Specific System Breakdowns

by Christopher Pick, N.D. D.C.N. D.H.H. D.L.I (Inst)
Naturopathic Physician, Clinical & Sports Nutritionist
Member of Health Practitioners Association

There are literally hundreds of problems that could be included under Specific System Breakdowns. However, the purpose of this book is not to document them all - even if this was possible. My message is to highlight the indisputable fact that, basically they are ALL caused (genetic Inheritance aside) by our toxic environment and toxic and nutrient depleted food and water chain; and that we can do something about it - simply.

Please think about this: If the substances that nourish, support, build and repair us are heavily contaminated, how can we not also be contaminated? I have previously stated that millions of us are walking time bombs, waiting to explode. Thousands of men, women and worst of all, children, are exploding every single minute, every hour, day, month and year. Please don't be one of them. Take action now.

Arthritis

Arthritis comes in many forms. Osteo, rheumatoid, juvenile rheumatoid, gout, etc. These conditions cause immense pain and suffering. In the USA, around 50 million people suffer from some form of it. This represents approximately 21% of the population!

Arthritis is basically an inflammation of the joints. They swell and become extremely painful, stiff and immobile. Needless to say this is an awfully debilitating condition. As always, with any form of this disease, many factors are involved. Again, nutritional depletion on all levels is at the forefront. These include, mineral deficiencies, essential fatty acid deficiencies, a lack of stomach acid, food allergies, leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, improper immune response, prescribed drugs, chlamydia*, and even silicone implants, etc.

Robert Bingham, M.D. reported in the journal of the Academy of Rheumatoid Diseases that of 250,000 arthritis sufferers treated with supplements, 80 to 90 per cent were corrected!

In my view, digestive function and essential fatty acid intake is of the utmost importance when treating arthritic conditions, in the long term. Fatty acids are required for the body to be able to make the lubricating material that 'oils' our joints, to build up and deposit bone and carry the fat soluble vitamins and minerals. Essential fatty acid (a blend of flax and hemp oil) intake should be in the region of twenty - thirty grams daily, together with the other nutrient requirements that are outlined in The 24 Seven Health Plan.

As of summer 2004 the supplement Glucosamine is enjoying massive sales in many countries of the world. This substance is classified as an amino sugar. The scientific explanation is that it combines a molecule of glutamic acid and a molecule of glucose. It is a natural body constituent that is found in very high concentrations in cartilage, tendon and ligament tissue, and it has been described as the glue that holds cartilage tissue together. Although some Glucosamine is supplied in the diet, it falls well short of daily needs, therefore the body has to manufacture the bulk of its requirements.

In one clinical trial, Glucosamine was pitched against Ibuprofen, Glucosamine took a little longer to work, but produced much better results thereafter. The beneficial results increased with prolonged use. Another double blind placebo-controlled study on patients with osteoarthritis showed that Glucosamine produced significant improvements in the symptoms of pain, joint tenderness and swelling compared to placebo. Many other studies have confirmed these findings. Please see the services section of this book for suppliers of this highly recommended supplement.

*Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease, which is rising at an alarming rate and is strongly linked to PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease).

Note: A tick carried by deer and mice cause Lyme disease. It can cause symptoms not unlike those of arthritis.

Alzheimer's

I have always been fascinated by the nature of reality. Our lives' seemingly exist between two nonexistent states, the past and the future. Our awareness of self and our ability to function at little more than a basic level is dependent on memory.

Some years ago I watched a documentary about a middle-aged man who could only remember the previous few seconds of his life. Each moment was for him was, as it were, a birth. He would be introduced to his wife, for instance, and five seconds later he would ask her who she was. He had some deeper awareness of his tragic circumstances and the living hell he had to endure. It was pitiful to watch. We give little consideration to the fact that a normal life is so dependent on an intangible faculty - the ability to remember.

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a loss of memory, lack of concentration, dementia and general mental deterioration. Physical functions such as bowel and bladder control are lost and general health declines severely. A lack of vital nutrients, particularly those that are required for brain function, general toxicity and specific toxicity by inorganic heavy metals such as mercury and aluminum are implicated in the onset and progression of this disease. Alzheimer's sufferers are known to have a lack of the antioxidant vitamins A, E and beta-carotene. They also show low levels of vitamin B12, choline and zinc.

Autopsies on persons who have died of Alzheimer's have shown aluminum levels in the brain to be up to four times higher than the 'normal' levels. This toxic metal was and is still used to make cooking utensils. Quite high levels of it leech into the food being cooked - on a regular basis. (If you own aluminum cookware please get rid of it). Other sources of inorganic aluminum in varying forms are in deodorants, buffered aspirin, shampoos, antacids, baking powder, cake mixes, processed cheese and even some health supplements. Thanks guys!

It is well worth having one of the various tests that are available to determine your levels of any heavy metals that may be lurking in your body. If they are high, intensive detoxification work may be needed to get rid of them. Please seek the help of a health care professional with regard to this.

Note: Selenium methionine and free form amino acids bind with heavy metals, which facilitates excretion from the body. Dietary fiber also achieves this.

Abnormal Blood Pressure (Hypertension & Hypotension)

It is estimated that fifty million Americans suffer from high blood pressure - around a fifth of the population. On that basis around twelve million British will be suffering the same fate.

Normal blood pressure is considered to be below 130 / 85. The first figure is the systolic pressure - the highest pressure exerted against the arterial walls when the heart pumps. The second figure is the diastolic pressure, recorded when the heart is at rest between beats and is therefore the lowest pressure. A 'one-off' or single blood pressure reading is not ideal, measurements taken throughout the day and then averaged, gives a more reliable picture of the situation.

In the USA, blood pressures are classified as following:

Blood is forced (pressure) around the body carrying oxygen and 'food' (sugars, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins) to every cell, to enable them and obviously us, to live.

Excess arterial pressure or hypertension has many causes, among which are genetic factors, dietary deficiencies, obesity, high cholesterol, lack of exercise, stress, excess coffee drinking, drug abuse (recreational and some medically prescribed), smoking, hormonal abnormalities, poor kidney function, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), low essential fatty acid intake, high sodium intake with salt sensitive individuals (rare), low blood serum calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and potassium.

Hypertension and/or arteriosclerosis are often called the 'silent killers', as most people don't realize that they have a problem until they have severe symptoms such as a major or minor stroke. Yet there are symptoms to be aware of, which could be related to this particular problem. These include blurred vision, edema (water retention), persistent headaches and noises in the ears. Please see your health care professional if you have any of these problems.

I have successfully treated high blood pressure with dietary and lifestyle adjustments, together with a regimen of supplementation. Those clients, who have taken this route, have done so because they did not wish to resort to drug treatment. If I find that a client has high blood pressure, I always refer them to their doctor as a first step, if they have not already done this. Do not try and treat this condition yourself.

Hypotension

We hear little of hypotension (low blood pressure) as it is far less prevalent than hypertension. Yet, it can cause various problems such as fatigue, sensitivity to cold and heat, dizziness, fainting, general lethargy and increased sleep requirements.

I have found virtually no data that shows blood pressure reading figures that constitute a diagnosis of hypotension. Based on my own experience, I consider figures, in a sedentary adult, of less than 100 / 70 to be indicative of hypotension. In an extremely fit adult, I consider figures below 90 / 65 to indicate the same.

Poor general nutrition, a lack of sodium, excess potassium and adrenal exhaustion may contribute to hypotension. If hypotension is caused primarily by exhausted adrenal glands (very common), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), 250mg twice daily for one month, should contribute significantly to an increase in blood pressure.

The highest blood pressure I have recorded on a client is 240/122! This is incredibly high and would have caused a heart attack in many people. The male concerned was around fifty years old, carrying a lot of excess weight and had a highly stressful life. His doctor had placed him on a drug-based regimen that brought his blood pressure down only marginally and he no longer wanted to continue with it. I worked out an initial plan for him, which included dietary adjustments, exercise, supplemental organic fatty acids at thirty grams per day, etc. After six months of adhering to this protocol his blood pressure was down to 160/100. Although still too high - a great improvement.

Ulcers

Ulcers in the stomach, intestines and esophagus have been traditionally thought by the medical establishment to be caused by stress and/or anxiety, as these conditions tend to elevate the production of stomach acid in many cases. This excess acid can burn through the protective mucous membranes and attack the tissue beneath, leading to an ulcer, and the unpleasant problems that go with it. The treatment by conventional medicine has been to prescribe an antacid. While lessening the pain, this is only a treatment of the symptoms and can be a cause of other digestive and absorption problems.

Some fifty years ago, veterinarians and farmers knew that it was the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori that caused ulcers in pigs. The cure was to administer an antibiotic together with bismuth.

The Laboratory that I use for various screening purposes told me that when they first started testing (1996) for Helicobacter Pylori with patients diagnosed with ulcers, that virtually all the tests were positive. They were concerned that the test or the procedures may have been flawed, so they sent their positive samples to several other laboratories for re-testing - with exactly the same results!

Human medical research relating to ulcers in the body has taken fifty years to catch up with the veterinarians and find that, in ninety-five per cent of cases, ulcers are caused by Helicobacter Pylori! Your GP can find out if you are infected with bacteria, either from a blood or breath test. The blood test is more reliable. If you test positive, it is well worth trying the amino acid L-glutamine at a dose of 500mg four times daily with water, half an hour before food. Continue this for one month. If this does not cure the problem, it will be necessary to use an antibiotic, which under the circumstances is justifiable, in my view.

Ulcerative Colitis

With this condition the mucous membranes that line the colon become ulcerated and inflamed and in some cases, infected. This causes pain, bloating gas and wind, bleeding and diarrhea. In some sufferers, the stools become very hard. This means that an extra burden of muscular work is placed upon the colon to move these hardened stools. Eventually, the mucous lining can bulge, causing a projection called a diverticula, adding further to the problem.

Poor general diet, which includes a lack of fiber, a lack of pancreatic and food digestive enzymes, a lack of stomach acid, toxic bowel, bacterial infection, imbalance of bowel flora, food allergies, candida, and the overuse of *antibiotics are all implicated in this condition. Antibiotics can cause a gut overgrowth of an organism called Clostridia difficile that can cause recurring colitis.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has spread like the plague over the last few years. It is one of the most common complaints made to all types of health practitioners. Symptoms are many and diverse, they include constipation, diarrhea. (these may alternate), bloating, gas, wind, mucous and/or blood in the stools, pain, abdominal distention, vomiting, nausea, headaches, etc. The colon may well become partially obstructed with impacted fecal matter. Absorption of nutrients is seriously affected with this type of bowel problem, further compounding the problem.

A healthy bowel moves food and waste through its length by rhythmic muscular waves called peristalsis. With IBS this action becomes weakened and irregular. Putrefying waste cannot be expelled correctly, this delay creates a potential for the reabsorption of carcinogens, toxins and bacteria. Some scientists think that a virus or bacteria may play a part in causing a loss of peristaltic action. This may well be so, but it is in my view, due to the overall decline in nutritional status. This results in soft, flabby muscles both outside and inside the body - peristalsis is an internal muscular contraction. The same problems that are implicated in ulcerative colitis, as listed above, are implicated with IBS. Having a toxic bowel (impacted fecal matter in the colon) may be the most important factor here, together with very poor nutritional status.

With a toxic bowel and/or an extended fecal transit time, an extra burden is placed on the immune system. There is a large mass of lymphoid tissue on the mucous membrane lining the intestines, called Peyer's patches. These are an important part of the immune system as they produce antibodies to deal with immune challenges. Following The 24 Seven Health Plan, with particular emphasis on a toxic bowel test, the cleaning and detoxification of the colon and the liver, essential fatty acid and fiber intake will help to cure ulcerative colitis, and other bowel problems, in most cases. I suggest that you consult a health care professional such as a nutritionally aware doctor, naturopath, clinical nutritionist, or nutritional practitioner.

Note: With conditions such as Ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis inflammatory bowel disease, leaky gut, and Crohn's disease, the amino acid L- glutamine is very beneficial. I suggest taking 500mg four times daily with water, half an hour before food. This is in addition to the action outlined above.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

After food leaves the stomach its continuing digestion takes place in the gut. Thereafter, nutrients are carried through the gut mucosal barrier into the bloodstream, from where they are utilized as required in thousands of metabolic reactions. Large amounts of lymphoid tissue termed Peyers Patches are located on the intestinal (gut) mucous lining. These produce antibodies to deal with any substance that the body believes to be foreign and are a highly important part of the immune defense system.

The gut lining can be damaged or breached by, among others, infection, toxins, a lack of digestive enzymes, an overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria such as Candida albicans and Clostridia difficile, by antibiotics, processed foods, additives, excess alcohol consumption and poor general diet and nutrition. It is known also, that NSAID's (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) inflame the gut lining, as do aspirin and Neurofen. The overuse of these substances can be the prime cause of leaky gut syndrome.

An inflamed or breached gut allows improperly digested (large) food molecules, toxins (particularly if the sufferer also has a toxic bowel), bacteria, viruses and yeast's to pass into the bloodstream with unpleasant and sometimes dire consequences. An allergy to all sorts of substances including normal foods can manifest. This is because incorrectly digested food is treated by the body as a "foreign" substance and an antibody is produced to fight it, much as it would be against bacteria. This immune response is then activated every time this 'foreign' food is eaten.

With leaky gut syndrome, as with other gut problems, the absorption of vital nutrients is severely compromised. The liver and the lymphatic system fail to adequately detoxify an increasing toxic load and we have a situation that can snowball out of control.

Leaky gut syndrome can be cured or at least controlled in most cases. Following The 24 Seven Health Plan will help in many ways, but it would be wise to seek the help of a naturopath, clinical nutritionist, nutritionist or a healthcare professional who is familiar with this problem.

Notes: Many practitioners have access to laboratories that can undertake a gut permeability screen.

Leaky gut syndrome may possibly be the cause of autoimmune diseases that include multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Toxic bowel

I have already stated in the chapter on Toxic Bowel, that recent scientific evidence suggests that the 'bad' bacteria produced by bowel toxins from impacted fecal matter in the colon, can create an increase in the bacterial enzyme beta-glucuronidase that can reactivate 'dead' oestrogens. These may then be reabsorbed into the bloodstream, further elevating levels of circulating oestrogens.

Remember, that forty-seven per cent of people that I have tested had a toxic bowel. It is an easy matter to clear this condition either with colonic irrigation and / or a course of Psyllium fiber colon cleanse.

You will find details on how to undertake a simple urine test to determine if you have this condition in the 'services' section at the back of this book.

Meniere's Syndrome

Meniere's syndrome is a particularly distressing condition characterized by dizziness, a loud ringing or throbbing in the ears and sometimes vomiting. There are drugs to treat this condition and of course they only address the symptoms and cause unpleasant side effects. Many instances of Meniere's syndrome can be cured by the simple addition of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and sodium to the diet. This condition and some forms of *glaucoma can be caused by an adrenal gland problem. When the adrenal glands become exhausted through stress and/or nutritional deficiencies (particularly vitamin B5) they fail to control the correct sodium and potassium balance, via the kidneys. A great deal of sodium is therefore lost in the urine. Due to this, excessive fluids are then allowed to collect in the tissues. This creates excessive pressure and at a certain focal point, such as in the ears, it will be experienced as hissing, rushing, throbbing or a similar type of noise.

By supplementing the diet with a B-complex formula, a gram of B5 and a small pinch of sodium (natural salt) three times daily, the problem in many instances will be solved or at the least, significantly improved. The cause of the adrenal insufficiency must then be determined.

Notes: There are various other factors that are implicated in Meniere's Syndrome. Among these are carbohydrate metabolism problems, high cholesterol levels, poor circulation and low blood sugar.

*A type of glaucoma can be caused by excessive tissue fluid pressure, pushing the lens of the eye forward and the optic nerve back, distorting vision.