Dr. Harper made these remarks at the 4th Annual International Conference on Vaccination, and, ironically,  while her address was meant to support the vaccine, participants left doubting the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

Dr. Harper began her remarks by explaining that 70 percent of all HPV infections resolve themselves without treatment within a year. Within two years, the number climbs to 90 percent. Of the remaining 10 percent of HPV infections, only half will develop into cervical cancer, which leaves little need for the vaccine.

Harper went on the say that the rate of cervical cancer from HPV is actually very low and that 70% of the US population would have to receive the vaccination before it would be effective at reducing the cancer rate, and even this, it would be a small reduction in the rate. With this small of an anticipated benefit, it brings the logic of the vaccine into question, as there have been a large number of reported side effects and even deaths from the vaccine. If the benefit is minimal and the risk of side effects higher than normal for a vaccine, is this something that we should be getting and giving to our daughters?

Apparently, conventional treatment and preventative measures are already cutting the cervical cancer rate by four percent a year. At this rate, in 60 years, there will be a 91.4 percent decline just with current treatment. Even if 70 percent of women get the shot and required boosters over the same time period, which is highly unlikely, Harper says Gardasil still could not claim to do as much as traditional care is already doing.

Dr. Harper, who also serves as a consultant to the World Health Organization, further undercut the case for mass vaccination by saying that “four out of five women with cervical cancer are in developing countries.”

Harper also announced that there are no studies showing the efficacy of this vaccine in girls under 15. She said that Merck tested the vaccine on a small number of girls under 15 but did not follow them long enough to test for the presence of the antibodies.

This is not the first time Dr. Harper revealed the fact that Merck never tested Gardasil for safety in young girls. During a 2007 interview with KPC News.com, she said giving the vaccine to girls as young as 11 years-old “is a great big public health experiment.”

At the time, which was at the height of Merck’s controversial drive to have the vaccine mandated in schools, Dr. Harper remained steadfastly opposed to the idea and said she had been trying for months to convince major television and print media about her concerns, “but no one will print it.”

“It is silly to mandate vaccination of 11 to 12 year old girls,” she said at the time. “There also is not enough evidence gathered on side effects to know that safety is not an issue.”

When asked why she was speaking out, she said: “I want to be able to sleep with myself when I go to bed at night.”

According the the article, over 15,000 girls have reported adverse side effects from the vaccine and deaths have also been reported.

These adverse reactions include Guilliane Barre, lupus, seizures, paralysis, blood clots, brain inflammation and many others. The CDC acknowledges that there have been 44 reported deaths.

The article also went on to say that:

The outspoken researcher also weighed in last month on a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that raised questions about the safety of the vaccine, saying bluntly: “The rate of serious adverse events is greater than the incidence rate of cervical cancer.”

Please read the whole article here. This is obviously a controversial issue, and one that I encourage you to research thoroughly before considering the vaccine for yourself or your daughter. I have some additional information on vaccine safety in my resources.

Have a healthy week!

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My first and most important recommendation I can make for weight loss and flu prevention,is to immediately switch to a health diet, though the specifics I recommend may be new to some of you. The old adage “you are what you eat,” has never been more true. As the percentage of the population that is medically classified as overweight or obese rises steadily, it is no surprise that rates of cancer, disease, and other medical issues rise as well. For optimal health, I recommend a diet of high quality proteins, abundant sources of beneficial fats, and adequate amounts of organic or locally grown vegetables, if available.

1. Proteins are necessary for virtually every function the body performs. One of the disadvantages of the low-fat diet that has been promoted my the medical community for so long is the lower intake of protein that often accompanies it. Additionally, a low fat diet is often a high carb diet, as foods like whole grains and starchy vegetables are considered “healthy” low-fat foods. This high carbohydrate diet can contribute to insulin resistance, obesity and eventually diabetes if continued over long periods of time. As proteins are vital for every function of the body, they also perform an important role in immune function and weight maintenance. Antibodies are specialized proteins that help defend the body from illness and bacteria. Proteins are necessary for cell division which is vital in healing and growth, and proteins in the form of hormones and enzymes regulate chemical reactions in the body. The adult body needs one gram of usable protein for each 2.2 pounds of body weight. This means that a 180 pound man would need around 80 grams of protein a day and a 145 pound woman would need about 65 grams a day. I recommend organic grass fed beef, free range chickens, free range eggs, organic raw dairy, and certain forms of protein powder. I will post more on this soon.
2. Fats-This may sound foreign to you if you have followed a low fat diet in the past, but more and more studies are proving that eating fat does not make you fat. In fact, recent research is showing that adequate fat intake is vital to weight loss. (A good discussion on fats here) Fats provide concentrated energy and are important building blocks in hormones. Fats carry the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Studies show that fats, including the much feared saturated fats, contribute to immune strength, bone strength, and can protect the liver. For optimal immune function, it is important to get adequate fats from healthy sources including olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts/seeds, krill oil and animal sources.
3. Vegetables- I hopefully won’t have to do much to convince you that vegetables are healthy and important for optimal health and weight loss. The important thing is to get organic or locally grown vegetables whenever possible as organic varieties can often contain up to three times the nutrients of conventional vegetables. For weight loss and immune function, it is important to avoid eating too many starchy vegetables like potatoes and winter squash and to focus on greens (spinach, lettuce, kale, mustard greens, etc), peppers, tomatoes, hot peppers, garlic, onions, celery, and asparagus. I get mine in by drinking veggie smoothies and eating a salad or two green vegetables at every meal.

Another recommendation I make for both weight loss and flu prevention is to test and maintain adequate levels of vitamin D. More and more research is showing the importance of Vitamin D in maintain weight levels, preventing disease and for optimal mental health. The best source of Vitamin D is that which is naturally produced by your body when it is exposed to sunlight in moderation, though this can be difficult in winter months. If you are unable to get 30 minutes of sunlight a day, supplementation may be necessary. If you choose to supplement, opt for Vitamin D3, a more assimilable and healthy version than other forms. Since Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, it can be dangerous if taken in excess. Consider having your vitamin D levels checked by a doctor before beginning any supplementation, though Vitamin D obtained from sunlight is considered safe. It is important to carefully maintain optimal levels of Vitamin D, as too much or too little can be dangerous. Recent research is also showing that optimizing vitamin D levels can be a major factor in maintaining or reaching a healthy weight.

Find out how to treat the flu at home with stuff you have around the house.

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1. Drink water. A good starting benchmark for water consumption is to take half of your body weight and add twenty. That is the minimum number of ounces you should consumer, per day. If you exercise, add 8-16 ounces for each thirty minutes of exercise. Also, add 16 ounces for every caffeinated or carbonated beverage you consume. Statistics show that many Americans are clinically dehydrated and do not even know it. The effects of this dehydration can lead to things as small as headache and as devastating as early death.

2. Exercise. You have heard it before, but exercise has so many positive benefits, and is necessary for optimal body function. Recent statistics show that about 65 percent of all Americans do not get any exercise at all. The CDC also reported that about 65 percent of all Americans are overweight or obese. Coincidence? Exercise lowers your risk of several types of cancer, increases the flow of endorphins and good chemicals throughout your body and reduces stress, just to name a few of the main benefits. Even small amounts of exercises are good, so try to fit in any amount that you can. A good benchmark is to try to exercise for 30 minutes at least on 3-5 days of the week. Your exercise level should be enough that it is difficult to carry on a conversation, but you should still be able to talk. Even working in this small amount of exercise can dramatically improve many aspects of your life.

3. Supplement your diet. In today’s society, it is virtually impossible to consume enough pure, whole foods to give your body the structures it needs to function properly. Though the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables cannot be ignored, even nine servings of each per day is not enough to provide your body proper nutrition.

4. Proper diet. It is no secret that fast food is not good for you, but there are many other common foods that are just as bad. Any kind of soda is bad, even diet. Carbonated beverages deplete your bones of necessary calcium and magnesium and can lead to problems such as osteoporosis. Diet beverages are even worse than their sugar-heavy counterparts, because they contain dangerous sweeteners, many which can never be removed from your body. Any food that has been fried is basically devoid of nutrients and does nothing for your body. Diets too rich in artificial carbohydrates can lead to many problems. As a general rule, it is good to avoid foods that contain refined sugar or starches or bleached flour.

5. Sleep. This is one of the hardest elements of health to accomplish in today’s high demand society, but as you know, an average person needs 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Not getting enough sleep can lower your mental abilities, lead to fatigue and cause physical pain such as headaches.

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Apples. According to “SuperFoods Lifestyle” author Dr. Steven Pratt, different varieties of apples have different phytonutrients, but they all have tons of antioxidants, including flavonoids and other polyphenols, and fiber.

Avocados. Avacados are packed with good fats that are excellent for your skin, eyes and brain. These fats are necessary in our diet and have been shown to lower bad cholesterol. They also contain large amounts of fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate and antioxidants up the ante.

Beans. Some are better than others, but in general, beans are packed with lean protein and fiber. They have a lot of potassium, B vitamins, and antioxidants.

Blueberries. The best of the berries, blueberries contain antioxidants like anthocyanins and other polyphenols, and carotenoids. They are low in calories, high in flavor and vitamin rich. All berries are great for antioxidants, but blueberries are the Rolls Royce of berries.

Dark chocolate. In moderation, a high quality dark chocolate is full of flavonoids, a potent antioxidant. Only dark chocolate has this, and the higher the cocoa content the better. Try to look for organic with at least 65% cocoa.

Kiwis. Who knew? Kiwis have as much potassium as bananas and as much vitamin C as citrus fruit. You can even eat the skin for antioxidants.

Oats. Oats give you fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium and other minerals, and phytonutrients, including antioxidants. Their cholesterol-lowering powers are well known, and all that fiber is also believed to help stabilize blood sugar. Oats’ combination of nutrients appears to have more healthy effects than if each nutrient were consumed separately — which seems to be true of all whole grains. And, they’re inexpensive. The best way to eat oats is to soak old fashioned whole oats in cool water for about 30 minutes and eat cool without cooking. Oats prepared this way taste great with frozen or fresh berries.

Spinach. What doesn’t spinach have? It’s loaded with lutein (great for eyes) and many other carotenoids, which are healthful antioxidants; plus other antioxidants like coenzyme Q, in serious doses; plus several B vitamins plus C and E; plus iron and other minerals; plus betaine, a vitamin-like nutrient research suggests is good for your heart. And with almost no calories, you can eat as much as you want. Also good for similar reasons: kale, chard and other dark leafy greens.

Walnuts. All nuts have been rehabbed as good-for-you foods, for their healthy fats and micronutrients. A few go a long way, though, as they are calorie bombs. Walnuts’ main claim to stardom are their omega-3 fatty acids, which fight heart disease. Other goodies: plant sterols, which lower cholesterol, and lots of antioxidants.

Yogurt. Nutritionist Jo Ann Hattner says if she could pick only two superfoods, they would be yogurt and tea, because their health-giving attributes have been known for centuries. Yogurt’s claim to fame is live cultures, also called probiotics or beneficial bacteria. They are what turns milk into yogurt (but some commercial yogurts are heated to kill the cultures after they do their work, so be sure to read the label). In your gut, they fight bad bacteria, aid digestion, help metabolize food and generally tune your system up. Yogurt also is a good source of calcium and protein.

The medical community is finally starting to pick up on how beneficial whole foods can be for you. In this recent article, scientists suggest that eating watercress daily can help reduce the risk of cancer. What a surprise! Who knew that if we ate a balanced diet containing a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and drank enough pure filtered water, we could reduce our risk of cancer.

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