With the recent media-driven hysteria over measles, I’ve been asked by friends, co-workers, and family if I was concerned since I am an ex-vaxxer and have likely not vaccinated my littles with MMRV.
Concerned about the measles that lurks in our population? No.
Concerned about my children getting measles? No.
Concerned about how people lack the capacity to research the actual incidence of measles as related to the population density of children? Yes.
Concerned about people regurgitating the propaganda and bashing parental choice? Yes.
Why am I not concerned about the first two? You will have to see my former post here: Your Herd Immunity is a Myth
As for the rest… we have given mainstream media too much credit in our country. Let us look at the numbers. According to the U. S. Census Bureau in 2017, we estimated the total population at 325,719,178. Of this population, 23% were under the age of 18 years; this gives us roughly 39,086,301 children in the U. S. under age 18.
If I take a gross overview of the incidence of measles in the United States over the last ten years (Because that data is readily available to me. Thank you, CDC! See table.) That gives us 2,059 cases of measles across EVERY age group for ten years.
If I were to apply this number to our current population of children alone, that is an incidence of 0.0000527% of those aged <18. A minuscule percentage, even when I apply the total number over the course of a decade to the population of today. Of course, this is an innacurrate calculation as population fluctuates.
If I were to apply the recent numbers (2018 to currently) for a rate of 473 cases… that is 0.0000121% of the entire population of children alone. The incidence of measles is 1.2 in every 100,000 children! That is also known as a 12 IN A MILLION chance that your child got measles last year. What?! Why is this mainstream news?!
UPDATE: number exaggerated by CDC on actual incidence of measles-related deaths, [see image below].
Do you want to know what is more critical than measles? The rate of disease in our youth that is 100% preventable by diet and lifestyle choices. The World Health Organization reports that 71% of deaths are caused by NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES worldwide! Measles is communicable. The top two killers are coronary artery disease (heart disease) and stroke; the top two in the U. S. are heart disease and cancer. (I am not going to touch cancer or autoimmune diseases right now, because that could be a blog series of its own.)
The U. S. has a population that touts 1 in 3 obese children. This incidence is tangible. This risk factor leads to early-onset diabetes and hypertension which contribute to coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death! So why aren’t we talking about the unhealthy foods marketed to our children, given to them in school, and promoted by mainstream media and big business? Because: MONEY. These things are lucrative.
There is no profit in growing your GMO-free, water and sunshine fed produce in your backyard and certainly no money in a healthy child. However, there is a lot of money in autoimmune disorders, chronic disease, and frequenting the pediatrician and the plethora of specialists we have created in the medical community for all of your sickcare needs.
Let us look at the numbers again. According to the Diabetes Report Card of 2017, in 2015 there were 193,000 new diagnoses of diabetes in those <20 years old. In one year, 0.005% of children were newly diagnosed with diabetes, not including those already diagnosed; 5 in 1,000 children were diagnosed with diabetes. They also report a 6.6% annual increase of diabetes among those <20 years of age. Diabetes is a risk factor for chronic conditions including… You guessed it! CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE.
According to the CDC, there are 1.3 million children aged 12-19 diagnosed with hypertension. For every 100 children, 3 will be diagnosed with hypertension using the CDC data. Read that again. Hypertension is also a major risk factor for that leading killer!
The U.S. spends almost $10,000 per capita in “health” care. This is double the second-highest spender, Canada. Compared to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom we rank DEAD LAST in health outcomes. How embarrassing.
While the mainstream media is attacking parental choice and pushing government mandates, we must remind ourselves that our government does not have a track record for success in health matters, but sure spends a lot of money in the meantime. With poor health trends mimicked in our children, it is time that parents take responsibility for the health of their littles… It is time that we question mainstream practices and consult the evidence. It is time we stand up, recognize what matters most, and identify the histerics.
Informed parents are not concerned about measles. Informed parents are not mainstream. Informed parents are often ridiculed by powerful entities. Do not be mistaken. We are educated, vigilant, and fiercly protective of our own. Ball is in your court.
Shalom, light, and love.
Sites to Consider:
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/measles-scare-tactics-hurt-us-all
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/youth.htm
https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death
https://censusreporter.org/profiles/01000us-united-states/
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db328.htm
https://interactives.commonwealthfund.org/2017/july/mirror-mirror/
informedconsenter.com 