Terje Sørgjerd

Lessons from Parasites

Please note that the information provided in this post is for educational purposes only, it is not meant to diagnose or treat any health condition - you should discuss any treatment plan with your doctor. 

(pictures from the Mars rover)

Article written by Patrick Bayer C.N.C.

I have spent a great amount of time researching parasites trying to resolve my issues.  Along the way I have picked up much information from both medical textbooks, research articles, personal and other's experiences.   Here are some the lessons learned:                                                                                                            1.  Parasites may not be your problem.  People assume that because they feel sick that parasites are the cause.  There is no question that parasites will cause you to be ill but so will other pathogens such as yeast/fungus/molds, viruses, rogue bacteria, lyme, mycoplasma infections etc.  

The gut is one of first places to look if you feel sick. A majority of the immune system resides in the gut since it is vulnerable to pathogens (always exercise food safety practices). 

 If you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome you well may have parasites 

http://pptu.lefora.com/2012/12/20/intestinal-parasites-may-be-causing-your-energy-sl/#post0

If  you have a gut related diagnosis such as IBS, colitis, Crohn's etc, there is a very good chance that pathogenic organisms are the root cause.  Studies have shown that parasites, rogue bacteria* or yeast/fungal may be involved.  Doctors do not suspect this and their advice may delay your recovery.   Pathogenic testing in the gut is difficult and may require many tests.    

*rogue bacteria would be organisms that are unknown but create problems in the gut. There are some well known bacteria that cause problems such as c. difficile which can be identified. 

I would suggest reading this link for some great ideas on gastrointestinal issues. The author outlines the concepts about dysbiosis which is a broad term to describe gastro problems generally caused by rogue bacteria or fungal/yeast issues. He does not delve into the idea of parasites, the protocol seems quite logical for the other issues (bacteria/yeast). 

(Remember in life there are no absolutes, you likely will be faced with many obstacles in this journey, but remember you faced other obstacles and you found a way. It is important to know that not every expert has the answer but may provide a new lead in the journey. Don't be discouraged).

2.  Testing can be very helpful.  Parasite testing is hit or miss and with most labs, they simply fail to find the problem, so you may have to test with  more than one lab.  I know people who have tested up to 50 times until they found the culprit.   There are many reasons for this which you can read about here >> https://parawellnessresearch.com/articles/

3.  The best labs are

z/ Update 2/2020 uBiome filed for bankruptcy protection. When I last checked, there were a number of similar labs. I read several reviews and some seemed so-so while others had better reviews. My personal opinion is that these labs can offer a glimpse into things, they may not be perfect.

uBiome is a new technology company that offers at home testing for $89. At this time they are testing for microbiome which would include healthy organisms and they state they test for pathogenic and commenseal organisms (commenseal would be defined as organisms that neither pathogenic (disease causing) or necessary organisms).

They use PCR analysis which in simple terms finds DNA in your specimen. PCR is the latest technology which avoids human error. I have not done this test but feel it could be a valuable test to do some preliminary screening. The cost is very reasonable and is easy to facilitate. It would be my first choice.

The microbiome (or colony of organisms in the gut) is an up and coming study. It is now realized that the gut plays a key role in the health of the body and brain. Every person has a unique mix of organisms which influence many things such as weight control, inflammatory conditions, inflammation, immunity and others.

Advantage: Uses PCR analysis which is considered to more accurate than microscopy testing, ease of use, cost is reasonable. Tests levels of healthy bacteria and according to their site they test for pathogenic and commenseal organisms. At this time, I am not sure of what pathogens besides bacterial that they test for.

Disadvantage: May not be widely accepted by doctors as traditional labs (which have their own pitfalls), however it would be accepted by open minded physicians.

a/ Dr. Kevin Cahill in NYC requires a personal visit, cost is $500.  He uses a 'hot sample' to diagnose.
Advantage:  Well respected and thoughtful, accurate diagnostics (one of the top parasitologists), writes prescriptions, cost is reasonable.
Disadvantage:  Travel and from what I have heard does not believe Blastocystis is pathogenic.

b/ Dr. Simon Yu is located in St. Louis and recognizes and treats parasites using drug and alternative therapies.  I have only heard secondary reports about him.  I do not know if he has his own lab.
http://www.preventionandhealing.com/

c/ Dr. Shirley Scott M.D.  is located in New Mexico and is very good according to the reports I have received.  I believe she does both the testing and the treatment.   From what I hear she uses aggressive drug treatments.   Phone number is (505) 986-9960

d/  Dr. Martin Wolfe (Washington D.C.)  is now retired from what I have heard. However referrals go to Dr. Princy N. Kumar at 202-444-0086.

e/ Dr. Daniel Griffin is an infectious disease doctor in the New York area. I know about him from the TWIP podcasts (This Week in Parasitism) which you can listen to the podcasts. I do not know anyone who has visited him but his is very intelligent. Here is his contact info http://www.travelhealth.us/

f/  ParaWellness Lab in Aurora Colorado.  The sample is sent in the mail, cost is $300.   They offer suggestions for treatment which mainly include essential oil types of products.

Advantage:  Convenient, reasonable cost, accurate diagnostics, compassionate, can order test without a doctor's order.
Disadvantage: Results may take up to 4 weeks, if you want prescriptive agents they probably will not prescribe but do offer other suggestions.

g/  Dr. Stensvold is a leading parasite researcher and offers testing through Staten Serum Institut .  From what I have heard, they can offer testing by 2 different methods - traditional microscopic testing and PCR.

Advantage:  Dr. Stensvold is one of the best and can use traditional microscope testing which with most providers is useless however with him would provide a different outcome. Also has  PCR detection available which is very sensitive (can find a needle in a haystack).  Dr. Stensvold is a leading researcher of protozoa parasites and passionate about his work and also a compassionate man.  Microscopic testing can also find other pathogens such as  yeast, rogue bacteria etc. which should be considered as possibilities. 

Disadvantage:  His lab is located in Europe and shipping may cost a bit more. Traditional microcopic testing is less than $400 for many pathogens while PCR is more expensive.  May not be able to detect the commenseal parasites that can be a pathogenic subtype.   Requires a doctors order.  

h/ Dr. Glen Wilcox (New Mexico)  - LINK 
I have not spoken to their office but was told that you can call them for a parasite testing kit which the cost is $369 as of this writing.   From what I understand he uses a lab outside of the United States who reportedly is good, finding parasites that other labs failed at.   Dr. Wilcox does not prescribe drugs, only herbs.  If you have used this lab please let us know the outcomes.
Advantage:  Test from home, apparently lab is good.
Disadvantage:  Treats with herbs only, no prescriptions.  Treating doctors may not accept these findings since they are not a 'normal' lab.
Here is what Dr. Wilcox says on the website

Specimen Analysis

Since 1988, Dr. Wilcox has worked and studied with Hammed A. Ibraheem, M.D., Ph.D., the internationally respected parasitologist and founder of the Eko University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Nigeria . Stool, urine, sputum, blood and other specimens are sent to the Medical School for analysis. For more information contact Dave at 505-771-4998 or email drwilcoxofficemanager@gmail.com.

i/ Parasitic Disease Consultants offers Elisa testing for many parasites.  The website says he was the former director of the CDC division of Parasitic Disease.   Elisa testing differs from stool testing in which they look for antigens in the samples.   He tests for about 25 parasites and most tests cost $75.  I do not know anyone who has used this lab.  It appears that a doctor's order is necessary to access the tests.
http://www.parasitic.com/test.htm

j/ DRG Labs is now offering a PCR based test (Feb 2015) - I do not have any further information. 

k/  Other lab services may be helpful in identifying some parasites but in many cases they produce false negatives.
Advantage:  Convenient, cheaper than the above alternatives.  Doctors think these labs are better than the above choices which they have unfounded disdain for.   The ordering doctor would prescribe meds if found at their labs.  However most doctors do not order adequate treatments due to ignorance.
Disadvantage:  Questionable results, may require retesting with other labs.   Requires a doctor's order.

l/  (Update Nov 2013 - Genova (formerly Metametrix) is no longer offering PCR analysis for parasites (only for certain bacteria), they are reverting back to microscopy techniques which is not effective.  I will try to find another suitable lab to replace this: Update 3/17 - uBiome offers a at home testing kit for $89, see above).  Metametrix GI Effects.  They are doing PCR for bacteria, this test may be helpful in identifying other pathogenic organisms but in terms of parasitology, I would look elsewhere.

Here is the old information about Metametrix (Genova):

Use panel #2105.  Cost is around $300, they use PCR technology rather than traditional microscope methods.
Advantage:  Uses PCR detection which is very sensitive (can find a needle in a haystack).  Provides other  diagnostic metrics such as probiotic levels, panel #2105 checks for pathogenic yeast/fungus and pathogenic bacteria as well as parasites.  Useful for general screening to see if a pathogen is present in the gut and which one is present. 

Disadvantage:  Many receive a PPTU diagnosis which means Parasite Present Taxonomy Unavailable (about 70%).  This diagnosis may require further investigation.  Many on the pptu.lefora.com forum have received either a e. histolytica diagnosis from Cahill or another parasite (ParaWellness).
Tests can be ordered through http://www.forresthealth.com/gi-effects-metametrix/  or http://www.mmx.mymedlab.com/specialty-tests/microbial-ecology-profile-mmx2105

4.  Doctors know very little about parasites and many believe if you think you have them, you are suffering with a delusional syndrome - poor doctors.   Even Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine doctors will have a hard time unless you suffer with some overt symptom.   I walked around for many years chronically ill and saw many physicians and alternative people, not one of those people even suggested parasites as being the problem.  Many erroneously believe that Americans cannot get parasites (unless you travel outside the country) which makes no sense to me.  So don't be discouraged if they don't believe you.
Here is a good post that supports these ideas click here

5.  Identification is key for treatment.  There are many types of parasites and many of them require specialized treatments.  http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=2012403  

If you suffer with protozoa parasites please visit our forum at pptu.lefora.com, we have a storehouse of education and practical experience as well as a forum for support.

 6.  Not every parasite is a worm.  Parasites can be classified into the following: 

a/  Nematodes (worms)

b/  Cestodes (tapeworms)
c/  Trematodes (flukes)

d/  Protozoa  (microscopic such as giardia etc)

Treatments are different for each classification.  

7.  Don't guess at what you have unless you have to.  Too many people guess at what they have which costs time and money in the long run, let alone the discouragement and frustration with failed results. However this does not mean that testing may be the answer.

7a. On a popular forum, there are people who post pictures of their stools. It is nearly impossible to identify parasites from these pictures. Mucoid plaque is often mistaken for parasites. My personal belief is that the mucoid plaque can be a result of infection in the gut, this infection well could be parasitic but also other pathogens such as bacteria. Pathogens come in two forms: microscopic which means you cannot see them with your eye and those you can see with the naked eye. The ones you can see with your eye are nematodes (worms), flukes or tapeworms.

Nematodes are worms,  there are many species of worms, some big like roundworm and some smaller such as threadworms. They can be identified by have a cylindrical shape and have tapered ends.

Flukes are ovoid shaped, some people report seeing 'rolled up tomato skins' in their stool.

Tapeworms are larger and come out in segments. Some people have reported seeing 'white rice' in their stool which could be the eggs.

You can view images of these using Google Images or visit this link
http://pptu.lefora.com/topic/19403254/Comprehensive-List-Education-manuals-amp-Image-Galleries#.WGAtx-ZtenI

8.   Treatment may require different combinations.  There are a number of 'cocktail' remedies which comprise of more than one product administered.  There does not appear to be a 'magic' protocol, many people experiment with different combinations.

Black Walnut type of products are considered to be a gold standard of treatment but in my opinion are questionable in their results.  It is best to keep an open mind regarding the recommendations given.   In addition to this there are reports about toxicity of wormwood (artemisia, particularly artemisia abisinthium)  and some there is information about the toxicity of black walnut.  These products are usually not effective for protozoa.   I removed roundworm using Neem, Boswellia, Myrrh and enteric coated Oil of Oregano, the worms were extracted within 1 week, although longer treatment should take place.  Banyan Botanicals offer a parasite product based on Ayurvedic methods and there are many other methods to extract parasites.  In some cases it is advisable to use drugs.  

9.  You might have to use drugs to eradicate worms - see #5.  Reports come in that using drugs in combination with parasite herbals work better.  This would be consistent with antibiotic resistant bacteria in which combos offer the best possibility.   One used Barefoot's & Vermox together which gave the best results versus using drugs alone.

Update Nov 2013:  Resistance to drugs is a growing problem and worms are no different - please see this post about techniques to identify resistance and some tips that may overcome the problem.  http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=2128433#i

Update Oct 2014:  There are reports about using grapefruit or grapefruit juice in conjunction with therapy that seems to help.   Grapefruit inhibits certain liver enzymes involved in removing the drugs or herbs so they stay longer in your system.   As with any advice given in this blog, it is suggested to research this and talk to your doctor about these protocols.  It is also important to observe any changes you see. 

10.  If you suffer from protozoa infections please see http://pptu.lefora.com/2010/09/18/welcome-please-read-2/

11.  Protozoa generally require pharmaceuticals for removal.   Some protozoa have MDR (Multi Drug Resistance) properties, please see the pptu forum (category MDR/Efflux Pumps) for more information.
Update 6/2016: I have gotten help from a combination of natural medicine, if you would like details, please leave a message at the bottom of this post.

12.  Doctors may not give you drugs but there are reports of people using veterinary forms of medicines as well as ordering from overseas that do not require a prescription.  Trusted and rated pharmacies are a better bet that you will not get ripped off. 

13.  Cysts persist.  The cyst form may be the toughest to kill and is necessary to kill to prevent re-infection.  We have preliminary reports that Lufenuron is helpful.  Lufenuron is an anti-chitin agent, chitin is the protective coating that many parasites use mostly in the cyst form but also some use in the active form.   You can read more at http://lufenuroncandidacure.owndoc.com/.  The website erroneously reports that Lufenuron is not effective against protozoa which is untrue, most protozoa use the cyst form which are comprised of chitin.  Microsporidia use chitin in another form to repopulate.  

14.  Forget about some alternative therapies, for instance Zappers have not shown to be effective, this is based on the multitude of stories I have read, table top ozone should not be used based on the by products they emit (medical ozone is ok).

Acupuncture was not directly effective but can offer some support.  Building and maintaining a healthy immune system is always a good idea.  Get your vitamin D levels checked, mineral levels checked, use supportive anti-oxidants (while not doing therapies as they may reduce effectiveness) etc.  Colostrum is a great product for immunity and tissue repair of the gut, taken along with Vitamin A and Vitamin D provides immune factors (sIgA) for the intestinal environment where most of the immune system is housed.http://pptu.lefora.com/topic/4138184/Secretory-IgA-sIgA

15. Parasites cause a diverse amount of symptoms which means there is no clear cut symptom that can assure you have parasites.    Symptoms will be determined by two factors ::: 1/ Parasite species and 2/ host immunity (how strong your immune system is).  People report a wide variety of symptoms from neurological problems, insomnia, fatigue, loose stools, constipation, muscle aches, joint pains, sore throat, memory loss, brain fog, concentration issues, cognitive problems, disorientation, gut pain, indigestion, nausea, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), colitis, celiac, Crohn's,  inflammatory bowel disease and many other symptoms.

Parasites and other infections can effect your mental/emotional health.  Many people report depression, anxiety, 'crazy feelings' or Gu Syndrome*.   Published reports show that a common protozoa Taxaplasmosis (transmitted from cat feces) will cause schizophrenic thoughts.   This post shows the correlation between mental health and infectious organisms.  Gu Syndrome is a Traditional Chinese Medicine term for a set of symptoms that modern medicine now knows as a parasitic disease, it was described as demon possession which is now known as parasitic possession.  Here is an article that may be helpful.

Cytokines are the result of immune involvement.  Cytokines will enter the brain and cause disorientation, or better known as 'brain fog', memory loss and other neurological abnormalities will occur from the cytokine 'invasion' of the brain.  Here is a comprehensive article about the many effects cytokines produce.

If your belly is sticking out and hard you probably have an infection in the gut.  This is known as a distended abdomen or ascites - This is due to the immune system, it is inflammation.    Pain in the abdomen is another sign.

16.  Parasites directly and indirectly cause damage.  The immune system is quite active during infection and uses powerful weapons to control the infection (this is why it is necessary to keep strong immunity), unfortunately the immune system produces strong oxides that damage other tissue such as the lining of the intestinal tract, this is known as leaky gut.  Burdens on the liver are created as well as immune shifting (becoming more susceptible to other attacks such as viral).  Toxins become circulated from both the immune reactions and the nasty stuff the parasites produce.   Endocrine shifting will occur as well from the immune reactions, so it is possible to see symptoms of low thyroid, gonadal shifting (estrogen, testosterone etc).  Adrenal activity is altered from the infections, which can lead to an overactive situation resulting in adrenal fatigue.

18.  Practice hygiene   More than 72 species of protozoan and helminth parasites can reach humans by way of food and water*.  Most parasites are transmitted by the fecal/oral route.  Most protozoa infections occur from the water supply which is generally not a concern for countries that have water sanitation, it is possible that non-treated water supplies can carry parasites (protozoa such as Giardia, Cryptosporidium etc).  I do not eat any fresh fruits or vegetables without some sterilizing wash, you have no idea how the fields were irrigated.  Do not eat raw meat, fish (sushi) etc.  you are asking for trouble.   I do not eat any food that has not been cooked at any restaurant (again handling is a concern).   Some parasites can be transmitted from your pets (toxocara, toxoplasmosis etc).

* http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15058817

Resources:

CDC Website:
http://dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/Default.htm

Dr. Leo Galland M.D. has a great resource for gastrointestinal issues:
http://mdheal.org/articles.htm

Manual for laboratory identification
http://www.afpmb.org/sites/default/files/whatsnew/2009/Diagnosing_Medical_Parasites.pdf

Protozoa forum:
pptu.lefora.com

This link has a great visual library that helps identify specific parasites through unique features
 parasite link  

Parasite Menace by Skye Weintraub
Good book on using natural remedies for all parasites, well researched and practical

Parasitology Textbook 
Diagnostic Medical Parasitology, Fifth Edition, Lynn S Garcia

Disclaimer: This information is educational only, please consult a physician.

Bugs bugs and more bugs

After many years of suffering, I finally have a focused idea on what was been plaguing me - Iodamoeba Butschlii an amoebic parasite.   This was confirmed by a qualified parasitologist through microscopy.  This parasite is considered to be non-pathogenic along with about many others (Entamoeba coli, E. hartmanni, E. polecki, Endolimax nana etc.).

Traditional understanding of this parasite states that it causes no problems in which I developed Cushing's.   Cushing's is an overproduction of adrenal hormones traditionally thought to originate from cysts on the adrenals or pituitary glands however it is now understood that the adrenals are stimulated in order to upregulate the immune response.   In my case the parasitic infection was so severe that the adrenals reacted very strongly in which I developed Cushings.

Subtypes are genetically different organisms but the same appearing organism when viewed through a microscope.  For instance blastocystis hominis is considered to be non-pathogenic but it has been discovered that 11 sub-types are pathogenic, making people ill.

The same holds true for Iodamoeba butschlii in which renowned parasite researcher Dr. Stensvold states:

"Morphologically identical organisms, such as those belonging to Iodamoeba bütschlii, may be found in both human and non-human hosts and may differ genetically across the nuclear small subunit rRNA gene by up to more than 30%! This is quite astonishing given the fact that the difference between human and murine small subunit rDNA is about 1%! Since these data have been established only recently, obviously no one knows the respective clinical significance of these morphologically similar but genetically very different lineages, and further studies may reveal differences in pathogenicity as seen in other amoebic genera. Blastocystis and Entamoeba coli are somewhat similar examples."

Stensvold states in another post  that the parasite Blastocystis, that they have collected much data about from the DNA sequencing but for other species such as Iodamoeba, Entamoeba and Endolimax there is very little data available.

He goes on to say that from the little sequencing they have done on Iodamoeba that it has been demonstrated that tremendous genetic variation occurs which represents a complex species rather than 'just' Iodamoeba butschlii.  This would indicate that there are sub-types of Iodamoeba that are pathogenic therefore require treatment.

(Stensvold et al, 2012).

http://pptu.lefora.com/2012/12/18/more-on-pptu/#post0

Chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgia, pptu, parasite present taxonomy unavailable, Metametrix, GI Effects, myalgic encephalomyelitis

Jacob Sutton's L.E.D. Surfer

thzer

Invisible Things

The world is an amazing place, in spite of all the advances in science we really don't understand the whole picture.  John Lloyd speaks on this issue at the 2009 TED conference. 

Ozone

-((Note:  This article is published as education material only, it is not meant to diagnose or

 provide treatment advice for any health condition, that is the job of your healthcare provider. 

 As with any information you read or are given, you should use adequate research before embarking on a treatment))-

Article written by Patrick Bayer C.N.C.

My Summation of research on CFS/ME Research

Personally, I think that ozone may be one of the best therapies available.   I purchased my unit which is a medical grade unit which has an external oxygen concentrator that provides a pure oxygen feed into the unit*.

Ozone has been used for a number of situations since it has diverse abilities to help the body. It is widely known for its disinfection properties since it is able to kill a number of organisms, it is also thought to help switch on helpful enzymes that aid in recovery and it is also known to disable toxins. Toxins are overlooked in medicine, and it is my belief that these toxins disrupt the normal functions of the body which results in struggles.

I have read many papers on ozone and the one that stands out is from the Cuban Institute of Ozone Link  (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17560465/). The paper carefully lays out the need to assess anti-oxidant status before embarking on therapy.   They simply adjust the amount of ozone based on the antioxidant status, so if the patient has low markers then they administer low amounts of ozone.

It has been suggested that since ozone (oxygen) will help in the manufacture of endogenous*/* anti-oxidants (Glutathione, SOD and Catalase), it is not necessary to adjust dosage.   This is a false statement (read the ozono.cubaweb link above) and nearly landed me in the emergency room as I was advised to do a dose far above my ability to handle such high oxidation.

So, the idea of more is better is just not a good idea.  Ozone is the second most oxidizing substance in nature (behind fluoride which should be avoided at all costs).  Oxidation and Redox are a teeter totter of sorts -a balancing act, this means that are opposite and should be within a balance.  With oxidation the body must reduce the oxidation and this is known as redox or REDuction of OXygen.  If you oxidize more than you can redox then this is bad.   So it is important to only administer the amount of ozone that the body can handle.  Otherwise, you will create more stress in the body, and you do not want to do this.

People with high toxin overload or chronic infections will already be in a high oxidation state which means their ability to handle ozone is diminished.   This was the situation for me.  I had a protozoa parasite that causes immense damage due to the immune system activation.  The immune system uses natural oxides and nitrogen compounds that produces high oxidative stress on the body.   It manufactures these compounds to lyse or punch holes into the pathogens membranes to kill them.   This is why people feel achy or 'sick' when they come down with an infectious organism.

When one has low antioxidants then the energy levels diminish, ability to detoxify becomes impaired and everything else goes haywire.  Raising anti-oxidants will help the body redox faster.  From what I read it is best to avoid anti oxidants within a 6 hour window of ozone administration.*>*

Ozone stimulates the release of toxins and it does a very good job of that.   I would find that within 1-2 days I would begin to get that toxic feeling (stressed).  In detox world people advocate taking X or Y substance, but these substances should be categorized in two areas  1/ provokers and 2/ vacuums.

A provoking agent would be explained as something that stimulates the release of toxins which would include ozone, or another example would be cilantro which is said to provoke mercury.   These agents force toxins out of their storage area which forces them into the bloodstream.  Once in the bloodstream they will move to organs for elimination such as the liver.

A vacuum agent would be something that binds to the toxin so it is carried out of the body.   An example of this would be chlorella.   This is critical in my opinion and something that is missed.   Vacuums will reduce stress on the body by binding the toxin.   I found that chlorella worked very well as did zeolite (I used rnaresults.com ACZnano which in my opinion worked better than other products including Waiora or powdered products) but others swear by clays such as Pascalite or Bentonite, I also found that activated charcoal worked well (purchased in bulk -see this excellent article http://healingtools.tripod.com/char3.html).

If you provoke a toxin without binding it for excretion, then more than likely the toxin will recirculate in the body thus depositing in the same location it was provoked or perhaps a new location. This is never good.

The other thing I missed was the liver.   My liver was already compromised due to the pathogen I contracted.   Again, with high immune activity massive oxidation is created and with that and the immense psychological stress I was under, my liver became quite congested.   I would also note that any person with chronic infections have a toxicity issue to begin with, I would suggest that is due to the cell membrane damage caused by high oxidation (read Dr. Majid Ali's work or Dr. Patricia Kane's work on restoring cell membrane integrity using fatty acids and phosphatidyl choline).   When cell membranes are damaged from oxidative stress they cannot function well thus low energy states arise, inability to detoxify becomes increased, hormonal production decreases etc.

Since toxins are released even with vacuums, the liver must detoxify this.  Doing liver cleanses as promoted with some popular websites that utilize drinking olive oil (apple juice) are not adequate for deep cleansing of the liver.   These may promote gall bladder cleansing but do not provide much therapeutic value for the liver.


Gluathione is a tri-peptide amino acid that is vital for liver functioning and low levels of any of the critical sulfur containing amino acids (glutathione, cysteine, taurine and methionine) affects the critical methylation cycles.

 Glutathione is a two-way nutrient in which the immune system depends on adequate amounts to manufacture key immune factors and it is involved in detoxification.   So in chronic infections, it is my speculation that since the immune system is pulling all of the glutathione, reserves are used up rapidly leaving lower levels for the liver, thus the liver becomes impaired.   As a side-note traditional glutathione supplements have never given me the results until I used Liposomal Glutathione in which liver detoxification became very strong, so strong I became quite ill.   It was suggested to back the dose down from the 1 teaspoon to 1/8 teaspoon and gradually build up.  This approached worked.   Following the initial doses where I became quite ill I used a number of vacuums as mentioned above along with PRLabs Neuro-ND which is a reduced form of Alpha Lipoic Acid, this product worked quite well.



*/* Endogenous anti-oxidants are the ones the body makes from raw materials (nutrients). Exogeneous refers to anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C etc.

 (**for further information, please read Dr. Richard Deth's work).

*<* Update. A friend of mine spoke with a doctor who uses ozone on a regular basis and advised my friend that using vitamin C in conjunction with ozone should help not hurt. This is contrary to popular opinion that vitamin C should be avoided within a 6 hour window. My friend reports that this is helping greatly and he no longer suffers with bad effect following ozone administration.


Note: I would also like to offer a caution for those who attempt to use tabletop devices in which I personally have not used these but have heard legitimate warnings from people who know ozone.  These units rely on ambient air which is about 80% nitrogen to produce ozone which requires oxygen in order to make.   I have read reports of nitrogen compounds being produced that are not good for the body.   I have also read reports of users having reactions.

Victory over Cancer

Dr. Matthias Rath is a German Physician who took over where Dr. Linus Pauling left off.  Dr. Pauling was a two time Nobel Prize recipient for his work in the Nutrition field.  Dr. Rath's approach is from an Ortho-molecular perspective in which nutrition and nutritional supplements help the body recover versus the Western Medicine approach of using toxic chemicals.  

His latest book is entitled Victory over Cancer, you can read the book online for free or purchase a copy http://www.victory-over-cancer.org/book/about.html

The Paradoxical Commandments

More resources at http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/

The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith


People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001

Ozric Tentacles - Spacebase

This is not ordinary music by any stretch of the imagination.

Concrete Creations

A short film about Ivan Higgins who creates amazing concrete sculptures.   He owns a garden center in Liverpool Nova Scotia and creates these during the winter months.   

Visit his website http://www.concretecreations.info/index.php

                           

Jean Michel Jarre

Website roughin

HPA Axis

(this information should be regarded as educational material and is not meant to diagnose or treat you, please share with your healthcare provider).

The HPA axis is the hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal axis which is sort of the interface of the feedback system of the body.   This axis is responsible for making changes in the body regulation system according to the current conditions.   This is also known as homeostatis.

The HPA axis has been studied in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a major player in the disease process however most studies have stopped why the axis is dysregulated and how to remedy this problem.

Most CFS studies focus on viral aspects of the disease but this is short-sighted which comes as no great surprise since funding for CFS is a mere fraction of the billions spent on HIV research.   Many other pathogens are suspect that traditional testing simply misses.   Dr. Leo Galland treats many CFS patients and looks to the gut as the harbor of pathogens mostly parasites.   (Parasitic testing is well known to miss the diagnosis, alternatives are Metametrix GI Effects, ParaWellness Labs and Dr. Kevin Cahill in NYC).  The gut can also harbor rogue bacteria, yeast/fungal and viral pathogens.   There are other alternatives to the pathogen mix which some refer to Stealth Pathogens such as Microsporidia, Mycoplasma and a whole host of other potential candidates.

With immune involvement, a whole host of other systems become affected including endocrine.  With these changes, nutrient levels change, massive oxidation occurs which destroy other tissues.  Cytokines, oxidation, nutrient changes and endocrine changes begin to affect the neurological system and potentiate stress reactions, mood and stress handling.   The adrenals become fatigued due to the high stress of the immune involvement and nutrient starvation which cause more changes in the body.

Here is a post I found that is profound in which the doctor describes the more intricate http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=2001535#i


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Suffering

Sadly, Life comes with many pains and suffering, every person has a different walk in life and they may experience those pains at different levels.  Sadly as Americans we deny the idea of suffering in which we equate it to weakness. Getting through those hardships at any cost has been the only way I know.

There's a thorn in my side
And I feel like I'm standing in the middle of a battlefield
Oh Lord, I try

I walk through sunshine rain
In every forest there's a snake
In the apple of my eye

The pain, it comes and goes
I always let myself down
How does the letting go, it's just that way

I walk through sunshine rain
In every forest there's a snake
In the apple of my eye

It takes time, a friend of mine who's fallen down a million times
Told me feelings never go away, you have to learn to live this way
And keep yourself alive, that's what he said, that's what he said

I walk through sunshine rain
In every forest there's a snake
In the apple of my eye

Who is in charge of your head

An interesting article published in the New York Times in which the author shows that parasitic involvement affects not only animals but humans.   Profound changes occur not only in the physical area but the mental/emotional/behavior realms as well.   Another reference is the book Parasite Rex.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/opinion/sunday/whos-in-charge-inside-your-head.html?_r=2&emc=eta1

Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue is an overlooked problem and is becoming more common in our modern age.   I have posted blog posts about my adrenal issues which were quite severe which cause multiple problems.   Here is a link for a good article http://www.earthtym.net/ref-adrenal.htm

Gu Syndrome

Gu Syndrome is a Traditional Chinese Term which the equivalent in Western thought is pathogenic or parasitic infections.  Traditionally those who suffer from Gu report that they are possessed by demons, a curse or hex.  Western medicine dismisses this and simply puts the stamp that you are psychiatrically  ill but then again this comes from a system that relies on pharmaceutical agents and has never understood the dynamic nature of the body/mind.    Traditional Chinese Medicine has always understood that the body works as a whole, whereas if the system is unbalanced in one area that the whole body becomes affected, in Western terms this is known as homeostatis.

It is well known that infectious organisms alter the biochemistry quite dramatically, from the immense immune system cytokines released which affect the neurological/brain to the amount of oxides that flood your body which in turn damage cellular and organ functions, to the endocrine shifts caused by the adrenal activity that upregulates immune response and the list goes on.

Gu Syndrome is also known as Brain Gu, Snake Gu and demons.  Typically Gu syndromes are the most difficult cases in which they have not responded to previous treatments, have no clear diagnosis, vague symptomology with apparent digestive and psychological issues.  There are many labels to this such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Lyme etc.

From http://www.deepesthealth.com/2010/httpwp-mep55di-ex/
For the Gu patient, life is full of the misery and frustration of never being able to keep up with the rest of the world energetically because they simply feel awful all of the time and don’t know why. Also, many patients deal with a great deal of guilt and shame due to socially or morally inappropriate behaviors that come during episodes of being out of control.

Heiner Fruehauf, PhD is a TCM specialist and began to see patterns of Gu among his patients that did not respond to conventional therapies, he began to research this and developed several herbal remedies that address this problem.    He understands through the ancient texts that pathogenic organisms are to blame for the Gu problem, and these organisms have many capabilities to evade immune response.   Typical therapies are seldom enough to eradicate them.   He has developed several formulas to deal with this and feedback appears to be positive.   The products are Lightning Pearls, Thunder Pearls and Dragon Pearls.   A simple Google search should show results for these products.  

Dr. Fruehauf's article on Gu here>>  http://www.classicalchinesemedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/fruehauf_gufinal.pdf

Man cures cancer

A man diagnosed with colon cancer cured himself using natural substances.   He used barley grass powder, curry (turmeric), selenium, apricot seeds and diet modification.   Read the article 

   

10 Healing Spices

Research continues to point that spices offer many benefits such as being anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and support organ function and immunity.   Here is a great link about 10 spices such as cinnamon, turmeric and cayenne.   

Autism

My personal story of the plight of protozoa parasites.   Studies show that many cases of Autism are based on an immune system challenge.

Website Design

This is a small sample of my website design work which I do at reasonable rates, please contact me if interested.  I am happy to work with clients to design a professional site and offer SEO options as well.  

Susheela Raman - Amba

Liposomal Antibiotics

I contracted an unknown protozoa parasite that evokes a very strong immune reaction including a  hyper secretion of adrenal hormones (Cushing's) that went undiagnosed for a long time until I used a PCR based test.   Parasites are difficult to diagnose using conventional testing methods (microscopy) and with the advent of PCR testing, it is now much easier to get a diagnosis. 

I have been forced to treat myself since doctors refused to give me antibiotics.   With that I have had to learn the ins and outs about antibiotic therapy which includes prescription and herbal based ones.  I was able to achieve die off with the use of Nitazoxanide with Paromomycin, a previous therapy using Caprylic Acid and the most recent one using Lactoferrin.  

It was my original belief that biofilms were to blame solely for the resistance phases but further reading revealed the antibiotic resistance nature of some pathogens.   There are 3 possibilities of antibiotic resistance with the most common using efflux pumps.   These pathogens that use this are able to detect the substance that is killing them then form of 'fingerprint' of that molecule in their memory.  When the molecule is reintroduced, the organism simply pumps that out of their cell thus saving them from destruction. 


I have looked extensively at the use of herbal complexes that could stop this efflux activity.  Of course I am forced to look at herbal based since I am unable to obtain pharmaceutical substances.   I extracted herbal complexes using 80% vodka since alcohol extracts are more viable to pull out the substances.  I began to put the extract into hot water to form a tea of sorts and added 99% DMSO since evidence shows that DMSO will potentiate any substance.   I was able to see improvement but this stopped as I went back into an inflammatory mode. 

I have researched the use of lipsomal compounds to deliver substances, and the liposomal approach is excellent for a number of reasons to do this.   I have used various substances such as Vitamin C, turmeric etc to make my own liposomal compounds.   This can be accomplished easily using a $50 ultrasonic cleaner, lecithin granules and the substance you want to make into the lipsome. 

I read extensively on using antibiotics in the liposomal form and studies have shown improved penetration, furthermore with lipsomal forms, less of the substance can be used while achieving a better kill rate.   Reduced amounts equates to lower toxicity for the liver and kidneys. 

I have been making a liposome compound of the herbal extract and have been achieving satisfactory results.   The herbs I am currently using are Cubeb peppercorns, paprika, andrographis and black seed.   I have another brew in extract that includes mango, papaya and guava leaves plus some of the above.   I am not currently using this formula.   These herbs have been shown to stop the efflux pumps.   I will continue to update this blog with any relevant findings I come across.

Azam Ali Elysium - Endless Reverie

Mark Isham - The Mist Soundtrack

Artistic works of Jane Hargrave

Selected works of Jane Hargrave, please see her site at janehargrave.com/

Dark Night of the Soul

The Dark Night of the Soul is a poem written by St. John of the Cross, a mystic from the 1500's.   John was born in an era in which it was popular among the religious to seek the supernatural, however John cautioned his contemporaries  against seeking God just for the supernatural things but rather should seek him for the union.  That journey of union was about ridding our attachments for the world and seeking only the union.   It was John's belief that God allowed those to suffer the dark night of the soul in order to rise to ascent with God (union).  

John Michael Talbot wrote this song to the poem.   It is rather dark so perhaps it is not for you.  

Rachel's Water

An amazing story of Rachel Beckwith whose efforts raised over 1 million dollars to provide clean water.  Charitywater.org

Disabled

I consider myself disabled, not as bad as I once was but nevertheless am still.   I can no longer do the things I once was capable of like sports or working a professional level job like I once did.   Something happens in the psyche when you consider this but it is a fact but not just for me for many others.   Disabled means not-able  but I think this word reaches far beyond the common definition.   American society lives in a make believe world, that is popular American culture, we like things that are shiny and new, ideas of perfection and when they no longer meet those demands, we simply throw those out in the trash.   We had only a temporary appreciation.   I had a cool spiritual confessor who was the real deal as far as Catholic Priests are concerned, a down to earth person who understood the organic teachings of Jesus and when I say organic that means the very raw teachings, not the fluffed or misdirected teachings we hear from the pulpit today.

Anyhow he commented that he had never seen such suffering in a person than myself as my suffering went well beyond the current struggles I was facing.  I was deeply entrenched in a situation that nobody could get me out of (being sick) and faced multiple struggles such as losing a business, financial struggles, ridicule from many people and the psychological stress that these events perpetrate.     I was deeply entrenched in my Lord at the time spending considerable time in contemplative prayer as I was considering a vocation in the church.   We talked about suffering in general and in terms of faith.   Inevitably we discussed the American mentality of entitlement, how in many parts of the world people suffer at the hands of oppressive governments, famines, disease and the like, yet we have no perspective of this in our sheltered American life.   With  entitlement comes greed, avarice and dissatisfaction with things that we are privileged to have, but I suppose that comes from perspective.  Entitlement kills our spiritual life since we no longer foster appreciation or value anything, an exploitation of sorts.

Everyone is disabled to some degree.  I was naive in my younger days,  I believed most of the external things that others excreted while only seeing the deficits in my own life but I suppose that I am not the only person who sees that or feels that pain of imperfection.   I personally believe that most see the deficits within while hiding those thoughts from others for fear of ridicule.  This is a form of bondage.   I have learned that having defects is part of the human experience, I am comfortable with my humanity -it takes courage to admit that.

A disability is like a pruned tree.  The tree cannot grow upwards like it once did but instead it finds new growth.  Disabilities can disable you but disabilities can force growth where there was no growth.    I am both weak and strong an anomaly of sorts, as with disability comes great strength that must protect the vulnerability.   Embracing our weaknesses makes us stronger.

(if you find yourself in a bad situation and need some encouragement, please let me know)

Binaural Beats

I find listening to binaural beats to be quite therapeutic in a number of ways.  They have been scientifically proven to affect brain function and there are a number of  wave patterns that affect different parts of the brain.   It is important to wear headphones to achieve the beneficial effect.  This one is quite soothing to me.

Germs will make you crazy

There was a recent post on a forum in which the poster presented a question about OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and his daughter's recent bout with an infection.    This was the second bout and during both infections, she developed OCD.    I presented a series of things that would connect the OCD to infections

Kandinsky

These pathogens create very toxic by products that accumulate in the brain and body it is these toxins that make one sick- plus the immune response (cytokines) are uptaken in the brain which cause many brain disorders http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleID=174101


Furthermore, these infections require a lot of nutritional aspects for the immune system to fight - these are lost rapidly which further hamper the brain - a couple of nutrients such as b12, magnesium, proteins, fatty acids etc. This leaves the brain without the vital nutrients it needs.
http://pptu.lefora.com/2012/06/20/neutrophils-protozoa-and-nutrition/#post0


Also these infections evoke an adrenal response, adrenochrome is a byproduct of adrenaline (adrenal hormone) = adrenochrome gets up into the brain and cause schizo type of reactions - niacin in high enough amounts reduces the adrenochrome thus lessening the schizo reactions.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12829415



Adrenochrome
Adrenochrome, chemical formula C9H9NO3, is a compound produced by the oxidation of adrenaline. The derivative carbazochrome is a hemostatic medication. Wikipedia


I found this snippet from this PDF link  link in which the author stated the following:

"He also said: “It is high time that we now look in the direction of toxemia (or blood
poisoning) for the explanation of the insanities which produce no changes whatever in the brain.”

Recent announcement was made that a large percentage of cures reported by the New
Jersey State Hospital for the Insane at Trenton were effected by the removal of diseased
teeth, tonsils or affected organs. In a resume of the Trenton method, Dr. R. S. Copeland
wrote: “The hypothesis upon which this treatment is founded is that insanity is a toxemia
or poisoning due to germ infection in some part of the body. If this is true it follows that
removal of the infected tissue, when the case has not gone too far, will be followed by
disappearance of the mental disturbance.”

Kandinsky

Dr. Simon Yu states that psychiatric conditions are controversial in terms of etiology which includes
nutrition, toxins, genetics etc. Some researchers believe that infectious agents may play a role in mental illness. Dr. E. Fuller Torry wrote a book called "The Invisible Plague: The Rise of Mental Illness from 1750 to Present".  He believes that infectious agents are a major cause of mental illness.

Here is an excellent study on the pathogen Bartonella in which the researchers outline the psychiatric fallout that occured with Bartonella.  They give several case examples of patients who suffered with anxiety, depression, psychosis and other mood disorders http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2100128/

Many common infections are capable of inducing this including syphilis, Lyme, penumonia, UTIs,
sepsis, malaria, HIV and parasites. Please read the full article here.    htp://www.preventionandhealing.com/articles/Parasites_and_Mental_Illness.pdf