—
including the belief we are susceptible to an illness or have been
exposed to a toxic condition—can actually manifest the undesired
realities of those thoughts.
Japanese children allergic to a poison ivy-like plant took part
in an experiment where a leaf of the poisonous plant was rubbed
onto one forearm. As a control, a nonpoisonous leaf resembling
the toxic plant was rubbed on the other forearm. As expected,
almost all of the children broke out in a rash on the arm rubbed
with the toxic leaf and had no response to the impostor leaf.
What the children did not know was that the leaves were
purposefully mislabeled. The negative thought of being touched
by the poisonous plant led to the rash produced by the nontoxic
leaf! In the majority of cases, no rash resulted from contact with
the toxic leaf that was thought to be the harmless control. The
conclusion is simple: Positive perceptions enhance health, and
negative perceptions precipitate dis-ease. This mind-bending
example of the power of belief was one of the founding experiments
that led to the science of psychoneuroimmunology.
Considering that a minimum of one third of all medical healings
are attributed to the placebo effect, what percentage of
illness and disease might be the result of negative thought in the
nocebo effect? Perhaps more than we think, especially since psychologists
estimate that 70 percent of our thoughts are negative
and redundant.
Perceptions have a tremendous influence in shaping the
character and experiences of our lives. They’re the reason why
those faith-filled folks can swig poison, joyously play with deadly
snakes and lift a car to free a loved one. Perceptions shape the
2 pathways | issue 26
placebo and nocebo effects. They are more influential than positive
thinking because they are more than mere thoughts in your
mind. Perceptions are beliefs that permeate every cell. Simply,
the expression of the body is a complement to the mind’s perceptions,
or, in simpler terms, believing is seeing!
This leads is to the inescapable conclusion: Accurate
perceptions encourage success; misperceptions threaten
survival. Almost all of us have unknowingly acquired limiting,
self-sabotaging misperceptions that undermine our strength,
health, and desires.
Our most influential perceptual programs have mainly been
acquired from others and do not necessarily support our own
personal goals and aspirations. In fact, many of our strengths and
weaknesses, the parts of ourselves we own as who we are, are
directly attributable to familial and cultural perceptions downloaded
into our minds before we were six years old. Programmed
perceptions acquired in these developmental years are primarily
responsible for health and behavioral issues experienced in our
adult lives. Consider how many children never realize their full
potential or dreams because of limiting programming.
Not surprisingly, these self-sabotaging programs also thwart
us as we try to change conditions in the world. This insight tells
us that before we go out to change the world, we must first look
inward to change ourselves. Then, by changing our beliefs, we do
change the world.
Steve Bhaerman is an internationally known author, humorist
and workshop leader. For the past 20 years, he has written
and performed as Swami Beyondananda, the “Cosmic Comic.”
Swami’s comedy has been called “irreverently uplifting” and
has been described both as “comedy disguised as wisdom” and “wisdom
disguised as comedy.”
Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized leader
in bridging science and spirit. He has been a guest speaker on
hundreds of TV and radio shows, as well as keynote presenter
for national and international conferences. Dr. Lipton began
his scientific career as a cell biologist. He is regarded as one
of the leading voices of the new biology, summarizing his findings in his
book, The Biology of Belief. His new book with Steve Bhaerman, Spontaneous
Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here, is
available now.
View article references and author information here:
pathwaystofamilywellness.org references.html
Excerpted with permission from Spontaneous Evolution:
Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here.

holistic healthcare
By William B. Ferril, M.D.
HealtHcare revolution
Historically, power complexes begin to falter long before the ruling elite
realizes that the oppressed are organizing. Czarist Russian elitists did not
fully appreciate the formidable force of organized peasants. The French
revolutionaries similarly surprised their oppressors by the magnitude of
underground support for a new way of doing things.
issue 26 | pathways 3

holistic healthcare
Prevent rust formation within the tissues
he uprising against the dominant medical-industrial complex
is no different, as it meets the same old slumbering elitist
criteria.
While the elitists smugly continue pandering their symptomcontrol
methods, which always have side effects, a better way
of health continues to gather momentum. Slowly but surely, the
downplayed art of healing is being rediscovered and is increasingly
practiced within the alternative medicine community. More
Western humans leave the dominant medical treatment model
with each passing day. Often their departure centers on a sense
that something very important is missing from mainstream
medicine’s approach to health versus disease.
The Medical-industrial Complex
Some of us argue that mainstream medicine has lost its soul. In
place of the soul—from which all healing effects emerge—mainstream
medicine has instituted symptom-control treatment strategies.
But symptom control always comes with a price, and that
price is paid within its patients’ bodies, manifesting as side effects
and toxicities. A vicious cycle follows, when these side effects are
treated with yet more symptom-control modalities.
True healing has but one side effect—its impact on the
medical-industrial complex’s bottom line.
The medical-industrial complex is a profit-oriented system.
The multi-conglomerates that make up this system exist to make
money. The system works quite simply: The industry develops
products (pharmaceutical drugs, for instance), which are sensa-
pathways | issue 26
Prevent hardening processes within
the blood vessels
the hormones giveth and the
hormones taketh away
you are what you supply and absorb
tionalized through the media and sold to the public. Of course,
the pursuit of maximum profit provides a disincentive to share
more effective healing strategies. Meanwhile, the downsides
of these products—side effects and toxicities—are minimized.
To protect its profits, the medical-industrial complex conducts
various disinformation campaigns. The media, with its own
advertising revenue goals to consider, is generally all too happy
to promote these half-truths, which engender fear in those who
seek alternative counsel.
Common methods of disinformation include: the results of
poorly run studies trashing various alternative modalities; the
professional opinions of “certified” experts; and the mantra
about a “lack of scientific data,” when they know very well that
it is they who control which data are collected in the first place.
If you’re in the system but rock the boat, consequences can
be quick and severe. In the introduction to his book, Some
Things Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, Dr. John
Lee relates that his reputation initially suffered at the hands
of the complex. He adds, however, that the complex underestimated
the power of the international women’s network regarding
what works.
Garbage in, Garbage Out
A medical system run by the profit interests of the medical-
industrial complex is analogous to a diet of junk food. Although
junk food tastes like real food, it will harm the body if it is
continuously ingested. So it is with modern medicine.

take out your cellular trash water
avoid low-voltage cell syndrome
Americans are bombarded by clever advertising schemes
that encourage the consumption of injurious ingredients,
whether they’re fast foods or mainstream medicine’s latest drugs
and procedures. In the case of junk food, until recently almost
everyone seemed to eat it. But slowly, more people are catching
on to the fact that these processed foods are harmful. We’ve
become aware that processed foods—altered by chemicals,
hormone mimics and nutrient depletions—will injure our bodies.
The food industry’s media campaigns still tout the latest clever
come-on, but fewer people are vulnerable to these tactics with
each passing year.
Similarly, the underground healthcare revolution cultivates
an awareness of the consequences of our obedience to the
profit-generating dictums of mainstream medicine.
My Medical History
Part of the success of the dominant medicine paradigm arises
from the incomplete education of physicians on a) what science
has revealed, and b) the verifiable results of other healing modalities.
I, too, was a victim of my complex-funded education. Without
realizing it, I became a believer in the corrupted mainstream
view of the medical universe. As a consequence, I have been unintentionally
guilty of prescribing treatments that were not in my
patients’ best interest. I believed in a system of healthcare where
side effects and toxicities were treated with more medications and
procedures. I regretfully remember discouraging patients from
seeking or continuing alternative treatment modalities. However,
maximize the ratio between the energies that heal
body tissues and the energies that maim them
I thank several of my doggedly stubborn patients who continually
pointed out to me the inconsistencies of my educational paradigm.
To my credit, I kept mulling over the unexplainable healing outcomes
when patients adhered to what I considered fringe advice.
As the years ticked by, I continued to collect inconsistencies that
the mainstream view of health versus disease could not explain.
A major breakthrough occurred when I married my wife,
Brenda, about ten years ago. Brenda is a chiropractor. Initially,
I humored myself by offering her space in my office. I still remember
with humility witnessing what two hands could accomplish
for a variety of afflictions, compared to my medical training.
My wife also began to instruct me in the importance of medicinal
herbs, nutritional supplements and colon health.
The native American Way
As often happens, I found part of the solution to my brainwashing
right in the place where I had set up my medical practice: the
Flathead Indian Reservation. I practiced for many years among
those wonderful people before they asked me to begin praying
in their lodges with them. Once the initiation began, I came to
view things differently. It was a gradual process, like so many
other important steps in life. So gradual, in fact, that my favorite
medicine man nicknamed me “slow learner.”
This medicine man began to patiently teach me about the
matters of the heart. To protect his privacy and ways, he shall
remain anonymous. He comes from a long line of medicine
people and is of full blood. He has taken no short cuts. He knows
issue 26 | pathways 5

holistic healthcare
the songs, the prayers, the language and the medicines. He was
a traditional Indian before it was trendy, living a lifestyle that
respects all of creation.
In one of his first lessons for me, he told me that I was a
typical white person who didn’t know how to pray for myself.
He showed me that life was a prayer, and taught me songs to
sing with my prayers. Slowly I began to change. Part of the
change inspired a renewed interest in how we heal from chronic
degenerative disease.
About four years ago my inner voice began to say, “Walk off
into the abyss.” Initially, I clung to my comfy life and possessions,
but my discontent grew stronger, and that inner voice cried out
more often. About the time I had decided to take the leap—
to walk off into the unknown—an Amish family approached me
about buying my farm. Somehow, I was able to part with a piece
of land that I loved dearly. I sold my practice, along with my other
encumbering possessions.
Three months later, I was running on a beach in Oregon,
when it came to me that I should write a book about how the
body heals itself. The writing was really slow going at first. Looking
back on it, I’m grateful that I was so naïve about the long and
difficult task I was undertaking. During the past three and a half
years, I have realized that I am a warrior in the transforming revolution
for the empowerment of people in regard to their healing
choices. When I say that I am a warrior for healthcare change,
I do not mean to imply I have great importance by myself. Rather,
I am one of many channels through which love’s light travels and
expresses itself. I am more accurately described as Pooh Bear,
in The Tao of Pooh. For some reason the angels are working
through me to deliver an important message about how we heal.
How we heal has little to do with the dominant medical system
and its treatment strategies for the diseases of middle age.
Seven Principles of Healing
The middle-aged body wants to heal itself. Around middle age,
seven interrelated principles of health generally start to falter.
Unless all are attended to, chronic degenerative diseases begin
to insidiously propagate, deteriorating the body. Common examples
of these imbalances, which arise from one or more faltering
principles of health, include obesity, high blood pressure, heart
disease, asthma, arthritis, hormone imbalance and diabetes.
Each of these common diseases can be healed without side
effects when all seven principles of health are rebalanced.
The achievement of balance requires the afflicted person’s
active participation. Without participation, the only treatment
possibility is symptom control. However, for those willing to take
an active role in their own disease solution, there are many cases
where the above diseases heal, or at least stabilize.
The seven interrelated principles are:
1) Prevent rust formation within the tissues
2) Prevent hardening processes within the blood vessels
3) The hormones giveth and the hormones taketh away
4) You are what you supply and absorb
5) Take out your cellular trash water
6) Avoid low-voltage cell syndrome
7) Maximize the ratio between the energies that heal
body tissues and the energies that maim them
The underground revolution in healthcare choices is
particularly affected by principle seven. This principle concerns
the quality and integrity of life energies, an important consideration
almost completely ignored by mainstream medicine
because of its overwhelming preoccupation with disease and
symptoms. This mainstream approach likens the human body
to a slab of meat—all that is left when the mysterious life energies
are removed from consideration. As a person and a healer,
I take exception to this inhumane approach. There is more
to people than their symptoms—and besides, no one wants to
be treated like a slab of meat during a medical exam.
Fortunately, these important life energies are a common
denominator between many alternative healing modalities.
Chiropractic, homeopathy, acupuncture, massage, yoga, meditative
prayer and chakra energy work all reinvigorate the life-energy
field. The life-energy field improves because these modalities
have something important in common—they release the chaotic
energies while facilitating the rhythmical energies.
I recently attended a course in Denver offered by the American
Board of Holistic Medicine, and sat for the exam. Unlike other
medical conferences I’ve attended, this group was committed
to seeking the truth. Part of the course emphasized the healing
power of love itself. Other parts of the course taught us about
how to properly refer patients to chiropractors, acupuncturists,
homeopaths, massage therapists, energy workers and herbalists.
Sometimes the messenger of truth does not possess an official
title. For example, there was a medical intuitive there who could
see the life energies within. She counseled numerous conference
attendees, and the physicians in attendance believed her.
The underground healthcare revolution bears the burden
of educating those who are unaware. As in other times of
exponential change, the dominant power elitists are largely
unaware of the strength and conviction within the alternative
healthcare movement. Let them slumber into oblivion. A new
day is not far off.
Dr. Bill Ferril lives in Montana. He explains each of these seven principles of health in his book, The Body Heals.
To contact Dr. Ferril or to find out more about his book and teachings, visit his website at thebodyheals.com.
View article references and author information here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org references.html.

movement and learning
Getting the
Inside
out
pathways | issue 26
By Caron Goode, Ph.D.
Ninety percent of a child’s success in life depends
upon emotional responsiveness. Can a child respond
to life without hesitance and fear? You have a
wonderful opportunity to help your child develop
and use strong inner resources.
When we hear a negative thought repeatedly, we start
to believe it. It plays on and on in our heads. We give it
the power to determine how we interact with the world.
All of our thoughts and emotions, good and bad, become imprinted
within us over the years. Like the grooves on an old record,
the more we hear a negative thought, believe it, and let it run us,
the more it becomes deeply imbedded within our consciousness.
The same is true with emotional reactions. We strengthen
emotional patterns by repeating them and giving them more
power over us. Our emotions become automatic and habitual.
Like a repeating program, they run again and again, as long as
© adrian brockwell / istockphoto.com

this will be a photo of child’s art
we let them. The good news is, we can turn the reactions off and
change those patterns any time we choose!
Teaching our children to access and use their inner resources
defeats negative thinking and erases emotional patterning. Let’s
teach them to become aware of their emotions, and to pull new
ideas from inside. Here are some simple methods to show them
how to achieve an inner focus so they think before they respond.
Take a Breather
We’ve all heard the phrase “take a breather,” meaning to relax
and refocus. A few deep breaths relax the body, quiet the emotions
and clear the mind.
“My daughter was having problems in school with a little girl
who was picking on her,” says Dyan Stein, a transformational
breath trainer from Durango, Colorado. “She would come home
upset, day after day, until finally we breathed with the intention
of sending the other little girl some love.”
“The breathing session helped my daughter shift the way
she responded to the little girl, and she didn’t get upset anymore.
Now they are the best of friends.”
Stein says that she regularly uses breathing to help her
daughter shift her focus when she comes home from school.
They spend time together in a positive and loving way, with no
distractions. Teaching children appropriate breathing shows
them how to safely integrate their feelings, increase skill levels
and stay mentally focused on their schoolwork.
Discover the Point of View
To give a 9-year old asthma patient a participatory role in his
healing, I asked him how he saw things in his world. He chose to
draw his viewpoint. He took the crayons and newsprint and went
to his corner with pillows. With great intensity, he grabbed the
black and brown crayons, held both in his hands, and drew puffy
looking clouds across the top of the page. Next he drew a stick
figure in the bottom center page in a bright blue. Then he surrounded
the little person in a yellow, egg-shaped circle. Finally,
he added some tentacles of the brown-black clouds dripping
over the figure’s head.
In less than five minutes, he popped up like a jack-in-the-box
to explain his viewpoint of the asthma. He explained, “This stuff
on top of the page hangs around me all the time. It’s like my
mom, always watching over me. Sometimes it drips on me like
this here [he points to the tentacles]. But I feel good [he indicates
the bright, blue stick figure]. And I’ve got a lot of energy
Children who grow up with the freedom to
express in a creative and enjoyable way
become emotionally balanced adults and
willing listeners to others’ feelings.
[he shows me the light around his stick figure] around me so that
stuff doesn’t get me.”
Could we have said it so eloquently? The picture hangs in his
bedroom to remind him that he has his health and energy. Mom
still hovers, but he understands she does it with a caring intention.
Even Mom has learned to respect his point of view.
When Words Don’t Come, Move
Twelve-year-old Alaina stormed into the house after several
hours at the beach with her friends. Their ages ranged from 11 to
15. It wasn’t unusual for Alaina and her friends to hang out together
in the small beach town on the coast of Maine. However,
it was highly odd for Alaina to slam the door and sigh loudly in
disgust. When I looked at her, I saw a red face ready to explode
in anger. Her chesty, fast-paced breathing indicated anxiety.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. She couldn’t speak. She held her
hands up as if to say, “Give me a few moments,” while she paced
around the kitchen. Wanting to ease her pain, I blurted out,
“Move. Just keep moving.”
What she showed me in the next few moments with her actions
could never have been so beautifully demonstrated with words.
At first she walked briskly in circles, alternating her hands
between resting on her hips and throwing them up in the air with
a disgusted look on her face.
Her facial expressions were marvelous. She walked up to me
with hazy eyes and protruded lips and took a long, slow drag from
an imaginary thing in her lips. She slurped the air in and held her
breath while smiling dreamily. “You want one?” she gesticulated.
Then she turned to answer herself with adamant hand waving
in front of her face. “NO!” That was clear! So far I’d determined
that the older kids were smoking marijuana and were offering it
to her. She got angry and told them no. But the worst was yet to
come for this 12-year-old.
She imitated beautifully the charades of being pushed
around, laughed at and made to feel as though she were a very
uncool kid. She ended the movement by flopping on the kitchen
issue 26 | pathways 9

movement and learning
chair and crying. I didn’t say anything. I just put my arms around
her and silently thanked her for being so “uncool.”
Follow the inner Rhythm
Researchers continue to find that children are affected by music
in unexpected ways. Preschoolers given piano and voice lessons,
for example, were found in one study to improve dramatically in
their ability to put together picture puzzles of animals.
When you coach your children, rely on your instincts and experiences
in terms of what they need at a given time. Children need
quiet music, just as adults do, when they need to relax, sleep or be
mentally alert. But if a child needs energizing to engage in tasks or
games, lively, upbeat music, such as syncopated Latin dances, will
provide the necessary stimulation for movement.
You can coach your child through moments of intense feelings
with some musical processes that will make you both feel better.
Anger, for example, can be pounded out on a drum; sadness can
sing on resonator bells. Talking after the musical expression is
much easier and your child will be better able to think of solutions
for his situations and answers to his problems.
When you see the warning signs of anger or sibling conflict
stirring, reach for the drums! Hand one to your child, along with
the drumstick or soft mallet designed for playing it, and pick
one up for yourself. Ask your child to use the drum to tell you
how she feels. As she strikes the drum, support her playing with
a simple basic beat, like 1-2-3-4. Reflect her mood by singing,
“You sound very angry. Is that true?” If you get an affirmative
response, ask for more: “Let me hear on the drum just how angry
you are.” Keep playing your beat as your child lets her emotions
out. Depending on your child’s age, drumming, rather than
words, may be all you hear for awhile.
You don’t have to do this exercise with a drum. Other musical
instruments that are easy and fun to play and to express with
include maracas, clavas, jingle bells, spoon bells, resonator bells,
sticks, woodblocks, castanets, whistles, kazoos or small horns. If
you play an instrument such as piano or guitar, you may want to
accompany your child on it while she plays the drum, or you might
play a recording that features accented rhythm. West African and
50 pathways | issue 26
Native American drumming tapes are ideally suited for this purpose
and are widely available.
Encouraging your child to express with musical instruments
teaches him an appropriate way to show intense feelings instead
of repressing them. Children who grow up with the freedom to
express in a creative and enjoyable way become emotionally balanced
adults and willing listeners to others’ feelings.
Music, movement, drawing and breathing are all ways to help
relieve your child’s stress by directing their focus inside. As you
join in the activities as teacher and coach, you’ll find your own
stress will ease, as well. Learning inner focus enables your child
to have more productive relationships with their friends, family
and life situations. Since a successful life is so dependent upon
keeping our minds and emotions clear, developing these skills
in our children will strengthen their foundation for life success.
All we have to do is be aware, and care. This will lead us to the
right action.
Dr. Goode is a licensed counselor, author,
speaker and parent coach. She is the founder,
and serves on the faculty, of the Academy
for Coaching Parents International. She has
recently co-authored the award-winning books, Raising
Intuitive Children and Nurture Your Child’s Gift.
View article references and author information here:
pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
© Oksana Belodarova / istockphoto.com

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informed choice
There are Three basic facTs you should remember
when you are exercising your righT To make an
informed, volunTary vaccinaTion choice for yourself
or your child in america:
1. informed consent is a human right. The right to voluntary, informed consent
to any medical intervention, including use of pharmaceutical products such as
vaccines, is a human right. While the government may have the legal authority
to mandate use of vaccines, nobody has the moral authority to force you to get
vaccinated or vaccinate your child without your voluntary, informed consent.
2. vaccine laws have exemptions. In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed
the legal authority of state governments to pass laws requiring citizens residing
in the state to use certain vaccines. Today, all 50 states have enacted vaccine
laws that require proof of vaccination for children to attend day care, elementary,
junior and high school, and college.
Vaccine requirements vary from state to state, and all 50 states allow a medical
exemption to vaccination. Forty-eight states allow a religious exemption
to vaccination, and 18 states allow a personal, philosophical or conscientious
belief exemption to vaccination.
The National Vaccine Information Center website (nvic.org) has information
on the vaccine laws in every state, and which exemptions you may
take and how to take them.
3. Freedom is not free. Many state governments now require nearly
three dozen doses of more than a dozen vaccines to attend school.
Medical and religious exemptions are becoming harder to get, and
exemptions for reasons of conscience are under attack by proponents
of forced vaccination.
The NVIC is working with citizens in states to expand or protect
legal exemptions to vaccination. By becoming an advocate for vaccine
choice, you can help ensure those rights.
READ BEFORE
VACCINATING
ThE 6 PRINCIPlEs OF
INFORmED ChOICE By Barbara Loe Fisher
istockphoto.com © manley099 / Nicole K Cioe

6Principles for Protecting vaccine choices
1 3
First PrinciPle: it’s Your choice
When exercising your right to voluntary, informed consent
to vaccination for yourself or your child, remember that state
vaccine laws contain:
• Legal requirements that school and health officials
are responsible for enforcing.
• Legal exemptions that you have the legal right to choose
to exercise. (Public schools must allow vaccine exemptions
outlined in state vaccine laws, but private, religious or other
non-state operated schools may reject vaccine exemptions.)
Most state vaccine laws do not allow unvaccinated students with
vaccine exemptions to attend school during confirmed outbreaks
of certain infectious diseases for defined periods of time.
4 2second PrinciPle: You have the right to Know
You have the legal right to know the risks and complications of
vaccines before you make the choice of whether or not to allow
your child to be vaccinated. The National Childhood Vaccine
Injury Act, passed by Congress and signed into law by President
Reagan in 1986, directed all doctors and other vaccine providers
to give parents written information about vaccines before
children are vaccinated.
remember > nobody has the moral authority to force you or
your child to be injected with a vaccine without your voluntary,
informed consent. You have the legal right to exercise exemptions
to vaccination according to the laws in your state.
remember > All vaccines and other pharmaceutical products
carry a risk of injury or death, and those risks can be greater
for some than others. never agree to use a vaccine, drug or
other product without fully informing yourself about all risks.
The product information insert, which drug companies by law
must include with every vial of vaccine provided to public health
clinics and private doctors’ offices, includes a description of the
vaccine’s reported reactions and precautions. You can ask for a
copy of that vaccine information insert from your doctor or state
health department.
third PrinciPle: be inFormed and PrePared
Knowledge is power. Arm yourself with accurate information
about vaccination and health. Do your own research and talk
to one or more trusted healthcare professionals before you
make any healthcare decision. Become an educated consumer
and you will be empowered to defend your right to freely make
voluntary choices about health, including vaccination, for
yourself and your children.
remember > if you arm yourself with accurate information
about vaccines and health, you will be prepared to intelligently
and rationally discuss your vaccine choices with your family,
friends, colleagues, doctors, elected officials and others in
your community.
Fourth PrinciPle: taKe resPonsibilitY For
Your words and actions
When you are standing up for your right to know, and freedom
to choose, whether or not to vaccinate yourself or your child,
how you go about exercising your rights will determine whether
or not you will succeed. In your contact with doctors, school or
government health officials, remain calm but politely firm when
explaining and defending the vaccine choice you have made.
If you are treated with disrespect or are harassed in any way by
a doctor or government official, do not engage in an unproductive
argument. You may want to contact an attorney, your elected
state representatives or local media if you or your child is
threatened. The NVIC also devotes a section of its website, the
Cry For Vaccine Freedom Wall, for the public to post reports of
harassment for because of vaccine choice.
remember > Treat others as you want to be treated, even
if you are being attacked or harassed for the vaccine choice
you have made. Serve as an example for others in your
community whenever you defend your right to exercise
voluntary, informed consent to vaccination, including the
right to decline one or more vaccines for yourself or your
child. Protect yourself and your family by seeking legal or
other expert counsel, if necessary.
issue 26 | pathways 53

5FiFth PrinciPle: KeeP written records
Be sure to ask your doctor for copies of your medical records
or your child’s medical records, including recorded information
about vaccinations and illnesses. Under the National
Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, doctors and other
vaccine providers are required by federal law to:
6
informed choice
• Write in a child’s permanent medical record any serious
health problems that occur after vaccination.
• Keep a permanent record of all vaccines given, including
the manufacturer’s name and lot number.
• Report serious health problems, hospitalizations, injuries
and deaths that occur after vaccination to the federal
Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS).
(If your doctor won’t report a reaction for you, you have
the right to make a vaccine reaction report to VAERS).
remember > it is wise to keep written records of your
interactions with doctors, school and health officials that
involve the vaccine choices you make, as well as copies
of any vaccine exemptions you file with the state. You may
have to hire an attorney to defend your informed-consent
rights when it comes to vaccination, and it is important to
have written records.
sixth PrinciPle: be courageous
It is not easy to stand up for the right to make informed,
voluntary choices about vaccination when public health
officials, the pharmaceutical industry and many medical
doctors are putting pressure on all Americans, especially
parents, to use every government recommended vaccine.
The fact that the numbers of doses of government mandated
vaccines have tripled in the past quarter century, while the
numbers of chronically ill and disabled children have also
tripled, offers an opportunity to have a long overdue public
conversation about the effects of vaccination on individual
and public health.
remember > Freedom of thought and the exercise of free
speech is protected under the u.S. Constitution. You have
the right to talk privately and publicly about any concerns
you have about vaccine necessity, safety and effectiveness,
and to work with your elected officials to modify the vaccine
laws in your state. Become an engaged, courageous citizen
activist and protect your right to make vaccine choices.
5 pathways | issue 26
Vaccination and U.S. Law
Types of Exemptions
Medical Exemptions: All 50 states allow medical exemption
to vaccinations. Medical exemptions to vaccination must be
written by a medical doctor (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathy
(D.O.), and are usually reviewed annually by school or state
health officials.
Since 1986, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have eliminated most
officially recognized medical reasons for withholding vaccination
(contraindications), so that almost no medical conditions
qualify for a medical exemption to vaccination.
In most states, school or state public health officials can
question or even deny a medical exemption to vaccination
written by a doctor if it does not strictly conform to CDC
and AAP contraindication guidelines.
The NVIC is working with citizens who want to change
vaccine laws to prevent state school or health officials from
questioning or denying a medical exemption to vaccination
written by a doctor.
Religious Exemptions: All but two states (West Virginia and
Mississippi) allow religious exemption to vaccination. These exemptions
are worded differently in different states, and require
different forms of written documentation to support a sincerely
held religious belief opposing vaccination.
Some states require a notarized affidavit or letter from a spiritual
advisor attesting to the sincerity of a person’s religious beliefs
about vaccination. The religious exemption is under attack
and, in some states (like New York), parents are being grilled
about the sincerity of their religious beliefs by state officials and
denied religious exemptions to vaccination so their partially or
completely unvaccinated children cannot attend public schools.
The NVIC is working with citizens who want to protect their
rights to religious exemptions by working to add or strengthen
religious exemptions in state vaccine laws.
Conscientious Belief Exemptions: Eighteen states allow conscientious,
personal or philosophical belief exemptions to vaccination.
These states come the closest to protecting a citizen’s
right to exercise voluntary, informed consent to vaccination in
America. They are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana,
Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington
and Wisconsin.
Like the religious exemption, the conscientious objection
is under attack by forced-vaccination proponents who want to
eliminate nonmedical exemptions to vaccination in America.
The NVIC is working with citizens who want to protect or
add conscientious belief exemption in state vaccine laws.
Vaccine Exemptions for Military Personnel: All branches of
© ziggymaj / istockphoto.com

the U.S. Armed Services provide medical and religious exemptions
to vaccination, but those exemptions must be declared before
enlistment in the military. If a military recruit does not clearly state
a medical or religious objection to vaccination before joining the
military, he or she gives up the right to object to vaccination during
active military service. Failure to obey an order to vaccinate while on
active duty can result in demotion, imprisonment and involuntary
discharge from the military, including dishonorable discharge.
After enlistment, legal assistance is often required to successfully
object to vaccination without being subjected to sanctions.
Family dependents of active military personnel often must obtain
approval from military officials to exempt children from vaccination
for medical reasons or religious objections, especially if the children
are attending military-operated day care or schools, are deployed to
foreign countries or are reentering the U.S. after living abroad.
Vaccine Exemptions for International Travel: Different countries
have different laws requiring vaccines to enter or leave the country.
Most developed countries, including those in Europe, currently do
not require visitors to show proof of vaccination. However, some
countries in Africa, Asia and elsewhere may require certain vaccines
to enter or exit. Visit the CDC website at wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel to
check for travel vaccine requirements.
Other Vaccine Exemption Issues: Vaccine choices also can affect
adoption, immigration, child custody arrangements during divorce
proceedings, eligibility for health insurance and government entitlement
programs, and medical care.
Children adopted from foreign countries, as well as in the U.S.,
may be required by U.S. law and adoption agencies to receive certain
government-mandated vaccines.
Immigration laws also contain vaccine requirement provisions.
In cases of divorce, one parent may attempt to gain full custody
of a minor child by using the vaccine choice issue as leverage.
Some families have been dropped from medical insurance plans
or barred from eligibility for government-funded medical care and
food supplement programs if children are not given all recommended
vaccines.
Increasingly, pediatricians are refusing to treat children who
are not fully vaccinated and, in some instances, medical personnel
in hospital emergency rooms and physicians’ offices have reported
parents to state child social services agencies for child medical neglect
for refusing to vaccinate their children. In these circumstances, you
may need to consult an attorney to protect your right to informed
consent.
Legal Options
The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 was passed by
Congress to protect vaccine manufacturers and providers from liability
for vaccine injuries and deaths in civil court.
If a child is injured by a government recommended or mandated
vaccine, the child must sue the Secretary of Health for damages
under the act in the U.S. Court of Claims in Washington, D.C.
If the vaccine-injured child is turned down for federal compensation
or offered too little to provide for the child’s lifetime care, a
lawsuit may be filed in civil court against a vaccine manufacturer or
negligent doctor, with certain restrictions.
Two out of three children whose families apply for federal vaccine
injury compensation are turned away. Even so, by 2009, about $2 billion
had been awarded to vaccine victims for brain inflammation and
immune system damage that led to permanent injury or death.
The Bottom Line
• If you or your child is injured by a vaccine, you will be left to
deal with the consequences. Those who make and give vaccines
are protected from liability in civil court, and federal vaccine injury
compensation is very difficult to get.
• There is no guarantee that a vaccine will, in fact, protect against
an infectious disease, or that exposure to an infectious disease
will cause a complication, injury or death. Good health is about
so much more than vaccination and preventing experience with
infectious disease.
• Vaccines are pharmaceutical products that carry a risk of injury
or death that is greater for some than for others. The right
to informed consent to medical risk-taking is a human right.
Empowering ourselves with information and taking responsible
action to protect the right to exercise voluntary, informed consent
to vaccination in America is one of the most important actions
we can take as citizens to protect our freedom.
• Don’t let anyone force you or your child to take a vaccine without
your voluntary, informed consent.
• If a doctor denies you or your child medical care because you
want to make vaccine choices, find another doctor.
• If a doctor threatens you, or if a government official denies a
medical or religious exemption that you have legally filed, find
an attorney to help you.
• If you don’t like the vaccine laws in your state, contact your
elected officials and work to change them.
Together, we can educate the public and reform vaccine laws in
America to protect the right to make informed, voluntary vaccination
decisions for ourselves and our children.
Barbara Loe Fisher is the cofounder and president of the
National Vaccine Information Center, and the author of
The Consumer’s Guide to Childhood Vaccines and Vaccines,
Autism & Chronic Inflammation: The New Epidemic. Her
1991 book with Harris Coulter, DPT: A Shot in the Dark, was the first
major, well-documented critique of America’s mass vaccination system.
Barbara has served as a consumer representative for more than 15
years on vaccine advisory committees and has testified for vaccine
safety and informed consent issues before state legislatures and the
United States Congress. View article references and author information
here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 55

ecommendations
Top Ten Local Food Resources
Have you taken time to explore your local foodshed?
Have you taken the locavore’s pledge, below?
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family Farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local Business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.
The term “foodshed” was coined almost 80 years ago in
a 1929 book entitled How Great Cities Are Fed, to describe
the flow of food from producer to consumer. Eight decades
later, the term is now used to describe a food system that
connects local producers with local consumers. This sum-
mer, explore and support your local foodshed with the help
of these Top Ten Local Food Resources. In this list you will
find ways to connect, reasons to connect, methods to pre-
serve the bounty, tools for making sustainable food choices
on the spot with iPhone apps, and tips for how your local
foodshed can begin in your own backyard!
Local harvest
Local Harvest helps consumers
learn about the various
ways farmers get their food to
market, whether through CSAs, farmers markets, pick-your-own
farms, or co-ops—and then provides a national listing of these
local food outlets. Just enter your zip code to find local food outlets
near you. Local Harvest also lists produce protected by the
Ark of Taste, a Slow Food project that documents endangered
varieties, like Amish deer tongue lettuces! localharvest.org
56 pathways | issue 26
Sustainable Table
The Sustainable Table is home
to the Eat Well Guide and the
award-winning Meatrix movies.
The Eat Well Guide is a free,
online directory of sustainably
raised meat, poultry, dairy and
eggs from farms, stores, restaurants,
bed-and-breakfasts and
other outlets in the United States and Canada. Consumers enter
their zip or postal code to find wholesome products available
locally or when traveling. sustainabletable.org
Eat Local Challenge
The Eat Local Challenge is a
place to find inspiration and
resources when the intention
to eat local foods feels like
an overwhelming commitment
to conscious living. Its group
blog, EatLocalChallenge.com, is written by authors who are
interested in the benefits of eating food grown and produced in
their local foodsheds. Spanning the United States, the group is
committed to challenging themselves to eat mainly local food,
which means mastering the art of seasonal eating. Read their
stories and recipes, and share your own. eatlocalchallenge.com
Weston A. Price
Foundation
The Weston A. Price Foundation
is led by its president, Sally
Fallon Morell, author of the seminal
work, Nourishing Traditions:
The Cookbook that Challenges
Politically Correct Nutrition. This
well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods
contains a startling message: Animal fats and cholesterol are not
villains, but instead vital factors in a diet. They’re necessary for
normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system,
maintaining optimum energy levels and protection from disease.
Find a local Weston Price chapter (or start your own) for support
and resources for local grass-fed meats. westonaprice.org

garden photos courtesy of Lisa Reagan and Tina Aitala
Slow Food USA
Slow Food is an
international movement
founded in
Italy in 1986 to preserve
traditional and regional cuisine and promote farming of
plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem.
Slow Food USA is a nonprofit organization working to create
a just and sustainable food system. Slow Food USA has 225
volunteer-led chapters across the country, representing more
than 150,000 members and advocates. The organization creates
youth programs to bring the values of eating local, sustainable
and just food to schools and campuses; preserves and promotes
vanishing foods and food traditions; and advocates for food
and farming policy that is good for the public, good for farmers
and workers, and good for the planet. Start or find a chapter
at slowfoodusa.org.
Eatwild
Eatwild is your source for safe, healthy,
natural and nutritious grass-fed beef,
lamb, goats, bison, poultry, pork, dairy
and other wild edibles. Here you will find
comprehensive information about the
benefits of raising animals on pasture
as well as a directory of pasture-based
farms in the U.S. and Canada. Eatwild
is also the home of the book, Pasture
Perfect: The Far-Reaching Benefits
of Choosing Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Products from Grass-Fed
Animals, by Jo Robinson. Eatwild.com
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides
Use this iPhone app, from the Environmental
Working Group, when scouring farmer’s markets.
This handy guide will let you know which
produce to buy organic, and which conventionally-grown
fruits and vegetables are okay
if organic isn’t available. You can also receive
EWG’s e-mail updates, action alerts and environmental
tips. Download the app for free at
foodnews.org.
Seafood Watch
Do you want seafood to be a part of your
sustainable food choices? At a time when
the world’s oceans are severely overfished,
your seafood choices make a big
difference. The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s
iPhone application brings the latest Seafood
Watch recommendations directly to
your iPhone or iPod touch. This app lets you search for seafood
by region. montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/
sfw_iPhone.aspx
Food Not Lawns
Think you need acres and acres to grow your
own food? Think again! You local foodshed
can begin in your own backyard with the
wisdom and practical guidance from books
like Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard
into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into
a Community and The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping:
Home Landscaping with Edible Plants and Resource-Saving
Techniques. Both are available online at Amazon.com. To start a
local chapter of Food Not Lawns, visit them at foodnotlawns.net.
National Center for
home Food Preservation
Now that you have discovered the
treasures of your local foodshed,
how will you preserve it for winter
months? Learn the lost arts of storing
the harvest from the National
Center for Home Food Preservation.
Learn to keep nutrient-dense, whole
food for your family year-round with
information on canning and freezing
vegetables and fruits, which dehydrators are best for making
fruit leathers, sun drying and vine drying, and specialty crafts,
such as making meat jerkies and leathers. uga.edu/nchfp
For direct links to these and other food resources,
please visit pathwaystofamilywellness.org/localfood.
issue 26 | pathways 57

current concerns
how health Insurance Is Making Us Sick
By Robert Johns Jr., D.C.
5 pathways | issue 26
Insurance is easy to hate. On the one hand,
the best-case scenario is you pay for a ser-
vice you will never use, making insurance
seem like a rip-off. On the other hand, when
insurance is needed, it means something bad
has happened, which can leave a bad taste in
your mouth. This goes for all kinds of insur-
ance. Homeowners, renters, business, car,
life and health insurance—they all share this
fundamental curse.
But health insurance has done something that no
other insurance has. When it’s time for an oil change,
your car insurance doesn’t pay for it. When your
washing machine breaks, your homeowners insurance
won’t buy you a new one. But when you need
your teeth cleaned, your blood pressure checked or your
eyes examined, you expect your policy to cover these routine
events. We’ve begun to think of health insurance as
a savings account from which we can draw regularly,
rather than a product to turn to when an unexpected
disaster strikes.
Insurance companies have recognized this, and responded
accordingly, offering health savings accounts
tied to our policies. Conceptually, that is at least in line
with how we use insurance. The bad news is that in-
collage by tina aitala with istockphoto.com imagery

We’ve begun to think of health insurance as
a savings account from which we can draw
regularly, rather than a product to turn to when
an unexpected disaster strikes.
surance companies have become the primary payers of medical
expenses—not just big ones, but little ones, too. We have, in fact,
given insurance companies tremendous control over our healthcare
choices. Have you ever checked to make sure a doctor accepted
your insurance plan before seeing him? Do you assume that the doctors
in the plan are somehow more qualified? If you’ve ever checked
your insurance coverage before choosing a provider to make sure
the provider was covered by your plan, you’ve already given some
of your choice—your freedom—to the insurance company.
The expectation that health insurance should cover routine expenses
has led to increased healthcare costs. Insurance coverage
costs for consumers and higher overhead for providers are just
some of the effects. Healthcare options decrease as consumers let
their insurance policies guide their choices.
Rapid increases in premiums and deductibles, and rapid decreases
in coverage, have created a huge gulf between what
people expect their insurance to cover and what it actually does.
Companies are forced to make hard choices in giving employees
health insurance options.
Higher consumer costs for insurance coverage are not the only
way that health costs have increased. Doctors and other providers
who file with your insurance often have to wait months for payment,
and must wade through ever more convoluted and timeconsuming
processes to get paid. In many offices, a dedicated
insurance liaison or service must be employed to handle the intricacies
of the insurance landscape. This increases payroll and
overhead, and those increases are passed on to patients.
Insurance companies audit each procedure and product billed
to them, to find ways to increase profits by denying payment.
Other items are simply paid out at lower and lower rates, until the
cost to providers outpaces the compensation.
This pattern has now erupted into the debate that has raged on
Capitol Hill and in living rooms across America. The big question—
Who will pay for the healthcare we need?—is the wrong question.
A much better question is, how can we improve our health, increase
healthcare choice, drive down costs to make those choices
affordable, and still have affordable insurance coverage when disaster
strikes? Isn’t that what people really want?
I have an answer to that question. And it’s simple. Painfully
simple. It doesn’t even require Congress, just us chickens. All it
takes is a little proactive effort from each of us and the healthcare
debate will all but dry up.
The first part is to note every drive-thru equipped restaurant
in your area. Then… avoid them. Plan a few wholesome meals
at home. Home cookin’ ain’t home cookin’ unless it’s cooked at
home, get it?
The second part is to get up and exercise a few more minutes
per day this week than you did last week—even if it’s only two or
three minutes. Do a little more every week, and soon you’ll have
carved out a time to exercise, and will have established the habit.
Do something fun!
The third part: Be inspired. Allow your thoughts to lift you
above the tiny defeats in a day. Use them as stepping stones to
your success. The less someone dwells on the negative, the more
likely he or she will be successful.
The fourth is to get your beauty sleep. Your body needs to
recharge, but so does your mind. Find time to unplug from your
day-to-day and pursue creative interests. The mental break will
allow you to be more productive overall, even considering the time
spent away from your primary tasks. Renew your soul, find your
center or connect with your source. Refill your spirit.
Lastly, build your house on a solid foundation. Nothing happens
in the body without the involvement of the nerve system.
A compromised nerve system can and will compromise any other
system in the body. Chiropractors strengthen this foundation as
the fundamental focus of their profession. Neither massages, nor
therapy, nor any other skilled professional can do for you what a
caring and expertly trained chiropractor can do. The great thing is,
chiropractic works whether you use it with insurance or not!
These actions address the lifestyle concerns so common to
Americans and their health. These steps will make a difference
in the short term and in the long term. They have the power to
silence the healthcare debate and open the conversation about
ways to maximize our new healthy habits.
“But,” you say, “I don’t have time for all this!” How about
we both use the time we’ve been spending to gripe about the situation,
and instead do something about it? We’re asking soldiers
and patriots to give up their lives to protect our freedom. All I’m
asking you to do is engage—live your life to enjoy, and perpetuate,
your freedom.
Robert Johns Jr., B.B.A., D.C., has been in family practice for
over 5 years near Atlanta, Georgia, caring for families up
to 4 generations deep. His passion for the message of
chiropractic isn’t limited to the adjusting room, but also
shows up in his blog (triuneoflife.wordpress.com) which has accumulated
more than 20 original pieces and a growing readership since its
inception in 2009. Robert is a 2004 Life University graduate, an Eagle
Scout, a husband, a father and a chiro-kid himself. His grandfather
practiced chiropractic in southern Georgia for more than 30 years after
graduating from Palmer Chiropractic College in 1947; he gave Robert
his first adjustment at 6 days old. A 13-year veteran of marriage,
Robert will soon be welcoming a third child to his growing family.
View article references and author information here:
pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 59

current concerns
The Lancet Retraction Changes Nothing By David Kirby
Dr. Andrew Wakefield is one of the most vilified medi-
cal practitioners of recent times, and now he carries
the extremely rare dishonor of a retraction in The
Lancet, on the paper he coauthored in 1998 suggest-
ing a potential link between autism, bowel disease
and Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
believe that the public lynching and shaming of Dr. Wakefield
I is unwarranted and overwrought, and that history will ultimately
judge who was right and who was wrong about proposing a
possible association between vaccination and regressive autistic
spectrum disorder (ASD).
Wakefield’s critics can condemn, retract, decry and de-license
all they want, but that does nothing to stop or alter the march of
science, which has come a long way over the past 12 years, and
especially in the last year or two. The evidence that autism is
increasing at alarming rates, and that some thing (or things) in our
environment is wreaking havoc on a vulnerable 1 percent of all U.S.
children is now so irrefutable that, finally, the federal government
is climbing aboard the environmental research bandwagon—way
late, but better than never.
This long-overdue paradigm shift will leave many in the scientific
community with some proverbial but nonetheless uncomfortable
egg on their increasingly irrelevant faces: Those who have
protested with shrill certainty that autism is almost purely genetic
and not environmental in nature, and therefore not really increasing
at all, will hopefully recede from the debate.
And that begs a nagging question: If those people were dead
wrong about environmental factors in autism, could they also be
mistaken in their equally heated denials about a possible vaccineautism
link? More bluntly, why should we heed them any longer?
We need to examine a host of environmental factors (air,
water, food, medicine, household products and social factors)
and how they might interact with vulnerable genes to create
the varying collection of symptoms we call “autism.” But these
60 pathways | issue 26
triggers almost have to be found in every town of every county
of every state in the land—from Maine to Maui.
Are vaccines the only contributing factors to autism? Of course
not. Other pharmaceutical products like thalidomide and valproic
acid, as well as live mumps virus, have been associated with increased
autism risk in prenatal exposures, so we already know that
a variety of drugs and bugs can likely make a child autistic.
But, there are now at least six published legal or scientific
cases of children regressing into ASD following vaccination—
and many more will be revealed in due time.
There was the case of Hannah Poling, in federal vaccine court,
in which the government conceded that Hannah’s autism was
caused by vaccine-induced fever and overstimulation of the immune
system that aggravated an asymptomatic and previously
undetected dysfunction of her mitochondria. Hannah received
nine vaccines in one day, including MMR.
Then there was the Bailey Banks case, in which the court ruled
that the petitioners had proven that MMR had directly caused a
brain inflammation illness called “acute disseminated encephalomyelitis”
(ADEM) which, in turn, had caused PDD-NOS, an autism
spectrum disorder, in Bailey.
And last September, a chart review of children with autism
and mitochondrial disease, published in the Journal of Child
Neurology, looked at 28 children with ASD and mitochondrial
disease and found that 17 of them (60.7 percent) had gone
through autistic regression, and 12 of the regressive cases had
followed a fever. Among the 12 children who regressed after
fever, one-third (4) had fever associated with vaccination, just like
Hannah Poling.
Another fact that gets little attention in this
never-ending debate is that more than 1,300
cases of vaccine injuries have been paid out
in vaccine court.
© Andrew Helwich / istockphoto.com

The authors reported that “recommended vaccination schedules
are appropriate in mitochondrial disease,” although “fever
management appears important for decreasing regression risk.”
That conclusion, however, is not supported by some of the
world’s leading experts on mitochondrial disease, including Dr.
Douglas Wallace, a professor of pediatrics and biological chemistry
at UC Irvine, and director of its Center for Molecular and
Mitochondrial Medicine and Genetics. Dr. Wallace was recently
named to the National Academies of Science. “We have always
advocated spreading the immunizations out as much as possible
because every time you vaccinate, you are creating a challenge for
the system” in people with mito disorders, Dr. Wallace testified at
a federal vaccine safety meeting.
The possibility that vaccines and mitochondrial disease might
be related to autism was also supported in another chart review
published in PLoS [Public Library of Science] Online. The authors
wrote that mitochondrial autism is not at all rare, and said that,
“there might be no difference between the inflammatory or catabolic
stress of vaccinations and that of common childhood diseases,
which are known precipitants of mitochondrial regression.”
In fact, they added, “Large population-based studies will be
needed to identify a possible relationship of vaccination with
autistic regression in persons with mitochondrial cytopathies.”
Another fact that gets little attention in this never-ending
debate is that more than 1,300 cases of vaccine injuries have
been paid out in vaccine court, in which the court ruled that
childhood immunizations caused encephalopathy (brain disease),
encephalitis (brain swelling) and/or seizure disorders.
Encephalopathy/encephalitis is found in most if not all ASD cases,
and seizure disorders in about a third of them.
If we know that vaccines can cause these injuries, is it
not reasonable to ask if they can cause similar injuries that
lead to autism? (Stay tuned as those 1,300 cases come under
closer scrutiny).
Fortunately, the federal government seems to be getting
serious about identifying all potential environmental factors
that could contribute to autism, including a few studies that
take in vaccines and the mercury-containing preservative thimero-
sal. And President Obama’s brand-new budget includes increased
spending for autism research at NIH, including money to help
identify environmental factors that contribute to ASD.
Meanwhile, the National Vaccine Advisory Committee has
unanimously endorsed a CDC proposal to study autism as a
possible “clinical outcome” of vaccination, and has recommended
several more studies pertaining to vaccines and autism, including
a feasibility study on analyzing vaccinated vs. unvaccinated
populations.
Dr. Thomas Insel recently told me that
better diagnosis and reporting could not
“explain away this huge increase” in ASD cases.
And over at the government’s leading autism research panel,
the Inter-Agency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), the chairman,
National Institute of Mental Health director Dr. Thomas Insel,
recently told me that better diagnosis and reporting could not “explain
away this huge increase” in ASD cases.
“There is no question that there has got to be an environmental
component here,” Insel said.
I asked him if the IACC would ever support direct research into
vaccines and autism, now that CDC has raised the estimated ASD
rate from 1-in-150 to 1-in-110, in just two years. “I think what you
are going to see with this update is that there is a recognition that
we need to look at subgroups who might be particularly responsive
to environmental factors,” he answered.
So what might those factors include? Well, it turns out that the
IACC has unanimously recommend research to determine if certain
sub-populations are more susceptible to environmental exposures
such as “immune challenges related to naturally occurring
infections, vaccines or underlying immune problems.”
Nobody seriously thinks that the retraction of The Lancet
article, and the international flogging of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, will
do anything to make this debate go away. And they are right.
David Kirby is the author of the book
Evidence of Harm: Mercury in Vaccines and
the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy,
a New York Times bestseller. This article
first appeared in the Huffington Post. His newest
book, Animal Factory, is a dramatic exposé of factory
farms. Article reprinted with permission. Please see
the original at huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/theemlancetem-retraction_b_446749.html.
View article references
and author information here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org/
references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 61

The authors reported that “recommended vaccination schedules
are appropriate in mitochondrial disease,” although “fever
management appears important for decreasing regression risk.”
That conclusion, however, is not supported by some of the
world’s leading experts on mitochondrial disease, including Dr.
Douglas Wallace, a professor of pediatrics and biological chemistry
at UC Irvine, and director of its Center for Molecular and
Mitochondrial Medicine and Genetics. Dr. Wallace was recently
named to the National Academies of Science. “We have always
advocated spreading the immunizations out as much as possible
because every time you vaccinate, you are creating a challenge for
the system” in people with mito disorders, Dr. Wallace testified at
a federal vaccine safety meeting.
The possibility that vaccines and mitochondrial disease might
be related to autism was also supported in another chart review
published in PLoS [Public Library of Science] Online. The authors
wrote that mitochondrial autism is not at all rare, and said that,
“there might be no difference between the inflammatory or catabolic
stress of vaccinations and that of common childhood diseases,
which are known precipitants of mitochondrial regression.”
In fact, they added, “Large population-based studies will be
needed to identify a possible relationship of vaccination with
autistic regression in persons with mitochondrial cytopathies.”
Another fact that gets little attention in this never-ending
debate is that more than 1,300 cases of vaccine injuries have
been paid out in vaccine court, in which the court ruled that
childhood immunizations caused encephalopathy (brain disease),
encephalitis (brain swelling) and/or seizure disorders.
Encephalopathy/encephalitis is found in most if not all ASD cases,
and seizure disorders in about a third of them.
If we know that vaccines can cause these injuries, is it
not reasonable to ask if they can cause similar injuries that
lead to autism? (Stay tuned as those 1,300 cases come under
closer scrutiny).
Fortunately, the federal government seems to be getting
serious about identifying all potential environmental factors
that could contribute to autism, including a few studies that
take in vaccines and the mercury-containing preservative thimero-
sal. And President Obama’s brand-new budget includes increased
spending for autism research at NIH, including money to help
identify environmental factors that contribute to ASD.
Meanwhile, the National Vaccine Advisory Committee has
unanimously endorsed a CDC proposal to study autism as a
possible “clinical outcome” of vaccination, and has recommended
several more studies pertaining to vaccines and autism, including
a feasibility study on analyzing vaccinated vs. unvaccinated
populations.
Dr. Thomas Insel recently told me that
better diagnosis and reporting could not
“explain away this huge increase” in ASD cases.
And over at the government’s leading autism research panel,
the Inter-Agency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), the chairman,
National Institute of Mental Health director Dr. Thomas Insel,
recently told me that better diagnosis and reporting could not “explain
away this huge increase” in ASD cases.
“There is no question that there has got to be an environmental
component here,” Insel said.
I asked him if the IACC would ever support direct research into
vaccines and autism, now that CDC has raised the estimated ASD
rate from 1-in-150 to 1-in-110, in just two years. “I think what you
are going to see with this update is that there is a recognition that
we need to look at subgroups who might be particularly responsive
to environmental factors,” he answered.
So what might those factors include? Well, it turns out that the
IACC has unanimously recommend research to determine if certain
sub-populations are more susceptible to environmental exposures
such as “immune challenges related to naturally occurring
infections, vaccines or underlying immune problems.”
Nobody seriously thinks that the retraction of The Lancet
article, and the international flogging of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, will
do anything to make this debate go away. And they are right.
David Kirby is the author of the book
Evidence of Harm: Mercury in Vaccines and
the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy,
a New York Times bestseller. This article
first appeared in the Huffington Post. His newest
book, Animal Factory, is a dramatic exposé of factory
farms. Article reprinted with permission. Please see
the original at huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/theemlancetem-retraction_b_446749.html.
View article references
and author information here: pathwaystofamilywellness.org/
references.html.
issue 26 | pathways 61

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