Not all
Doctors are Dumb Yesterday (17 Augustus 2005) was my meeting with the Neurosurgeon at
the Veteran’s Affairs Hospital in Sturgis. He looked at my X-rays and my lumbar MRI
and sounded quite amazed, with all the damage he saw, that I was even still walking. What
can I say? I’m too stubborn to lie down and die. J Currently, rarely do I use the cane(s) and I’ve already retired
the knee braces. During the course of the interview, he asked lots of questions, so he
didn’t simply assume how all this damage was done or how it progressed so far.
He also explained, in detail (he could tell I was above average in the medical knowledge
department because of my own questions), how things happen and what causes or fixes some
of those things. I did not want a repeat of the Orthopedic doctor’s vehemence, so I
avoided the word “fungus,” using instead a question like, “How much do you
know in the area of clinical mycology?” He admitted that he knew nothing about that,
but other answers he gave indicated that he at least has a good grasp of how the body
works as a total interdependent system (most specialists in a particular area know little
of how other subsystems affect the whole). One of the things he asked me is, “Do you smoke?” Oh
boy! Here we go again. I answered, trying to keep the defiance out of my voice, “Yes.”
“Why?” he queried.
“Because I like it,” I said. He then went on to tell me that nicotine, when it gets in the lungs,
also gets in the blood. I resisted making a smart-ass comment like, “Tell me
something I don’t know,” when he did exactly that. He said that the nicotine,
once in the blood, circulates throughout the body and causes the release of endorphins in
response to a neural stimulus. Also, when it gets to the adrenals, (I hope I am
remembering this conversation correctly) the adrenaline-secreting chromaffin cells of the
adrenal medulla give you a very distinct stimulation. A short break here for an additional
anatomy mini-lesson. Adrenal Glands The adrenal glands are a pair of glands that secrete hormones
directly into the bloodstream. Each gland can be divided into two distinct organs. The
outer region secretes hormones that have important effects on the way in which energy is
stored and how food is used, on chemicals in the blood, and on characteristics such as
hairiness and body shape. The smaller, inner region is part of the sympathetic nervous
system and is the body’s first line of defense and response to physical and emotional
stresses. The adrenal glands are perched on top of each of the kidneys. These glands are
about one to two inches in length and weigh only a fraction of an ounce each while
secreting more than three dozen hormones. They take instruction from the pituitary glands
and have important effects on physical characteristics, development and growth. The
adrenal gland has two parts. The cortex, or outer, yellow layer, takes its instructions
from the pituitary hormone ACTH. The hormones secreted here are called “steroids”
and have three main types: those that control the balance of sodium (aldosterone, the
cause of my high blood pressure) and potassium in the body; those that raise the level of
sugar in the blood; and sex hormones. The inner, reddish-brown layer makes two types of
hormones and takes all its instructions from the nervous system, producing chemicals that
react to fear and anger and are sometimes called “fight or flight” hormones. OK, back to the exam room. The good doctor then informed me that
endorphins (a neuro-chemical occurring naturally in the brain and having analgesic
properties) are the cause of the “high” that smokers feel. At the same time, the
adrenal response has a tendency to constrict the blood vessels, which is why smokers are
prone to high blood pressure*1, and degenerative bone issues. When the blood cannot get to
an area of the body, such as joints or extremities, they degenerate due to lack of oxygen
and proper nutrients. That, obviously, is not the whole reason why my bones are crumbling.
Mycotoxins play a big role here in the general arthritis condition that started this, but
remember this doctor is unaware of that part. He did, however, know and explain more than
I expected. I also asked what, if anything, he could recommend for fixing that
nasty looking disaster I saw on the MRI pictures? He said that sending me to Omaha for
surgery was a likely option, and while that might still be necessary to remove all the
huge bone spurs I seem to be growing there and to open up the spinal cord’s space in
an effort to stop the severe pinching of my nerves, I quickly qualified my question with,
“besides surgery.” He said to take better care of my body, quit smoking,
maintain a healthy diet, and start the rebuilding with Glucosamine. What? A doctor just
recommended an over-the-counter dietary supplement? Does he own stock in Schiff? Here’s
some info: Glucosamine (C6H14NO5) is an amino derivative of glucose that is found especially in polysaccharides such as chitin and in cell membranes. As a dietary supplement, it is usually distributed as a salt, commonly, but not limited to: glucosamine HCl, glucosamine sulfate potassium, and glucosamine sulfate sodium. Common dosages of glucosamine are 1,500 mg per day. The salt (e.g., glucosamine sulfate KCL, glucosamine sulfate NACL) forms are necessary to stabilize the glucosamine sulfate, whereas glucosamine HCl is stable without requiring a salt to be bound to it. Glucosamine sulfate is a synthetic version of a compound the
human body makes to stimulate the growth of cartilage.
The theory is that these compounds rebuild cartilage and reduce the symptoms of arthritis. The chemical is an acceptable treatment in veterinary medicine, but the Arthritis Foundation and the American College of Rheumatology have not recommended it for humans. The FDA has not approved it to treat arthritis; as such, at this time they are sold as nutritional supplements and therefore do not need evidence that they are safe and effective. Current research shows it may play a role in relieving pain associated with osteoarthritis. As used, it is often paired with MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane is a naturally occurring sulfur compound present in small amounts in many foods). The National Institute of Health is, as of 2004, conducting a study to see the effects of chondroitin (current research shows it may play a role in relieving pain associated with arthritis) and glucosamine on osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
OK, some of you might have already known about Glucosamine with MSM
and chondroitin (though the jury is still out on how absorbable that chondroitin is), but
did you see where it says above that it has not been officially recommended for use by
humans and the FDA has not approved it as an arthritis drug? And yet this particular
neurosurgeon told me to take it! I then asked if that was the only pill I needed (baiting him somewhat
to see how many prescriptions he would write) and he said, “Once you stop degrading
your body, you don’t need anything else. The body will repair itself.” Amazing! Absolutely astounding, actually. Here was a man sitting in
front of me, wearing an expensive suit, and he not only wasn’t trying to fill me full
of pills, but he was actually telling me I didn’t need any because the body will
repair itself! See, some of them might be worth saving after all. J * Note 1: An interesting
aside here. Obviously, my smoking has nothing whatever to do with the fact that I have had
high blood pressure for the past 20 years. You see, since I started taking the probiotics
and eating a lot of antifungal foods, my BP has been falling. So, experimentally, I
reduced my own medication for this by half almost a month ago. They took my BP at the
hospital prior to this interview and the result was 122/69. Three months ago, even on full
medication, it was 138/88. As of today, I am not taking any blood pressure medication and
my home cuff says I am still well within the “normal” range. Won’t my
primary care doctor (CNP actually) be surprised when next I see her and tell her I’m
off that pill for good? URLs of Interest to the
Health-Conscious Mind Disclaimer: These sites use
words like “natural” and “organic.” I cannot attest to the validity of
those claims. Caveat emptor. Local Harvest was founded in 1998, is now the number-one
informational resource for the Buy Local movement, and it’s the top place on
the Internet where people find information on direct marketing family farms. Check out: www.localharvest.org The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably
raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, stores, and online outlets in the US and
Canada (restaurants will be coming shortly). Consumers simply enter their ZIP code to find
local products that were raised sustainably, including no antibiotics, no added hormones,
pasture raised, grass fed, and organic. Check them out at: www.eatwellguide.org Both this site and Local
Harvest will tell you what’s available in your state (including maps).
The OCA will help keep you informed of what is going on as far as
your food supply is concerned. They have a mailing list and if you are the type of person
who likes to get involved in a cause, you can volunteer to help. Learn more at: www.organicconsumers.org Some of the information I found at this site is diametrically opposed
to what is found on the USDA site, and I’m not sure which one is lying (need we
suspect our dear loving government?), but hey, if you feel like being a free-radical
J activist, this is a place where you can get involved. Big Brother
government-loving ultra-conservatives probably won’t like these guys. Thanks to Kim for providing us with those URLs. Do the rest of you
have favorite info sites that you’d like to share? If they are not totally
whacko and they are relevant to the basic subject of this newsletter, send
them in and I’ll put them in a future issue. Intestinal Fungi and the
Diseases they Mimic Doug A. Kaufmann The following text is copied from the book The Fungus Link: An
Introduction to Fungal Disease, copyright © 2000, by Doug A. Kaufmann, with
permission of the author. So you’ve just been diagnosed with one of the many intestinal disorders! Well, before you take another anti-inflammatory pill or consider surgery, you absolutely must know that there is a chance that the medical community may be misdiagnosing many gut diseases. In 1983, the New England Journal of Medicine published a correspondence letter from four doctors at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences. These doctors had learned that psoriasis (a skin condition that dermatologists do not know the cause of) and Crohn’s disease (an intestinal disease that gastroenterologists do not know the cause of) may both be cause by yeast. Imagine that! One of the doctors, E. William Rosenberg, M.D., had previously discovered, serendipitously, that while treating skin diseases with the antifungal drug nystatin, several of the patients also had their Crohn’s disease symptoms reverse. The doctor said, “We suspect, therefore, that gut yeast may have a role in some instances of psoriasis.” And the same with Crohn’s disease! How right they are, but why have 14 years gone by without making this important announcement? Long before 1983, I learned that the Tennessee doctor’s statement above was absolutely true and I set out to reverse these terrible diseases. Although I have been successful in doing this, I have been unsuccessful in teaching doctors about this incredible discovery. But why should I even try? Why aren’t gastroenterologists receiving the life-saving information that many gut diseases are really just fungal diseases in disguise? Could the answer be associated with the money trail? Recently, I was invited to lecture to a group of Crohn’s and colitis sufferers at a local hospital. Just before I was introduced, the man in charge handed me a brochure dispensed by all chapters of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). In was entitled, “Questions and Answers about Diet & Nutrition.” To make a long story short, this brochure stated very clearly that there is no special diet for these diseases and no foods worsened the symptoms. And who do you suppose would have produced this brochure? The very industry that has a vested financial interest in keeping the people with intestinal diseases on medicines! This brochure was produced by a grant from a pharmaceutical company that produces drugs to treat those same intestinal diseases! |