Vaccinations

I do think it is very important to educate oneself in order to make an informed decision on what you choose to let into your child's system. The CDC recommended vaccine schedule seems a little hasty, considering that a baby's immune system is not fully developed until it is about 6 months old. This is used as an argument for why babies should receive vaccinations as early as possible, as they are more susceptible to virus and disease but if the baby is being breastfed, then it is receiving immunity through the mother's breastmilk. Apparently babies get the hep B vaccine right after they are born, but the only way for a newborn to contract this disease is if the mother is a carrier. It all seems a bit overly eager.
I don't agree that there should be one vaccination schedule for all children, it should more depend on the individual factors such as the child's particular condition of health and the environment (at home and in the community) in which it is raised. Likewise, I don't think that vaccination programs should be made compulsory, since they do not even guarantee complete protection from a disease. Furthermore, until they can develop vaccines that do not contain toxic, harmful substances such as mercury, formaldahyde and aluminium hydroxide, it doesn't seem right to force parents to have these toxins injected into their otherwise healthy children.

Reintroduction of American Bison

Prairies are the most endangered ecosystems of the U.S. They were the continent's largest continuous ecosystem supporting a vast array of plants and animals. Prairies provide erosion and non-point source pollution control. They protect ground and surface water as well as act as buffers for wetlands. Apparently they once spanned about 40% of the U.S, however only one percent of North American prairies still exist. The reintroduction of Bison seem like a very important component of restoring these ecosystems since they play a key role in creating a healthy environment on the Prairie. The continuous grazing by the Bison keeps the grass short, stimulates new shoots to grow, and their hoof action sows new seeds into the earth, helping to support new vegetation. Not only do their actions contribute to a more thriving ecosystem, but their significance for the Native American people should not be ignored. As the article states, the Bison is a symbol of their strength and unity, so to promote the reintroduction of the Bison would likely be a very healing act of respect from the cultural conflicts and deliberate devestation that took place in the past.

End Goals of Social Ecology

Well sometimes it is difficult to imagine that with all of the craziness that is going on in the world now that perhaps someday, there could be a significant shift in the direction of these end goals and on a bad day it can seem all a bit idealistic. I really do think that despite our current state of affairs, it is very important to hold these goals in high regard and to works towards cultivating such changes starting in one's own life, community and environment. I think that practicing Chinese medicine has the potential to contribute to these end goals with its strong connection with nature and its holistic approach to healing.

"Ecosystems are both strong and fragile"

Ecosystems are resilient in their ability to adapt and regenerate from environmental disturbances such a fires, droughts and earthquakes. However their natural resiliency is being weakened by the continuous pressures and challenges that human activity has created in such a relatively short time span. As human populations continue to expand, there is increased dependency on water, land and animals and most of our practices are not sustainable for our environment. This has majorly contributed to the loss of biodiversity in many ecosystems and is throwing a wrench in the natural cycles of the environment, therefore putting all ecosystems at a major disadvantage with less and less of a chance to flourish.

Eight Point Deep Ecology Platform

I think the platform is interesting in its focus on the unification of human and non-human life. As our current urban, industrial lifestyle continues to develop and expand, we are not only destroying natural habitats and ecosystems, but we ourselves are becoming further out of touch with nature, which in turn is creating an imbalance within us. This manifests through all of the social, emotional and health issues that we are facing. It is important to examine what is not working with our systems and our disconnection from the earth is really at the heart of the matter. The Eight Point Deep Ecology Platform is not just about what would be better for us, but what would work better for the earth and all of its elements, which we are part of. It's looking at the bigger picture. I wonder how much impact these outlined principles have had, but in any case I do think they are an important platform to encourage people to start thinking about their actions and their relationship to the environment in a different light.

"The deal that saved the whale"

Recently I have seen so much horrendous footage of whales being slaughtered, and the exposure of the corruption that goes on within the international whaling commission in the documentary "The Cove". It is all entirely heartbreaking, so it gives me hope to learn that this cooperative has effectively banded together and agreed to protect the habitat of these grey whales. Viva Las Ballenas!! And definitely check out The Cove if you haven't already.

Can TCM strengthen our immune systems?

TCM's approach is to restore balance to the whole body so that it may function at its optimum. TCM has a long history of treating immune disorders. Research has proven that acupuncture treatments can increase the body's T-cell count, as well as the number of cells that ingest and destroy bacteria, protozoa, and cell debris. There are also several herbs that are known to boost the immune system and qigong can also help in this way as it improves oxygen supply and distribution in the body, which increases efficiency of cell metabolism and tissue regeneration. It helps the the parasympathetic nervous system to neutralize the stress response and it can also aid in circulation of the lymph fluid which eliminates toxins. These are all key components in strengthening the immune system.