My article on getting healthy before you get pregnant was published in Natural Awakenings Magazine

Healthy Women Make Healthy Babies!

I have been a RN (in the fields of newborn care, labor and delivery, clinical nutrition, childbirth education, and pediatrics) for 32 years. Additionally, and most relevant to this article, is the fact that I had the great privilege of coordinating the Defeat Autism Now! Conferences for 10 years. As a result of my interaction with hundreds of parents of children with health and developmental problems, I am convinced that the more a woman does prior to conceiving to maximize her health, the less likely she will be to experience problems with fertility as well as complications associated with pregnancy, labor & birth. Of equal significance is the fact that if a woman minimizes her exposure to toxins and maximizes her nutrition before and during her pregnancy, she may greatly decrease the chances that her offspring will develop health, behavioral and or developmental problems.
No one has all the answers as to why so many of our children are being diagnosed with autism, allergies, ADHD, childhood cancers, diabetes, asthma etc. Better diagnosis some say (I can’t accept that one). Possibly an environmental factor? (getting warmer). Certainly the increase in the number of vaccines must play a role (absolutely). The problem is, while the researchers figure out all the answers, more and more children are negatively impacted by these conditions. So when moms of affected children want to get pregnant with another child, or women who have never conceived before ask: what can be done to increase the chances of having a healthy baby, I believe there are common sense, practical and effective strategies for shifting the odds in favor of a very positive outcome.
First: the present state of affairs: Did you know that the CDC has reported that I out of every 6 children born in this country have either a neurological, behavioral or developmental problem? Dr. Kate Thomsen, MD, MPH (Assistant Clinical Professor at UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, in NJ) reported at a recent Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet (www.SOKHOP.com) children’s health conference that: “According to the CDC 31% of pregnancies are complicated by maternal health issues, 11% of women who are pregnant smoke, 10% drink alcohol, 69% don’t take enough folate (folic acid), 31% are obese, and 12% of all babies are born prematurely” (which greatly increases their risk of developing health and or neurological problems). At the same conference, Dr. Doris Rapp, MD (a board certified environmental medical specialist, allergist, and author of Our Toxic World, A Wake Up Call) told the audience that according to The National Research Council in Washington, 7% of all couples are now sterile, 50% of all pregnancies end in a stillborn, miscarriage, birth defects or a chronic health problem and finally, in spite of all our medical advances, 7 out of every 1000 US newborns die (which ranks us 27th out of 28 for infant mortality.) I don’t know about you, but I find these statistics startling, more than a little scary, and completely unacceptable.
We all know that the days and weeks immediately following conception are crucial for the development of the fetus. A poor diet, tobacco use, environmental toxins, alcohol, drugs etc. all pose a threat to (what every woman hopes for), a healthy baby. What we don’t often discuss with our physicians or friends (and yet it may be of equal, if not greater significance) is the importance of the health of the mother prior to becoming pregnant. I believe, in order to minimize the complications associated with pregnancy and birth as well as enhance the chances of having a healthy child, a woman should be in an optimal state prior to conceiving. This is why for years I have half jokingly told my daughter, step-daughters and daughters- in- law:”give me your body for one year prior to getting pregnant, and I may be able to save you from the heartache and stress that so many parents of sick or disabled children know only too well”
What do I mean when I say “give me your body for a year prior to conceiving?” Obviously, I’m not a body snatcher and I can’t imagine any of these daughters moving back home for that long a time. What I am suggesting is this: let’s get a good health history and do an assessment of your nutritional status. We also might test for heavy metal toxicity and check to see if there is a yeast (Candida) overgrowth. If there is a history of migraines, fatigue, depression, yeast infections, PMS, acne, constipation etc., we could address those symptoms by implementing a naturally based, nutritional approach that may include a detoxification program. The goal for my daughters (and now my clients) is to get them healthy prior to getting pregnant, so they can increase the likelihood of having a great uncomplicated pregnancy, labor, birth and baby!
Before I get into the specifics of what can be done to ensure an optimal outcome for mom and baby, let me explain a bit about what has changed in our world in the past 60 or so years that may be contributing to the rise in the health problems we are seeing in our children. Around the mid 1940s, exhausted from World War ll, parents of the baby boomers began demanding products that were “convenient.” As a result, many industries began creating items that were derived from plastics and other synthetic materials. The use of both pesticides and prescription drugs escalated, chemicals in cleaning and personal care products increased and processed convenience food became the rage. Industry and technology answered the call of the culture by creating better living through better chemistry. In the 1950s, the 1st generation of children exposed to these chemicals was born (I was one of them!). As we now know, many of these chemicals created for this modern/convenient lifestyle ‘bioaccumulate” or build up in our bodies. Presently, the EPA tells us there are over 80,000 chemicals in our air, water and food and 2.2 billion pounds of chemicals are sprayed on our crops annually. The average American home contains 3-10 gallons of hazardous materials and 85% of the chemicals that are registered have never been tested for their impact on the human body

To read this full article (too long for the blog) with the entire list of suggestions for getting healthy before you get pregnant, go to my website at www.SOKHOP.com. (Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet) The article is a pdf listed on the left side of the home page. Healthy Women, Make Healthy Babies or try
http://sokhop.com/pdf/healthy%20women_healthy%20babies.pdf

An Exciting Article in Pediatrics is a Triumph for Parents of Kids with Autism

On January 4th in the Journal of Pediatrics two papers were published by a team of GI specialists. They were entitled: Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders in Individuals With ASDs (Autism Spectrum Disorders) A Consensus Report,and Recommendations for Evaluation and Treatment of Common Gastrointestinal Problems in Children With ASDs. The titles may sound a bit boring, but the significance and impact of these papers is monumental! You see, for years, many parents of children with autism were telling their doctors, "my child has horrible diarrhea, or they are severely constipated or they seem to be in pain." Additionally, these non-verbal kids often had unusual behaviors like biting themselves or aggression or waking up in the middle of the night screaming. Doctors, (not really understanding the medical or physical problems that often accompany an autism diagnosis) would say, "oh they have diarrhea or constipation because they are autistic. Or, they seem like they are in pain because they are autistic." I know what you are thinking....that just doesn't make sense. But it is true (as reported by hundreds if not thousands of parents.) Now, as a result of these new reports, pediatricians are instructed to no longer chalk up unusual behavior or bowel symptoms to the diagnosis of autism, but rather they are encouraged to investigate the underlying causes and treat the child's discomfort, pain, or GI disease. I know it seems like doctors should have listened to the parents long before this and it shouldn't have taken 27 investigators reviewing all the literature and publishing a consensus report in the Journal of Pediatrics to get pediatricians and others in the medical profession to wake up and take the necessary steps to address these conditions. But it did. I for one would like to celebrate this victory on behalf of the many parents who were told there was nothing that could be done, and for the children who had to suffer through their discomfort. Finally, the conclusion has been drawn that children with autism often do have medical disorders including GI diseases and that these maladies (abdominal pain, chronic constipation, diarrhea,and gastroesophageal reflux)can be at the route of unusual behavior. These two papers represent a long overdue acknowledgement of what parents had been telling doctors for years. Now I pray for the next miracle or breakthrough.... a similar paper will appear in a prestigious medical journal stating (what many of us already know) and that is: when a child with autism's physical discomfort and medical conditions are addressed and they begin to feel better....., lo and behold, they show improvement in other areas such as: cognition, speech, attention, behavior. The Defeat Autism Now! organization has been saying this for years. But you wait and see, mainstream docs are going to get this any day now!

Winter Colds & Flu: anything natural we can do?

Winter Colds and Flu…..anything natural we can do?
Yes….definitely! Why our physicians are not instructing us all on the immune protective properties of certain herbs like: Echinacea, astragalus, elderberry syrup etc and encouraging us all to drink fresh made organic veggie juices, use miso soup, take fish oil, probiotics, a great multi and Vitamin D….I’ll never know! Well actually I do know. Except for a few docs who have broken from the pack, physicians are not trained in nature’s healing secrets. And when these strategies are not part of one’s tool box ……well, you know what they say: “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” If all you have to use is pharmaceuticals and vaccines, then every infection and condition looks like something they should prescribe a drug or give a vaccine for.
I think there is a better way to keep ourselves and our kids healthy. For 32 years I’ve been adhering to most of these principles (not completely of course, remember I’m not a saint). Because I was lucky enough to have a naturally oriented pediatrician and learn a few simple strategies from people much smarter and wiser than me when my kids were young, there was very little need for antibiotics, or any other prescriptive meds during their formative years. Now, they are really healthy adults. In my son’s case, he and his incredibly knowledgeable wife Jen are applying these same natural techniques with their own two healthy little girls with great success So, what I’m saying here is, these suggestions are tried and true!
As far as staying in optimal health, everyone is different; and each of us may require different types of diets and or levels of nutrients. But there are certain general health rules that everyone can benefit from and that is what I’d like to focus on in this post.
Let’s start with Sugar: Did you know that a serving of sugar that exceeds 4gms (a little over a teaspoon) causes our immune system to function less effectively. So it makes sense then to cut way back on sugar when the goal is to keep your immune system strong (think Christmas cookies!) Look for those not so obvious sources too like juices (typically loaded with sugar sometimes 30-50gms per serving), ketchup is 33% sugar, some granolas can have 45 gms of sugar per serving. Don’t be fooled because the package says it’s a health food . Read the sugar content on the label first. If you are going to have something with sugar in it, try not to exceed 4gms of sugar per serving. Still not convinced, check this out: Sugar and Immunity William Stoll, M.D.http://askwaltstollmd.com/body_sugarimm.html
Vegetables and Fruit: To get enough fiber (which helps to clean out toxins in our colon) and antioxidants (nutrients that prevent free radical damage), it’s recommended we eat 4 ½ cups of veggies and fruit per day. That’s not always easy even if we have a big salad with lunch or dinner. Solution?....., get out the juicer and juice some of those veggies and fruit. Yes, it’s a pain to clean, but there is no better source of nutrition then a fresh made batch of organic vegetable juice. You might be thinking let me grab a V8…same thing right? Not really, although there is some nutrition left in those cans, even the nutrient content of fresh made juices begins to decline within 20 minutes after making it, so you can imagine how little is left in the canned juices that have been sitting on the shelves for months. Organic carrot/apple is a great combination to get you started because it tastes great. From there, you can add more greens like watercress, parsley, beet greens, celery….for kids: get bolder as they get older!
Why should I choose organic? It’s not just the fact that certified organic produce and grains are free of pesticides (although since the EPA tells us 2 billion pounds of chemicals are sprayed on our crops each year, that is probably a good enough reason). But also they taste better because the soil they grow in is rich in mineral content (not depleted of nutrients like food grown on large farms that do not rotate crops and use the same depleted soil season after season). If you are not convinced that organic is worth the extra money, the best study showing the difference is the 2007 study QualityLowInputFood Project

There's so much more to tell you!

For the full article, go to my website Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet.http://www.sokhop.com/pdf/winter_colds_and_flu.pdf
and read all my suggestions for avoiding winter colds and flus (way too long a list for a blog I'm told)

A Safer Way to Vaccinate...Is there such a thing?

Now that my 4th granddaughter has arrived and I am surrounded by lots of young parents, the question comes up more and more frequently. Should we vaccinate? As I've posted before, I've been pediatric registered nurse for 32 years, but more relevant to this discussion is the fact that I've interacted with hundreds of parents of autistic children as a clinician, as well as during my ten years as the coordinator of the Defeat Autism Now! conferences. Because of these experiences, I get many inquiries from family members, friends and clients regarding this very hot and very controversial subject. My reply to these young parents is "It's not as black and white as your pediatrician would have you believe". Please do some homework on this subject before adhering to the guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics and or the CDC." It's easier sometimes to blindly trust the authorities because in this case, once that homework or research begins it typically creates incredible doubt on the whole vaccine safety issue. Although almost every article you read on this subject in the mainstream media says that all the studies have shown there is absolutely no link to vaccines and autism, that is simply not true. There is good science pointing to a connection (some studies listed below) and more importantly there are hundreds, if not thousands of parents of sick children who can tell you they had a normal child up until he or she received several vaccines in one day, or he or she was sick and still got their vaccines etc. More research needs to be done for certain (especially examining the differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated populations). But these accounts by intelligent, observant parents can not be discounted and to me are equally if not more important than ANY scientific study.

For the purpose of practicality, lets say a parent does decide to selectively vaccinate. Here are some ideas on minimizing potential problems which could be caused by vaccines:

1. Choose which vaccines to give only after careful consideration of the individual childs' history and or genetic background. For instance if a child was born prematurely or if they have had recurrent ear infections or if the parents have a history of autoimmune disorders or allergies, these are all indicators that a child may not respond well to vaccines and certainly not when several are given at one time. I'd like to say discuss all of this with your pediatrician, but unfortunately most would not agree with the suggestion to postpone, spread out or avoid vaccines based on a famaily history or current illness. As a matter of fact, I have heard several high ranking pediatricians say that a child's immune system could 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!

To read this full post (article), go to my website www.SOKHOP.com Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet. http://www.sokhop.com/pdf/a_safer_way_to_vaccinate.pdf

The Power of Gratitude A Christmas Thank You!

I recently encountered a young man who despite having his health, being in the prime of his life, and having a good degree of financial success, lacked joy and enthusiasm, and his perception of life was rather bleak. After some reflection, I realized that the reason this person was miserable was because he was missing a sense of Gratitude!
It’s been a tough year for all of us, and considering the economy, it’s easy to go the negative route and focus on what we don’t have, or what we haven’t yet accomplished. However, when we stop to consider how blessed we are to know incredible people, to wake each morning and experience the wonders of nature, and the joys of friends and family, it changes our perspective from gloom and doom to one of abundance and appreciation.
This note is say thank you for being one of those incredible people and to let you know that we are very grateful for your support of our fledgling project Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet. The non-profit Vital Intervention Accessible (www.ViAnow.org) and Wellness Workshops, Inc collaborated to create SOKHOP children’s’ health expos so that critical information regarding natural ways to prevent and recover children from Autism, Asthma, Childhood Cancers and other childhood illnesses could be brought to the public. Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet also has a lively website (www.SOKHOP.com) with numerous articles on children’s health, and the importance of pre conception care, helpful videos and access to the blog RaisingHealthyKids Naturally.blogspot.com. Additionally, our nonprofit ViA has provided financial assistance to families of children with autism to help them obtain services from biomedical practitioners and attend educational conferences. Thanks to you, and a very recent generous donation by Whole Foods, we will be able to continue this important work.
The idea of prevention and natural methods of recovering children from Autism, Cancer, Asthma etc are not yet popular concepts. However, as a result of your belief in this work, we are gaining momentum. Instead of focusing on the long road ahead, we are choosing to be grateful for the progress that is being made and for your support and encouragement.
Many thanks and happy holidays,
Maureen and Jill
Maureen H. McDonnell, RN Cofounder of Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet, President of VIA
Jill Urwick Cofounder Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet Founder and Executive Director of ViA

rebuttal to article in Chicago Tribune putting down natural treatments for autism

November 25, 2009
Dear Ms. Callahan, Trine Tsouderos and Mr Kern,

I have been a pediatric registered nurse for 32 years and was astounded and dismayed to read your recent article in the Chicago Tribune: Alternative Therapies Amount to Uncontrolled Experimentation on Children, Investigation Finds. link http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-autism-main7-2009dec07,0,5807576.story

I can't help but wonder if during your research for this article on autism, you might have also come across the startling statistics showing the escalation in recent years of many other childhood disorders including Asthma, (which has more than doubled since 1980), ADHD Childhood Cancer (is now the leading cause of death by disease in children), Diabetes, Allergies etc? If you had, you might have realized that parents and health professionals are dealing with unprecedented and alarming statistics when it comes to children's health issues. However, of even greater concern, is the limited number of safe and effective treatments available for these conditions. In the midst of this urgency, for you to insinuate that parents and physicians seeking real solutions to address these growing problems are irresponsible and putting children at undue risk, is unfair. From a journalism perspective I believe it's pure sensationalism. Sitting idly by as more and more of our children get diagnosed with these conditions, and not doing all we can to find help for them, that is the real definition of “irresponsible.”

I’m aware that as a reporter you do not possess the scientific background to understand the fact that many of the therapies you speak of with a disparaging tone as being untested and unsafe (supplements, chelation therapy for excess levels of heavy metals, intravenous vitamins etc, ) are not only approved, but have been used safely and effectively for for decades.

I think it is a shame that writers unfamiliar with the complexities of autism accuse parents of being naive and professionals (who choose to try and help these children), irresponsible. This type of inaccurate reporting only serves to create fear and spread misperceptions . If you wish to report or comment with a degree of accuracy on the mostly natural and nutritionally oriented procedures that are helping so many children with autism, I suggest you actually read the studies provided to you by Ms. Arranga and others. Another idea is to attend (and listen to) the credible researchers, clinicians and parents at a Defeat Autism Now! Conference. I've heard from several people who you interviewed for this article, that you not only did not listen to them, but you seemed to have made up your mind on the biomedical approach to treating autism before you asked the questions.

Having coordinated the Defeat Autism Now! Conferences for 10 years, I can attest to the fact that parents attending these events are bright, observant and discerning (not easily misled by charlatan-like physicians out to make a quick buck) as you insinuate in your article. Additionally, the physicians and other health practitioners that I had the pleasure of working worth during my tenure with DAN! were some of the brightest individuals I have ever encountered in the field of medicine. Together these parents, clinicians and researchers are developing effective and safe strategies to help deal with the underlying conditions that cause the symptoms associated with autism.

Until mainstream medicine offers real answers for the growing health problems affecting our children, I applaud and support the maverick parents and professionals that make up the “autism recovery movement”. I also join them in celebrating the fact that many children are improving as a result of their efforts.

Sincerely,

Maureen H. McDonnell, RN
Co founder Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet children's health expos (www.SOKHOP.com)

Make It A Safe and Healthy Christmas with Natural Toys

Make it a Safe and Healthy Christmas
The EPA tells us that there are 87,000 chemicals which we (and our children) are exposed to. Many of us involved in the health care professions believe that the startling rise in the number of children being diagnosed with Asthma (doubled since 1980), Autism (CDC says 1 per 100 kids, as opposed to 2 per 10,000 20 years ago), Allergies , Childhood Cancers etc is directly related to these toxic chemicals. I know what you are saying….this is a Christmas message?….Where’s the joy and the Christmas spirit?
Well, here it is. I have been a pediatric registered nurse for 32 years and I believe there are many things we can do to improve the health of our children which starts with minimizing their exposure to these chemicals. As the founder of green children’s health expos (Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet), I recommend we feed our kids more organic foods, decrease their intake of processed foods, use green cleaning products in our homes and schools and buy toys made from natural and organic materials.
From the first teething ring in infancy to the scrunchy toys toddlers play with, to the fun games enjoyed by preschoolers, we need toys that not only spark the imagination but ones that are free of toxic substances.
Rosie Hippo is the premier source for natural and organic toys and children’s gifts.
Make it a Merry and a Healthy Christmas….
go to www.RosieHippo.com for safe and natural toys this Christmas. Enter SOKHOPDEC for 15% off your order and in addition RosieHippo will make a 5% donation back to SOKHOP.
I can’t think of a better toy company to help Save Our Kids and Heal Our Planet than Rosie Hippo.

Sincerely,
Maureen McDonnell, RN


My Granddaughter and me.
If you’d like to learn more about Raising Healthy Kids Naturally, go to our blog RaisingHealthyKidsNaturally.blogspot.com or check out the Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet website (www.SOKHOP.com)