Vaccinations: Should or Shouldn't You?

Posted: June 12, 2015 in Pregnancy Resources , Parenting Resources , Health & Nutrition Updates

by Elise Bowerman {last update October 2021}

We can all agree: it's good to know what you are putting in your body (and that of your loved ones.)

In the 2000's it became socially acceptable to read food labels to stay informed of how companies change ingredients, labels of those ingredients, and purposefully leave out ingredients over time. Those of us who have done so through the years are very familiar with how certain for-profit companies/investors/lobbyists would like us to not know what is in our food... I won't get started on the "impossible burger."

It is time consuming to say the least, but the same thought and consideration ought to be put into toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, sunscreen, makeup... So, why not investigate vaccines before injecting chemicals into the bloodstream of yourself or loved one?

By no means am I offering medical advice. You know your health best. As always, consult with your healthcare providers for the most effective way for you to be well. You need no one's permission but your own in regard to your medical and wellness health plan.

Start understanding vaccines

To inform yourself of what ingredients and risks are associated with each vaccine read the vaccine insert to make an informed decision. Ask your healthcare provider for the insert or go to the CDC website.

(If you are provided an 8.5"x11" sheet(s) of paper that is easily readable; then it is not a vaccine insert. This is called a Vaccine Information Statement (VIS), also known as advertisement. Repeat your request until someone gives you the true vaccine insert. It is often folded multiple times and printed in very small font.) Check out the links at the bottom of this article to aid in your research, too.

You may also have yourself and your children allergy tested to see if there are allergies to any of the ingredients in a shot. A titer test is another useful option to see if there are antibodies in the blood. (Veterinarians do this for animals quite often. Why it's not offered for humans is a thoughtful question to consider.)

Most importantly, if you didn't know you or your loved one was to receive a vaccine at a check-up and haven't done your risk/benefit due diligence - request to receive the injection at a future date. You have full freedom to do this in Michigan.

For instance, you may say, "no one informed me this would be taking place today. Is this a medical emergency that needs to be done? I'd like to wait until the next visit so I may make an informed decision on my/loved ones healthcare."

During Pregnancy

Discover what it means when a healthcare provider or facility states it is "mandatory" to get a vaccination prior to and/or after the birth of a baby. Often "mandatory" means preferred by their standards.

Asking at each appointment what to expect at the next will be helpful to prepare for the visits.

In the state of Michigan you may refuse any and/or all vaccinations at any time. Your baby doesn't have to be given the eye ointment either; especially if you birthed via c-section or do not have a STD or STI. Your healthcare provider is someone who works for and with you; not the other way around. There are no laws in place to enforce vaccinations.

Mandate is not the same as required by law.

Regarding Children

Find out whether or not vaccinations are "mandatory" before entering daycare and public or private school. There is a process in Michigan to still participate in daycare and public or private schools whether partially or not vaccinated.

Hire someone who respects your decisions

Whether or not you choose to vaccinate I recommend having an holistic healthcare provider as your primary care physician or secondary doctor. A Naturopath, Classical Homeopath, Ayurvedic doctor/practitioner, Functional Medicine Doctor, Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor, or Nutrition Response Testing Practitioner are a few examples of professionals who will treat and heal with holistic medicine whether you are preparing for a vaccination, experiencing side-effects from vaccinating, or are processing a disease. Some holistic health providers have an MD or DO.

You may use an holistic healthcare provider in conjunction with a medical professional. Get the best of both philosophies!

Vaccination is an invasive process. An educated, experienced holistic practitioner will support the body/mind before the vaccine even happens: to prepare for what is to come. A holistic approach is all about prevention. For example, before dental surgery my family takes homeopathic remedies to prepare for what will likely happen in order to help the body heal quickly, and the mind to remain calm and present. Below are a few reasons to consider having a holistic practitioner if you choose to vaccinate. They can help with all four situations:

Many children and adults fear needles and/or blood = emotional crisis.
Needles puncture the skin, just like a spider or snake bite = emotional crisis + puncture wound, maybe even a scar.
Man-produced chemicals and other human/animal byproducts are injected into the bloodstream = foreign cells/bodies in body = body is figuring out how to respond.
The body and mind can have reactions from the injection, dependent on the vaccine and the individual's immune system (often indicated in the vaccine insert), such as: low-grade fever, soreness near injection site, symptoms of the cold or flu, pneumonia, redness/rashes, itchy skin, seizures, headaches, brain injury, the ever-controversial autism theory, etc.

Inherent risks are a given

Understand there are risks and benefits with everything. Vaccinating fully, partially, spreading out, or completely refusing all have inherent risks.

You know what is best for yourself and children. You also only know what you know.

Don't beat yourself up for a past decision you may be changing your mind about now. You are gathering information to move forward with life - and future decisions. The great thing about our minds is that we get to change them if we choose!

Have a united team on your side. By team, I mean at least one healthcare professional who will respect, treat and assist in any healing crisis. If you feel alone, you are alone. Do not, and I repeat do not seek emergency healthcare advice online through social media outlets of people - just like yourself at home - sayin' stuff.

You deserve someone who is valued for their expertise with whom you feel safe and trust when emergencies arise --- because emergencies happen to all of us.

What to do when you go against the grain

If you choose to not vaccinate or delay know you may get at least one disease, like pertussis (whooping cough), measles, or chicken pox. Where might you get these diseases, you ask?

One avenue are newly vaccinated people. They're everywhere! Some vaccines are "live" and may shed.

Having a holistic doctor is key in keeping you and your children well and informed when processing a disease; or to work to detox the chemicals after a vaccination.

It's important to have a holistic doctor before you or your children get sick. Since a natural/holistic approach is all about prevention, they need to know how you look physically, think mentally and feel emotionally when you are well. This provides constitutional information. Consider it a baseline. This data will guide your practitioner to an appropriate remedy quicker. (This is not to say you can't go to a holistic practitioner for the first time when processing an illness or disease. It simply makes their job more efficient when you are proactive.)

This ain't my first rodeo

I grew up with a mother who questioned everything... the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Unlike my mom, I have been able to bring balance into health, family, my own self, career, relationships, and more because of the cautionary tale of life she lead to the detrimental extreme.

With 40 years of experience, most of the hysteria regarding illness and disease seems to be from those who are uneducated in holistic practices. Once someone is educated in preventative medicine (like the way we are inundated with chemical medicine), then they can be prepared for illness and disease; not from a place of fear, but a place of understanding the illness or disease itself. (FYI - most medical training in the U.S. does not include preventative medicine or home remedies of how ancient healing methods and remedies operate.)

Be cautious of conventional MDs and DOs using new marketing terms (started about 2019) like preventative, holistic approach, body and mind, etc. These are key words conventional medicine is cherry-picking from holistic practices, usually with no further self-study of true preventative and holistic medical care.

These words and phrases are used more in conjunction with modern medical professionals, because more people are waking up to the cyclical cycle of chemical medicine. (Once you are in, it is very hard to get out... and I know from personal experience with our son.)

I've heard time and time again from my friends who are in the system as MDs and DOs that they often don't see their patients again who seek a consult with a holistic doctor or practitioner. My response - of course you don't see them again! They found another solution they are satisfied with. Why would they come back? If anything, to get another diagnostic test to see how they have progressed... then to leave again with that information to continue their healing elsewhere.

Take action. Own your health. Connect with a holistic professional today whether you choose to vaccinate or not... don't wait for someone to get ill or have an adverse reaction to a vaccination - using holistic medicine as a last resort. Use it the opposite way; the way it was intended.

Vaccine injured?

It is our responsibility as citizens to report any adverse event to Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). From their website, VAERS is co-managed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Sadly, we cannot rely on our medical healthcare professionals to report these reactions due to their lack of education in vaccinations. Many do not even know VAERS exists.

Should you suspect you or your child have swelling at the injection site, fever, seizures, new behaviors, etc. you are encouraged to share this information as soon as possible with VAERS - even if you are unsure the vaccine was the cause.

We still have a choice in Michigan

We are one of 15 states left with the freedom to choose whether or not to vaccinate, delay, or refuse completely in order to still attend daycare, camps, and schools. It is up to us, the people, to voice our concerns and share research to our legislators who are voting on this vital topic. Here's what you can do: