23/10/2025
Resharing again, since it looks like it's out in the community. Hopefully this helps. ❤️
I first posted this six years ago in 2019, and have been debating whether or not to reshare it again as it got pretty feral... now we've got another handful of cases and I'm seeing a lot of worry creeping back into the mum group chatter, so thought I'd repost it with a few minor tweaks, as the info is still valid and might help some of you. Hopefully people will be more chill this time around, in our post-2020 world. ♥
First a side note that measles can be pretty nasty, so take it seriously, but don't panic either - best thing from a naturopathic perspective is to eat a solid diet with lots of wholefoods, rich in vitamins and minerals, so your baseline reserves are good, and live a healthy lifestyle.
Without further ado, here you go - last time this was a definite kick to the hornet's nest, hopefully it stays a bit calmer this time around. 😅
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From 2019 -
There's a lot of measles mania out there right now and an awful lot of worried people, so I thought a bit of information and perspective could be helpful to those who are concerned. Note that this is just general information for interest's sake, and hopefully I'm not kicking the hornet's nest in posting this - I'm very aware that this is a very hot topic right now with emotions running high. But I'm a firm believer in the maxim that knowledge is power, and sometimes knowing there are things you can do can help alleviate some fear and leave you a wee bit more empowered - which is why I'm 'going there'!
👉 If you have any health concerns, always make sure to seek proper, professional guidance. Measles is a notifiable disease in New Zealand. 👈
Firstly, it's important to remember that for much of the 20th century, measles wasn't considered a particularly big deal. Almost everyone had it in childhood, had a few days of rest, recovered, and were absolutely fine. Some were harder hit than others, but for the vast majority it was no major problem.
Back in Victorian times it was a different story, with up to 20% case mortality in the UK, when malnutrition was rife, sanitation and hygiene were poor, plumbing and waste disposal weren't a thing yet, and overcrowding was a major issue. However, by the 1930s, mortality was down enormously (to 1-2%), and in England, the rate had declined from its peak level by 99.96% by the time the vaccine came along in 1968. By 1960, in England and Wales, mortality had fallen to just 0.03%.
⭐Vitamin A is the key for helping the body through a measles infection, and has been known since as early as the 1930s to significantly reduce the risk of complications and death, including the diarrhoea and pneumonia that can be associated. The WHO recognises this and recommends vitamin A for the management of measles. Note it is not a preventative.
⭐ Vitamin A stops the virus from multiplying in cells, and protects uninfected cells, due to its effect on the innate immune system. It also protects the eyes and reduces light sensitivity.
⭐Even in the developed world, vitamin A deficiency is reasonably common. Cod liver oil is a great source (and includes Vitamin D, too, another great nutrient). Nordic Naturals or Rosita are best, both widely available online or in health shops [or I can source them through clinic].
⭐Vitamin A is found in liver, butter, meat, eggs and dairy. Beta-carotene is found in orange and yellow coloured fruits and vegetables, and is then converted to vitamin A in the body, making it harder to utilise for most (and some people really struggle to adequately convert enough due to SNPs), but is still helpful.
⭐Vitamin C helps support the immune response to viral infections, and experiments done back in the 1940s showed it improved recovery time and potentially even prevented the illness, too, especially at high doses.
⭐ Breastfeeding is also protective against measles, particularly if the mother is un-💉 and immune (naturally-immune mothers pass on higher levels of virus-specific immune components than those who have been 💉, who have a higher risk of infection). Even in the 💉 population, breastmilk is loaded with immune components and will help hugely.
⭐The risks here are low - given the impact of stress on immunity, try not to panic, keep up your good nutrition, sleep, exercise etc, and keep perspective. The last deaths here in NZ were 7 back in the 1991 epidemic, which was out of a total 40,000-60,000 cases.
⭐ Yes, measles does still kill a fair few people in 2019, but almost all of those deaths are in third world countries where access to clean water, good food, and the things we take for granted are rare luxuries, as they were here when measles and other diseases killed en masse. The WHO states that over 95% of deaths are in countries where poverty is high and health infrastructure is inadequate - and those experiencing or recovering from conflict or natural disaster are particularly at risk.
⭐️ Yes, kids can still die of complications in developed nations, as they do from more common illnesses like colds and flu, and *all deaths are a terrible tragedy* that I'm not downplaying - but again, it is rare and often involves issues around inappropriate treatment or predisposing conditions.
⭐ As for most illnesses, the more general guidelines of resting, staying warm and out of draughts, keeping hydrated, and allowing the person to recuperate are important. Hydration especially is important with measles, and in light-sensitive individuals, avoiding bright light will support eye health.
🌟 Finally of course, if you have any concerns about your own or your child's well-being, please seek proper help from a health professional - not Facebook.
📸 Irrelevant but pretty photo for the 'book.
