You are what you eat!

Mercury, mercury, where art thou mercury?

2011-12-17T20:52:00.005-05:00

I can't even count how many times people have said to me, "Where would your children get mercury poisoning??" Most people don't realize they encounter this nasty heavy metal every day. You don't need to have silver fillings to be toxic, although, if you do, it's likely you ARE toxic.

The reason we are accumulating these toxins is, because of an inability to detox naturally. There are many systems associated with our ability to detox, from the liver to hormones and even nutritional status. Our bodies are like fine-tuned engines, we require a specific form of "fuel" to function optimally. When any of these pieces are out of place, the strain on the body is great. If we can't detox, not only do the toxins pile up causing increased symptoms, but the ability to detox is continuously reduced in the process. The snow ball just keeps growing and growing.

So where can we find mercury?

-High efficiency light bulbs - supposedly "green".....green my ass! Imagine what would happen, if everyone is MANDATED to use these and they end up in landfills daily. What then? You think the autism rates are high now, just wait! Mark my words. Thank goodness, that has currently been overturned. Break one of these suckers and you have just reproduced a mini hazardous waste site in your home. And did you know there is actually a procedure on how to handle it? I bet you never looked that up, just in case your battery breaks. No one plans on breaking a bulb, that is why it is called an accident! Here are the EPA's guidelines, notice they downplay the situation a bit, but still bring attention to the fact that there IS a way to do it, as well as a way NOT to do it! Hello, safety issue?!

-Lighting and Electrical Applications - Fluorescent lamps are commonly found in garages and home workshop areas, they buzz and crackle when you turn them on, lol. Spent lamps must be managed properly, because they contain mercury. A number of communities have begun to collect lamps from residents (not mine) and from their municipal buildings. Careful handling and storage is essential so that mercury is not released via breakage. If you do break one, refer to the link above for the EPA clean-up guidelines.

-Batteries - The best thing I can do for this topic is provide this link which goes into great detail about the types of mercury in batteries (with specifics) and which companies are phasing mercury out of their batteries. There aren't enough companies on that list, as far as I am concerned! The issue here isn't just related to exposure to the batteries themselves, but the production of them. How many families are effected by the factory jobs related to making them? What is this mercury doing to our environment? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.

-Fish/seafood - There used to be fish that were deemed safe, now there are fish that are "safer"....get that distinction? They used to say that you should just avoid the big fish, like Tuna, but now, eat too much fish, period, and you will have a mercury problem, guaranteed. Just ask Jeremy Pivens who was eating a lot of Sushi (high grade fish) and became toxic enough that he required chelation therapy! See his story here.

Good news to my ears is that Maine lobsters remain to be the lowest in mercury, yippee for our trips to Maine every year. That is one luxury I am not yet willing to give up for myself or our kids. It's a tradition and it's YUMMY....heck, it's only once a year and it's a perfect match for our ghee (clarified butter, which is normally used in restaurants for lobster and is also casein-free)!

-Vaccines - ok, so this requires it's own book completely, which is why there are many out there, but what I would like to say on this topic is that independent studies have confirmed that there are still vaccinations made with mercury and even though they are not necessarily listed on the ingredients like they are with the more obvious flu and Hep B vaccines. In order for mercury to make it to a label, there has to be over a certain amount. When mercury is used in the production of a vaccination (and most are) they remove it afterwards, leaving traces behind, low enough that they don't required label identification. This was taken directly from the FDA website:

FDA is continuing its efforts toward reducing or removing thimerosal from all existing vaccines. Much progress has been made to date. FDA has been actively working with manufacturers, particularly those that manufacture childhood vaccines, to reach the goal of eliminating thimerosal from vaccines, and has been collaborating with other PHS agencies to further evaluate the potential health effects of thimerosal. In this regard, all vaccines routinely recommended for children 6 years of age or younger and marketed in the U.S. contain no thimerosal or only trace amounts (1 microgram or less mercury per dose), with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine, which was first recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in 2004 for routine use in children 6 to 23 months of age.

Then they go and add a nice dose of aluminum to that very vaccine, now you have a recipe for disaster, literally. Are you worried yet? If not, you should be! Mixing aluminum and mercury is a biohazard occurring right in your body (or the body of your innocent and very small child, or both, if you are pregnant). Mercury levels above 58 micrograms (mcg), millionths of a gram, are associated with neurodevelopmental effects in the fetus, the CDC report states. Did you know that flu shots still contain 24-25mcg/.5mL? This is reported by the Institute for Vaccine Safety. What I find interesting is that you will never find both of these pieces of information on either of their sites, together. Gee, I wonder why.

Again, taken right from the FDA

As a vaccine preservative, thimerosal is used in concentrations of 0.003% to 0.01%. A vaccine containing 0.01% thimerosal as a preservative contains 50 micrograms of thimerosal per 0.5 ml dose or approximately 25 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 mL dose. The use of mercury-containing preservatives in vaccines has declined markedly since 1999.

DECLINED....not removed entirely.

-Amalgam fillings - My favorite mercury topic, by far.....50% mercury, by weight. Did your dentist tell you that before he filled all those pretty white teeth with the only insurance-approved metal? Probably not, in fact, even when asked now, many dentists won't even acknowledge the question, or they shrug it off with a callused, "it isn't enough to harm you". Oh, and one I really like, "It's the same as eating a can of tuna fish". Yeah, maybe if it was organic and that doesn't even matter, because both are dangerous to your health, so what do you think is happening as each one of your fillings off-gas mercury vapors day in and day out, maybe more like eating a can of tuna fish every hour!! Check out "Smoking Teeth" from the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology and learn exactly how much mercury is releasing from just one filling all day, then multiply that by the number of fillings you are lucky enough to have. Serious exposure there! Mercury DOES cross the placenta and travel through breast milk then to add insult to injury, we pass down three generations of heavy metals adding each of our own toxicities to the mix, get the picture yet? THEN, take a look at the symptoms of mercury toxicity and put them beside the symptoms of autism, better yet, just get out a mirror, because, surprise, surprise - they are the same. The cascade of health deterioration with mercury involved is very real and it makes other illnesses much more severe, such as parasitic infections, Lyme Disease, and mold toxicity. I bet if any Lyme patient was looked at a bit more closely, you would find mercury toxicity. For many of these autoimmune diseases, they are just the tip of the iceberg....
MERCURY POISONING AUTISM


Psychiatric	Social deficits, shyness, social withdrawal	Social deficits, social withdrawal, shyness
Disturbances	Depression, mood swings; mask face	Depressive traits, mood swings; flat affect
	Anxiety	Anxiety
	Schizoid tendencies, OCD traits	Schizophrenic & OCD traits; repetitiveness
	Lacks eye contact, hesitant to engage others	Lack of eye contact, avoids conversation
	Irrational fears	Irrational fears
	Irritability, aggression, temper tantrums	Irritability, aggression, temper tantrums
	Impaired face recognition	Impaired face recognition

Speech,	Loss of speech, failure to develop speech	Delayed language, failure to develop speech
Language &	Dysarthria; articulation problems	Dysarthria; articulation problems
Hearing	Speech comprehension deficits	Speech comprehension deficits
Deficits	Verbalizing & word retrieval problems	Echolalia; word use & pragmatic errors
	Sound sensitivity	Sound sensitivity
	Hearing loss; deafness in very high doses	Mild to profound hearing loss
	Poor performance on language IQ tests	Poor performance on verbal IQ tests

Sensory	Abnormal sensation in mouth & extremities	Abnormal sensation in mouth & extremities
Abnormalities	Sound sensitivity	Sound sensitivity
	Abnormal touch sensations; touch aversion	Abnormal touch sensations; touch aversion
	Vestibular abnormalities	Vestibular abnormalities

Motor Disorders	Involuntary jerking movements - arm flapping, ankle jerks, myoclonal jerks, choreiform movements, circling, rocking	Stereotyped movements - arm flapping, jumping, circling, spinning, rocking; myoclonal jerks; choreiform movements
	Deficits in eye-hand coordination; limb apraxia; intention tremors	Poor eye-hand coordination; limb apraxia; problems with intentional movements
	Gait impairment; ataxia – from incoordination & clumsiness to inability to walk, stand, or sit; loss of motor control	Abnormal gait and posture, clumsiness and incoordination; difficulties sitting, lying, crawling, and walking
	Difficulty in chewing or swallowing	Difficulty chewing or swallowing
	Unusual postures	Unusual postures

Cognitive Impairments	Borderline intelligence, mental retardation - some cases reversible	Borderline intelligence, mental retardation - sometimes "recovered"
	Poor concentration, attention, response inhibition	Poor concentration, attention, shifting attention
	Uneven performance on IQ subtests	Uneven performance on IQ subtests
	Verbal IQ higher than performance IQ	Verbal IQ higher than performance IQ
	Poor short term, verbal, & auditory memory	Poor short term, auditory & verbal memory
	Poor visual and perceptual motor skills, impairment in simple reaction time	Poor visual and perceptual motor skills, lower performance on timed tests
	Difficulty carrying out complex commands	Difficulty carrying out multiple commands
	Alexia (inability to comprehend the meaning of written words)	Hyperlexia (ability to decode words while lacking word comprehension)
	Deficits in understanding abstract ideas & symbolism; degeneration of higher mental powers	Deficits in abstract thinking & symbolism, understanding other’s mental states, sequencing, planning & organizing

(ii)

Unusual	Stereotyped sniffing (rats)	Stereotyped, repetitive behaviors
Behaviors	ADHD traits	ADHD traits
	Agitation, unprovoked crying, grimacing, staring spells	Agitation, unprovoked crying, grimacing, staring spells
	Sleep difficulties	Sleep difficulties
	Eating disorders, feeding problems	Eating disorders, feeding problems
	Self injurious behavior, e.g. head banging	Self injurious behavior, e.g. head banging

Visual	Poor eye contact, impaired visual fixation	Poor eye contact, problems in joint attention
Impairments	“Visual impairments,” blindness, near-sightedness, decreased visual acuity	“Visual impairments”; inaccurate/slow saccades; decreased rod functioning
	Light sensitivity, photophobia	Over-sensitivity to light
	Blurred or hazy vision	Blurred vision
	Constricted visual fields	Not described

Physical Disturbances	Increase in cerebral palsy; hyper- or hypo-tonia; abnormal reflexes; decreased muscle strength, especially upper body; incontinence; problems chewing, swallowing, salivating	Increase in cerebral palsy; hyper- or hypotonia; decreased muscle strength, especially upper body; incontinence; problems chewing and swallowing
	Rashes, dermatitis/dry skin, itching; burning	Rashes, dermatitis, eczema, itching
	Autonomic disturbance: excessive sweating, poor circulation, elevated heart rate	Autonomic disturbance: unusual sweating, poor circulation, elevated heart rate

Gastro-intestinal	Gastroenteritis, diarrhea; abdominal pain, constipation, “colitis”	Diarrhea, constipation, gaseousness, abdominal discomfort, colitis
Disturbances	Anorexia, weight loss, nausea, poor appetite	Anorexia; feeding problems/vomiting
	Lesions of ileum & colon; increases gut permeability	Leaky gut syndrome
	Inhibits dipeptidyl peptidase IV, which cleaves casomorphin	Inadequate endopeptidase enzymes needed for breakdown of casein & gluten

Abnormal Biochemistry	Ties up -SH groups; blocks sulfate transporter in intestines, kidneys	Low sulfate levels
	Has special affinity for purines & pyrimidines	Purine & pyrimidine metabolism errors lead to autistic features
	Reduces availability of glutathione, needed in cells & liver to detoxify heavy metals	Low levels of glutathione; decreased ability of liver to detoxify heavy metals
	Causes significant reduction in glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase	Abnormal glutathione peroxidase activities in erythrocytes
	Disrupts mitochondrial activities, especially in brain	Mitochondrial dysfunction, especially in brain

Immune Dysfunction	Sensitivity due to allergic or autoimmune reactions; sensitive individuals more likely to have allergies, asthma, autoimmune-like symptoms, especially rheumatoid-like ones	More likely to have allergies and asthma; familial presence of autoimmune diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis; IgA deficiencies
	Can produce an immune response in CNS	On-going immune response in CNS
	Causes brain/MBP autoantibodies	Brain/MBP autoantibodies present
	Causes overproduction of Th2 subset; kills/inhibits lymphocytes, T-cells, and monocytes; decreases NK T-cell activity; induces or suppresses IFNg & IL-2	Skewed immune-cell subset in the Th2 direction; decreased responses to T-cell mitogens; reduced NK T-cell function; increased IFNg & IL-12

CNS Structural Pathology	Selectively targets brain areas unable to detoxify or reduce Hg-induced oxidative stress	Specific areas of brain pathology; many functions spared
	Damage to Purkinje and granular cells	Damage to Purkinje and granular cells
	Accummulates in amygdala and hippocampus	Pathology in amygdala and hippocampus
	Causes abnormal neuronal cytoarchitecture; disrupts neuronal migration & cell division; reduces NCAMs	Neuronal disorganization; increased neuronal cell replication, increased glial cells; depressed expression of NCAMs
	Progressive microcephaly	Progressive microcephaly and macrocephaly
	Brain stem defects in some cases	Brain stem defects in some cases

Abnormalities in Neuro-chemistry	Prevents presynaptic serotonin release & inhibits serotonin transport; causes calcium disruptions	Decreased serotonin synthesis in children; abnormal calcium metabolism
	Alters dopamine systems; peroxidine deficiency in rats resembles mercurialism in humans	Possibly high or low dopamine levels; positive response to peroxidine (lowers dopamine levels)
	Elevates epinephrine & norepinephrine levels by blocking enzyme that degrades epinephrine	Elevated norepinephrine and epinephrine
	Elevates glutamate	Elevated glutamate and aspartate
	Leads to cortical acetylcholine deficiency; increases muscarinic receptor density in hippocampus & cerebellum	Cortical acetylcholine deficiency; reduced muscarinic receptor binding in hippocampus
	Causes demyelating neuropathy	Demyelation in brain

EEG Abnormalities/	Causes abnormal EEGs, epileptiform activity	Abnormal EEGs, epileptiform activity
Epilepsy	Causes seizures, convulsions	Seizures; epilepsy
	Causes subtle, low amplitude seizure activity	Subtle, low amplitude seizure activities

Population	Effects more males than females	Male:female ratio estimated at 4:1
*Characteristics*	At low doses, only affects those genetically susceptible	High heritability - concordance for MZ twins is 90%
	First added to childhood vaccines in 1930s	First "discovered" among children born in 1930s
	Exposure levels steadily increased since 1930s with rate of vaccination, number of vaccines	Prevalence of autism has steadily increased from 1 in 2000 (1940s) to 1 in 500 (1990s)
	Exposure occurs at 0 - 15 months; clinical silent stage means symptom emergence delayed; symptoms emerge gradually, starting with movement & sensation	Symptoms emerge from 4 months to 2 years old; symptoms emerge gradually, starting with movement & sensation

If that doesn't convince you, I honestly don't know what will. Thanks to ARC research for this comprehensive list!

-Pesticides - Organochlorine pesticides like Aldrin and Endrin and Dieldrin, used in the United States for decades, were mostly eliminated from use in the late 1980s according to Dr. Gerberding. So this should make us feel better about pesticides, right? Well, what about this little tidbit of information?

Mercury is only removed from the biosphere when it reaches sediments deep under the oceans or when it is immobilized in controlled landfills. This implies that, even as we gradually eliminate mercury releases from human activity, levels in the environment will take several decades or longer to go back down.

-Pharmaceuticals - Mercury can be found in some topical disinfectants, like Mercurochrome, Tincture of Merthiolate and older medications for psoriasis and eczema. It is also found in some over-the-counter nasal sprays (yum), hemorrhoidal ointments (child birth anyone?) and eye and contact lens products (ouch). Be sure to read labels!

-Major appliances - Mercury-containing thermostat probes can be found in several types of gas-fired appliances that have pilot lights, including ranges, ovens, clothes dryers, water heaters, furnaces and space heaters. That little metal probe you've probably noticed in the back of your oven consists of a metal bulb and thin tube attached to a gas-control valve. Also known as a flame sensor or gas safety valve, it prevents gas flow if the pilot light is not lit. Although non-mercury thermostat probes are also used in these appliances, treat all probes as though they contain mercury, unless you know that they do not. If you decide to trash your stove, the probe should be removed and stored in a covered container until it can be taken to a consolidation site.

-Thermometers (fever, candy, deep fry, oven, indoor and outdoor with a silvery temperature indicator) - Thermometers are one of the largest sources of mercury discarded in municipal solid waste. Many communities, including Boston, are now banning the sale of mercury fever thermometers and offering exchanges by giving out mercury-free alternatives such as digital thermometers. Health Care Without Harm has produced a resource guide entitled “How to Plan and Hold a Mercury Thermometer Exchange.” To obtain a copy, go to Health Care Without Harm.

Important - If you break a thermometer, do not vacuum the mercury up, this will spread it throughout the house. Instead, put on rubber or disposable gloves (not leather work gloves!) and scoop up the silvery liquid with an appropriate utensil. Handle the liquid very carefully and capture it in a firm container with a tight cover. This container should not be reused. Contact your local board of health for additional suggestions on collection and disposal. The collected mercury should be recycled whenever possible.

-Barometers and Manometer - Many barometers and vacuum gauges found in machinery contain mercury. Liquid mercury in the gauges responds to air pressure in a precise way that can be read on a calibrated scale. Mercury-free alternatives are available.

-Thermostats - Mercury-containing tilt switches have been used in thermostats for more than 40 years. Each switch contains approximately 3 grams of mercury. Electronic thermostats provide many enhanced features and are mercury-free. The manufacturers of thermostats have established a take back program. For information contact the Thermostat Recycling Corporation at 1-800-238-8192.

-Coal and cement plants nearby? - They pollute the air, what more do you need to know? In all seriousness, mercury exists naturally in coal, making coal-fired power plants the largest source of mercury pollution in this country. Coal accounts for nearly 50% of the electricity generated in this country—and almost 50 tons of mercury emissions annually. According to the nonprofit law firm Earthjustice, all the cement kilns in the U.S. combined pump out roughly 23,000 pounds of mercury every year. The mercury comes from coal, which is used to fuel the cement-manufacturing process, as well as limestone, another natural source of the heavy metal. The group released a report last July finding that, individually, some cement kilns emit nearly one and a half times more mercury than the most polluting coal-fired power plants. But because there are fewer kilns, they account for lower levels of atmospheric mercury overall than coal plants.

-Fossil fuel, and to a lesser extent, gas and oil - I bet you didn't even realize that even electricity releases mercury?! The EPA reported that U.S. electric utilities released 48 tons of mercury in 1999, the latest year data is available. More from the EPA:

Mercury is a trace component of all fossil fuels, including natural gas, gas condensates, crude oil, coal, tar sands, and other bitumens. The use of fossil hydrocarbons as fuels provides the main opportunity for releasing emissions of the mercury they contain into the atmospheric environment, but other avenues also exist in production, transportation, and processing systems. These other avenues may provide mercury directly to air, water, or solid waste streams.

-Chlor-alkali plants - Per Rodale, Chlorine bleach, laundry detergent, cheap vinyl purses, shoes, and toys made with polyvinyl chloride (or PVC)—making all these products required the use of chlorine gas at some point. The chlor-alkali plants that produce it use mercury to convert salt to chlorine gas, and to convert salt to caustic soda, or lye, which is then used in products like detergent, plastics, and bleach. The nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says that while most modern chlor-alkali plants have switched to mercury-free technology, there are still seven plants in the U.S. that use it, and each one has roughly 200 tons of mercury on site at any given time. An unknown amount of that mercury gets lost during manufacturing, whether to the air or surrounding waterways; a 2006 report from NRDC found that operators at four of these plants could account for only 29 of the 159 tons of the mercury they used from 2000 to 2004. (As Rodale.com reported earlier this year, some of those plants also make the ubiquitous food ingredient high-fructose corn syrup, and may be tainting food products with mercury.) Avoid chlorine-containing products like chlorine bleach, as well as anything made from polyvinyl chloride, including cheap handbags and shower curtains. Also look for chlorine-free paper products; paper production is the sixth largest mercury emitter in this country. Buy unbleached paper towels, coffee filters, and office paper. For the latter, look for the “Totally Chlorine Free” or “Processed Chlorine Free” labels on the package.

If you want to know how all of the plastics in your car measure up in toxicity, check this out!

-High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) which effects condiments like ketchup and BBQ sauces, it's in baby foods and pretty much any sweetened non-organic, pre-packaged food, unless otherwise advertised. Heinz has actually just created a HFCS-free ketchup, yeay Heinz! Still not organic, but it's a step in the right direction.

-Trash incinerators - Hazardous waste, medical waste, and regular garbage incinerators release 13.1 tons (or about 26,000 pounds) of mercury every year, according to statistics from the EPA. The mercury comes from all of the common household items listed above, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs and thermostats, and from automobile scrap.

And remember, it's is not just mercury we have to worry about, there are other dangerous metals out there like aluminum in vaccines, arsenic in the air we breath, cadmium and lead in toys, cars, many plastics and the topic of GMOs requires it's own blog entry.

Please note that this list is not even all-inclusive.

Bringing biofilm back

2011-12-13T15:02:00.000-05:00

We've used the biofilm protocol in the past with Grayson. It was the only thing that pulled us out of the trenches when his OCD, anger/aggression and tics were out of control. We had tried antibiotics twice, long courses pulsed, for his Clostridia, e.coli and strep, to no avail. It never failed, his symptoms always returned within 6-8 weeks. Biofilm to the rescue!! No more antibiotics for this household! His last stool test was clean as a whistle! Only good bacteria to show for, yeah baby!!

Grayson is currently in managed recovery with no more of the above symptoms. They are GONE! We know we still have a long healing path ahead of us, because he can't sustain without the supplements and antimicrobials, and he regresses slightly when he is sick or maybe he's just like the rest of us when we are sick, impatient, cranky and tired. A child doesn't have the filter to control what they think so it comes across as lack of control when it may just be normal sickness response, FINALLY!! There was a time when he never got sick, hypo-immunity)

I bet you are wondering why we would need to bring the biofilm protocol back then. Well, it's not for Grayson, it's actually for Gavin! He has been catching cold after cold since before Thanksgiving. When he is sick, he is completely unbearable to manage. He has never been a sensory kid like Grayson, but when he's sick, his clothes bother him, sleeves and socks, his coat bothers his sleeves (figure that one out) and even food textures become an issue suddenly. His mood is volatile constantly, he looses speech only screaming and yelling for communication. He is irritated 24/7!! He has had bloating and the red anal ring the entire time he's been sick as well. I tried increasing his antimicrobials with no success.

Then it dawned on me....BIOFILM! If it worked so well with Grayson, it should also work with Gavin now. I only started it a few days ago and the results are astounding!! It's bringing back so many memories from using it with Grayson, but it's working SO much faster! He immediately began having army green BMs which is always a sign of bacteria die off, yippee!! A few of them even had mucus with them, which we never see. The red anal ring is gone, just like that!

It's like we flipped a switch on in his brain! He is speaking in full, thorough sentences, including following through with conversations. He listens, responds (even uses "yes" instead of "yeah" or "I did" or "I didn't" instead of just "yes" or "no") and carries through to the end of the conversation calmly and appropriately!! He is using manners on his own, he is cleaning up messes without being forced, he even played in his room alone for over an hour this morning, reading books and playing with trains. His belly is down, he's patient and cooperative, and best of all, he is HAPPY again!! Nothing makes me happier!

Today he did puzzles of the Unite States, puzzles he has never even seen before, very hard puzzles with a lot of small pieces. At first glance, he immediately noticed that a piece of the puzzle (a state) was MISSING from the pieces laid out in front of him. He pointed to the puzzle board and said, "This one isn't here". Unbelievable!! He is absolutely amazing me right now. To go from the things we were seeing just days ago, to this, it's clear that the biofilm protocol (with the addition of Lauricidin to his natural antimicrobials) is solely responsible, because nothing else has changed and he is even still sick with congestion and a runny nose.

There are times when we need to go back to basics and for us, that means reinstating protocols we have used successfully, in the past. Since we have used this with Gavin in the past, as well (when he was MUCH younger) I expect it will work it's magic faster this time around, with lasting results hopefully. All I know is that I will take what I can get, the vacation from the screaming alone is enough to keep me smiling, today anyway. =)

Camel milk in the spotlight

2011-12-10T10:10:00.000-05:00

This is an informative and entertaining video from TEDx NHH with Sebastian Lindstrom who works with The What Took You So Long Foundation. He shares bits and pieces of their movie (you will even see Grayson and our Facebook page mentioned), while narrating the experiences of their journey through dozens of countries filming about camel milk. This is a world wide initiative that is taking place. We are blessed to be gaining from this momentum.

Pharmaceutical minefield

2011-12-04T20:37:00.008-05:00

Be careful what you wish for.

We want doctors to listen, we crave guidance from the very souls who inject our children with poison and send them reeling in toxic blood baths. Why the bittersweet battle? In one word - MONEY! We want our children to benefit from our costly health insurance and rightfully so!! Who wouldn't want their health issues addressed by their doctors and covered by their insurance?!

Be careful what you wish for.

What happens when mainstream doctors finally DO acknowledge that our children are walking medical books rather than genetically neurological head cases? Are we really ready for that?

Cha-ching!

This is already in the process of happening, so we KNOW what will transpire the minute doctors realize they can cash in on "curing" autism symptoms. Notice I said curing symptoms? Mainstream medicine is a pharmaceutical conundrum, the proverbial symptom band-aid, if you will.

Take PANDAS for example. PANDAS stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus. Let's thank ADHD.com for this detailed description of the 5 diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of PANDAS below.

What are the diagnostic criteria for PANDAS?
Pandas is diagnosed if there is an episodic history of the following symptoms associated with strep infections.

Presence of Obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or a tic disorder, ADHD symptoms or oppositional behaviors
Association with neurological abnormalities (motor hyperactivity, or adventitious movements, such as choreiform movements)
Pediatric onset of symptoms (age 3 years to puberty)
Episodic course of symptom severity. (symptoms come and go)
Association with group A Beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection (GABHS)
GABHS evidenced by either a positive throat culture for strep or positive for streptococcus serology (ASOT or AntiDNAse-B)
A history of Scarlet Fever or Rheumatic fever

What is an episodic course of symptoms?

Children with PANDAS seem to have dramatic ups and downs in their OCD and/or tic severity. Tics or OCD which are almost always present at a relatively consistent level do not represent an episodic course. Many children with OCD or tics have good days and bad days, or even good weeks and bad weeks. However, patients with PANDAS have a very sudden onset or worsening of their symptoms, followed by a slow, gradual improvement. If they get another strep. infection, their symptoms suddenly worsen again. The increased symptom severity usually persists for at least several weeks, but may last for several months or longer. The tics or OCD then seem to gradually fade away, and the children often enjoy a few weeks or several months without problems. When they have another strep. throat infection the tics or OCD or associated behaviors return just as suddenly and dramatically as they did previously.

It is quickly gaining popularity with mainstream doctors. And what is their treatment for it, you ask? Well, medication, of course....pharmaceuticals. One of the worst things you can do to a child with an autoimmune disorder such as autism is prescribe them antibiotics, it messes with their already dysfunctional immune system. It tears down the already lacking terrain of their gut and it messes with their ability to fight off ANYTHING, let alone the nasty strep infections. In fact, one of the reasons people have problems with oxalates, is because antibiotics kill the oxalobacter formigenes bacteria and there is no known way to replenish it, via probiotics.

And when parents become desperate, because antibiotics no longer work (the bacteria become resistant to antibiotics and they build a matrix of biofilm to protect themselves) they are instructed that the only next step for them is a treatment called IVIG where blood plasma with protective antibodies is provided via a blood transfusion. Sounds ideal, doesn't it....a quick fix?! One IVIG treatment requires upwards of 10,000 donors!! Knowing what I know about illnesses like Lyme Disease, you couldn't pay ME to have this done with my kids. I don't want someone else's undiagnosed illness. Think about how hard it is to detect Lyme Disease, and how common it's become!! Even, if I were assured and RE-assured that the blood was specifically tested for Lyme Disease (among other illnesses), that would not be enough for me to risk my already fragile kids lives with the possibility that even one of those 10,000 donors could have Lyme Disease. There are other ways...

How should PANDAS be treated? I'm no doctor, of course. All I can tell you is that our older son had all of the symptoms associated with PANDAS at one point, errrr ok many points...HAD is the key word there though. I'm not convinced that all of the children being diagnosed with PANDAS actually have it, because many bad bacteria can exhibit the same symptoms. In fact, although Grayson had Hemolytic Strep bacteria, his more dysbiotic bacteria was Clostridia. My guess is that none of these doctors are checking their patients for heavy metal toxicity (properly) and I am sure they aren't considering a GFCFSF diet or any other diet for that matter. Like Lyme, Clostridia, Klebsiella, yeast overgrowth (and so many other pathogenic illnesses), PANDAS responds well to all the same methods of recovery being used in biomedicine. Ironically, camel milk has been compared to doing IVIG, perhaps this is one of the other reasons we are seeing such results with our treatment choices. If you want to learn more about why camel milk works, this link will take you to an earlier blog entry on camel milk.

If I were to consider all aspects involved with PANDAS, this is how I would approach it (wait, this is how I DID approach it, although in a slightly different order).

GFCFSF diet
Avoid refined sugars, simple carbs, and food coloring
Introduce camel milk
Add a liver support like artichoke extract or Liver Life.
Natural anti-microbials for yeast, bacteria, parasites and viruses
Weed and seed - It's EXTREMELY important to replenish the good bacteria with very high numbers of probiotics when you are spending most of your day killing off the bad guys. I call this weeding and seeding...we give about 350-500 billion CFUs nightly, at least 3 hours away from any natural antimicrobial. We were careful to increase their probiotics slowly, because this can cause significant die too.
IgG food sensitivity testing and removal of all IgG positive foods
Rotation diet for foods that are approved in diet
Clean up toxins in environment like play-doh, markers, lotions, shampoos, and toothpaste, to avoid the gluten and casein as well as cleaning products, their mattresses, plates, pajamas, etc.
Organic Acid Test from Great Plains (addressing issues as per the results)
If high oxalic acid comes up on OAT, immediately start the low oxalate diet, heck, I would even go as far as to recommend trying a low oxalate diet for any and ALL kids with chronic pathogenic issues
Supplementation for possible deficiencies
The biofilm protocol (without EDTA, very important!) for persistent bacterial and yeast infections
Hair "toxic and essential elements" test via DirectLabs.com (it's called Hair Elements-DDI KIT) to assess toxicity levels (reviewed against Andy Cutler's book, Hair Test Interpretation)
Andy Cutler chelation protocol - this is another great link for his protocol
Possibly even do a stool test anywhere along the way for the sake of knowing exactly which gut bugs you are dealing with so you know how to tailor your antimicrobials

So yep, doctors are finally on board with PANDAS, but what exactly does that mean? Do you also want their assistance with autism? I don't.

Be careful what you wish for.

UPDATE December 8th...This just in from MercuryExposure.org!

From a 1984 study by Rowland et al. Antibiotics and Milk play a role in the efficency of Hg Excretion. In this study rats were given high doses of oral antibiotics the half-life for excretion of mercury increased from 10 days to >100 days. If the rats were also on a milk diet the excretion half-life increased to over 300 days. These results are consistent with the theory that demethylation of methylmercury by intestinal microflora is a major factor determining the excretion rate of mercury.
Effects of Diet on Mercury Metabolism and Excretion in Mice Given Methylmercury: Role of Gut Flora

ABSTRACT.
Mice fed either (1) a pelleted rodent diet, (2) evaporated milk, or (3) a synthetic diet (high protein, low fat) exhibited different rates of whole body mercury elimination and fecal mercury excretion after exposure (per os) to methylmercuric chloride. The percentage of the total mercury body burden present as mercuric mercury was highest (35.3%) in mice fed the synthetic diet (which had the highest rate of mercury elimination) and lowest (6.6%) in the animals having the lowest mercury elimination rate (milk-fed mice). Mice fed the syn-thetic diet had lower mercury concentrations and had a higher proportion of mercuric mer-cury in their tissues than the mice from the other dietary groups. Treatment of the mice with antibiotics throughout the experimental period to suppress the gut flora reduced fecal mer-cury excretion and the dietary differences in whole body retention of mercury. Tissue mercury concentrations and proportion of organic mercury in feces, cecal contents, liver, and kidneys were increased by antibiotic treatment of mice fed the pelleted or synthetic diets.
These results are consistent with the theory that demethylation of methylmercury by intestinal microflora is a major factor determining the excretion rate of mercury.

Discussion
The marked diet-related differences in whole body retention of Hg after MeHg exposure confirm the re-sults of Landry et al. 3 In addition, the differences in whole body retention were reflected in the amount or concentration of Hg present in the carcass (the major site of deposition of Hg in the mice), brain, blood, liver, and kidneys. The effect of diet on Hg concentration in brain (a target organ for MeHg toxicity) suggests that diet may influence MeHg-induced neurotoxicity since the concentration of Hg in tissues, particularly the central nervous system, has been correlated with the inci-dence of neurotoxicity in rats and mice.· 19 20

The three diets used in this study have many differences which make it difficult to differentiate the effects of specific dietary components1 although it would appear that dietary fiber is not an important factor governing the rate of Hg excretion since both the milk and GIBCO diets contained little indigestible residues.

Although differences in concentrations of Se were found in the three diets, it is unlikely that these were responsible for the differences in Hg elimination rates since the RMH3000 diet contained by far the highest Se concentration, yet mice fed this diet had an intermediate rate of Hg elimination. These results agree with those of Stil-lings el al., 21 who found that though dietary Se reduced the toxicity of MeHg, it did not appear to influence Hg elimination in feces or urine.

Over short time periods (up to 5 hrl co-administration of MeHgCI and low-molecular-weight thiol compounds has been shown to decrease blood Hg concentration and increase Hg accumulation by various organs by comparison to MeHgCI given alone. 22-24

Thus, differences in thiol concentrations in the diets and tissues may be responsible for diet-related changes in HHg tissue concentrations. However, in the present study, the thiol concentrations of the three diets were similar, and although some differences were detected in concentration of nonprotein-bound thiols in liver, they could not be correlated with Hg excretion rates or tissue Hg levels since mice fed milk or GIBCO diets had almost identical hepatic thiol concentrations. The con-centration of sulfhydryl compounds in the small intes-tine was highest in those mice fed milk probably due to an increase in glutathione from bile, because the ma-jority of the sulfhydryl groups were not protein-bound. However, it seems unlikely that differences in intestinal thiol concentration significantly affect Hg excretion rate since the sulfhydryl concentrations were greatly in excess of the Hg concentration to which the mice were exposed. It is noteworthy that the administration of MeHgCI increased (by 1-2 JLmoles/g tissue) the concentration of nonprotein-bound thiols in the livers of mice in all dietary groups, presumably affecting an increased synthesis of glutathione in bile.
It is possible that diet may also affect the whole body elimination of Hg via an effect on excretion of Hg in bile, since age-related changes in Hg elimination, can be as-cribed, at least in part, to changes in biliary excretion. 25

The differences in the amount of mercuric Hg in the whole body (Table 2), in the various tissues (Tables 3 and 4), and in cecal and colon contents (Fig. 4) in the animals fed the different diets suggest that diet-induced differences in Hg elimination are related to the extent of MeHg demethylation by the animals. The mice with the highest rates of Hg elimination, namely those fed GIBCO diet, had the highest proportion of their Hg body burden as mercuric Hg.

The previously demonstrated ability of the intestinal microilora to demethylate MeHg6 and its capacity to alter its metabolic activity in response to dietary modifi-cation 13•16 suggest that diet-induced changes in demeth-ylating activity of the gut flora are responsible for the differences in Hg elimination seen. Tlw results of the present study lend support to this theory.

It is clear that in all dietary groups a large proportion of total Hg in the gut was present in the mercuric form, especially in the cecum and colon. In particular, the GIBCO-fed animals reatained very high levels of Hg in the cecum and colon. Furthermore, the major route of excretion of Hg was the feces with only small amounts emerging in the urine, and in the GIBCO-fed mice the increased Hg elimination occurred via the feces rather than the urine. This indicates that MeHg demethylation occurs at sites where the product, mercuric Hg, does not re-enter the general circulation since parenterally administered HgCI2 is excreted mainly in the urine (Landry et al., unpublished observation, 1982).

Treatment of the mice with antibiotics to sterilize the gut contents virtually eliminated the diet-related dif-ferences in whole body Hg retention, in Hg excretion in feces and urine, and in the amount of mercuric Hg in whole body, gut contents, and tissues (especially in liver and kidney). These results are consistent with the theory that demethylation by the gut flora is a major determinant of the rate of Hg excretion after MeHg ex-posure. The almost complete retention of the dose of MeHg (apparent elimination of half-times> 100 days) in the animals without a gut flora and the increase in MeHg concentration in blood and liver is also consis-tent with the theory since it would be expected that the greater proportion of MeHg relative to total Hg in the gut of antibiotic-treated animals would result in greater absorption of the administered mercury dose.

Landry et al. (unpublished observation), using mice give MeHgCI intramuscularly, have reproduced the dietary-related differences in Hg elimination seen in orally dosed animals, but the three diets had little effect on Hg retention after parenteral administration of HgCI,. It would appear, therefore, that if MeHg is demethylated, diet is unlikely to exert any differential effects on Hg ... retention, suggesting that the differential effects of diet oc-cur on demethylation or on excretion of MeHg in bile.
In the mice given antibiotics, some residual formation November/December 1984 [Vol. 39, (No.6)] of mercuric Hg was apparent (Table 2) suggesting that sites of demethylation other than the gut flora exist. One possible site is the liver, although enzymatic demethyla-tion of MeHg by this organ has been little studied. It is also possible that the slow release of inorganic Hg from MeHg in the presence of thiol compounds17 contributes to inorganic Hg formation in vivo. \1\€ have confirmed (unpublished observations, 1981) that this can occur in the presence of thiol concentrations found in bile and in the liver (approximately 5 ~-tmole/mll.

In conclusion, the results of this study confirm previous reports 10 that the gut flora is the major site of de-methylation of MeHg in the mouse and strongly suggest that dietary effects on Hg elimination rates are mediated by changes in demethylating activity of the flora. The result of a high demethylation rate would be the formation in the gut lumen of mercuric Hg which, being poorly absorbed, interrupts the enterohepatic recycling of MeHg. 4

Large variations have been reported in rates of elimi-nation of Hg in human populations exposed to MeHg.18 It is conceivable that this variation may be related to the wide variation in composition of gut flora among individuals.29 Furthermore, if the major differences in gut flora that have been observed in populations in different geographic areas 10 are reflected in their MeHg demethylation rates, it is possible that there are inter-individual as well as inter-regional differences in suscep-tibility to MeHg poisoning.

Effects of Diet on Mercury Metabolism and Excretion in Mice Given Methylmercury: Role of Gut Flora
I. R. ROWLAND, Ph.D. The British Industrial Biological Research Association Woodmansterne Road Carshalton, Surrvey, United Kingdom R. D. ROBINSON, M.S. R. A. DOHERTY, M.D. Department of Pediatrics Environmental Health Sciences Center University of Rochester Rochester, New York 14642
Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal
Arch Environ Health
Published/Hosted by Taylor and Francis Group. ISSN: 0003-9896.

Your children can swallow pills?

2011-11-21T09:48:00.000-05:00

Yes they can, and they have since they were 3 and 2 years old. We started biomed later in age with our older son, which is why he started at 3 rather than 2. Both can take a pill cup and dump it in their mouths and swallow, even without liquids, ICK! I can't even do that!!

A friend asked me how I got them to swallow pills and the light bulb went on, what a great idea for a blog entry! Of course, what works for my kids' personalities may not work for all, but it's not often I meet a child who doesn't want to prove their parents wrong, lol. Reverse psychology anyone?

Before I explain how it went down in our kitchen, let me preface this with something I think is very important in all child rearing facets....attitude. No, I don't mean you should HAVE an attitude and force your child to take a pill, lol, what I mean by attitude is the general mood you carry throughout any lesson. I truly believe that children have an innate sense of the emotions and moods going on around them. It's how they survive without the use of words for months to years. They need, instinctively, to be in tune with their parents. If you believe your child can't swallow pills (and I bet you are shaking your head yes here), then well, they can't. They are going to sense your "attitude" about it. When you have confidence in anything, your body reeks of it, your body language is different, your eyes and forehead are different, your voice is stronger and straight forward, just ask an investigator about unspoken body language, it's much deeper than just crossing your arms or legs, lol.

So I mentioned reverse psychology...this has done wonders for us at inopportune times, like the dinner table when our 3 year old won't touch his asparagus, I just will him to eat it all up by suggesting he couldn't POSSIBLY do it, with a grin! The grin is mucho importante! He knows I am playing a game and immediately begins to put it in faster than if there were a big piece of cake right in front of him. So what is the difference between this and having the confidence that he can do it? I am not suggesting he really CAN'T do it, I am suggesting he won't, with a big old grin on my face, a sneaky don't-you-dare- do it, because I know he CAN! Then when he does, I overdose him in praise saying, "SEE, I KNEW YOU COULD!" And then we belly laugh through the rest of dinner. He forgets about ever trying to fight me on whatever was on that empty plate just minutes earlier.

Ironically, the first time this happened with pill swallowing was a complete accident, lol. It was more monkey-see, monkey do. Grayson saw me swallowing my fish oil which looked just like his chewable fish oil. He totally caught me off guard when he watched me and said, "I can swallow mine too". I looked at him and my initial reaction was...."no yours is a chewable", well it was....lol. WELL, don't tell my 3 year old he can't do something, HAHAHA. It wasn't like "I don't think you can", it was more like, "HAHAHA, you silly boy, that is a chewable". He instantly proved me wrong! The praise he got was more than enough to have him asking for more to "show" me he could do it, lol. I am not exactly sure where the fine line between having confidence and using reverse psychology comes in, but adding humor always results in a feisty defiance that works to my advantage. I'm just waiting for them to pick up on it, lol.

With Gavin, I remembered what worked with Grayson and at two years old, I recreated the situation with a teeny tiny astaxanthin gel cap. When he put the gelcap in his mouth, I told him that all he has to do is keep gulping his water, with his head back, until the pill was "gone". He proudly opened his mouth for inspection. Yup, gone!! He has recently (at 3 years old) worked up to the largest fish oil gelcap that even I have trouble swallowing! And he did it without water, just to show me he could, because now I hand them their pills and there is no question in my mind that they can do it. They can do anything they want to do. =)

What n' Why

2011-11-19T21:49:00.010-05:00

The only thing that has been consistent about our supplement list is that it is a consistently evolving work of art. I am constantly researching, learning and tweaking which means that as things enter my radar or prove ineffective, the list might change like the wind. Our list has been pretty consistent for quite a while now though. I feel as though we've got a good handle on the things we need. There are, of course, the obligatory Cutler chelation supplements which are a must no matter how you slice it, but then we add supplements that address our specific needs.

So here you have it, our what-we-use and why-we-use-it list (in no particular order).

Magnesium glycinate - Because everyone needs magnesium!! It assists in the absorption of many other supplements on this list, plus it is calming. It also reduces allergies and supports antioxidant activity.
Biotin - The initial reason we started biotin was, because it prevents yeast from colonizing, but then we learned that it is also essential in helping the body with oxalates in higher doses, because oxalates impair biotin function in carboxylases. A study by the Department of Nutritional Science and Dietetics, University of Nebraska has stated the following, "In mammals, biotin serves as coenzyme for four carboxylases, which play essential roles in the metabolism of glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids. Biotin deficiency causes decreased rates of cell proliferation, impaired immune function, and abnormal fetal development. Evidence is accumulating that biotin also plays an important role in regulating gene expression, mediating some of the effects of biotin in cell biology and fetal development."
Lithium Orotate - We were all low in lithium on our hair tests, with Grayson and I completely off the chart low. Lithium orotate is targeted to the mitochondria and only functions there. It is suggested for the following conditions: autism, brain damage, Alzheimers, fluid collection in lungs or abdomen, bipolar, manic depression, any mood disorder including hormone or chemical imbalance, anxiety, cluster and migraine headaches, edema, glaucoma, gout, ADHD, childhood epilepsy, hyperthyroid, goiter, drug and alcohol recovery and brain injury. PS - gout is caused by oxalate problems, so it appears that lithium would also benefit those who require a low oxalate diet.
B-Complex - With heavy metal toxicity, B vitamins are notoriously low. They protect the brain from damage. Complexes ensure that you get more than enough of all the B vitamins for normal metabolic needs.
MB-12 sublingual - Grayson is an under-methylator, per his organic acid test. It assists in the detoxing of arsenic, which we are all elevated in, the boys being off the chart high. Yeast, parasites, low thyroid levels and adrenal insufficiency all reduce B12. I can't forget to mention how awesome MB-12 works for the afternoon slump, as well as an adrenal cortex which you will find in this list below. Move over coffee, now there is something better!
DMG - Another methyl source that assists in the detox of arsenic. Methyl donors help the liver transport fats, help with one part of phase 2 metabolism and have antidepressant effects through increased brain serotonin. They also control histamine levels. Your body cannot make methyl groups, you need to get them from your diet! For women, methyl donors reduce elevated estrogen levels which cause inflammation and other imbalances.
NAC - N-acetylcysteine - We use it to help the body make glutathione which benefits the detox pathways and as support for lung health during illness. Other great uses include: mold toxicity, bronchitis, flu, allergies, neutralizes candida gliotoxin, reduces mucus production, reduces the effects of excitotoxins which makes it good for using before eating out in case you encounter hidden preservatives or MSG.
Thymucin - Only used during flu season to support the thymus gland. The Thymus gland is the major gland that controls the immune system and it plays a crucial role in optimum immunity for the immune system. If the gland is not delivering 100 % of its potential of hormones and lymphocytes, the immune system suffers.
Cod liver oil - Supplies omegas, and natural forms of vitamins A and D. Essential fatty acids aren't called "essential" for nothing. They are an absolute requirement for proper brain function. Omega 3 fatty acids cannot be produced in the body and must be provided via the diet. When choosing a fish oil, it is very important to obtain one that is molecularly distilled and is guaranteed free of heavy metals, PCBs and other toxins. It should also be free of food colorings and artificial flavorings. As well, the fish oil must be fresh - if it smells fishy, it has oxidized and is rancid. We also prefer to avoid soy (tocopherols) since it is something we are using daily. Here is what Dr. Meg Megson has to say about vitamin A in it's natural form, in cold liver oil,
"...Vitamin A in the natural form, such as cod liver oil, helps to rebuild areas in the brain, called receptors, that affect vision and speech. These areas are dramatically affected in children with developmental delays, such as autistic spectrum disorders. This helps to explain some of the commonly seen characteristics in children with autism such as "sideways" glance and decreased or no speech. DHA and EPA oils are essential fatty acids that studies have shown to be critical for a variety of health problems, such as bi-polar disorder and other forms of biologically based brain disorders, including schizophrenia. It is these concentrated levels of Vitamin A that are critical for the visual reconnection we are seeing in the children. The "sideways" glance that is typical in many children with autism disappears quickly when they're on cod liver oil."
Astaxanthin - May be one of the most powerful antioxidants you've ever heard of! It's our antioxidant of choice for the boys, since they can't take vitamin C, because of oxalates. It is 400 times more potent than vitamin E! It exhibits strong free radical activity. Carotenoids like astaxanthin enhance your immunity, protect you from sunburn and even inhibit the growth of some cancers. It also protects against the oxidative stress that results in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and other neurological diseases.
Krill oil - Only Gavin and I can take this, because Grayson reacts by itching. In addition to supplying EPA and DHA, krill oil also has the following benefits: support for concentration, memory and learning, healthy heart, blood sugar health, joints, brain and nervous system development and function, protection for cell membranes, cholesterol and other blood lipid health, liver function, bolsters immune system, mood support and optimal skin health.
B6 - Mercury causes chronic fatigue by interfering with brain uptake of B6 and B12. We also suspect Pyroluria which is a chronic deficiency of B6 and zinc. Grayson's organic acid test suggested deficiencies of both B6 and B12, his hair test shows chronic zinc deficiency despite high dose daily supplementation. For further reading, here is a link for studies involving B6 and magnesium on the Autism Research Institutes website.
P5P - Did you know that cooking, freezing, canning, storing or processing foods can deplete their vitamin B6 content by as much as 50%? Some people cannot use certain forms of vitamin B6 effectively. A more active form of vitamin B6 that your body can easily utilize is called pyridoxal-5-phosphate, or P5P for short. B6 is converted to P5P in the liver, so by taking P5P your liver doesn't have to do the dirty work! P5P and B6 are often used in combination. Both encourage oxalates to dump from a cellular level in the body.
Niacinimide - B3 - AKA - no-flush niacin. B3 aids in the functioning of the nervous system, the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, the production of hydrochloric acid for the digestive system, healthy skin, and proper circulation. Some people require Niacinimide for the processing of B6.
Benfotiamine - This is a synthetic version of vitamin B1. It is more readily absorbed by the body, ironically. B1 helps the liver metabolize xenobiotics which are chemical compounds that are found in a living organism, but which are foreign to that organism, in the sense that it does not normally produce the compound or consume it as part of its diet. Those with high arsenic tend to be low in vitamin B1.
Black currant seed oil - A source of CLA (conjugated linolenic acid) which reduces IgE while increasing levels of other immunoglobulins and reduces the formation of certain lipid mediators of allergic reaction. Also a great source of omega 6s, it aids in skin health, especially those prone to eczema.
Japanese Knotweed - This form of resveratrol is part of Herold Buehner's Lyme protocol. We tend to incorporate various protocols into our regimen, based on our sons' symptoms.

Japanese Knotweed is effective against a variety of organisms including the Lyme co-infection bartonella, leptospira, gonorrhea, and meningitis; its strong antifungal qualities make it especially inhibitive toward Candida albicans. It is also a powerful antiviral agent, effective in the treatment of herpes, ECHO viruses and various strains of influenza such as SARS and Asian flu (which in my opinion, is a far more attractive option than vaccinations of questionable origin). What makes Knotweed so valuable when it comes to treating Lyme disease is that it not only inhibits the spirochetes, it is also markedly anti-inflammatory, reducing joint pain, swelling and fever. The anti-inflammatory effect helps to regulate the immune system and prevents it from being over burdened; its modulating effect makes it useful for many autoimmune ailments. Knotweed supports the central nervous system and protects the heart, making it especially valuable in the treatment of Lyme-related carditis. The constituents in Knotweed are also able to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB), protecting delicate cerebral tissue and harmonizing blood flow. Regular supplementation of Polygonum cuspidatum during or after an active infection will help sharpen mental function and relieve pain throughout the body.
Ionic zinc - Another mineral notoriously depleted in the mercury toxic crowd as it is competitive with mercury and copper so taking it keeps mercury from exerting some of it's toxic effects. We chose ionic zinc, because it's more readily absorbed and two hair tests resulted in chronic low body zinc regardless of high dose supplementation with other sources. We are hoping this form of zinc will uptake better. Chelation requires high doses of zinc at 1mg per pound of body weight, plus 20 more mg.
Adrenal cortex - Support for our adrenal glands. The adrenals are our stress organs, they control the hormones that aid in mood and stress control. Whether it is physical or mental, chronic stress will cause adrenal fatigue. For a great book on adrenal fatigue, see Adrenal Fatigue, the 21st Century Stress Syndrome.
Panthothenic acid - B5 - This vitamin offers support for the adrenals and helps with the liver.
Taurine - Reduces anxiety and possibly increases the rate of toxin elimination in bile. It assists with kidney fucntion and it is necessary for brain development during childhood as well as neurohealing later. Zinc helps the brain cells absorb taurine. It helps with pituitary function and may also help improve compromised immune function. Taurine stimulates insulin production and lowers blood sugar. It also supports the adrenals. Taurine should only be supplemented if needed.
Iodine - Iodine is essential for thyroid function. Around 60% of the iodine in the body is found in the thyroid. Iodine is also beneficial for the following: metabolic rate, energy level, healthy nails, hair and teeth, reproductive system, fibrocystic breast tissue, assists in the removal of toxic chemicals, anti-cancer properties, prevents the proliferation of harmful bacteria, ensures the apoptosis or the programmed cell death which is essential in the formation of new organs. This is one trace element we won't be without! It is very important to know that selenium is required to prevent iodine from becoming toxic in the body, as it assists in the absorption of iodine. It helps to convert iodine into the thyroid hormones. It's very possible that the studies that have doctors scaring people away from such an awesome supplement were done without the assistance of selenium. I also know that the patients weren't tracked long enough to see the hormone levels plateau to a normal level after rising higher than normal. This is a common phenomenon of using natural therapies for the thyroid, because when the thyroid kicks into action, it initially over-produces and then levels out. For some people this can even last an entire year. Symptoms subside, even though hormone levels are high. It's the exact opposite of sub-clinical hypothyroidism, when symptoms are experienced, but the hormones are "normal". A helpful book for the explanation of the importance of iodine is Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It.
Thyroxin-free thyroid glandular - All three of us have chronic low body temperatures and symptoms of low thyroid function. The thyroid is one of the first organs to be attacked by mercury, it is also one of the first to be effected by low iodine.
Molybdenum - Counteracts the toxicity effects mercury may have on gene expression and inhibits copper absorption from the intestine. It is a cofactor for three enzymes often impaired by mercury toxicity. We only give this to Grayson, because he had high copper on one of his hair tests, although there is also a small amount in the trace minerals they both take.
Omega 3s - In addition to the above sources, we also take EPA and DHA supplements.
Artichoke extract - Support for the liver in place of milk thistle for the boys, because milk thistle is very high oxalate. Artichoke extract appears to work just as good, if not better than the milk thistle for them. It is one of the few herbal remedies where the clinical and experimental trials have complemented each other. Both effects have been verified through extensive biomedical herbal remedy research. Specifically, antioxidant, choleretic, hepatoprotective, bile-enhancing and lipid-lowering effects have been demonstrated, which also corresponds with it's historical use, dating back to 4th Century B.C. ancient Greeks and Romans.
Vitamin D3 - This vitamin helps your body use calcium properly and boosts the immune system. We love Dr. Cannell's vitamin D protocol for the flu, it works every time!
Vitamin K2 - The main thing vitamin K2 does is control where calcium does - and doesn`t - go in our bodies. It should go into our bones and blood, but not arteries or muscles. Research has found that vitamin K2 benefits include protecting nerve cells from oxidative stress and possibly reducing neuronal damage (slowing progression of dementia). We notice that when we don't use the K2, our boys bruise much easier. When using it, bruising is very rare.
Trace minerals - Mineral replacement is necessary during chelation since chelators are not selective in the minerals they move out of the body.
L-Theanine - Is the predominant amino acid in green tea leaves. It is an anxiety reducer and mood enhancer. L-theanine has a significant effect on the release or reduction of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, resulting in improved memory and learning ability. It may also influence emotions due to its effects on the increased release of dopamine.
Flax oil - Another omega source that is suggested by Andy Cutler during chelation.
Custom Probiotics - High dose probiotics that are dairy-free and don't contain the strep strain.
Melatonin - The hormone that induces sleep. Supplementing with it is a safe non-addictive way to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. It is also an antioxidant that crosses the blood brain barrier. It has been studied extensively, even in children.

In addition to the above, I personally also take:

Zinc methionine - Rather than the ionic zinc (which is more expensive) I use this instead. I've also used zinc picolinate, just depends on where I am ordering that day, lol.
Vitamin C - The general purpose do everything antioxidant vitamin. It supports adrenal function, lowers blood histamine, and has many other functions. The boys can't take vitamin C, because of high oxalates.
Protandim - The best way to explain it is to provide this information from their website, "Protandim is the only supplement clinically proven to reduce oxidative stress by an average 40%, slowing down the cell aging process to the level of a 20 year-old. Protandim is not a conventional antioxidant supplement. Each Protandim caplet contains a unique combination of phytonutrients that signal the body’s genes to produce its own antioxidant enzymes, which provides thousands of times more antioxidant power than any food or conventional antioxidant supplement." I have used this since before I had my fillings replaced and I truly believe that it was instrumental in getting me through such a physically traumatizing experience. I flew through it with grace and came out of it with ease. I felt great, immediately! I stopped buying it a few months after my dental revision and I noticed a difference, so I am back on it.
Selenium - selenomethionine - Aside from being a good all around antioxidant, selenium compounds bind mercury quite tightly and make it inert in the body. It is essential for the proper utilization of iodine supplementation.
Milk Thistle - An antioxidant specific for the liver. It increases the growth of liver cells and allows the liver to regenerate itself more rapidly. It inhibits the formation of leukotrienes, which are pro-inflammatory immune mediators produced from essential fatty acids.
Herbal Calcium - I just prefer a more natural calcium supplement.
Eleuthero (Siberian Ginsing) - Is an adaptogen (an agent that helps the body adapt to stress) with many health benefits that include: increased endurance, memory/learning improvement, anti-inflammatory, immunogenicand has been shown to produce significant anti-depressant effects in rats.
Vitamin E - It is useful in large amounts to counteract the damage mercury causes by catalyzing oxidation of cell membranes. It is an immune stimulant, if you aren't getting enough, you will respond poorly to infection.
Strontium - Since hypercalcemia and osteoporosis run in my maternal family, I have elected to add strontium to my regimen. Strontium ranelate has been shown to stimulate bone formation while inhibiting bone resorption. Gavin's hair test showed low strontium as well, so I have considered supplementing him with it, as well.

Check out this supplement cabinet in my kitchen! Yes, those are ROWS of supplements, on behind the other, and so forth, lol.

As you can imagine, there are NO vitamin organizers that fit all this crap! I try, I buy all different ones and I try to organize, coax and squeeze them in, to no avail. I have resorted to using a Dixie cup, well, three Dixie cups a day.

For the kids I fill three small glass bottles of vitamin and antimicrobial "cocktails" each night, for the next day. For my own, I fill up a week's worth of Dixie cups at a time. Occasionally, I get lazy with my own and miss a day or two when I don't feel like refilling them and I ALWAYS regret it! I feel so different without them! Anytime we have given the kids a supplement break, they regress. There is nothing that speaks louder than the cause and effect of an experiment like that.

As a quick-reference guide, without all the wordy, detailed explanations, here are the supplements the kids take in alphabetical order:

Adrenal cortex extract
Artichoke extract
Astaxanthin
B6
B-Complex
Benfotiamine
Biotin
Black currant seed oil
Cod liver oil
DMG
Flax oil
Iodine (Lugol's)
Krill oil
L-Theanine
Lithium orotate
Magnesium glycinate
Melatonin
MB-12
Molybdenum
NAC
Niacinimide
Omega 3s
P5P
Pantothenic acid
Probiotics (Custom Probiotics)
Taurine (if needed)
Trace minerals (without copper)
Thymucin
Tyroid glandular (if the thyroid is a problem)
Vitamin D3
Vitamin K2
Zinc (ionic)

Coconut yogurt

2011-11-04T11:55:00.001-04:00

I finally found the key to easy, thick and creamy coconut yogurt!! Coconut cream!!

When you make your own yogurt, you avoid cross contamination issues, preservatives, refined sugars, food coloring and you can control the bacteria strains used. For those who have kids with PANDAS or sensitivity to yeast, that is key to being able to have yogurt at all, because most yogurt is made with S. Thermophilus which is a strep strain that can flare PANDAS.

I used a dehydrator for this recipe, to incubate the yogurt at a consistent, low temperature, but you can use a yogurt maker or store the jar in an insulated cooler.

Homemade Coconut Yogurt

3 cartons of the coconut cream linked above. If you can find another source, it just needs to be thick like heavy cream.
1/4 tsp non-dairy probiotic of choice (I used Custom Probiotics 12 strain)
1-2 Tbsp. honey OR maple syrup OR coconut nectar
Candy thermometer (very important)
Glass or ceramic containers with lids (do not use metal). I use a Pyrex container and I place a small plate upside down on top of it while it incubates, then use the plastic lid during refrigeration.

Sterilize your yogurt containers, mixing spoons and other utensils with boiling water. This will keep bad bacteria from competing with the good bacteria.
In a saucepan, bring coconut milk to 170-185 degrees, then remove from heat. Bringing it to just boiling is ok, but watch it closely. (Do NOT microwave, which harmfully alters the chemical structure of the milk).
Some say you don’t have to heat coconut milk very much, because it usually comes from sterile containers. However, if you have made your own coconut milk, make sure you’ve heated it to at least 180 degrees, or you risk of contamination with Burkholderia cocovenenans or other harmful bacteria.
Add maple syrup or honey and stir thoroughly. The sweetener provides food for the bacterial culture and will be mostly consumed by the time your yogurt is done. Without a natural form of sugar, coconut milk will not culture.
Cover (I just lay a clean kitchen towel over the top) and cool to 105-110 degrees. It is very important that you allow the temperature to drop so as not to kill the bacterial culture you are going to introduce. It takes a fair amount time to cool to 110, so go do something else in the house for a while.
Remove about 1/2 cup of cooled coconut milk, and add either 1/4 cup of plain coconut yogurt (from your previous batch) or 1/4 tsp. of your probiotic. (You should save 1/4 cup of your homemade yogurt as a starter for the next batch.) Stir well.
Thoroughly mix the inoculated batch back in with the remainder of the cooled coconut milk.
Pour cultured milk into any appropriately-sized, shallow glass or enamel containers, cover and let stand at 105-110 degrees for 8-24 hours, to a maximum of 29 hours. The longer you ferment the yogurt, the less sugar it will contain and the more sour it will taste. Check for taste at 8 hours, but note that if you want all the sugar to be fully consumed by the bacteria, you will need to ferment for at least 18 hours.
To keep the correct temperature for the culture, I use my Excalibur dehydrator set at about 105 degrees, and place the containers on the bottom, away from the heating element. You can also use a temperature-adjustable heating pad or crockpot, or put a 60-Watt bulb in your oven and leave the light on. No other heat is needed. Remember, too high a temperature will kill the bacterial culture; too low of a temperature will prevent proper fermentation. You will know you have done it right by the proper yogurt-sour smell and taste.
After 8–24 hours, remove from heat, stir to an even consistency and refrigerate.
Once fully cooled, you can stir in fresh fruit, vanilla, nuts, oats, or any other flavoring you desire.

Your yogurt should smell and taste sour—like yogurt. If you notice any “off” or foul odors, mold, or pink splotches on the surface, discard and try again, making certain all your implements are sterile, and that you’ve both well-heated your milk prior to culturing, and cultured at the correct temperature. Your yogurt might have separated with a cloudy liquid on the bottom. This is usually not a problem, as long as everything else smells and tastes OK. Just mix well and enjoy.

No bake pumpkin butter mousse

2011-11-01T21:20:00.008-04:00

We were surprised with a crazy Noreaster snow storm that hit our state hard. So when our friends lost their power for four days we had an impromptu family sleep over at my house, so we made the best of it and played with food, since her family is on the low oxalate diet too. =)

This recipe was a total accident! This is the kind of accident I would love to have more often!! It turned out DIVINE. This is reminiscent of a peanut butter pie and, if you have a good crust recipe (especially chocolate, although that is not low oxalate), it would make a great team. We just filled custard bowls and topped with this easy whipped topping. VERY rich and satisfying. This would be a nice addition to Thanksgiving dinner. Oh, and it's HEALTHY!

Ingredients
-1/4 C sunbutter
-1 C pumpkin puree
-1 banana
-1/2 C coconut nectar or honey
-1 Tbsp coconut flour (this is only necessary, if you don't have the gelatin mentioned below)
-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
-1 tsp vanilla extract

Note - If you would like a pumpkin pie consistency like the picture above, put two tablespoons of unflavored gelatin into a little sub milk, 1/4-1/2 a cup should be enough (we use camel milk) to soften for a few minutes before adding it to the above mixture. You can literally flip this out of a mold onto a plate upside down to make a flan-like custard dessert!

Put all of the above ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth, then pour into custard cups and refrigerate. I made a crust with ground flax seed, coconut flour, ghee, coconut oil and a bit of sweetener and it made an awesome pie!!

The coconut cream topping is SO easy and SO tasty.

Ingredients
-1 container of refrigerated (or put into the freezer for about 20 minutes) coconut cream
-1/4 C powdered coconut sugar or xylitol which keeps it white like the picture ("powder" it by grinding in a clean coffee grinder until it is a powder)
-1 tsp vanilla

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl and whip for a few minutes until light and fluffy. I would recommend waiting until you are ready to serve the mouse, before making the whipped topping for best results.

Wellness essentials for flu season

2011-10-29T17:45:00.004-04:00

When our kids get sick, we often have a knee-jerk reaction to their symptoms. We want to do whatever we can to heal them and fast. We don't like to see our children feeling sick and acting lethargic. Healing naturally from illness takes more time, but rest assured that it is more thorough. Once we become accustomed to the new norm, you will be able to help your children cope with illness while encouraging their body to heal itself. And remember that when our body heals itself, it learns from that experience, building up a better defense system over time. This is really important to our kids with reduced immune function. So I decided to put together an entry with all of our go-to flu season products. Some are used in prevention and some are for active illness. PLEASE keep in mind that I am no doctor and that I am merely sharing with you what WE do.

I will provide links to the products we use for easy access to the site where you can actually purchase them. I have no affiliation with any of them, I am just making it easier for you to find them.

VITAMIN D3
Our first line of prevention ALWAYS starts with increasing vitamin D3. We start this before the weather even turns cold, but sometimes my reminder trigger is when they actually catch their first cold from going to school. Ideally it should be done before they go to school, to help their immune systems defend themselves against the increased bugs and reduced sun-time. We have three forms of vitamin D3 in our home at all times. We use a liquid product (this one is 2,000IU in one drop which may be too high for younger kids) for our kids, they get this daily with their vitamins. My husband and I take a capsule form daily and the third form is the one we make sure we keep "in stock" for flu season is a high dose gelcap. If you want to buy all of the above from the same source, you could use this high dose vitamin D and this for the liquid, just be sure to notice that the liquid requires more drops to get the same dose as the product we use.

When you are ill with the flu, Dr. Cannell believes that vitamin D can trigger our immune system to repair ourselves so taking three large loading doses when sick can really kick the bug in the butt! When we use Dr. Cannell's protocol, even when there is a fever, it disappears in no time! If we react quickly enough, we can often stop the illness in it's tracks, before it takes hold!

Dr. Cannell's flu protocol
1,000IU of vitamin D3 (important NOT D2, never D2) per pound of body weight (a 40 pound child would get 40,000IU a 150 pound adult, 150,000IU, hence the high dose supplement above), given in ONE SINGLE DOSE per day, for three days.

This is the link to the Vitamin D Council. If your child has many food sensitivities, here is a link regarding the connection between vitamin D deficiency and increased food sensitivities. If you want recommended doses, Dr. Mercola has a great article discussing Vitamin D. Notice that he mentions that these are starting points for dosing. Grayson was low when tested, even though we were giving the recommended dose for his weight and age so we have increased temporarily. And lastly, consider supplementing vitamin K2 with the D3, since they are synergistic.

HOMEOPATHIC FLU PREVENTION
For the prevention and treatment of the flu, homeopathy is our #2 go-to treatment. Nothing works like homeopathy when it comes to the health of our children. The best part about homeopathy is that it's so safe, it can be used on newborns and pregnant women!! Influenzinum isn't recommended for babies though. There are other homeopathic remedies that be used instead. If you are nursing and you take the remedy, it will still benefit the baby via your own immune reaction. Infleunzinum is the only homeopathic flu remedy that is updated each year based on the recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organization). It contains a dilution of the same three viral strains as the conventional flu vaccine.

In 1998 the French Society of Homeopathy conducted a survey of 23 homeopathic doctors concerning their use of Influenzinum for the prevention of the flu (Coulamy, 1998). The survey included use of Influenzinum over a 10 year period (1987-1998) in 453 patients. Results of the survey were remarkable. In approximately 90 percent of the cases no instances of the flu occurred when Influenzinum was used preventively for all ages 2 and older. In the survey, no side effects were noted in 97% of the cases, while 3% experienced mild nasal discharge. Influenzinum has been used throughout the world by millions of people for decades.

Keeping the body healthy with supplements is vital, but as far as meds go, homeopathy is our #1 choice. We also like to have Oscillococcinum on hand for handling flu symptoms. It is HIGHLY successful at reducing them very quickly.

SUPPLEMENTAL ZAC THERAPY
Our first DAN! doctor gave us a great supplemental protocol for handling for handling illness of any kind. It's called the ZAC therapy, because it's the synergistic combination of using zinc, vitamin A and vitamin C together. Now that we are low oxalate, the vitamin C isn't an option for the kids anymore, but my husband and I still use it. These are the guidelines our doctor gave us at The Woodlands Healing and Research Center. Please keep in mind that these are adult (@150pound) doses. For children, you would dose them based on their weight.

Zinc - staying well - an extra zinc capsule beyond the daily vitamin (or multi, if you use one) 1-2x/day.
Zinc - early illness - an extra zinc capsule beyond the daily vitamin (or multi, if you use one) 2-3x/day.

Vitamin A - staying well - 25,000U 1x/day for 2-3 days in a row, then 10,000-25,000U 1-2x/week.
Vitamin A - early illness - 100,000U 1x/day for 2-3 days as a loading dose, then 50,000U 1x/day for 4-5 more days

Vitamin C - staying well - 1,000-2,000mg 1-2x/day.
Vitamin C - early illness - 2,000-3,000mg 2-3x/day.

NATURAL ANTIMICROBIALS THAT FIGHT "BUGS"
Antibiotics are dangerous to our microflora, causing an imbalance that can set the stage for life-long battles with illness on an increasing scale. Our favorite means of killing off the bad guys without causing much harm to the good guys is by using the following neutraceuticals to target the specific bad guys:

Oil of oregano - This is a great broad spectrum natural "antibiotic". It works for just about everything and anything. We have even seen it attack the start of bronchitis with hourly dosing.

Some of the amazing uses for OoO (as we call it) are: sinus infections, flu, pneumonia, chest congestion, sore throat, infected gums (I can attest to this, I used to get major gum infections before I had my amalgam fillings replaced), UTI, gingivitis, gastritis, fungal infections, relieves pain (rubbed right onto the ailing area), some parasitic infections, skin infections, digestive problems.

When it comes to OoO, brand DOES matter. There is a component of OoO that makes it effective, it's called carvacrol and the higher the carvacrol, the stronger the antimicrobial effects. The tablet form by Biotics Research is highly recommended by Andy Cutler, in fact, it's the ONLY brand he recommends, because of it's time release dosing. We also use a liquid form from Bio-Alternatives, which is easy to dose, but VERY hot. When taking a liquid form of OoO, the best way to reduce this heat is to swish a lot before swallowing it. Some people prefer to put it into a juice to hide it, but I think it's pretty hard to hide something that tastes like a chili pepper, hehehe. My kids take it with no problem mixed in water with the rest of their vitamins and antimicrobials. We just don't make it optional.

Olive leaf extract - This is one of the first things we reach for when anyone has a virus or bad bacteria, but there are many other uses, including Lyme Disease and AIDS patients! It is better at preventing than curing.

Some of the amazing uses for OLE are: overall immunity enhancement, better able to fight colds and bacterias, lowers cholesterol, reduces blood pressure, lowers blood sugar levels, anti-clotting and anticoagulation, gastritis and excessive stomach acid, prevents wrinkle formation, acne problems, chronic fatigue, is effective against pneumonia, flu, dysentery, respiratory and sinus infections. It also curbs infections of the eye, ear, tooth and other vaginal infections. It also reduces symptoms of PMS. And even more...yeast infections, ringworm, shingles, and Epstein-Barr disease. It actually prevents the critical amino acid production of viruses. It renders the virus ineffective, penetrates the cell and inhibits viral replication. It also helps to stop infections caused by protozoa, bacteria and retrovirus. It supposedly neutralizes reverse transcriptase and proteases in retroviruses. It contains flavonoids and oesters which help combat disease and the antioxidant properties help to slow down the aging process. One of the most notable properties of antioxidants is its ability to neutralize free radicals which cause various ailments in the body including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, aging etc. When free radicals are neutralized they also increase the life span of an individual and the antioxidant properties of the extract help to slow down the aging process.

We have worked our way up slowly to fairly high doses. Grayson couldn't even tolerate 50mg originally, because of the significant Clostridia (bad bacteria) infection he had. The die-off was too great so we stayed low and slowly increased as he tolerated it. When he was younger, we used liquid OLE from NOW Foods, because it is pure, has no alcohol and has an effective amount of oleuropein. As we began increasing his doses, we needed something stronger so we moved to Swanson's brand, first the 500mg capsules, then eventually the 750mg capsules. I personally take these three times a day.

Grapefruit seed extract - THE fungal powerhouse! We increased this when we were all exposed to mold and we use it for systemic yeast regularly. If you have sinusitis, it's usually related to yeast or fungal overgrowth in the sinus cavities, in which case, the Nutribiotic nasal spray is priceless, and doesn't cause that little addiction that comes with other OTC nasal sprays.

Other great uses for GSE are: acne, athlete's foot (or anything with a fungal origin), common cold, ear ache, IBS, ringworm, throat infections, and it raises the PH in the body which is an important health regeneration benefit, because disease causing microbes like parasites, fungi, viruses and bacteria cannot survive in an alkaline oxygenated environment. GSE naturally detoxifies, enhances and supports the immune system.

Here is a very specific list of external uses (and their "recipes") for GSE. We use it as a fruit and veggie cleaner by mixing about 20-30 drops with water in a large spray bottle.

We are very particular about the brand we use, because all other brands could have questionable ingredients used in the production of their product. Nutribiotic is organic and pure, not to mention the studies that have shown it to be very effective, by comparison to it's counterparts.

Again, we started REALLY low and increased slowly with this one too, because of the significant fungal die-off we saw when it was first introduced. So we started with single drops of the liquid version and then increased to the tablets when doses warranted a higher amount.

**Anytime you decide to use antimicrobials to kill off anything, be sure to support the liver, because all these toxins will be filtered via the liver. You can use artichoke extract, milk thistle (very high oxalate in the herbal form), Liver Life, Taurine, and any number of other liver support products. If your liver can't handle the toxic die-off of these microbes, the body will suffer and symptoms will worsen. There is always a period where things get worse before they get better, but you can reduce that by supporting the liver. If the die-off (herxheimer) is too bad to handle, take an activated charcoal tablet about an hour away from anything else. It will absorb the toxins, thereby preventing the uncomfortable side effects.

PROBIOTICS
They should be used year round, but when sick, especially anything gastrointestinal, INCREASE, increase, increase.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER
Virastop - This enzyme breaks down virus cell walls leaving them vulnerable to the immune system and is always a part of our virus-healing regimen. I consider this the catalyst to healing, by it's ability to open the doors for the natural antimicrobials above to do their work more effectively. Healing enzymes should always be taken BETWEEN meals, not with them, otherwise they will be used in the digestion of food.

Thymucin - The health of the thymus gland is crucial to supporting your immune system. We use this as a regular part of our supplement list during times of high illness.

Supporting the adrenals with supplements and/or adrenal cortex products. Our adrenals are fatigued during times of stress and being sick or exhausted are forms of stress on our adrenals and thymus glands. Other supplements that support the adrenals are Rhodiola, Taurine, Pantothenic acid, relora, natural salt, iodine and magnesium.

SKIN, LIPS AND HAIR
Our physical body sometimes takes the hit from dry heat, lack of moisture and exposure to rough weather. Hands get dry and crack, lips peel, our hair becomes dry and in my case, my face resembles the moon's surface!! Shea butter can be used for all of the above! I make my own lip balm and use it on my face, body and hair, in place of most other products now.

I have had an unbelievable experience with shea butter! Here are photos on my FB page of my skin and hair after just a few days of shea butter use. This is the story I shared on my FB page, Wellness Warriors...

If you are like me and have horrible skin drying and possibly even acne, keep reading. I have spent my entire adult life searching for anything that would help me balance the delicate intricacies of horrible unrelenting acne and flaky dry skin. How could I be so oily, yet so dry at the same time? As I near 40, I have finally learned that my subclinical hypothyroidism could be the cause, so while I treat the underlying cause, I continued to struggle with ways to tame the increasingly dry skin and the unbearable acne hiding and worsening beneath it! The Fall always does this to me, without fail. I wish I took pictures before and after, because words will do no justice to the drying flaky skin I had. It was painful, peeling in sheets (I kid you not) and it was my ENTIRE face, none of my skin spared, not one inch. Combine this with painful acne that couldn't surface, because of the dryness, and ouch....not to mention YUCK! I wouldn't leave the house! I've always had skin problems, but this particular time in my life has taken the cake. Getting ready for the day was like painting an oil painting every day from scratch. The work it took to look normal was intense. I was attempting to remove the dead skin (even though some of it was still fully attached and alive) with microdermabrasion. In the past, it has always worked to smooth things out for the day. In this case, it just made a bad situation worse, causing my skin to flare and become inflamed and raw, just to start cracking and peeling all over, but now on top of raw skin. I showed my husband up close what I was dealing with and his response was, "That is just crazy!!". And it was, completely crazy. So a few days ago I was making lip balm and as I was using the shea butter (important to know that it was organic and unrefined), I thought, "Hmmmmm, this is thick and smooth, but slightly greasy......I wonder if it's worth trying on my face". I was REALLY desperate and although I completely fear trying ANYTHING new on my horrible skin, because of break outs, I was willing to risk acne for the traumatizing evils of this insane dry skin. I put a dab on my forehead, rubbed it in. It felt soothing, a little greasy, but not as bad as I thought it would be. It absorbed fully and the drying started to come back a little, but not nearly as bad, in fact, the loose stuff started flaking off. So I got daring and covered my face, all of it!! Talk about risky, with my skin, I could have thrown myself into months of acne reaction, but honestly, it would have been better than this! I can artfully cover acne!! THEN, I thought, "Maybe I should check this out online?" Low and behold, TONS of testimonials about the benefits of using unrefined, organic shea butter (with nothing else) for not just dryness, but ACNE!! WHAT?! Holy moly, I was on to something. Since it's pretty greasy when it's first put on and makes your skin so smooth and shiny (a healthy shine, more like a glow!) I decided I should probably avoid trying it under make-up until I get my skin under control, so I started using it at night instead of my face lotion (oh and worth mentioning here that I have been trying to find a lotion that balances being toxin-free, with not making me break out....so far a losing battle there too) before going to bed. It's been TWO days and I cannot believe the improvements in my skin. Seriously floored by this. The peeling is almost gone entirely, my skin tone is more even, my pores are smaller, the skin is tight and smooth rather than lumpy and wrinkled close up, there is a glow to my skin, and my acne is actually clearing up and FAST!! The areas that were effected before using the shea butter were increasingly getting worse, I had cysts that were painful, they are gone! Anyone who has had cysts knows that two days for a cysts to heal is incredible, they last WEEKS if not longer, then they leave scares behind. Inflammation is gone! Healing is rapid! All I can say is wow, wow, WOW! Now, considering it's only been a few days, I don't know the long-term effects, but I am usually effected negatively pretty quickly by something that isn't going to work for me, so I have high hopes. I thought this was worth sharing for those who would like a more natural skin cream. You can't get more natural than this! I've always believed that if you can't eat it, you shouldn't put it on your skin. Well, this you CAN eat! On this site (http://www.butters-n-bars.com/), organic shea butter is $8 for a POUND! At the rate it's used that could last your entire life, hahaha. You don't put it on in globs like lotion, just a little softened on your finger goes a really REALLY long way! I've started putting it on a bad scar I have too, because I read that it heals scars and stretch marks as well.

Homemade toothpaste

2011-10-27T10:31:00.015-04:00

I began making our toothpaste when I realized that during homeopathic use, mint will antidote the remedy. It's very hard to find safe toothpaste without mint!

We have been avoiding dangerous ingredients for much longer, ingredients like sodium fluoride, triclosan, FD&C Blue Dye #1 and 2, sodium lauryl sulfate, and hydrated silica. And don't think that because you don't swallow the toothpaste that you aren't ingesting it, you are, it's absorbed through the mucus membrane of your mouth which is one of the most sensitive to absorption. This is why we take sublingual supplements to be dissolved in the mouth, it goes directly to the bloodstream from the mouth! According to the Physician’s Desk Reference, the mucosa lining inside of the mouth has an absorption efficiency of over 90 percent. Because of this, these carcinogens get into your blood, your brain, and your cells in no time at all – especially when you consider most people use dental care products 2 to 3 times a day.

Each of the ingredients mentioned here could have a blog entry all of their own, but I am going to try to keep it simple....Here is a brief description of some of the dangers involved with each ingredient:

Fluoride - Fluoride destroys the brain (accumulates in the pineal gland), the bones, the organs and causes cancer. It is used in rat and cockroach poisoning! Did you know that most popular toothpastes contain enough fluoride in four ounces to kill a small child within 2 to 4 hours? (From “Fluoride Retained From Mouth Rinses and Dentifrices in Preschool Children.”) It is also a little known fact that fluoride compounds were added to the drinking water of prisoners to keep them quiet and to hamper noncompliance with authority, both in Nazi prison camps during World War II and in the Soviet gulags in Siberia. (From The Cold War and the University)

Surprisingly, fluoride has never been approved by the FDA. A 1990 study stated that fluoride has been shown to NOT reduce cavities and scientists are now linking fluoride to dental deformity, arthritis, allergic reactions and about 10,000 unnecessary deaths each year from cancer. (From “Fluoride an equivocal carcinogen. National Cancer Institute)

More on fluoride here.

FD&C Blue Dye # 1 & 2 - Food coloring is neurotoxic. They are made of petroleum, acetone and coal tars that are synthetically engineered, ick! Ironically, food coloring WAS approved by the FDA. In studies in which rats were given doses of artificial food coloring versus a placebo and then placed in a maze, it was found that the rats were hyperactive and had difficulty staying on task and retaining attention (From "Potential Health Hazard", 2011 Kamel & El-lethey). This is interesting because, as a lot of brightly colored snacks have lots of sugar as well as artificial color, so people blame the sugar for hyperactivity. However, the coloring itself may have something to do with this, as well. Some parents have concluded this on their own from observations at home, too. It has even been linked with rashes, asthma and tumors! If your child has problems with phenol foods, it would be wise to steer clear of these ingredients. There are many other food coloring ingredients that are not found in toothpaste, but are harmful, as well.

Sodium lauryl sulfate - One of THE most dangerous ingredients used in personal care products. It's added to toothpaste as a foaming agent. Do you need your toothpaste to foam? Really? It is used around the world for clinical testing as a primary skin irritant. Laboratories use it to irritate the skin on test animals and humans so that they can then test healing agents to see how effective they are on irritated skin. You want that in your kids mouths?? Or on their heads, or on their skin for that matter? Remember that once this stuff enters the bloodstream, it travels throughout the body. A study at the University of Georgia Medical College indicated that SLS penetrated into the eyes, as well as the brain, heart, liver, etc.....and showed long-term retention in the tissues. This study also proved that it penetrated the eyes of young children and prevented them from developing properly as well as causing cataracts to develop as adults.

Here is an MSDS sheet for SLS.

Triclosan - Pesticide!! Do I really even need to go further? Ok, well I will tell you why it is in toothpaste, it's antibacterial. But honestly, with the sheer number of natural antibacterial herbs, foods and oils, this is just ludicrous! It's seen increasingly on many other kid's products too, in an attempt to reduce the spread of germs. If we just took care of ourselves better, washed our hands more, stayed home when we were sick and used natural products to heal ourselves, coating everything with Triclosan wouldn't be necessary. Oh and one little known fact about Triclosan, while these companies claim it's safe, even the EPA has it registered as a dangerous pesticide. In fact, they give Triclosan high scores both as a human health risk and as an environmental risk.

Hydrated silica - A whitener that damages tooth enamel....in your TOOTHpaste? Yup. Hydrated silica is primarily used as an abrasive in toothpaste, is made from a crystallized compound found in quartz, sand, and flint. (From “The Safe Shopper’s Bible”)

Just by looking at those ingredients, not counting the preservatives, sugars and other additives, how do you feel about putting that glob in your mouth tonight or tomorrow morning?

So let's get onto the toothpaste recipe, right?? Because you certainly can't go on using that toxic time bomb waiting in your bathroom cabinet. I'm not sure it even belongs in the trash where it will pollute our world. Maybe you could clean your car engine with it.

RECIPE (finally!)

Place the first list of ingredients into a small pot on "low" heat until it becomes a thick liquid then turn it off while you go onto the next step, to allow it to cool slightly. ( I don't like putting hot ingredients into my Magic Bullet since I imagine it might have BPA in the plastic)

5 generous Tbsp virgin coconut oil
3 Tbsp xylitol (be sure it's made from birch, not from corn)
2 Tbsp aluminum-free baking soda
1 Tbsp sea salt (we use Real Salt, because it is the least heavy metal ridden, per independent testing my biological dentist had done on various sea salts)

Add the remaining ingredients directly to the blender so the heat doesn't damage them

2 tsp vegetable glycerine
1 tsp aloe vera gel
1/2 tsp or less of hydrogen peroxide (this is an individual choice, I like it for some whitening and bacteria control)
any essential oil mixtures you would like to flavor the toothpaste with (I like spicy clean flavors like clove and cinnamon or even a little rosemary, you could do a fruity flavor or even mint if you are making your toothpaste just to be healthier)

Now you can mix in the cooled mixture from your pot on the stove and blend to emulsify the mixture. Immediately, pour into a zip lock baggie and roll it so that it stays in the bottom of the baggie while you cool it in the fridge. Be careful not to leave it too long or the mixture will separate and harden. I massage it a few times to keep it blended and as it gets thicker, take it out.

When you take it out of the fridge, it should be firm or at least thick with no liquid. Allowing it to cool to room temp will turn it into a squeezable gel. Cut the corner into the size hole you want to dispense it through and store upright in a cup on your sink.

If you would like to know more about the reason I chose the above ingredients, keep reading:

Virgin coconut oil - coconut oil is antimicrobial and it solidifies at room temp (turns to liquid over 78 degrees, so store it somewhere cool if you are in an exceptionally warm climate).
Xylitol - balances the PH in the mouth, preventing the growth of bad bacteria and because it's also a sweetener, it naturally sweetens the toothpaste.
Aluminum-free baking soda - Well, of course we are making our own toothpaste to avoid toxins, so aluminum-free is a must. Baking soda also increases/balances the PH in the mouth, and body, plus it's slightly abrasive naturally and will scrub the teeth.
Sea salt - in addition to being an abrasive that suits cleaning the teeth, it will re-mineralize the teeth with the trace minerals found in natural unrefined sea salt.
Aloe vera gel - aloe is a natural antimicrobial, but it is also soothing and reduces inflammation. The "gel" part is nice for the toothpaste consistency too.
Vegetable glycerine - this is not a necessary part of your toothpaste, but it is naturally sweet and helps firm up the toothpaste. I just like it, but your toothpaste will do just fine without it. I've made it both ways successfully.
Hydrogen peroxide - Whitening power!! It also fights microbes and fungus, but use very little, because it can be harsh in high amounts. Also, some people don't do well with H2O2, because it is a strong oxidizer, so if you have oxidative stress, consider avoiding this ingredient.
Essential oils - consider oils that will fight bacteria, neutralize toxins and satisfy your taste, like cloves, lemon, cinnamon, mint, etc.

This can be a fun task to do with your kids so they see each of the ingredients and then the final result. They will WANT to brush their teeth with their new homemade toothpaste!! What fun!

Happy brushing to you and your family.

The three year wait

2011-10-24T20:32:00.003-04:00

I have waited THREE YEARS for today. I couldn't imagine life like this and both my husband and I got teary eyed acknowledging that we are getting there....We've seen hints of it, little glimmers that it was possible, but nothing ever like this.

The three year wait....for what? I'm not talking about a doctor waiting list or an opening in a highly respected school, I am not even talking about finally having a nice night out alone with my husband (Lord knows we need that!). What is different about today is that Grayson just went through a round of chelation (low, frequent oral dose) without a single regression!! His belly remained flat, he slept well and didn't have any bed wetting incidents, he woke happy and stayed happy through the entire round, no irritation, he's been patient, cooperative, helpful, independent, flexible, very affectionate to us AND to Gavin....I am completely and utterly amazed! For those who know what I am talking about, seeing a round with no regression is nothing short of a miracle. Our kids have ALWAYS regressed on round, and sometimes pretty significantly. They always came out of it a few days later and often with gains they didn't have before, but the round itself was like a living hell. That is why we can only handle one round every two weeks. We are now post round by one day and STILL nothing negative!! Everyone went to sleep well without melatonin. We even increased his ALA recently! He reacted SO severely to our original addition of ALA and then again with any subsequent increases, we even had to reduce our increases numerous times because he wasn't handling it well.

We just finished round 63 and I had heard that when you get past round 60, things start changing for the better. When we reached round 60, things were actually getting worse!! So this comes as a huge surprise that we would see a round this good so soon after those traumatizing days. He's been doing really well lately, but this just tops the cake!

I don't know, if all rounds will be such a breeze, and frankly I don't care. If we only have one of these rounds every now and then, it has shown me what is possible. I am grateful for the reminder of what we are working so hard to recover. When I look back to where we started, how incredibly difficult life was every single day, I want to cry tears of joy for the progress we have made, and believe me, I do. I have never been more grateful for anything in my entire life, it gives me goosebumps.

We've had parent teacher conferences with both boys' schools in the past week and our children are not just doing well, they are excelling and flourishing. They are respectful, well rounded children and I am proud to know that they will be astounding members of our community some day, because of this intense labor of love.

In honor of all of the recovering children out there, if you are a biomed mom, please raise your right hand....higher, higher.....now bend it and pat yourself on the back! You deserve it. This is no easy road, in fact, it is downright grueling at times. Life changes and we accept it and challenge it, we take the bull by the horns and we dominate this illness like warriors!! And thanks to all those who paved the path before me, my children are living proof that this IS reversible, healing the immune system IS possible!

I am a firm believer in living one day at a time, and this is one heck of a day...

Left-sided symptoms

2011-10-22T20:40:00.006-04:00

I am on round 14 with my chelation and it has been challenging to increase past 8.8mg of DMSA and 7.5mg of ALA. To give you an idea of how low this is, my children are on 5mg which is even low for them, lol. I have tried twice to go up to 12.5mg of DMSA and nausea would set in really fast. I can handle a lot of things, but nausea isn't one of them, so I have been stuck at 8.3mg for the last 13 rounds. I increased again for this round and FINALLY I am tolerating it!! The only difference I have noticed so far is increased neuropathy in both feet (it used to only be one, pre-dental revision) when I first wake up in the morning. Oh, and today I noticed a new symptom, breast pain, weird!!

I've noticed a trend in my physical symptoms, something most likely related to the largest filling in my mouth. This filling was on my left side and I always had trouble with pain and ringing in my left ear, periodically as well as neuropathy in my left foot daily, upon waking. Once the filling was removed, that all went away....that is, until I got closer to my "dump phase" which is when the mercury dumping spikes naturally. Everything started picking up quite a bit around 5 months post-revision and peaked at 6 months, now it finally feels like the majority of my symptoms have subsided unless I am on or post round. I tend to be really good while on the round, I have energy, and feel happy even though I wake up all night for my doses. Two to three days post-round are my absolute worst days and that has yet to be revealed since my DMSA increase.

So back to the left-sided symptoms. I began noticing that starting with my ear pain and ringing, all of my other symptoms were left-sided too:

Neuropathy - my left foot was the only one effected by the numbing and tingling feeling when I woke in the morning, up until about three rounds ago when my right foot joined in. In between rounds though, I don't have it at all which is a HUGE improvement from the every day tingling and pain I was getting upon rising in the morning. It didn't last long, but it was a sign that something was clearly not right.
Varicose veins - I have one large varicose vein on the inside of my left knee and it has been there since I was pregnant with Gavin. Since starting chelation, I see many changes in the veins of my left leg. The vein I've had for years fades between rounds and is prominent during a round. Most recently I noticed that I would get a new one somewhere else, and it would stick around for weeks, then disappear. They are showing up around the knee and then fading away with my rounds. Goes to show you that our vascular system is very effected by chelation. There are doctors who do chelation for arteriosclerosis patients.
Wrinkles - not your every day kind of wrinkles, but oddly placed and very distinct wrinkles. One is on my face, under my left eye. It's more obvious in the morning, but it's always there slightly. It's more like a deep crease about an inch below my eye. It looks like I slept funny on my face causing a big crease from the sheets, but it generally doesn't go away, although lately I am noticing it change in severity. I have always also had a sleepy eye that isn't always obvious, but it shows up in pictures (2D). The other wrinkles are a large section on my left forearm. I remember the first time I noticed them. I had been carrying Gavin around a lot (he was a mama's boy early on) and my arm looked like he had been held too long, an entire roadmap of itty bitty wrinkles on my arm just above my wrist, almost like how you would expect dehydrated skin to look. At first it didn't phase me, because like I said, I thought it was from holding Gavin, but then I noticed it wasn't going away, whether I was holding him or not. It was obviously not normal and it didn't match anything else on my body, my other arm didn't have them. With my first round of chelation, I noticed that it disappeared completely while I was on round! Now, like many of the other symptoms, it comes and goes with rounds.
Ear pain - my left ear has been a problem for as long as I can remember, in fact when I met my husband, I was having back to back ear infections, always in that ear. Since having the dental revision done, the only time I have pain is when I am exposed to mold and luckily, it's short-lived.
Wrist pain - when I started taking olive leaf extract regularly for microbe and viral control during chelation, my left wrist experienced significant pain, initially. I haven't had that pain again since, but it was pretty bad for a good week.
Stiff neck - when I don't stay on top of taking my supplements regularly, I get a stiff neck on my left side. A lot of vitamin C clears it up pretty fast and staying on my laundry list of 40+ pills a day keeps it at bay.
Hair - the most superficial of all of my symptoms, but possibly one of the most annoying, lol, is the left side of my hair!! Since having Gavin my hair has gotten pretty wavy, well, all except the left side! It's so weird. It is even more frizzy and flat. The right side curls right up, the left side, not so much, it just sticks out awkwardly flat.

It's clear to me that my body has been effected more on one side than the other and coincidentally it's the same side that had the majority of the metal. The cavitation on the bottom left side was also the worst of all four. It was right next to the filling.

Lightbulb moment!

2011-10-21T11:14:00.004-04:00

My husband and I have always noticed that when we don't give our boys grapefruit seed extract (GSE) they respond negatively, almost immediately. When we had their last stool test done, it showed encouraging results of no yeast or bad bacteria. Now, we know that yeast can be systemic and may not be in the GI tract, so we never really questioned it beyond that, but I must say, we were slightly perplexed by the fact that they needed the GSE so frequently. In further reading, I came across some information that made the lightbulb in my dusty brain flicker!

Let me start by edumacating you.

Our natural detox system is broken down in phases in the liver. The Phase 1 pathway is dependant on many enzymes in our body and is responsible for breaking down toxins for easy transport, but in that process, they actually become more toxic so it's very important for the Phase 2 pathway to step up and remove those toxins from the body, and fast. If these two phases aren't working together, a toxic bottle-neck occurs.

Here is the layman's picture. You take your garbage out to the curb for pick-up weekly to keep the house clean (Phase 1). Let's just say the garbage truck (Phase 2) starts coming less frequently, but you are still putting the garbage out. It starts to pile up! It becomes more stinky, toxic! Now imagine that going on in your blood...

Many people who are mercury toxic have slower Phase 2 cycles, causing the toxins to sit around poisoning the body. Now more interesting news....GSE slows down Phase 1 liver function. And even more importantly, methylators like MB-12 and DMG, taurine, glycine and epsom salt baths (sulfation), speed up Phase 2! Another important part of Phase 2 is....GLUTATHIONE! Helloooo, mercury toxic and chronically ill people are low in glutathione! While it's not beneficial to try to take glutathione in the form of a supplement, there are ways to increase your own. You can take certain supplements like NAC and you can eat foods like avocado, etc. Click on the link above to learn more about glutathione.

I have always known that the liver phase pathways determine our ability to detox, I never really boiled it down to why the supplements we give the kids effect this process! (ding, ding, ding)

There is a test that will look at your DNA to determine how your liver is detoxing and because it uses DNA, it is a test that only needs to be done once in a lifetime! The test by Genova Diagnostics is called DetoxGenomic Profile. It requires blood work, so you will have to get your doctor involved in this order, but WELL worth knowing!! I would hate to be giving our children supplements that could slow something down that doesn't need slowing down, especially when it involves our natural detox mechanism. I know that Grayson is a slow methylator from an organic acid test we have done in the past, so this will inevitably effect his phase 2 pathway.

I love when things make more sense. This is why I read endlessly. It creates a deeper understanding to why I work so tirelessly at helping our family get healthy. It also makes it easier to know when to tweak things as healing occurs. I wish it was as easy as popping a single pill and moving on with life, but it just isn't that easy. Recovering from chronic health issues requires a deep understanding of how our bodies work and then years of helping them get back to that healthy place.

The oxalate roller coaster

2011-10-16T12:05:00.004-04:00

When we started the Low Oxalate Diet (LOD) a year ago, we intended for it to be a trial period. We had no idea how much it would change our lives and I don't mean the endless restrictions on food.

The first week is typically referred to as the honeymoon period, for good reason. In that week, when oxalates are leaving the body fast and furious, the positive effects are clear and bountiful! But like anything else, that provides deep healing from the inside out, the honeymoon period is short lived, as to be expected. The following 8 weeks was nothing short of painful, for all of us!! I've labeled that period of our lives as one of THE most challenging. Just about every symptom they have ever had, came back in that short period of time, magnified! As we were living it, we couldn't see the end in sight. We didn't know that some day, the torture would end and our kids would come out of it glowing. But when they finally did, we knew we could never go back, well, at least I knew that. As is often expected, the spouses who just go with the flow of biomedicine question the validity of the diets, supplements and treatment protocols. Not a bad thing, it encourages balance, and it keeps us honest. But with this, I stood my ground, never losing trust in this important dietary change I chose to make for our boys. Needless to say, after my husband saw the results of Gavin's oxalate dump, he was brought entirely on board with me. There is nothing like witnessing your 30 pound child pee out thousands and thousands of oxalate crystals!!

It's difficult, very difficult, to feed children who are already on such restricted diets, but with some research and experimenting, just like anything else, it became second nature. A person on the LOD cannot eat grains, nuts and many common vegetables and fruits. "Healthy" food choices are a matter of perspective. In our case, spinach, raspberries and almonds, which are highly regarded as superfoods, would be physically harmful to our children.

So what does this all have to do with today's blog entry? I'm sure you have seen my son's oxalate crystals picture in a recent entry. In the process of "trying" a higher oxalate food (green beans!) I have caused my children to begin the dumping process all over again. I don't know, if it will last quite as long as the first one, but as the oxalates leave the cells, there is no shortage of dumping symptoms in our house!! Gavin is experiencing extreme moodiness, he looses the ability to communicate with us, staring at us blankly when we ask him a question, he has multiple potty accidents a day, he easily angers, he continuously tries our patience by doing things he knows are unacceptable (all while watching us for a reaction), he becomes defiant, he is clicking his tongue almost non-stop, and his BMs hurt even though he is not constipated. He also becomes clingy and needy, he whines instead of talking (unless we remind him not to, over and over again) and he has regular belly aches. Some of you are probably thinking, "this sounds like typical kid stuff to me"....it's not. We have seen our children thrive on the LOD and we see the effect of what putting back the higher oxalates foods into the diet does to them. It's simple, cause and effect. If this is "typical" kid stuff around your house, I would encourage you to do some investigating! Children with high oxalate problems become adults with kidney stones and worse. Oh, and one undeniably huge sign for us is constant hunger. When Gavin is dumping oxalates, it's as if he can't get enough food and considering his small stature, I can't imagine where he is putting it or why it doesn't cause him to gain more weight!! I wish it would, that would be the up-side to this frustrating event!! The oxalates must do something to the body that prevents him from using the nutrients in the foods he eats all day.

Susan Owens has been heading up private research into the connection between oxalates and autism for over 15 years. She is part of the Autism One research Think Tank Team. I asked her, if she could explain oxalates to me and I would like to share that explanation here:

Well, this is a whole different thread of autism research, so there is a bit of a learning curve here as there is for all of the different therapies, but let me see what I can do to define some things for you.

Oxalate is a simple but very reactive chemical that plants make in order to defend themselves against insect predators. I saw a presentation in Houston by an oxalate scientist who had modified a plant that caterpillars eat to remove the gene that made oxalate, and after the plant didn't make oxalate, that caterpillar would strip the plant until all that was left was the stick. This caterpillar might start munching on the oxalate-containing version of the plant, but would stop quickly. The scientists dissected the caterpillars who tried to eat the oxalate-containing plant and found their teeth were broken and down to nubs, which is why they stopped eating it!

I guess it is a good thing that not all plants make large amounts of oxalate, or we would have nothing to safely eat!

Our bodies are adapted to eat oxalate when everything is working the way it was designed. Our flora are supposed to have a microbe called oxalobacter formigenes that only eats oxalate and cannot survive on anything else, but it has been frequently killed back by antiobiotics that are used routinely. Also, most of the calcium that enters the gut from food (80%) stays in the colon and it is available to bind free oxalate and that keeps the oxalate from being absorbed in the colon. Casein contains a lot of calcium, so when someone is casein-free, the amount of calcium they get from the rest of the diet is reduced, so there is less calcium there to bind the oxalate that is in the diet. Taking calcium as a supplement before meals helps to remedy or at least help that situation, but timing is everything!

Once oxalate has been absorbed through the colon or through a leaky gut anywhere in the GI tract, it circulates through the blood and can enter cells, especially cells that are looking for sulfate, for it hitches a ride into cells using the sulfate transporter. If you are low in sulfate and high in oxalate, this is a problem!

Once inside cells, oxalate inhibits many enzymes, and almost all enzymes it is known to bind are enzymes that contribute to our energy or mitochondrial function. Key members of that group of inhibited enzymes are the ones that use biotin.

Biotin is a sulfur-containing vitamin that you get both from food and from bacteria that live in the gut. Oxalate inserts itself next to biotin in the active site of these enzymes, and shuts down the operation of the enzyme.

Because of which enzymes are involved, this affects our ability to use glucose, to make glucose, to make ATP, to regulate our fatty acid metabolism, and to run the Krebs cycle.

Scientists learned that the inhibition of these enzymes could be diminished by giving high doses of biotin. What we've learned on our listserve, is that in children with autism who definitely have oxalate issues, sometimes it takes biotin supplements even greater than 20 mgs. a day to overcome the enzyme inhibition.

A lot of the leakiness of the gut goes away when people first remove gluten from the diet. This seems to help many children gain gut integrity so that they won't absorb as much oxalate.

Ordinarily, people only absorb 1-2% of the oxalate in their diet, but if you have a leaky gut, that level can get as high as 50%. A normal diet has about 100 mgs of oxalate per day, so a healthy gut would only absorb 1-2 mgs. An unhealthy gut would absorb as much as 50 mgs. on a normal diet.

With the low oxalate diet, in adults, we cut back the oxalate that is eaten to 40-60 mgs a day, and in children less proportionately. This is not as big a deal as you would think, but it seems a big hurdle if someone has decided that human beings were designed to have spinach as a daily member of the diet!

I have heard of some implementations of SCD, for instance, that may have been as high as 400 mgs/day or four times a normal diet. On gf/cf, the vast majority of oxalate is likely to come from eating too many baked goods (although starch itself is not very high) but whole grains and brans are very high). They also may eat too many chocolate goodies, and way too high a quantity of milk substitutes. Every milk substitute but coconut milk and chestnut milk are very high oxalate, even in just one cup.

I think a lot of this would become much easier to grasp if you read the following mini-paper about the leaky gut that was written for parents and others who are new to all these concepts: www.lowoxalate.

Susan Owens

I will be sending Susan Gavin's oxalate crystals in a baggie. I hope it will help in the advancement of her research!

Oxalates move to front burner again

2011-10-06T12:23:00.000-04:00

We have been on the low oxalate diet (LOD) for just over a year now. We started it, because we noticed that although Grayson was doing better overall, he still had a lot of ups and downs that we couldn't tie to anything. The bloating was not subsiding no matter what we did for him. So the LOD was originally instated as a trial in September of 2010 and the severe dumping we experienced (in both boys, surprisingly) lasted well over a month. It was one of the most trying times in our years of biomedicine. We knew this was our new necessity! The LOD became the new norm.

A year later, we are still on the LOD, although we do allow a few moderate oxalates in the diet on a rotation basis like GF oatmeal (due to such limited breakfast options) and very small amounts of strawberries. Other than that, we are very strict with the diet. So it came very much as a surprise to me when I saw this in Gavin's little potty last night!!

These are oxalate crystals....by the apparent thousands!!


Crystals coated the bottom of his potty - this was a small "tinkle" left behind

Very close-up of the crystals, OUCH! They look painful, don't they?

He has been having mood swings, BM changes and constant hunger that I was chalking up to the parasite (although we just recently treated with Alinia for 34 days). Anyway, yesterday was a busy day and so when he used his little potty above (as we were running out the door), I left it. It was just a tinkle anyway. When I got home and went to clean out the potty, I couldn't believe what I found.....a potty full of the oxalate crystals you see in the pictures!!! And there was not much urine to create this, so it was highly concentrated!

I have NEVER seen this from him before. The things that have changed in the recent past, besides the parasite medicine (which he has been off of for about a month now) are the following:

-Started feeding green beans, which we used to avoid or only give in very small amounts. Some green beans are high, so this could be part of the problem.

-Allowing small amounts of strawberries, not even adding up to 3 strawberries at a time, every couple of days. We've been doing this for a while though. Strawberries are moderate oxalate.

-Just 2 days (today was third dose) ago we began using BioRay Cytoflora, the dump was the very next day after starting it, not sure, if this can cause dumping.

-We are in the midst of a supplement break and have begun re-introducing his supplements back in slowly. So far we have added back Vit D3, magnesium, krill oil with astaxanthin, zinc, flax oil, and today lithium orotate.

-Haven't reintroduced biotin back in yet, maybe I will add that back in today even though it hasn't been a few days since adding the lithium...

The symptoms we have been having for about a week are: excessive hunger (constant I should say), saying "hiney hurts", mood swings, defiance, lacking cooperation especially when it involves his older brother (lots of fighting), frequent potty accidents (it's like he doesn't even try), he even had a small BM accident yesterday which he has never done, whiny, looking for his lovey all day (which is kept in his bed for sleepy time, so now he is up in his bed reading books to be with it), saying he wants to "go to bed" all morning (but could be related to needing his lovey), had a very odd BM the night before the crystals appeared that was fluffy, chunky and half floated, half sunk and lastly his keratosis which is pretty much always there, is worse lately. I was thinking it was all related to the parasite possibly coming back, but now with this potty incident, I am thinking dump and wondering why. Time to get back on the Trying Low Oxalates Yahoo board and figure this out. It most definitely could explain the random bouts of regression we keep experiencing. I am certainly confused between the parasite symptoms and this now though!! In one strange sense, this is a bit of a relief, because maybe the parasite ISN'T back, like we originally thought!! We will need to retest in a few weeks to confirm anyway, but the symptoms are so similar it's hard to tell. It's pretty obvious we have an oxalate issue to resolve now though.

Have you been wondering, if the diet really works?

2011-10-04T12:42:00.003-04:00

Ok, so maybe you have been an avid reader, and maybe you have a child who could benefit from something, you just don't know what yet, and maybe you have even considered going GFCF at minimum...but don't have enough evidence that it will work and just the thought of the intense changes in diet make you sick to your stomach.

Now, if I could just briefly hit on my biggest hot button in all of this? A child does NOT have to be completely autistic to have these deficiencies, in fact, neither does an adult. Dr. Kenneth Bock has made it VERY clear in his book Healing the New Childhood Epidemics that people with allergies, asthma, ADHD and even autoimmune diseases have their roots in the same soil as autism. Autism is just one facet of this "illness" on the rise. It takes the shape of many faces and does not have to go by any one label.

Well, let me enlighten you! It may not be enough for little old me to tell you the diet works (I have seen it, like night and day, especially during an infraction that changes my children practically overnight, turning them into a sensory snowball), but what if a well-known National autism nutritionist was able to tell you this, and what if she even had a double blind study to further prove it? Would it be worth it then?

Feast your eyes on THIS!

One of the Most Comprehensive Studies on Nutrition for Autism

September 22, 2011 Categories: Autism News by Julie Matthews

One of the Most Comprehensive Studies on Nutrition for Autism
By Julie Matthews, Certified Nutrition Consultant
As a nutritionist working with children with autism for ten years, I was particularly excited to read the most recent research findings. For those who continue to say, “There is no science behind diet and nutrition for autism” or “there is nothing you can do about autism,” you’re about to finally be convinced.

A study entitled, “Nutritional and Metabolic Status of Children with Autism vs Neurotypical Children and the Association with Autism Severity,” conducted by Jim Adams, was recently published in the journal of Nutrition and Metabolism in June 2011. It provides an excellent framework for consideration of dietary intervention and supplementation for children with autism.

This study validates what many clinicians have observed in their practices for years—that children with autism have biomedical imbalances that are strong factors in their autistic symptoms, and that diet and supplementation play a role in helping children to heal, even lose their autism diagnosis. In my clinical experience, I’ve witnessed hundreds of children improve through specialized attention to diet and nutrition.

A fairly large number of children (99) were included in the research that measured a wide range of nutritional and metabolic markers—i.e. scientific, quantitative indicators of children with autism’s unique biochemical status. In the “Background and Significance” and “Discussion” sections of the published paper, Adams, et al. provides a straightforward interpretation of the results that were measured, and explains functional testing, interpretations, and makes comparisons to previous study results (both consistent and contrary). I believe it’s an excellent analysis of the current biomedical understanding of autism and supports clinical findings reported worldwide. And, it presents fresh new data to guide the use of supplementation and diet.

The study compared 55 children with autism diagnoses with 44 controls (neurotypical children of similar ages ranging from 5-16 years old). Neither group had taken nutritional supplementation for two months prior to the testing conducted in the study.

The research indicated that for the children with autism, their levels of vitamins, minerals, and most amino acids were within published reference ranges; however many of their biomarkers were significant different from the control group. Biomarkers are a way of discovering the functional insufficiency of a nutrient by measuring markers in biochemical pathways that indicate a deficiency, and comparing that to the actual amount of the nutrient in the body (as measured in blood, etc).
This is an interesting finding—nutrient levels appear “normal” but functional testing shows that they are not normal in children with autism. Functional testing (that identifies these biomarkers) are not used in most traditional medical settings. If the medical community is looking for nutrient deficiencies through standard testing of nutrient levels (as an underlying factor and course of treatment), they most likely will not find it – even though biochemical/nutritional insufficiencies are common and supplementation is necessary.

In this study, biomarkers for increased oxidative stress, decreased sulfation and detoxification, vitamin and glutathione insufficiency, and reduced energy transport were also found. And, several of the biomarker groups were significantly associated with the severity of autism.

Again, this parallels what autism clinicians routinely report —that children with autism have decreased detoxification, energy disregulation, and increased oxidative stress.

The authors conclude, “These nutritional and metabolic differences are generally in agreement with other published results and are likely amenable to nutritional supplementation.”
I absolutely concur.

Here are some of the specific areas measured and details of the study’s findings, and my discussion of the results.

Vitamins
Biotin was the only vitamin with a significant difference in the children – it was 20% lower in the children with autism. B5, vitamin E and total carotenoids levels showed “possibly significant” lower levels in children with autism.

The functional need for certain vitamins (folate and niacin) was assessed using FIGLU and n-methyl-nicotinamide, and were somewhat higher and possibly significant in autism. This suggests and an increased need for folate and niacin in children with autism.

Minerals
While most mineral levels tested within neurotypical reference ranges, the study found a statistical significance with lower levels of WB (whole blood) lithium, but higher levels of iron in the autism group. Twenty-five percent of the autism group was below the reference range for iodine and calcium.

Sulfation
Free and total sulfate in plasma (necessary for adequate sulfation) were very significantly lower in children with autism – 28% and 65%.

Sulfate is necessary for proper sulfation. Sulfation comprises varied processes that use sulfate (sulfur) in the body, such as in forming sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGS) in the gut for intestinal integrity, or detoxifying compounds in phase II liver detoxification. Sulfate is used in many biological processes, and adequate sulfur is required both from consumption of sulfur rich foods and recycling sulfate in the kidneys. The results of this study are consistent with the findings of Dr. Rosemary Waring who found children with autism (and adults with autoimmune conditions) to have low sulfate levels.

Methylation
SAM (S-adenosylmethionine) was also significantly lower in children with autism – very much so. Uridine in plasma was very significantly higher in children with autism +93%. Uridine is believed to be a marker of methylation status, with high levels indicating poor methylation. For SAM, SAH and SAM/SAH ratio 25-39% of the autism group had low levels.

SAM is the primary methyl donor in methylation reactions (more than forty in the body). Methylation is important for the methylation of neurotransmitters, proteins, and DNA methylation (gene expression). Methylation affects fatty acid metabolism, allergic responses, myelination, cellular energy, and more. Proper methylation is also necessary for the body to produce adequate levels of glutathione.

ATP
ATP is the primary energy source for the brain and the body. SAM is converted from methionine with methionine adenyosyl transferase, which requires ATP. Methionine was at normal levels but ATP was very significantly lower in the autism group. The authors suggest, “low levels of ATP are at least part of the reason for decreased levels of SAM.”ATP is required by the kidney to resorb sulfate and “recycle” it. The authors believe that decreased ATP is a significant contributor to decreased sulfate levels in children with autism.

I believe that oxalates could be a factor. When sulfate is insufficient, oxalate (instead of sulfate) can be shuttled into the cell on the sulfate transporter and “gum up” the works of the mitochondria, affecting ATP and energy metabolism. Could there be a “vicious cycle” at work, where adequate sulfate is needed to produce ATP and ATP is needed for recycling sulfate? Given the benefits I’ve observed with the low oxalate diet, I’d welcome more research and discussion of this possibility.

Oxidative Stress
Reduced plasma glutathione (GSH) was very significantly lower in children with autism. All three markers for oxidative stress were very significantly higher in children with autism; oxidized glutathione (GSSG), GSSG/GSH ratio, and plasma nitrotyrosine. NADPH, a precursor to ATP, is needed to recycle GSSG to GSH. NADPH was found to be substantially lower in the autism group. These results were also consistent with the work of Dr. Jill James, who found low levels of glutathione in children with autism (as well as positive benefit of certain forms of folate).

Glutathione is imperative for preventing oxidative stress. In addition to being an antioxidant, it supports proper detoxification, inflammation, pathogen fighting, and more.

Amino Acids in Plasma
Two amino acids used in building neurotransmitters were significantly different from controls. Tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin was significantly lower in the autism group, and glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, was significantly higher. Low tryptophan can play a role in depression and poor sleep, and glutamate is a factor in hyperactivity. Other differences were possibly significant such as slightly decreased tyrosine and phenylalanine and slightly higher serine.

Dietary Intervention and Supplementation
This study supports the use dietary intervention for autism (individualized to the child). There is much valuable data we can gather from this study on how to apply and adjust diet and supplementation for autism.

Adequate protein intake is crucial for children with autism. Decreased levels of amino acids such as tryptophan, phenylalanine, and taurine most likely indicate a need for increased protein intake or proper digestion of protein (possibly through the use of digestive enzymes). Supplementation with individual amino acids, particularly those consistent with signs of deficiency, may be warranted. For example, tryptophan or 5-HTP supplementation may be helpful with a low tryptophan level and depression.

This study highlights the need for foods rich in antioxidants and antioxidant supplementation for children with autism. Foods rich in antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E, as well as zinc and selenium are important. Berries, beans, spices like turmeric and rosemary, nuts, grass-fed beef and pastured poultry are good sources of antioxidants. Foods rich in glutathione and glutathione precursors to include in your child’s diet consist of: broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, garlic, kale, cumin and cinnamon, eggs, and avocado.

Supplementation with biotin, folate, vitamin B12, liposomal glutathione, SAM, lithium, sulfate, and many other nutrients are important (on an individual basis) for children with autism.
The Feingold and Failsafe diets remove salicylates, amines, and glutamates, substances that require proper sulfation (and methylation) for proper breakdown. For the children with these biochemical insufficiencies, these diets can be very helpful. I was glad to see further research that supports what I am finding clinically.

The low oxalate diet has been very helpful for many of my clients with autism. More discussion is needed about the role of oxalate in the oxidative stress and low ATP found in this study in children with autism. For these children, the low oxalate diet may prove particularly helpful.

Benefit to Autism
I greatly appreciate scientists and researchers like Dr. Jim Adams, whose dedication has helped thousands of parents and clinicians to gain useful information about addressing autism.
I’ve spent more than 5 years compiling research and presenting the case for diet and supplement intervention in my book “Nourishing Hope for Autism,” which has nearly 200 scientific references regarding the biochemistry of autism and the use of food, nutrition, and supplementation to ameliorate symptoms. Dr. Adams’ earlier research was instrumental in guiding my query.

The current study by Adams, et al greatly advances our understanding of these factors and further solidifies the case for “Autism is treatable.” It solidifies a foundational understanding of how diet and nutrition intervention benefits autism and helps nutritionists like me address the diet naysayers who deny Hippocrates dictum “let food be they medicine” by asking “is there a double-blind study to support diet changes?”

Yes, there is!

Adams JB, Audhya T, McDonough-Means S, Rubin RA, Quig D, Geis E, Gehn E, Loresto M, Mitchell J, Atwood S, Barnhouse S, Lee W. Nutritional and metabolic status of children with autism vs. neurotypical children, and the association with autism severity. Nutrition & Metabolism 2011 Jun 8;8(1):34.

Here is the link for this article.

Pumpkin pie latte...

2011-09-28T09:20:00.004-04:00

...with FRESH pumpkin puree! Beat that Starbucks! This is why it's nice to have some fresh pumpkin puree laying around...

This recipe is made with you caregivers in mind. A good steamy cup of java to get you going so you can take care of those kiddos. Why not spend a little extra time on you today, you deserve it?

I just put a few tablespoons of pumpkin puree into a small pot and heated it with a little pumpkin seed milk (use milk or substitute of your choice) to thin it slightly and then added:

a good amount of pumpkin pie spice
coconut sugar which tastes like brown sugar
some xylitol to taste
vanilla

Blend with your cup of coffee (I used the magic bullet) and top with foamy "milk" of choice and a dash of pumpkin pie spice.

Not only is this tasty, preservative-free and sugar-free, but it offers a shot of real vitamin A, great for flu season! Oh, and one bonus is that it doesn't cost $4.

Now, if you are a camel milk drinker (or even, if you are not), I MUST show you how fabulously it froths for a latte!!

Here you have the camel milk poured before frothing. As you can see, it doesn't require much.

Check out that foam!!

And there you have it!! HUGE frothy latte milk in seconds.

How to make fresh pumpkin puree

2011-09-27T21:33:00.005-04:00

There is no better fall flavor than pumpkin, mmmmmmm!!

Having a little pumpkin around can add the warm fuzzies to many dishes including soups, cookies, cakes, waffles, pancakes, and even drinks like pumpkin pie latte and smoothies!

If you are like me, you know the risks of using canned foods and avoid it like the plague, which leaves you with no other pumpkin puree options. Here you will learn how to make it so it comes out just like the canned stuff, thick and rich tasting.

The trick to the right consistency and flavor is roasting it!! Be sure to buy pie pumpkins, also known as sugar pumpkins. They are grown for eating, unlike carving pumpkins which are grown for size, not flavor. I like to prepare a few at a time and freeze my puree in one-cup servings for easy defrosting. In the recipe below, I bought four small pumpkins and it yielded 5 cups of puree.

If like me, you rarely find time to work out, cut up a few pumpkins!! It's seriously labor-intensive, but well worth the effort! Try not to chop a finger off in the process....

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, then wash the pumpkins, cut them down the middle, scoop out seeds and cut into chunks, leaving the skin on

Place the chunks into a baking dish, skin down

Bake for about an hour

Scoop out the meat and puree until smooth

This process can take a little time and some repositioning, because roasting the pumpkin dries it out, be patient and work the puree in the processor until it's smooth

When finished, you can use it immediately, store it in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer in freezer safe containers (glass is safest) leaving room for expansion.

Back to the grind

2011-09-24T09:51:00.000-04:00

We all took a break from chelation for a month, while we were on the Alinia and passing through the new moon. Grayson had gotten very sick so we stopped our rounds and decided to wait until the parasite meds were done. Getting back on track is never easy. Any time we have taken a break from chelation, the first round is R-O-U-G-H!!

Today is no exception. We spent all night waking so we are all tired. We woke at 1am and 5am for our doses and Grayson woke at 2:30am because he wet his bed and then again at 4:30am with a horrible dream, then he got up really early, because he wet his bed AGAIN! This is par for the course, so we will just go with the flow. Today will be a lazy, rainy day in front of the tv and napping.

The kids have been fighting horribly since starting this round. They have this push/pull relationship while on round. They do things specifically to prove to one another that they are in charge, things that aren't necessarily nice and it instigates a lot of fighting, but it goes both ways with them. If it's not one, it's the other, pushing or pulling to get a response.

We finally have found an adrenal cortex that Grayson tolerates, Enzymathic Therapy's ADRENergize. We are SO excited, because we have not been able to support his adrenals for the past three years which worried us. We know a lot of his moodiness is rooted in adrenal fatigue and worried about his adrenals crashing. The past two weeks, he has been tolerating reasonable amounts of this adrenal cortex and his moods were finally very consistent! So today, I am increasing it to assist with the round, since chelation stresses the adrenals. We also recently started L Theanine, an amino acid which assists in cases where histamine is high (causes mood problems and anger too). Theanine has a calming effect.

So far I am still feeling good (with the exception of being tired), I also increase my ACE (adrenal cortex extract) while on round.

Here's to hoping our additional support will ease the transition back into chelation.

The perils of parasites and Pyroluria

2011-09-21T20:34:00.004-04:00

Pyro-what? Who is a pyro? Isn't that somehow related to fire-starting? I didn't know what pyroluria was either, that is, until I read and identified with practically every symptom on the list, with the exception of substance abuse.

Let me go back a few steps though. As you recall, we were treating the family for parasites, because Gavin was diagnosed with Dientamoeba Fragilis. We have completed the Alinia and Gavin's progress since the treatment is nothing short of astounding. I have often said that you just don't know your own child until you have witnessed them in a place of wellness. Even I didn't realize the impact of my own words as it relates to Gavin, until now! He is a changed child. I didn't even know my own child, neither of us did. His real self has always peeked through the shadows occasionally, but never have we seen such consistency, ever. He is beaming with humor and happiness, he is calm and shows clarity and focus in all that he does and most amazingly, he has not shown even an ounce of defiance!! Time outs were becoming so bad that it felt like he was spending more time in time out than out of time out....did you catch that? lol It was so bad that we created "the calming space" in an effort to put a positive spin on time out, somewhere that HE could choose to go to relieve stress and recharge with some calm toys. Since creating it, we haven't even had to use it! We went off the Alinia and within a day, he emerged as this confident, well-spoken, and very well-behaved three year old. I knew parasites were nasty buggers and had read that they are capable of destroying good health. Never in my life did I think a parasite could cause so much disdain, but I will honestly never ever take health like this for granted again. Our mental stability relies heavily on our health. I can't stress this enough!! I have said over and over again, that I don't believe that kids are "being kids" when they are defiant and I have seen the changes in Grayson with the Clostridia overgrowth, but this....this is still astonishing me!

So back to the Pyroluria. Another huge wow for us, me included. On my constant quest for better health, I stumbled upon this under-diagnosed condition that not only appears to fit me, but our boys too. It's highly genetic and it's symptoms are profound by comparison to the ease by which it can be controlled. Pyroluria is basically a fancy way of saying a person is deficient in vitamins B6 (pyrodoxine) and zinc. Let me sum it up for you....better yet, Nora Gedgaudas will do a better job than I ever could.

"Pyroluria is a genetic metabolic condition long recognized by the field of orthomolecular medicine and orthomolecular psychiatry. As many as 50% of those with autism, 40% of alcoholics, 70% of schizophrenics, 70% of persons with depression and 30% of persons struggling with ADD may have pyroluria underlying these conditions and make them very difficult to reach with traditional and even holistic therapies. –But pyroluria isn’t limited to these populations. As much as 10% of the population may have this metabolic condition and not know it…but may have lifelong symptoms associated with it that tend to worsen with age…and stress."

And regarding how it effects children, I found this statement which is exactly what we are dealing with in our own two children.

"Although children tend to be more easily diagnosed than adults, the symptoms are consistent: poor tolerance of physical and emotional stress, mood swings, depression, noise and other tactile sensitivities. Later symptoms can range from severe depression to chronic schizophrenia. Accompanying physical symptoms can include pain, seizures, even complete physical debilitation."

All that from a simple B6 and zinc deficiency?? All that and more! You would never connect it's oversimplified treatment with the significant health challenges it is capable of causing. The reason a person is so deficient in these nutrients is because of a byproduct called kryptopyrroles created from the synthesis of hemoglobin. Kryptopyrroles bind very tightly with zinc and B6, making them unavailable to the body. Krypopyrroles tend to increase with stress and age, which means, this disorder will only snowball, if undetected. Do you know ANY mainstream doctors who will diagnose something so simple to rectify and without the use of prescriptions? Since they have about half a day of nutritional training in all their years of med school, my guess is that they won't even know what it is. But they should, because it has it's hand in many illnesses being misdiagnosed as mental disorders, and medicated unnecessarily. If you are a regular reader, you already know how much I DESPISE covering up symptoms with medication. Our body cries out to us for help, telling us there is an imbalance somewhere, and we shut it up with medication. If only we spent half the time discovering what CAUSES these imbalances, we could spend more time enjoying our lives!

So let's see, if you or someone you know can identify with Pyroluria, here is a list of the more common symptoms from Nora's website.

The following includes the most common symptoms associated with the condition Pyroluria. If you answer “yes” to 15 or more of these then further testing may be worthwhile:

PYROLURIA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Little or no dream recall

2. White spots on finger nails

3. Poor morning appetite +/- tendency to skip breakfast

4. Morning nausea

5. Pale skin +/- poor tanning +/- burn easy in sun

6. Sensitivity to bright light

7. Hypersensitive to loud noises

8. Reading difficulties (e.g. dyslexia)

9. Poor ability to cope with stress

10. Mood swings or temper outbursts

11. Histrionic (dramatic) tendency

12. Argumentative/enjoy argument

13. New situations or changes in routine (i.e., traveling) particularly stressful

14. Much higher capability and alertness in the evening, compared to mornings

15. Poor short term memory

16. Abnormal body fat distribution

17. Belong to an all-girl family with look-alike sisters

18. Dry skin

19. Anxiousness

20. Reaching puberty later than normal

21. Difficulty digesting, a dislike of protein or a history of vegetarianism

22. Tendency toward being a loner and/or avoiding larger groups of people

23. Stretch marks on skin

24. Poor sense of smell or taste

25. Feel very uncomfortable with strangers

26. Frequently experience fatigue

27. A tendency to overreact to tranquilizers, barbiturates, alcohol or other drugs (in other words, a little produces a powerful response)

28. A tendency toward anemia

29. History of mental illness or alcoholism in family

30. Easily upset by criticism

31. Sweet smell (fruity odor) to breath or sweat when ill or stressed

32. Prone to acne, eczema or psoriasis

33. A tendency toward feeling anxious, fearful and carrying lifelong inner tension

34. Difficulty recalling past events or people

35. Bouts of depression or nervous exhaustion

36. Prone to frequent colds or infections

Again, if you have answered yes to 15 or more of these then consider testing further using a urinary screening test for the presence of elevated kryptopyrroles via Bio Center Lab in Wichita, Kansas (Phone: 316-684-7784 or 1-800-494-7785). Here is their web site for more information.

Testing for this condition is simple, relatively inexpensive and readily accessible to anyone without a prescription.

I answered yes to 27 of these 36 questions. In fact, I had 15 of them before I even got to 20! Since supplementing (as well as treating my thyroid with the iodine protocol), I have had energy, I wake ready to go, I feel good most days and oddly enough, I have my dream recall back almost nightly now! We've taken a small break from chelation, so I am sure I will return to some dark days before I emerge as the beautiful butterfly, but boy am I learning a lot in the process of healing!!

If you want to learn more about Pyroluria, I highly recommend the following literature:

Journal of OrthomolecularMedicine: The Discovery of Kryptopyrrole and its Importance. Vol. 10,No. 1, 1995

Pyroluria A Blood Disorder Causing Hard-to-Treat Depression and other Mental Health Conditions

Pyroluria: Overview

Pyroluria

Lemon dressing and more...

2011-09-20T14:19:00.002-04:00

Finding a healthy dressing is all but impossible, with ingredients like sugar, high fructose corn syrup and oils high in saturated fats, or even worse, soy in EVERYTHING, dressings top the list for unhealthy "health" foods. You make yourself a great healthy salad full of fantastic vegetables and then top it off with that nasty stuff from the grocery store....why? Because it's easy. Well, I will give you easy AND healthy. Make your own, it's easier than setting the table, and just as quick. Before long you won't even think about it, you will just pour a few ingredients into a blender without measuring or worrying about what ingredients to use. Even my 6 year old knows what goes into an easy dressing and has been creating new concoctions since he could decide what ingredients he likes and doesn't like. His newest idea is to make a sunbutter dressing, and why not? There are coconut peanut dressings, so our next creation will be just that, sunbutter coconut dressing! Stay tuned (wink).

But for now, let's talk about lemons. Lemon is probably one of my all-time favorite flavors...lemonade, lemon cookies, lemon bars, I add lemon to my kefir and to my chicken....and even better, they are AWESOME for you in so many ways. Lemon is a liver detox, it will alkalize your PH, it is a blood purifier, a diuretic, relieves gallstones, reduces mucus, is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial, and because of it's high potassium levels, it can help control high blood pressure. So needless to day, a little lemon in your diet goes a long way and I am about to share the easiest, tastiest lemon dressing with you right now.

You can pour this over salads, chicken, fish, all kinds of veggies, and you might catch me licking it off the spoon...over and over and over again. In fact, I just had a salad with it and can't seem to get enough of the remains off the plate, right now!

Since I tend to just eye-ball my dressings, these measurements are not exact. Play around with what your taste buds prefer and write it down!

I use the Magic Bullet for my dressings, but any blender will work. Add all ingredients below to your blender and blend:

-lemon juice and avocado oil (about 50/50, just a tad more oil than lemon)
-1 large clove of garlic to about 1/2 cup of the above ingredients
-1 Tbsp xylitol (or sweetener of choice, I like this because it's light)
-1-2 tsp dill
-a few twists of some fresh ground pepper

If you like it sweeter, add more xylitol to suit your taste.

You could make this recipe with any citrus: lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit or any combination, especially, if you juice your own!

GFCFSFEF and low oxalate pancakes!!

2011-09-20T09:18:00.005-04:00

These rock! Going on the LOD and being free of every baking ingredient known to man-kind makes it a challenge to find a good pancake recipe. I am big on avoiding rice whenever possible too, so these are actually rice-free too!! I have been tweaking this recipe to make it hold up to good old fluffy boxed pancakes. Sorry, these aren't quite as easy to make though.

We like a lot of flavor in our pancakes. These are hearty and flavorful and they fluff right up when cooking even without eggs or gluten! We like the flavor enough to just grab one in our hand and eat it up.

They are nice and fluffy and they even cook just like boxed pancakes, if you leave the batter thicker. No uncooked gluten-free goo here!

When I am batch-cooking pancakes, I like to make my batter a little on the thin side, because I like our pancakes thinner, to stretch further. I usually will triple this recipe and freeze enough for three to four more breakfasts! I just toss them in the toaster and voila, done in seconds.

Wisk the dry ingredients into a medium bowl
-1/2 C. black eyed pea flour (grind dry beans on grain grind setting in blender or food processor)
-1/2 C. pumpkin seed flour (grind in blender or coffee grinder)
-1/4 C. water chestnut flour (you can get this at Asian markets very cheap, it's a must for volume)
-2 Tbs chestnut flour (this gives an awesome hearty flavor to the pancakes)
-2 Tbs coconut sugar (or swap and add coconut nectar into wet ingredients)
-1 Tb garbanzo bean flour
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp cream of tartar (I rotate this out by swapping it with apple cider vinegar occasionally, but I prefer the cream of tartar)
-1/2 tsp salt

In a smaller bowl, wisk the wet ingredients together
-1 C. water (I usually start a little less and add more as I need it so I have a desired consistency)
-1 Tbs vanilla
-2 Tbs oil of choice (we like macadamia nut)
-Add any substitute liquids (ie - coconut nectar or apple cider vinegar)

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and wisk until smooth. Let this sit for a good 15-30 minutes until the consistency thickens up enough, it WILL thicken over time! This is usually when I turn the griddle on and let it slowly heat up to temp so it's good and hot when I start. You will have flat flabby pancakes, if you try to cook them on a less then hot griddle. I should have taken THOSE pictures so you can see how many times I have rushed and ruined the whole first batch, lol.

This is the finished product without doctoring, thick and hearty! They can be used as bread, topped with ghee and/or VCO and fruit or even eaten just like they are. My kids have had them each of those ways and they NEVER get bored of them. With a diet so restricted, that says a lot. We have only three breakfast options that we rotate and they always look forward to their pancake days! They love to make sandwiches out of mango slices and their pancakes.

The big picture

2011-09-15T11:19:00.003-04:00

I have been adding to my "Recommended reading" tab lately, because I think the big picture is more than just that ONE trigger, ONE reason we have sick kids, or are sick ourselves. Just like we've been brainwashed to think one magic pill will cure our illnesses, we also think there must be one reason we have the "illness". The truth is that our environment has become so polluted, we are living such toxic lives, that it's just a matter of time before each of us reaches our tipping point. For our children who are the products of evolution involving over-toxic lifestyles, that is happening sooner and sooner. I know, I have written about this before, but it's a big part of the big picture.

I see many parents who jump to the conclusion that because their child or children regressed after a particular vaccination, that this vaccination was THE cause....no it wasn't. I don't believe that for a minute. Was it the tipping point, it sure was! But that doesn't mean it's the ONLY cause for the regression or downward spiral. And what about the parents who throw their hands up, because their child was "born this way"? We must view each of our lives as having a large bucket to maintain. We are filling it too fast! This bucket is overflowing for those of us with CFS, autoimmune diseases, autism, allergies, Fibromyalgia, frequent infections, hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue....it starts the flow of events that unfold before us every new day, the events we chalk up to "old age". So why are our children being born with them? Our job is to figure out, for each of us, what we need to do to maintain that bucket, BEFORE it tips. Removing toxins, controlling pathogens, eating healthy and organic, avoiding dangerous chemicals and ingredients, knowing what our bodies react to and avoiding those things, identifying and replenishing deficiencies....this is how we remove the sludge that builds up in the bottom of our buckets. If you make this a lifestyle change rather than experimenting with spurts of attempts, you can imagine this bucket is the dehumidifier with a hose permanently attached to your sump pump, lol!! It will drain regularly and maintain your bucket. Once you realize the impact your actions have on the rest of the world and how in return, that effects your health, you will also take more interest in the big picture!

If we don't start maintaining our lifestyle before having children, it is inevitable that they will somehow reap the *rewards* of our choices. And yes, this can and does appear even before birth, in utero. Many things are passed onto our children before they are even born, like heavy metal toxicity which passes on for at least three generations, and pathogenic diseases like Lyme and Syphilis, overgrown microbes like bad bacteria and yeast (candida), nutritional deficiencies that often get worse in pregnant and lactating women, antibodies that we carry (good and bad), and then there is the passing of pathogens and toxins via breast milk and so on.

The problem is that we don't realize this soon enough. We usually figure out that we even have a "bucket", when it's already been tipped over. Why is this? Simply put, because doctors do NOT have this knowledge....not the kind of doctors we are told to see regularly. They push medicine and if you are well, they don't see any need to help you. We are indirectly learning to rely on pharmaceuticals rather than trusting our instincts and using common sense to prevent and treat our ailments. When did we lose touch with prevention? Ask your grandmother about castor oil, fish oil and using salts and natural foods to heal! As soon as big Pharma came into the picture, our priorities did a 360, and we didn't even see it happening! Unfortunately for my family, my children are the reason we have figured this out.

So now my life-long "calling" is to research and find the reasons this is happening to us as a nation, and educate myself and others about how to avoid and change it. Many are willing to listen, in fact they want the information, but there are those who are just stuck, they are so stuck in their over flowing bucket that they are drowning in it, they don't even know which way is up. Some people are beyond recovery emotionally and it's directly related to how far their health has declined that they believe in nothing, they are so wrapped up in their own sadness that they can't even see the hope anymore. I am sad for them, because I would love more than anything to point them in the right direction, but I have to accept the fact that not everyone wants help. I will not stop trying though!

Quick or right?

2011-09-09T14:24:00.001-04:00

The question here is, do you want to heal yourself and/or your children quickly or properly? I see a lot of biomed moms reaching at straws, looking for the magic bullet to heal their kids TODAY. This is some sort of a mesh between biomedicine and our brainwashed alopathic medicine way of thinking, isn't it? We are so trained to think we can pop a pill and cure a disease overnight. The key word there is cure....we aren't curing ANYTHING by popping a pharmaceutical pill. What are you doing? You are suppressing symptoms and making things worse. If you don't get to the root of the reason for the symptom in the first place, you aren't healing or curing anything. But this isn't the purpose of this entry, actually so I will try not to get sidetracked. Darn hot-buttons!!

My point here is that even us biomed moms can get caught up in wanting to try anything that will heal our kids even faster. Well, I have news for you moms, it took years for this sort of genetic mutation and environmental damage to do it's work on you (your mom, your kids) and it's going to take just a teeny weeny bit more time to heal your children from this passed on type of toxicity.

I am certainly not suggesting that anyone stop looking for ways to think outside of the box or to help your child heal faster, BUT with that said, also be prepared to just settle for the tried and true to get you through. I spend just about every day reading, learning and researching, as well as connecting directly with other moms who are going through this very same life. The recurrent theme I see developing is that those who heal most thoroughly follow a very strict diet, they work on nutritional deficiencies and they get the metals out.....for years. When the metals are removed, all the rest will fall into place, it's that simple really, but patience is the key, because it is going to take time.

When we first decided on low frequent dose oral chelation we were convinced that we would be doing this for a year tops and we would have our perfectly recovered healthy child at the end of the tunnel. So.....it's been two years (3 with biomed) and although we have come a LONG way in recovery, we still have such a very long road ahead of us. Our children are virtually indistinguishable from their peers, but this doesn't come easily. They are still on hoards of supplements, require special diets, and will probably require years of slow, safe detoxing. The part to come to grips with is that this is ok. It is going to take a lot of dedication, sacrifices, perseverance and time, but that is ok, isn't it?

A lot of people question who they should trust when it comes to chelation, DAN! doctors or Andy Cutler and here is my take on this....Andy Cutler is a biochemist, meaning he is specifically trained to know what these chemicals do in our bodies. He understands their half-lives and how they work, not to mention the fact that he recovered himself from being horribly ill, using this very same method of chelation. How many doctors out there do you know who are chemists? None.

So next time you get the inkling to try IV chelation, because you think bigger is better or a glutathione push, because well, glutathione is low so that MUST be the problem, right?.....or you hear about some new trendy supplement that claims to cure it all, don't get caught up in the glory, just take a deep breath and remember that recovery is not a sprint, it's a marathon.

"When going through hell, just keep going"

2011-08-31T20:06:00.001-04:00

The words of Winston Churchill. It just about sums up a lot of my life, lol. No, I don't think my life is hell, I feel very blessed, in fact, in a lot of ways. I have a fabulous husband who is extremely supportive, his career allows me to stay home with our two amazing boys, we have family who loves us dearly and we enjoy spending time with and friends that I would call family, we are so close. Sometimes too close...hahahaha!

But that doesn't mean it isn't hard. The path we are on is a chosen path, chosen to help heal ourselves for a better future. There has been a lot of damage done via the environment, it took years to become so unhealthy, it's going to take years to get well again.

A prime example is the status of our immune systems. Lately, it feels as though we catch everything we come into contact with. The kids went from Coxsackie to some nasty stomach bug and I have now joined them in the trenches....visiting the potty and laying around on the couches all day. My house is a mess around me, the kids are fighting, I can't function, but oh well....what can I do? This is just par for the course. Before I can get better, things must get worse as I cleanse my body. I did a number on myself just by replacing my fillings and now chelation is the ultimate fix. It's a necessary evil. Moving metals is going to make things harder initially, it causes random global symptoms, but I have seen the encouraging stories that give me hope: people getting their lives back, feeling like rising in the morning, avoiding sickness when it passes them by, eating whatever they want and not having to take unGodly amounts of pills multiple times a day. My day will come. In the meantime, "When going through hell, just keep going"....

Turning tables and new moons

2011-08-26T14:42:00.004-04:00

As you might have read in my last entry, we've all been doing great on the Alinia (anti-parasitic) for the past two weeks. Well now, the tables are turning and things are changing. The new moon is in three days. Gavin had been reacting to the new moon (always starting the week before the new moon), progressively worse with each passing month. So naturally, I was curious to see what would happen while we were on the Alinia.

Three days from the new moon today
As the new moon approaches, we have sudden changes in Gavin and it looks like I will have to put my foot squarely in my mouth as I tell you that severe the die off has set in! He went from being calm, happy and having fairly decent BMs to being in pain constantly, grabbing his belly and crying that he doesn't feel good and the BMs....wow. A few days ago they began to change, I was noticing they were full of black specs, like pepper, and the consistency was slowly becoming less formed. Black specs are often associated with bad bacteria. This is from the EnzymeStuff website:

"If you start any supplement that might create looser stools, temporary diarrhea, or die-off of yeast or bacteria (like an antibiotic, probiotic, digestive enzymes, antifungal, laxative, etc), you might see dark or black flecks in stool during this 'cleaning out' period. Certain types of adverse bacteria in the colon can produce dark residues and this is getting cleaned out."

I have also read about people who have seen this while doing colon and parasite cleanses. Then two days ago, he began to have explosive diarrhea which has progressed to water and now today, they are burning his skin pretty significantly. The colors have even been changing, progressively getting lighter so I am increasing his liver support. The first couple of days with the watery BMs, his mood was horrendous, today his mood is better, but the stool is still awful and his belly hurts. I was helping him eat a small lunch today and he had just barely finished swallowing his first bite when I distinctly heard his tummy grumble in distress, out loud. Needless to say, his little meal was briskly followed by a visit to the potty. This description of his parasite, from Humaworm, just about sums up his die-off symptoms right now:

"DIENTAMOEBA FRAGILIS - this parasite lives in the large intestines - it is found worldwide. Symptoms include diarrhea, stomach pain and cramping, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea and fatigue. This parasite infection stays in the large intestine - it does not spread to other parts of the body."

Fluids, fluids and more fluids
On a good note, he's drinking well, and a lot. I've made him an electrolyte drink with coconut water, filtered water, salt and baking soda which he guzzles no problem. I think he has single-handedly downed 32 ounces already just today! He is also still drinking his camel milk and kefir. The milk will offer him the nutrition he's lacking from not eating very much. As long as he keeps the fluids going through him, I feel ok with his condition. His skin is slightly pale, but looks good and supple, cheeks still holding some color, and even though he obviously feels yucky, he is still responding with humor when we interact and play. It seems that the effects today are purely gastrointestinal and that would make sense with parasite die-off.

And what about mommy?
As we ended our last round of chelation, I began to feel nausea that I initially chalked up to the round, but it lasted days and was neck and neck with exhaustion that just won't go away. I've also had much more severe and painful acne and the bulk of it is around my hairline, which I have read can be a symptom of parasites. Today I woke with very achy, painful upper thigh and shoulder muscles and I did not do any manual labor in the past day or two. So it appears that even I am slightly reacting to this phase on the Alinia which would suggest that it's probable that I have the same parasite. This could mean that my assessment of where Gavin contracted it is correct.....in utero? How very disturbing! If only I knew then, what I know now.

This is from the Humaworm site, interesting how the sore muscles are the exact muscles I am feeling pain in!

Parasites can travel to almost all soft tissue including in the joints and muscles where they cause cysts and inflammation that is commonly mistaken as arthritis and muscle pain. The toxins from parasites can also pool in the joints and in muscle tissue causing:

Muscle Pain
Joint Pain
Muscle Cramping
Numbness of the Hands and/or Feet
Heart Pain
Pain in The Navel
Pain in the Back, Thighs or Shoulders
Arthritic Pains
Fast Heartbeat

Uh oh duty calls, quite literally, I think he might have had a blow out during his nap, in his sleep, he's crying now, I better go.

Round 60 landmark

2011-08-21T16:39:00.002-04:00

There is something about reaching round 60 with A/C chelation that is supposed to mark an accomplishment. Many people report a reduction in the need for anti-fungal support, making this a much anticipated round to reach! So, when we were rounding the corner to round 60, we were expecting more improvement. Much to our dismay, the past handful of rounds have been incredibly difficult. We had a period of calm for a while, then we got hit by these rough rounds full of anger, negative and argumentative attitude. He's been bossy, self-centered, loud, mouthy, saying "what" a lot, but there are no tics, no sensory symptoms, nothing that reminds me of pathogenic overgrowth. He's on the Alinia which kills anaerobic bacteria like Clostridia and e.coli, plus it addresses parasites, we have quite a few natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial herbs on board in high doses to keep things under control. It feels more like it could be symptoms associated with whatever metals we are pulling at this time. We know that heavy metals pull in particular orders, so could it be the heavy metal in line for excretion at this time?

This brings me to our updated hair tests. They frightened me to say the least. Certainly not what I was expecting. In one sense, it appears that the way they have met the counting rules is mild, which is an improvement for Grayson and a confirmation for Gavin, but their arsenic is OFF THE CHARTS high! It has us wracking our brains to find the source, why would they BOTH have it the same otherwise? They are a year apart in their chelation rounds, so it wouldn't make sense that they just happen to be excreting it at this level, at the same time.

Scary stuff, I can't stand knowing that there is possibly a source of arsenic around us and I can't find it! OR, ironically, BOTH boys are excreting it at the same time for some reason, in unGodly amounts, OR their shampoo with sea kelp is an external culprit. A lot of my research of kelp brought me to the conclusion that many kelp sources are contaminated with arsenic. If supplements intended to be ingested are tainted with arsenic, I would imagine a shampoo is even more likely to be effected.

We are going to retest as soon as they need another hair cut. I need to see, if things are different now that the shampoo is out of the picture. We also changed our epsom salts to a pharmaceutical grade brand, just in case....and no more walking on the deck barefoot....and NO non-organic rice ingredients whatsoever...goodness, our limited lifestyle just got a heck of lot more limited. I will post these updated hair tests, along with my own from pre-chelation, in the tab (above) with our hair tests. This will be the third hair test for Grayson and second for Gavin. It was only my first.....it was a lot of hair to remove from my scalp!! lol It wasn't noticeable or anything and it's growing back undetected since it's taken from so low on the scalp, but if I did multiple tests, I might start resembling one of those highlighting caps!!

Alinia

2011-08-19T22:24:00.001-04:00

We've all been on Alinia, an anti-parasitic prescription medicine, for a little over a week and a half. I'm honestly surprised that more DAN! doctors aren't using this in place of meds like Flagyl, which wreak havoc on the body. They could kill two birds with one stone, because in addition to fighting parasites, it also kills anaerobic bacteria like e.coli and clostridia!

The pros we have seen, by comparison to using Flagyl:

no crazy die-off symptoms
minimal bowel changes (although they do exist, they are not nearly as bad or as frequent as with the Flagyl, but Gavin is having a lot of black specs in his stool)
only positive changes like more calmness, focused play, cooperative play with both boys, patience, increased compliance, happiness, no screaming for communication, better communication in general, bellies are lower, I could go on, but I think you get the point.
and the best news, it doesn't kill off good bacteria (only anaerobic bacteria), so it can be dosed with probiotics and won't compromise the already damaged intestinal landscape!

The only con is that this product cannot be compounded, which means you are either stuck with a suspension that has red dye and sorbitol or large tablets with a yellow dye coating, sorbitol and need to be split. We chose the tablets, because both boys can swallow pills and red dye is the absolute worst. We peel the yellow coating off, split the tablets into quarters and put the pieces in some pear sauce since they no longer have their easy-to-swallow coating. Oh, there is one other con, they need to be dosed every 12 hours which means we are waking them up at about 8:45pm (they go to bed pretty early) every night for 32 days. Then combine this with round the clock dosing on weekends for chelation and boy it gets fun around here!

We are really hoping this takes care of the parasite for Gavin, he's a different child right now, we feel like we've finally seen the real Gavin come out of his shell. Even Grayson has been effected by it quite a bit, so we are wondering, if he had the parasite undetected or if it was still clostridia at play in low levels. He had started to get a bit grumpy, argumentative and negative for a little bit, now we are seeing our happy-go-lucky boy again. We thought it was age-related stuff, now I am convinced more than ever that the difficult behaviors we see in kids is more than age-related. Every time I've ever thought we could be over-analyzing age-related behaviors, I am proven yet again, that the condition of the gut is in fact related.

Life as you know it

2011-08-19T16:21:00.000-04:00

When my sister told me about meeting a 7 year old little girl who "used to be" autistic before biomed, dietary changes and chelation, it got me thinking about how long this will go on for us. She was in managed recovery, the parents still doing everything we do now. So is there ever an end in sight or is this how it always will be, detoxing, preventing and removing since our kid's bodies can't do it themselves?

The truth is, when you first learn that your child is on the spectrum, life as you know it, changes....forever. So this change, it can either be discouraging and fearful, it can be riddled with wild tantrums, lack of affection, weird behaviors, repeated stims, tics, lack of sleep, etc. OR, you can take control of life as you know it and yes, it may change forever, but with your new lifestyle comes a healthy calm child who makes eye contact, tells you they love you and loves hugs, a child who makes friends at school and has the desire for extra curricular activities, a child who doesn't need to be held down or treated differently everywhere they go. THAT is worth every single lifestyle change involved in biomedicine.

So, if you are battling the decision of whether to do biomedidicne or not. Doesn't your child deserve a normal life? Life as you know it is different regardless, and it always will be, wouldn't you prefer a happy healthy child? Life as you know it, HAS changed. It can be for the better.

Oh the joys. Parasites and viruses.

2011-08-11T11:50:00.005-04:00

I can't remember a time when we haven't had multiple experiences overlapping each other, graying the fine line that once existed between symptoms and results, cause and effect. I hear myself relentlessly repeating, "it could have been, or it might be..., but I just don't know".

As you may know from reading my blog, Gavin has a parasite called Dientamoeba Fragilis, once labeled as a protozoa/amoeba, but more recently relabeled as a flagellate. Lyme Disease is also a flagellate and as I am reading about the D. Fragilis, I am learning about the similarities they share, such as the many changing forms this parasite has....making it hard for any conclusive fact to be established about it's life cycle and stages. One thing that has been determined is that it doesn't respond the same in a body as it does in a test tube or slide. It isn't even known, if this parasite goes through a cyst change during it's unknown life cycle. We don't know, if it hatches or reproduces with the full moon or new moon, or BOTH. There is overwhelming evidence that these creatures cannot survive outside of the body, suggesting fluid transmittance or the use of another "host" to transmit them successfully from person to person. It is most likely that they are hitching a ride on other parasites like B. Hominis or pinworm, etc.

I have a theory about how Gavin could have gotten infected with this one-celled parasite and perhaps has had it since birth (since all of his symptoms have been there since then). When I was about 19 years old, I experienced a case of pinworm infestation which was ironically short-lived and didn't require treatment. If D. Fragilis hitched a ride way back then, perhaps the pinworm situation resolved itself, but I could have been carrying around the D. Fragilis, asymptotically, which is not very uncommon. Along comes this helpless baby boy who contracted my parasite in utero and never had a chance against infection from the very first breath he took. He was immediately sensitive to foods like dairy and soy, he bloated early on, had torticolis (not sure if it's even related, but part of the big picture of his health), bowel movements varied from constipated to loose from the very first bite of "solid" foods, he had a seizure by the time he was a year old, and mood swings and control freak are understatements! So here we are three years later, with possibly three years of damage from this GI-disturbing parasite.

What does all of this mean for families like ours who are trying tirelessly to rid themselves and/or their children of this monster? It means experimenting with many treatment protocols. We did multiple natural parasite cleanses from Humaworm and Artemesia to W-W from Pure Herbs and even higher doses of black walnut hull. Although he always experienced some level of die-off, the symptoms never seemed to subside fully, he continued to have behaviors that waxed and waned with the moon cycles, very typical of parasite infestation.

Alinia was recommended by our DAN! doctor. He gave us a script for just Gavin, 5 days worth. So I did more research before even considering giving this RX to him. I wanted to know more and had quite a bit of information already under my belt confirming that Alinia should only be used, if the doses are going to be high enough and used for long enough to rid him of this pesky intruder for good. Just giving 5 days of meds could create a super-bug rather than killing it off, especially considering it travels with the ever-resistant B. Hominis which has a very long cyst cycle. When a parasite is in it's cyst form, it is impossible to kill, so that means either knowing it's life cycle (which we don't) or treating for an entire month, plus a few days, to ensure hitting the exposed, non-cyst phase.

So as a last resort, we decided to attempt the Alinia, BUT only if we could have the longer dosing schedule and for the entire family since it is highly probable that this originated with one of us, and even if it didn't, we could pass it between us again post-treatment, all dependent on it's method of transition, but I don't like to take chances with our children and their health. Our doctor was open to the treatment protocol I had found to be successful with multiple other families and ironically, our insurance actually covered it!! Over $1000 per person worth of prescriptions, yippeeee!!

So here we are, on our third day of taking the Alinia (two days before the full moon), all of us. I expected to be in a world of hurt, but surprisingly, it's been pleasant....well, hahahahaha, except for those around me, since I am very clearly effected by some form of die off, if you know what I mean (blushing). Not very ladylike to say the least, teehehehe. Gavin has had some gas as well, bowel movements were perfect for the first two days, but today we had what we have come to call Flagyl-poop. Grayson was put on Flagyl years ago, for high levels of Clostridia (bad bacteria) and his BMs were hideous, they floated like chunks of cotton candy, attempting to stick together in what looks like it might have resembled a BM before exiting the body. It is undeniably a die-off symptom. Another interesting fact is that the Alinia also kills anaerobic bacteria like e.coli and clostridia, both of which we know Grayson has had, via stool samples. This prescription has many modes of attacking our boy's ailments. Lets just pray the results are permanent!

To add insult toinjury, two days into taking Alinia, poor Grayson contracted Coxsackie (Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease). He developed a sudden high fever, lethargy, not hungry, sores in the back of his throat and he slept much of yesterday after I loaded him up with 40,000IU of vit D3, OLE (which I confirmed wouldn't interact with the Alinia), Virastop and Lauracidin. He woke without the fever, but was still very lethargic until bedtime, which he did not fight one bit. He was ready. Today, his mood is great, his eyes look bright, he is energetically playing with Gavin and he wants to eat, but his throat hurts too much to swallow anything solid.

Amazingling (knock on wood), Gavin hasn't shown ANY signs of this illness....yet. The contageous period can last weeks as the virus sheds, so I am praying Gavin's immune system is fighting it off successfully. We are helping him with the natural anti-virals too. In fact, Gavin is like a new child yesterday and today! His mood swings are GONE, he is cooperative, compliant, happy and bouncy, his speech and ideas are more complex, he is playing nicely with Grayson (who is playing nicely back, HEAVEN for me), his belly was even flat for the first two days on the Alinia. Today he has a little pouch after the strange BM, but still not as protruded as usual. He's amazing, and I am relieved. There is a glimmer of hope that perhaps this is Gavin's main health issue, and that perhaps we will have it resolved with treatment.

We just ordered follow-up hair tests with Doctor's Data, Inc. to see the progress we have made after a year of chelation with Gavin and two with Grayson. The results should be in between tomorrow and Tuesday...I am so anxious!! Maybe, just maybe, Gavin will still not meet Andy Cutler's counting rules and maybe, just maybe, this parasite will resolve the issues we were tying to mercury toxicity, and maybe, just maybe not having him vaccinated was the smartest thing we ever did!! We'll see, one can hope, right? Without hope, our days look dark. I prefer to see the light at the end of the tunnel, even if my perception may be slightly off occasionally. It can make the days in between seem less stressful.

Another camel milk story to share

2011-08-03T20:39:00.000-04:00

The author of this blog, Harshita, is a member of our camel milk facebook group. She has gone to great lengths to attain camel milk for her son and reading her story, you will see why.

Post 5 days of Camel Milk; Degeneration…Quest and…Discovery…

The good, bad and the ugly....really ugly

2011-07-28T19:07:00.002-04:00

People think they are eating healthy when they cut out fats and/or calories, but do you REALLY read the labels? Knowing what is in your food is KEY to eating right, healthy. Many harmful ingredients are hidden by fancy names that give us the warm fuzzies, but if you knew what was really lurking in your food, you wouldn't eat it. Some cause seizures, neurological disorders and even cancers. Educate yourself and know what is in your food, because you ARE what you eat, afterall. ; )

I am often perplexed by the question, "What foods do you avoid with your kids' diet?". It would be easy to just say that they are GFCFSFEF (gluten/cow's milk casein/soy/egg-free) and low oxalate, but that wouldn't be true entirely. We also avoid artificial sweeteners, food coloring, and well, the list below!

Thanks to Natural News, the dirty secret of each of these ingredients is spelled out for you, so look no further, if you want to start somewhere helathy, avoid these nasties and you will be on the right road.

(NaturalNews) Ever wonder what's really in the food sold at grocery stores around the world? People keep asking me, "What ingredients should I avoid?" So I put together a short list that covers all the most toxic and disease-promoting ingredients in the food supply. These are the substances causing cancer, diabetes, heart disease and leading to tens of billions of dollars in unnecessary health care costs across America (and around the world).

If you want to stay healthy and out of the hospital, read ingredients labels and make sure you avoid all these ingredients:

Acrylamides - Toxic, cancer-causing chemicals formed in foods when carbohydrates are exposed to high heat (baking, frying, grilling). They're present in everything from bread crusts to snack chips, and because they aren't intentional ingredients, acrylamides do NOT have to be listed on labels.

Aspartame - Chemical sweetener that causes neurological disorders, seizures, blurred vision and migraine headaches. (http://www.naturalnews.com/030918_a...)

Autolyzed Proteins - Highly processed form of protein containing free glutamate and used to mimic the taste-enhancer chemical MSG.

BPA (Bisphenol-A) - A hormone mimicking chemical found in nearly all food packaging plastics. Active in just parts per billion, BPA promotes cancer, infertility and hormone disorders. It also "feminizes" males, promoting male breast growth and hormone disruption (http://www.naturalnews.com/032860_B...).

Casein - Milk proteins. Hilariously, this is widely used in "soy cheese" products that claim to be alternatives to cow's milk. Nearly all of them are made with cow's milk proteins.

Corn Syrup - Just another name for High Fructose Corn Syrup (see below). Frequently used in infant formula products (http://www.naturalnews.com/029863_S...).

Food Colors - FD&C Red #40, for example, is linked to behavioral disorders in children. Nearly all artificial food colors are derived from petroleum, and many are contaminated with aluminum.

Genetically Modified Ingredients - Not currently listed on the label because the GMO industry (Monsanto and DuPont) absolutely does not want people to know which foods contain GMOs. Nearly all conventionally grown corn, soy and cotton are GMOs. They're linked to severe infertility problems and may even cause the bacteria in your body to produce and release a pesticide in your own gut. If you're not eating organic corn, you're definitely eating GMO corn. (http://www.naturalnews.com/026426_G...) Learn more at www.ResponsibleTechnology.org or watch my GMO music video (hilarious) at www.NaturalNews.com/NoGMO

High Fructose Corn Syrup - A highly processed liquid sugar extracted with the chemical solvent glutaraldehyde and frequently contaminated with mercury (http://www.naturalnews.com/032948_h...). It's also linked to diabetes, obesity and mood disorders. Used in thousands of grocery items, including things you wouldn't suspect like pizza sauce and salad dressings.

Homogenized Milk - The fats in the milk are artificially modified to change them into smaller molecules that stay in suspension in the milk liquid (so the milk fat doesn't separate) (http://www.naturalnews.com/022967_m...). While it makes milk look better on the shelf, it's also blamed for promoting heart disease and may contribute to milk allergies. Raw milk is healthier, which is why the government had outlawed it (http://www.naturalnews.com/029322_r...).

Hydrochloride - When you see anything hydrochloride, such as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride or Thiamin Hydrochloride, those are chemical forms of B vitamins that companies add to their products to be able to claim higher RDA values of vitamins. But these are synthetic, chemical forms of vitamins, not real vitamins from foods or plants. Nutritionally, they are near-useless and may actually be bad for you. Also watch out for niacinamide and cyanocobalamin (synthetic vitamin B-12). (http://www.naturalnews.com/032766_c...)

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein - A highly processed form of (usually) soy protein that's processed to bring out the free glutamate (MSG). Use as a taste enhancer.

Partially Hydrogenated Oils - Oils that are modified using a chemical catalyst to make them stable at room temperature. This creates trans fatty acids and greatly increases the risk of blocked arteries (http://www.naturalnews.com/027445_f...). It also promotes what I call "sludge blood," which is thick, viscous blood that's hard to pump. This is usually diagnosed by doctors as "high blood pressure" and (stupidly) treated with blood-thinning medications that are technically the same chemicals as rat poison (warfarin) (http://www.naturalnews.com/023149_d...).

Phosphoric Acid - The acid used in sodas to dissolve the carbon dioxide and add to the overall fizzy-ness of the soda. Phosphoric acid will eat steel nails. It's also used by stone masons to etch rocks. The military uses it to clean the rust off battleships. In absolutely destroys tooth enamel (http://www.naturalnews.com/021774.html). Search Google Images for "Mountain Dew Mouth" to see photos of teeth rotted out by phosphoric acid: http://www.google.com/search?q=moun...

Propylene Glycol - A liquid used in the automotive industry to winterize RVs. It's also used to make the fake blueberries you see in blueberry muffins, bagels and breads. (Combined with artificial colors and corn syrup.) See shocking "Fake Blueberries" video at: http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=7...

Sodium (Salt) - The processed white salt lacking in trace minerals. In the holistic nutrition industry, we call it "death salt" because it promotes disease and death. Real salt, on the other hand, such as "dirty" sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, is loaded with the trace minerals that prevent disease, such as selenium (cancer), chromium (diabetes) and zinc (infectious disease). Much like with bread and sugar, white salt is terrible for your health. And don't be fooled by claims of "sea salt" in grocery stores. All salt came from the sea if you go far back enough in geologic time, so they can slap the "sea salt" claim on ANY salt!

Sodium Nitrite - A cancer-causing red coloring chemical added to bacon, hot dogs, sausage, beef jerky, ham, lunch meats, pepperoni and nearly all processed meats. Strongly linked to brain tumors, pancreatic cancers and colon cancers (http://www.naturalnews.com/007024.html). The USDA once tried to ban it from the food supply but was out-maneuvered by the meat industry, which now dominates USDA regulations. Sodium nitrite is a complete poison used to make meats look fresh. Countless children die of cancer each year from sodium nitrite-induced cancers.

Soy Protein - The No. 1 protein source used in "protein bars," including many bars widely consumed by bodybuilders. Soy protein is the "junk protein" of the food industry. It's made from genetically modified soybeans (often grown in China) and then subjected to hexane, a chemical solvent (http://www.naturalnews.com/026303_s...) that can literally explode.

Sucralose - An artificial chemical sweetener sold as Splenda. The sucralose molecule contains a chlorine atom (http://www.naturalnews.com/027491_a...). Researchers have repeatedly found that artificial sweeteners make people fat by actually promoting weight gain (http://www.naturalnews.com/024543_h...).

Sugar - The bleached, nutritionally-deficient byproduct of cane processing. During sugar cane processing, nearly all the minerals and vitamins end up in the blackstrap molasses that's usually fed to farm animals. (Blackstrap molasses is actually the "good" part of sugar cane juice.) Molasses is often fed to farm animals because every rancher knows that farm animals need good nutrition to stay alive. Amazingly, conventional doctors don't yet realize this about humans, and they continue to claim that eating sugar is perfectly fine for you. Sugar promotes diabetes, obesity, mood disorders and nutritional deficiencies.

Textured Vegetable Protein - Usually made of soy protein which is extracted from genetically modified soybeans and then processed using hexane, an explosive chemical solvent (see Soy Protein, above). Widely used in vegetarian foods such as "veggie burgers" (most of which also contain MSG or Yeast Extract, by the way).

Yeast Extract - Hidden form of MSG that contains free glutamate and is used in many "natural" food products to claim "No MSG!" Yeast extract contains up to 14% free glutamate. You'll find it in thousands of grocery store products, from soups to snack chips. I even once spotted it used on fresh meat!

Food label tricks

Here's a trick food companies frequently used to pack more sugar into their products without making sugar look like the first ingredient:

Ingredient labels, you see, must list the most prominent ingredients first, and some consumers might freak out of they saw a box of cereal that said, "Sugar, whole grain wheat, corn" and so on. Instead, the company uses 3 or 4 different forms of sugar to distribute them farther down the label, like this:

"Whole grain wheat, sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids..."

This way, the first ingredients looks like "whole grain wheat" when, in reality, the cereal might be over fifty percent sugars!

How to buy honest food

• Shop are your local farmer's market, food co-op or CSA.

• In the USA, look for the USDA Organic label on foods. This is a legitimate claim to being certified organic. It's one of the few programs run by the USDA that actually has integrity.

• Read the ingredients labels! If you see names of chemicals you can't pronounce, don't buy it.

• Buy more unprocessed food ingredients and make your own meals rather than buying ready-to-eat, processed foods, which are almost universally formulated with disease-promoting ingredients.

• GROW some of your own food! The best food you can ever eat is food from your own garden.

How to learn more about what's really in your food

Read NaturalNews. I'm the editor of NaturalNews, and I cured my own borderline diabetes, high cholesterol and near-obesity using nothing but healing foods.

The more you read NaturalNews, the more you'll learn about what to avoid in your foods and what to BUY that's loaded with nutrition! We cover natural cures, superfoods nutrition, juicing, raw foods, nutritional supplements, healing herbs and much more. You can subscribe to our free email newsletter using the form below.

We teach you what the mainstream food industry doesn't want you to know (and what the mainstream media won't dare report).

If you want to learn the truth about food, read NaturalNews. Lots more to come...

Some of my favorite nutrient-rich superfoods include...

(No, these are not sponsored links. Just stuff I personally enjoy and purchase on a regular basis to blend into superfood smoothies!)

• Boku Superfood (www.BokuSuperfood.com)
• LivingFuel (www.LivingFuel.com)
• Enerfood (www.EnerHealthBotanicals.com)
• Pure Synergy (www.TheSynergyCompany.com)
• Rejuvenate! (www.IntegratedHealth.com)
• Healthforce Nutritionals (www.HealthForce.com)
• X-Balance (www.SGNNutrition.com)

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033162_food_ingredients_chemicals.html#ixzz1TRaqkQrT

A review of camel milk chocolate!

2011-07-25T20:52:00.002-04:00

What is it about knowing that you can't have something, that makes us want it more? I never liked chocolate, that is until my nursing baby couldn't tolerate dairy and I had to completely avoid milk chocolate. Then even after he was done nursing and I tried to reintroduce dairy back into my diet....there was no way my body was having it. Yup, it was then the chocolate cravings began. I began searching for the perfect chocolate, my husband even spent big bucks buying specialty chocolates online to appease my new desire. To my dismay, all of these chocolates contained unhealthy ingredients like soy and hydrogenated oils. Then when I learned that I had hypothyroidism, gluten and soy were also out the window, along with any last shred of hope that I would ever enjoy a tasty chocolate again.

In my quest for information about camel milk, I learned about camel milk chocolate. Cool, but I didn't really think I could get it here in the States, because the company that makes it is in Dubai, UAE. Then I met Nancy and Gil Reigler of Oasis Camel Dairy through our Facebook page on Healing with Camel Milk. They actually sell this very chocolate in the United States!! Mr. Gil Reigler generously sent me a bar to try!!

The package arrived this afternoon, but I knew that if I wanted to sit and thoroughly enjoy this luxurious candy bar, I would need to wait until the kids were in bed. Patience.....

Now, here I sit with my candy bar. The dishes are washed, kids in bed and it's just me, the candy bar and the silence. It smells like milk chocolate, mmmmmm. Wow, it's smooth and creamy, very rich tasting!! YUM!! Uh oh, I like it a bit too much. I might eat this whole bar, no wait....I need to save some for my dairy-free sweets-loving husband to try and he's not here, darn! I would be evil not to. All joking aside, this chocolate bar conjures up memories of rich, velvety Swiss chocolate, good quality chocolate and not a hint of cow's milk to speak of, totally and completely cow-casein-free!! The ingredients are very simple: sugar, cocoa butter, whole camel milk powder, cocoa mass, honey, and bourbon vanilla. That's it! No soy, no gluten, no cow's milk!

So I've eaten three of the five strips already and am contemplating one more, is that greedy? I haven't had chocolate like this in YEARS, heck, I am going for it, one more strip....

Tick testing update

2011-07-12T18:45:00.002-04:00

I completely forgot to provide an update on the tick testing for Lyme, Ehrlichia and Babesia. We chose to use Quest because it is covered by insurance, but we did confirm that they use DNA PCR testing, which is preferred.

I kept checking the mailbox with excitement to know, but anxiety to know....fearing the worst and hoping for the best. The day it came, I couldn't wait to tear that envelope open, it was like I just had a feeling. On all accounts, "not detected" was the result!! Happy dance!! It doesn't mean we are in the clear, testing can be wrong, so I will keep that in the back of my mind and will always consider this an open door to Lyme disease.

This whole experience did get me thinking more though. When he was 12 months old, we went to visit my mother in Connecticut, it was right after having him vaccinated with 4 live viruses. When he began having odd symptoms for a month afterwards, we thought it could be the vaccinations, especially considering all the other things we have been dealing with. But now that I think back to the details, Lyme is still a possibility! The week before things started, I recall seeing a large red spot, not quite like a "rash" per say, but a red circle, pretty large, on his head. It resembled the very same rash as discussed in Lyme called erythema migrans. I wish I thought back then to take a picture of it. It was because of this rash and all the following symptoms that we saw for an entire month that a Western Blot was ordered as part of all of his testing, which came back negative. Now, I am learning why this isn't necessarily true. Timing of testing after the bite is specfic and the Western Blot has high false negatives. The symptoms that phased in and out over a month were: swollen glands (one remains swollen still to this day, on the side of his neck), various full body rashes throughout the month, fever, he wouldn't bend one knee for a day, swelling around one eye, hives and an ear infection. These symptoms literally either overlapped or were one after the other and doctors kept telling me that they were coincidental circumstances. I think not....and now, it's probably very possible he was bit by a tick. We never saw one, but that doesn't mean anything and there are too many symptoms that fall into place for Lyme...and then after this was when things really started to fall apart for him. The Lyme Induced Autism Foundation has been established for very good reason. I even learned that over 90% of autistic patients that were tested properly, have Lyme Disease. I would love to test him properly too, but we just can't afford it right now. It's close to $1000 for proper testing with Igenex, one of the most reputable labs who specializes in Lyme testing with the most cutting-edge technology. It is definitely something we will be doing in the future.

In the meantime, we will be using Stephen Harrod Buhner's protocol (from the book Healing Lyme) for treatment/prevention. I also bought a homeopathic Lyme/co-infection nosode which I can't wait to get and use on everyone! It has also been known to help treat those with the infection already. We will be going to the Poconos and Maine this summer, both are filled with woodsy escapades. I also researched the many essential oils that ward off specific buggers and made my own natural bug repellant in a natural base of aloe vera and witch hazel. We are READY!!

GREAT video from Dr. Klinghardt on autism which he attributes to Lyme and mold.

More camel milk GAINS

2011-07-09T17:20:00.001-04:00

Normally when you see the word "gain" in my blog, it refers to progress being made with skills or behaviors. Not this time. This time, the gaining I am referring to is quite literal!

Just a few months ago, both boys were severely underweight and extremely low on the growth chart. Gavin had been labeled "failure to thrive" on a few occasions and Grayson was even more recently given this same title, because he crossed over two percentage thresholds on the growth chart, in the wrong direction. And these boys could EAT.

I started noticing that Grayson, who was always ahead by a few clothing sizes as an infant, was suddenly falling behind in his clothing sizes. He wasn't growing and as he aged, the gap increased. He was still able to wear 4T pants up until he was 5 1/2 years old! Gavin on the other hand was born small and grew slow, right from the beginning. When we took him to an allergist regarding his sensitivities to dairy and soy, the paperwork I was handed clearly spelled it out in black and white, he was failure to thrive, not even 3% on the growth chart! So when I share the changes we have seen, keep these little details in mind.

If you have been reading my blog, you know that we started the camel milk at the beginning of May, the 2nd to be exact (gotta love my journal!). Unfortunately, the last time I personally documented Gavin's growth chart was in March, but I can tell you that his growth was at a standstill for close to a year, and I had been weighing him just about daily right up until we started the camel milk and he was STILL the same weight, at minimum. On March 25th, he was just under 34 inches tall and 27 pounds, a number that is etched into my mind, because of how long he remained there, with no fluctuation whatsoever. And if I could tell you how much this child would eat, he was NEVER satisfied. It was disturbing really. He would get down from having two full bowls (adult sized) of oatmeal and blueberries with coconut oil and nectar on top just to run around the table and tell me he was still hungry. Before we stopped giving him eggs, he could eat 4 eggs, numerous pieces of bacon and still ask for more, at TWO years old. He had numerous snacks between meals and I was even adding oils to just about every meal to increase his calories by 300 per meal. I couldn't understand how a child could eat SO much and gain nothing. When we learned of his parasitic infection, that had us believing it could be related, and perhaps it was, we haven't retested recently.

So here is what we saw when we added the camel milk.

Gavin at a standstill of 27 lbs for ages, almost 34 inches tall last documented in March. He was actually finally up at a whole 10% for weight and 2.2% for height. Still failure to thrive in terms of height. The doctor even talked to us a bit about short stature at his last appointment.

Grayson's growth had noticeably slowed, he was floating around 39-40 lbs for a while and his height didn't seem to change for over a year, just based on his clothing. He didn't need anything new for SO long, and we actually found ourselves reusing clothes from the previous year in the last few seasons, that was the ultimate shocker!

On May 2nd, Gavin was still 27 lbs, I know, because I was weighing him nightly as part of our bedtime routine. On May 4th, he felt incredibly heavy to me suddenly so I plopped him on the scale out of curiosity and the number glaring back at me was 30 lbs! THIRTY POUNDS! He gained 3 pounds in just days! I was sure he would lose it, that it was temporary and would retreat. It never did!

Grayson didn't grow in the first weeks of the milk, at least in weight, we never thought to check his height, but I started noticing that both boys were growing out of their pants suddenly, and I mean like highwaters. And their shoes were suddenly too tight to wear.

On May 23rd Gavin weighed in at 31 lbs and 34.5 inches tall!

On May 29th he was still 31 pounds, but was now measuring at 35 inches! His percentages on the growth chart went from, are you ready for this....10% for weight to 46%!!! His height went from 2.2% to 7%!! He quadrupled his weight percentage and tripled his height percentage!! That is all in less than a month.

On May 29th I also measured Grayson since I was noticing his clothing shrinking on him by the day and he was 43 inches tall and 41.5 lbs, which means he had started also gaining weight. We were so shocked by Gavin's gains we were all focused on him, meanwhile, Grayson was growing in the shadows now too! It was more steadily, but it was definitely happening! He was now 10% for height and 23% for weight. Still on the lower side of the scale, but obviously better than he had to have been before his gains.

Today I measured them both again and in about a week, Grayson has jumped from 10% for height to 13% (43.5 inches) and from 23% in weight to 33% (43.5 lbs)! Oh and I should clarify that I always use the same website for these calculations so I am comparing apples to apples.

Gavin has slowed down in his growth, but is still growing steadily. Today he was 31.5 lbs and 35.5 inches! The new percentages are 47% for weight and 8% for height! His eating has significantly slowed since starting the camel milk and this is what I am in awe of....he went from eating like a man and still not growing, to barely finishing any of his meals or snacks, skipping snacks and GROWING rapidly!!

So to recap, in just over two months, two boys who were at a complete standstill in growth, jumped significant growth chart percentages and with nothing to blame except camel milk! Just take a look at those dates and numbers highlighted above, I am nothing short of amazed. Do I think it's worth the cost and the drive to obtain the milk? What do you think?

In the throws of regression, and such

2011-06-30T12:06:00.021-04:00

In the midst of ongoing mold remediation (and finding more mold) you would think it couldn't get any worse. Yes, the kids were battling coughs and mild regression already, but now we have taken regression to a whole new level.

Two days ago, we were outside at a friend's house and Grayson had to go to the bathroom. Since they were running around in dirt, I didn't want him trapesing through her house so I actually suggested that he use the toddler potty we had outside with us, hehehe. He also happened to have a button on his pants and needed help getting them open. These two unusual scenarios had me closer to him than I normally would be, enabling me to notice something out of the ordinary. I caught a glimpse of a dark spot below his waistline and it was actually an afterthought on my part to take a closer look at it. When I did, I realized it was a deer tick, embedded in his skin!! Luckily it didn't appear engorged, although now I am learning that this isn't necessary to transport bacteria to the host, so the false hope I had to begin with is quickly dwindling.

The process of getting a tick the size of the tip of a ball point pen out of a 6 year old's tummy while he is trying to sit up and look, squirm and talk through the whole ordeal, is nothing short of painstaking. Not to mention the sheer panic that went through my body at the realization of what had just happened....I was numb and frantic inside. I don't know, if it's possible that the tick regurgitated in the process of trying to get him out, but I made the mistake of listening to strangers who were working at my friend's house, and we tried to drown the tick into backing out on it's own. We put oil of oregano on it. It wasn't backing out....so I used needle nose tweezers which were still too big to grab just the head of this teeny creature, and I yanked the sucker out. It came out clean, nothing was left behind and the only mark, to date, was the irritation of grabbing the skin around it and the little hole it left where it was embedded. The only reason I know it came out clean is because when I got home, I got creative and used Grayson's Cyclops Eye to view the tick up close and personal and then I took pictures of the tv! So now I have documentation of the very tick that bit Grayson.

We rushed home and began the daunting task of trying to determine how to get this pesky critter tested for Lyme bacteria. I called the State department of health, who referred me to a place locally where they ID the tick, but they don't actually test them, she referred me to the hospital who referred us back to our doctor. No one in our doctor's office knew how to handle testing a tick, even though the hospital told us we needed a prescription and more direction from our doctor. It wasn't until I got my husband (who was away on business for days) involved, that we finally got some answers, found a lab to test it under our insurance AND got our doctor to write the script that they had refused to provide only minutes before with me. The lab provided the codes for the doctor to write the script at which point they were only too happy to get rid of us and provide what we needed, lol. We are persistent people, we don't go away that easily. We didn't get to where we are in our healing by following the path of least resistance.

So the tick went off to the lab and we expect the results in the next two weeks. I have my reservations about the concept of Quest testing the tick for all of the possible bacteria a tick can transmit, so I actually plan on calling the lab for more specific information about it's testing. They do a PCR test which uses DNA, but I don't know, if it only looks for one or more of the bacteria involved in Lyme.

While we wait for the results, I wanted to get a jump on treatment naturally (even though our Dr. offered to start treatment immediately with antibiotics). I chose to read up a bit on natural remedies and found Dr. Buhner's protocol which identifies many natural remedies for treating Lyme. They have indicated that many of the antimicrobials we use already (GSE, OLE, Lauracidin, etc.) help with Lyme bacteria, but he also suggested that THE most important neutraceutical to be used on a Lyme patient is called Japanese Knotweed. Here is his description of this important herb:

"The core herb for Lyme is Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum). Japanese Knotweed is an invasive botanical in almost every place where Lyme has emerged. Buhner noted that rather than taking the gift that nature has provided to exactly those that need it, people in Vermont are focused on trying to eradicate it from their yards. "Nature has a way of helping us but we quit listening a long time ago," said Buhner.

Japanese Knotweed shuts down the inflammatory pathways initiated by the spirochete. Other herbs like Turmeric can shutdown inflammation as well, but it uses very different mechanisms. Knotweed, on the other hand, affects the exact pathways that are problematic in Lyme disease. It is very specific for the inflammation related to Lyme disease. "If a genetic biologist had designed something, it could not be any better," he said.

Knotweed crosses the blood brain barrier. It is specific for inflammation in the meninges. If a person presents with a stiff neck and headaches as part of a neuro-cognitive Lyme presentation, Knotweed is very specific for these symptoms. It is a potent antioxidant and has protective effects on the brain. It calms the central nervous system and helps with arthritis symptoms in Lyme disease. Knotweed is an herb and drug synergist meaning that when it is used with antibiotics, it makes them powerfully effective even in cases where they previously failed. "If I could get every Lyme-infected person to do one thing, it would be to take Japanese Knotweed along with their antibiotic therapy. It increases the effectiveness by at least double," he said.

Knotweed is a mild antibacterial and is effective against other spirochetal organisms such as Leptospirosis. It modulates the immune system by either raising or lowering immune function as required in each unique person. Knotweed reduces the dynamics involved in autoimmunity. It is an angiogenesis modulator and controls the healthy generation of blood vessels. It stimulates microcirculation to the eyes and joints thus helping to facilitate the movement of drugs or herbs to those locations. It is cardioprotective and helps to remove endotoxins, which is a benefit to those with Herxheimer reactions during treatment.

The chemistry of Japanese Knotweed is incredibly complex. It contains resveratrol at a level higher than any other known plant. Buhner is not a fan of resveratrol itself, but the only product on the market that contained Japanese Knotweed at the time of the writing of his book "Healing Lyme" was Source Naturals Resveratrol with 500mg of Polygonum per tablet. Isolated resveratrol alone will only be partially effective and will not be very potent for Lyme disease if it was derived from grapes.

Ideally, people would use the plant itself. There are more products available now that are made using the root, which is what Buhner prefers. In terms of making the protocol as simple as possible and easy to follow, the Source Naturals Resveratrol product is still a reasonable option.

Knotweed is clearly the most important herb for Lyme disease. It continues to emerge more and more strongly and is incredibly good for cognitive Lyme and for inflammation. The dosage of the Source Naturals Resveratrol is 1-4 tablets 3-4 times daily for 8-12 months. Buhner finds that some people begin to experience symptom relief within two weeks to two months, but it takes up to a full year to really turn the disease around."

This is the link for more information about treating Lyme naturally. He has a LOT of great information available here. It's a reduced version of his protocol. He also has a book on this topic.

I spent the next morning calling health food stores, to hunt down the Knotweed and Yarrow which is an herb that has been proven to be more effective than DEET as a bug repellant. It was even tested by the military. You better believe I will be working on formulating a safe bug repellant for the kids! With both the Poconos and Maine vacations in our near future, I definitely needed to get on that, pronto! Poor Grayson is afraid of the grass unless I spray him with something so that was a priority.

I also gave Grayson a loading dose of 15 drops of LDM-100 which isn't an herb recommended by Dr. Buhner, but I have read about it in the past as possibly helpful in treating Lyme, but this seems to be questionable when reading more about it. He handled the dose well, but considering I am seeing an increase in yeast symptoms now, I am actually thinking of dropping the LDM-100 and trying Cat's Claw or something else that won't stir up the yeast quite so much.

This is a work in progress, I am learning while trying to maximize the early stages of the possibility that we could have a Lyme issue on top of everything else....

I can't help but think about what I could have done differently to prevent it...natural bug spray (which I had been meaning to research), long clothes (but it was just too darn hot out), staying inside (is this really practical), doing a tic check every time he came in from outside (totally slipped my mind). And to compound matters, the night before we found the tic, he dressed himself for bed. He normally sleeps with nothing on which would have allowed us to see the tick. So I don't even know, if it was there for 24 hours from playing in our yard the day before or if it was just picked up while we were playing outside at our friend's. It's more likely that a tick he just picked up would be less of a threat, although, that is another fact being hugely disputed. I know it isn't helpful to think like this, but it's a normal part of acceptance. I am coming to grips with something that was clearly preventable to some degree. I feel guilt, I feel anger and it's all driven by fear. My child was already suffering and now Lyme might bring that to a whole new level. If there is any good news in this situation, it's that we were already doing so many things that could help battle this evil illness. This weekend we are back on chelation, another recommendation for those with Lyme disease. Here's to hoping the tick comes back clean or at minimum, everything we are currently doing reduces his odds of being plagued with a life-long debilitating illness.

UPDATE - on the lab testing - The code we were told to use by Quest only tests for Borellia, AKA - Lyme. It does not test for any of the multiple co-infections! I figured as much. So I got the codes to do at least two more of the co-infection testing (Ehrlichia and Babesia) and had our doctor add the codes to the testing with Quest. One of the customer service representatives was concerned about the possibility that there wouldn't be enough tick to go around for all this testing, but we at least have to try to get as much out of this as we can. Perhaps we will still be forced to test Grayson down the road, but I would like to try to get as much information as possible, right off the bat. If the tick has even one of these infections, we know we need to treat.

Weekend in the Big Apple

2011-06-27T14:17:00.003-04:00

We took the kids to NYC this weekend. New York is a wild and exciting place to visit, people bustling all over, cars, horns, trucks, sirens....a sensory overload for someone with Sensory Processing Disorder. There was a time when this would have been challenging for Grayson and there certainly were times when his hands instinctually went to his ears, but I am really impressed by how much love both boys had for this frenzy of a weekend! They were kept up well beyond their bedtime, we traveled via the subways and we allowed them to eat some foods while we were out! They were GREAT!

Even as well as they did, being in a hotel and hiking around a polluted city has it's consequences for the immune compromised. Then compound the issues with less sleep and honestly, I'm very surprised we didn't have more trouble on our hands. It wasn't long before Grayson was swatting at his ears and itching his ankles so I knew something was up. By the end of the weekend, they were happily exhausted, but clearly needed an increase in their antimicrobials to combat the damage it did internally, because we could see their frustration thresholds slowly creeping backwards. Today I noticed his fear of bugs came back (he was crying at the far end of the deck and wouldn't walk past a bug that he was convinced had a stinger) so we also added in his homeopathic constitutional remedy and I will continue to give it daily until that fear is reduce to a more normal response to bugs. Gavin's red anal ring had come back too, which is already almost cleared up since having a good dose of antimicrobials this morning.

We had been reducing their supplements and antimicrobials, but then the mold exposure created a riff in that plan. Just before this trip we had increased everything slightly and returned a lot of the supplements we dropped, just for the sake of immune function and combating the mold exposure. We had decided this was not a good time to experiment. Then after this weekend, we went up yet again. They've bounced back really well too! It's clear that the antimicrobials are the key to their behavior control. It NEVER fails us. When they aren't right, increase the antimicrobials and we get our kids back, but not after a little die-off.

The subway is coming...clearly not one bit afraid!

This weekend it was obvious to us that they are doing really well though. There was little to no sensory overload, they handled change like troopers, they LOVED the subway even with the number of crammed people, the jolting unpredictable movements and noise! They were certainly cautious when it was appropriate, but they weren't overly shy or frightened of anything! In the past, doing anything adventurous and loud (like carnivals) was a highly stressful event with us trying to convince Grayson that he didn't have to be afraid of every sudden noise he heard. He would literally scream with his hands over his ears, he couldn't even focus on us talking to him. We had to get out of the situation to get him to listen to us and when he could concentrate, he was always distraught with his own reaction, but it was truly instincts at play. He didn't want to be afraid of the sounds, he just couldn't control his reaction.

There was a whole lot of walking this weekend. At the height of Grayson's symptoms, he couldn't even handle walking around a store without sitting in a cart (mercury effects the mitochondria causing reduced energy). He walked all over NYC this weekend and we are talking about blocks and blocks and blocks of walking!

Today is our first day home and with their increased doses of antimicrobials, they are playing well together (getting into mischief, of course) and seem very happy and content. I don't think I could have asked for a better outcome from our little weekend away!

Thinking...

2011-06-22T20:45:00.000-04:00

As you can imagine, summer break means less time for mommy and a lot more going on around the house! It has cut down not only my ability to write, but my ability to think, hahahaha.

The good news is that the mold situation is FINALLY wrapping up this week! The work was completed today, the basement is CLEAN!! Yippeee!! They literally cleaned every inch of the room, the joists, the floor, in and around every nook and cranny. The HVAC duct work was scoped and cleaned today. Tomorrow the exit testing will be done! Whew, what a ride! We've been diffusing essential oils day and night lately too. Anything to help clear the air.

The bad news is that we all have sinus infections again, me worse than everyone else, but at least it seems to be short-lived this time around. I made the mistake of letting the chaos of planning their birthday party and dealing with the mold get in the way of taking my supplements daily. It's obvious to me that this has had an impact on my ability to fight this infection.

The boys are still coughing though. It's definitely less frequent and less severe, so maybe it is working it's way out.

I am sitting on my deck contemplating this world. Thinking about how much more severe everything has become. Our children are being born toxic. Autism, allergies, cancers, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, among other debilitating and life-shortening diseases are all on the rise. In fact, it's been determined that this will be the first generation that will live a shorter life span than the one before it. Natural disasters appear to be increasing, taking countless people with them. I even feel like the number of insects have increased in the past few years. People are less tolerant, perhaps because they are ill. I pray some day there will be enough change to reverse this slippery slope, for the sake of our children and their children. What kind of world will they live in, if this continues?

If you are reading this blog today, please consider making even one small change to your life, for the better. Make a promise to turn the water off when you brush your teeth, or replace one chemical-laden product with a natural and/or organic product that won't poison our land when it goes down the drain (our ground water becomes our rain water, people), you could even remove toxic cleaners from your house, or use hydrogen peroxide on your gardening instead of pesticides, stop using antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers, eat organic and local, take off your shoes at the door. There are so many easy ways to take baby steps towards a cleaner, healthier environment. If we all do this, imagine the impact we could have on the world. Think of it as an insurance policy on the future of your grandchildren.

Chelation update, added ALA!

2011-06-10T20:07:00.003-04:00

Round 7 for me this weekend and today began with my first ALA + DMSA dose ever! Since I had my fillings out in early March, I had to wait three months post-exposure to add the ALA. I used only the DMSA for those three months to reduce the body burden first. Now I am playing with the big guns!

ALA is the only chelator that crosses the blood brain barrier. I don't know what I expected after taking the first dose, but considering how neurologically effected I can be by mercury and chelation, I expected something more. So far, I feel nothing different. I started with a very low dose (only 7.5mg) so I don't make this too hard on myself and considering how it effects our kids when we increase ALA (which we did last weekend), I was sure I would feel something, anything. Maybe it will take time and tomorrow I will be either a basket-case or a space-cadet! I like to keep my doses manageable, because I have to consider the fact that I am still a mom of two who need me to think clearly, plus life goes on, all around me.

Speaking of life going on around me....I have been very distracted lately, by this mold issue. It's gotten uglier and more complicated. We found more mold while going through our basement and cleaning everything out, so now we need more remediation. The good news is that these two spots are superficial and very minor, but we plan to treat it like we did the leaks, with containment and safety measures all in place. And the timing of everything is SO confusing, with a different contractor for just about every step. Test (environmentalist), put up containment areas (mold contractor), remove building materials to reach mold (general contractor), controlled mold demolition (mold contractor), rebuild (general contractor), leave containments up, clean (us and mold contractor), test (environmentalist), take down containments (mold contractor). Plus we need our HVAC duct work scoped and cleaned and the question of whether we clean before testing has yet to be answered. I would think we would want to clean the duct work first though, so we can have the airflow tested again as part of our clearance sampling...which means we better figure out who is doing this part ASAP, because keeping the large HEPA filters in our home is costing $200 a WEEK!

Clearing out the basement is painful, but I am keeping our goal in mind the whole way. It is driving me through tossing furniture, boxes for my collectibles, hair dressing chairs, jewelry I have made, shoes that were supposed to be Gavin's after Grayson grew out of them (I have a shoe thing), baby things like strollers, high chairs, bassinets, bouncy seats, cloth diapers, toys, memories, all of our Christmas ornaments, and basically anything porous or would cost less to replace than to pay a man $50 an hour to clean! It makes sense and we don't want "stuff" to get in the way of our health, so we are just tearing through it, but MAN, what a HUGE job!! We ordered a dumpster and have already FILLED it, but we aren't done (scratching head).....and it is hot out now so the suits, goggles, face masks and gloves are ridiculously hot! We still have some huge furniture to lug out to the dumpster, should be interesting.

Life is never dull around here! The boys are on Diflucan for two weeks to see, if their constant coughing is a fungal infection. So far, all it has proven to do is bloat them enormously. They are still coughing. So perhaps it really is just a stubborn cold, who knows. The saga continues...

What Took You So Long....globe trotting camel milk

2011-06-05T21:37:00.005-04:00

The What took You So Long Foundation is a group of film makers globe-trotting and living among the natives in remote corners of the earth to make a documentary about camel milk. They film stories that mobilize movements and hope to take camel milk on that ride with them....or is it the other way around? Either way, timing couldn't be more perfect.

When I was on my hunt for as much information as I could get my hands on regarding the benefits and risks of raw camel milk as a health tonic, I came across a Facebook page called "Camel milk is the new oil". This is where I originally "met" Philipa Young, the writer for the What Took You So Long Foundation. We connected on two levels very near and dear to me, writing and camel milk. She obviously had a lot of experience with the benefits of camel milk and even guided me through some of our concerns as we attempted our first days of using it therapeutically with our boys. Little did I know that she and the rest of the crew had already spent the last year documenting stories in 18 countries, interviewing camel dairy owners, camel farmers, doctors, camel milk drinkers and even some of the world's only camel cheese makers. That's quite the tear sheet! I would say she has *some* experience...

Nicole and I decided to bring the camel-milk-drinking community together in one place by creating our own Facebook page, the intent was to find others looking to heal their children with camel milk and to spread the word. We were thrilled to see our list of members growing astronomically and among them were a few key members of the traveling crew. The more experience we could bring together, the better the odds are of people trying this new therapy. Power in numbers. If we can travel the journey together, we can help one another with a therapy that is new to the autism community. And if you have ever met a biomedical mom, where there is a will there IS a way! If she has to fly to the Middle East herself to milk the camel and bring back the milk.....well, ok, that may be stretching it a bit, lol, but you get my point. Luckily for us, there are camel dairy farmers in the US! But these moms will drive the length of the country to heal their children, if that is what it will take. You've heard, "Build it and they will come", well, if there is a therapy that works for the autistic community, these moms are among the first to be there with bells on!

So enter Alicia Sully, the film maker. She cheerily began chatting on our FB page, joining in the discussions we were having about our children and their undeniable changes on the camel milk. Before we knew it, we were planning to meet her during a visit to the US for her sister's wedding!

There aren't enough kind words to describe Alicia, she is possibly one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She is endearing, caring, sincere, enlightening and so talented. We had the pleasure of her company for two days while she filmed our family and our friend Nicole's family for their documentary. They have filmed all the "science" behind the milk, now it's time to bring this to the world in the shape of real families. Viewers won't have to wonder, "How does this effect me?" from great distances, because they are going to bring that spin to the table. It isn't just for Bedouins anymore, you don't have to cross the oceans to taste it and yes, it IS attainable for the average family. Unfortunately, because of the cost here in the US, the average family probably won't have camel milk on their dinner table, but for those seeking natural, effective treatments for illnesses like: gastrointestinal dysfunction, allergies, diabetes, autism, autoimmune diseases, among many other ailments, it is very doable. We hope to see this change though, by increasing the supply and demand, perhaps it CAN be a daily staple for the average person some day.

The key to options like this is awareness and spreading the word!

I snapped a few pictures of Alicia filming and of course, she had to try our milk to compare to the 18 other countries she has tasted camel milk in!

What a delight it was to have Alicia with us, I only wish she could have stayed longer! I am inspired by the passion she shares with her team to offer these special stories worldwide. They wish to send a powerful message about sustainability and natural healing and I am ever so gracious to be on this journey with them in our own unique way. My goal in writing this blog has always been to help others heal their children and now the reach has extended even further with the help of this fabulous team of talented writers. They have opened my eyes to possibilities I didn't even know were attainable, for that I thank you What Took You So Long Foundation!

Book review for a fabulous mercury recovery memoir

2011-05-30T12:02:00.001-04:00

When I was contacted by author Aine Ni Cheallaigh, to review her new memoir, “Getting the Mercury Out”, I admit to having selfish reasons for wanting to read it. As a fellow-mercury poisoned reader, I knew I would identify with her, but little did I know that I would connect with her experiences on so many different levels...even areas of my life that I didn’t know to relate to my own mercury exposures. I never could place a finger on my anxiety and uncontrollable distress during my college years. Considering I had 8 of my 9 fillings put in when I was 14 years old, my deteriorating moods suddenly made sense!

By page 9, I was already hooked. I felt as though I could feel her words coming from my very own mouth, right down to the self-diagnosing! The paragraph below particularly hits home:

“In later years, when I learned about mercury toxicity, I read about how the first symptoms manifest as subtle emotional changes. Depression creeps in. There is an unwarranted sensitivity and irritability. Emotional reactions become less reasonable, even as the mercury toxic person insists that their reaction is a totally logical response to their circumstances.”

I also had a good laugh when she described how the sheer number of pills she had to take daily didn’t fit into her pill organizer. I struggle with my own pill organizers every time I try to cram all those damn pills into the little cubbyholes they were intended to fit into. It’s clear that these organizers were not made for mercury toxic people! I love that she brings humor to everyday annoyances that can sometimes seem so disturbing to the mercury-toxic brain. A sign of a good author is one who can strategically force a smile on your face even while sharing a serious account of ill health.

By the time I reached her recollection of the nightmare commonly known as the “dump phase”, I was confident that I was looking into the crystal ball known as my future. Although I already know to expect this phase, I didn’t know how devastating it really could be. It’s clear to me now how the sum of such symptoms combined with a child’s neurological development and smaller organs would equate to an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Aine herself experienced something that put her squarely on the spectrum, temporarily!

I feel better equipped to weather the storm ahead now.

Aine delicately balances the intrigue of her personal story with the dark facts surrounding mercury poisoning, combine that with how to successfully heal from this devastating illness and you have a powerful story with purpose. Once a non-believer in alternative healing herself, she eloquently shares the intricate details that turn her around, making her such a believer in alternative health that she wants to shout it from rooftops....or store shelves, lol.

“Getting the Mercury Out” is an easy and interesting read, the story kept my interest from cover to cover. I found myself reaching for the book whenever I had a few precious moments to myself and before I knew it, I was passing the book to my husband encouraging him to read it so that he would better understand what I am facing, since this ultimately effects him as much as it does me.

If you suspect heavy metal toxicity in yourself or a loved one, this book is a great place to start. It is also a nice memoir for those who would like to identify with a story similar to theirs. I have read multiple mercury poisoning books, but they tend to be technical and hard to follow for a beginner. “Getting the Mercury Out” will encourage you, inspire you and educate you in one fell swoop.

Click here for a Kindle version of this book