By Erin K Costello ![]() This week’s MAM blog post is brought to you by the words vaccine, vaccines, vaccinate, vaccination, immune, natural remedies, and sugar. Once again these words are links in her post that will bring you to MAM’s book, A Practical Guide To Children’s Health, listed on Amazon, however this week the word “sugar” will bring you to an Amazon listing for organic sugar. The reason I am covering a MAM blog post from 2014 is because MAM has found some reason to push this older post of hers among her group members. That reason still eludes me at the moment but it likely has to do with either HB559 or some product of MAM’s that she’s hoping to sell. Either way it doesn’t change the fact that her blog post, one which appeared on Modern Alternative Health, is full of crazy bat shits. The blog post, entitled Growing Up Unvaccinated: Scary Potential or Healthy Reality, is MAM’s idea of a “break-down” concerning an article posted on Voices For Vaccines called Growing Up Unvaccinated. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do a break down of both posting. I may refer to the original article on Voices For Vaccines but only to provide context for MAM’s claims in her posting. Let’s begin! MAM begins with, "The blogosphere is abuzz with this story. It’s called “Growing Up Unvaccinated.” There are two general thoughts about it right now:Good, Finally. Maybe all those silly anti-vax people will finally listen and get their kids vaccinated. and This is pure propaganda nonsense. Who is she kidding? You can drive a Mac Truck through the holes in this story.” Wow, really? MAM figured out there are two opposing thoughts in regards to a story! What a genius. Ok..I admit that I digressed here. She continues with, “I can’t prove one way or another if the story was real. Maybe it was. Or maybe it is only propaganda.” So, already she’s dropping a seed of doubt in the minds of her loyal subjects reading her post. There is no reason to think the original article on Voices For Vaccines is anything other than real, well…., unless you consider wanting it to be propaganda to be a sufficien reason. She then cites a part of the original article and begins her break-down as seen here, ‘I was brought up on an incredibly healthy diet: no sugar til I was one, breastfed for over a year, organic homegrown vegetables, raw milk, no MSG, no additives, no aspartame.' Mam adds: "Aspartame wasn’t approved in the UK until 1982, and wasn’t used in many popular products until the late 80s. The author, according to her bio, was born in 1976 [MAM fails to add here that the author was born in England]. It wouldn’t have been an issue for the author….until she was older.” MAM is correct, aspartame wasn’t approved in the U.K until 1982. So, like MAM also said, the author having to avoid products containing aspartame wouldn’t have been an issue until she was older, at the ripe old age of 6. Now we get a sense of anger from MAM as she cites this next part of the article and gives her two-cents, ‘…I would’ve killed for white, shop-bought bread in my lunch box once in a while and biscuits instead of fruit like all the other kids.’ “This statement sets up resentment towards the parents — implying that parents who offer their kids a healthy diet are doing them a disservice, that their children will rebel, and dismissing the impact that a healthy diet has on a person’s overall health.” I’m sensing some fear from MAM. No where does this imply resentment from the author towards her mother. She would’ve liked to have some carbs in her lunch on occasion. That’s not resentment. This also didn’t imply or suggest a healthy diet was a disservice to a child. I think MAM protests too much. Also, having store-bought bread once in a while does not harm a person’s health. I’m not sure how something can be dismissed if it doesn’t exist as a truth to begin with. MAM then cited and broke down the next section, ‘As healthy as my lifestyle seemed, I contracted measles, mumps, rubella, a type of viral meningitis, scarlatina, whooping cough, yearly tonsillitis, and chicken pox, some of which are vaccine preventable. In my twenties I got precancerous HPV...’ "There were no vaccines for most of these illnesses. Only measles, mumps, rubella, and whooping cough. Viral meningitis, scarlatina, tonsillitis, chicken pox, and HPV did not have vaccines at this time. Mixing these illnesses all together in a long list makes it look scarier than it really is…HPV is a sexually-transmitted disease that can be prevented by abstinence, safe sex practices, and regular pap smears.” No shit there weren’t vaccines for most of these illnesses when the original author was growing up! She didn’t claim otherwise. She said SOME were vaccine preventable. She clearly says she was sick due to her healthy lifestyle letting her down. There are currently vaccines for everything listed by the original author except viral meningitis, scarlatina (scarlet fever), and tonsillitis. Would listing them throughout the paragraph make it all seem less scarier? How else do you provide a complete series of items if not in a “list.” Maybe it all sounds scary because it is scary. Lastly, HPV can be contracted through vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Both females and males can catch the HPV virus these ways. HPV can then lead to oropharynx cancer (cancers of the throat, base of tongue and tonsils), anus cancer, rectum cancer, and genital warts in both genders. In men it can also lead to penis cancer, and in females the virus can also lead to cervical cancer, vulvar cancer, and vaginal cancer. Sure, the virus can be prevented by abstinence and safe sex, but not with regular Pap smears. Pap smears can detect the virus early and decrease the chances of the virus leading to cancer, but it can’t prevent a person from contracting the virus. Also, why risk your child having cancer later on in life when you don’t have to take such a risk? We all know that abstinence almost never works, and safe sex, even when done properly and constantly, isn’t always effective enough to prevent the spread of HPV or other STDs. So why not allow an added measure to protect your children from cancer? This is typical MAM narcissism sadly. Next MAM cites and adds, 'So having the “natural immunity sterilized out of us” just doesn’t cut it for me. How could I, with my idyllic childhood and my amazing health food, get so freaking ill all the time?’ "This statement implies that the steps her mother took — alternative health and good food — were (are) useless to prevent disease, and that vaccines are the only (best) solution. It casts doubt on relying on a healthy lifestyle…she may have gotten sick — but she came through just fine!” A healthy diet on it’s own often isn’t enough to prevent illness. It may help at times, and certainly won’t hurt, but to prevent the spread of a pathogen and especially to prevent illness caused by exposure to a pathogen, a prepared immune response is most effective. Also, being alive, thus showing you’ve survived such illnesses does not automatically mean that one came through the illnesses just fine. Most of the diseases the original author had listed are known to cause a lot of pain and suffering for those infected. Even if you pulled though without any lasting effects you still would’ve had to gone through pain and suffering, and would likely remember the hell that it was. MAM then moves on to the following section, ‘…..not like me who got so many illnesses which needed treatment with antibiotics that I developed a resistance to them, which led me to be hospitalized with penicillin-resistant quinsy at 21-you know that old fashioned disease that killed Queen Elizabeth I…’ “But, wait a minute — she developed resistance to antibiotics by the age of 21?….Either her parents weren’t really crunchy, or they are trying to say that when natural remedies “inevitably” fail, people fall back to using antibiotics (apparently frequently). Casting more doubt on using natural remedies…….[quinsy] occurs when you don’t treat strep throat (but wait — didn’t she have antibiotics a lot? wasn’t it treated?), it did not kill the queen, who was 70 years old (in the 1600s, when this age was extremely old)…. These are simply a bunch of false statements to make antibiotics look like major champions and natural remedies look useless.” So what MAM is alleging here is this claim is a lie, or that the original author’s mom wasn’t really alternative or “ crunchy” because she didn’t let her daughter die when she became sick with that scary list of illnesses mentioned above, and instead opted to care for her child’s health by seeking the proper medicine such as antibiotics. This article does not need to cast any doubt on the use of natural remedies. History and daily life cast plenty of doubt. Also, the author never implied that natural remedies “inevitably” fail, just that they had failed HER. As for what killed the Queen, I can’t find confirmation of a single cause of death. Everything I’ve found though does indicate she had been ill though, or possibly poisoned, it wasn’t simply old age that killed her. MAM only sees false statements because she can’t accept anything that contradicts her pre-conceived beliefs. The debate over the Queen’s cause of death is an strange part to be at odds with from this article, unless you’re looking for any and all ways to discredit the original author and regain a sense of balance in your echo chamber of life. There’s no reason to believe these statements are false, and there’s no proof provided by MAM to back up her accusation of lies. Either way this article does not at all come off as have a hero crush on antibiotics. In fact, it all but warns of frequent use of antibiotics leading to risk of antibiotic resistant strains of disease. I think someone may have an inferiority complex in the face of antibiotics. The next part of the article to be addressed by MAM is, 'I know far more people who have experienced complications from preventable childhood illnesses than I have EVER met with complications from vaccines…’ “The most likely explanation ….is that it isn’t something people talk about….Plus, vaccines weren’t that commonly used until the late 80s in the UK, so cases of these illnesses were more common…" I don’t know why she can’t get out of the 80’s when addressing the author’s life. Even if MAM’s claim were true that vaccines weren’t commonly used in the U.K until the late 80’s, that doesn’t mean the author wouldn’t have still met plenty of people who had been vaccinated during her lifetime. After all, the author was about 14 when the 90’s came around. Then again I’m reminded how the age of 6 is considered an older age to MAM. Next, MAM cites and brings back the irony…, ‘…anecdotes are the anti-vaccine supporter’s way.’ “100% incorrect and insulting….Anyone who says this clearly hasn’t done a thorough search into the anti-vaccine science and is attempting to discredit the entire notion” 100% correct, and yeah probably insulting. However, I’d say it’s less insulting than the oxymoron she used here when typing “anti-vaccine science.” And, can one really be trying to discredit a notion if what they say is true? I argue that it’s the notion’s truth that does all the discrediting. The author is merely stating a fact. Now MAM shows her true colors…, ‘I was studying [author then lists about 20 new age/holistic/woo things to study]…I was choosing to have past life regressions instead of taking anti-depressants…..It was only when I took control of these paranoid thoughts and fears about the world around me and became an objective critical thinker that I got well….’ “Where to even start….Perhaps she had these issues (some have said she’s been diagnosed with bipolar), but this is not how most people who choose a natural lifestyle think.” Wow! MAM is an asshole! First she starts a rumor the author is bipolar. Then she shames the author, and any readers as well, by stating that people who choose natural lifestyles just don’t think in paranoid, depressed, or odd ways. Every human has these feelings at least once in a while throughout life, regardless of your lifestyle. Just read the posts made by her group members and you see all kinds paranoia and depression to various degrees. That’s life though for the most part, though I do wonder if insisting on doing life the hard way does cause added stress, anxiety, and sadness. Next.., ![]() ‘If you think your child’s immune system is strong enough to fight off vaccine - preventable diseases, then it’s strong enough to fight off tiny amounts of dead or weakened pathogens’ "This is a red herring. Nobody who chooses not to get vaccines does so because they think their child can’t handle the antigens….They are concerned about the other ingredients……Injecting not..orally…which is very different” I might have to call bullshit on all of this. I’m sure there has to be screen shots of posts or comments made by MAM where she expresses concern with the antigens in vaccines. Also, there is no difference between injecting inter-muscularly, or ingesting. In fact, you could actually shoot the vaccine into your vein like heroin and be perfectly safe. The only risk you’d run is having a weakened vaccine. **Edited to add the screen shots throughout post showing MAM’s comments regarding her vaccination concerns. ** Finally! MAM and I agree on something. ![]() 'Don’t teach your children to be self serving and scares of the world…….and teach them to LOVE people with ASD….not to label them as damaged.’ “This is calling all parents who don’t vaccinate selfish. And saying that by saying that children with ASD need to “recover” from vaccine damage…..is labeling them negatively…” I agree with her completely that this is accusing parents who don’t vaccinate of being selfish! It’s also an accurate accusation though. I find it quite heartbreaking to imagine what one of these “vaccine injured” children must live with and hear on a daily basis about their shortcomings, failures, and all the things they are not. I’ve often wondered if hearing such things is what contributed to Colton Berrett taking his own life. Almost done.., ![]() ‘…knowingly exposing your child to childhood illnesses is cruel; even without complications these diseases aren’t exactly pleasant.’ “if their kids do get sick (no matter what they have), they don’t leave them to suffer, they offer comfort measures! This is…implying parents are heartless” Just because the risk of death due to complications from a vaccine preventable disease is unlikely, this doesn’t mean that it’s acceptable to allow these illnesses to appear and run their course. Even without death and without complications these illnesses can cause much pain and suffering, and they do so needlessly. These “crunchy” parents do not offer comfort measures either. They may think they are providing comfort measures but often times what they are treating their children with has zero effect on their symptoms, good or bad. They refuse tylenol for ear aches and fevers, they make the child suffer so the parent can attempt to beat their child’s sickness without antibiotics. As stated above, these parents are risking their children developing cancer later in life rather than opt for a vaccination. That’s pretty fucking heartless if you ask me. Last article reference…, ![]() ‘Those of you who have avoided childhood illnesses without vaccines are lucky. You couldn’t do it without us pro-vaxxers. Once vaccination rates begin dropping, the less herd immunity will be able to protect your children.’ “Most people who don’t vaccinate don’t believe in herd immunity and are not afraid of these illnesses.” These diseases don’t give a shit what you believe in. Herd immunity is real, and AVers ARE threatening the threshold as we speak, or as I type rather. I wouldn’t suggest relying on our first world country to help keep disease at bay either. With ever increasing climate change we have been seeing more devastating floods, droughts, and heat waves. The pathogens associated with vaccine preventable diseases, and then some, thrive in dirty water, heat, and contaminated water. When roads and homes over flood or become engulfed in massive flooding, what water systems do you think are always backed up and adding to the water content? Our sewage systems, both from our home and from our municipalities. This is why health departments make a point to offer free vaccinations, especially TDaP. Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis can easily spread during times of flooding. MAM wraps it up with some of these claims, “There have been wild accusations flying around, accusing the author of actually being an employee at the CDC. I can’t find anything to confirm that…..[author’s words are] being regarded as some sort of universal truth…..anyone who would send you such an article and then tell you that you should make a decision because of it is wrong, and to be ignored.” Earlier she dropped the bipolar seed, and now it’s the shill card. If she can’t confirm the CDC job, then she shouldn’t type it. Yes, these warnings that the author heeds are in fact a universal truth. History has taught us that with many of these vaccine preventable diseases. I just hope there isn’t a harder lesson in the future. Anyone who advises you in matters of health without education, experience, qualifications, or authority is wrong to do so. She provides zero links and/or citations to back any of her claims. Even her attempts at rationalization come across as juvenile. This is not some noble feat on MAM’s end. She is not inspired to spread her bullshit in hopes of saving a life, or saving parents the devastating loss of a child. This is a personal agenda for MAM for some reason. She adamantly ignores any and all evidence based information. It even comes across as though she afraid that exposure to this information could cause her to change her mind, or at least question her beliefs. If only she feared the pain, suffering, and possible death of her kids more.
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