By Brent Hauver

More and more parents these days are choosing to forego vaccinations. The choice to vaccinate your child or not, is a difficult and personal one. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), even though the majority of the population is vaccinated here in the U.S., vaccine preventable diseases still circulate and can strike at any time. These diseases include whooping cough, chickenpox, influenza, and HIB (one of the causes of meningitis). The occurrence rate in the U.S. however is much smaller than in other countries due to the high vaccination rate.

Despite this warning from the CDC, some parents are still choosing to forego vaccines for their children. Some of the major reasons include the possibility that vaccines suppress the body’s natural immune functions and the possibility of adverse reactions to the vaccine or the fillers added to the vaccine such as thimerosol. It is said that thimerosol causes neurological and developmental disorders such as autism, ADD, ADHD, and brain damage. This claim is still being hotly debated though and has not yet been proven.

If a parent makes the choice not to vaccinate their child, there are still things that can be done to build up your child’s immune system to keep them healthy and better able to fight off illnesses.

First and foremost, it is important to breast feed your child for as long as possible if the option is available. A mother’s milk is the perfect mix of protein, fat, and vitamins, is the most easily digested by the baby, and is full of antibodies to help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria.

Other dietary supplementsto use after that first year of breast feeding, as recommended by Randall Neustaeder, OMD, are as follows;

• Omega 3’s- establishes healthy cell membranes that are able to resist toxins and prevent inflammation.

• Vitamin E- has anti-inflammatory effects and increases resistance to infection.

• Vitamin A- promotes a healthy immune system and is required by most body systems to function properly. Vitamin A is generally taken in through diet and is found in foods such as butter, free range eggs, broccoli, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Vitamin A can also be received through fish oil.

• Zinc- stimulates immune function, prevents infection, and is necessary in the creation of antioxidants in the body.

• Vitamin C- has anti-inflammatory effects and contains antioxidants and antibiotic qualities.

Daily Dosage, 1-2 Year Olds

• Omega 3’s, Cod Liver Oil: 1 tsp. per 50lbs of body weight or Fish Oil: 100mg

• Colostrum (bovine or other animal source): ½ tsp.

• Zinc: 10 mg (If giving zinc supplement on regular basis, you must use a copper supplement as well to prevent copper deficiency)

• Copper (if using zinc daily for long periods): 1 mg

• Vitamin E ( should be an E supplement that is d-alpha-tocopherol or mixed tocopherols): 100 IU’s

• Vitamin C: 500 mg

Daily Dosage, 3-12 Year Olds

• Omega 3’s; Cod Liver Oil: 1 tsp. per 50lbs body weight or Fish Oil: 250 mg

• Colostrum (bovine or other animal source): 1 tsp.

• Zinc: 20 mg (If giving zinc supplement on regular basis, you must use a copper supplement as well to prevent copper deficiency)

• Copper (if using zinc daily for long periods): 2 mg

• Vitamin E ( should be and E supplement that is d-alpha-tocopherol or mixed tocopherols): 200 IU’s

• Vitamin C: 1000 mg

(All dosages recommended by Randall Neustaedter, OMD in Flu; Alternative Treatments and Prevention, 2005)

Brent Hauver is a Holistic Health Researcher who owns and operates Sage Health and Empowerment Center in Overton, NV.