Transcript:

Dr. Pompa:
Alrighty, well, welcome back. We are welcoming Merily back because we’re doing Part 2 of raising healthy kids. I would add to that, in an impossible environment, but we no doubt are doing it. Merily, we have her as the expert here because you moms out there, you’re really at the helms. When we look at studies on this, it’s women who run healthcare because men, yeah, we typically just wait until we have a sickness or a disease and then it’s too late. Women, on the other hand, are the ones concerned about the health of the family, concerned even about the health of the husband more than him. They’re the ones that typically take action. Yeah, we have her as the expert. Okay, Merily, welcome.

Merily Pompa:
I was going to say our house is an exception to that.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, right; well, exactly.

Merily Pompa:
I follow your lead.

Dr. Pompa:
That’s true; I am the exception, no doubt about it. This is my profession. This is what I do. I wouldn’t even be into it if I didn’t get this sick myself. Everything in our life, hon, has been pain to purpose. That’s been the mantra you’ve spoke from some years ago.

Merily Pompa:
From pain to purpose, no doubt about it.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, matter of fact, my wife is starting her own blog—podcast I should say where she—

Merily Pompa:
Yeah, stay tuned.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, stay tuned; she’s leading women. For that reason that I said, we have to inspire women to really change the course of the health in this country. We have to have an answer for this generation because this generation right now, I’m really afraid for. They’re on more medications at a younger age than any generation ever. They’re more sick, more autoimmune, more cancer, more unexplainable illnesses than any generation ever. Yet, this generation was said to be the generation, the first to outlive their parents. That was probably more my generation. Some of the younger kids, we’re not going to see that. What we’re already seeing is more degenerative diseases. Living longer is never the issue; it’s living longer healthy. Right now, as a society, we’re living longer more sick. That’s not the goal here. It starts when they’re kids.

Let’s just get right at it. Look, last time, if you didn’t listen to the last show, then you need to listen to the last show. We went from pregnancy through the birth: how to birth healthy babies, how to be healthy in utero. Then we went right after birth into nursing.

Merily Pompa:
No, we didn’t finish the end of the birthing process about C-sections and how C-sectioned babies don’t have the proper microbiome established when they are not birthed through the birth canal. That was the last thought we were finishing.

Dr. Pompa:
It was the last thought. Isn’t she wonderful because I wouldn’t remember that. Anyways, the importance there is huge when we look at C-sections. We did talk about the convenience of C-sections. For a doctor, it’s the greatest thing ever. Number one: cha-ching, insurance pays out on C-sections. Number two: hey, you schedule them all on Tuesdays and you don’t even interfere with your golf game perhaps because obviously, that you can schedule it or plan it. If you didn’t do that, you could be up at 3 AM delivering a baby. Imagine, if you were a doctor, which one would you like, more money, more convenience? Yeah, that’s why we lead the world in C-sections. The problem with that is yes, it causes neck trauma. You imagine them just reaching in and pulling the baby out and it’s all wonderful. No, they actually grab them from the head. It’s a massive misalignment in the upper cervical spine, which has been shown to cause major health problems in that child. Oftentimes, not discovered until they’re in their 30’s and they have other problems that we realize related to a spine misaligned that puts interference and pressure on the nerve system, the spinal cord coming right out of the brain which leads to big problems.

Then there’s another problem that Merily just mentioned that when you don’t allow the baby to go through the birth canal, it doesn’t inherit the mother’s microbiome; that means her good bacteria. That starts the baby’s immune system and that’s the start of how healthy the baby will be. We know now—unfortunately now—we didn’t know this even 10 years ago, that the risk of autoimmune later in life via a baby that didn’t go through the birth canal, was born a C-section, goes through the roof because they have to get that microbiome from mom. They inherit the microbiome, most of which happens during the birth through the birth canal. Obviously, some if it through nursing, so you can make up some of that if you nurse your baby. Now, imagine if you don’t nurse your baby. Now, that’s a baby who’s just headed for immune trouble later in life. That’s the importance of that. Anything else on that?

Merily Pompa:
No, I most definitely—I always remember you describing it and I think it’s been shown in a poster somewhere when we had our office that when they pull the baby out when it’s a C-section delivery that it’s like a boot stuck in the mud.

Dr. Pompa:
Exactly, there’s a back suction. That’s why there’s so much neck trauma and spinal trauma.

Merily Pompa:
Yep, so avoid that at all costs, literally.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, and for whatever reason if your listening and say, but I had to go C-section; maybe that might be the case. If you have a really good midwife, it may not be the case. Let’s say that in fact, it is the case, please I encourage you to get that baby checked from a chiropractor who deals with checking young infants and babies. I checked all my kids even though they were born through the birth canal. When you watch that, I’ll tell you, it’s tough. By the way, if the baby—we talked a little bit about this, this posterior. Oftentimes, they grab that child from the head or use forceps. Again, another reason to get that baby’s upper neck checked by a chiropractor who does that; very important. I checked our kids right after birth, every one of them.

Merily Pompa:
Not to mention, I think that obviously that the research shows too that a woman under chiropractic care has potentially a very different experience. Not to mention neurologically, it’s a given; neurologically you and the baby are going to be so much better off. Absolutely, chiropractic care throughout pregnancy; no-brainer, no exceptions. That is an essential. Hopefully, you find a very good principal chiropractor, which is not hard to do, and they guide you through that process and give you just tips and tidbits, and information, and statistics, and just empower you. You’re going to have the baby. The result is going to be that child. What kind of outcome are you looking for? You can take it as it comes and trust in the system, or you can educate yourself and be prepared for the eventual reality, which is that baby, and what kind of health are you establishing for yourself and your child long-term. It is a choice, so choose wisely and get a good chiropractor to lead you through pregnancy. Drag your husband in the office if that’s not his thing, but he needs to be on your team.

The less stress that you experience—which means sometimes you’re going to be in a hospital. Maybe you don’t feel comfortable, maybe you have so many things against you in that regard, but have your partner on your side to understand what you are learning, what the truth is. You have to take the step to be educated. It is essential. We could take vaccines later. Everything that you need to know about the birth experience, the process, the next steps, all of that you’re going to experience, so you definitely want to know that you’re putting yourself and your baby in the greatest position for success.

Dr. Pompa:
I don’t practice chiropractic anymore, but I’m going to tell you something when we get back. I hear the music already, so hear this from our sponsors. When we come back, I’m going to tell you something that’s very important that you may not think about. Then we’re going to move into those eating years when we get back.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, I practiced structural correction chiropractic. Again, I don’t do that anymore. However, I can tell you that—I’m sorry about that. I’m not sure where that came from. I can tell you that I would look at spines of—women change after pregnancy because you have so much oxytocin and things that soften, hormones that soften the ligaments. Oftentimes, it’s after pregnancy that the woman will develop a spinal misalignment that literally you can visualize in her posture. Then when we would take an x-ray, we’d see these major shifts in their spine. Now, it’s like driving with your car wheels out of alignment; you’re wearing your spine down. Then eventually, it ends up in a herniated disc or a problem later; pain in your spine somewhere later. Many of those, we call them global structural misalignments happen because of pregnancy, so Merily’s right. Doing chiropractic before, and during pregnancy, and after is very important for you mom.

Also, there’s something that we look at on an x-ray and it is the cervical curve. You’re meant to have a curve like this circle, but an arc of a circle in your neck. Some people refer to that as the curve of life because when that curve is not there, it puts so much stress on your spinal cord and nerve system that it leads to many health problems. That was the first x-ray that we would look at if someone was doomed for health challenges later in life. Where do we see that disruption? We see a bad curve in teenagers. It’s the birthing process. Just some things to think about why a chiropractor would be important.

We talked about nursing and I talked about that communication between mom and the baby and how important it is. You can’t duplicate a formula because the communication between the baby and the mom. I also talked about doing it for at least minimum six months. I think a year is even better. Many people go two years, but studies show most of the benefits are in that first year for sure.

Merily Pompa:
I think adding on to that, I think a lot of women wonder what to eat when they’re nursing. Quite honestly, I really didn’t pay close attention to that, except if the baby reacted. If you end up with—

Dr. Pompa:
Thinking about allergies to food [00:17:03].

Merily Pompa:
Right, or just how the big gas comes from—women get worried about what to eat. I would say don’t be concerned. Just try things; try everything. Eat everything, and if your baby reacts, you’ll know, and remove it.

Dr. Pompa:
Let me back up. You’re not saying eat junk food.

Merily Pompa:
Oh, God.

Dr. Pompa:
That’s the way it comes across. People are thinking: oh yeah, Merily Pompa said eat anything. No, what she’s talking about is woman tend to say: well, I can’t eat broccoli; I heard you shouldn’t eat broccoli; I shouldn’t eat this; I shouldn’t eat that.

Merily Pompa:
Right, things that can potentially create gas.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, so starting there, then right. It’s just so different for everybody.

Merily Pompa:
Yep, I think anything that’s definitely—not anything that’s processed or that God didn’t create.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, that’s very important when you’re nursing to just eat healthy. Again, food avoidance, your baby will tell you right away. Just listen to that and then you can change your diet. Again, it’s one of the things that actually determines what the baby likes, doesn’t like, is the microbiome. It’s these bacteria that the baby inherits from mom. If something disagrees—by the way, a month later, it may not disagree. A month later, then all of a sudden things change again, so just listen. Watch your cravings. That’s the other thing, too is your cravings for healthy foods is something to pay attention to. If you’re craving an unhealthy food, then ask the question, what is in that food that why my body is craving it? Then respond to that craving in a healthier food. If you’re just craving sugar, then that’s a problem of your health.

Okay, let’s speed forward then. We did talk a little bit about vaccinations. I have many shows on dr.pompa.com; that’s my website. I interview Del Bigtree. I talked about that as far as—that was just recently released.

Merily Pompa:
This week.

Dr. Pompa:
What that show. Please watch that show. I believe it’s Episode 212 on Cellular Healing.

Merily Pompa:
Yep.

Dr. Pompa:
Del Bigtree, he’s the Producer of Vaxxed. If you have any concerns or pressure from someone making you vaccinate, educate yourself. I’m not telling you not to; I’m telling you to educate yourself. That show right there would be where I would start because there is a lot of information in that show. We don’t even have to cover it. No doubt about it; it’s something that can change the life and health of your child.

Merily Pompa:
Again, informed decisions are what matter.

Dr. Pompa:
Absolutely; honestly, with that note, I don’t care whether you vaccinate or not. What I care about is having the free choice to vaccinate or not. Didn’t you post it on your Facebook about—because the big thing is: well, your unvaccinated children are a threat to mine. Therefore, people are being told that by the drug companies. Simply, it’s not true. Merily just posted something on her Facebook that showed that it is absolutely—I believe it was a study that came out of Harvard, wasn’t it?

Merily Pompa:
Yep.

Dr. Pompa:
They said it’s not true. That the unvaccinated, it appears that there is no threat.

Merily Pompa:
Zero; by the way, if your vaccines are working why is my unvaccinated child a threat?

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, it’s simply not true. The unvaccinated could argue that your kids are a threat.

Merily Pompa:
That is actually true.

Dr. Pompa:
It is actually true.

Merily Pompa:
You know what? We are confident in the strength of the immune system that we don’t even care. Keep vaccinating if that’s your choice, but don’t take away our right not to; it’s freedom.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, okay; that’s it. Let’s move into feeding children.  Okay, we’re beyond the nursing years. I’ll start with this. This is the most important time to feed your child correctly because they form even their desires for food for the rest of their life. Again, if a child right out of the gate doesn’t desire healthy food, there’s something going on with mom’s microbiome that the baby inherited. The bacteria that your gut and you inherit throughout your body is really the determining factors of your health, but also even the foods that the child will crave and desire, and even how they process and assimilate the foods. That’s how important it is. If that said, it still can be changed by eating a healthy diet. Merily, talk a little bit that. We made mistakes.

Merily Pompa:
What I did or what I wish I had done?

Dr. Pompa:
Exactly, both. That’s I think full disclosure. We made mistakes in all of them.

Merily Pompa:
Yeah, the first child that obviously that I feed was Daniel. I think the first thing that I gave him was a yam, which was definitely a mistake because that’s an interest in having sweet that his palette for sweets developed. Having to do it all over again, I would have probably gone with spinach and put it in the Vitamix. One thing I did do more with Simon was I did that.

Dr. Pompa:
Simon’s our youngest; Daniel’s our biological oldest.

Merily Pompa:
Right, and those are the three—we have five, but those are the three that I feed from the nursing years. I would definitely encourage you to start with avocado. Get the good fats. Avocados tend to have a little bit of sweetness, too. I would also blend. We used our Vitamix and put spinach in it. Just sauteed the spinach, and then put it straight in the Vitamix, and ended up putting it in ice cube trays.

Dr. Pompa:
Alright, well we’re going to talk more about this because we did learn a lot. We’ll even talk about some of the things that like I said, other things that we really screwed up on. Anyways, when we come back, more on the diet of children. Yeah, we’re going into the teens; oh, I dread it. Okay, more when we get back.

Dr. Pompa:
Alright, welcome back. Look, I think we skipped over one little question I think most parents have always is: well, how do you know when to start feeding a child food? When do you know, Merily? Meaning, that you could nurse for a year.

Merily Pompa:
Teeth, don’t feed a baby anything other than breast milk until they start growing teeth. That’s the sign it’s time to begin that process.

Dr. Pompa:
By the way, that’s just for everybody because the teeth showing is an indicator that the digestive system is mature enough to handle it. The answer for that is different for all of you listening because some kids crack teeth earlier and some later as a sign that the digestive system’s mature.

Merily Pompa:
Absolutely, and I think a lot of babies end up developing allergies because they’re being feed solids before they have the digestive ability to digest those foods.

Dr. Pompa:
That’s right. Two things here. Allergy is an autoimmune, which is sweeping the nation right now as an epidemic in children. Babies born C-section, babies that don’t nurse, and babies that eat too early; three big things right now. Did we even talk about toxic moms inheriting toxins, did we? Maybe we did.

Merily Pompa:
A little bit. This is just another spot, sometimes you have to really interject logic into the process. I so often hear, “I just want my baby to sleep through the night.” Put the baby in bed with you and nurse it then. It’s so selfish to feed your baby something that it isn’t able to handle just so you can get more sleep. Again, these years, this time, these months, they come and they go. They go so fast. To not invest yourself into that process because you want more sleep, it just defies logic.

Dr. Pompa:
You know we can’t get off this baby/infant thing because this is where so many things go wrong. I’m okay with it. Things just are popping into my head because there’s so many myths that make people do certain things. One of which was never lay a baby on its stomach.

Merily Pompa:
Yeah, we mentioned that.

Dr. Pompa:
Did we? Yeah, it’s like that’s such a—

Merily Pompa:
All our babies slept on their belly.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, right; of course. That’s where babies want. They feel secure. Then the other myth is in sleeping with babies. Every culture, every ancient culture, the mother slept with the babies. The fear there is rolling on the child or something or am I missing something else?

Merily Pompa:
I don’t know.

Dr. Pompa:
I forget what the fear was there. People are like, “Oh, you shouldn’t sleep with the baby.”

Merily Pompa:
People do say that. You’re not going to suffocate your child.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, right; people say that stuff.

Merily Pompa:
By the way, unless you’re medicated or something and you’re knocking yourself out at night; you know what I’m saying? By the way, that is a possibility in today’s world. We’re talking about all things normal the way they should be, not the way they might be as a disclaimer.  Unfortunately, that is the world we’re living in. If you are connected to your child, if you are awake at night, if you are not 500 pounds, all these things combined. If you’re concerned, there are ways of obviously putting up little barriers. There’s an adjoining—

Dr. Pompa:
There’s always a system.

Merily Pompa:
Yeah, there’s a little adjoining thing that can jut out from the mattress that you can put your baby in there so you can co-sleep. Again, that was not how I planned to do any of this. I had, I’m going to maintain my life my way. My child’s coming into my world. I quickly realized that just doesn’t work out in anyone’s best interest to maintain that mentality.

Dr. Pompa:
Another mistake, yeah. Learn from us. Look, I believe that there’s a communication between mom and baby. The oxytocin, the hormones, and the security that the child gets being cuddled in there with mom and dad that’s really important. Okay, what foods are we—where do we start? You mentioned avocado. I think that’s great. Now, I’m going to give my personal opinion here. I see always the darn banana is what they start giving kids right away because it’s so easy to smash and stuff. Listen, bananas are so hybridized, changed as a super sugar. I personally hate bananas. I don’t think bananas are health food.

Merily Pompa:
Let’s talk about 70 mesquite bits.

Dr. Pompa:
I think bananas are junk food. I don’t think bananas were meant the way God intended them to be. Obviously, they’ve been changed through the years to be these super sugars. Avoid all of that. Easy on the fruit. Let’s go with the vegetables mashed up smear. What else? Where would you start with the feeding?

Merily Pompa:
Oh yeah, I like avocados and I like spinach. I like anything that really causes the baby to bluh, but they’ll eat it. If they’re ready for food, that’s what you give them. They’ve had nothing. You have the ability to shape their palette. They have had absolutely nothing. It doesn’t matter what face they make. Why is it important to get a happy face? That’s what leads people to give their child birthday cake. Our babies never had birthday cake when they turned one.  They didn’t even have birthday cake when they turned two. Everybody else might have, but our babies didn’t. Again, it’s a frame of reference. It’s what are you looking for in terms of the outcome. By the way, when your child—and you know babies have—and if you don’t know, you will quickly find out that babies are very demanding. If you cater to what they want or what makes them smile, you’re in for a nightmarish childhood.  

Dr. Pompa:
What Merily is talking about may insult some of you frankly like what do you mean? His one-year-old or two-year-old birthday, we’re going to give him birthday cake because you see that. You see the happy baby. It’s fun. You get the pictures. Let me tell you something. Before age five, that’s the formidable years that they’re called. Meaning that the emotions form, the brain forms, your personality of your child forms, habits that will be carried on for the rest of the baby’s life is formed. My point is if you can feed the child to age five as—I don’t want to say perfect because there’s no perfect—but as best you can, you will develop those habits for the rest of the child’s life. A happy child to age five, a lot of trauma can happen after age five and have normal children. Before age five, bad food, you’re going to develop habits. That cute little birthday at age two and the baby’s eating the cake, you’re developing an addiction into that child. You’re developing now all of a sudden, the other foods, yeah, the broccoli, it’s not as pleasurable as the cake or whatever it is you’re feeding them.

By the way, one of the things is convenience. I think that time and convenience is a big thing for people. You can blend broccoli, spinach, whatever it is, some avocado, and then put them in ice cube trays. Again, I wouldn’t put it in plastic ice cube trays. They have the silicone ones that are better. That’s what I would put them in, so they don’t leach the plastic.  You can freeze these foods, then thaw them out later, and then have a much quicker meal. I know that because of convenience, people go to the grocery store and look for the convenient foods, but I’m telling you there’s nothing better than fresh food. You lose very little if you make it fresh, then freeze it in ice cube trays. That’s a way to make things more convenient. Any other suggestions?

Merily Pompa:
No, I totally agree. It isn’t hard. Again, you have to invest your time and your talents into whatever it is that you value. There’s no way around that.

Dr. Pompa:
I would watch these harder to digest things like grains are very difficult. We know all the gluten and the gluten craze right now. Gluten’s just a very hard to digest protein that oftentimes an immature digestive system is not ready for, so avoid those things for the first two years.  When you do start adding some grains in, this is where you have to pay attention to healthy ancient grains. In sprouted grains makes it more digestible. It takes out the hard to digest proteins like glutens and lectins. Sprouting your grains, sticking to more ancient grains. In my Cellular Healing guide book, I have a list of ancient grains and how to sprout them. On my website, you can find the Cellular Healing guide book. That’s really important. Again, we are a grain society. We start putting too many grains in our kids’ diets when historically, they were really eaten in the fall when it was harvested in early winter. That was it. The rest of the season they didn’t eat grain.  It was more good grass-fed meats, which is another very important topic. Do not give your child conventional meat; it must be grass-fed. When do you start meat? When they have big back molars that they can actually chew the stuff, obviously. That’s more mature gut, too. Be very cautious with that. Alright, so when we get back, we’re going to finish up this conversation. We’re going to move into some teenage things.

Merily Pompa:
I think we should talk about fevers.

Dr. Pompa:
Oh, fevers; alright, we’ll throw that in before. Alright, when we get back, lots will be here; stay tuned.

Dr. Pompa:
Alright, welcome back. Merily, I know we spoke a little bit about fevers the first time, but I think you might have something else to add.

Merily Pompa:
I was just going to say don’t expect every kid to run the same type of fever. All three of our children when they were young, Daniel would spike a really high fever—

Dr. Pompa:
I said that last time.

Merily Pompa:
Did we talk about that?

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, he was 105s all the time. He got over things very quickly because of it though.

Merily Pompa:
Yep, and Isaac was lower fevers and for a few days. Anyways, it’s just something I think is important to remember that again, across the board, too, what one—I think the point to be made or taken is that every kid has a different experience. That doesn’t mean that one is normal and one is a concern.

Dr. Pompa:
The point I made in the last show was look, it’s never your job, mom or dad, to bring down a fever. If it gets crazy and the child starts getting delusional, starts going in and out, bring them to the hospital, bring them to a doctor. Let them make the decision to bring down the fever because it’s a simple thing. It fights against the immune system. The fever is there to get rid of the bacteria, or virus, whatever it is. If the fever goes out of control, there’s something very wrong. By bringing it down, you’re driving the virus or the bacteria into a deeper state. You’re interfering with the immune system’s own process, and ultimately, you’re doing yourself damage. A great book, How to Raise Healthy Kids—

Merily Pompa:
In Spite of Your Medical Doctor.

Dr. Pompa:
—in Spite of Your Medical Doctor. It’s from Dr. Robert Mendelsohn. He talks all about that process in there. I know we hear a lot of things like, well, if you don’t raise the fever, you’re going to get brain damage. Read the book, take his word. He’s a pediatrician that really has the view that most—

Merily Pompa:
Old school.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, old school view that we used to really go by. Today—

Merily Pompa:
By the way, we went by it and not one of our children ever ended up in the hospital; nor did we ever bring down a fever.

Dr. Pompa:
Our kids have never been on a drug in their life. Our son Isaac hit a tree skiing and he almost died. He was on pain medication. Our kids have never taken an antibiotic, praise God; there’s a time and a place. Our kids have really never taken a pain medication, except that with Isaac. Are we really lucky or do we just have a different philosophy? I can tell you we’re not lucky.

Merily Pompa:
We made it through braces without Tylenol.

Dr. Pompa:
Teething, we used clove oil for babies that teething. I don’t believe we’re lucky. Matter of fact, we adopted two kids that tragically lost their parents at age seven. It was a family member actually. They were on antibiotics all the time. Every time we were at their house, it seemed like they were another round of antibiotics for earaches or strep throat. Again, what happens when you do that? You’re altering the microbiome of your child. Again, I hope you have value in the fact that the microbiome determines the health of your child and your adulthood, your immune system, whether your autoimmune, whether you’re developing allergies, etc, asthma; you can go down the list. The overuse of antibiotics again is one of the problems in this country, why we have the diseases and the sicknesses that we do.

Would I give my child an antibiotic? Absolutely; if my child got meningitis, I would give them an antibiotic. If my child had a life-threatening illness, I would give them an antibiotic. I can tell you that earaches and strep throat are not what they’re making it out to be. It develops health in a child. The problem is when you give your child an antibiotic for an earache or a strep throat, you didn’t let your child go through the normal immunity building that it needs to so it doesn’t get a repeated offense. What happens is you give it to him and hey, he got well. In your mind, it worked; but the problem is this. He ends up with another earache, and then another earache. Then we make the argument, well he wouldn’t get better if we didn’t give him the antibiotics. You’re right, after the fifth one because now you’ve wiped out any ability for something called T-memory cells. That your body makes these white blood cells that remember these bacteria and viruses and are quick response because of these T-memory cells to battle back the infection before it becomes a problem.

I would say the same for bacteria, whether it’s strep throat that you have to allow your child—our kids had strep throat, but they went through it naturally, and then they didn’t get it later in life. When you give the antibiotic, you’re setting up a failure for later, so it’s another strep throat, another strep throat, another antibiotic. Now, you’re teenagers. Now maybe 20’s and 30’s, where every condition your body doesn’t fight normally because you never build up a normal immunity allowing your child to go through the earaches and the strep throats, etc. Now, all of a sudden, you end up with another severe infection where you need an antibiotic because you didn’t build normal immunity. Listen, Robert Mendelsohn talks about this because I know you’ll get the scare from your doctor about strep throat; God forbid. Let me tell you something. When you research, research this topic; you’ll realize there is a massive another side to the story. The antibiotics, how did we live without them before the 1950’s? Come on, folks. Kids were not dying from these illnesses. Why? Because they’re nursing. They were born through a birth canal. They were fed a good diet. They were allowed to go through illnesses and build up a solid immunity. This a big deal.

Merily Pompa:
By the way, we bought that book by the case. We would give them out to every pregnant mom in our office. Just like the one I mentioned from Suzanne Arms, Immaculate Deception During Pregnancy, the next book is that. Fantastic; two total must have resources in your library.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, because at least you can have the resource when your kid is now sick. You get scared. It’s normal; you’re a parent. At least you have a resource to say, oh okay, it’s going to be okay. I can’t tell you how many calls I got from friends and family. I said, “Read the book.” Then once I give them the book, all of a sudden, it became okay. They got through the strep throats or the earaches without the antibiotics and their kid was healthier for it.  Illness is a part of normal childhood. You can’t avoid it. You can’t avoid it with antibacterial stuff. You can’t avoid it with avoidance. Your kids will get sick.

Merily Pompa:
That’s good.

Dr. Pompa:
It is; it builds immunity. Your kids is—

Merily Pompa:
It’s a healthy body.

Dr. Pompa:
We used to send our—any time a kid had whooping cough, or measles, or mumps, whatever it was, we sent our kids down there to be exposed.  That was the old-fashioned way. I believe it’s the way we should go back to because when kids get those illnesses, they’re building a very complex immune system that’s able later in life to deal with very complex infections; therefore, that’s health. Those conditions, I believe that they are meant for children to get to really build a healthy immune system. Studies show even now, they’re linking the kids that grow through measles, chickenpox, mumps, whatever it is, that the chances of getting cancer later in life are massively lessened. Very important to get sick. Very important to allow the child to go through it naturally. Probably another show on how to do that: well, what do I do with a fever? What do I do with that? I think in the last show, I mentioned some peppermint oil on the feet. More cold clothes on the head to comfort them because everyone wants to bring down the fever. Those are some of the types. Okay, teenagers; we’ve got to hit on it a little bit. If you did all these things right, we don’t even have to have this conversation.

Merily Pompa:
I was going to say, I’m checking out here. I don’t know what to do with these teenagers. I just pray. That’s what I do. That is all that I do. That is the only thing that I can suggest and tell you with confidence works because that is a whole another breed.

Dr. Pompa:
What’s funny, we just said that the other day though. One of the things that I would say we did wrong also is there’s certain stages that you discipline and do things right. I feel like we were off. We perhaps disciplined our kids a little too long; maybe not soon enough. I don’t know. Then we became friends with them too soon. We started coaching them too late.

Merily Pompa:
Oh, I didn’t become friends.

Dr. Pompa:
Yeah, maybe I would say that’s more me.  The point is that—Andy’s family, he did a great thing on the stages of when you should be a coach, when you should be a disciplinarian, when you should be—I’m telling you when I looked at the ages, I said, “Gosh darn it, we missed that one, too.” It really does set up the teenage years. We just said the other day was it’s like we’ve learned that all we can do now is—the most important thing is not our words at this point. It is literally every morning now, we pray for our kids; we do.

Merily Pompa:
We always have, but now it’s become—

Dr. Pompa:
More intentional.

Merily Pompa:
More intentional, absolutely. It is the one thing that we do that we know is working more than any other strategy we’ve ever applied.

Dr. Pompa:
My fear is this—and that is why I think prayer is the number one thing you can do for your children. It sounds trite, but it really isn’t. They were exposed to—my children say, “Dad, all of my friends take Adderall.” Okay, they’re not getting it prescribed from their doctor and I believe nor should they because Adderall is stronger than cocaine. My kid just came home the other day just telling me that, “Do you realize Adderall is stronger and more addictive than cocaine?” They’re exposed to these things. I believe that it is only prayer that can keep them from some of these addictive drugs. These kids are getting it from each for $20 a pill to study and focus. They’re exposed to drugs: prescriptions, and non-prescription like never before. Get on your knees, folks; pray for these teenagers. Gosh, I think we’re going to need a darn another show for the teenagers. Stay tuned for that in the future at Health Hunters Radio.