Healthy Healing Center

Welcome Back & Welcome to the Year of the Water Dragon

2012-03-04T00:20:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce that we are returning from a long break and now are looking forward to again start sharing new posts with our readers regularly. The Healthy Healing Goa Center BlogSpot had become quite popular before we went off line in mid-November last year, after which time only a few old articles were reposted. It will be difficult to regain the same reader interest quickly, but we will work at it.

As before, our aim is to promote happy & healthy living by informing about the benefits of integrative medicine, a medicine which is open-minded and uses different approaches, including traditional allopathic medication, for the patient to get well – and stay well. Integrative medicine puts the patient’s wellbeing first, rather than being submissive to any kind of medical orthodoxy, which latter does the opposite by valuing textbooks higher than people.

As the term suggests, integrative medicine is inclusive. It does not adhere to one particular worldview, or doctrine with regards to medical care. Rather than excluding certain therapies because they are not part and parcel of limited textbook wisdom, integrative medicine includes them. We probably don’t need to mention that we are not talking untried esoteric methods, here. The therapies that we are alluding to are not new inventions. They all have a proven track record, and a vast body of literature in many different languages testifying to their mode of operation, and what is more important: to their therapeutic success for the benefit of the patient.

So stay with us and stay tuned. We will again share our insights and insights from other authors about chelation therapy, ozone therapy, colon hydrotherapy, nutritional supplementation as well as other modalities that all help detoxify and rejuvenate both body and mind.

According to both the Chinese and Tibetan calendars, the world and we all with it have just entered the year of the Water Dragon. This heralds change. May it be for the better – and for the benefit of all beings.

Chelation Therapy in Age Related Disorders

2012-01-04T21:33:00.000-08:00

The following is a textbook case from the early days of chelation, regarding a patient who at the age of 79 showed some typical symptoms of senile arteriosclerosis such us infantile withdrawal, disorientation and extreme inability to cope. The symptoms were so advanced that the patient was no longer aware where she was, or who she was. With her memory of the past she had also lost all interest in any present day outside events. She basically stayed in bed or in her room all day oblivious to the world.

Upon the insistence of a relative who had researched treatment alternatives to the then usual letting her vegetate until dead, the patient underwent a series of 30 EDTA chelation injection treatments plus additional oral chelators – with astonishing results. To quote from the book The Chelation Way describing the case: “The old woman again recognized loved ones and friends. She became aware of her surroundings. Immediately… became continent during the day and also stopped voiding in bed, since at night she was able from her bedroom to the bathroom. Instead of lingering in night clothes, she rose in the morning and got dressed for the day…”

Then something even more remarkable happened when her stepson by a previous marriage died in an automobile accident, which was that: “…she did fly across the country – alone! She also returned home without mishap, something quite remarkable for a person who just ten weeks before had almost been given up as the hopeless victim of senile dementia resulting from hardening of the arteries in the brain.”

After the treatment series in 1974 (when she had been 79 years old) she was able to live a productive, enjoyable life for more than another ten years and finally died when in her nineties.

After 1974 she was treated with occasional intravenous drips and took daily doses of oral chelating agents, with minimal additional medication. Her mind was clear enough to understand the dosage and ingredients in each pill and the purpose for which she took them. She exercised moderately, took long walks and changed her diet from “meat and potato” to mostly vegetables, fruits and whole grains, with a few animal proteins thrown in occasionally.

In her and in many other cases chelation evidently reversed most signs of senile arteriosclerosis. And together with a change in lifestyle this reversal was made to last.

This is no accident as the active ingredients in intravenous and oral chelators counteract the neuropathology that evidently contributes to Alzheimer’s and other forms of senile dementia, namely plaque formation, amyloid deposition, granulovascular degeneration, as well as reducing the influence of environmental factors such as chronic exposure to aluminum (as well as other heavy metals) and/or silicon, neurotoxins and free radical damage.

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T01:46:00.000-08:00

Dr Shikha Aggarwal and Choyin Dorje wish every one a very Happy New Year. May this year bring health, peace and prosperity for all.

Ozone Steam Sauna

2011-12-25T21:08:00.003-08:00

Quite a few benefits have been reported as a result of ozone steam sauna, or steam bath application. We want to list only some of them.

For example in a case of shingles, the sores diminished even after the first treatment and subsequently vanished altogether after several more treatments.

Another success story is with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), particularly when combined with a full protocol of detoxification. It has some benefits here, because in most cases CFS is due to a toxic overload in the system: because of environmental toxins; because of additives and preservatives in the diet; and because of exposure to and intake of too many traces of heavy metals.

According to a specialist from London, various “skin diseases are another area where the steam sauna method really shines. Because the ozone can work directly on the skin to heal the lesions and detoxifies the body at the same time, my experience is that conditions such as eczema and psoriasis improve very fast. People usually notice the severity reducing within about three sessions.”

One time I had a client who burned herself by inadvertently touching the steam pipe before entering the sauna. We applied a lavish amount of ozone oil on the burn (which only hurt for a moment and later neither blistered nor scarred). She was even eager to continue with her treatment despite the mishap. In many cases, ozone steam bath and the application of ozonated oil work perfectly well together to relieve a skin problem.

The ozone steam sauna is helpful in cases of arthritis, but does not act like a magic wand. The impact will depend on the combination of mostly three factors: severity of the condition, length of time since the disease has become chronic, and frequency of treatments (in a multi-pronged approach).

Many take a series of ozone saunas for the purpose of feeling and looking better. This is actually a valid preventive therapeutic concern. As taking an ozone sauna will speed up your metabolism, it will also burn fat at a much higher rate. This leaves the skin tighter, toner, softer, healthier, and more flexible. You'll feel good about yourself, and as a a matter of fact, people who feel good about themselves and their lives tend to stay healthier than those who have issues with their looks and their lives…

Yes, ozone saunas make your skin look more vibrant and alive!

Ozone Therapy and Immune System

2011-12-13T21:28:00.001-08:00

The following is an excerpt from the book Heal Yourself with Oxygen that gives a broad overview over the interaction between ozone and the immune system. This interaction is one of the reasons why in many cases ozone can improve a variety of complaints and conditions. A more fine-tuned description of the processes involved will be published in a later blog.

“Ozone rejuvenates the immune system’s ability to modulate and stimulate the body. It does this by improving the blood flow (oxygen’s liquidating property), improving the metabolism of quinines, activating enzymes such as free radical scavengers and also by activating the mitochondria respiration chain.”

“Concerning the modulation and stimulation of the immune system by ozone, it has been shown that substances called interleukins are produced in larger numbers by T4 lymphocytes. One of these substances, interleukin 2, stimulates the production of B-lymphocytes; these in turn produce specific antibodies. Interleukins also act as inter cellular messengers for better communication between the cells. This communication is important. One of the theories about the cause of the severity of AIDS is that it is this communication between the cells that has failed, rather than the total failure of the immune system. From this it can be deduced that ozone is the treatment for AIDS.”

“Ozone also stimulates the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Other proven biochemical effects of ozone are the stimulation of free radical scavenging enzymes, the improvement of the blood flow by loosening red blood cell clumping, and the increase of the glucose metabolism of the red blood cells, which enables improved oxygen release.”

“Ozone also activates the redox (oxidation-reduction) system of the mitochondria respiration chain. Just as the formation of energy (ATP) requires oxygen, so too does the oxidation-reduction cycle, in which the O₁ in ozone combines with metabolic wastes to be eliminated from the body. Ozone can also act in conjunction with most commonly used therapeutics of cancer such as radiation and chemotherapy making the tumors more sensitive to radiation, if one insists on using these methods… “

“It is diseased cells, such as HIV tainted ones that have lowered titers such as was mentioned in the discussion of the cells’ reaction to a virus. This means the protein coating of a diseased cell is different from a healthy one. It is weaker due to the parasite within the cell, which drains it of its life force or cellular electricity. The weaker charge marks or “red flags” the cell as different, which then attracts the good free radical O₁to oxidize or burn up the damaged cell.”

"Simultaneously the O₂ in Ozone supports the healthy blood cells, oxygenating them, and supporting the production of ATP."

Alpha-Lipoic Acid, a Powerful Anti-oxidant

2011-12-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

Today, we will focus on the many health benefits that alpha-lipoic acid (short ALA) can have as a food supplement, even more so as every cell of the body actually already is producing it. The primary function of the ALA inherent in the body is to help convert the sugar in the blood into energy.

ALA likewise functions as an antioxidant. In other words it serves as part of the body’s defense system against “free radicals”, which are formed as waste products in the digesting and processing of food. Especially modern day diets of industrially manufactured foods low in enzymes and fibers but rich in additives set free a slew of free radicals within the body. These then lower the body’s immunity and make it harder for the body to fight off infections. Alpha-lipoic acid is both water and fat soluble unlike other antioxidants, which are either water soluble (like vitamin C), or solely fat-soluble (like vitamin E). It is therefore more versatile in action. Furthermore, recent data suggest that ALA not only fights off harmful free radicals but also strengthens the body’s other antioxidants, which are quickly depleted in action.

According to an overview published by the University of Maryland Medical Center, “Alpha-lipoic acid can lower blood sugar levels, and its ability to kill free radicals may help reduce pain, burning, itching, tingling and numbness in people who have nerve damage caused by diabetes [a condition usually referred to as “peripheral neuropathy]. Alpha-lipoic acid has been used for years for this purpose in Europe…” In cases of diabetes and diabetic neuropathy the same paper suggests daily divided doses of 800mg of alpha-lipoic acid.

Although the University of Maryland Medical Center also mentions the potential uses for ALA, for example in alcohol related liver diseases or in the reduction of impairments due to stroke, it refrains from any endorsement of such treatments as no systematic studies have been done. Naturally, the various manufacturers of ALA supplements are more enthusiastic. A good example of the much longer list of benefits that they suggest can be found on this page: http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/benefits-of-alpha-lipoic-acid-4109.html

My own take on this like on all such issues is, that systematic studies are not always required, especially in the case of a substance like ALA which is inherent to the body. It is safe to assume that the supplement will have the same or at least similar benefits as the ALA produced by the body itself. On the other hand, the belief in the cure-all capability of any substance is counter productive, and high hopes especially for cosmetic benefits may remain unfulfilled. Although they may manifest partially, they may also be less dramatic than anticipated.

More helpful are serious, controlled research such as the following conducted by Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University regarding the potential of alpha lipoic acid in lowering high triglycerides, which are a risk factor for heart disease.

According to a posting on www.healthyfellow.com, the results of this particular study were dramatic. "A group of rats given therapeutic dosages of lipoic acid exhibited drops in their triglycerides of up to 60%. When the scientists tried to pin down how this reduction occurred, they reached two conclusions:

The lipoic acid appeared to hasten the clearance of triglycerides from the bloodstream.

They also noted a decrease in triglyceride production in the liver.

This led the authors of the study to comment that lipoic acid appeared to work differently than conventional (fibrate) medications. They went on to conclude that, “Given its strong safety record, ALA may have potential clinical applications for the treatment or prevention of hypertriglyceridemia and diabetic dyslipidemia.”

Chelation Therapy

2011-12-05T23:11:00.000-08:00

"EDTA chelation therapy is an alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery and angioplasty that may prove to be more effective; it is definitely safer and less expensive…

EDTA (ethylnediaminetetraacetic acid) is an amino-acid like molecule that, when slowly infused into the bloodstream, chelates (binds) with minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, and lead and carries them to the kidneys, where they are excreted. EDTA chelation has been commonly used for lead poisoning, but in the late fifties and early sixties it was found to help patients with atherosclerosis.

…Between 1956 and 1960 Dr. Norman Clarke and his colleagues treated 283 patients with EDTA chelation therapy. 87% showed improvements in their symptoms. Heart patients got better, angina disappeared or was significantly improved, and patients with blocked leg arteries – particularly those with diabetes – avoided amputation.

It was originally thought that EDTA opened blocked arteries by chelating out the calcium deposits in the cholesterol plaque. However, it now seems that the therapeutic effect results from chelating out excess iron and copper – minerals that, in the presence of oxygen stimulate free radicals. Free radicals damage the cells in the artery and are primary cause of atherosclerosis…

In spite of obvious benefits to heart patients EDTA fell into disfavor in the mid-sixties. Advocates of EDTA use believe that this occurred for two reasons: the lucrative surgical approach to heart and vessel disease was o the rise, and the patent on EDTA that was held by ABBOTT Laboratories expired, so there was no financial motivation for drug companies to fund any research…

…There have not been any deaths or significant adverse reactions in over 500,000 patients who have undergone EDTA chelation therapy. Because EDTA chelation improves blood flow throughout the body, the “side effects” are usually beneficial and only a few adverse effects are noticed (most often the only side effect is irritation at the site of injection).

There now exists a substantial body of scientific evidence on the use of EDTA chelation therapy in the treatment of angina, peripheral vascular disease, and cerebral vascular disease. Since 1987, numerous FDA approved studies have demonstrated some impressive results…"

Healing Crisis - A Passing Phenomenon

2011-11-30T22:17:00.000-08:00

In the course of any series of chelation, oxygen healing, or even colon hydrotherapy, ionic footbath treatments and traditional juice fasting there arrives the moment when detoxification reactions are beginning to set in. They are unavoidable and most often, they hurt or are at least somewhat uncomfortable. But that they do so is also the point. The aim of detoxification is for the toxins to leave the body. When they do, they make sure that you feel them exiting. They act like your typical hangers-on in a bar at closing time. When you want to get them out of the door they make you work for it a bit, and they make you feel that you do.

Everyone knows that when alcoholics come off alcohol or drug addicts come off drugs the body sometimes exhibits violent withdrawal symptoms. A comparable but much milder variety of detoxification symptoms usually also occur when environmental poisons such as heavy metals, other toxic residues stored in the fat cells of the body from prescription and over the counter medicines, toxic remnants of processed industrially manufactured foods, or caffeine and nicotine are eliminated by some specific therapy or other.

Headaches, chills, nausea, increased body odor, short bouts of fever, the reappearance of old aches and pains may and will make the client doubt the value of the therapy, as well as the change in lifestyle that he or she is in the process to initiate. Some people then revert to their old coping methods, such as drinking and smoking, and eating junk food. Which is unfortunate. Because detoxification symptoms such as those mentioned above are just a passing phenomena. They are NOT a disease, or sickness, but only a mirror and measure, of how sick and compromised with toxins the body has already become. To be afraid of them and to turn back because of them means to interrupt the natural healing process.

When these symptoms occur, the physician needs to explain them well. It is then up to the client to come to their own conclusion. Sometimes clients even know what is happening. I recently had someone at my clinic for a series of treatments, and when I introduced them to a new process, which they had not done before, they got sick with fever and signs similar to heavy food poisoning.

Their reaction was, “Doc, we are here on a vacation and want to feel good. We know that what is happening now is but a heavy detox reaction in our bodies. At this point we'd rather not go through it. Now we want to relax, go to the beach, have some fun. But we’ll come back when we are well rested at the end of our vacation for a week and complete the process.”

Conscious choices free of fear and anxiety are good and healthy. Clients who can make them are usually enjoying a more robust state of health than those who are afraid.

The main point is to be able to differentiate between detoxification symptoms and the signs of a disease. This requires experience on the part of the therapist and in the client, trust. However, the client does not need so much to only trust the doctor, or the therapy. What the client needs to trust most is his own dedication and ability to heal and to enjoy a wholesome and healthy life.

EDTA Chelation Therapy- Potential Benefits

2011-11-27T17:27:00.000-08:00

The benefits of chelation are manifold. Here is a list, which gives a clue. However, to be rid of only one of these symptoms and conditions, to the patient means much more than merely chalking off an item from a list.

It translates into freedom from pain, freedom from restrictions, freedom from impediments. In short, it translates into a better quality of life. It makes life enjoyable rather than a burden.

1. Prevents cholesterol deposits

2. Reduces blood cholesterol levels

3. Lowers high blood pressure

4. Avoids by-pass surgery

5. Avoids angioplasty

6. Reserves digitalis toxicity

7. Removes calcium from atherosclerotic plaques

8. Dissolves intra-arterial blood clots

9. Normalizes cardiac arrythmia

10. Has an anti-aging effect

11. Reduces excessive heart contractions

12. Increases intracellular potassium

13. Reduces heart irritability

14. Improves heart function

15. Removes mineral and drug deposits

16. Dissolves kidney stones

17. Reduces serum iron levels

18. Reduces heart valve calcification

19. Reduces varicose veins

20. Heals calcified necrotic ulcers

21. Reduces intermittent claudication

22. Improves vision in diabetic retinopathy

23. Decreases macular degeneration

24. Dissolves small cataracts

25. Eliminates heavy metal toxicity

26. Makes arterial walls more flexible

27. Prevents osteoarthritis

28. Reduces rheumatoid arthritis symptoms

29. Lowers diabetics' insulin needs

30. Reduces Alzheimer-like symptoms

31. Reverses senility

32. Reduce stroke/heart attack after-effects

33. Prevents cancer

34. Improves memory

35. Reverses diabetic gangrene

36. Restores impaired vision

37. Detoxifies snake and spider venoms

Adapted from Walker M., Gordon G., Douglass W.C. The Chelation Answer

Colon Hydrotherapy in Goa

2011-11-23T00:05:00.000-08:00

All toxins ingested and assimilated into the system from the outside will eventually be stored in the colon. These toxins then start to accelerate the process of degeneration. Plainly and simply stated: they let the body age prematurely. Which is why ancient holistic medical systems such as Ayurveda stress the necessity for regular purification treatments.

Based on the same principles as its precursors, a colon cleanse works similarly but faster than, for example a traditional Ayurvedic basti karma, or “purging of the colon” . It eliminates stored fecal matter, gas, mucus, and toxic substances from the inner linings of the colon, thereby re-establishing a proper function of the digestive system.

This is done by introducing filtered, sterilized and temperature-regulated water into the intestine where the food waste is loosened and eliminated through natural contractions of the intestinal muscles. Colon cleansing is best when used in combination with adequate intake of nutrients and regular exercise. It discharges stored toxic substances from the intestine through safe and sanitary method. One session of hydrotherapy equals 30 times of enema.

Secondary benefits are restoration of tissue and organ function and rebalancing of body chemistry.

At Healthy Healing we only use modern, imported, state-of-the-art colon hydrotherapy equipment. The entire process is safe and hygienic.

DMSA- For Mercury Detox

2011-11-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

In addition to EDTA, at Healthy Healing we also use DMSA in capsule form as chelating agent. This is helpful as EDTA alone, although it is effective and doubtless the best known and most frequently used chelator around the world, cannot and will not remove all toxins from the body. When it comes to mercury, EDTA is actually ineffective. However, mercury is almost omnipresent in the modern world, and it is necessary to reduce its harmful impact.

One website dedicated to DMSA as a chelator only states the obvious when it says that "Lead and mercury are two heavy metals that seem to have found their way into almost everyone. Lead and mercury do not occur naturally in the body and as such are very toxic. These two heavy metals are known to interfere with how nerves communicate. Meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is a compound approved in the 1960’s by the FDA for the removal (chelation) of heavy metals. DMSA is considered the preferred agent for the chelation (removal) of heavy metals in both adults and children. Mercury is considered to be the second most toxic substance on the planet (uranium is #1) and the negative effects of mercury exposure are well documented.

Meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is also known as succimer and sold as a prescription under the trade name Chemet. DMSA is also sold as an over the counter nutritional supplement in some areas but it is often very difficult to find and can be very expensive (over $1 per capsule). DMSA has a somewhat strong sulfur like smell. It’s chemical properties make it particularly suited to chelate (remove via excretion) mercury and lead, the two most common toxic heavy metals in people.

One of the main advantages of DMSA is its large therapeutic window. This means there is a wide margin between the amount necessary to produce the intended result and the level that could potentially overload the patient. This makes DMSA exceptionally safe."

Ozone in Micro-Dentistry: A New Approach to Oral Health

2011-11-14T20:48:00.000-08:00

In the same way that ozone therapy is minimally invasive for the body when compared to other methods of treatment, ozone aero-therapy is a minimally invasive form of tooth care, with the added benefit that it prevents damage before it sets in instead of just repairing it. In their introductory article on this approach Stephen Gaines and Kenneth Serota give a historical overview on the development and point out the changes that might lead from the current approach of macro-dentistry to the future of micro-dentistry.

Macro-dentistry is what we know from visiting the dentist’s office. As the authors state and we remember from experience: from a view that developed in the early 1900s and regarded caries as ‘dental gangrene’ it was a logical step for macro-dentistry to “promote the complete removal of a carious tooth structures, without regard for structural or biological implications.” Thus there are “realities in the macro-dental model of treatment that cannot be ignored: recurrent caries, restoration failure, and irreversible pulpal damage will invariably persist in spite of our best efforts to eradicate them”, with the result that artifacts will be increasingly replace the original healthy tissue.

Two new tools are needed to change this situation, from replacing healthy tissue to supporting the continued structural strength and therefore survival of the same: new diagnostic devices for early detection and diagnosis of ‘hidden caries’, and, which to some may sound strange the means to deliver ozone to the niches that are in the process of developing ‘hidden caries’. Both sets of tools are available. On the diagnostic side there is laser fluorescence spectroscopy, magnification of various types and transillumination. There are also appropriate instruments to deliver ozone to the teeth affected with niches of ‘hidden caries’. In micro-dentistry the approach thus is to discover and then alter the niche environment where cariogenic (acidogenic and aciduric) bacteria thrive before they can do their damage of demineralizing dental hard tissue.

But, why ozone? What can this allegedly toxic gas do for the health of our teeth? Gaines and Sarota explain: “Professor Edward Lynch and others have shown that ozone, delivered through a specially designed generating device at a concentration of 2100 ppm and at a rate of 615 cc per min for a time of >1o sec, can substantially reduce and neutralize cariogenic, pathogenic micro-organisms and contribute to the reversal of both root caries and pit and fissure caries.”

By way of further explanation they add, “Ozone’s effectiveness as a bactericidal agent, viral and fungal deactivator, as well as its ability to kill bacteria 3000 times faster than chlorine-based agents has made it the primary disinfection source for many water utilities globally… It has been clinically demonstrated to eradicate microorganisms associated with caries development, promote natural remineralization of enamel, remove volatile sulphur compounds associated with halitosis, and whiten discolored caries by destroying the chromatic chemical rings.”

This short piece can only point out the validity and far reaching consequences of the approach. Readers who are interested to learn more, and especially have a look at the case histories and documentation behind the article are suggested to go to the following link:

http://www.oralhealthjournal.com/issues/story.aspx?aid=1000199312&type=Print%20Archives

Why Bypass Surgery Brings Only Temporary Relief Not Ultimate Success

2011-11-09T20:29:00.003-08:00

The following is an excerpt from popular book The Chelation Way. Although given in layman’s terms, the descriptions are to the point. Twenty years have passed since the book was first published and further research has fine-tuned our knowledge, however nothing essential has been added to what is described here. Furthermore, today as back then, only chelation offers a complete way to neutralize the clogging. Any other means offer only partial and temporary relief. Otherwise, why would people need two, or three successive bypass surgeries, if the first one had removed the cause? Obviously, they need them because bypass surgeries do NOT remove the cause, only the symptoms that manifest in the different diseases of the arterial walls.

As our readers educated in medicine would know and as Dr. Walker writes, “Diseases of the arterial walls are classified into four distinct types: atherosclerosis, Moenckenberg’s medial arteriosclerosis, hypertensive arteriosclerosis, and arteriolar sclerosis.

Atherosclerosis affects the internal wall of an artery. The central channel of the artery through which blood flows (the lumen) gets narrower until there is final and complete occlusion.

Moenckenberg’s medial arteriosclerosis involves the arteries in the outer reaches of the body (the peripheral arteries), especially in the legs of middle-aged and older people. They form “pipestream arteries” from the deposition of calcium in their middle (medial) lining, but no disease encroachment occurs on the central tunnel through which blood flows.

Hypertensive arteriosclerosis is a progressive increase in muscle and elastic tissue of the arterial walls, resulting from chronic high-blood pressure. In long-standing hypertension, elastic tissue forms numerous concentric layers on the inner arterial wall (the intima) and there is replacement of muscle tissue by connective tissue fibers. Degenerative thickening takes place. Such changes can develop with increasing age in the absence of hypertension and may then be referred to as senile arteriosclerosis. This is one of they underlying pathologies of senility.

Arteriolar sclerosis is a narrowing or closing of the tiniest of arteries that enter into the capillary network of the vascular tree.”

As we all know and as Dr. Walker points out in his book of these four types of pathologies, “Atherosclerosis is the artery and heart disease that is the most common and takes the largest number of lives. Every second person, who dies in the United States (according to 1970s and 80s statistical data) each year has atherosclerosis as his or her cause of death. The disease slowly deteriorates the blood vessels throughout the entire arterial tree. Often its climax is a sudden and unexpected stroke or heart attack, but symptoms and signs will have appeared in other organs or regions of the body, which indicate that arteries in those locations are affected.”

When looking for a solution to deal with these diseases it is helpful to be clear about their specific way of manifesting in the body, especially if we were to contemplate a solution that can simultaneously address them all – even in their beginning stages, even before they have become a full-fledged pathology. In terms of life-style adjustments, there are many ways (diet, exercise, stress reduction and so forth), and they are all necessary and effective. In terms of western allopathic medical treatments, however, there is only one way that works: Chelation.

Bypass surgery does not address the problem at the causal level.

In any of the many thousands of coronary artery bypass operations that are performed worldwide every day, the surgeon does not do much to overcome the patient’s atherosclerosis. The only thing the surgeon does is bypassing approximately three inches of coronary artery clogged by atherosclerotic plaque. A few years later, that same bypass can be clogged up altogether, or another coronary artery can become blocked.

Whereas chelation does address the root cause. It actually treats the disease, not the symptoms. In his book, Dr. Walker comes to the same conclusion although he states it in a different way.

Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the Treatment of Angina

2011-11-01T22:56:00.000-07:00

The heart specialist and medical educator, Stephen T. Sinatra M.D. put together the following synopsis on the research data available regarding the action of Co-Enzyme Q10 in the treatment of angina pectoris. It is from his book The Co-Enzyme Q10 Phenomenon. In addition, Dr Sinatra wrote more than a dozen books, some specifically on heart disease and the psychological aspects involved in heart disease, like Reverse Heart Disease Now and The Sinatra Solution. Being a heart specialist, the way he uses CoQ10 differs from the way I use it. He prescribes it in order to specifically strengthen heart function.

In my capacity as a specialist in more generally applicable detoxification and rejuvenation procedures, I also have my share of heart patients who come to me because they have heard that I give chelation therapy. However, it is not only to them that I prescribe CoQ10. As a matter of fact, I give it to most of my patients because of CoQ10’s bio-energetic function. Co-Q10 is one of the compounds found in the body and in certain foods that support the energy in the cells, and thus cellular function. The health of the body depends on the healthy function of the cells of the body. This is why I make use of CoQ10 so frequently: According to available research data, CoQ10 is involved in the reactions in at least three mitochondrial enzymes, and thereby in the production of the high-energy phosphate compound necessary to fuel all cellular functions.

From this the value of CoQ10 for detoxification and rejuvenation procedures can be easily deducted. But as we can glance from the paragraphs below, CoQ10 can as well be applied to counteract the effects of specific illnesses, such as angina pectoris. Once we have a grasp on CoQ10’s overall action we can more easily understand its therapeutic effect on specific conditions. Which is also why, in some sense, the demand for further research becomes a mute point. We do already know how it works. The rest is medical politics, not so much concern for medical science.

“Coenzyme Q10 has been found to be effective in several small studies of patients with angina pectoris. In Japan, Dr. T. Kamikawa and associates conducted a double-blind crossover study of 12 patients with stable angina… [His] team documented that CoQ10 treatment resulted in changes in three areas compared to placebo:

A reduction in the frequency of anginal episodes
A 54% decrease in the number of times nitroglycerine was taken
An increased exercise time on treadmill testing

“In the 1994 study by Schardt et al., fifteen patients with chronic stable angina were enrolled in another double-blind crossover trial. Participants took 600mg of CoQ10, placebo or a combination of anti-anginal drugs (beta blockers and nitrates). Results of the three interventions were compared. Treatment of CoQ10 showed a significant reduction in exercise induced electro cardiographic abnormalities on stress testing when compared to the placebo. There was no difference on the stress test EKGs when CoQ10 was compared to standard anti-anginal agents. In this study, a reduction in exercise systolic blood pressure was seen during CoQ10 supplementation without any changes in diastolic blood pressure heart rate.”

“Why exercise capacity is improved after CoQ10 administration is not fully understood. Several mechanisms are possible. First of all there is the fact that CoQ10 has beneficial effects on oxidative phosphorylation, the process by which metabolic energy is released for cellular functions. Or perhaps CoQ10’s anti-anginal action is the result of enhanced re-synthesis of ATP, a direct membrane protection, a reduction in free radical stress or perhaps all of the above in combination…”

“When I treat people with angina, I usually recommend CoQ10 in a dose range of 90mg to 180mg in combination with anti-anginal agents, particularly for patients who have failed to get enough protection from conventional anti-anginal treatments. Sometimes, I have even used 240mg to 360mg in patients who have not responded to the lower dosages. Because my patients have been able to enjoy the benefit of a more active lifestyle from CoQ10 supplementation, I believe it to be a safe and effective treatment. With no significant adverse effects, CoQ10 is an exciting additional strategy for patients with angina pectoris.”

The Four Simple Steps of Healthy Healing

2011-10-31T06:09:00.000-07:00

Healthy Healing is a 4-step process for achieving a clean bill of health and also the place, in Anjuna, where we implement these four steps and coach you how you can rely on your own resources.

At Healthy Healing, the role of the doctor is that of both a physician and health coach. The doctor doesn’t just write out prescriptions. She actually listens, explains tests and procedures in detail and works with you.

In any event, if you want to be vibrantly alive from now into your old age, you’d be well advised to follow the 4-step proces:

Recognize how you presently feel and your overall state of health; in other words: know yourself.
Enquire as to what harmful aspects are troubling you and what healing aspects are lacking; in other words; know your ‘enemies’ and ‘allies’.
Unload what needs to be removed in order to permit your body to heal – and you to feel rejuvenated; in other words: let go what you don’t want and find your own balance.
Nurture wellbeing by sustaining a lifestyle conducive to long life and good health; in other words: find and cultivate through taking action the meaning that you want your life to have.

Healthy Healing is thus good for your body because all treatments are free of side effects, and even remove the residual side effects of previous medications.

Likewise, Healthy Healing is good for the mind as it engages you and draws you in as a whole person, with all your faculties – in order to help you live joyfully and meet your days and tasks with enthusiasm.

Burnout: The Insidious Epidemic of Exhaustion of Our Times

2011-10-25T04:09:00.001-07:00

Throughout the ages ever since homo sapiens sapiens walked the earth, we humans have been blessed with the ability to cope with adversity, to rise above obstacles. We have been blessed with plenty of overflowing life force energy that, in the past, allowed us to adapt to even the most challenging of circumstances – and in these, not only survive but finally triumph with extra energy to spare. The spirit of humans has always been indomitable – in the good and in the bad. And to complete the paraphrasing: with their insuppressible energy many humans many times did indeed display the behavior of the downright ugly. They were often real villains, and much less often, real saints. At least though, they were indomitable, even if they belonged to the majority of the neither-good-nor-bad.

But now, it appears, all strength is seeping out of us, almost all of us. An epidemic of exhaustion is enveloping humanity like a blanket, especially in the houses of the rich and near rich: in the suburbs, in the skyscrapers and residential colonies of the more well-to-do areas of the city – whatever city, in the US and many parts of the so-called developed world, which includes any metropolis anywhere on the globe. Things happen which were unheard of, before. People throw their jobs: because of burnout. Successful sports coaches resign in mid-season: because of burnout. Tons of articles appear in weekly and monthly magazines about burnout. Everybody lacks energy; many feel depleted.

People are too fatigued to enjoy, too weary to fully participate in their own life, but not drained enough yet to just keel over… They go to work every day, but are not really with the program. To keep up, they drink too much coffee and listlessly go through their routines. They eat their meals, but they don’t savor what they eat. Anyway, it’s fast food out of the microwave and tastes like Styrofoam. So, what flavors could be there to sample? They read the paper, but forget what they just read. Guilt feelings drown them in self-pity: there’s never enough time to do everything that requires their attention; not enough time for the kids, not enough time to make the spouse happy, not enough time to really relax, not enough time to finish the one thing that one would have always wanted to do…. No sex life either: too burned out for even trying. And if we have to shop, let’s do it over the net because we are certainly too drained to go out and have fun browsing.

Naturally, at some point this chronic fatigue makes you go and see the doctor. But these visits usually remain inconclusive, as Frank Lipman M.D. describes in his book Revive,

“After a few months… of unexplainable physical aches, and a few colds in quick succession [you] decide to see your doctor. After running some blood and other diagnostic tests he tells you that there is nothing wrong. He says that you are just getting older and hands you a prescription for the latest anti-inflammatory pill. So you go to another physician, who tells you that you have a ‘chemical imbalance’ and perhaps a new kind of sleeping pill or a different antidepressant drug might help. When you tell him that you have tried all these pills in the last few months and that you are actually feeling worse, he says you need a vacation. But you know something is not right although both doctors give you a clean bill of health…”

Your average doctor is destined to remain helpless. He or she just does not have the right kind of knowledge to help you. He or she isn’t trained to deal with a state of affairs, somewhere between sickness and good health, the grey zone off the radar of allopathic medicine. And that’s when you might come to see me at Healthy Healing because your feeling permanently spent gives you more than one clue that your system is in dire need of a complete check-up and overhaul. You want your life back and for that to happen, you need to get into the driver’s seat. You need to participate in re-creating the natural healthy state that is your birthright. You need help, but you also need to this help to help yourself. Here is when you should contemplate seeking the expert advice, not of an ordinary doctor, but one who is also a health coach; a doctor who doesn’t only gives you pills, but works with you and explains to you what you yourself can do.

And when should you consider this step of seeking a health coach? A good guideline is the following list of questions:

When waking up in the morning, do you feel not refreshed, as if you hadn’t slept enough and could continue sleeping forever?
Do you feel inexplicably drained most of the time?
In the course of the day do you need several hits of caffeine, soda pop, or sugar-loaded snacks to keep you going?
Although you feel physically worn out and want to sleep, is your mind spinning fast so that you in fact cannot fall asleep?
Do you feel as if you are aging too quickly?
Do you suffer from gas, bloating, constipation and/or indigestion?
Is it hard or almost impossible for you to lose weight, although you are dieting and exercising?
Do your muscles and joints ache? Do you feel tense, especially in the neck, shoulders and pelvis?
Are you losing your appetite for sex? Too exhausted to even try?
Do you feel mildly depressed throughout the day and have trouble concentrating, or remembering things. Does your mind feel foggy and sluggish?
Do you lack the drive to even accomplish small tasks? Do you feel mostly listless and disinterested in anything?
Do you find that you are beginning to fall sick with minor complaints more frequently and that it takes longer to recover?

These questions are an indicator of the level of toxicity in your body. Answer them truthfully. They are the first-line test, so to speak. If you have to answer more than three of these questions with ‘yes’, you need re-evaluate your lifestyle and probably detoxify. You need a health coach.

Paula Horan in “The 9 Principles of Self-Healing” on Proper Nutrition

2011-10-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

“The first key to good health and vibrant aliveness addresses the need to eat healthy foods that are rich in nutritional value. One of the co-authors of this book has cured herself of three tumors with Gerson therapy or raw food diet. The raw live enzymes in uncooked food provide the basis for a healthy immune system. Before his death in 1959 at the age of 78, Dr. Max Gerson helped hundreds of patients heal themselves of advanced tuberculosis, heart disease, and cancer with his special raw food diet. His most famous patient was Nobel Laureate Dr. Albert Schweitzer, whom he cured of advanced diabetes when Schweitzer was 75. Schweitzer then lived past 90. Numerous cases of both chronic and infectious diseases have been easily cured with raw food diet. It is simply a matter of discipline.”

“Diet can also have a profound effect on depression. In his time one of the worlds leading authorities on nutrition and biological medicine, Dr. Paavo Airola had great success in treating both simple and clinical depression with nutritional therapy. He recommended a thorough examination by a competent physician who would give tests for endocrine gland function, glucose tolerance, and mineral levels taken from the hair. Airola would then recommend certain nutritional supplements such as vitamins or minerals to compensate for the given deficiencies in the patient.”

“Paavo Airola was also a great admirer of Dr. Benjamin Feingold’s work with hyperactive children. Feingold found that the “trigger factors” of many behavior problems are directly related to poor nutrition. He found that highly processed, man-made foods with artificial colors and flavors, and other additives and preservatives are the culprit for hyperkinesis (hyperactivity). White flour and sugar also contribute to the condition, along with bad drugs, allergies, caffeine containing beverages such as soft drinks, chocolate, tea, and coffee.”

“Colas are some of the most deleterious beverages for human consumption, which tax the naturally alkaline human body with high acidity. The high acidity in colas damages the stomach, pancreas and liver, which effects then lead to peptic ulcers, diabetes, and severe lack of energy. In order to neutralize the high acidity the body summons a strong alkali-calcium hydroxide, which is present in bones. The alkali-calcium hydroxide does indeed rapidly neutralize the invasive acid, preventing damage in other organs. However, regular assaults lead to osteoporosis and osteomalcia, which have reached epidemic proportions in the developed world where generations of children and adults have imbibed soft drinks and especially colas on a regular basis for almost a century.”

“All of the flavoring, coloring and preservative agents that cannot be thrown out by the human body, accumulate and often cause cancer. The high sugar content in cola and other soft drinks causes major over-stimulation of the glands in the carbohydrate metabolism. This triggers first a surge of energy as the carbohydrate rapidly gets metabolized, and then severe depression/exhaustion as important body chemicals are depleted. The continuous cycle of repeated excitation and exhaustion by heavy cola drinkers leads to mood swings, lack of concentration and initiative – and in children often to hyperactivity.”

“With the parents of 7% of America’s school children being encouraged by teachers to put their children on Ritalin, a very serious and dangerous drug, does it not make more sense to simply change their diet and give them the love they need? In some cases, the hyperactivity could also be alleviated, if teachers were allowed to work with a more interesting and challenging curriculum, which in turn would encourage students to learn how to think for themselves instead of being forced to memorize prefabricated (and in many cases meaningless) answers.”

“A report by Jon Rappaport states: “800,000 American children are prescribed a cheap form of speed, called Ritalin. This drug is given for a bogus condition called ADD (attention deficit disorder). Ritalin eventually causes(!) hyperactivity and depression, can cause acute withdrawal symptoms, and also an amphetamine-like psychosis. Ritalin makes children into drug addicts.” It is sad when you realize that all of this could be avoided by a simple, nutritional diet, with a lower sugar-content and free of chemicals.”

“Bad diet is a major contributing factor to degenerative disease. As far back as 1945, a publication of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service stated, “ The United States produces more food than any other nation in the world, yet according to Dr. Thomas Parran Jr., 40 % of the population suffer from malnutrition.” The problem as he described it, was due to the extensive depletion of minerals in the country’s soil. One can only imagine how the soil is now, over seventy years later.”

Heavy Metal Detoxification Treatment Protocol Before During and After Mercury Dental Amalgam Removal

2011-10-22T02:45:00.003-07:00

As it has been shown many times over through plenty of research and in the form of painful personal experience how poisonous mercury dental amalgam fillings really are, an individual often will want to replace them. This step is in any case a good idea. However, simply removing the fillings without additional precautions will not do; and neither will, ignoring the dangers involved in the process. In terms of speed and complexity, much will depend on the mercury toxicity, and overall heavy metal toxicity of the person seeking treatment.

For example, someone with only several mercury fillings, especially if these haven’t been crowned over and no signs of mercury toxicity in the body, will be able to complete the treatment more quickly than someone who has had many fillings for many years, while also showing signs of mercury toxicity like frequent outbreaks of Candida, chronic fatigue and so forth. Therefore, the first step in a protocol for removing mercury fillings should be to conduct proper testing like hair metal analysis. And this is, indeed, the first step: hair metal analysis and complete blood analysis. These will reveal the level of toxicity and thereby help determine the preparatory steps as well as how many teeth can be removed, and what intervals need to be observed in between treatments.

However, before, the actual removal can start the body has to be prepared for the effects of the detoxification about to happen, through appropriate nutritional supplementation. The antioxidant level needs to be raised, liver and kidney function strengthened for the proper elimination of heavy metals and other toxins. Although there are some general guidelines the prescriptions may vary quite a bit from patient to patient. Also, there are different approaches, for example the homeopathic approach, the herbal approach, and cleansing with the help of colon hydrotherapy as well as intravenous and oral chelating agents. It is this latter approach that we apply at Healthy Healing Center Goa.

We closely cooperate with the dentist, and first determine the number and succession of treatments. In other words, a treatment plan is established. Nutritional supplementation typically will start four weeks before the removal of the fillings, to be intensified during the week prior to the first dental appointment.

Also before the first dental appointment at least one colon hydrotherapy session and one IV chelation will be given together with an oral chelator that specifically targets mercury toxicity. Once the dental treatment starts, filling removal and accompanying treatments will be given on alternate days. However, for some cases, several days will have to pass in between dental treatments. Both liver and kidney need lots of support so that they can handle the flushing out of toxins from the system.

A typical treatment protocol, during the removal phase will take 10 days to three weeks, plus prep time of one month and after care of another month, with more supplementation in order to phase out the detoxification the body has to undergo when mercury dental amalgam fillings are removed,

International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology Protocol for Mercury/Silver Amalgam Removal

2011-10-21T02:32:00.001-07:00

When removing mercury fillings from a patient’s teeth, two concerns are of utmost importance; the protection of the patient as well as the dentist and his or her assistant from exposure to the toxic mercury vapors that will inevitably be released. As at Healthy Healing Center we sometimes co-operate with dentists in the additional care necessarily accompanying this procedure we are sharing here today excerpts from the treatment protocol suggested by the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology. Its sole aim is to minimize the additional toxic load, which can be substantial in cases when no or only insufficient precautions are taken. Both patient and dentist can inhale and swallow more mercury in the removal process than they would over a period of several years through the vapors gradually released by the fillings. Which means that anyone considering removing their toxic mercury fillings, and every dentist should be informed. Unfortunately, especially here in India, many are not.

Seven of the eight following points deal with the actual process of removal; point #7 concerns the additional care, which we will discuss in a separate posting. Now, to the actual protocol:

“[Whereas] during chewing the patient is exposed to intra-oral levels [of mercury] which are several times the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] allowable air concentration, during removal or placement of amalgam the patient can be exposed to amounts, which are a thousand times greater than the EPA allowable concentration. Once the drill touches the filling temperature increases immediately vaporizing the mercury component of the alloy. There are 8 steps to greatly reducing everyone’s exposure:

All removal must be done under cold-water spray with copious amounts of water…

Therefore, a high volume evacuator tip should be kept near the tooth (1/2 inch) at all times to evacuate this vapor from the area… Polishing amalgam can create very dangerous levels of mercury and should be avoided especially for the mercury toxic patient.

All patients having amalgam removed or placed should be provided with an alternative air source and instructed not to breathe through their mouth during treatment. A nasal hood such as is used with the nitrous oxide analgesia equipment is excellent. Air is best and oxygen is acceptable although not required. If just air is used … it should be free of mercury vapor, preferably from outside the dental office.

Particles of mercury alloy should be washed and vacuumed and washed away as soon as they are generated. The filling should be sectioned and removed in large pieces to reduce exposure… Removal both with and without the use of a rubber dam is possible.

After the fillings have been removed, take off the rubber dam if one was used and lavage the patient’s mouth for at least 30 seconds with cold water and vacuum. Remove your gloves and replace them with a new pair. If a restorative procedure is next, then reapply a new dam and proceed.

Consider appropriate nutritional support before, during and after removal.

Install room air purifiers or ionizers and fans for everyone’s wellbeing.

Staff also needs to be protected. Women of childbearing age, whether patients or staff, need to be extra careful to avoid over exposure. Pregnant women should not be exposed to mercury at all. Any potential exposure to mercury requires that the dentist/employee wear an approved mercury filter mask. Furthermore, the manner in which dentists operate dramatically affects the amount of mercury released. For example, never drill on mercury high dry.

The Ill-Health & Toxic Stress in Your Teeth As a Factor in Your Body’s Total Load

2011-10-17T03:34:00.000-07:00

HH-BLOG: Since you started this site, you have published quite a few articles on dental health and dentistry. How are these posts connected to your field of specialization in medical rejuvenation and detoxification, or to the therapies that you practice?

DR SHIKHA: Above all I do not specialize in particular therapies, but according to my own understanding, I am working with the people as a whole who consult me, as their physician. I am more beholden to my patients’ health and wellness interests than to any idea of my own ‘therapeutic specialization’. The health problems that I confront, despite their apparent variety, for the most part are caused by a general toxic overload. Functional medicine refers to this overload as the ‘total load’, in a person. For better understanding of what this infers, let me give you the medical dictionary definition, “The total load (n) is the sum of factors that influence an individual’s life and health, including food, chemicals, microbes, psychological factors and other elements. Any one of these factors would not normally cause illness, but the cumulative effect of these agents may overload the functioning of an individual.” Now, to address your question, the teeth are an important factor in the total load, especially when it comes to these terrible so-called ‘silver amalgam fillings’, which are actually highly toxic mercury amalgam more than anything else. It has been proven that such fillings continually, and over time severely, poison the system, which is why they are outlawed in some northern European countries, and shunned by the majority of dentists and patients in many more.

HH-BLOG: On what sources do you base your statement? I mean, lots of dentists in the US for example, but also here in India still use mercury fillings, actually putting them in patients’ mouths by the ten thousands every day.

DR SHIKHA: Unfortunately, yes. But of the sources you asked for, there are too many to mention them all. A good selection can be found through the worldwide web, for example at www.holisticmed.com/dental/amalgam. On the basis of these and other studies, the Swedish health authorities banned mercury fillings outright, whereas in Germany their use is curtailed severely. There was a doctor in Germany his name is Dr. Reinhard Voll, who after more than forty years of research and observation stated that, “Nearly 80% of all illness is related entirely or partially to problems in the mouth.” I cannot verify his findings, but it for sure makes for a provocative statement. Myself, I am inclined to approach the problem more from the ‘total load’ perspective. The health of the teeth is one factor of many, albeit one of the more important ones. There is no doubt that mercury escapes from amalgam fillings. Mercury vapor is poisonous and it gets into our system. Or why is it, do you think, that of all people tested dentists have the highest levels of residual mercury stored in their pituitary glands?

HH-BLOG: You used another word, and I am not sure of its significance: ‘functional medicine’. What does it mean? I never heard of it.

DR SHIKHA: It is the only approach that makes sense in terms of health management, but then present day health care isn’t much interested in health. It prefers the management of disease to the management of health.

HH-BLOG: I still don’t quite get what the words infer.

DR SHIKHA: Like Chinese medicine, or Ayurveda, or most other age-old medical traditions, functional medicine works on the premise that organ or other physical and psychological functions can be improved; that disease does not occur all of a sudden in the form of an unexpected system’s breakdown. Rather health and disease are a continuum, blending into each other. When a state of equilibrium is not maintained through appropriate diet, exercise and overall lifestyle, at first a function becomes slightly diminished, then more diminished, then severely compromised albeit still somewhat functioning; finally disease sets in. The point of functional medicine is that in most cases you can actually prevent the gradual slipping and sliding down into a diseased state by improving the system’s, or a particular organ’s function. As Frank Lipman M.D. aptly states, “This concept was never addressed in western medicine, you had either a healthy liver or a liver disease – nothing in-between. Western medicine offered no way to improve the function of the organs before they became diseased…” In other words, textbook allopathic medicine deals with a problem only once disease has set in. It ignores all the factors that slowly assemble and contribute to the formation of disease. On the other end of the spectrum of views, it is the aim of functional medicine to not let it come to that; or once disease has set in, to strengthen the overall and particular organ function rather than ‘annihilating’ the problem via a frontal assault.

HH-BLOG: And therefore you suggest the removal of mercury amalgam fillings as a preventive measure to strengthen the system’s function before these highly toxic irritants will wreak total havoc with a patient’s health? Is that what you are saying?

DR SHIKHA: Precisely. Removing mercury amalgam fillings reduces the ‘total load’, and thereby energizes and revitalizes the entire bodymind. It is an important aspect in anyone’s personal health management.

Detox Symptoms Are Normal When the Body Detoxifies: They Are NOT a Disease

2011-10-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

Conscious choices free of fear and anxiety are good and healthy. Clients who can make them are usually enjoying a more robust state of health than those who are afraid.

Six years I treated a seriously ill patient, who for some days suffered from severe detoxification symptoms, including all the signs of an oncoming jaundice. I reduced the dosage and frequency of the treatment for a few days, which sufficed to show that the symptoms had indeed occurred due to detoxification, and not because of an actual pathology. The patient trusted the process and got well, actually better that she had been in nine years.

Modern Doctor, Modern Healer: The View and Approach of Frank Lipman M.D.

2011-10-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

Here at Healthy Healing, for a good part I am practicing allopathic medicine, albeit with the outlook of naturopathy. Chelation therapy is an allopathic technique. Ozone therapy is neither homeopathy nor Ayurveda, nor part of any other kind of traditional nature cure. It is an allopathic technique, and so are some of the supplements that I prescribe. However, I go about allopathic medicine in a different way and with another than the usual disinterested, aloof and mechanical prescription pad method of the stereotype general practitioner: the doctor who doesn’t even listen to what the patient has to say – and who definitely doesn’t probe deeper than a very superficial reading of some test results that may or may not have any bearing on the problems at hand.

The system I apply is mixture of various elements from allopathic and natural medicine, but the way I deal with my patients is according to the Hippocratic oath that I never even was requested to give when I became a doctor; although I feel that I should have. My philosophy is to address the patient as a whole. And the most important ground rule that I follow is to avoid doing any harm, for example by over prescribing or by applying invasive methods that are uncalled for in the case before me. There sometimes is even a place for these methods, but not in the framework of the symptoms that the majority of my patients wish to eliminate.

Naturally, I also like to read about other doctors who follow even a vaguely similar approach. I learn from reading what they have to say and I share what I learn. To the extent that such is possible I slowly incorporate it into my own approach; not by copying but by adaptation.

One good example was Alejandro Junger M.D. and his CLEAN method that I mentioned in two previous postings. Another is Frank Lipman M.D. of the famous ‘Eleven Eleven Wellness Center’ in New York City. In his book Revive he describes how natural rhythms and environmental factors can and will influence the health of any individual. For the physician in cooperation with the patient, it is therefore important to support or even create natural rhythms or cycles of activity, relaxation and rest in the patient’s life, as it is likewise important to eliminate destructive influences from one’s inner and outer environment. These have to be addressed, if resilience, vitality and long-term health are our goal. In some short autobiographical references in the introductory part of his book, Frank depicts how he discovered the importance of natural rhythms and the way the cells of one’s body are programmed by environmental input – either for better or for ill health. He writes,

“Soon after I graduated from medical school in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I grew up, I began treating patients In the rural areas of KwaNdebele… It was like being in the middle of nowhere. Despite facing the harsh realities of poverty-stricken lives, the people didn’t present symptoms of insomnia, depression or anxiety. Women would carry their babies on their backs all day, walking long distances with buckets of water or other heavy loads balanced on their heads, yet they rarely came to the doctor complaining about back pain or fatigue. In many ways, this community was healthier than the patients I was seeing at my other job in a private practice in one of the wealthy suburbs of Johannesburg. Sure, they had some disease (mostly from poor sanitation and untreated water) and came to the hospital with broken bones or pneumonia, but they did not suffer from fatigue, headaches, digestive problems, or the general aches and pains that my more sophisticated urban patients did. Since there was no electricity, people were forced to live with the rhythms of nature. Day and night dictated what was done when, and being synchronous with the seasons was essential for survival. Community, music and dance also played an integral role in bringing rhythm into their lives. It was during my time with these people that I began to be aware of the importance of nature’s rhythm and its powerful impact on our health.”

“…As a young clinician who had recently finished medical school, my training focused upon hospita-based patients who were acutely sick… These are the problems that western medicine is designed to treat. But the subtle symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, and low-grade chronic complaints that I was seeing at my urban outpatients were not well addressed by my medical training. I found it very ironic that these vague complaints commonly expressed by urban patients were the very ones that conventional western medicine does not have any good solutions for.”

“…Soon after working at KwaNdebele, I emigrated to the United Sates. After doing the required internal medicine residency, I began a rigorous study of Chinese medicine, which turned my world inside out. Instead of symptoms being seen as something to suppress with drugs, they became a clue to some imbalance in the body – a sign that the body was out of rhythm. Within this picture the role of the doctor was to recreate balance and restore rhythm, which, after my experience with rural South Africa, resonated with me. This completely different philosophical outlook led me to radically new way of regarding and treating the body.”

“…On my journey I also discovered functional medicine, where I learned about the importance of the environment and its effect on gene activity. I had been taught in medical school to think that your genes are carved in stone, and that the diseases you get are determined by them. We now know that for the most part this is not true. The new science of epigenetics has shown that genetic activity is determined by your responses to the environment. In other words, how you live your life determines how your genes are expressed. You may have a genetic predisposition to a disease, but the environment you bathe your cells and genes in determines how those genes are expressed. This means that there are lots of potential versions of you. Whether you become spent is determined by the unique way your genes interact with the many variables in their environment. So what you eat, how much chemical and toxic exposure you have had, what stresses you have tolerated, how you think, how much love you get and how you move are critical. Like a computer our cells, and therefore our organs, are programmable – their health is determined by what information they download from the outside and what information you feed them.”

“In both Chinese medicine and functional medicine, I also learned that one could improve the functioning of organs. This concept was never addressed in western medicine: you had either a healthy liver or a liver disease – nothing in between. Western medicine offered no ways to improve the function of the organs before they became diseased…”

To improve the function of the body as a whole is precisely the Healthy Healing goal and approach. Frank Lipman M.D. developed his program based on diet, movement, nutritional supplementation and so forth. In the same spirit but with different means I treat patients with chelation, ozone, colon hydrotherapy, and also supplements – in order to make their lives more livable and more enjoyable.

Dr. Richard Knight on Colon Hydrotherapy

2011-10-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

For every therapist, it is always helpful to consider other experts’ views on therapeutic fine points and insights. Likewise it helps the layman to get the message when it is couched in different words and presented from different angles. This helps to better understand the process. This is why for today’s posting we chose to quote from Dr. Richard Knight’s extensive presentation of a professional approach to colon hydrotherapy.

Though not a prolific author, Richard has worked for many years in the helping professions. Besides holding a doctorate in psychotherapy and counseling he contributed as a manager, teacher, trainer, lecturer and consultant. Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the Association of Natural Medicine in the UK, and has conducted training courses nationally for central government departments. He has authored a professional practitioner’s manual on colon hydrotherapy and a short introductory guide on how to practice natural medicine. Richard sums up the purpose of colon hydrotherapy as follows:

“The purpose of colon hydrotherapy is the removal of toxic waste material, including: impacted feces, accumulated mucous, parasites, worms and unfriendly bacteria. The gentle filling of and emptying of water into and from the colon improves muscular contraction (peristalsis) and elimination. This treatment process helps to restore the colon to health and consequently enables it to perform all of its functions more efficiently.”

“In a single treatment session approximately 50 liters of water will be used to gently flush the colon and through the use of stomach massage and the use of pressure points the therapist will facilitate the elimination of toxic waste.”

“The colon muscles contract and relax expelling liquid, gas and waste into the rectum, creating a feeling of the need to empty, which as the patient relaxes will follow as normal. The therapist will appreciate the sensitivity of the procedure and will help the patient to feel at ease…”

“Colon hydrotherapy treatments are pleasant, painless and discreet. If painful experiences happen they usually result from the patient being tense and resistant to the treatment. The skilled therapist will minimize discomfort by putting the patient at ease. There is intrinsically no danger in colon hydrotherapy, which essentially is a natural process. Moreover, the patient’s modesty is preserved and maintained at all times…”

“The number of treatments required will vary from patient to patient and be dependent upon the treatment goals. For example a course of treatments in order to improve the health of the colon and to address various symptoms may require a series of treatments… The therapist will plan with the patient suggested requirements, the recommended number of treatments, and expected outcomes. Remember, toxicity is not limited to the colon but is found throughout the body, especially in fatty tissue, joints, arteries, the liver, muscles, and where there is inflammation.”

“By cleansing the colon, the elimination of toxins from the lungs, skin, kidneys, and liver will be enhanced, and common signs of toxicity such as headaches, backaches, fatigue, lethargy, halitosis, skin conditions, irritability, and all the associated conditions found in the colon will be improved.”

“Every system in the body is connected to the colon by reflex points. The action of the water and gentle massage will affect the corresponding parts of the body therapeutically… There is some evidence to show the use of laxatives can create a dependency. There is no evidence to show that colon hydrotherapy is habit forming… The role of colon hydrotherapy is not simply to empty the bowel, but with water entering and flushing its length is to produce a well-functioning bowel.”

Dr. John Diamond’s and My Own Case of Colon Hydrotherapy for Patients with Unbalanced Diets

2011-10-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

Recently a patient sought my help who was not ill, but felt as if he were: low on energy, extremely sluggish and what he described as “if carrying a load of rocks” in his belly. The man was in his mid-40s, very successful in life, definitely the “I-can-make-it-happen” type. When he came to see me, however, he appeared a bit subdued. He also voiced fears that he might turn seriously ill in the future, if the downward trend continued. This client had specifically flown to India for the purpose of health tourism. He had taken treatments at a spa and, because of a lack of results thereafter came to consult me.

He had no history of alcohol or substance abuse. His only lifestyle “sin” so to speak, so far had been his eating habits. We quickly established that to date he mostly liked meat. Actually, meat was the only diet he knew with a little bit of starches on the side, and a few sweets here and there for dessert and in-between. Thus, his diet had always been extremely unbalanced. However, other than about feeling heavy and less enthusiastic and focused in his business, he voiced no complaints.

This is similar, albeit less severe than a case that Dr. John Diamond described for the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients a few years ago. John, of course, is none other than the famous Dr. Diamond who co-authored the best-selling An Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Cancer.

Dr. Diamond’s patient was in a worse state than mine. Instead of being a meat eater she had been a sugar junkie. She described her diet as totally carbohydrates, with hardly any protein or fat. According to Dr. Diamond she consequently displayed a variety of symptoms: chronic fatigue, irregular menstruation, migraines, constipation, yeast infections among other complaints. She also had a history of chronic sinusitis, which she had tried to overcome with countless repeated courses of antibiotics.

To help her Dr. Diamond first tried a variety of approaches, but the one that finally set the healing process in motion, was a series 12 of colonic irrigations (three times weekly for four weeks). The migraines disappeared, and so did the sinusitis. The periods became regular again. The colonic treatments would have still helped, but the same problems would have inevitably resurfaced, if in addition the client had not changed her eating habits from mostly carbohydrates to a restrictive protein diet. She also continued to have colon hydrotherapy sessions once a month and noticed over time that her vigor and stamina eventually was completely restored.

My client fared similarly. To combat his chronic fatigue and lack of energy, we decided on an intense short term detoxification protocol lasting three weeks and involving six colonic irrigation sessions, plus several intravenous ozone drips, ozone steam saunas, as well as a few of Renita Braganza’s (http://healthyhealingcentergoa.blogspot.com/2011/02/secrets-of-successful-bodywork.html) superb deep tissue and Ayurvedic Siddha Marma massages.

In the end he left a very content man. After the three weeks were over, he had lost over 13 pounds from his waist. Gone was the potbelly, and the chronic fatigue only a faint memory. He also decided to change his diet and start exercising regularly. We don’t know if or if not such happened after his return to Europe, but to me he had always come across as a man of his word.

5 Years of Personal Experience with Taking Chelation

2011-10-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

This year I am starting my third series of chelation sessions at Healthy Healing, and I thought it might be helpful for some if I went on sharing with others my experience with the long-term effects of the treatments. Because after all, it only makes sense to do things that work. If the proof of a pudding is in the eating, the proof of a medical treatment is in its palpable effects.

My first series of chelations happened in the winter 2005/06. Back then I must have taken in all between 15 and 17 treatments. In the beginning the experience was uncomfortable, for moments even painful, as the doctor had not yet discovered that she could add some analgesic to the cocktail of chelation ingredients in the saline solution. However, in the longer run the slight discomfort or even pain did not count for anything, whereas the benefits were lasting and, come to think of it, actually quite dramatic.

I had been a smoker for most of my life since age 14 (with a few years of break here and there) and I was 55 when I did my first chelations. I had always come back to smoking after a few months as a non-smoker before. Not so in 2006. It appears the habit was kicked for good, and the way I see it, the in-depth detoxification of the system must have contributed to that. Even more dramatic was the switch from the overall feeling about life through the lens of a low-level depression (which for many is the normal state of affairs these days) to a feeling of vigor and a renewed sense of creativity. I started writing on a 700-page book, I wrote lots of small pieces on the side, and I have never been happier in my relationship as well as other aspects of my private life.

Now, this is probably not due solely to the therapy, after all chelation is an amino acid drip, nothing more, nothing less - and not a miracle drug! I also meditate regularly and sometimes do Tibetan yoga. But I had done these things before chelation, and everything flowed easier after chelation, the main benefits actually manifesting 4 to 6 weeks after the treatments had come to an end.

I then took a second series of chelations in April/May 2008. There was no discomfort and no pain at all. I took fewer treatments, at the most ten, and the benefits that manifested were less dramatic as well. However it might be noteworthy that even though I now was older by a few years, I still felt the same level of vitality. I even did what some might consider foolish for someone my age later that same year, but have not lived to regret it!

Let me add that I am in no way a health freak. Although I am moderate in my habits I enjoy wine and beer socially, even regularly, and I have no patience for dieting. I eat what I like when I like it. The only eateries that I do not frequent are chain restaurants like the outfits with the golden arches, mostly because what can be purchased at their counters, for my tongue, tastes like cardboard warmed over. I am not I the habit of wasting money on tasteless mush. Besides the chain restaurant hamburgers have about 5% beef in them, but 95% substitute stuff, including lots of artificial flavoring that creates the illusion of eating beef. Me, if I want illusions I daydream of go to the movies!

Recently, I started with my third series of chelations. This time the detoxifying effects are stronger again, and so is the sense of bouncing back from a slump of low energy. I am now 60 but do not have to make an effort of feeling 10 to 20 years younger (besides what fun would it be if one had to make an effort, or strain oneself to ‘appear younger'). I am very interested in the world, in experiencing ‘my’ senses, ‘my’ immediate environment, ‘my’ body and ‘my’ mind (which are all far more flexible and open and far less ego-bound than one usually assumes, which is why the word 'my' is put in apostrophes).

The only thing I have difficulty tolerating are the many destructive and self-destructive games I am seeing going on around me, be it on the large scale of world politics, or the small family size scale, or even inside an individual. It makes me sick and sad to watch any kind of self-destructiveness (like an adolescent gets sick in the face of so-called ‘adult behavior’, short for ‘hypocrisy’). But unlike a teenager I do not get overly indignant or angry. Rather I go on practicing and working. To argue with peoples’ concepts and limitations IS one of the greatest wastes of energy.

To sum it all up, in the 5 years that I have been connected to Healthy Healing, I have never been sick, except for a few colds and one incident of violent food poisoning, which quickly subsided after only one ozone treatment.

I am very happy that my parents taught me that an ounce of prevention is indeed worth more than a pound of care. Chelation, I believe works best in preventative care, or should I say, easiest. I have also seen it working in others who were suffering from many different and unpleasant, even crippling chronic conditions. For me, it has always given me my energy back. For others, as I have observed, it has even given them their life back.

Matthias Dehne (Choyin Dorje)

Author of Das Yoga-Neti Buch, co-author of Satsangs der Selbstbefreiung and 9 Principles of Self-Healing

Dental Amalgam - A Covert Contributing Factor for Breast Cancer?

2011-10-02T04:31:00.000-07:00

Dental amalgam is the greatest source of mercury vapour (WHO 1991) and according to Health Canada (1996) 4 average sized fillings (8 surfaces) would create the maximum “tolerable daily intake” (TDI) for a 70kg adult with the TDI being reached with only one filling for a small child. Notably, many women weigh less than 70kg and according to mine and others’ research findings, many middle-aged women have far more than 4 and frequently more than 10 amalgam fillings. Notably, according to the published NZ Health Dept. figures in 1968, those aged 21 years at that time had an average of 16 fillings and 15 year old ‘teenagers already had 13. The majority of those fillings have been replaced by fresh amalgam over the years with an average of 10 fillings still frequently being retained into middle-age.

Why is mercury a health hazard for cancer? Research based at the University of Colorado 25 years ago investigated blood taken from patients diagnosed as having adverse health effects from amalgam. The blood was immediately centrifuged and the lymphocytes were extracted and stained for viability. A significant proportion was found to be non-viable or effectively dead. They were therefore inactive in vivo. Eventually, this research culminated with lymphocytes being cultured and one batch being exposed to mercury at the so-called safe levels found in the blood of patients with a few amalgam fillings. By the 4^th day, 80% of those lymphocytes were dead compared to only 3% in the control culture with no mercury.

The role of the Natural Killer (NK) cell, a lymphocyte sub-set, includes identifying and destroying abnormal or malignant cells. Notably, several papers have been published describing how patients with “un-reactive” NK cells have either a higher incidence of secondary spread or a higher death rate. These include:

12 year follow-up of 77 women comparing NK ability to react to their cultured breast cancer cells (47% mortality (non-reactive) vs.5% mortality(reactive)). Head J, Wang R et al.Ann. NY Acad. Sci.1993;690:340-2
Immunological and psychosocial predictors of disease recurrence in early-stage breast cancer. (Less active lymphocytes the higher the mortality)

Levy S et al. Behavioural Medicine 1991;17(2):67-75

3. Natural cytotoxicity activity in peripheral lymphocytes and cancer incidence: An 11 year follow-up. (Less active lymphocytes the higher the mortality)

Imai K et al. Lancet 2000;356(9244):1794-99

However, if one was to replace the word reactive with alive and non-reactive with dead, it would seem as if there could be a hitherto unrecognised covert cause for NK cell inactivity that warrants consideration and certainly further investigation. Huggins’ findings need independent replication with NK cells and I doubt that this would be very onerous, time consuming or expensive given modern laboratory technology.

Many German oncologists follow the teachings of the late Dr. Josef Issels regarded by many as the leading oncologist of the 20^th century who treated over 8000 patients in his long career with reportedly the highest success rate. Notably, Issels stated that over 95% of these patients had significant causal factors in their teeth, jaws and tonsils and all patients would be referred to the dental department as a priority where all amalgam fillings were replaced and all devitalised (root-filled) teeth were extracted. Notably, both the Austrian and German Societies of Oncology advise replacement of amalgam with non-toxic materials. The covert effect of mercury on lymphocytes now appears to validate why Dr. Issels and his colleagues included dental revision in their patient management.

As far as dentistry and breast cancer is concerned there is yet another cause for concern. Statistically highly significant elevated levels of iron, nickel, chromium and mercury have been found in breast cancers compared to those in benign breast tumours (Ionescu JG et al. Neuroendocrin Lett. (2006)27;Suppl.1:36-9). Notably, all of these metals are in some ways carcinogenic and all are regularly used in dentistry (iron, nickel and chromium in non-precious bases for porcelain crowns and in bridgework and partials). In my albeit somewhat limited clinical experience with patients suffering from cancer I have found over the past 25 years (since being informed about mercury in amalgam) that the expected outcome can be materially changed when this toxic environmental factor is included in their management. Whilst it may take some time yet for this research to be adequately replicated and published, I consider that those with cancer as well as those who wish to reduce their risks, deserve to be properly informed.

Phase-Down of Silver Amalgam Fillings

2011-10-02T04:10:00.001-07:00

What is common practice in Europe, where in several Scandinavian countries, dental amalgam filing have been outlawed for years, now seems to have started even in the US, where a phasing down of their use was announced. The following article by Peggy Steele was first published by NaturalNews in May 2011. As it is of interest to the chelation community, it is republished here.

After decades of denial about the toxicity of amalgam fillings, the United States government has announced its support of a "phase down" of mercury amalgam fillings. In addition to support for the immediate "phase out," the U.S. spoke up for protecting children and the unborn from amalgam and recommended that nations educate patients and parents in order to protect children and fetuses. The U.S. also defends the human right of every patient and parent to make educated decisions about amalgam. It calls for the development of affordable, viable alternatives. While commendable on the surface, some think this is insincere doublespeak.

Charles G. Brown, president of the World Alliance for Mercury-free Dentistry, applauded this move by the government. He plans to broadcast the U.S. position to other governments around the world and encourage them to support the phase downs - leading to phase-outs globally.

Leo Cashman, executive director, Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions (DAMS), is less impressed with the announcement to "phase down" the use of amalgam fillings. He finds the government document devious and dishonest because composite dental fillings are already a viable alternative to amalgams. He says they would be affordable if they were fully covered by private insurance policies and government programs (which they currently are not.)

Rather than a phase down of amalgam fillings, Cashman calls for an outright ban. He said, "There should be no paragraph in the treaty that discusses dental amalgam fillings separately so as to effectively escape from being included with other mercury products in a ban."

The controversy over amalgam fillings has been ongoing for some time. In 1991 the World health Organization (WHO) acknowledged the predominant source of human exposure to mercury is fillings. Retired European scientist, Poul Moller found that mercury poisoning was the cause of health problems in his own family. In a 2002 report to the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection on the dangers of continued use of mercury in dental fillings he said, "mercury in vaccines and fillings has been linked to chronic diseases in the elderly and the young, such as autism and Alzheimer's. In fact, it has been shown to affect every organ in the body."

The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) has produced a video, Smoking Teeth = Poison Gas, that shows mercury vapor coming off a tooth that was extracted 25 years before the making of the video. The voice-over intones, "Mercury vapor comes off fillings every time you stimulate them through chewing, brushing, grinding, and dental exams."

The video tells us experiments on sheep and monkeys showed substantial quantities of mercury spread to every organ in the animals' bodies just 30 days after receiving silver amalgam fillings. Further research revealed bacteria that were antibiotic resistant in the intestines within two weeks of receiving the fillings. Studies also found damage to brain proteins.

On April 18, 2006 after a five-year study, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) came to the amazing conclusion silver amalgam fillings for children were "safe."

Two years later in June 2008, the American Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) conceded after settling a lawsuit with several consumer advocacy groups that amalgam fillings containing mercury may cause health problems with pregnant women, children and fetuses. As part of the settlement, the FDA agreed to alert consumers about potential risks on its website - and to issue new rules in July 2009 for fillings that contain mercury.

The U.S. government now supports the phase-out of silver amalgam fillings. Are they talking out of both sides of their mouths in order to hoodwink the public - or moving toward an outright ban?

90% of All Bypass Procedures May Be Unnecessary

2011-10-01T03:45:00.003-07:00

The point of this short blog is to share some voices from the medical field questioning the merit of bypass surgery in at least some of the cases. The most prominent of these is Dr. Thomas A. Preston, Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology at Pacific Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. We do not quote him here, because for those interested it will be worth their while to read the entire article Marketing an Operation: Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, published in different places on the net.

Dr. Michael Murray ND is a graduate, faculty member, and serves on the Board of Trustees of Bastyr University, Seattle, Washington State. He is also the bestselling author of over 30 books. He has this to say,

"The bottom line is this: when patients are advised to have a coronary angiogram, chances are eight out of ten that they do not need it. The critical factor in whether a patient needs coronary artery bypass surgery or angioplasty is how well the left ventricular pump is working, not the degree of blockage or the number of arteries affected. The left ventricle (chamber) of the heart is responsible for pumping oxygenated blood through the aorta (the large artery emanating from the heart) and to the rest of the body. Bypass surgery is only helpful when the ejection fraction (the amount of blood pumped by the left ventricle) is less than forty percent of capacity. Up to ninety percent of all bypass procedures are done when the ejection fraction is greater than 50 percent, which is adequate for circulatory needs. In other words, as many as 90 percent of all bypass procedures may be unnecessary."

Michael T Murray ND, Joseph L Pizzorno ND, Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine, p 243

Francisco Contreras, MD - Graduated with honors from the prestigious School of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He continued his studies at the University of Vienna, Austria, where he specialized in Surgical Oncology and graduated with honors once more. Dr. Contreras is a cancer specialist recognized as an expert at combining conventional and alternative therapies with emotional and spiritual support. Through his practice, books, interviews and conferences, he shares easy and practical ways to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and chronic illnesses. He is the author of several bestselling books. In Health in the 21st Century, he writes about bypass surgery,

"A team of conservative cardiologists in Brigham Hospital, Boston, evaluated 88 patients that had been scheduled for cardiac bypass surgery. They advised against surgery for 74 of the 88. Among those 74, 60 accepted a second opinion and didn't have the operation. These patients were followed for a period of two years plus. Only two had minor attacks that could be treated conservatively, an outcome comparable to that of the 14 (scared not to take the advise of the conservative specialists) patients that underwent open-heart surgery. In short, a vast number of patients are submitted to unnecessary procedures by cardiologists.

Francisco Contreras MD, Health In The 21st Century, p 212

The last voice quoted is that of Larry Dossey MD. It is a voice that resonates with us here at Healthy Healing, because he is never up to the age old trick of proving others wrong. In all his writing he is rather motivated to widen the readers perspective. Nevertheless he makes a point here regarding bypass surgery, which is quite to the point that is being made...

"Pierce now knew the research in the field of nonlocal medicine inside and out. She was amazed that many physicians ignored the evidence. Their reasons, she suspected, were rooted in the tendency of humans to hang onto what is familiar and comfortable. Many physicians, for example, continued to do coronary bypass surgery the old way, opening up the chest cavity, instead of using the new percutaneous fiberoptic methods that made open-chest surgery unnecessary."

Larry Dossey MD, Reinventing Medicine, p 184

CoQ10 Potential Use in Heart Conditions

2011-09-28T22:48:00.000-07:00

From the existing literature and based on research results Coenzyme Q10 is indicated in the treatment of the following conditions, certainly as an additive, sometimes even exclusively:

Angina Pectoris
Unstable anginal syndrome
Myocardial preserving agent during mechanical or pharmacological thrombolysis
Myocardial preserving agent for cardiac surgery
Congestive heart failure diastolic dysfunction
Toxin induced cardio-toxicity (from Adriamycin)
Essential reno-vascular hypertension
Ventricular arrhythmia
Mitral valve prolapse
Oxidation of LDL (as a preventive measure)

It was a long journey from the first discovery of CoQ10 deficiency in human heart disease, by Dr. Karl Folkers and Littaru in 1972, finally leading to the inclusion of coenzyme Q10 in textbooks of mainstream cardiology in 1997.

Even a Nobel Prize was given for a discovery regarding CoQ10. Peter Mitchell received in 1978 for his discovery of CoQ10 and energy transfer.

At Healthy Healing Center, we prescribe it both as supplement for prevention as well as for the treatment of heart conditions in some chelation patients.

By the way, Dr Karl Folkers was the best living proof and testimony to the effectiveness of the medicine he had discovered. Born in 1906, he died in 1997. What is more remarkable, however, than the old age that he achieved is the fact, that he achieved it with all his physical and mental capacities intact. At age 90 he attended the 9^th international conference on CoQ10, in Ancona, Italy, in 1996. He never thought of retiring and was actively involved in CoQ10 research right to the end.

Although he was trained by the pharmaceutical industry to develop drugs, Folkers had both the insight and foresight to use biochemical research as the basis for nutritional healing.

Co-Enzyme Q10 in Congestive Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy

2011-09-26T23:37:00.003-07:00

It does not come as a surprise that one of the most concise, informative, readable and reader friendly (for the lay reader as well as for the medically trained) monographies on Coenzyme Q10, was put together by a clinical cardiologist. He describes the countless merits mentions the many studies that have yielded positive results for the treatment with Q 10, but also doesn’t fail to point to cases when the test results were neutral or negative. The book is The Coenzyme Q 10 Phenomenon. Stephen T. Sinatra M.D. F.A. C.C. is its author.

Get a copy of the book, if you want to learn it all and in a nutshell (with extensive footnotes and quotations as leads for further study). Here, we can only quote the overview from the section on clinical cardiovascular disease. Another reason for this posting is the fact that “Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease” of June 13^th, 2011, so far is the most popular and most widely read post in the Healthy Healing Center Goa Blog. People really seem to want to know more. http://healthyhealingcentergoa.blogspot.com/2011/06/co-enzyme-q10-coq10-in-treatment-of.html

“A deficiency of Coenzyme Q10 is quite common in cardiac patients. This has been well documented in myocardial biopsies, especially in patients undergoing cardiac transplantation. Researchers found the lowest tissue levels of CoQ10 in the most sick and compromised patients. Most of them were, in fact, what we call class IV cardiac patients, those who have symptoms (extreme fatigue, chest discomfort or shortness of breath) even when they are just resting.”

“Because the heart is so metabolically active and requires a constant supply of ATP for continued pulsation, it is especially vulnerable to CoQ10 deficiencies. Fortunately, however, the heart muscle is also the most responsive tissue in the body to CoQ10 supplementation, rendering Q10 a nutrient with great promise for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.”

“CoQ10 deficiencies have been confirmed in patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, angina pectoris, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, mitral valve prolapse and even in those following coronary bypass surgery. In fact, the literature so well documents both CoQ10 deficiencies and response to supplementation for heart disease that in 1992 I asked the chief of pharmacy at my hospital to place CoQ10 on hospital formulary.”

“Coenzyme Q10 can be administered in a wide variety of clinical settings. Although clinical research has consistently shown that Coenzyme Q10 is clinically effective for coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, high blood pressure, as well as the cardio-toxic side effects of adriamycin treatment (a form of chemotherapy) over the past two decades many clinical investigations on Coenzyme Q10 have focused on congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy.”

“A strong correlation between low blood and tissue levels of Coenzyme Q10 and the severity of heart failure has been consistently confirmed. Experimental and clinical data have provided extensive evidence that CoQ10 supplementation in patients with cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure has resulted in improvements of multiple indicators of the heart’s pumping ability, including left ventricular function, ejection fraction, exercise tolerance, diastolic dysfunction, clinical outcome and quality of life.”

The Emotional Underbelly of Colon Hydrotherapy

2011-09-26T03:22:00.002-07:00

HH-BLOG: You recently added colon hydrotherapy to the list of treatments that you are offering. What is the feedback from your clients so far? Does it produce the desired relief and even weight loss?

DR SHIKHA: “Absolutely.”

HH-BLOG: Does the shortness of the answer then suggest that it is indeed a pretty simple and straightforward intervention achieving instantaneous results?

DR SHIKHA: “No. Like everything a colon hydrotherapy session is a process; for some more easy than for others. The results are instantaneous yet everyone gets to them in their own individual way.”

HH-BLOG: Meaning?

DR SHIKHA: “That although there is an established step-by-step protocol as to how the treatment should be administered, each and every client receives it, deals with it differently, and therefore the procedure has to be approached with sensitivity. In some there is an element of fear or inhibition or reluctance to be vulnerable. For others no such emotions come up. I explain what is going to happen and they just go through with it. The psychological reactions can vary greatly and thus may have an impact on the timing and the way the physiological reactions manifest.”

HH-BLOG: But still the procedure always remains the same according to what the book says? The client is supine on the treatment table. A disinfected disposable speculum is gently inserted into the rectum, and then the colonic irrigation starts: water from a multistage filtering system passes into the colon and on the emptying cycle transports out the waste. Everything is safe and hygienic and odor-free. Right?

DR SHIKHA: “Yes. But we need to understand that for some it might be a little scary to have a piece of plastic inserted in their rectum and subsequently water pumped through their colon. And although medical science would not support such view the fact of the matter is that there are a lot of emotions stored in the gut, and in some cases these emotions come to the surface. Science or not, it is for a reason that we colloquially refer to our “gut feelings”. Well, for some a colon hydrotherapy session does not only transport the stored waste matter from their colon but simultaneously, allows the person to feel some of her suppressed gut feelings. Some may even cry, or vent some frustration. It is in these instances, that particular sensitivity is required.”

HH-BLOG: Are you saying that a colon hydrotherapy session can turn into some form of psychotherapy, and that a colon hydro therapist also needs to have some additional therapeutic skills?

DR SHIKHA: “No, this would not be appropriate. The only skill the therapist needs is the ability to guide different types of clients through the same process, according to their personal needs. The therapist needs to have good verbal skills to reassure the client that everything is just part of the process. In addition, flexibility is required. Some clients are so tense that in the beginning they have difficulty to let the waste matter flow through the speculum. I have had people asking me that they want to go to the toilet instead. I let them go. Later things become easier. One needs to give people space.

HH-BLOG: In other words, the treatment protocol remains always the same, but the song and dance around it varies?

DR SHIKHA: “No, only if I were a cynic would state it that way. What I prefer to say, is that when the treatment series is complete, some people are happy and thank me because their potbelly is gone, and some others may thank me because they feel both physically and emotionally relieved. One has to go with the person’s needs and allow them to be fulfilled. The physiological benefits of weight loss, detoxification and removal of parasites are always the same, but people experience and express them differently.

Fear Can Be Fatal

2011-09-24T09:15:00.001-07:00

You may wonder why on this site, postings that inform about some of the therapies and medicines used at Healthy Healing are occasionally interspersed with articles that appear to have no apparent connection to any practical issues, but rather point to the dynamics involved in the client/doctor interaction, or the meaning of disease and healing.

They are as important as the practical aspects. The emotions and meanings we observe and read into a situation, like a disease, are as essential as the facts. As Danial Goleman in his research and books and Bruce Lipton in the Biology of Belief have demonstrated, they contribute to a continuous creation of facts along the same lines.

Every once and a while a patient with a potentially fatal condition comes for consultation, and more often than not this patient is in a state of near panic, or at least somewhat frightened. Which is understandable. He fears for his life, and some other doctor that he consulted before coming to see me might have even told him something along the lines, “if you do not do such and such immediately, you will die within months, or within a year.” So understandably, fear is there.

The first step to help that person is to liberate him from the impact of this fear. Yes, one can die from cancer, many have. No doubt, one might die once diagnosed as being infected with the HIV virus. But plenty of people have lived with cancer happily for many years more, some have even fully defeated it, and only a fraction of those infected with HIV develop full-blown AIDS.

The first thing that has to go is the fear.

The following story, as related by Dr. Larry Dossey in his book Meaning & Medicine, illustrates dramatically how fear can actually kill, “…consider a case in which a patient who was highly allergic to penicillin was given a placebo pill, an inert substance with no known biological effect. After he swallowed it he was told an untruth – that the pill was not a placebo but penicillin. The man immediately became fearful, experienced an anaphylactic (“allergic shock”) reaction and abruptly died. This was a genuine “death from meaning”, for all that was manipulated in this situation was what the pill he had ingested meant to him.”

Therefore, it is important to remove the fear and give another meaning to the disease, beyond fear. It is important to make the situation workable, by assisting the client in learning how to interpret it as a challenge, or as a passing phenomenon, may be somewhat more frightening than other phenomena, but still… only passing.

The insight that the situation is workable, makes it actually more workable. Fear may be fatal, but understanding, commitment and participation are on the contrary - uplifting.

Modern Colon Hydrotherapy, or Colonic Irrigation

2011-09-19T19:36:00.001-07:00

"Colon" is a medical term and refers to the large intestines. "Hydrotherapy" is healing with the help of water. Hence, colon hydrotherapy describes any cleansing and subsequent healing process of the large intestines with the aid of water.

Is Colon Hydrotherapy then just another word for the good old enema practice?

Not quite. Because in a modern state-of-the-art Colon Hydrotherapy session the benefits are much greater than those achieved with the help of an enema. Enema cleansings are restricted to the rectum and the lower sigmoid area (the end part of the colon). The water cannot reach any deeper simply because the body’s natural reflexes set in right away to expel any foreign element. No matter how much water you use in a colon cleanse according to the old fashioned enema approach you will no clean the deeper parts of the large intestinal tract. In conjunction with an enema, the only way to reach there is with the help of herbal, or other colon-cleansing agents.

Present day Colon Hydrotherapy is different. It is also called Colonic Irrigation, or in a short Colonic, because it uses a modern machine that has the capacity to irrigate, or fill with water the entire length of the large intestinal tract, including the transverse and even ascending colon.

The device employs a multi-stage water purification system and individual disposables, which eliminate the chance for any possible contamination of the client from a previous treatment. Modern Colon Hydrotherapy machines are closed systems. They make sure that the waste material is discreetly transported into the drain without offensive odor, and without the client losing his dignity.

Each Colonic lasts about 45 minutes, although I have worked with some of my clients for up to sixty minutes on the treatment table to guide them through moments of resistance or psychological withholding. This is sometimes needed, which is why the therapist or physician administering the treatment needs to be able to respond to individual need. It is a sensitive job and requires a great deal of sensitivity.

In the course of a session on the average 80 to 120 liters of water will be transported in and out of the large intestinal tract. This helps to eliminate fecal matter that may have been retained in the colon for months or even years.

Just one Colonic Irrigation treatment can be equivalent to 20 to 30 ordinary bowl movements. Subsequent treatments have an even deeper impact, as they tend to dislodge older, hardened feces from the large intestinal walls – thus helping the body to again digest and metabolize food properly.

The therapeutic benefits are manifold and will described in greater detail at a later date.

Radiation Poisoning Part I – The Treatment with Alpha Lipoic Acid

2011-09-16T04:13:00.000-07:00

With several even severe accidents in nuclear energy facilities that have happened recently, and in addition with radiation levels rising due to the use of depleted uranium munitions in armed conflicts around the world, the question crops up as to how can we possibly medically deal with this man-made curse. In the long run, it will affect us all. Chernobyl, in 1986, was a disaster. Fukushima in 2011 was and continues to be a far greater and much more dangerous disaster, on a planetary scale. It was not a contained meltdown like in Chernobyl, but several complete meltdowns happened in one and the same facility. An escape or a safe haven from the fallout does not exist, although some politicians may delude themselves that suppressing the free flow of information or the ceasing of measuring radiation levels, will make the problem go away. It won’t.

Scientists first started to look into the effects of radiation after the side effects displayed by the victims in Hiroshima & Nagasaki, and even more so during the long nuclear standoff between the US and the Soviet Union in the so-called Cold War. Governments funded studies because the wanted to know what possibly could be done, should the cold war ever turn hot. In the course of their research, scientists discovered that radiation exposure triggers the production of the lethal hydroxyl radical in the body. Thus radiation poisoning is due an inundation of the system by lethal free radicals, which is how down the road antioxidants such as alpha lipoic acid entered the picture as a form of treatment for such poisoning.

After the first near meltdown in history in the Ukraine, Soviet scientists found out about the usefulness of lipoic acid in the treatment of radiation poisoning. Lester Packer of the University of California in Berkeley summed up their and his own laboratory discoveries in his book The Antioxidant Miracle first published in 1999. He therein states:

“Exposure to radiation produces a cascade of free radicals that causes severe damage and can be fatal. Radiation decimates the body’s supply of glutathione, which allows free radicals to severely damage the body’s tissues and organs. Several antioxidant compounds have been used to treat radiation damage, with varying degrees of effectiveness. In fact, virtually every army in the world equips its soldiers with anti-radiation drugs that are similar in molecular structure to two antioxidants – glutathione and alpha lipoic acid. Recently, researchers at the Russian Institute of Pediatric Hematology and the Vitamin Research Institute in Moscow have found that lipoic acid may prove to be one of the most effective anti-radiation treatments to date.”

“Radiation is so deadly that when animals are exposed to high levels of radiation, only 35 percent of them will survive. Lipoic acid is so powerful that if the animals are treated with lipoic acid before exposure, the survival rate increases to 90 percent. Although we don’t know precisely why more mice survive, I suspect it is because of lipoic acid’s ability to boost the immune system, enhancing the body’s ability to fight against disease generated by free radicals.”

“Fortunately, most of us have never been exposed to lethal levels of radiation, but accidents do happen. The near-meltdown of a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986 led to radioactive fallout and massive soil contamination in the surrounding area. People who continued to live in Chernobyl were exposed to constant low levels of radiation. As a result, the incidence of cancer is much higher than normal, particularly among children.”

“Researchers examined the effects of lipoic acid treatments on the level of oxidative damage in children living in areas affected by the Chernobyl incident. The higher level of blood per-oxidation, the greater the sign of damage caused by free radicals. After twenty-eight days of lipoic acid supplementation, researchers had some extraordinarily good news to report. They found that in children treated with lipoic acid blood per-oxidation levels had fallen to those seen in normal children. Even better, the children’s liver and kidney functions were normalized. Even against the powerful free radicals generated by radiation exposure, alpha lipoic acid was able to hold its own.”

Steam Sauna Ozone Therapy

2011-09-14T06:50:00.003-07:00

The steam sauna is one of the preferred methods in which ozone is delivered. The heat creates and artificial fever within the body which causes the body to produce more white blood cells. Along with this the ozone in the steam sauna enters the blood system through the skin’s pores and may help in the treatment of wide range of conditions such as, herpes, hepatitis, mononucleosis, cirrhosis of the liver, gangrene, cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerosis, high cholesterol, cancerous tumors, lymphomas, leukemia, rheumatoid and other arthritis, allergies, multiple sclerosis, ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, proctitis, colitis, prostate, candadisis, trichomoniasis, open sores, eczema, fungus, Raynaud’s disease, stomatitis and phlebitis. The heat of the sauna should not be allowed to get above 104°F (40°C) as higher heat destroys ozone.

Of course, the use of the ozone steam sauna is not limited to treating diseases. It can also be simply enjoyed as a great tool to stay healthy; to clean the skin of surface toxins, which we take on for example through exhaust fumes, and to subsequently making it look and feel more radiant and alive. The ozone steam sauna is both a therapy and a beauty aid, and thus very versatile in its applications.

Four Phases of Cleansing in Chelation Therapy

2011-09-13T18:23:00.004-07:00

Phase one: First few sessions of Chelation therapy (say three to five) Usually are the most difficult ones. One goes through various cleansing reactions, the intensity of which varies in every individual depending on their health status, dietary habits and life style. The most common reactions include tiredness, headache, gastric upset, sometimes loose stools, dizziness etc. The symptoms are temporary and do not last more than 24 hours after the Chelation session.

Phase two: After first few intense sessions, usually the symptoms subside completely or decrease in intensity so that there after Chelation sessions leave one slightly tired and lazy for the rest of the day. This can last for few more sessions to as long as the course lasts.

Phase three: After about ten to fifteen days of the first session, first signs of improvement in the form of increased vitality, and clarity of sensory perceptions may begin to show up. These signs are usually more obvious in patients who are pretty toxic and weak at the beginning of the treatment. There could be some other improvements for example, the minor ailments like irritating dry cough (which refuses to go away on its own or with anti tussives) may disappear to one’s surprise, as has been witnessed at Healthy Healing Center.

Phase four: This phase comes about six to ten weeks after the course of Chelation therapy. Here one gradually starts to notice beneficial effects of the detoxification through Chelation therapy in a more detailed manner. Usually the health benefits felt at this point are solely individual and every person has a different story to tell. Still to generalize on the basis of patient reports; improvement in overall health status, improvement in skin texture, increased joint flexibility and decrease or complete healing of joint pains (e.g. knee pain, back pain), weight reduction in overweight individuals, improved fertility and sexual potency etc. The specific health benefits vary in each based on individual health status. For more details please see the testimonial section or the Chelation therapy section.

Dr. Rathna Alwa On: Combining Ozone & Chelation In The Treatment of Vascular Diseases

2011-09-09T08:09:00.001-07:00

The following excerpt is from the book Heal Yourself with Oxygen, which in English language is available only in India. The book has been translated into German as well where it was published as Ozon – Der unsichtbare Heiler. Dr. Alwa was the main source of information and her work also the inspiration to get the project going. The author then put it in book form, with the help of other editors and background researchers.

We have chosen the following passage because it sums up succinctly the synergistic benefits of treating vascular disease with both ozone and chelation. In the book, it is a bunch of theories that sound nice. Fortunately, the theory has been confirmed time and again in practice, including in many series of treatments that I have given at Healthy Healing over the years. We are therefore very grateful for the late Dr. Rathna Alwa’s pioneer work with ozone and chelation.

“This widely popular form of treatment induces EDTA, a chelation agent, which is composed of an amino acid quite similar to lemon juice, along with several other supporting substances by way of intravenous drip. To sum up its various effects at the cellular and molecular level:

Removal of accumulated toxic metals;
Removal of metals which act as catalysts in free radical reactions;
Reduction of formation of lipid peroxides and hence formation of “plaque”;
Balancing of the prostaglandin metabolism and function that are atherosclerotic, involved in blood vessel contraction and dilation mechanisms, hormonal balance and other homeostatic mechanisms;
Reduction of cross-linkages of proteins and hence, improvement of tissue elasticity and slowing down of the aging process;
Balancing of the platelet function and hence reduction of thrombosis formation;
Induction of para-hormonal pulses facilitating removal of calcium from metastatic calcific deposits (as in plaque) while encouraging deposition in osteoporotic bones.

These effects, marvelous in and of themselves, work faster and with greater efficacy when EDTA-chelation and ozone treatments are done alternately. Together they work synergistically, rather than simply as an addition of their respective benefits:

Chelation reduces the ongoing free radical damage and gives the body a chance to heal itself, which infers that the maximum benefit is received up to after three months after the actual treatment. At the same time, tri-atomic-oxygen boosts the anti-oxidant defenses, removes offending toxins and improves the general health of all the cells in the body, thereby supporting an overall healing process.

As stated above, chelation balances platelet and prostaglandin functions, while ozone reduces RBC clumping and supplies O₂, thus reducing hypoxia.

In all vascular diseases, the crux of the matter is reduction of vessel patency and its resultant lack of oxygen in the tissue. Ozone and chelation when used together clearly have a major role to play in this arena. In fact, thousands of heart patients have found chelation therapy to be a healthy alternative to bypass surgery. Twenty to thirty chelation drips, done alone or on alternate days with ozone treatments in between, have been found to create clear passage in otherwise blocked arteries, making dangerous invasive surgery unnecessary. For anyone over forty years of age, chelation drips composed of EDTA and a number of vitamins return a sense of youthful vigor and health in a very short amount of time. Physicians using EDTA, however, need to be trained to properly monitor kidney function due to the large volume of waste, which is released from the system by chelation therapy."

Cardiovascular Surgeon Endorses EDTA Chelation Therapy

2011-09-08T08:25:00.001-07:00

The following article was first published a little more than ten years ago as a letter to the editor in the journal for the Clinical Practice of Alternative Medicine. Its presentation as EDTA as a life-changing experience carries the same news value now as carried had then. It is most valuable in its conclusion that the allopathic and alternative approach need not be mutually exclusive. Rather, they can, and when practiced with discernment, will complement each other. This is precisely the approach followed at Healthy Healing Center.

"As a conventionally trained cardiovascular surgeon, the concept of free-radical pathology causing atherosclerotic vascular disease was not included in the curriculum. EDTA chelation was not a treatment option for our patients. Vitamins and minerals were not considered a valuable adjuvant to the advanced technology of angioplasty and bypass surgery. My dream of being a heart surgeon was becoming reality. However, I discovered a real problem. We were delivering symptomatic therapy and ignoring the disease process. The patients were encouraged to stop smoking, change their diet, exercise, and alter their lifestyle. Most patients were unsuccessful and were sent home for the untreated disease to continue its progression against health and life.

I was first encouraged to learn about the possible benefit of vitamin E for cardiac patients. Research led me to believe there was in fact enough evidence to substantiate the inclusion of vitamin E in my treatment protocol. There was still more I needed to learn, and I continued my quest for knowledge. I then discovered the concept of free-radical damage to the vascular endothelial cell membrane leading to plaque formation and stenosis. The addition of EDTA and a more intense vitamin regimen has provided many of my patients with the opportunity to experience improvement and healing even without surgery. The case history of one of these patients serves as an example of this truth.

A 72-year-old man presented to the Surgery Clinic and Vascular Treatment Center for continuation of chelation therapy because of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. The first coronary artery bypass surgery performed after a myocardial infarction was unsuccessful. A second coronary artery bypass also resulted in angina that severely limited his level of activity and threatened to decrease his life expectancy. Post-surgical medical management failed to improve his condition. He was sent home with no hope for improvement and no other options.

Determined to find help for his failing heart, he discovered chelation therapy. With chelation, there was immediate improvement with reduction of anginal episodes and an increase in work capacity. EDTA chelation was given twice weekly and then reduced to monthly therapy after 30 treatments. Over 200 chelation treatments have been given since the initial medical and surgical therapy failure 22 years ago. For longer than 2 decades he has enjoyed complete symptomatic relief with no activity restriction. He was faced with the reality of an early death after his bypass surgeries failed, and was instructed to go home and enjoy the little time left to him. Chelation has truly been a gift of extended life for this gentleman.

Recently, this same patient was scheduled for coronary angiography in preparation for gallbladder surgery. His surgeon requested this study because of his cardiac history. The arteriogram showed no significant coronary artery disease. Twenty-two years earlier, there was documented coronary artery blockage sufficient to warrant 2 bypass surgeries. He tolerated the gallbladder surgery without incident. EDTA chelation therapy is being continued on a monthly basis. He remains active without symptoms or restriction of activity.

In conclusion, this history represents a patient with coronary artery atherosclerotic disease twice leading to myocardial infarction and bypass surgery. When the second surgery also ended in failure, he was given no hope for recovery. After more than 200 chelation treatments, an arteriogram demonstrated total reversal of the atherosclerotic process suggesting healing of a disease that is the number one cause of death and disability in America today.

The inclusion of EDTA chelation as a treatment for atherosclerotic vascular disease has been the single best therapeutic addition to my practice of general and vascular surgery, which began 19 years ago."

H. J. H. MD, Vascular, Thoracic and General Surgery

Letter to the Editor. Clinical Practice of Alternative Medicine 2000;Volume 1, Number 3.

DMSA For Detoxing Lead and Mercury

2011-09-07T22:30:00.001-07:00

In addition to EDTA, at Healthy Healing we also use DMSA in capsule form as chelating agent. This is helpful as EDTA alone, although it is effective and doubtless the best known and most frequently used chelator around the world, cannot and will not remove all toxins from the body. When it comes to mercury, EDTA is actually ineffective. However, mercury is almost omnipresent in the modern world, and it is necessary to reduce its harmful impact.

One website dedicated to DMSA as a chelator only states the obvious when it says that "Lead and mercury are two heavy metals that seem to have found their way into almost everyone. Lead and mercury do not occur naturally in the body and as such are very toxic. These two heavy metals are known to interfere with how nerves communicate. Meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is a compound approved in the 1960’s by the FDA for the removal (chelation) of heavy metals. DMSA is considered the preferred agent for the chelation (removal) of heavy metals in both adults and children. Mercury is considered to be the second most toxic substance on the planet (uranium is #1) and the negative effects of mercury exposure are well documented.

When Brain Science Goes Beyond the Conventional Wisdom of Medicine & Molecular Biology

2011-09-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

Medicine prides itself to be a science, and one of the ‘hard sciences’ at that. As a science, medicine strives to be as accurate as classical physics and chemistry. Its object is the study, analysis and manipulation of the human body at different levels of organization for the purpose of maintaining or re-establishing the body’s proper function. From this point of view, all that ever happens is objectively provable, because it follows certain rules. Molecules, chemical compounds, fluids, tissues, organs including the brain, which governs all these functions are working according to rules that, once established, do NOT change – or DO they?

Unfortunately for ‘traditional’ medical science, they actually DO. And who says so? Not a group of New Age or religious freaks, but leading edge brain scientists the world over. One of them is Professor Gerald Huether of the University of Goettingen, in Germany. Huether is well known among brain scientists, the author of over 150 papers on experimental brain research and recently, of a handful popular books, one of which, The Compassionate Brain, was translated and published in the English language.

What he and many of his colleagues have to say also impacts medicine, as from a strictly scientific point of view it clearly demonstrates that action and in particular social interaction are as vital especially for maintaining good health as the consumption of medicines, or undergoing surgical procedures. Naturally, action and social interaction also play an important role in re-establishing it. Psychosomatic medicine has proven this particular point many times over through extensive research, in the course of the last thirty odd years. But now we have additional confirmation through brain research, which likewise points to the undeniable malleability of what previously were considered purely physical aspects, through feelings and emotions, and the actions that these feelings and emotions engender.

In his introduction to the book The Compassionate Brain, Huether summarizes some of the discoveries of modern brain research in 5 key points, all of which have bearing on the way medicine should be practiced in order for it to be effective:

“For decades the presumption was that the neuronal pathways and synaptic connections established during the brain’s initial development were immutable. Today we know that the brain is capable throughout our lifetimes of adaptively modifying and reorganizing the connective pathways that it has laid down, and that the development and consolidation of these pathways depends in quite a major way in how we use our brain and what for.”
“A few years ago, no researcher in the field of brain science could have conceived of the possibility that what we experience could be capable of changing the structure of our brain in any way. Today most scientists who study the brain are convinced that the experiences of our lives do become structurally anchored in our brain.”
“Until quite recently, it was held to be self-evident that human beings have a big brain to make it possible for them to think. However, the research results of the last years have made it clear that the structure and function of the human brain is especially optimized for tasks that we would subsume under the heading of ‘psychosocial competence’. Our brain is thus more a social organ than it is a thinking organ.”
“As recently as a few years ago, everything that had anything to do with feelings and emotions appeared suspect to brain researchers. But lately they have begun to understand how important feelings and emotions are, not only in orienting perceptual and thinking processes, but also for the way in which early experiences become anchored in the brain. Thus the great role feelings play in determining our later basic attitudes and convictions has become clear.”

Naturally, these points have a greater impact on HOW medicine is practiced, rather than on what kind of medicine is practiced. But then, indirectly, the HOW of what you do will eventually influence WHAT you do. This is inevitable.

For example, once you fully understand that experiences become structurally anchored in the brain, you will refrain from submitting others to traumatizing experiences; or at least, you will make an effort to cushion potentially traumatizing experiences, by fully explaining why they might be necessary and how they can be of benefit. In short, as a doctor you will become more human and acknowledge your patients’ humanity. Which is a great thing in itself and a great shift, away from mechanization and standardization in modern medicine – even if you continue to use standardized protocols.

Part II - Clinical Effects of Ozone Therapy Based on Basic Research Completed at the State Medical Academy, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

2011-08-23T21:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday’s and today’s two-part post was written and published with the sole intent to dissolve any doubts regarding the sufficiency of the amount of research material presently available on ozone therapy. Plenty of research has been done, especially in the last 25-year period, in the course of which the world has seen more virulent viruses emerge almost in regular intervals – as well as mutations of existing viruses. Naturally, much more research could have been completed, as the motivation for it clearly existed, were it not for the forces motivated to sabotage any such attempts, especially in the English- speaking world.

This does not change one iota of the truth that by now, we basically know how ozone works, why it works – and why for some pathologies it is such effective medicine. Many good things in this world are open secrets, even if only relatively few people know about them. The clinical and therapeutic effects of ozone are among these. The ignorance of the many does not prove the proven insights of the few wrong.

So, now lets get back to Oleg Maslennikov’s, Claudia Kontorshchikova’s and Irina Gribkova’s wonderful ‘Ozone Health Manual’, 39-pages short, but filled with very valuable and condensed research information. Besides the list of four effects mentioned in Part I of our post, ozone has four additional clinical effects. They are:

· “Activation of oxygen-dependent physiological processes – Ozone doses, however low they are, cause an increase in free and dissolved blood oxygen, with rapid intensification of enzymes that catalyze aerobic oxidation of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, with formation of ATP energy substrate. Of great significance in this, is the mitochodrian activation of H-ATP-ase, responsible for conjugation of respiratory processes and oxidative phosphorylation resulting in ATP-synthesis.

· Optimization of pro- and anti-oxidant systems – This is regarded as one of the main effects of systemic ozone therapy. It happens through ozone’s impact on cell membranes and bringing to balance the levels f lipid per-oxidation products and of the antioxidant defense system. In response to ozone, there occurs the compensatory increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes-superoxidismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathio-peroxidase. Due to restored aerobic metabolic reactions there is the accumulation of NADH2 and NADH2_ , which function as proton donors to restore the oxidized components of the non-enzymic antioxidant system (glutathione, vitamin E, ascorbic acid etc). The use of exogenic antioxidants with preliminary calculated dosage is obligatory when high ozone concentrations are used.

· Haemostatic effect – Which is dosage dependent. High concentrations administered for external use cause evident hyper coagulation, while parenteral administration of low concentrations is characterized by the decrease in thrombocytic and coagulative levels of hemostasis, as well as by an increase in fibrinilytic activity.

· Immune Modulation – Which is based on ozone’s interaction with lipid structures of cell membranes, and depends on the dose administered. – Low ozone concentrations promote the accumulation of ozonides on the membranes of phagocytic cells – monocytes and macrophages. Due to ozonides, these cells then stimulate the cytokines synthesis of different classes. Cytokines being biologically active peptides, contribute to the further activation of the non-specific defense system (rise in body temperature, generation of acute-phase peptides in the liver0, and, apart for this, they also activate cellular and humeral immunity. Together, they facilitate the treatment of secondary immune-deficiency. – High ozone concentrations aggravate the processes of lipid per-oxidation in the cell membranes of the same phagocytic cells, with the accumulation of the toxic and hard products of lipid per-oxitation (malon de-aldehyde and Shiff bases), which inhibit cytokines synthesis, and thus prevent the activation of T-helpers, lymphocytes, aimed at regulating immune globulin generation by B-lymphocytes. The effects of high concentration are thus put to use in the treatment of patients with auto-immune pathologies such as rheumatoid disease, disseminated sclerosis and sclerodermia…”

We apologize for the ‘medical Chinese’ (or should we say ‘Russian’) in which most of the presentation is written. However, it seemed important to also include the background information on why ozone exhibits virucidal, analgesic, or anti-inflammatory properties. Lists of its therapeutic effects have been published before. But in themselves these lists are not convincing to the educated reader. With the background information, they may be.

Clinical Effects of Ozone Therapy Based on Basic Research Completed at the State Medical Academy, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia – Part I

2011-08-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

In our blog, we have already published a number of posts dealing with the way that ozone works and its effectiveness, especially as a bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal agent (see for example posts of April 17^th, June 9^th, July 6^th and August 17^th, 2011). In today’s and tomorrow’s post, we will give an overview of all the clinical actions of ozone, based on the basic research that has been done over decades in Russia, at the State Medical Academy in Nizhny Novgorod. The emerging big picture is actually very encouraging, even more so because it is not based on mere anecdotal evidence, but on long years of basic research under the auspices of the Ministry of Health Services of a large country, known for the solidity and creativity of their scientists – in this case the Ministry of Health Services of the Russian Federation, and previously under the auspices of the same body of the now defunct USSR.

Mind you, even in Nizhny Novgorod they don’t treat all pathologies with ozone alone, but use it selectively where it is most effective. And that is the entire point. To try and overreach, thereby proclaiming ozone as a cure-all, is the defining characteristic of a charlatan; but so is the false claim, repeated over and over and coming from always the same quarters, in many cases paid for by special interest groups that, “ozone is toxic and should not be used in medicine.” This is rubbish, and pure misinformation, when even the famous Lester Packer of the University of California in Berkeley states that, “There is growing evidence that oxidants like many ros including ozone provide a mild oxidant stress, which under certain circumstances actually induce the formation of phase 1 and phase 2 enzymes, strengthening the antioxidant defense system through an adaptation process. Thus it would be rational that a mild treatment with ozone stimulates the antioxidant defense system…”

To apply ozone judiciously is the sign of good doctoring, because clearly, there is just too much evidence of its therapeutic effect, which in some areas is also vastly superior to all other approaches.

The following quote from the publication Ozone Therapy in Practice Health Manual by Professors Oleg Maslennikov and Claudia Kontorshchikova has been slightly edited and abbreviated for better readability.

“Ozone can produce different effects according to the chosen concentration and the way of its administration. In medical practice the most important are the following:

Bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal – When applied externally in the form of a gaseous mixture or in ozonated solution it is recommended to use high ozone concentrations, which produce direct oxidative effect in the microorganism membrane. Ozone can destroy practically all kinds of bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. Gram-positive bacteria and capsular viruses with a lipid bio-layer are particularly sensitive to oxidation. The use of therapeutic ozone concentrations kills bacteria by indirectly activating the non-specific defense system (phagocyte activation, enhanced synthesis of cytokines-interferons, interleukin tumor necrosis factor) as well as components of cellular and humeral immunity. Evidence has been reported of partial oxidation of virus receptors that makes them incapable to virus binding. Besides, inhibition of reverse transcriptase enzyme was reported, which contributes to the destruction of the AIDS virus.
Anti –inflammatory – This shows in ozone’s capacity to oxidize the compounds containing double bonds, arachidonic acid (20:4) and its derivatives – in particular prostaglandins. These biologically active substances participate in the development and sustaining of the process of inflammation. In addition, ozone regulates metabolic reactions in tissues at the place of inflammation and resolves pH. The efficacy of ozone therapy in bronchial asthma can be partially explained by the oxidation of double bonds in pathological compounds such as leukotrines, also derived arachidonic acid.
Analagesic – this effect is produced by the oxidation of the products of albuminolysis, the so-called algo-peptides. They act on the nerve endings in the damaged tissue and determine how intense the pain is going to be. In addition, the pain relief is also caused by ozone’s normalizing of the antioxidant system and accordingly, by the decrease of the amount of toxic molecular products of lipid peroxidation on cellular membranes that are designed to modify the function of membrane inbuilt enzymes, which participate in ATP synthesis and in maintaining the vital activity of organs and tissues.
Detoxification – This shows in the correction and activation of metabolic processes in the hepatic and renal tissues, thus ensuring their main function of neutralization and evacuation of the toxic compounds from the organs.

Meaning in Medicine Revisited

2011-08-21T22:57:00.001-07:00

According to Albert Einstein, "The man who regards his own life and that of his fellow creatures as meaningless is not merely unhappy but hardly fit for life."

Okay, it will be difficult to dispute the fact, but how does the concept of "meaning" figure into the hard science of medicine?

Very simply put: it does and very much so. The meaning that a patient gives to his or her disease or his or her overall state of health, measurably has a greater impact on their health than for example the life-shortening habit of cigarette smoking. Several long-term studies involving over 23,000 people between 18 and 94 of age suggest as much, including one conducted by Yale Medical School and published in the Journal of Gerontology, in 1991.

All of these studies come to the same conclusion: a person's opinion about his or her state of health is a better indicator than factors such as verifiable symptoms, extensive exams or lab tests. The studies confirmed that people who smoked were twice as likely to die within the next 12 years. So far the common logic was confirmed. However another finding totally went against this very logic, namely the statistically proven fact that people who themselves described their own state of health as "poor" were found to be seven times more likely to die within the next 12 years than those who stated that their health was "excellent".

The meaning a patient assigns to his or her health and life, does indeed count for something. Therefore, even the best therapy cannot be administered mechanically. It works best when given in the context of the patient's history and the meaning he or she gives to it. As a physician studies such as the one quoted above confirmed me in my approach to listen to the patient as much as I pay attention to the facts revealed by lab test and examinations.