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Specific Bodily Imbalances

by Christopher Pick, ND

I have coined the term, Specific Bodily Imbalances (SBI) to distinguish them from actual diseases such as cancer or multiple sclerosis, etc.

SBI are conditions that are extremely detrimental to the body that can and often do lead to serious illness. They are ignored in the main, by allopathic (drug based) practitioners of medicine.

Toxic Liver

The liver is a powerhouse of metabolic functions. When it is healthy it will detoxify most of the harmful and poisonous substances that are introduced into and created in the body. Pesticides, insecticides, additives, chemicals, drugs, 'spent' hormones, alcohol and heavy metals are among the hundreds of substances it has to deal with second by second, so that we may stay alive. Our livers' also store several minerals and vitamins, synthesize enzymes and coenzymes and produce cholesterol, etc. The list of functions that are performed is almost endless.

The usual Western diet seriously impairs the liver's ability to perform normally. It becomes highly toxic, with, in many cases, fatty deposits and scar tissue. If our liver is toxic, so is our body. This amazing organ can regenerate itself if the correct nutrients are supplied, even in cases of cirrhosis.*

Many my clients, regardless of their problems, are given a herbal liver cleanse in capsule form and/or a cleanse consisting mainly of lemon juice and extra virgin olive or flax oil. This is made up by blending six tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (if intolerant to lemons, use pineapple juice) together with three tablespoons of pure virgin olive oil and a pinch of garlic, fresh ginger & cayenne pepper. Take this first thing in morning half an hour before food. Continue for ten days. Thereafter you can do this cleanse for two or three consecutive days, three or four times per year.

I cannot over emphasize the importance of correct nutrition, to support liver function.

*Levy, J.S., et al , South. Med. J. 1951.

Toxic Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system, which is given scant attention in medical circles, consists of circulating lymphatic fluid, together with hundreds of lymphatic nodes that filter bacteria and toxins, thereby keeping them out of the bloodstream. These nodes are situated throughout the body. When we have a viral or bacterial infection they can also become infected and inflamed. You will probably have experienced the swelling of these nodes, particularly in the groin, neck and behind the ears, at some time in your life. The lymphatic nodes also produce lymphocytes, which are an extremely important part of the immune defense system. The spleen and the thymus are also an integral part of the lymphatic and immune system.

Lymphoid tissue (as in the nodes) is situated at other sites throughout the body. Peyers' Patches, which are located on the mucous membrane lining the intestines, are made up of a large amount of this tissue. This is due to the potentially large amount of bacteria; allergens, poisons and toxins that could enter the bloodstream via the intestines, from partially or even fully digested foods.

Due to the huge amount of toxins in our food supply and in the environment, together with the endless infections to which most people are exposed, the lymphatic system becomes overloaded. The lymph nodes may become toxic and infected; the lymphatic fluid can also become toxic, which will allow 'debris' to be passed back into the blood supply, instead of passing out of the body. This vital part of our body's immune system is often so compromised that it adds to our problems rather than help to dissipate them!

Lymphatic fluid is propelled around the body by muscular contraction, therefore, exercise; particularly rebounding (mini trampoline) is extremely beneficial for stimulating the flow. A proper nutritional regimen, particularly minerals and digestive enzymes, will help re-liquefy the fluid. Lymphatic massage may be required in some cases to unblock any blocked nodes and to correctly stimulate the flow of fluid

I give my clients an herbal lymphatic detoxification preparation, manufactured to my own formula. Part of any health plan must include making sure that the whole lymphatic system is functioning correctly.

Among others, these herbs help to detoxify and re-liquefy the lymphatic fluid:

Burdock
Chaparral
Echinacea
Golden Seal
Pau D'Arco
Fenugreek

Toxic Bowel

Forty-seven per cent of the people I have tested, have a toxic bowel.

With this condition, dozens of poisonous substances, with alarming names, such as octopamine*, sepsin, skarol, indican, putrescin, cadaverin and sepsin, can leach back into the bloodstream, particularly when mycelial Candida is present in the intestines and colon.

The urine measurement of indican is used to determine the severity of bowel toxicity. This test is incorporated within a nutritional urine screen that forms the basis of my work.

A toxic bowel is caused by impacted fecal matter clinging to the colon wall! This improperly digested protein waste product can build up over the years, until there are many pounds of weight of it! The colon relies on bile from the gall bladder to stimulate muscular contraction called peristalsis, to move waste through it, toward the rectum. A build up of fecal matter can reduce the diameter of the colon substantially, and with poor peristaltic action, due to a lack of bile and poor muscle tone, constipation rules!

Recent scientific evidence suggests that 'bad' bacteria produced by bowel toxins can create an increase in the bacterial enzyme beta-glucuronidase that can reactivate 'dead' estrogens, which are reabsorbed into the blood. Any elevation beyond the normal can have serious consequences for both males and females. For instance, seventy-five percent of breast cancers are estrogen dependent, i.e. they are stimulated by estrogen Fiber passing through the colon helps to absorb and carry away 'dead' estrogen's, a lack of fiber compounds the problem.

Bowel toxicity is an easy matter to correct. Supplementing with Psyllium colon cleanse will clear the majority of minor cases in around six months. Colonic Irrigation will achieve the same end in a shorter period of time. I recommend that you have at least one colonic irrigation if you suspect or are diagnosed with a toxic bowel, as the therapist will be in a position to advise you of any other problems. These may include, parasites, worms, candida, etc. Taking a course of Psyllium two or three times a year, is a good preventative measure, and at the least, is a valuable additional source of fiber

A healthy colon that is packed with the correct ratios of 'friendly' bacteria such as acidophilus and bifidus among others, is an absolute necessity for health and longevity. They synthesize folic acid and vitamin K, among others, and preserve the correct environment in the bowel. Eating natural 'live' yogurt (not flavored, sweetened or desert yogurt) is an excellent way of ingesting these bacteria. They may also be taken as a supplement. I would suggest paying particular attention to 'topping up' with these after gastrointestinal problems, diarrhea, taking antibiotics and colon cleansing. See Chapter Four - Antibiotics, for dosage. A good colonic therapist will replace the bowel bacteria washed out by irrigation. Note: Always insist that a disposable speculum is used in your colonic treatment.

*Octopamine. I show octopamine as an example of a toxic substance"s capability. Bacterial activity from a putrefying gut, instead of liberating phenylalanine a precursor of catecholamine neurotransmitters, it (phenylalanine) is converted into phenylethylamine (PEA). This absorbed by the gut wall and when it reaches the brain it is converted into the pseudo-neurotransmitter octopamine, replacing the active neurotransmitter noradrenaline. This may give rise to behavioral changes, memory impairment, thinking processes impairment (foggy brain), severe emotional problems, anxiety, depression and possibly schizophrenia.

With putrefaction, histamine is released from food. Histamine is active in the body's immune response, sexual function and neuro-inhibitory activity. However in the small intestine it causes an allergic response and causes the intestine wall to secrete excessive mucous as a protective factor. Excessive histamine in the mast cells of the penis can be the cause of premature ejaculation.

The subject of alimentary toxemia (bowel toxicity) was discussed in London before the Royal Society of Medicine, by fifty-seven of the leading physicians of the UK Among the speakers were eminent surgeons, physicians, and specialists in the various branches of medicine.

This following report is a resume of the proceedings written in 1912-13, a 380 page report, which is on file at the library of the Royal Society of Medicine in London.

Although this was some years ago, it is even more relevant to the present time. Since 1913 our food quality has drastically deteriorated. The article is a bit long-winded, with out of date spellings. If you have a large medical dictionary to hand, it may help! However, the main message will be abundantly clear. It is well worth ploughing through it, to fully appreciate the scale of the problem.

Poisons Of Alimentary Intestinal Toxemia

The following is a list of the various poisons noted by the several speakers : Indol, skarol, phenol, indican, sulphurretted hydrogen, ammonia, histidine, urrobilin, methylmeracaptan, tetramerhy-lendiamin, pentamethy-lendiamin, putrescin, cadaverin, neurin, cholin, muscarine, butyric acid, bera-imidazzolethy-lamine, methylglandinine, ptomarropine, botulin, tyramine, agamatine, tryptophane, sepsin, idolethylamine, sulpherraglobine.

Of the 27 poisons mentioned above, several are highly active, producing most profound effects, and in very small quantities. In cases of alimentary toxemia some or several of these poisons are constantly bathing the delicate body cells, and setting up charges which finally result in grave disease.

Symptoms And Diseases Due To Alimentary Toxemia

It should be understood that these findings are not mere theories, but are the results of demonstrations in actual practice by eminent physicians. Of course it is not claimed that alimentary toxemia is the only cause of all symptoms and disease named : Although of many it may be the sole cause, some of them are due to other causes as well. In the following summary the various symptoms and disorders mentioned in the discussion in London, to which reference has been made above, are grouped and classified.

The Digestive Organs

This a direct quote from the original paper of 1920: Duodenal ulcer causing partial or complete obstruction of the duodenum; pyloric spasm; pyloric obstruction; distension and dilation of the stomach; gastric ulcer; cancer of the stomach; adhesions of the omentum to the stomach and liver; inflammation of the liver; cancer of the liver.

The muscular wall of the intestine as well as other muscles atrophy, so that the passage of their contents is hindered. The abdominal viscera lose their normal relationship to the spine and to each other, on account of weakening of the abdominal muscles; these displacements are much more marked and serious in women. Other conditions are: Catarrh of the intestines; foul gases and foul smelling stools; colitis; acute enteritis; appendicitis, acute and chronic; adhesions and 'kinks' of the intestines; visceroptosis; enlargement of spleen; distended abdomen; tenderness of the abdomen; summer diarrhea of children; inflammation of pancreas; chronic dragging abdominal pains; gastritis; cancer of pancreas; inflammatory changes of gall bladder; cancer of gall bladder; gallstones; degeneration of liver; cirrhosis of liver; infection of the gums, and decay of the teeth; ulcers in the mouth and pharynx.

Heart And Blood Vessels

Wasting and weakening of the heart muscles; micorbic cyamosis from breaking up of blood cells; fatty degeneration of the heart; endocarditis; myocarditis; subnormal blood pressure; enlargement of the heart; the dilation of the aorta; high blood pressure; arteriosclerosis; permanent dilation of arteries.

Dr. W. Bezley says : "There are a few phases of cardiovascular trouble (disease of heart and blood vessels) with which disorder of some part of the alimentary tract is not causatively associated."

The Nervous System

Headaches of various kinds - frontal, occipital, temporal, dull or intense, hemicrania; headache of a character to lead to a mistaken diagnosis of brain tumor. Dr Lane tells of a case where a surgeon had proposed an operation for the removal of a tumor. from the frontal lobe of the brain; the difficulty was wholly removed by the exclusion of the colon. Acute neuralgia pains in the legs; neuritis; twitching of the eyes and of muscles of face, arms, legs, etc. Lassitude; irritability; disturbances of nervous system, varying from simple headaches to absolute collapse; mental and physical depression. Insomnia; troubled sleep, unpleasant dreams; unrefreshing sleep, the patient awakening tired; excessive sleepiness, patient falling asleep in the daytime; shivery sensation across lower spinal region; burning sensations in the face, hands, etc.; epileptiform tic; typhoid state; paralysis; chronic fatigue; horror of noises; morbid introspection; perverted moral feelings; melancholia, mania, loss of memory; difficulty of mental concentration; imbecility; insanity; delirium, coma.

The Eyes

Quoting from a 1912 paper: Degenerative changes in the eyes; inflammation of the lens; inflammation of the optic nerve; hardening of the lens; sclerotitis; iritis; iridocyclitis; cataract; recurrent haemorrhage in the retina; eye dull and heavy.

All these degenerative changes are associated with undernourishment, acidity, lack of oxygen, and lack of minerals.

The Skin

Formation of wrinkles; thin, inelastic, starchy skin; pigmentation's of the skin - yellow, brown, slate-black, blue; muddy complexion, offensive secretion from the skin of flexures; thickening of the skin of the back of the hand - sores and boils; pemphigus; pruritus; herpes; eczema; dermatitis; lupus erythemarosus; acne rosacrea; cold clammy extremities; dark circles under the eyes; seborrhoea; psoriasis; pityriasis; alopecia, lichen; planus; jaundice; "An infinitesimal amount of poison may suffice to cause skin eruption."

Muscles And Joints

Degeneration of the muscles; "Muscles waste and become soft and in advanced cases tear easily. In young life the muscular debility produces the deformities which are called dorsal excurvation, or round shoulders, lateral curvature, flat-foot, and knock-knee." Weakness of abdominal muscles causes accumulation of feces in the pelvic colon, which renders evacuation of contents more and more difficult. Prominence of bones; rheumatic pains simulating sciatica and lumbago; various muscular pains; muscular rheumatism; arthritis deformities; synavitis; rickets; arthritis, acute and chronic. Tubercle, and rheumatoid arthritis are the direct result of intestinal intoxification. Dr. Lane says : "I do not believe it is possible for either of these diseases to obtain a foothold except in the presence of stasis."

Genito-Urinary And Reproductive Organs

Various displacements, distortion and disease of the uterus; change in the whole forms contour of woman; fibrosis of breast; wasting of breasts; induration of breasts; sub-acute and chronic mastitis; cancer of breast; merritis and endometritis; infection of bladder especially in women; frequent urination; albumosuria; acute nephritis; movable kidney; floating kidney. Dr. Lane goes so far as to say: "Autointoxication plays so large a part in the development of disease of the female genito-urinary apparatus, that it may be regarded by the gynaecologist as a product of intestinal stasis."

General Disorders And Disturbances Of Nutrition

Degeneration of the organs of elimination, especially the liver, kidneys (Bright's disease) and spleen; pernicious anemia; lowered resistance to infection of all kind; premature senile decay; retardation of growth in children, accompanied by mental irritability and muscular fatigue; adenoids, enlarged tonsils; scurvy; enlarged thyroid (goiter); various tumors and thyroid; Raynaud's disease. In those who apparently suffer no harm from constipation during a long series of years there is perhaps, as suggested by Hertz, a partial immunity established. The writer has long believed that such an immunity is sometimes established in the very obstinate constipation which accompanies absolute fasting, because of the cleansing of the tongue and reappearance of appetite which often occurs at the end of the second or third week of the fast, a phenomenon very like that which appears in typhoid fever and other continued fevers. It must be supposed, however, that even the establishment or so-called immunity insures the body against all injury.

The labor of eliminating an enormous amount of virulent toxins, which falls upon the kidneys, damages the renal tissues and produces premature failure of these essential organs. Any process which develops toxins within the body is a menace to the life of the tissues and should be suppressed as far as possible, and as quickly as possible. The fact that symptoms of poisoning resulting from constipation do not appear at once is no evidence that injury is not done. Dr. William Hunter in the course of the London discussion remarked that the fact that chronic constipation "might exist in certain individuals as an almost permanent condition without apparently causing ill health is due solely to the power and protective action of the liver. It is not any evidence of the comparative harmlessness of constipation per se, but only an evidence that some individuals possess the caecum and the colon of an ox, with the liver of a pig, capable of doing any amount of detoxification." In the face of such an array of evidence backed up by authority of nearly 60 eminent English physicians - and many hundreds of other English, U.S., German and French physicians whose names might be added - it is no longer possible to ignore the importance of alimentary toxemia or autointoxification as a fact in the production of disease. To no other single cause is it possible to attribute one-tenth as many various and widely diverse disorders. It may be said that almost every chronic disease known is directly or indirectly due to the influence of bacterial poisons absorbed from the intestine. The colon may be justly looked upon as a veritable Pandora's box, out of which come more human misery and suffering, mental and moral, as well as physical than from any other known source.

The colon is a sewage system, but by neglect and abuse it becomes a cesspool. When it is clean and normal; we are well and happy; let it stagnate, and it will distil the poisons of decay, fermentation and putrefaction into the blood, poisoning the brain and nervous system so that we become mentally depressed and irritable; it will poison the heart so that we are weak and listless; poisons the lungs so that the breath is foul; poisons the digestive organs so we are distressed and bloated; and poisons the blood so that the skin is sallow and unhealthy. In short, every organ of the body is poisoned, and we age prematurely, look and feel old, the joints are stiff and painful, neuritis, dull eyes and a sluggish brain overtake us; the pleasure of living is gone.

When we have any, some or all of the foregoing toxicity problems, our bodies will be affected throughout. Every system, organ and cell suffers an ever increasing, health sapping onslaught. We are negatively affected not just on a physical level, but also on the emotional and mental.

An apt analogy is one of a car engine that never has an oil change, it becomes so clogged with its own waste that it can literally, blow up. We are no different, millions of people 'blow up' every day.

Talking about the colon and waste removal is more or less a taboo subject in 'polite society'! When I mention it (often) the reactions of people can be hilarious! To labor the point, my other favorite analogy is: - Imagine if the waste pipes in your house became blocked, yet you still kept using the disposal systems, before long you would be sitting watching TV knee-deep in effluent! This is exactly what happens to the body, it becomes 'knee-deep' in its own effluent!

A clean and correctly functioning colon is one of the main contributors to a healthy body and mind.

The Bile Connection

The liver manufactures bile and passes it on to the gall bladder. Bile is required to emulsify or break down, dietary fats. Bile also stimulates peristalsis, which are the muscular contractions that move waste matter through the colon.

A diet that is high in refined carbohydrates (sugars), or low in protein (Vegetarians and Vegans, beware) can inhibit the production of bile. Without the action of bile, the enzymes that would normally work on the emulsified fats to further digest them have very little effect. Fat digestion and absorption are at a minimum. Undigested fats will bind with calcium and iron to form hard 'soaps'. (I have seen these 'soaps' on many occasions, being flushed away by colonic irrigation). Not only does this condition lead to hard stools, constipation and add to the possibility of having a toxic bowel, but it also deprives the body of calcium and iron.

Please note that there are many other factors that can cause calcium and iron deficiencies.

Sixty-four percent of the people I have tested have a calcium deficiency

In North America, two government surveys which are known as the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES) 1971-74 and the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (NFCS) 1977-78 measured the intake of thirteen (why only thirteen?) essential nutrients in many thousands of people. They used the pitifully low Recommended Daily Allowances as a base mark.

Sixty-eight percent of the of the people tested got less than the RDA of calcium. This figure matches my own findings as you can see.

The Vitamins, A, D, E, and K are fat soluble rather than water-soluble. They need the action of bile acids to 'release' them so they can pass through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. Therefore, poor digestion and absorption of fats can lead to a deficiency of these vital substances. A further problem can be caused, by the undigested fats coating the carbohydrate and protein content of the foods. In this instance, the enzymes that normally work on these foods, cannot break through the fat barrier.

The HANES and NFCS reports also showed the following shortfalls against the RDAs. Vitamin A, fifty per cent. Folic acid, 10 per cent +. Iron, fifty-seven per cent. Magnesium, seventy-five per cent. Phosphorus, twenty-seven per cent. Vitamin B1, forty-five per cent. Vitamin B2, thirty-two per cent. Vitamin B3, thirty-three per cent. Vitamin B6, eighty per cent. Vitamin B12, thirty-four per cent. Vitamin C, forty-one per cent. This really is frightening health scenario for the North Americans. We in the UK will be no different and possibly worse off!

Parasites

Ann Louise Gittleman, in her book, 'Guess What Came to Dinner' - Avery Publishing Group Inc, states : "Over half of all Americans will at some point become hosts to parasites". There are well over one hundred types of these organisms that have been identified. I have no reason to believe that we in Great Britain fair any better in this horrible, health sapping, bodily invasion.

Transmission can be by foods and tap water, improperly cooked food (particularly pork), pets, and by human contact. Day-care centers can be a real risk factor, due to the cross contact with bodily waste. Vegetables known to carry parasites are watercress, radishes, leafy greens, lettuce, etc. Fish infected with tapeworm can consume most of the hosts supply of certain vitamins! Tapeworms in the human body will seriously deplete vital nutrients. A parasitic infection can cause many problems that are often misdiagnosed. If you suspect you may have this problem, see if your G.P. will perform the relevant tests. If I remotely suspect that parasites are involved, I give my clients a herbal anti-parasiter, which I have manufactured to my own formula. I suggest that you take an anti-parasite supplement as a very worthwhile 'insurance policy'. I urge you to read Ann Louise Gittleman's book for the full horror story!

Allergies

Fifty-three percent of the people I have nutritionally screened have reported that they have an allergic reaction (which may be an intolerance - these are often confused) to various substances such as pollens, chemicals, food additives, dust mites, dust, common drugs, sugar, alcohol, foods, etc. The symptoms these allergies produce are manifold; Hives, eczema, runny nose, streaming eyes, skin rash, skin itch, hay fever, fatigue, inability to sleep, etc. The body perceives these substances, (including certain foods) as antigens or foreign matter that pose a threat to its well-being, which is quite correct. As the immune system becomes hyperactive due to constant challenge, its response can sometimes be disproportional. It is the same reaction to that of you or I being constantly stressed, day in, day out. The smallest additional stress provokes a totally unwarranted reaction. In severe cases a person may suffer anaphylactic (caused in some people by eating peanuts, for instance) shock and die.

Those who suffer from improper digestion and or a permeable bowel, have a greatly increased risk of antigens of all types entering the bloodstream and producing some type of allergenic response. When there is an immune reaction to a common food or foods, something is badly amiss, and it is usually due to poor digestion. Incompletely digested food molecules entering the bloodstream are potentially poisonous, therefore the immune system must take up the 'challenge' and a reaction occurs.

To simplify as much as possible, the mechanism of an antigen response:-

When the immune system recognizes an antigen for the first time, it mounts an attack against it, by producing antibodies. An allergic reaction may then take place. Antibodies attach themselves to tissue cells called mast cells. When the same antigen comes along again, it 'excites' the mast cells, which burst and release histamine. A reaction such as allergy or inflammation will subsequently occur. Some allergies are 'hidden' as the body has become used to the offending substance, in other words there is no definitive outward sign, this is called The General Adaptation Syndrome. Unless this is recognized, problems can be very hard to address.

A common method of food allergy treatment is to identify the offending substance and remove it from the diet. This action only treats the symptoms and not the cause. This is useless. The cause is usually centered on the digestive process. Several clients that I have treated had eliminated so many foods from their diets, that there was virtually nothing left they could eat. One woman presented me with a "list" of four foods that she was not allergic to!

As part of The 24 Seven Health Plan (on a one to one basis) after a nutritional urine screen, I will have my client 'load' digestive enzymes and digestive cofactors for at least two weeks, as well as attending to any other problems relating to digestion and absorption and or specific disease. After this period they are encouraged to reintroduce'offending foods' one by one. In the majority of cases, no adverse reaction occurs.

The 24 Seven Health Plan also strengthens and 'calms' the immune system. This allows its functioning and therefore response, to return to normal. In many cases, allergies other than to foods will also disappear.

Important note: Some people are seriously allergic to certain substances and foods such as peanuts. There are many reasons for this, including genetic inheritance. If you know or suspect that you have a serious allergy, do not change your management of it, do not try and treat it yourself and do not ingest or expose yourself to it in any way. Seek the help of a healthcare professional.

Allergies & Intolerance - The Difference

Any food introduced into the body is a potential poison until it is acted upon by the complete and complicated actions of digestion. As well as sustaining the life process, the eating of foods should be a pleasant experience at the very least. Many of us can eat a wide variety of foods and completely take for granted the whole of our digestive processes.

Just a little of the technical stuff! It is necessary to distinguish between allergy and intolerance to certain foods and chemicals - both natural and man-made.

Food allergy causes a hypersensitive reaction of the immune system via immune mediated *IgE antibodies. An allergy usually manifests within a few minutes of eating or being exposed to the offending substance. Reactions can be extremely severe and may even result in death from anaphylactic shock. The most commonly known triggers for this extreme reaction are peanuts and wasp or bee stings.

Note. IgE antibodies are one of a group of structurally related proteins that act as antibodies. Antibodies "attack" what is considered to be a "foreign" body.

Food intolerances usually manifest within 1-72 hours of eating. There is not a proven immune response in this type of reaction, however the subject is still open to argument. It is difficult to pinpoint the start of intolerance problems and it is equally hard to equate the intolerance with a specific health problem. For many people the problems start say, with a headache or poor digestion, bloating gas and wind. Slowly over the months or years, health problems become worse and a whole host of symptoms can be experienced. These symptoms can fluctuate day to day, but usually sufferers are generally run down, they get constant infections and are lethargic in the extreme. It would be wise to note that in some cases, food intolerance can become an allergy.

Millions of people suffer from food intolerance of some type and this leads to years of ill health. They go from doctor to doctor over the years, in an effort to solve their various problems, without any respite. It must be emphasized that it is absolutely vital to identify the problem foods and or chemicals via reproducible testing procedures. Treating the symptom(s) is useless as it merely perpetuates the underlying causes. While the offending foods are best avoided for a time, once the underlying cause has been determined and treated, reintroducing the foods should present few problems.

Why So Many Sufferers?

Most people do not consider that the body is an extremely complicated manufacturing unit that has to assemble tens of thousands of different substances on a daily basis. The fuel for this incredible work should be provided by the 100 or so nutrients that were once present in our food chain. When this was the case the body had little trouble in this manufacturing endeavor and churned out every thing that was required, including digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid that are vital for the correct digestion of food. We may say that a correctly functioning digestive system changes a potentially poisonous substance (food) into a nonpoisonous one. If it is not poisonous there is little chance of any kind of reaction to it.

Unfortunately, over the last fifty years or so the nutrients in the soil have severely diminished. Therefore there is a serious lack in our food chain and a serious lack in us! To add insult to injury the toxic loads that we all face, from man-made chemicals, traffic fumes, food additives, E numbers, preservatives, binders, fillers and flow agents, to name just a few, is at an all time high. Due to the foregoing it is virtually impossible for our bodies to make the required quantity and quality of substances. Nowhere is this more evident than with a lack of digestive enzymes or hydrochloric acid and the subsequent food intolerances that arise because of it.

I have found that in over 800 individual nutritional urine screens that I have conducted, 86% of those tested suffered from poor digestion and 99% from poor absorption! Further, 37% of those tested complained of bloating, gas and wind. If these figures are projected for the adult population of the UK, it means that potentially 36 million suffer from poor digestion, 41 million from poor absorption and 15.8 million people suffer with bloating, gas and wind! Food intolerance is linked in most instances to the state and capabilities of the digestive system.

Foods & Intolerance

Let us take a look at food intolerance in a little more depth. Perhaps surprisingly, intolerance is very common with foods such as wheat or cow"s milk. The majority of people usually consume these two items several times daily. It would appear that for those who are going to become intolerant, the more wheat or whatever that they consume, the more chance they have of becoming intolerant. Interestingly, people tend to crave the food that causes the problem! As new foods such as those derived from say soya, arrive in the market place, over a period of time some people will become intolerant to them.

Initially one may be intolerant to one or two foods and suffer one or two "peculiar" symptoms. As time goes by more and more intolerance"s become evident and ever more symptoms manifest. The result is ill health in some degree, minor to major. I already mentioned a client who presented a "list" of foods to which she was not allergic - her list contained 4 foods! This unfortunate woman also detailed in excess of 25 symptoms from which she suffered.

Many conditions of ill health can be attributed to food intolerance, some of these are Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, painful joints, skin eruptions, itchy skin, bloating, wind, ulcers, nausea, food cravings, IBS, lethargy, arthritis, headache, migraine, palpitations, confusion, mental fog, blocked sinuses, watery, itchy & red eyes, hyperactivity, runny nose, bouts of sneezing, weight gain, water retention, etc. It has been said that food intolerances can be linked to over 100 diseases and single intolerance may lead to many differing symptoms. Unfortunately, today it is the majority rather than the minority who are affected in some way by these conditions.

The General Adaptation Syndrome

While this is a little complicated, it is well worth the effort of reading as masked intolerances compound an already complicated picture.

Professor Hans Selye developed an understanding of a stress response that he called the general adaptation syndrome. Theron Randolph, whose work in this area in the 1940s, developed the theory of specific adaptation to substances that are not tolerated by an individual. Randolph founded a movement in medicine called Environmental Medicine. This is concerned with sensitivities to foods, chemicals and other inhalants in the environment; it is this theory of specific adaptation that is the basis for the understanding of both food and chemical intolerance.

The three stages of the specific adaptation syndrome (or intolerance) follow those of Selye's general adaptation syndrome, which is the body's response to food, chemical, or environmental stress upon it. At the first (preadaptive) stage, an immediate reaction of some sort occurs upon exposure to a substance that isn't tolerated. This stage may be short-lived and forgotten, however, repeated exposures will then cause the body to adapt, in order to cope with this stress. The second (adaptive) stage is reached and this stage will continue indefinitely if regular exposure to the "foreign" substance continues. Occasionally, if a person has always been exposed to this "foreign" substance, blind adaptation may occur, the first stage is skipped, so that the person has always been in this adaptive state.

During the adaptive phase when the person is routinely exposed to the "foreign" substance, the body masks the intolerance reaction and the adverse reactions become delayed. Moreover, the patient often feels better after exposure (addiction) the adverse reaction takes the form of withdrawal symptoms to the offending substance, as an addictive process becomes established. The sufferer may then crave the substance that is causing the problem. Because the troublesome symptoms caused by intolerance at this stage do not immediately follow exposure(s), food or chemical sensitivity is seldom suspected as being the cause of the chronic symptoms that develop as a result of this masking process. As you may imagine, it is very difficult in this scenario, to suspect that particular problems are caused by intolerance. As I have said previously, testing procedures are the only reliable way to check.

If intolerances continue over a long period of time, the sufferer may progress to the later phase of stage two and move from adaptation to maladaption. Here, ever-increasing doses of the "foreign" substance are required for the person to satisfy their withdrawal symptoms. In time even this increasing load may provide no relief at all. In addition, multiple intolerances may develop. In a small number of people, the masking mechanism may completely break down so that the person becomes immediately ill upon exposure. With alcoholism, this phenomenon is recognized, and in fact the mechanism of that illness is thought to be the same as that of food intolerance. This is the third and final stage of environmental illness, the post-adaptive stage.

The Key Problem In Food Intolerance - Digestion

Health and ill-health are dependent on certain initial primary factors. The 'exterior' factors are foods, water and air, the 'interior' are the effectiveness of digestion and absorption. These factors are totally interdependent. On countless occasions my clients have stated that their health problems can't possibly be food related, as they eat only organic and free-range foods. They had not considered that the bodily mechanisms for the utilization of these foods (including supplements) may not be working correctly due to previous poor dietary habits.

Digestion begins in the mouth, an enzyme called ptyalin (pronounced (tyalin) is secreted in the saliva as we chew. This substance breaks down carbohydrates, preparing them for further digestion in the stomach and intestine. The digestive system is designed to 'split' food apart and liquefies it, the chewing process plays an extremely important part in this. Food that is hastily swallowed down creates a great deal of stress on the remaining digestive processes and is the thin edge of the wedge, as it were.

Once food gets to the stomach, Hydrochloric acid (HCl) and other substances take on the next phase of digestion. The body manufactures HCl from substances such as minerals that it should have 'in store'. Based on scientific testing procedures, I have found that ninety percent of the people I have tested have a shortage of minerals present in the body, which, among others, can lead to a severe shortage of HCl. In this scenario the initial phase of digestion is now further and more severely compromised.

In most cases this leads to the first step on the path to food intolerance. Further, the fermentation of the foods present in the gut results in bloating, foul smelling gas, constipation, poor elimination, etc. Over time various other symptoms become apparent.

Improving digestive capabilities is relatively easy in the majority of cases. Supplementing with vegetable based digestive enzymes and/or HCl alleviates this problem in ninety-nine percent of cases. Consuming raw organic vegetables that are rich in enzymes is also highly beneficial. In an endeavor to get to the cause of the problem, I investigate what may be affecting the ability of the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes and/or bicarbonate and why there may be a lack of stomach acid and fat emulsifying bile. In most instances poor dietary habits and the resultant severe nutritional deficiencies that affect every bodily organ are at the root of this particular problem.

Symptoms of a lack of stomach acid are exactly the same as that of excess. It is my view, that a large percentage of the population actually has a shortage of HCl, rather than excess. Here, we have a tremendous problem, as acid suppressing drugs are one of the most prescribed in the western world, they are further compounding an existing and serious problem.

A Little About Enzymes

"Enzymes are substances that make life possible. They are needed for every chemical reaction that takes place in the human body. No mineral, vitamin, or hormone can do any work without enzymes. Our bodies, all of our organs, tissues, and cells, are run by metabolic enzymes. They are the manual workers that build our body from proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, just as construction workers build our home. You may have all the raw materials with which to build, but without the workers (enzymes) you cannot even begin." - Dr. Edward Howell, Enzyme Nutrition, the Food Enzyme Concept, 1985.

The day before I give a nutritional seminar, I make a cup of porridge oats that is so thick it appears to have the density of mercury! This I use to demonstrate the potency or digesting ability of digestive enzymes, as part of my presentation. Over a 24-hour period the porridge sets in the cup and it will not fall out if it is inverted! During the seminar I sprinkle the contents of three or four enzymes on to the porridge mix and stir them in, within thirty seconds the porridge is returned to a liquid state! This is exactly what the body is trying to achieve with food - to reduce it or liquefy it.

Foods that are properly broken down into very small molecules do not pose a "threat" of any sort to the body. They are correctly absorbed which not only provides for the maximum nutrient potential to be extracted, but removes the possibility of an intolerance being manifest, in most cases. Basically, digestive enzymes take over where hydrochloric acid left off. Further in the digestive process, bile emulsifies any fat that was present in the food.

Both hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes are multifunctional. Hydrochloric acid all acts to kill bacteria and other "nasties" in the stomach. Enzymes that enter the blood stream can attack and destroy viruses and bacteria and generally perform a "clean-up" operation.

Notes: Raw foods such as vegetables and fruit have a high enzyme content. These are important as they work to help the body"s enzyme supply in food digestion. Cooking food above 118 degrees Fahrenheit destroys all food enzymes. Therefore, it would be very helpful to eat a serving of raw organic vegetables with each meal.

Improving digestion and absorption will not help intolerance to inhaled substances such as paint fumes, although in some cases they may be minimized. However, desensitization procedures can be undertaken to help this particular problem.

Generally, food intolerances do not go away, although the symptoms may wax and wane. New symptoms may appear regularly or irregularly, others disappear only to reappear later. The tendency is for the condition to become worse over time, each sufferer has a different story to tell based around a common theme - the misery of food intolerance! ! Intolerances, in the vast majority of cases, are symptoms; the problem is elsewhere, usually with the digestive system.

Note: Three case histories on food intolerance are to be found in the relevant section at the end of this book.

Candida Albicans

I have decided to include the infestation by Candida under Specific Bodily Imbalances, as candida is present in the human body, in minimal quantities, from birth. Candida becomes a problem (that is often extremely severe) when it is allowed to flourish unchecked.

I get far more letters, requesting help and information about the problems of candida overgrowth, than on any other subject. It has become such an enormous problem to the medical profession that the antifungal creams and pessaries used to treat vaginal infections were taken off prescription a few years ago. These preparations can suppress the infection in many cases, but it is not unusual for the problem to return time and again, with greater severity

Candida Albicans is an insidious invader of the human body. It is known as the 'Great Imitator' as it can mirror dozens of different diseases. This can create a problem of symptomatic treatment rather than that of cause. In this situation candida gains an ever- increasing stronghold, slowly strangling the immune system, which leaves the body's defense system partially paralyzed. From the moment of birth (and sometimes before) candida takes up residence, normally creating a symbiotic relationship with the friendly bacteria within. A depressed immune system allows an overgrowth of candida and it is this overgrowth that is the problem.

Candida Albicans is a yeast-like fungus that likes to live in warm, dark, damp environments such as the intestines, the vagina, between the toes, under the nails, on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and throat, and sometimes on the surface of the skin. Candida lives by eating dead tissue and has a party with refined carbohydrates, fruit sugars and yeasts! When we consume quantities of animal protein loaded with antibiotics, or when they are prescribed for the treatment of bacterial infections, they tend to turn the saprophytic (vegetable organism living on dead organic matter) organism into a pathogen (microorganisms, such as bacteria). A pathogen can thrive on living tissue and is capable of causing infection and disease.

Chronic infestation with Candida Albicans (there are over eighty strains of candida) can release a minimum of seventy-nine known chemical substances against which the body creates an identifiable antibody. If candida takes hold in the stomach, it can damage the parietal cells that make HCl, further compounding many problems such as allergies. Candida overgrowth in adults is at epidemic proportions, even babies succumb, having been "infected" by the mother during pregnancy.

Candida can change form and become mycelial, this means that it grows root-like tentacles. If for instance, this occurs in the bowel, the tentacles will perforate it, allowing waste matter to enter the bloodstream, which obviously creates many problems.

The 24 Seven Health Plan will help to eradicate an overgrowth of candida, by boosting the performance of the immune system. More serious infestations will need specific dietary and supplemental help. I use my own formula, Candacleanse, for this purpose. This contains anti-candida and anti-parasite substances such as caprylic acid, lactobacillus acidophilus, garlic, Pau D'arco, echinacea, golden seal, butternut bark, biotin, citrus pectin and psyllium, etc.

It is of the utmost importance that both partners engaged in a sexual relationship are treated, if one of them is diagnosed with candida. A woman with vaginal candida (thrush), can pass the organism on to the male, who, in many instances, will have no symptoms. The female, although being treated, can be constantly re-infected by her partner and have no respite from the problem.

Vaginal candida (thrush) produces a thickish, yellow-white discharge that has quite a strong smell and is usually accompanied by a severe itch. There are other diseases such as *chlamydia, that can produce a similar discharge. It has been my experience that many women are unable to tell a normal vaginal discharge from the abnormal. If in doubt, consult you GP

Sufferers of mild vaginal thrush may like to use natural 'live' yogurt as a douche. Live yogurt contains the "friendly" bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus. This can be introduced into the vagina twice daily and also taken orally as part of a dietary regimen.

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

Hormonal Imbalance

At the risk of being branded a sexist, I think that I can safely say that women are far more likely to be affected by a hormonal imbalance than men! A woman's body is far more delicately hormonally balanced and any deviation from the normal has a greater effect, both physically and emotionally. For most women this imbalance is related to the menstrual cycle. Prior to and during this time, there is a high demand for hormonal production and regulation.

Of the women I have screened, by their own admission, twenty per cent suffered from menstrual cramps, fourteen per cent from menstrual irregularity and forty per cent from PMT (PMS in America).

This makes a total of up to seventy-four per cent of women who experience some type of menstrual problems on a monthly basis! This is not an evolutionary feature that women have to live with! Rather, in the majority of cases, it is a dietary-nutritional problem.

Hormones are secreted by certain endocrine glands. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) which are precursors to hormones cannot be made by the body, they must be supplied in the diet. These, together with 'good' cholesterol are the raw material from which our bodies manufacture cell walls, prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) and hormones.

On a western style diet, far to little EFAs are supplied. There are many far-reaching effects of this shortage (see Chapter Two - Saturated Fats), including a lack of hormone production. Some EFAs have to be converted to other substances in the body, before they can be used. This conversion can be blocked by other nutritional imbalances.

Evening Primrose Oil, which is an essential fatty acid, is a well-known 'therapy' for sufferers of PMT. This EFA is the most effective for some people as it does not need to be converted to be utilized. Supplemental calcium is also an extremely important nutrient in the treatment of PMT as it relieves cramping, backache and nervousness. Someone once said that when research showed that calcium helped PMT, there were queues of people outside the pharmacies the next day and they were all men!

We are all dependent on the correct regulation of hormones and hormone like substances called prostaglandins, (these are present in a wide variety of tissues and body fluid) for the efficient operation of our bodies. We play with them at our peril. Male athletes who inject steroids to improve performance can suffer from many adverse affects, including shrinking testicles! Female athletes on a heavy training schedule and/or taking steroids can stop menstruating. Additionally, their breasts often shrink, their voice deepens and body hair can increase. Normal female hormone production is shut down and male hormones are produced as an adaptation measure!

The rise in testicular cancer is thought, in part, to be caused by males getting excess doses of the female hormone, estrogen, from the food chain. A small proportion of males do get breast cancer, possibly for the same reason.

Too little of the hormone progesterone can affect the full shedding of the womb lining during the monthly cycle. As progesterone is required to support a growing fetus, too little of it can also result in a 'spontaneous abortion'.

By supplementing with therapeutic doses of fatty acids such as evening primrose, flax, hemp and Starflower oil, vitamin B6, calcium and zinc, many menstrual problems will be solved. Thereafter, the fatty acids should ideally come from daily dietary sources such as oily fish, other types of seafood, unshelled nuts, seeds (Pumpkin, Sunflower, etc.), extra virgin olive oil (unheated), olives, raw coconut oil, etc. These can be supplemented with maintenance levels of fatty acids from bottled or encapsulated oil.

Among the many other benefits of properly utilized. essential fatty acids are a healthy, taut, youthful skin and the elevation of testosterone levels in males. We are conditioned to think of all fats as bad, when nothing could be further from the truth. Essential fatty acids are named as such, because they are essential. Without them, at the least, PMT would be the rule (which it almost is) and at the worst, we would shrivel up and die!

Warning: Women who have breast cancer should seek the advice of a health professional before supplementing with fatty acids.

Antibiotics

I firmly believe that the use of antibiotics is justified in certain cases. They have and will continue to save lives. The problem is with the overuse of these drugs. Some doctors prescribe them 'at the drop of a hat' with no thought of the consequences. Patients also put pressure on their doctors to prescribe them, believing that they are a simple answer to all problems. Supply and demand in this instance, is not a good thing.

In his book- Superbug - Geoffrey Cannon quotes Dr Richard Novick - Director, Public Health Research Institute, New York; 1979, "Through a characteristically human combination of shortsightedness, greed and ignorance, we are now well on the way to negating totally the usefulness of antibiotics. Antibiotics have been (and still are) given for everything from headache to ingrown toenails; they are swallowed, sucked, injected and smeared; they are painted on cuts, dumped into wounds, fed to the chickens and pigs and sprayed on the floors of hospital wards". Profound and indeed prophetic words.

All drugs have side effects, or contraindications to use the medical term. These range in severity from mild through to serious. Often the 'cure' can be worse than the disease. Side effects for the antibiotic Tetracycline, for instance, are listed as: - stomach disturbances, allergies and additional infections! A very common side effect for women on any type of antibiotic is to get thrush. The 'good' bowel flora that are an essential part of our secondary immune system get knocked out, allowing an overgrowth of the 'bad' bacteria (candida or thrush) to proliferate. We may then become open to infection by any number of bacteria with which a healthy immune system would normally deal.

Bacteria are exceedingly clever, they can change form to become resistant to a particular antibiotic, and therefore it takes stronger and stronger versions or a completely different type to wipe them out. There is a new Superbug that feeds off the strongest antibiotic cocktail that is currently known, that is frightening and cause for serious concern.

We should all resist the temptation to seek or demand these drugs for every cough, cold, snivel or minor problem that troubles us. Far better to strengthen our immune systems' by nutritional means, so that we don't get every infection that is 'going the rounds'. If we do have to take a course of them, thereafter, acidophilus & bifidus should be administered in doses of at least two grams a day of a practitioner strength product (10 billion organisms per gram) for one week. This will help to repopulate the bowel flora, decimated by many types of antibiotic. This is even more relevant to babies and children. However, I would give babies (birth to one year) half to three quarters of a gram daily and children one to three years, three quarters to one gram daily.

The overuse of antibiotics and many other drugs, both prescriptive and medicinal, is a significant contributor to the overall depletion of our immune systems, and, therefore, the startling decline in our general health.

I return to my writing having taken a call from a prospective client, who has kidney and gallstones, gum disease, high cholesterol, ulcers and constant infections, for which he has had antibiotic treatment for the last eight months. How old is he? Seventy? No. Sixty? No. Fifty? No. He is twenty-one!

Dental Amalgams

Dental amalgams are made up of approximately fifty-two per cent mercury, the remainder can be made up of tin, zinc, copper, silver, etc. The toxicity center at the Tennessee University in the USA rates poisons for their lethal toxicity potential to human beings. Plutonium is the most deadly with a rating of 1900, mercury rates a score of 1600! Around twelve thousand papers have been published showing the toxicity and dangers of amalgam!

The old saying 'mad as a hatter' came into being because people employed in the making of hats, used mercury to form the curved brims of them. They obviously were in contact with and inhaled huge amounts of mercury vapor over many years, this affected neurological function and drove them 'mad'.

Mercury and the other metals used in dental amalgams leach into the body via various mechanisms. They are deposited in the tissue and organs and can effect many people in the most disastrous manner. Most dentists will still tell you that amalgam fillings do not pose a risk to health. If this is the case, why are female dentists' three and one half times more likely to suffer from sterility and miscarriage? Why do all dental workers have higher levels of cancers of the brain, heart and lungs?

Everyone is different and will therefore react differently to toxic substances. Some will not react at all, others seriously or possibly fatally. I suspect that those who do not react in an adverse manner have high levels of antioxidants and chelating (binding) minerals that remove toxic metals from the body. It would be extremely wise to be tested for mercury sensitivity before embarking on a course of amalgam removal. There are dentists who specialize in the correct removal of amalgams and offer nutritional planning to further minimize any risks. If you can avoid it, do not have your amalgams removed by any dentist who does not specialize in this work, as you may end up with more trouble than you started with.

A powerful antioxidant formula that contains amongst others, selenium methionine and the vitamins A, C & E will help the body detoxify and rid itself of mercury. The amino acids, glutathione, cysteine and glycine also perform this action, as does silica and alpha lipoic acid. It is also important to get make sure that your body is receiving an adequate supply of all vitamins and minerals.


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