I Love the Smell of Naled in the Morning—Battle Against Zika
An update on Zika. First area in Florida where Zika was found was in Wynwood. There are now 14 cases of Zika infection. All originating in the Wynwood section—a one square mile area north of downtown. A few weeks after that they found a few more Zika cases here in Miami Beach. They created another […]
Vaccine Primer: A Great Companion for the Journey Down the Rabbit Hole
One of my favorite movie scenes is from “Die Hard 2” when Bruce Willis, in the character of Lt. John McClane, is in a race against terrorists to save his wife who is on a plane approaching to land. As he is waiting frantically for a fax to come through so he can rescue the day, the young and seductive counter clerk begins flirting with him when he shows her his wedding…
Michael Bennese, DC on the Misapplication of the Theory of Herd Immunity
The theory of herd immunity was a term applied to the general immunity to a pathogen in a population based on the acquired immunity to it by a high proportion of members over time. It was never intended to describe potential group immunity gained from vaccination. This distinction is important. Vaccination is not synonymous with immunization, although the terms are used interchangeably. Natural immunization from disease is a complex interactive process involving many bodily organs…
Breast Milk Provides Vital Immunologic and Physiologic Benefits for Babies
With nearly 80 percent of mothers in the United States now choosing breastfeeding over formula feeding for their babies, there clearly is widespread agreement that mothers’ milk is the ideal food for the very young. This source of nutrition is also perfectly species-specific: Cow’s milk is best for rapidly growing bovine calves, whale milk is uniquely suited to the high-fat…
Water: The Essence of Life
Water is the essence of life. The human body cannot survive without water because it is so critical for all bodily functions. In fact, on average, the body of an adult human being contains 60 percent of water. Not drinking adequate amounts of water can have such a detrimental effect on overall health that a reduction in 10 percent of your normal body water percentage…
Acute Flaccid Myelitis and Routine Childhood Vaccinations: This is Nothing New
In the last several weeks there has been a growing concern about the number of children who have developed Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), which the media has reported is a “mysterious polio-like illness.” Daniel Ramirez died on Sunday, Oct. 30, after being hospitalized for two weeks with paralysis. The doctors at Seattle Children’s Hospital…