MS the Candida connection

Return to News Home Page Article Reprint: MS - The Candida Connection Interviewed by CAM Editor Simon Martin Susie Cornell was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1974. She defied conventional prognoses back then and is still doing so. In 1992, as editor of Here's Health, I presented her with that magazine's Achievement Award. She was then the only person in Britain advocating that people with MS should be exercising strenuously. Forced to defend her corner after the resulting publicity brought her condemnation from doctors, physios and MS specialists, she threw herself into research and study. Now 35 years after her original diagnosis, she is an MBE, is Deputy Lieutenant of Essex, is a highly successful practitioner specialising in chronic fatigue as well as MS - and is still advocating measures that orthodox medicine – and the big MS charities – just don't want to know about. In the last couple of years she's come to realise that many MS sufferers need urgent treatment both for Candida overgrowth and for thyroid and adrenal imbalances. CAM: back in the Here's Health days you were the ONLY person doing anything about MS, and I think you were basically weight training, weren't you? Susie Cornell: I'd been to the Peto Institute in Hungary - I was the first British adult to go there - and they taught me that 90% of my problem was lack of use; only 10% was MS. They turned round my whole way of looking at illness. I realised that a lot of it was in my hands and I could help myself, whereas before that I'd trusted the medical profession - I thought they were gods. CAM: How long had you had MS at that point? SC: About 10 years, and I'd been waiting for “the cure”. All the time you're just coping and hoping that the doctors will find the cure. My experience at the Peto Institute was my introduction to self-help. From that point on I improved. When I got back to the UK there was nothing here for me, so I set up my own exercise programme and then put the exercises on a video - which is still the only exercise video with conductive education around for MS people. CAM: Which is one of the things you got the award for. SC: The award from Here's Health launched my career, because the media suddenly wanted to know what I was doing. I was on TV and in magazines and newspapers and I couldn't believe what people wanted to know. I had to find out more so I started training as a practitioner - reflexology, massage, aromatherapy, homeopathy, nutrition, Bach Flower remedies - everything. I wanted answers and nobody could tell me what I wanted to know. Now I use the e-Lybra® Bio-Resonance System, which pulls everything together for me. CAM: Where did nutrition come in for you? SC: It really became important when I realised that the digestive system was the key to everything. I had to become a practitioner in all other areas first before I realised that the digestive system is the link, and if you don't get that right, nothing else will work. CAM: On your website you give a very clear out line of your current thinking on MS, which I'll repeat here and then maybe you could say a bit more about it. You write: “Basically the official line is that no one knows what causes MS - which is why there are almost as many theories as there are people with MS! I have done some research on this and the way I believe MS develops is that a combination of factors all have to come together in a certain way over a set period of time. “In sequence it looks something like this: “A genetic weakness (or 'predisposition' as the doctors call it) “A long-term nutritional deficiency or imbalance (possibly due to malabsorption) “A long-term situation of emotional stress or strain (possibly coupled with a very specific emotional trauma) “A severe infection, particularly of the throat (such as tonsillitis or glandular fever) “A physical trauma or injury (this could be something dramatic such as whiplash, but it could just as easily be something as simple and non-specific as falling off a chair: these sort of minor injuries often go undiagnosed and untreated because there is little or no pain and so the person injured this way doesn't think of it as an injury).” How does that translate into what you actually do with people? SC: What I know - and it's not something I just think, or believe - I know - and you only have to read my case histories to understand this, is that like all diseases, if I can get someone in the very early stages of MS and I can sort out their digestive system, then we will see most of the symptoms of MS disappear. Usually it involves Candida - I would say 90% of the symptoms of MS are Candida-related... CAM: You are kidding? SC: I'm not. And even mine - I think my MS is truly Candida, and I've had MS now for 36 years. I don't think it's the CAUSE of it, but it's a huge area that is not being addressed. CAM: How did you get to that conclusion? SC: Like many practitioners, I'd been struggling to treat Candida, then what happened was that about 12 months ago I started using Bionutri's Ecobalance with clients. Suddenly I had a Candida programme that worked consistently, so I was able to see clear results. I see the difference it makes to my non-MS clients when I treat them for Candida, and I know that they've got a small amount of the problems that people with MS are dealing with. Now I know that if I can balance the endocrine system, the adrenals, the thyroid, get rid of mercury and toxic metals, get rid of Candida then - even in my condition the same thing - 90% of the symptoms associated with MS will probably go away. CAM: So you also made a connection between low thyroid function and Candida? SC: I was screening my MS people and was coming up with Candida and also low thyroid. Then I realised that a lot of my “ordinary” people with Candida had got low thyroid too. The way I got on to that was because my bioresonance system kept throwing it up. I use that system to scan everybody who comes to me. To confirm it I give them the Broda Barnes test - they take their temperature every morning for 10 days. They can do the same test 3 months later to see the improvement. 36.5 or below on consecutive days suggests low thyroid function. With my MS people, if their thyroid is disturbed, the Candida won't go or it won't stay away, so you have to balance the endocrine system. Now I think most people with Candida have got low thyroid. CAM: So do you go for the Candida first? SC: No, you have to balance the adrenal and the thyroid first. If you think about someone with chronic fatigue - and I see a lot of people with that - it probably is easier to get. If you put them onto a detox programme they'll probably fall down a little bit. So I usually put them on a Nutri thyroid or a Nutri adrenal glandular for about a month or six weeks. At the same time we look at their diet, do a food intolerance test and remove problem foods. Doing things this way helps them feel a lot better to start with because their energy usually picks up. The problem foods have been taken out and then after that month, they go on the anti-Candida programme for at least 2 or 3 months. If they're using Ecobalance, then I've found their diet doesn't have to be as strict. It works a little bit more slowly, but the diet doesn't have to be so restrictive. The glutamine in it is absolutely essential, because they all seem to have leaky gut and it's imperative to heal the gut wall. CAM: Looking through some of your case histories, it seems like people start feeling better pretty quickly - within 2 or 3 weeks. SC: I know, it surprises me sometimes, too. One of my clients said that the numbness that she'd got on the left side of her face, which had been there for two or three years, within 10 days of doing the programme, it all went. Her doctor had told her that the numbness was MS-related. I think that's incredible - there are people with the numbness and tingling associated with MS - and all of a sudden it's gone! CAM: I suppose that's when the work really starts. SC: Yes, it's up to them then to go forward with the programme, because it's a long-term programme and there may be other areas they need to look at - for instance the bioresonance assessment may suggest they need cranial work, or their back needs looking at - in which case I refer them to an osetomyologist who works with me and looks after their physical or exercise programmes. CAM: Is this just people with MS or everybody? SC: Everybody, because “ordinary” people have these problems too! CAM: You've made this link between Candida and MS but also between chronic fatigue and MS - do you find them a similar to deal with? SC: I wrote an article for What Doctors Don't Tell you and Lynn McTaggart told me, “Susie, you're the first person to ever put leaky gut and MS in one sentence!” So yes, I'm probably the first person to put Candida and MS together, because I strongly believe that everybody who has MS has got to be treated for Candida, but I also think that most people in the general population needed to be treated for Candida, too. I've noticed with some of my clients that the Ecobalance and anti-Candida programme often have fantastic results on people with mental health, emotional problems. Chronic fatigue and MS are similar, but with chronic fatigue you don't get the numbness and tingling, you don't get the devastating mobility issues like the walking problems There's a nerve imbalance with MS, so it's a lot more difficult to treat and needs a lot more perseverance... CAM: You were wheelchair-bound at one time, weren't you? SC: Yes, and I still use a wheelchair - but not all the time. CAM: Where do you think you'd be if you hadn't discovered all this? SC: I was diagnosed in 1974 and they told my mother that within two years I would be in a wheelchair. My prognosis was very bad because I had a type of MS they thought was quite severe. You can lose your sight; you can lose feeling, can be numb; bladder and bowel control can be poor. Obviously I haven't gone that route. My walking is impaired, but I have no other symptoms of MS. I work full-time. If I'd listened to what the doctors were telling me, I've no doubt I would have continued to get weaker and weaker - as I was doing before I went to Hungary and got turned round. CAM: So MS is one of those things that you can't consider as “cured”? SC: Well, I'm still working on it! I'm never going to give up and I haven't really got the answer yet. I'm working on my own. There's no medical practitioner who's going to support my work and other practitioners are also struggling, just as I am, to find answers. It's all money-orientated. Many of my clients don't have the finances to keep it all going - the supplements make it an expensive, long-term programme. CAM: Now you've been doing this for 36 years, you've got your awards, you've got an MBE, you have a royal appointment as Deputy Lieutenant of Essex, so you must have some credibility, surely, but from what you're saying it seems like the MS community, let alone the orthodox medical community, is still not interested in what you're doing. SC: I don't really speak with them about it any more. I've worked with the MS charities for many years and I just get disheartened, because they really don't want to hear anything that's going to rock the boat. They want what's safe and what people feel comfortable with. And let's not forget that a lot of their financial support comes from drug companies. I think the cure for MS - and a lot of other conditions - is going to be a very simple cure, not something that will make millions of pounds in profit. CAM: I can't understand why they would find the Candida connection hard to talk about - or even to test - but I have some sympathy with them about the bioresonance aspect of your treatments - not only because of what it reveals about physiological processes, but also the fact that you can treat remotely. I still find this aspect of energy medicine difficult to accept. SC: But look, this is just where I was with exercise 30-odd years ago! I told people with MS to get up and exercise and the doctors and what felt like all the physiotherapists in the country got on to me after I appeared on tv and were saying “You can't do that! It's wrong!” All I could tell them was, “I'm sorry - it works for me”. It's exactly the same with bioresonance. I wouldn't put anyone on a programme or a supplement that I haven't tried myself. All my MS people and my other clients too do a remote session once a month for half an hour and I can then rebalance and put a new program into their e-capsule... CAM: That being a kind of charged-up capsule that they carry around with them. SC: I find the treatments are actually more accurate when they're remote - probably because it is less stressful for the clients. I have people travelling to me from all over Europe - flying into Stansted and then getting a taxi - by the time they get to me they're stressed and they're also stressed because they don't quite know what they're getting into. So I've stopped all that; I tell them to stay where they are and we'll do it remotely CAM: How on earth do you explain it? SC: It's hard! We don't want to get into quantum physics or whatever. It starts out with them just having to trust my credentials - and then it works and they see the difference and they can't believe it's so accurate. That's a bit mind-blowing for me too! The only thing I can say is that it's a bit like a mobile phone, or a computer or the Internet - I don't know how they work, but they do! More Information Susie Cornell MBE, DL is a Clinical Ecologist and Natural Health Consultant. Her clinic is at: The Cornell Centre at Springhealth Leisure Club, Brian Close, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 9DZ Tel: 01245 268098 email: info@susiecornell.com, web: www.susiecornell.com This article is reprinted with the kind permission of CAM Magazine, the magazine for Complementary and Alternative Healthcare Professionals. Available monthly. For more information please see their web site at http://www.cam-mag.com Click here to read the original CAM magazine issue (article starts on page 28)

 

Repost Celiac disease is anti Candida diet the answer

Celiac Disease Symptoms

Depending on the degree of malabsorption, the signs and symptoms of celiac disease vary among individuals, ranging from no symptoms, few or mild signs and symptoms, to many or severe signs and symptoms. There are two categories of signs and symptoms: 1) those due to malabsorption, and 2) those due to malnutrition including vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

1. Signs and symptoms of malabsorption

The three major categories of dietary nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Absorption of all of these nutrients can be reduced in celiac disease; however, fat is the most commonly and severely affected nutrient. Most of the gastrointestinal symptoms and signs of celiac disease are due to the inadequate absorption of fat (fat malabsorption). Gastrointestinal symptoms of fat malabsorption include diarrhea, flatulence (foul-smelling gas), abdominal bloating, and increased amounts of fat in the stool (steatorrhea). The unabsorbed fat is broken down by intestinal bacteria into fatty acids, and these fatty acids promote secretion of water into the intestine, resulting in diarrhea. Fatty stools typically are large in volume, foul smelling, greasy, light tan or light grey in color, and tend to float in the toilet bowl. Oil droplets (undigested fat) also may be seen floating on top of the water.
Loss of intestinal villi also causes malabsorption of carbohydrates, particularly the sugar lactose. Lactose is the primary sugar in milk. Lactose is made up of two smaller sugars, glucose and galactose. In order for lactose to be absorbed from the intestine and into the body, it must first be split into glucose and galactose. They then can be absorbed by the cells lining the small intestine. The enzyme that splits lactose into glucose and galactose is called lactase, and it is located on the surface of the small intestinal villi. In celiac disease, the intestinal villi along with the lactase enzymes on their surface are destroyed, leading to malabsorption of lactose.
Signs and symptoms of malabsorption of lactose are particularly prominent in individuals with celiac disease who have underlying lactose intolerance, a genetically determined reduction in the activity of lactase. Symptoms of lactose malabsorption (diarrhea, excessive flatulence, abdominal pain, and abdominal bloating or distension) occur because unabsorbed lactose passes through the small intestine and into the colon. In the colon, there is a normal bacterium that contains lactase and is able to split the lactose, using the resulting glucose and galactose for its own purposes. Unfortunately, when they split the lactose, the bacteria also release gas (hydrogen and /or methane). A proportion of the gas is expelled and is responsible for the increased flatus (passing gas) that may occur in celiac disease. Increased gas mixed in the stool is responsible for stool floating in the toilet bowl.
Not all of the lactose that reaches the colon is split and used by colonic bacteria. The unsplit lactose that reaches the colon causes water to be drawn into the colon (by osmosis). This promotes diarrhea.

Cancer and Candida and Sodium Bicarbonate - I believe he was correct

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Sodium Bicarbonate

Other common name(s): Simoncini Cancer Therapy, baking soda

Scientific/medical name(s): NaHC03

Description

Sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, is promoted by some alternative practitioners as a cancer treatment. This treatment is based on the theory that cancer is caused by a form of yeast infection and that sodium bicarbonate can kill the yeast. This claim is not supported by science or clinical evidence and is contrary to widely-accepted basic facts of oncology and microbiology.

Sodium bicarbonate is used as a conventional treatment for disorders in which the blood is too acidic. It is also used as an over-the-counter remedy for heartburn.

Overview

Available scientific evidence does not support claims that cancer is caused by infection with a type of yeast known as Candida albicans. Available scientific evidence also does not support the idea that sodium bicarbonate works as a treatment for any form of cancer or that it cures yeast or fungal infections. There is substantial evidence, however, that these claims are false. Although sodium bicarbonate is safe when used in proper doses and as directed as a conventional treatment, high doses can cause serious problems or even death.

How is it promoted for use?

Sodium bicarbonate is promoted by some alternative practitioners, especially Dr. Tullio Simoncini, as a cure for all types of cancer. This claim is made on several Web sites, in videos of Dr. Simoncini posted on the Internet, and in a book written by Dr. Simoncini.

What does it involve?

Sodium bicarbonate is given by some alternative practitioners by mouth (orally) or into a vein (intravenously). It is also given intra-arterially (into an artery supplying blood to the tumor) and is sometimes given as a solution directly through the trachea (windpipe) into the lungs to treat lung cancer.

What is the history behind it?

The main proponent of sodium bicarbonate as an alternative cancer treatment is Tullio Simoncini, MD. Information on the Internet describes how Dr. Simoncini concluded that cancer is caused by Candida albicans and can be cured with baking soda. The sequence of events and timeline are not described in detail.

According to the Cancer Treatment Watch Web site, "[Dr. Simoncini] has been using unsubstantiated cancer treatments for 15 years… in 2003, his [Italian] license to practice medicine was withdrawn, and in 2006 he was convicted by an Italian judge for wrongful death and swindling… This has not stopped him from continuing to provide his controversial treatments, not only in Italy, but apparently also in foreign countries, such as the Netherlands." (Koene, Jitta. 2008)

What is the evidence?

No peer-reviewed articles in medical journals were found supporting the theory that cancer is caused by a fungus infection or a yeast infection. Available peer-reviewed medical journals do not support claims that sodium bicarbonate works as a cancer treatment.

Scientists require certain kinds of evidence to support claims that a kind of germ causes a certain disease. The first requirement is that the germ should be present in all cases of the disease. Simoncini claims that all tumors contain fungi. But these fungi have not been found in tumors when biopsies are examined by methods capable of revealing fungi in infected tissue. Another requirement is that infecting laboratory animals with the germ should cause the disease. Infections can develop in animals that are exposed to Candida albicans, but there are no credible reports that this exposure or infection causes cancer. Finally, when researchers remove diseased tissue from infected laboratory animals, they should be able to recover the germs and grow them in laboratory dishes. There are no reports in scientific journals that this has been observed for Candida albicans and cancer of experimental animals.

A number of Web sites propose various reasons people believe there is a connection between fungus and cancer (for example, that Candida albicans can cause serious infections, and that cancer is a serious disease). However, none of these Web sites show scientific evidence supported by credible experiments or clinical trials.

Fungal infection deep in the body is a serious health problem that can be fatal. Although a number of antifungal drugs are available to treat these infections, there is no evidence that sodium bicarbonate can. There is no evidence that most people with cancer have any deep tissue yeast or fungal infections. People whose immune systems are weakened by high doses of chemotherapy can sometimes contract these kinds of infections. While antifungal drugs can often cure the infection, there is no evidence that antifungal treatment causes the patients' tumors to shrink. If this had happened, the doctors caring for these patients would have been likely to report it in medical journals.

Some people with cancer have other health conditions for which sodium bicarbonate is used. But, again, there is no evidence that sodium bicarbonate has caused their tumors to shrink. Chewable sodium bicarbonate tablets or powder are a common over-the-counter treatment that is used to neutralize stomach acid that causes heartburn. Intravenous sodium bicarbonate is used as a conventional treatment to reduce acidity of blood in serious conditions like shock, severe dehydration, and uncontrolled kidney failure or diabetes.

Are there any possible problems or complications?

This substance may not have been thoroughly tested to find out how it interacts with medicines, foods, herbs, or supplements. Even though some reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions below should be considered incomplete.

In general, oral and intravenous treatment with sodium bicarbonate that is given for the right reasons and in proper doses is considered safe. Concern has been raised that the same substance can be dangerous in other medical situations. The Cancer Treatment Watch Web site quotes the Netherlands Health Inspectorate:

… there are no scientific data that justify the administration of sodium bicarbonate to patients with cancer… the administration of sodium bicarbonate even has risks for patients with high blood pressure, patients with diseases of lungs, heart, or kidneys and for patients with cancer. This is certainly the case if a number of specific blood levels are not monitored daily before, during and after the treatment. The balance of the body can become completely disturbed when large amounts are administered. In severely ill patients, this may lead to organ damage. In sick people, there is in fact irresponsible health care if this product is administered without monitoring. (2008)

Relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer may have serious health consequences.

Additional resources

Correct alignment is so so important

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"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

-World Health Organization, 1948

Ranan Shahar:
founder of Atlas Evolution Spinal Therapy

THE SOLUTION YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!

Whether you're looking to solve existing health problems, prevent future ones or are just trying to stay healthy, the atlas (also known as "C1" the first cervical vertabra) plays a key role in your overall physical and mental health.
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First Cervical Vertebra: The Atlas Bone

Ever feel like your head isn't screwed on right? Well it may well not be!
The first cervical vertebra, the "screw" between your head and everything else, plays a crucial role in the overall balance of your body. When out of alignment, this can cause a chain reaction, which begins at the spine and spreads thoughout the entire body, all the way to the fingers and toes. Though the atlas might only be out of alignment by a few millimeters, this miniscule error can snowball into serious health problems that manifest themselves in a myriad of symptoms. Plus, don't forget, your head won't be screwed on straight!
When the atlas is out of place the entire spine follows its error, spreading chaos throughout the body's skeletal structure. A direct symptom of this chaos is a stiffening of the muscles. Not only do stiff muscles cause a slew of painful symptoms to afflict the body, they also constrict the overall flow of blood, spinal fluid, nerves and bodily fluids causing the immune system to become weak and sluggish.

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The Solution: Atlas Evolution

FACT: 99.9% of the human race is afflicted by this problem. Though certain factors such as sitting in front of a computer all day, being birthed through a narrow birth canal, whiplash, accidents and head injuries can seriously worsen the alignment of the atlas, the problem seems to be a genetic defect and therefore existent in the overwhelming majority of humans, regardless of their race, religion or lifestyle. One need not have experienced any serious physical traumas to benefit from Atlas Evolution: it is an overall expansion in health and can even benefit those who already consider themselves fit.
While many methods have been implemented to try and solve the symptoms stemming from the atlas problem, few have accurately been able to grasp the reason responsible for the symptoms. Atlas Evolution tackles this problem head-on and solves it in ONE TREATMENT. The method of treatment is an all-natural, non-chiropractic, non-invasive procedure, which takes less than an hour to perform,
The result: the body goes into a self- healing mode, causing patients to experience both instantaneous and long-term benefits. In many cases long term health problems either considerably improve or even disappear.

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Health Problems?
The Solution: ATLAS EVOLUTION!

Because the atlas plays such a central role in our overall health, nearly every health problem can be traced back, in one way or another, to the atlas problem, the following is a list of the most popular health problems resulting from a misaligned atlas. Though in many cases a health problem might have multiple causes, we have witnessed positive results in each of the following areas as well as complete recoveries.

Headache and Migraine
Fibromyalgia
Vertigo or Tinnitus
Neck pain/ stiff neck/ limited rotation
Shoulder pain/ stiff shoulder
Back Pain
TMJ
Chronic Fatigue
Depression
Brain Fog
Lumbago
Chronic muscle tension
Herniated disk
Scoliosis
Pinched nerves / Numbness and Tingling
Allergies
Digestion / Constipation
Uneven leg length
Insomnia
Bad Posture
Whiplash

It's not all about the Atlas but axis also, I am acutely aware of how important it is

Get to the Root of Neck Problems

Changing how your head sits on top of your spine can reduce back and neck pain, improve your posture, and revolutionize the way you breathe.

By Richard Rosen

Look around the next time you venture out to the movies or the grocery store, or any place crowds of people congregate. You don't need to be a trained yoga teacher to recognize that most of the heads around you don't seem to be screwed on quite right to their respective bodies. Though in the West, we spend a lot of time "in our heads," ironically, most of us don't know what to do with our heads—how to hold and move them properly—not only in asanas but in our daily lives. We tend to carry our heads to a greater or lesser degree forward of the spine, a symptom of the widespread afflictions of stress and poor posture. The ideal upright head is physically neutral, perched lightly atop the atlas (the aptly named first cervical vertebra) and supported by the underlying column of bones and minimal muscular effort in the back of the neck and shoulders. Along with this bare-bones support, the head is also sustained energetically by what I call the root of the neck. You won't find this root in any anatomy book. Like the roots of the arms and legs, the root of the neck is imaginary—but the image can be of immense practical use and can have profound therapeutic benefits.
You might suppose that the root of the neck is located where the base of the neck joins the top of the shoulders; in fact, it's farther down the spine, at the lower tips of the shoulder blades and behind the heart center, where you'll also find the roots of the arms. A neutral head is anchored deep in the upper back through this neck root, and all of its movements—whether forward (into flexion), backward (into extension), or to the side—are initiated from and flow out of this source.
A forward head, by contrast, hangs rootlessly off the front spine. This disrupts the spine's naturally sinuous curves and wreaks havoc with the muscles of the neck and shoulders as they struggle to keep the head's weight upright. This leads to a mixed bag of bothersome aches and pains in the head, neck, and back; reduced neck and shoulder mobility; and breathing limitations. Young children are usually cited by posture and movement experts as having a healthy, neutral head position, leaving us adults to ponder how we ever managed to end up as such slouches. However, we can be comforted by the knowledge that somewhere deep inside our bodies, the memory of this harmonious alignment of head and spine survives and can be recovered.
Your head may be the last thing you think about as you assume the various yoga postures, but it shouldn't be. For the successful practice of yoga—not only asana but also pPranayama and meditation—it's crucial to cultivate awareness of the root of the neck. Misalignment of your head in a posture can result in unbalanced loading on the cervical spine and strain in the neck and shoulder muscles. You can protect your neck first by learning how to find its root and arrange your head in a neutral position. Once you've got your neck in neutral, then you can add movement—twisting and turning, flexing or extending your neck to complete a pose. (In this article, we'll discuss only extension and flexion; rotation is considerably trickier to describe and to perform from the neck root.)

Down to the Root

To get a feel for both a rootless forward head and a properly rooted, neutral neck, pair up with a friend who practices yoga, so that you both see and can talk with each other about what you're observing and feeling. To start, have your friend sit "normally" in a comfortable position, then sit to one side so you can observe her in profile.
First, look at the center of her shoulder joint. If you're not quite sure where that is, have your friend slowly swing her arm back and forth a few times, like a pendulum. The center of the joint is right at the pivot point of this swinging motion. Then determine where the opening to your partner's ear canal is situated relative to the center of the shoulder joint. For many people, the ear canal will be ahead of the shoulder joint. If it is (and there's no guarantee that it will be, so you may need to look at another friend), you may notice some of the classic signs of a forward head: the relative shortness of the nape, lifted and rounded shoulders, and a pointy, Wicked Witch of the West chin.
Next, have your friend carefully extend her neck and head as if she were moving into a backbend like Ustrasana (Camel Pose), and note what happens. Typically, the base of the skull jams down onto the nape; the chin pokes even more sharply upward, hardening the throat, tongue, and soft palate; and the shoulders turtle toward the ears. Your friend will likely look as if she is wincing from a loud noise.
Finally, have your partner carefully flex her neck and head, lowering—but not forcing—her chin toward her sternum, and again note what happens. Usually, the habitually tense nape muscles refuse to elongate, the shoulders curve forward, and the chest sinks away from the chin. Your friend—and you—should file away all of these actions for future reference. You may want to change places with her so she can give you the same once-over.

Put It in Neutral

When you understand what a forward head looks and feels like, you can begin to gain an appreciation for a neutral head. Start by sitting behind your partner, pressing and spreading your palms against her shoulder blades and drawing them lightly downward. Remember that the action of neutralizing the head and then moving it (in any direction) is triggered from the neck root, and the root itself is galvanized by firming the scapulas into the back torso and descending them toward the tailbone. Make sure that your friend does not "help" the movement of the scapulas by poking her lower front ribs forward. Your hands on her back can gently remind her to lengthen her neck and lift the crown of her head.
Once the neck root is activated, two imaginary (or energetic) channels flow out of it. One streams vertically upward along the front spine, through the brain, to finally press against the cranial vault. To sense this channel, lengthen your neck and align your head by pushing up from the neck root below, rather than imagining that the head is being pulled up from above.
The second energetic channel climbs diagonally from the root through the chest and pushes the top of the sternum, called the manubrium—which is just below the small depression at the base of the throat—straight up toward what I call the crook of the throat, where the front of the throat joins the underside of the chin. Whenever you work with the sternum, it's important to distinguish between the manubrium and the bottom of the sternum, which is called the xiphoid. When instructed to lift the chest, we tend to shove the xiphoid forward, making the front ribs protrude and squeezing the lower back. A better, more balanced action for the spine is to elevate the manubrium as you release the xiphoid toward your navel.
Return to your friend's side now to bring these two channels to life. Hook the fingertips of one hand underneath the center of the base of her skull, in the middle of the back of the head-you should be able to feel a bump there, called the occipital protuberance, or inion. Lay the fingertips of your other hand on her manubrium and gently lift her skull away from the nape while pressing her manubrium up toward the throat crook and encouraging her to release her nape down toward her tailbone. There may be a tendency for the pressure on the inion to move the head forward—especially if you are pushing too hard—however, continuing to move the scapulas down the back counteracts this. Traditional yoga posits a mystical "third eye" on the forehead between the eyebrows; in this exercise, your friend can imagine there's a fourth eye on the back of her head, widening in wonder and delight as you spread the inion and nape apart.
At first, you might feel some resistance. Don't respond by pulling harder; any show of force will just make the neck muscles contract more stubbornly. Instead, apply gentle but persistent upward pressure to the skull. Eventually, the tensed muscles will give up, at least somewhat, and then you will see—and your friend will experience—a remarkable transformation: Her head will float up and back like a balloon; her chest will bloom open, freeing the breath in the heart and upper lungs; and the curves of her spine will gratefully lengthen.
Once you have brought the neck into a more neutral position, tip your friend's head slightly back, then slightly forward. In extension, a neutral head cascades back from the neck root, so the upper back and neck make one graceful arch, the throat crook stays soft, and the fourth eye opens. In flexion, the manubrium is first boosted from below by the scapulas to provide a nesting spot for the chin. Then the nape reaches out of its root and the chin pivots over the deep throat crook, snuggling comfortably down onto the manubrium.

The Taste of Freedom

Of course, soon after you let go of your friend's head (and she yours) it will likely slide forward—don't expect miracles. But you and your friend have laid the foundation and have had the tantalizing taste of freedom in the neck and head. Next, you need to learn to neutralize and move your head from the neck root in poses without the help of a partner.
Start with postures that require a neutral head. There are plenty of these poses, but choose something simple like Dandasana (Staff Pose) or Tadasana (Mountain Pose), the jumping-off points for other seated forward bends and standing poses, respectively.
If your head and neck still feel a little rootless, and you are not quite ready to practice without support, you can replace your yoga friend with a wall. Start by standing with your back torso against the wall (and your heels an inch or two away from it) and leaning into the wall so that it firms your scapulas against your back. From here, you can do various things with your hands and arms to intensify your awareness of the neck root and its two channels. For example, you might press your fingertips against the wall at the level of your hips and push the wall toward the floor; these actions help deepen and descend the scapulas to clarify the neck root. Alternatively, you could rest the fingertips of one hand on the top of the sternum, those of the other hand on the inion, and play with sensing the energetic channels.
In any case, adjust your head so it is close to the wall but not touching—that would bring your head too far back and give you, I suppose, a backward head. Stay for a couple of minutes to fix this position in your awareness, then step away from the wall and stand in Tadasana for a while longer, enjoying your newfound neutrality.

Back on the Mat

For your next several asana sessions, whether in class or at home, keep your head in this neutral, Tadasana-like position in whatever poses you're practicing. You might discover that this is quite challenging. You can have your teacher eyeball your head position in, say, Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) and help you make needed adjustments with verbal cues. When your neck root is primed and ready, add some easy extension and flexion poses to your practice. There are many extended-neck asanas in yoga, like Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose I) and the baby backbends, such as Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) or Ustrasana.
Flexed-neck postures are much rarer. You'll need flexion mostly for Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) and Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) and its variations—and for asanas like Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose) and Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat Pose). You will also need it in your pranayama practice for Jalandhara Bandha, one of yoga's three essential locks (bandhas).
Much of the value of an asana practice is in its enrichment of the quality of your daily life. Once you leave yoga class, you can apply the lessons of your vastly improved head-and-neck relationship to whatever you do. Over time, you'll feel lighter and taller—you may even be taller—and your head and neck will be more integrated with the rest of you, making for a happier body and a calmer mind

Candida and misaligned Atlas = Misdiagnosis on misdiagnosis

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Why hundreds of patients a year are misdiagnosed with MS

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By Joe Rojas-Burke, The Oregonian
on May 10, 2012 at 11:00 AM, updated June 08, 2012 at 12:45 PM

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Beth Nakamura/The OregonianThe allure of high tech brain imaging can distract physicians from simpler but sometimes more informative diagnostic methods, such as listening carefully to patients describe their symptoms and health histories.

Relying too much on brain scans appears to be one reason doctors each year misdiagnose multiple sclerosis in hundreds of patients whose symptoms are caused by some other disease. 

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center surveyed 242 multiple sclerosis specialists in the U.S. to find out how often they see patients who have been misdiagnosed. Among the 122 respondents, more than 95 percent said they saw at least one patient in the past year diagnosed with MS by another medical provider, but the specialist "strongly felt" the patient had some other disease. Three out of four specialists said they saw three or more misdiagnosed patients within the past year. 

The authors estimate that the 122 specialists saw 600 patients in a year who had been given an incorrect diagnosis of MS. An estimated 280 of the misdiagnosed patients were receiving therapy for MS with a disease-modifying drug, which can cause serious side effects and cost $40,000 or more per patient per year. 

"Some of these patients have had this diagnosis for years," says lead author Dr. Andrew Solomon, an assistant professor at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, who began the research while he was at OHSU. "All of us had seen patients like this, who had a diagnosis of MS but we felt sure they did not have MS. That's what prompted this study." 

MS is a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system. Symptoms vary from mild numbness in the limbs to severe paralysis and loss of vision. The severity and progress of the disease vary unpredictably. 

Doctors have no definitive blood test or imaging scan to confirm the diagnosis. They must take into account the patient's health history and performance on tests of movement, balance, vision, and mental function. Spinal fluid tests and MRI brain scans can be helpful. 

The pattern of misdiagnosis revealed by the survey suggests that doctors are leaning too much on MRI findings, Solomon says. 

That fits with previous reports, including a 2003 study in which two-thirds of the 281 patients referred for possible MS had other neurological conditions. Among the patients referred because of abnormal MRI results who did not have MS, 70 percent had a more obvious explanation for the abnormal MRI, including high blood pressure, migraine, or other neurological disease. 

"MRIs are not a substitute for a good history and neurological examination in the diagnosis of MS," cautioned Dr. John R. Corboy of the University of Colorado Multiple Sclerosis Center and co-authors.

'Therapeutic frenzy'

Unnecessary use of powerful MS drugs on misdiagnosed patients was underway as early as 1997. In a review of 366 cases that year, Harvard Medical School neurologist Charles Poser found that 130 patients did not have MS, and 14 of them were receiving recombinant β-interferon treatment for MS. Another 10 misdiagnosed patients said their neurologist had recommended the treatment. 

Back then, Poser speculated that marketing of the newly approved β-interferon had created a "therapeutic frenzy" that further propelled misdiagnosis. "I found that some patients referred to me with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis had already been given these drugs, irrespective of the clinical characteristics of their disease," he wrote. "I have also noted that many patients who receive β-interferon do not have multiple sclerosis, and some patients started to take the drugs even after they were told that I could not confirm the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis."

Solomon and colleagues in Portland hope their survey points the way to improving diagnostic accuracy. 

"We have a lot of data on all of the problems that can be mistaken for MS," he says. "This provides a snapshot of what we are actually seeing in practice." The journal Neurology is publishing the study, funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of Health and the Partners MS Fellowship Award.

About one out of seven of the surveyed MS specialists who had identified a misdiagnosis said they did not always tell the patient. They reasoned that the patient wasn't receiving MS therapy and that changing the diagnosis might cause psychological harm. 

The Colorado study found that psychiatric disorders were the root of the problem for more than one-fifth of patients referred for possible MS. "These patients often go from physician to physician, using significant resources, not getting appropriate evaluation and treatment, and undergoing great emotional distress," Corboy and colleagues noted. 

Dr. Dennis Bourdette, director of the OHSU Multiple Sclerosis Center and co-author of the new survey, says misdiagnosed patients remain at risk of getting a harmful treatment, while being deprived of treatment likely to help. Money wasted as a result of misdiagnosis is hard to count but would surpass $11 million a year just on medical treatment of cases identified in the survey. 

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Diseases that mimic ms, but no mention of Candida or Misaligned Atlas, perhaps they are the answer to most

Diseases That Mimic MS

By: Chris Ratliff and reviewed by Jack Burks M.D.
It is hardly unusual to hear stories of people who have been misdiagnosed several times before finally being diagnosed with MS. Others remain in limbo for years, wondering if they will ever get a definite MS diagnosis. This is partly because there is no single diagnostic test to establish a definite MS diagnosis, and also because there are many diseases which manifest symptoms similar to MS. These are called MS mimics.
WHY MIMICS MATTER
Familiarizing yourself with MS mimics and the ways in which they compare to MS can demystify much of the diagnostic process. Sometimes, the process of elimination is the only way to a MS diagnosis. Therefore, the more you know about MS mimics, the quicker you and your doctor can eliminate them as possibilities. Today, with MS specialists advocating early, aggressive treatment, the sooner a MS diagnosis can be confirmed, the better.
"If you are diagnosed with MS, you want to be sure that the diagnosis is correct," states Dr. Jack Burks, Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Nevada School of Medicine and senior editor of the book Multiple Sclerosis: Diagnosis, Medical Management, and Rehabilitation. "Certainly, other diseases can look like MS, but the treatments are not the same."
AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES THAT MIMIC MS
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a demyelinating, neurological disease characterized by inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms may include headache, seizure, stiff neck, ataxia, optic neuritis, vomiting, weight loss, lethargy, delirium, and sometimes paralysis of a single limb or one side of the body.
ADEM differs from MS in that it is often clearly triggered by an immunization, or viral infection. The most common cause is prior measles infection, usually in children. ADEM runs a monophasic course, which means that there is one episode.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), is a chronic, inflammatory disease that may affect the skin, joints, blood and kidneys. Symptoms include achy, swollen joints, extreme fatigue, anemia, skin rash, sun or light sensitivity, hair loss, seizure, and Raynaud's phenomenon, where fingers turn white or blue in the cold.
Sometimes called the great imitator, lupus commonly displays symptoms associated with another disease, such as MS. Lupus and MS can be diagnosed simultaneously, although that is less common than being diagnosed with one disease, and then later, diagnosed with the other.
An antinuclear antibody (ANA) test can help to confirm a lupus diagnosis, but other diseases, including MS, can also produce positive ANA results. In addition, even a person who has lupus will not always produce positive results on this test. A urinalysis or kidney biopsy may be performed to check for signs of possible kidney problems. MRI, CT scan, echocardiography, x-rays, and other diagnostic criteria are also used. Sometimes, MS lesions on the spinal cord can be a distinguishing factor, or first-trimester miscarriages, which are quite common in women with lupus, but not women with MS.
Sjögren's Syndrome is a chronic disease in which white blood cells attack the moisture-producing glands. It is a systemic disease, which means that it affects the entire body. Symptoms include dry eyes and mouth, difficulty swallowing and speaking, fatigue, joint pain, decreased sensation, and numbness. Sjögren's can plateau, worsen, or go into remission, and some people will experience mild symptoms, while others will be greatly debilitated.
Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests can be helpful in differentiating between MS and Sjogren's because nerve damage in MS is central, but nerve damage in Sjögren's is peripheral. However, this is not always the case. Occasionally, Sjögren's affects the central nervous system, causing cognitive impairment and spinal cord involvement.
"Some researchers believe that Sjögren's syndrome is somehow linked to MS," Burks says. "But this opinion remains highly controversial."
Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a disease in which weakness occurs when the nerve impulse responsible for initiating movement fails to reach the muscle cells. Individuals with MG have an increased risk of developing other autoimmune diseases.
MG symptoms tend to fluctuate throughout the day, often worsening at night. Droopy eyelids, facial weakness, impaired eye coordination, weakness of the limbs, neck, shoulders, hips and trunk muscles are all typical. Muscle fatigue is common, and heat, overexertion, or increased stress can aggravate this symptom. MG can occur at any age, although young women and older men are the most commonly affected. Those with MG experience no loss or change in sensation and they don't normally experience generalized fatigue. Instead, they experience localized fatigue in overtired muscles.
"A very specific test for MG is a blood test for serum antibodies to acetylcholine receptors," Burks explains. "Eighty percent of all patients with MG will have abnormally elevated serum levels of these antibodies."
Sarcoidosis typically appears between the ages of 20 and 40. Usually, the disease appears briefly and heals naturally. However, between 20 and 30 percent of sarcoidosis patients are left with some permanent lung damage, and in 10 to 15 percent of the patients, the disease can become chronic. Symptoms include dry mouth, excessive thirst and fatigue, skin rash, vision abnormalities, chronic arthritis, shortness of breath, enlarged lymph glands, cough and fever. A chest x-ray is one of the most helpful diagnostic tools.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES THAT MIMIC MS
Lyme disease (LD) is an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacterium carried by deer ticks. Untreated, the bacterium travels through the bloodstream, causing severe fatigue, a stiff, aching neck, tingling or numbness in the extremities, and facial palsy. The primary symptom is usually a rash that radiates from the tick bite. Diagnosis should be made on the basis of symptoms and evidence of a tick bite, not blood tests, which can often give false results if performed in the first month after infection.
Those who live or work in residential areas surrounded by tick-infested woods, or enjoy hiking, camping, fishing and hunting, or live in endemic areas are at increased risk for this disease.
Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus-1 (HTLV-1) is associated with progressive spinal cord dysfunction. Symptoms include spasticity, partial paralysis of the lower limbs, bladder and bowel incontinence, and impotence. HTLV-1 can be ruled out with a titer, which is a type of elevated antibody test. "HTLV-1 affects the spinal cord and does appear similar to primary progressive MS," Burks explains. "But HTLV-1 primarily occurs in the Caribbean, so it is important to ask about travel to endemic areas. Besides the Caribbean, these areas include Southern Japan and less commonly, the Pacific Coast of South America, Equatorial Africa and the Southern United States. HTLV-1 is also common among intravenous drug users."
Neurosyphilis, the advanced form of syphilis, can cause visual problems, cognitive changes, and sensory or motor tract dysfunction. As with HTLV-1, testing the production of antibodies can eliminate syphilis and neurosyphilis from the list of possible diagnoses. "Neurosyphilis is not as common as it once was," Dr. Burks explains. "This is because syphilis, the forerunner of neurosyphilis, is so readily treatable today."
VASCULAR DISEASES THAT MIMIC MS
Stroke symptoms include sudden trouble with vision in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of coordination, sudden severe headache, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, sudden nausea, fever, vomiting or loss of consciousness.
"Strokes can be caused by bleeding in the brain or by blood clots that cut off the blood supply to an area of the brain," Burks explains. "The result is that neurons in the brain die. Major strokes cause very obvious losses in function and are unlikely to be confused with MS. However, smaller strokes can produce changes or loss in function that can look similar to a MS attack. Many people with MS have first been misdiagnosed with stroke."
Central nervous system (CNS) Angitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels of the brain, can produce headache, confusion, and other neurologic deficits that slowly progress.
Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas are abnormal structures of blood vessels along the spinal cord that deprive the spinal cord of blood, resulting in weakness, bladder and bowel changes, and sensory symptoms, all of which appear in a relapsing or progressive manner. MRI of the spinal cord or spinal angiography may be required to confirm diagnosis.
Binswanger's is a cerebrovascular disease usually seen in older patients with high blood pressure. Demyelination of the white matter surrounding the brain, similar to white matter lesions seen in MS, can appear with this disease.
OTHER MIMICS
Other diseases are occasionally confused with MS. These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.
Fibromyalgia involves pain and fatigue of the muscles, ligaments and tendons. Muscular pain can be shooting or throbbing. Burning, stiffness, fatigue, face and head pain, cognitive impairment, numbness, tingling, dizziness and impaired coordination are common. Changes in weather, hormonal fluctuations, stress or depression can all contribute to symptom flare-ups.
"Although fibromyalgia does mimic MS, it will not show up on an MRI or even be observable at an exam," Burks says. "Fibromyalgia is very non-specific."
Vitamin B12 deficiency may cause demyelination, numbness and tingling of the hands and feet, fatigue, weakness, and in extreme cases, change in mental status. "There is a theory that vitamin B12 can actually produce more myelin, so people with MS may assume that they need more of it," Burks says. "But B12 is only beneficial if you have a deficit to begin with."
A FINAL WORD.
"While MS may have many mimics, a neurologist can usually make a correct diagnosis early in the disease by taking a careful history, doing a complete neurological exam, looking at the MRI, and sometimes, evaluating the spinal fluid," Dr. Burks states. "If you are concerned about your diagnosis, you can discuss your concerns with your neurologist and possibly get referred for a second opinion from a MS expert at a comprehensive MS center. The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation can help you locate a MS center in your area."
(Last reviewed 7/2009)

Candida - Eczema, IBS, Rheumatoid Arthritus, Infertility and much more

Candida

by Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN

Candida albicans are a species of yeast that normally reside in the GI tract. It is only when overgrowth occurs, or allergy to candida develops, that trouble begins. Candida is an opportunistic fungus which feeds primarily on sugars and other yeast-containing foods (foods that are aged, pickled, dried, fermented or cured). Actually, the problem with yeast-containing foods is that they are "seen" by the immune system of a person with candida as foreign invaders, hence triggering reaction. Overgrowth of candida is also caused by stress, use of antibiotics, steroids and oral contraceptives. It is the overgrowth of candida in the gut that can lead to a myriad of symptoms, and it is more often than not the cause of the latest GI disorder on the medical map, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Symptoms of IBS can include constipation alternating with diarrhea, gas, bloating and cramping particularly in the lower abdomen with unpredictable bowel movements and urges. This can be a source of much discomfort, not to mention the unhappiness that comes with a social calendar becoming contingent upon the availability of a bathroom. Typically, the dysbiosis (bacterial imbalance) that occurs with IBS starts with the invasion of multiple colonies of candida in the gut, followed by toxicity. Yeasts give off many toxins, like zymosan which causes inflammation.
Research conducted at the University of Tennessee in Memphis found that zymosan is found to cause much of the inflammation associated with psoriasis. Another toxin called arabinitol is known to produce toxic effects on the brain, nervous system and immune system in animal studies. Numerous other toxins produced by yeasts may explain the memory retention problems, feeling "drunk", hormone disturbances, fatigue and depression experienced by so many with yeast problems.
It is worth noting that over ninety percent of a healthy population is "allergic" to candida. How can that be if it normally resides in the body? The delayed hypersensitivity (Type 4 allergy) response by the immune system is what helps the body control yeast overgrowth. This is a normal and protective response to yeast but sometimes it gets out of hand. An immediate hypersensitivity response to candida (Type 1 allergy), which is found in approximately 10 percent of the population, can cause hives, asthma, eczema, chronic vaginitis, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. In these cases, immunotherapy with sublingual drops of varying levels of attenuated candida extracts successfully neutralizes the immune response, abating the hypersensitivity.
Other abnormal or unusual allergic reactions to yeast may trigger autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, thyroiditis, or celiac disease. A recent study published in the Lancet showed candida contains a protein called HWP-1 which is similar in its structure to gluten. A candida infection in the gut can cause an immune system reaction to HWP-1, which then stimulates an allergic reaction to the gluten in wheat and other grains and may trigger celiac disease in genetically-susceptible people. Under these circumstances, a gluten-free diet alone may not do the trick in relieving symptoms in a patient with celiac disease. A yeast-free diet with antifungal supplements such as Olive Leaf Extract, Oregacillin and/or medications such as Nystatin, Diflucan, Sporanox or Lamisil may be necessary. Other studies assert that candida is a sensitizing agent. Rats raised with regular doses of antibiotics, when inoculated with live candida, were found to develop allergies to mold, dust and pollen.
Wiping out yeast overgrowth in the gut requires starvation (of the yeast, not the patient!) and elimination with a yeast-free, sugar-free diet and antifungal supplements. During this detoxification period, re-inoculation of the gut with healthy probiotics such as Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics Original Formula, Culturelle, or Vital 10 is critical. Dysbiosis caused by candida overgrowth warrants the consistent use of these probiotics so that bacterial balance may be re-established and healthy gut ecology maintained.
While both sexes with yeast overgrowth may share conditions such as sinusitis, asthma and joint pain, several conditions are exclusive to women, particularly those between the ages of 20 to 55. Among candida-aware health practitioners, the following are considered yeast-related health problems:

• PMS
• Recurrent vaginal yeast infections
• Vulvodynia (burning vulva)
• Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Endometriosis
• Dyspareunia (painful intercourse)
• Infertility

Other conditions common to both sexes and children that may be yeast-related include:

• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Urticaria (chronic hives)
• Acne
• Colitis
• IBS
• GERD
• Chronic ear infections
• Crohn's disease
• Prostatitis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Lupus erythematosus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Myasthenia gravis
• ADHD
• Autism
• Depression

References:

Re my previous post re Mental Health

No wly wonder people in todays society are so unpredictable, then on top of Candida caused leaky gut syndrome, put them on prescribed anti depressants or recreational drugs and they spiral out of control. and it's not their fault its the cocktail that exists inside them

Schizophrenia,Depression, Mental health, The Gut and Psychology

Schizophrenia, Depression, and the Little-Known "Mental Health"/Dietary Link: An Interview with Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride

Posted November 29, 2007. There has been 1 comment

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Did you know your food can affect your mood? What you eat and the state of your digestive system can keep you healthy and happy or may cause schizophrenia, depression, and developmental disorders.

Did you know there could be a link between mental health and your diet?
Imagine treating schizophrenia, depression, ADHD and ADD, bipolar disorder, autism, and obsessive-compulsive disorder with food instead of medicine!
In the UK, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride has uncovered a link between mental health and the food we eat. Prompted to look outside conventional medicine for a solution to her own child's developmental disabilities, Dr. Campbell-McBride found that digestion plays a major role in healthy development, mood, and mental health.
Today we discuss her book Gut and Psychology Syndrome and the link between mental health and diet that could change your life!

Q. In your book, you talk about the gut-brain connection. What is it and why is it important to psychiatric patients?

A. No system in your body functions in isolation. They are all connected, so it makes logical sense that all of our systems (cardio-vascular, digestive, nervous systems) operate together and affect one another.
Most psychiatric patients suffer from digestive problems. They have unhealthy inner ecosystems where there is an overgrowth of bad bacteria, yeast and fungus; they cannot digest food properly. This creates a large number of neurotoxins that can move from their intestines through the damaged intestinal lining into the blood stream where the toxins are carried to the brain.
This reality makes digestive health imperative for anyone with a mental disorder. Correcting digestive health can treat the disorder, and in some cases heal it.

Q. Where do the dangerous neurotoxins come from that may cause schizophrenia, depression, and other mental disorders?

A. One source of neurotoxins is digestion of certain foods, especially processed foods like sugar, flour and milk products.
For example, many people who suffer from depression, schizophrenia, ADD,ADHD, and autism also have an overgrowth of a yeast called Candida albicans. Candida and other yeasts feed on glucose from sugar and digest it differently from the good bacteria in your gut.
Candida albicans (and other yeasts turn dietary glucose into alcohol (ethanol) and its by-product acetaldehyde.
These toxic products of impaired digestion can:

• Reduce stomach acid
• Damage your gut lining
• Impair your immunity
• Affect your metabolism
• Cause brain damage

So for many people with digestive problems, consuming sugar is like consuming alcohol.

Q. Now it makes sense why sugar is known as the "white death." What about gluten and casein? Many people with developmental and mental disorders avoid them. Why?

A. Gluten and casein are two other dietary substances that are difficult to digest and may contribute to mental health problems.
Gluten is a protein found in grains, and casein is a protein found in milk and milk products. Many people with digestive dysfunction (and mental disorders) struggle to digest the proteins in gluten and casein. Their bodies turn these proteins into substances similar to opiates like morphine and heroin.
Researchers believe that these substances get into the brain and affect it just like the drugs would and could be a cause of schizophrenia, depression, and other mental disorders.

Q. So you're saying that improper digestion might be a leading cause of schizophrenia, depression, ADD and ADHD, and autism. How does digestion become so impaired to allow these disorders to develop?

A. Any of these mental health conditions is due to a complex set of factors that is different for each individual. Gender, genetic makeup, pre-natal nutrition, drugs, environmental factors and more all contribute to a person's development.
In most cases, those who suffer from mental health disorders like depression and schizophrenia, and from developmental disorders like autism, something has harmed the beneficial bacteria in their gut, sometimes before birth and sometimes later on in life.
Some common culprits that damage gut flora include:

• Antibiotics
• Over-the-counter pain killers
• Steroids
• Birth control pills
• Diets full of sugar and processed foods
• Disease
• Stress

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride's book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, shows how digestion can affect your mental health. With clear explanations and helpful diagrams, she clearly shows how food can change your mood, and more! While Dr Campbell McBride's dietary suggestions follow the guidelines of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Donna Gates recommends that EVERYONE read The Gut and Psychology Syndrome today to learn valuable information that will enhance your understanding of the connection between the brain in our gut and the brain in our head!

Q. How can we heal the intestines and in turn heal our mental health?

A. Diet and lifestyle are two key factors that can cause schizophrenia, depression, autism and other mental disorders. Similarly, diet and lifestyle can heal mental and physical health.
If digestion heals, then the brain can also heal. Soon, mental disorders will be a thing of the past!
A Great Complement to The Body Ecology Diet!
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride's book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, delves into the functioning of your intestines and explains in detail how digestion and mental health are intricately connected. She also gives wonderful advice on how to heal your gut with diet.

This book is an excellent addition to your natural health library and will expand on concepts you've learned in The Body Ecology Diet. Both books together are key in your journey to mind and body health.