Childhood Vaccinations

The "trend" some parents are following to not vaccinate their children in the United States is a scary thought. Some may be doing this for religious reasons or may be recent immigrants, while others think it is healthier and believe vaccines can cause harm. There has been a spreading belief that vaccines can cause autism in children. There have even been suspicions that the CDC has hidden data that proved a link between autism and certain components of vaccines (Source).  Supporters of not vaccinating believe that as childhood vaccination schedules increased, rates of autism also increased. This was disproved when the suspected component that caused autism was removed from vaccines and rates did not decrease.

There is no evidence that links vaccines to autism. 

On a side note, people think of autism as such an awful thing that they would risk their children’s lives in other ways to "prevent autism".  I can’t help but mention Temple Grandin is autistic and amazing (I’m a huge fan). But still, vaccinations don't cause this. 

Recently researchers at the University of California, San Diego have discovered direct evidence that autism results from disrupted cortical layers during pregnancy (Source). This is a video of the overview of their findings. 

There are many diseases that are easily prevented by vaccines. Measles was previously eliminated from the United States and now outbreaks have been occurring. Not only are you putting your child at risk but you are also putting others at risk of preventable diseases. Polio is another well known disease that 100 years ago was still very prevalent in the U.S. as a former president, FDR, was crippled from. It has been irradiated in the U.S. but could return if children are not vaccinated. 

It would be a huge step backwards in terms of health for individuals to continue to jump on the anti-vaccination bandwagon.

KR

Brucellosis

This week I wasn’t sure what to write about so it is a little random. With that aside, yesterday I was watching the news and a story about a ranch owner in Nevada came up. The Bundy Ranch has been grazing its cattle on federal land for over years. Bundy claims that the land had been used in his family for gazing for decades. The government recently round up hundreds of his cattle and “impounded” them. Protesters and supports for the Bundy Ranch gathered and many were held back with tazers by police officers. Bundy is using to his defense stating, why is it now that the Bureau of Land Management is stepping in and taking away his cattle when he has been grazing there for 20 years. 

Source

This news story reminded me of a disease I learned about last spring. Brucellosis is a disease caused by a type of bacteria. It can be transmitted by eating undercooked meat or drinking unpasteurized dairy products. (Drinking unpasteurized milk is typically more of an issue in developing countries but some choose unpasteurized methods because they think it is more natural. Well bacteria are natural and can be very harmful when ingested.) Cows are one type of carrier for this disease and their milk can be contaminated as well. 

This bacteria can also be inhaled or transmitted through wounds and mucous membranes. People who work in slaughterhouses, with animals, and meat-packaging factories are at highest risk. I have weirdly remembered this disease because my teacher had noted it could be also be found in barn dust. We have owned horses and cattle so it instantly stuck. Realistically it is more often than not found in countries that do not have effective domestic animal health programs. It is not a huge health topic that is talked about but if untreated it can lead to serious health problems. 

KR  

Allergy Season

Every year around this time, many start suffering from the dreaded allergy symptoms. With the warmer weather comes those yellow clumps of doom, also known as pollen. Studies tend to find that different regions of the United States have different sensitivities to certain allergens. One study found that in the western parts of the US the sensitivities are higher for grass and ragweed while the east have higher sensitivities to molds (Source). Whether an individual lives in a rural or urban area also makes a difference for types of allergies. I found this website that shows different maps for different types of pollen allergies. This is currently the level of sensitivity to tree pollen in the US. 

Source

Around 40 million Americans suffer form allergies. An allergy is the body’s oversensitivity to something that is harmless. Sneezing, itchy eyes, congestion, and a runny nose are some of the ways the body tries to get the allergen out. Seasonal allergies are hard to avoid for most because no one wants to stay inside all day. 

There are many factors that go into the pollen allergies within a city including: wind, rainfall, humidity, temperature, pollution, and the type of trees (Source). One example is a town in the mountain area where pollen does not tend to be as bad. There is usually a high population of evergreen trees that have heavy pollen. The heavy pollen falls to the ground faster and does not get inhaled as easily. Cities near the ocean tend to have low pollen counts because of the wind.  In places near lakes on the other hand, the humidity levels may be high which can result in more pollen (Source). 

There has even been a list made of the top 10 worst cities for seasonal allergies (Source). This is determined by the pollen count in the area, the number of prescriptions prescribed, and other factors. 

10. Baton Rouge, Louisianan 

9. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

8. Memphis, Tennessee

7. Dayton, Ohio

6. Wichita, Kansas 

5. Louisville, Kentucky 

4. McAllen, Texas

3. Chattanooga, Tennessee

2. Knoxville, Tennessee

1. Jackson, Mississippi 

KR

Caffeine

Coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and chocolate are some of the ways that people intake caffeine every day. Personally I enjoy coffee and tea in large amounts. I started drinking coffee in high school and have not been able to/ don’t want to stop drinking it. I’m definitely addicted and would not think of tackling a Monday morning without it.  

Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive drug and has a high rate of dependence. Regular caffeine drinkers know that it is needed to feel normal for the day. There is no evidence that moderately consuming caffeine can be seriously harmful. For some it can cause jitters or headaches, while others it may prevent jitters or headaches.  

There are some studies that show that caffeine can cause reproductive effects such as miscarriage. It also may increase the risk of heart issues if consumed in high amounts. Caffeine consumption may lead to other issues due to the way it is consumed. Soft drinks and energy drinks tend to have large amounts of sugar and other not so great ingredients in them. When consumed on a regular basis, it can be a factor in weight gain and other health problems. 

One article talks about the increase intake of caffeine for kids. Today kids are consuming more soda, coffee, and energy drinks than ever before. It is estimated that around 73% of children are consuming caffeine every day (Source). If kids are addicted to caffeine at a young age, they are most likely only going to increase their intake of it as they get older. 

KR