Guest guest Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 Multiple Sclerosis, CFS & Mercury JoAnn Guest Jun 10, 2005 15:15 PDT Causes of Multiple Sclerosis Mercury is a highly toxic metal that, when used in dental amalgam fillings, can seep into body tissues where it accumulates and becomes capable of producing symptoms in the body that are indistinguishable from those of multiple sclerosis.5 Research should be undertaken to explore the role of geopathic stress as a contributing factor to multiple sclerosis. See Geopathic Stress, page 563. According to Hal Huggins, D.D.S., of Colorado Springs, Colorado, mercury poisoning often remains undetected because patients' symptoms do not necessarily suggest mercury as the initiating cause, but the effects of mercury toxicity are potentially devastating. Mercury has been recognized as a poison since the 1500s, yet mercury amalgams have been used in dentistry since the 1820s. Mercury has been shown to bind to the DNA of cells and cell membranes, causing cell distortion and inhibited cell function.6 When this happens the immune system no longer recognizes the cell as part of the body and initiates an autoimmune reaction, destroying myelin in the process. MS patients have been found to have over seven times higher levels of mercury in their cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord) as compared to neurologically healthy patients. Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Matt Van Benschoten, O.M.D., M.A., C.A., of Reseda, California, uses herbal medicine to treat the viral infections and immune suppression found in CFS patients. To diagnose CFS, he uses Omura's test (Omura's bi-digital O-ring test), a test of grip strength between the middle finger and thumb on the patient's right hand. Different acupuncture points are stimulated to determine which are the weakest areas in the system (usually the lymph nodes, liver, and brain). Omura's test can also be used to verify the appropriate herbs to clear the virus, says Dr. Van Benschoten. Prescriptions are individualized for each patient. Dr. Van Benschoten primarily uses antiviral herbs, combined with herbs which stimulate the immune system. " The initial therapy has to be focused on antiviral measures. Once that's accomplished and the virus is fairly well eliminated, you can begin to address some of the secondary factors that cause the weakness in the immune system, such as stress-induced weakness, problems in the intestinal tract, heavy metal poisoning (such as dental mercury), and low-level pesticide poisoning, " he says. Using herbal medicines as the primary therapeutic modality, Dr. Van Benschoten sees a response in 85 to 90 percent of his patients. " The time necessary to completely resolve the situation can vary from as short as four to six weeks to as long as twelve to eighteen months, " says Dr. Van Benschoten, " depending upon the duration of the illness and other accompanying health problems. " Dr. Murray recommends herbal regimens for both the acute infectious phase of CFS and the convalescent phase of the syndrome. During the acute phase, he advises using echinacea, goldenseal, and licorice in the following dosages, taken three times a day: as dried root (or tea), 1-2 grams; as freeze-dried root, 500-1,000 milligrams; as tincture (1:5), 4-6 milliliters (one to one and a half teaspoons); as fluid extract (1:10), 0.5-2.0 milliliters (one-quarter to one-half teaspoon); as powdered solid extract (4:1), 250-500 milligrams. Dr. Murray warns that if licorice is to be used for a long time, it is necessary to increase the intake of potassium rich foods. During the acute phase of CFS, he also recommends Phytolacca de candra/Phytolacca de Americana (dried root), 100-400 milligrams three times daily; and Baptisia tinctoria (dried root), 0.5-1.0 grams three times a day. For the convalescent or chronic phase of CFS, Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., President of Bastyr College in Seattle, Washington, recommends: goldenseal (in dosages as above); astragalus(dried root), 5-15 grams, three times daily; licorice (in dosages as above); and Siberian ginseng, as dried root or as tea, 2-4 grams three times daily; as fluid extract (1:1), 2-4 milliliters (one-half to one teaspoon) three times daily; as solid extract (20:1), 100-200 milligrams three times daily. In the recovery phase of CFS, Dr. Pizzorno recommends: Panax ginseng, as dried root, 1.5-2.0 grams three times daily; as extracts, equivalent to 25-50 milligrams ginsenosides daily; and Siberian ginseng (dried root), in dosages as above. Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Matt Van Benschoten, O.M.D., M.A., C.A., of Reseda, California, uses herbal medicine to treat the viral infections and immune suppression found in CFS patients. To diagnose CFS, he uses Omura's test (Omura's bi-digital O-ring test), a test of grip strength between the middle finger and thumb on the patient's right hand. Different acupuncture points are stimulated to determine which are the weakest areas in the system (usually the lymph nodes, liver, and brain). Omura's test can also be used to verify the appropriate herbs to clear the virus, says Dr. Van Benschoten. Prescriptions are individualized for each patient. Dr. Van Benschoten primarily uses antiviral herbs, combined with herbs which stimulate the immune system. " The initial therapy has to be focused on antiviral measures. Once that's accomplished and the virus is fairly well eliminated, you can begin to address some of the secondary factors that cause the weakness in the immune system, such as stress-induced weakness, problems in the intestinal tract, heavy metal poisoning (such as dental mercury), and low-level pesticide poisoning, " he says. Using herbal medicines as the primary therapeutic modality, Dr. Van Benschoten sees a response in 85 to 90 percent of his patients. " The time necessary to completely resolve the situation can vary from as short as four to six weeks to as long as twelve to eighteen months, " says Dr. Van Benschoten, " depending upon the duration of the illness and other accompanying health problems. " Dr. Murray recommends herbal regimens for both the acute infectious phase of CFS and the convalescent phase of the syndrome. During the acute phase, he advises using echinacea, goldenseal, and licorice in the following dosages, taken three times a day: as dried root (or tea), 1-2 grams; as freeze-dried root, 500-1,000 milligrams; as tincture (1:5), 4-6 milliliters (one to one and a half teaspoons); as fluid extract (1:10), 0.5-2.0 milliliters (one-quarter to one-half teaspoon); as powdered solid extract (4:1), 250-500 milligrams. Dr. Murray warns that if licorice is to be used for a long time, it is necessary to increase the intake of potassium rich foods. During the acute phase of CFS, he also recommends Phytolacca de candra/Phytolacca de Americana (dried root), 100-400 milligrams three times daily; and Baptisia tinctoria (dried root), 0.5-1.0 grams three times a day. For the convalescent or chronic phase of CFS, Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., President of Bastyr College in Seattle, Washington, recommends: goldenseal (in dosages as above); astragalus(dried root), 5-15 grams, three times daily; licorice (in dosages as above); and Siberian ginseng, as dried root or as tea, 2-4 grams three times daily; as fluid extract (1:1), 2-4 milliliters (one-half to one teaspoon) three times daily; as solid extract (20:1), 100-200 milligrams three times daily. In the recovery phase of CFS, Dr. Pizzorno recommends: Panax ginseng, as dried root, 1.5-2.0 grams three times daily; as extracts, equivalent to 25-50 milligrams ginsenosides daily; and Siberian ginseng (dried root), in dosages as above. http://www.alternativemedicine.com/AMHome.asp?cn=Catalog & act=GetProduct & crt=Prod\ uctKey=2931 & style=\AMXSL\ArticleDetail.xsl Treating Multiple Sclerosis For many health care practitioners, nutritional supplementation plays a vital role in treating multiple sclerosis. Important supplements include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids. Essential Fatty Acids: The two families of essential fatty acids are omega-3 (linoleic acid), which is found mainly in seeds and seed oils, and omega-6 (alpha-linolenic acid), which is found mainly in fish, fish oils, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale. Gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a vital member of the omega-6 family, is found in evening primrose oil, black currant oil, borage oil, and spirulina. Known primarily for its anti-inflammatory effect, GLA is necessary for the healthy functioning of the immune system, and helps to produce vital regulators called prostaglandins (biologically active unsaturated fatty acids) in the body. Vitamins, Minerals, Trace Elements, and Amino Acids: Specific vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and amino acids may be recommended to make up for deficiencies as well as to act as " co-factors " for the efficient metabolism of essential fatty acids. These " co-factors " include vitamin C, vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6, zinc, and magnesium. Other supplements frequently recommended are all the other B vitamins, including vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, selenium, the amino acid glutathione, and the antioxidant beta-carotene. In particular, Vitamin B12 is proving highly effective for decreasing symptoms of MS, especially when associated with mercury poisoning. Dr. Kingsley sometimes prescribes doses, " as high as 12,000 micrograms once a week by intravenous infusion, usually with other essential nutrients. However, intramuscular doses are commonly between 4,000 and 8,000 micrograms once a week, and this can continue for many weeks until the person has become mercury negative. " He says that in some cases he has been able to stem a relapse. " B12 is absolutely marvelous, " says Dr. Kingsley. " We have been able to completely clear an MS relapse within half an hour of administering a suitably high dose of vitamin B12 intravenously. " Dr. Kingsley adds that textbooks on the subject of multiple sclerosis do not even mention the value of vitamin B12 or its use in MS.12 " Many academics have been arguing that vitamin B12 is not necessary because they consider the condition to be a central nervous system disease. Yet they fail to recognize what the long-term effects of pernicious anemia (a severe blood disease marked by a progressive decrease in red blood cells, muscular weakness, as well as gastrointestinal and neural disturbances) are on the central nervous system. Their main reason for not recommending B12 to patients has been because the levels of B12 in the blood of MS patients are nearly always within the normal range. Now, however, studies are showing that the B12 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with MS are lower than those of control groups.13 One woman suffering from MS and experiencing numbness in her arms, legs, and hands, as well as pain in her arms, consulted with Dr. Kingsley. These symptoms had been occuring for approximately two years, and over that time she was eating a great deal of cheese and drinking six cups of tea and two cups of coffee daily. Dr. Kingsley identified milk and dairy products, tannin, caffeine, and yeast as the foods and substances to which she was sensitive. At his suggestion she made dramatic changes in her diet, eating plenty of fish, chicken, salads, fruit, and drinking herbal teas. Like all of Dr. Kingsley's patients, she had her amalgam fillings replaced and began chelation therapy. She also received regular injections of vitamin B12 in variable doses. " After about seven months she became symptom free for the first time, but then suffered periodic relapses, each one of which cleared with a suitable intravenous treatment of vitamin B12. Apart from additional relapses in relation to a developing 'flu', or when under undue stress, the gap between each infusion of vitamin B12 has become longer and longer as time has gone by. " Chelation Therapy, Environmental Medicine Magnesium is another important supplement. Dr. Davies stresses the importance of magnesium, as spasticity can often be traced to low levels of this mineral. One patient, a man who was diagnosed with MS at age forty, sought Dr. Davies' advice and was tested for nutrient levels and possible allergies. Very low levels of magnesium were found, so the patient was given weekly injections over two to three months. Allergies to wheat and all milk products were identified and it was recommended that the patient remove those foods from his diet. Also recommended were a multivitamin/mineral capsule, an evening primrose oil capsule, and cod liver oil. Dr. Davies notes that today, ten years later, the patient has multiple sclerosis under control, and is no longer plagued by bouts of double vision. He says that although the patient still has a limp, he is able to work full time. INHALING MERCURY VAPORS EVERY DAY. Evidence now shows that mercury amalgams are the major source of mercury exposure for the general public, at rates 6 times higher than that derived from fish and seafood. Since mercury vapors are continuously released from amalgam fillings, as long as you have mercury dental fillings, you inhale mercury vapor 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. CHRONIC HEPATITIS BROUGHT ON BY 17 MERCURY FILLINGS After elemental mercury from amalgam fillings is inhaled or ingested, it is converted to methylmercury, the organic form of mercury. Methylmercury, because it easily crosses the blood-brain barrier, has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It is important to mention that as toxic as elemental mercury is, methylmercury is 100 times more toxic. Mercury is a heavy metal. Heavy metals act as free radicals which are highly reactive, charged particles that can cause damage to body tissues if inhaled or absorbed. When present in excess, heavy metals can block enzymes necessary for the body's detoxification processes. In my medical practice, based on urine samples taken during a 24-hour period, I've documented many cases of mercury poisoning. Even if amalgam fillings are no longer present in a patient's mouth, mercury levels can often still be detected. It is not unusual to see patients who have had their amalgam fillings removed and replaced as long ago as 10-15 years prior to testing still have elevated levels of mercury in the body. Mercury toxicity has been shown to have destructive contributory effects on kidney function, cardiovascular disease, neuropsychological dysfunction, reproductive disorders, and birth defects, to name a few. The preponderance of evidence and medical literature now leaves no doubt that mercury has systemic negative health effects. GETTING THE MERCURY OUT OF YOUR BODY Once mercury toxicity has been demonstrated, by tests such as high electrogalvanism (electrical conductivity in the metals of the teeth), high mercury vapor emissions, and/or high mercury body burden (tissue deposits), mercury amalgam removal and replacement with alternate, nontoxic materials is the recommended next step. Dr. Royal tells his patients that while removal of amalgam fillings stops any further source of poisoning from mercury fillings, you still need to detoxify the body to eliminate the residual effect from mercury that remains behind in the body. While removal of amalgam fillings stops any further source of poisoning from mercury fillings, you still need to detoxify the body to eliminate the residual effect from mercury that remains behind in the body. After all, it has been accumulating for as long as you've had amalgam fillings. First, you " turn off the faucet " by removing the fillings; then, you " pull the plug " through oral detoxification; and lastly, you " drain the bathtub " (your body) of all traces of mercury. Even if the fillings are removed, the negative influence of mercury will continue unless it is appropriately detoxified and eliminated from your body. JoAnn Guest mrsjo- DietaryTi- http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/ AIM Barleygreen " Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future " http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html Discover Stay in touch with email, IM, photo sharing & more. Check it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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