With all this talk about vaccinations, I decided I should chime in. First of all, let me say that the idea of vaccinations is good (for some diseases). The problems come in the methods. 

First, there needs to be a carrier (adjuvant) for the tiny part of the disease that will be introduced. There are several different options. According to one page on the CDC website, aluminum gels or aluminum salts are the only adjuvants available for use in the US. Then you have the vaccine ingredient list, 3 pages long, also on the CDC website. See below for some highlights.

Here are some of the problems caused by vaccines:

1. Allergies: When a food protein is included in the vaccine, the body associates it with the disease that is also included in the vaccine, and learns that it is bad, really bad. Proteins can be remembered and that one will be, creating an severe allergy to the substance that contains that protein. Manufacturers claim that the process they use removes all the proteins, but what process is 100% accurate?
   
2. Toxicity: When metals/chemicals are introduced into the body, it needs to get rid of them. The body needs to bind it to a nutrient and get it out of there. When there isn't enough of that nutrient, the body has to find a place to safely store it, causing...
3. Obesity: When there are toxins in the body that it can't get rid of, it stores it safely away in fat cells. That is a good way to keep those toxins out of the organs until something can be done to get rid of the toxins. When that detox never happens, and more toxins come, the fat cells can build up, causing obesity.
4. Inflammation in the body or brain: If the body can't store the toxins away quickly, they may end up in the brain or other organ, and cause inflammation and/or other problems. 
5. Lower immunity: Even a "perfect" vaccine (without toxic carriers and preservatives) would tax the immune system, causing it to create antibodies to fight a serious infection. Immune support, including vitamin D, natural antimicrobials, zinc, and other supplements could be used to bring the immune system back up to normal. These could be taken both before and after the vaccine for the best results.

Who is most at risk for these issues?

• People with problems detoxifying heavy metals or chemicals should not be given vaccines. But, how do we know that? Genetic testing can help. I believe that more research needs to be done on this, but since no one wants to admit that people are injured or killed by vaccines, I don't foresee any studies on this in the near future. Since problems are genetic, a family history of allergies, autism/PDD, ADHD, obesity, mental illness, learning disabilities, chronic unexplained illness, and addictive tendencies should suspect problems in this area and proceed with caution. 
  

What can I do to avoid problems?

• Before and after vaccination, make sure the biological pathways for removing toxins are fully functioning. If the toxins have an open pathway to get out, the body will be much better prepared to handle the vaccine appropriately. Using applied kinesiology, I will check the nutrient and toxin pathways, and if any are not working optimally, use Healing Prompt Therapy to ask the body to fix them. If a pathway stops working after the vaccine, it may need extra of a certain nutrient to support it. I will determine what supplements are needed.
• Only give one vaccine at a time, to let the body detox and recover immunity.
• Take supplements to aid in detoxifying the body and to boost the immune system.
  
• Check for allergies caused by the vaccine using muscle testing. Clear the allergies using Healing Prompt Therapy if necessary.
  

If you would like your child checked for vaccine readiness, schedule a session. That will include a session to prepare for the vaccine, as well as e-mail support for a check after the vaccine.


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Here are a few of the ingredients from the CDC website: 

• Foods:  monosodium glutamate (gluten),  yeast / yeast protein, egg proteins, casein (milk), soy, chicken protein, xanthan, gelatin, caster oil, (peanut oil is not listed on the website, but there is evidence that it is in some vaccines)
  

• Cells from Animals: chicken, pork, beef, monkey, canine, human, eagle, insect, guinea pig
  

• Metals/chemicals: FD&C yellow #6, formaldehyde, benzethonium chloride, mercury, several forms of aluminum, phenol,  cetyltrimethlyammonium bromide, β-propiolactone,  sodium deoxycholate,  sodium deoxycholate
  

1: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/adjuvants.html, 
2: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/B/excipient-table-2.pdf
3: http://www.drpalevsky.com/articles_pages/346_Peanut_Oil_in_Vaccines_Since%20the_1960s.asp

In The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks, he talks about something he calls an upper limit problem. We all have an upper limit of satisfaction with life, that's basically our comfort level. If we are used to being in conflict with others or struggling with money, and that changes, we find some way to get back to our comfort zone. That's when self sabotage comes in.

We don't do this consciously, but there are many ways we can get back into our comfort zone. Worry, sickness/injury, criticism, conflict, blame, deflecting appreciation, and getting hurt are some ways we keep ourselves from being too happy or successful. This is why a lottery winner quickly goes back to where they were before they won.

There are 4 main false beliefs that we have that are an integral part of our upper limit. They are: 

• Feeling fundamentally flawed, believing that "I cannot expand to my full creative genius because something is fundamentally wrong with me." 
  
• Disloyalty and abandonment, believing that "I cannot expand to my full success because it would cause me to end up all alone, be disloyal to my roots, and leave behind people from my past."
  
• Believing that more success brings a bigger burden, believing that "I can't expand to my highest potential because I'd be an even bigger burden than I am now." 
  
• The crime of outshining, believing that "I must not expand to my full success, because if I did I would outshine ______ and make him or her look or feel bad."
  

When we work on these four areas, we can adjust our upper limit so we can enjoy and thrive in our success.

Gay Hendricks talks about four different zones in which we live our lives. The first is the Zone of Incompetence, then there is the Zone of Competence, the Zone of Excellence, and the Zone of Genius. According to the book, "the Zone of Genius is the set of activities you are uniquely suited to do. They draw upon your special gifts and strengths." This is the stuff that doesn't seem like work to you. This is what you dream of doing, to change the world, or do what seems so easy to you, it seems that everyone must be able to do it, but somehow they can't. What excites you? When you are in your Zone of Genius, you are doing what you love, and it flows, it's both easy and enjoyable. 

This upper limit problem can be a big factor in sickness, and it shows up in two ways: we don't have healthy habits - we don't do the things that we should be, or want to be, doing - and this wears down our bodies and makes them succeptable to illness, we also do things that stop ourselves from doing what we need to - like getting hurt when we start to exercise, so I am making it a big part of my health coaching. If you would like some coaching in this area, please Contact me. I have been working on this in my own life, and it has been influential in my ability to move ahead. I would love to help you by sharing what I have found. 

Here are my suggestions for gluten free brands that taste good. My boys (9 and 12) are picky eaters, so we have had to try many. The stores below are local to me (Westfield, MA), but the brands should be available in most locations. If not, ask your grocer or health food store!

1. Shop in the produce, meat, and dairy sections as much as possible.

2. Grocery stores (for us, Big Y and Stop & Shop) now have some good food, both have a GF section:

      Breads: Udi's Multigrain (light and fluffy) and bagels/muffins, Three Bakers (denser, but good. still like a white bread), Rudi's (a whole grain taste)

        - In Big Y, these are in the frozen foods, in Stop & Shop, they are in the freezer in the organic section

      Pasta: Ancient Quinoa Harvest corn-quinoa blend. Another option is corn pasta. Try to get GMO Free if the pasta contains corn. Sam Mills Pasta d'oro is good and cheap. Around here, it is at Ocean State Job Lot. (Follow cooking directions carefully for all GF pasta, don't overcook.) Rice pasta has a rice taste to it that I don't really like, but some people do.

      Cereal: Most Rice Chex is GF (says right on the front), there is a GF Rice Krispies (not regular)

      Soup: Thai Kitchen has good noodle soups and some rice dishes that make easy "on the go" lunches. Just a microwave or hot water is needed.

      Dessert: Betty Crocker has cake, cookie, frosting, and brownie mix, King Arthur has an amazing cookie mix

      Flour: King Arthur has a flour mix, and Pamela's baking and pancake mix

      Pancakes: Pamela's, GF Bisquick

3. Ocean State Job Lot has some GF food cheap

      Thai Kitchen brand pre-prepared foods are mostly GF (they will say on the box)

      Red Mill has some GF foods. I don't like their cookie and brownie mixes, but the pizza crust mix is decent.

4. Choice Health

      Glutino crackers (several flavors) and cookies

      Bell & Evans Chicken tenders, nuggets, patties (These are the only brand that tastes even remotely ok! They are really good.)

      Lentil Crackers by Mediterranean snacks

      Gluten Free Oats

      Bakery on Main Granola

      Kinnnikinnick Frozen Pizza crust

5. River Valley Market in Northampton (http://rivervalleymarket.coop/)

      Lots of organic, GF, and otherwise healthy food for not as much $ as Whole Foods

      Their own GF flour mix

6. Trader Joes' Northampton (fairly expensive)

7. Whole Foods Northampton (pretty expensive)

Be careful of shredded cheese, it often has food starch which could contain gluten. Stop & Shop brand is ok, so is Cabot, or you can just grate your own.

Let me know in the comments if you have found something gluten free that tastes great!