Fact-Checking Mercury - Post #1

We've all heard a lot about mercury 

over the past few decades. From its 

accumulation in seafood to air pollution

to vaccines...mercury is an oft-talked about 

subject. But, what do we really know?

This is the 1st of 4 segments which we will

offer, once a week, in hopes of bringing 

you and those you care about, some useful intel

on the subject. And please, if you have something 

to add, offer a comment. Let us all learn together.

So...what is mercury, anyway?

Mercury is a naturally occurring metal element with interesting properties. In its pure form, it is a magical-looking liquid metal, also called quicksilver. It can also react with various other elements to form stable compounds. These compounds are grouped into 3 classifications: elemental mercury, inorganic mercury compounds (primarily mercuric chloride), and organic mercury compounds (primarily methyl mercury).

Source: Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/mercury.html

What are the symptoms of mercury poisoning?

All forms of mercury are quite toxic, and each form exhibits different health effects.

Acute (short-term) exposure to high levels of elemental mercury in humans results in central nervous system (CNS) effects such as tremors, mood changes, and slowed sensory and motor nerve function.  Chronic (long-term) exposure to elemental mercury in humans also affects the CNS, with effects such as erethism (increased excitability), irritability, excessive shyness, and tremors.  Human studies are inconclusive regarding elemental mercury and cancer.

Acute exposure to inorganic mercury by the oral route may result in effects such as nausea, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain.  The major effect from chronic exposure to inorganic mercury is kidney damage. Animal studies have reported effects such as alterations in testicular tissue, increased resorption rates, and abnormalities of development. Mercuric chloride (an inorganic mercury compound) exposure has been shown to result in forestomach, thyroid, and renal tumors in experimental animals.

Acute exposure of humans to very high levels of methyl mercury results in CNS effects such as blindness, deafness, and impaired level of consciousness. Chronic exposure to methyl mercury in humans also affects the CNS with symptoms such as paresthesia (a sensation of pricking on the skin), blurred vision, malaise, speech difficulties, and constriction of the visual field. 

Methyl mercury exposure, via the oral route, has led to significant developmental effects. Infants born to women who ingested high levels of methyl mercury exhibited mental retardation, ataxia, constriction of the visual field, blindness, and cerebral palsy. “

Source: Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/mercury.html

So...now that we have a small sense of what mercury is, or can be, 

and the kinds of damage it can inflict on living creatures...tune in 

next week for our post about common sources of mercury and an 

answer to the question: "What is Thimerosal?"

Audience Brainstorm Questions after viewing The Greater Good!

On Sat. May 10th, we successfully brought the documentary film, The Greater Good, to the Vashon-Maury Island Community. There were some significant pitfalls along the way, but with considerable support from fellow islanders, we are pleased as punch to say, "We did it!"

So, why did we do this? Because our goal, as questioners, is to encourage people to know what they are doing and why they are doing it, when they are making a medical decision. To "know" something, we must first "ask a question."

What follows was presented to (and received from) a room of 60+ parents, grandparents, soon-to-be parents, and non-parents who care or are also curious about the issue of vaccine medicine.  Future posts will offer possible answers to these questions, but first, we simply wanted to present them as they were offered.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to our Question Brainstorm

The best result of this movie can be this: 

Your brain is turned on and you have a thoughtful reaction.

One way, another way, another or another...doesn’t matter.

It’s the thinking that matters.

So...we have a website.

www.vaccinesandbeyond.blogspot.com

We will brainstorm questions that you now have, or came with, which you

would like to have an answer for...that you are driven to learn more about.

And we will post these questions, for further review, on our website.

From there...let the conversation continue.

Science Evolves.

So, let’s pay attention and learn together.
[Note: No answers or replies to questions are allowed during the brainstorm.]

PARTICIPANT QUESTIONS:

So, my kids have vaccines and they are now deciding for their children...and I am wondering where I can learn more about vaccines so I can talk with my kids. HOW do I find out? 

I’d like to know when additives were put into vaccines? From the beginning or when? History.

Where can I learn what is in each vaccine? What are the resources for this information?

So, I’m unsure of what the doctors gave my kids in the early 80’s. Now what are they giving? What are the changes over the past 30 years?

I want to know how I can find the ingredients of the vaccines put into my body in the early 80's. 

In general...how have vaccines changed? Formula changes over the decades?

What do March and Karen wish to bring to the conversation which was not included in the film? 

What are prominent theories about why we see adverse events in one person and not in another? Who is currently theorizing about this? Is anyone studying the issue? 

There are detoxification strategies for mercury and other contaminants. What is the data related to injuries and detox methods? As in, a way to prevent or resolve reactions to toxins, or treatments we can use concurrently? 

I'm curious about how we can use genetic screening in advance, to determine risk? Perhaps screening individuals based upon family history?

What issues to families face with regard to international travel and required vaccinations? How can we respond to real health risk factors when traveling internationally?

I'm curious about how the age demographic of disease has changed based upon the introduction and use of vaccine medicine.

I’d like to know more about the concept of herd immunity. How is it studied? What do we know now...how is this discussion evolving? 

I’m curious if any groups advocating about information about vaccines have put together a repository of information for alternative treatments for disease? Where can we go? What research is already out there that offers an alternative set of options but perhaps isn’t easily available? Who has alternative information to share/offer? 

What are the personal and community health risks for not taking each of the recommended vaccines? 

What is the status of the development of the independent group that could serve as a firewall mentioned in the film? [This "firewall" refers to concerns about the "fox guarding the hen house" in our governing and regulatory bodies.]

Where can I find out how effective the vaccines actually are? How long do they last? How do we know? How do they test?

What is the status of research into the genetic connection to kids that develop an issue from the vaccine versus those that don’t? How can we screen? Who should or shouldn’t get a vaccine?

When you walk into an office, are you asked to sign a form to acknowledge that you have been informed of the potential risks? 

So, recent cases of measles in Seattle...I’d like to confirm if most of the cases were in fully vaccinated individuals or unvaccinated? Also...New York/Measles & Ohio/Mumps...same question.

Is there any research being done into finding less harmful ingredients that will work in vaccines?

What are the best ways to communicate with people who completely disagree with you on this topic (million dollar questions)?

What are all these vaccinations for? Why so many? 

Can you request from your doctor vaccines that don’t contain additives? What are the vaccine options out there? What about nasal spray versus intramuscular? 

What is the relationship between immunological reactions to vaccines and auto-immune disorders? Or, specifically...what about the articles that the mother in the movie found that shows a link?

Can you identify on our website the journal articles used in the movie? (A: March is in personal contact with the makers of the film, so probably yes).

Where can I find more information on the risks of the diseases? Credible source that I trust. Weighing risks of disease vs risk of vaccine? 

The movie suggests that if you slow down or space out or delay the vaccines...it would be safer or better in some way. Where can I learn more about this? 

In light of the fact that vaccines are often made from tissues of animals, how can the manufacturer be certain that they are controlling the viruses present in the vaccine. For example, the SV40 situation.

Vashon has a low rate of vaccination compared to other places...do we have a corresponding rate of disease? And are our neurological issues tracked?

Are folks on our island, who are medical professionals, willing to engage or help us understand this issue better?

What do we do when, in reality, most people have neither the inclination, opportunity, nor ability to explore such a deeply complex and difficult subject? 

What can we learn from veterinary medicine?

A Community Conversation - Part 13

A Community Conversation About Health and Responsibility: Vaccines and Beyond

Part 12:  Brother, can you spare some time?

We live in a time-stressed culture. “Faster and better” are spoken so frequently as a pair that we've come to view them as synonyms. Faster might be nice for internet connections, but it causes problems when applied to human beings. Fast food is not better food. Quick naps are not better sleep. Ten minute medical appointments are not better health care. Sound bites are not better conversation.

This cultural value of speed over quality has devastated our ability to communicate about complex subjects. Whether you're talking about a newspaper article, a Facebook post, a tweet, a radio interview, or a spot on TV, there's rarely enough time to delve below the thinnest layer of a complex issue. Caving to time pressure, ideas which cannot be adequately addressed quickly are simply dropped from the conversation. 

As communication fails, there is a strong tendency to replace careful consideration of complex issues with simpler, fast messages indicative of polarization and dogma. Messages which, in a complex world, are almost never an accurate reflection of reality. Is murder wrong? Yes, most people would agree with that statement. But where do we draw the lines between murder, self-defense, assisted suicide, acts of war, failure to prevent suicide, negligence, and accidents? If you’ve ever served jury duty, you know that details matter. 

Unfortunately, in America and abroad, the sentiment of “we're right & they're wrong” tends to be quite popular. 

Such polarization quite effectively shuts down both communication AND scientific advancement. Science, you see, thrives on differing perspectives. Take that away, and all you have left is dogma. Once you join a group with a strong set of “required beliefs,” your own freedom to think is quickly eroded. You better not listen to the other side, because they're obviously wrong. And heaven forbid you talk about the weak points of your chosen side! Polarization generally devolves into agreeable nodding or hurled insults.

At that point, everyone loses. Because here is the truth about polarization: if an issue is polarized, both “sides” have something vital to offer to the conversation.

Stop. Think about that for a minute. Humans aren't polarized on the subject of eating broken glass. Humans aren't polarized on the benefits of breathing water. When there is truly no doubt, there is no polarization. Polarization only occurs when we face a complex issue, form vitally important questions and discover that there are no perfect answers. Uncertainty frightens us, especially when the stakes are high. So we make ourselves feel more confident in our choices by ignoring doubt and complexity, convincing ourselves that there is a “best & simple” answer; all of which also makes communication faster...but not better.

To make things even more interesting, there are forces that deliberately encourage polarization in order to distract from unfavorable aspects of complexity. It's an effective strategy used for thousands of years by those who wish to manipulate large groups of people. Divide & conquer, baby! Polarized people can't join together to advocate for their common interests, because they don't believe they have any. Add in a dash of fear and you’re in the driver’s seat. Kind of convenient if you're a large corporation trying to avoid awkward questions about your product, government regulations and/or a lack of them.

So, Sister! Can you spare some time? Regardless of the cause, polarization interferes with communication and helps no one. Perhaps it's time to take back our communication and break down polarization? Here are a few suggestions that have helped us.

First, acknowledge that no one perspective owns the whole truth. Like all true scientists, we hold dear our curiosity. Explore other perspectives as much as you explore your current perspective.

Second, prepare for push back and don’t take it personally. Polarization is often driven by fear, so have some compassion for those being tossed about by the waves of fear-mongering. Don’t demand a conversation from someone who isn’t ready or interested.

Third, seek out someone you love and respect and ask them to talk to you about their perspective. Then listen. Just listen. Avoid any urge to rebut, focusing honestly on understanding. If you can ask truly exploratory questions, do so. If not, skip questions and look for points of agreement instead. End the conversation with a “thank you.” These conversations take courage.

Fourth, try to find someone non-polarized on the issue and share these new viewpoints with them, in person if possible. When an issue becomes polarized, it can feel very lonely to be the one who refuses to “pick a side.” Seek others in the middle.

Finally, when it is safe to do so, speak out for complexity when you encounter polarized attitudes. You won't always be able to do so, and that's okay. But when you can say something, say it.

There is no formula or magic wording that will make a polarized person suddenly open up to a new perspective or even a conversation. If you feel like you’re banging your head against a wall...you probably are. The trick lies in being ready when an opportune moment arrives...and in remembering suggestion #1. It’s not just the other people who can learn something new.

This isn't easy. The allure of polarization is most intense when the pressure to conform is blended with fear and the deeply desirable reward of inclusivity or societal acceptance. Doing what everyone else is doing is just plain easier. Until it isn’t. 

These strategies can work when discussing abortion, marriage rights, politics, parenting...and vaccines.

On Saturday, May 10th at 5:30pm we will be hosting a screening of “The Greater Good,” a documentary that raises important questions about the impact of current vaccine policies. Fundamentally, “The Greater Good” asks whether we can do better. However, as a documentary film, “The Greater Good” has a perspective, it has bias, and it does not cover all aspects of the issue. 84 minutes is clearly insufficient to such a herculean task. It does, however, create many opportunities for our brains to generate the greatest of treasures: questions.

Our goal is to create a safe and respectful experience. We hope that a wide variety of people will come, with a wide variety of perspectives. It's not just a movie screening. It is also a first step toward regaining our ability to discuss vaccine medicine, informed consent, and diversity in health care on Vashon Island. 

Stepping out of polarization takes time, effort, and a bit of courage. Please join us.

“A Community Conversation About Health and Responsibility: Vaccines and Beyond” is an ongoing series written by two close friends with a passion for improving community cohesion and building respectful relationships in a diverse world.  This article was co-created by Karen Crisalli Winter and March Twisdale.   BLOG:  Vaccinesandbeyond.blogspot.com   Email: KarenandMarch@rocketmail.com

Environmental Factors Matter

Before conception, our lives are impacted by environmental factors which effect our mother’s eggs and our father’s sperm. After conception, society recognizes the vulnerability of the fetus and actively discourages everything from cigarettes to alcohol to tuna fish. When we are born, the impact of environmental factors continues in six ways:

1.  What we breath

2.  What we drink

3.  What we eat

4.  What we absorb through our skin

5.  What radiation we are exposed to

6.  What we inject into our bodies

These environmental factors arrive in many forms, including but not limited to: chemicals, viruses, bacteria, heavy metals, food additives, hormones, prions, genetically manipulated lifeforms and various forms of radiation.

As our increasingly polluted water, air, food, and body care products increase our exposure to environmental factors...as we change the atmosphere, lay under tanning booths, and fly more frequently...and as our use of vaccine medicine on developing human children increases dramatically...we see a corresponding increase in chronic illness, auto-immune disease, cancer, MS, allergies, diabetes, ADHD, and myriad neurological conditions.

This increase is not an illusion. It is real. It is alarming. It is a problem. 

You are not only “what you eat.” You are also, “what you breath, drink, rub onto your skin, expose yourself to (radiation), and what you inject directly into your body.” 

So...let’s pay attention and keep asking questions.

REFERENCES

Increase in prevalence of MS:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12873746

Increase in prevalence of asthma:

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9087

Presence of Flame Retardants in Breast Milk 4x Level Acceptable for Children/Adults:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412010002382

According to the CDC: About 1 in 12 people (about 25 million) have asthma, and the numbers are increasing every year.  http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/asthma/

The percentage of children with an ADHD diagnosis continues to increase, from 7.8% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2007 and to 11.0% in 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

The Big Day Is Finally Here!

Saturday, May 10th 2014

The Land Trust Bldg., Downtown Vashon

5:30pm (Potluck Dinner), 6:15pm (Film Starts)

Welcome to the conversation.

~March & Karen

A Community Conversation - Part 12

A Community Conversation About Health and Responsibility: Vaccines and Beyond

Part 12:  Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Question?

For humans, the drive to learn is as powerful as the drive to eat. There's a good reason for this. Eating and learning are both equally vital for our survival. Humans generally don’t survive based upon instinct. We are learners, and as such, information has long been treasured, preserved, gifted, sometimes hoarded, and quite often controlled. Thus the frequently heard phrase, “Knowledge is Power.”

Unfortunately, the vital survival skill we call knowledge can not only be shared, but it can also be readily lost. The secret to preventing scurvy has been found and lost many times in human history. How could such vital, life-saving information get lost? And, why did people take so long to act on the information once it was rediscovered? As our history shows, humans are prone to both losing old information and resisting new information...no matter how important it is.

Fortunately, there is a simple, time-tested method that helps us retain the old information and acquire the new: questions. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it is great for humans. It is not an accident that young children ask “why?” about thirty-four times a day. As we get older, we might get less pesky, but our drive to ask questions doesn’t go away. Consider the news stories that everyone talks about. They're all based around questions. Who will our next president be? How could a plane just vanish? Should we label GMOs? 

Questions are more than just a survival strategy. They can often be enjoyable, which naturally encourages us to ask more questions. Many of our games are based around questions of various types. Where will she move next? What is the best way to find the treasure? Is he bluffing? We see the same fascination with questions in detective stories which have been popular for centuries and continue to be seen in our books and films. Clearly, people are attracted to exploring the “unknown” and driven to seek answers.

However, questions aren't always allowed or easy to ask. Young children quickly learn that asking some questions will get them shushed or worse. How old are you? How much do you weigh? How did the baby get in your belly? These types of questions are frequently discouraged. As we age, learning to respect personal boundaries is probably a good thing. 

But can we go too far in discouraging questions? One benefit of living in a democratic society with free speech is that you will be exposed to many different perspectives. Some perspectives will feel comfortable, others will not, and still others will leave you curiously wanting to know more. From a scientific perspective, this is a very good thing because science is all about questions. It's about asking questions and testing questions and encouraging other people to question your results. Science without questions isn't science, just as democracy without free speech isn’t a free society.

Science works. It has taken us to the moon and allowed us to eliminate the scourge of smallpox. But science without questions truly is not science.  

We all need to feel safe and comfortable asking questions and questions and more questions. Yes, questions may temporarily grant some lousy science an unwarranted degree of attention. But the delightful thing about science is that it withstands questioning. An onslaught of questions will discredit flawed science, but that same onslaught of questions will strengthen quality science. 

So, on the subject of vaccines, who's afraid of the big, bad, question? We're not. Because we love science, we love discovery, and we achieve both by asking questions.  And quite frankly, we love this subject. Because, when you delve deeply into questions about vaccines, a whole host of additional fascinating questions come to light. It’s like the mystery that never ends.

In the spirit of regaining our ability to enjoy discovery and revel in exploration, we invite you to join us for a screening of The Greater Good. In a society imbued with free speech and a strong scientific foundation, there is nothing to fear from a documentary film. So, pack up your curiosity and skepticism, bring your questioning mind, and remember that all successful sleuths are first and foremost open to new ideas and possibilities.

“A Community Conversation About Health and Responsibility: Vaccines and Beyond” is an ongoing series written by two close friends with a passion for improving community cohesion and building respectful relationships in a diverse world.  This article was co-created by Karen Crisalli Winter and March Twisdale.   BLOG:  Vaccinesandbeyond.blogspot.com   Email:  KarenandMarch@rocketmail.com