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Benign
Treatments for Autism
Colostrum
Repairing Brain & Spinal
Cord Damage
When
Science & Politics Conflict
Prenatal Memory
Encouraging
Breast Feeding
Schizophrenia & Rheumatoid
Arthritis
American
Dietitian Association
Tuberculosis Research
The MCS Simon Study
Stress-Relieving
Therapies & Health Costs
Integrating
Holistic Principles
Kaiser's
Grievance Procedure in Action
Removing Amalgam
Fillings
Schizophrenia and
Omega 3
Yeasts & Mental
Illness
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A group of medical and scientific specialists who took part in the
1995 Defeat Autism Now! conference have developed a set of non-pharmacological
recommendations for treating autism and other attention disorders. Some of the
recommendations involve diet changes. In general, the group recommends a varied diet of
fresh, unrefined foods. More specifically and depending on the individual child,
improvement can occur with diets that eliminate foods containing gluten and casein (wheat
and milk), yeast and molds (bread, cheese, dried fruit), and/or other foods to which the
body is allergic or sensitive. Trying different combinations of supplements is another
suggestion: vitamin B5 and magnesium supplements; multiple nutrients, with an emphasis on
vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, zinc and selenium; dimethylglycine; and/or peptidase-rich
digestive enzymes such as those prepared from papaya and pineapple. Third, many autistic
children respond positively to antifungal medications such as nystatin or fluconazole
(Diflucan).
Sidney M. Baker, MD, a graduate and former full-time faculty member
of the Yale Medical School and prior director of the Gesell Institute for Human
Development, says: "Most of the treatments were talking about from the perspective of
the DAN! group are benign treatments. The drugs simply dont work. In fact, autism is the
least amenable human problem I can think of to treat with drugs. At the same time, the use
of antifungal medications and gluten- and casein-free diets are by no means smooth
sailing. One can initially have impressive negative reactions to yeast therapies because
of yeast die-off, or negative responses to withdrawal of gluten because of withdrawal
effects . Its important for families to become full participants and be really clued in,
so they can not only enjoy the good responses but can also understand the bumps in the
road, so the bumps dont make them stop traveling the road."
Baker coauthored a protocol that describes diagnostic tests that
help doctors determine which of the many biochemical, environmental, and genetic factors
may be contributing to a childs attention disorder. Because these factors vary and are so
individual, the protocol does not contain a treatment plan. Parents and professionals can
order the updated protocol from the Autism Research Institute ($25) at 4182 Adams Avenue,
San Diego CA 92116. The Institute also has a list of physicians currently using the
protocol and a calendar of training seminars for professionals.
"A Biomedical Approach to Autism and Related Disorders"
Sidney M. Baker, MD interview. Latitudes, Vol. 3, Number 1. Latitudes is a bi-monthly
newsletter published by the Association for Comprehensive NeuroTherapy. Phone
561-798-0472.
Just before giving birth and for about 3 days after, female mammals
produce colostrum, a fluid that is secreted with mothers milk. Colostrum provides the
infant with amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that enhance digestion and
cellular metabolism. Most importantly, it contains numerous immune factors, which foster
the development of a strong immune system, and antibodies, which protect the infant
against specific pathogens. The mother's antibodies for measles, pertussis, mumps, and
other diseases that she contacted before her pregnancy are also in her beast milk. These
antibodies protect the infant from becoming seriously ill when exposed to these microbes.
For some reason, antibodies that result from vaccinations do not seem to transfer to the
infant.
Bovine colostrum, like human colostrum, contains a bounty of
vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and immune factors, making it a beneficial supplement for
adults as well as for babies. The immune factors, which include factors that boost an
underactive immune system or suppress an over-active one, transfer between species.
Studies have found that supplemental colostrum is helpful in protecting the body from
pathogens that enter or occur in the digestive tract. In the early 1950s, Dr. Albert Sabin
recommended bovine colostrum for children who were susceptible to catching polio. More
recently, animal studies have indicated that colostrum can also help suppress
inflammation. Its anti-inflammatory properties may make it useful for treating arthritis,
lupus, allergies, asthma, MS, HIV, and some cancers.
Bovine colostrum supplements are made from 5 gallons of the
approximately 9 gallons of colostrum produced by a cow in the first 36 hours after giving
birth. The supplements are available as powder, capsules, tablets, chewable lozenges and
liquids. Most require refrigeration. Supplements that have whey protein added usually have
lower levels of immunoglobulins and other immune-enhancing factors.
Colostrum: Natures Gift to the Immune System by Beth M. Ley. BL Publications, 21
Donatello, Aliso Viejo CA 92656. Phone 888-367-3432. Cost is $4.95 + $2.00 shipping.
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Harry Goldsmith, MD has developed a surgical technique called
omental transposition to repair brain and spinal cord damage. He surgically lengthens the
omentum, covering damaged areas with it. The omentum, a large, fatty membrane that is
attached to the stomach and transverse colon, contains angiogenic and neurotrophic
factors, which promote the development of blood vessels, increase blood flow, and support
nerve tissue. Goldsmith has published over 200 scientific articles, nearly half of which
concern the omentum and its ability to rejuvenate nerve tissue. Surgeons in other
countries Ð Brazil, Venezuela, Italy, India, Cuba, Singapore, and Japan Ð have been
receptive to his techniques. Over 5,000 omental transpositions have been done in China.
Although Goldsmith performs the procedure regularly with a team in Germany, omental
transposition is done on a very limited basis in the US.
Omental transposition may be useful in treating any traumatic or
age-related condition that impairs mental and motor abilities, including stroke,
Parkinsons, Alzheimers, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injury. An Alzheimers patient in
his mid-seventies, who had omental transposition on half of his brain, showed improved
cognition and short-term memory. An autopsy performed at his death two and a half years
later revealed that considerably fewer senile plaques were found wherever the omentum had
contacted the brain. A 17 year-old gymnast, who became quadriplegic when his neck was
fractured, regained complete use of his upper body and extremities after the surgery. A
nun, treated with omental transposition two and a half years after a stroke, recovered her
ability to read within several weeks after surgery. For more information on omental
transposition, send $2 and a SASE to Health & Healing Ð Omentum, 7811 Montrose Road,
Potomac MD 20854.
"This Innovative surgical Procedure Can Help Brain and Spinal
Cord Injuries" Dr. Julian Whitakers Health & Healing June 1997. For subscription
information call 800-539-8219.
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A Wall Street Journal editorial (28 February 1997) publicized yet
another example of what happens when scientific investigation finds something that
conflicts with an ideology. In 1994, medical researcher Janet Daling and colleagues at
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, found a 50% increase in the
incidence of breast cancer among women who had had abortions. This observation was
substantiated with laboratory rats whose pregnancies were aborted; these rats were also
more likely to get breast cancer. In October 1996, the British Medical Associations
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health published studies of abortion and breast
cancer incidence. The analysis found a "remarkably consistent, significant positive
association between induced abortion and breast cancer incidence the increased risk is
seen in both prospective and retrospective studies from around the world, in populations
with the widest imaginable differences in ethnicity, diet [and] socioeconomic and
lifestyle factors."
A couple of months later, studies that claimed to refute these
findings were printed by Journal of the National Cancer Institute and the New England
Journal of Medicine. Data in each of these two studies indicated that there was a
significant correlation between abortion and breast cancer, but the authors of the studies
negated the correlation in their conclusion. Each journal also published an editorial that
declared that abortions do not increase the risk of breast cancer and, now, with these
studies, the whole controversy could be put to rest.
Although Daling is pro-choice, her studies have been viewed as a
threat to womens freedom to have abortions. "I dont want to see womens right to have
an abortion taken away," she says. "But I dont think those things should enter
into the science. It should be a separate issue . If politics gets involved in science, it
will really hold back the progress that we make."
"The Politics of Cancer Research" by John McGinnis. The Wall Street Journal
February 28, 1997. Editorial.
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Hard to believe but, until recently, signs of pain or pleasure in
infants were discounted as mere reflexes by Western doctors. Neurologists assumed that,
since the fetal and newborn nervous system is incomplete, infants were not aware of their
surroundings. Recent studies indicate that children not only are conscious as infants,
they are affected by and have accurate memories of life in the uterus. Obstetrician and
gynecologist Rene Van de Carr, who wrote Prenatal Classroom (with Marc Lehrer, PhD),
developed a set of exercises involving music, touch, and speech for parents to perform
with their unborn child. He conducted four controlled studies, involving 3,000 mothers and
fathers, to investigate the effect of such exercises on child development. He found that
children who receive this kind of attention sit, stand, walk, and talk sooner than those
who havent; and, their muscular control and hand-eye coordination was above normal.
Psychologists have collected evidence that children are affected by
and can accurately remember prebirth experiences. These memories often take the form of
physical sensation and emotional states. Psychologist David Chamberlain, author of Babies
Remember Birth, said one four year-old boy put his ear to his pregnant mothers stomach and
said, "The baby is crying." When his mother told him that babies dont cry in the
womb, he replied, "I did." This child was spontaneously remembering his reaction
to his mother being beaten while he was in utero. Canadian psychologist Dr. Thomas Verny,
who published The Secret Life of the Unborn Child in 1981, believes that "what
happens to us in the nine months between conception and birth shapes our personality,
goals, and views of life." He tells of a music conductor who unexpectedly discovered
that he already knew by heart a cello concerto that he was to conduct. It turned out that
his mother, a cellist, had learned the piece while she was pregnant with him.
Many traditional cultures view fetuses and newborns as spiritual
beings who are able to interact with and be imprinted by their social environment. The
child-rearing practices of the Yequana Indians of Venezuela, documented in The Continuum
Concept by Jean Liedloff, welcome the child as a valued member of its tribe from the
moment of conception. Liedloff attributes the psychological health, resilience,
equanimity, and good humor of these people to their awareness and respect for the
spiritual consciousness of their unborn.
Western scientists are moving toward a recognition that
consciousness exists independently of the physical body. Neurologist Richard Bergland
theorizes that "the brain is actually a gland, because it produces hormones, has
hormone receptors, and accomplishes nearly all of its functions using hormones. Since
hormones exist throughout the body thought and memory may not necessarily be localized in
the head." Biologist Rupert Sheldrake views the brain as a "tuning device."
Rather than generating thought and emotion, the brain "may tune in the thoughts of
the mind, which exists somehow outside, or independent of, the physical body."
Recognizing that neurologically-undeveloped fetuses are conscious, also challenges the
belief that the mind resides in the brain.
"Creativity Begins in the Womb" by Richard Heinberg.
Intuition Volume 1, No. 4.
Intuition Magazine
P.O. Box 460773
San Francisco CA 94146-9804 USA
Phone 415-949-4240
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Numerous studies have long confirmed that breast-fed children enjoy better
health than formula-fed infants, but breast-feeding affects more than physical health. Two
recent studies published in The Lancet have found that breast-fed children are more likely
to have higher IQ's and less likely to have neurological dysfunction than formula-fed
children. In the first study, published Feb. 1, 1992, A. Lucas et al, found that
"children who had consumed mother's milk in the early weeks of life had a
significantly higher IQ at 7 1/2 to 8 years than did those who received no maternal
milk." The researchers found that the correlation held even when adjustments
regarding the mother's education and social class had been made. Moreover, the more breast
milk a child consumed, the greater the IQ later in life. The second study (Nov. 12, 1994)
compared 135 nine-year-olds who had been breast-fed to 391 nine-year-olds who had been
bottle-fed. Researcher C. I. Lanting and colleagues found that the formula-fed children
were twice as likely to have a neurological dysfunction. Such dysfunctions often
contribute to behavioral and learning difficulties in school.
IQ deficits and neurological dysfunction are considered important risk
factors for criminal behavior and delinquency. Breast-feeding infants may be one means of
lessening the risk of such behavior. Despite the many advantages to mother and infant,
only slightly more than half of this country's women (52% in 1991) choose to breast-feed.
A recent study points out a way to encourage breast-feeding, even among low-income,
under-educated women.
Nancy Brent and colleagues at The Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh gave
comprehensive breast-feeding information to 51 inner-city mothers, some of whom intended
to bottle-feed. All the women were also told about the benefits of breastfeeding, and
women who had decided to breast-feed were given instructions on how to do so. These women
were given lactation counseling for up to a year after childbirth. A control group of 57
received standard care, consisting of optional breast-feeding class before delivery and
postpartum instruction by nurses and doctors. 61% of the intervention group breast-fed for
a median duration of 84 days. 32% of the control group breast fed for a median length of
33 days.
"Mother's milk increases IQ, reduces neurological problems" CRIME Times Vol.
2, No 1, 1996. The Wacker Foundation, Dept. 132, 1106 North Gilbert Rd., Suite 2, Mesa,
Arizona 85203.
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Schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis are mutually exclusive, that is, no
person can suffer from both diseases. Yet, both of these illnesses often occur in the same
family, indicating a genetic component. Researchers have found that the two diseases
result from enzyme blockages that prevent the conversion of tryptophan into vitamin B3
(niacin). Depending upon where in the conversion chain the blockage occurs, a person
develops either schizophrenia or rheumatoid arthritis.
Australian doctor Chris M. Reading has found, after working with over 400
rheumatoid arthritis patients and 500 schizophrenic patients, that both conditions exhibit
similar food and chemical sensitivities. Dr. Reading recommends that patients avoid
alcohol, junk food and pressor amine-rich foods (curry, chili, zucchini, capsicum); yeast
and fermented foods; gluten-containing grains; cow's milk; beef; eggs; legumes-beans;
solanaceae (tomato, potato, eggplant, tobacco); salicylates (plums, apricots, cherries,
citrus, apples, currants, raisins, almonds); and tobacco/cigarettes. As with most
elimination diets for food sensitivity, foods are gradually reintroduced as the patient
improves. Dr. Reading also recommends supplements to provide additional amino acids,
essential fatty acids, manganese, zinc, magnesium and folic acid, and vitamins C, E, and
B-complex.
The treatment can reverse the pain and inflammation of the synovial
membrane, associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Reading has also found the the
nutritional approach is effective with schizophrenic patients, allowing them to gradually
reduce their psychiatric medication.
"Relatives; Schizophrenia & Rheumatoid Arthritis; Including
Nutritional Interventions" as written by Dr Chris Reading in the SOMA newsletter,
Australia. Well Mind Association Newsletter, 4649 Sunnyside North, Seattle, Washington
98103 U.S.A., March 1995.
SOMA Health Association of Australia PO Box 180, Bondi Beach, New South Wales,
Australia 2026. January 1995.
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The American Dietitian Association seeks to "improve
the health of the public" through its Consumer Nutrition Hotline and its
publications. Representatives of the ADA are often quoted in media reports as experts on
nutritional matters. The ADA's reliance on trade groups like the Sugar Association and
companies like Coca-Cola and M & M Mars for 15% of their 1995 budget and the
association's refusal to make any negative comments concerning foods has damaged its
credibility.
A New York Times article gives several examples of current
ADA information. A 1994 ADA nutrition fact sheet, financed by a monosodium glutamate
manufacturer, states that clinical tests showed people were no more likely to respond to
MSG than to a placebo. A grant from the National Assn. of Margarine Manufacturers led to
the development of another fact sheet, which claims "There is little scientific
evidence to suggest that current consumption levels of trans-fatty acids need to be
changed." At the ADA's 1995 convention, a chocolate-promoting pamphlet, developed
with the help of the ADA, was passed out by representatives from the Chocolate
Manufacturers Association. At the same convention, the ADA refused to allow
representatives from the CSPI to hand out information on Proctor & Gamble's fat
substitute, olestra, which is being reviewed by the FDA.
Doris Derelian, the President of the American Dietitian
Association, claims that "it is impossible to disseminate the association's message
without outside money." What is the message?
"Corporate Support to Dietitians Group Is Called Unhealthy" by
Marian Burros. New York Times, November 15, 1995.
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Tuberculosis Research
Tuberculosis kills more people than any other infectious discase. One
third of the world's population is carrying the opportunistic tuberculosis bacillus; about
10% of these people will develop clinical TB. AIDS and the rising incidence of drug use,
which weakens the immune system, are being blamed for the unexpected increase of TB in the
US. In addition, malnutrition and crowded conditions encourage its spread among the
homeless, prison population, and inhabitants of inner cities. "The World Health
Organization estimates that new cases will have increased from 7.5 million per year in
1990 to 10.2 million by the year 2000."
Because few research laboratories had expertise with TB, US public
health officials asked the Laboratory Research Branch (LRB) of G.W. Long Hansen's Disease
Center (Carville, Louisiana) to begin research on the disease when TB cases suddenly
increased. Although the two diseases are very different, Hansen's disease (leprosy) and
tuberculosis are caused by related bacteria: Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. LRB tested seven drugs in two and three drug combinations for effectiveness.
It has also screened thousands of synthetic and natural compounds for anti-TB activity.
Their research is important because new strains of M. tuberculosis have
developed. Patients treated with the wrong drugs and those who do not complete the full
six-month treatment regimen can develop drug-resistant strains of the bacteria. Not only
do these patients continue to suffer from TB, they also spread drug-resistant organisms to
others, organisms that do not respond to current drug combinations.
"Tuberculosis Research in the Laboratory Research Branch" by
James L. Krahenbuhl, PhD. The Star September 1996. The Star is published quarterly by
patients of the Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center, P.O. Box 325, Point Clair Br.,
Carville, Louisiana 70721.
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The MCS Simon Study
A few years ago, the Simon Study on multiple chemical sensitivities
reported no immunological difference between MCS patients and its controls. This finding
supported the hypothesis that MCS is a psychologic disorder, not an immunologic one. Half
of the study's funding came from a major aerospace company; that does not automatically
make the findings suspect. What does compromise the study's conclusion is a piece of
information that one of the study's authors stated at a public forum: "reliability on
most of [the lab's] measures is no better than chance." The researchers had sent
pair-blinded specimens from 10 subjects to the lab used for the study. There was no
"statistically significant" relationship between specimens from the same person.
This vital bit of information was not included in the study itself.
MCS Referral & Resources, a patient advocacy group, complained to
the federal Office of Research Integrity (ORI) that the Simon Study's authors
"knowingly failed to disclose all data relevant to their findings, i.e. the
pair-blinded immunologic tests." At least two University of Washington faculty
members who reviewed the case recommended a full investigation, but the final review
committee decided not to investigate further. Even before its publication, the Simon Study
was being cited in depositions by the aerospace company's lawyers.
What sets the Simon Study apart from other weak studies that have been
used to support powers-that-be: is the reaction to MCS Referral & Resources'
complaint. Several publications, including the New England Journal of Medicine, New York
Times, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology and the Seattle PI, contained articles
calling for "more protection for scientists who make discoveries that threaten
Ôvested interests.'" The vested interests to which the articles referred included
the tobacco industry, lead industries, pharmaceutical companies, and patient advocacy
groups; the complaint filed by MCS Referral & Resources was given as a specific
example. If a scientist reports a discovery that (s)he knows is based on inaccurate data -
"reliability...no better than chance" - who needs protection from whom?
"Simon Study Continues...." New Perspectives Spring 1997. New
Perspectives provides Washington MCS support and information. Its address is P.O. Box 532,
Carlsborg, Washington 98324.
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Stress-Relieving
Therapies & Health Costs
Insurance companies, HMOs, the NIH, and businesses are finding ways to
incorporate mind-body strategies to reduce stress and improve health. Regular use of yoga,
meditation, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and other similar practices have fostered
improvements in several conditions, including arthritis, cardiac arrhythmias,
hypertension, insomnia, pain, and nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Dean
Ornish's heart disease program, proven to reduce coronary artery blockage and the need for
surgery, relies on a low-fat vegetarian diet and mind-body therapies: yoga, meditation,
and group support. Studies have found that health care costs drop an average of 33% among
people who regularly practice stress-relieving techniques or who take part in a support
group. The evidence has convinced Norman Anderson, PhD, associate director of the NIH and
director of its Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, to set up a committe!e
that will decide how to integrate mind-body therapies into regular medical care.
Some insurers and HMOs are already integrating behavioral strategies to
lower medical costs. In addition to offering some of the stress-reducing techniques
already mentioned, several health plans are promoting health education. Kaiser Permanente
(Southern California), for example, started an education program for parents. By improving
their understanding of fever and how to cope with it, Kaiser experienced fewer office
visits for childhood fevers.
One company, Texas Instruments (TI), is seeking ways to modify the work
environment so that its employees have less need for stress-reducing techniques in the
first place. Many studies have shown that high-demand, low-control jobs cause stress,
stress that damages health and reduces productivity. A committee is looking at how the TI
physical work environment and job design aids or hampers well-being. Its observations on
the correlation between stress reduction, wellness, and sustainable job performance may
encourage other businesses to take an active role in the prevention of ill-health.
"The mind, the body and the benefits budget" by Jan Ziegler.
Business & Health, February 1997.
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Integrating Holistic
Principles
Slowly but surely, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is
being integrated into the health care insurance programs. Some proponents of alternative
medicine worry, however, that holistic principles will be distorted or discarded as CAM
practices become part of a reimbursement system that focuses solely on the diagnosis and
repair of physiological dysfunctions. Insurance forms require a designated code for a
specific complaint and another code for its treatment. They ignore the complex and
individual interactions of a patient's mind-body-soul. Healers - whether they use
conventional or unconventional treatments - find themselves hog-tied by the impersonal
nature of the current reimbursement system.
In his article "Reinventing Primary Care," Elliott S. Dacher,
MD, suggests that, rather than let the insurance system strip CAM of its holistic
principles and reduce it - as conventional medicine has been reduced - to a mechanical,
prescribed treatment of disease, primary care practitioners can shift the focus from
diseased conditions back to the art of medicine. The art of medicine balances the
reductive and holistic perspectives. It is based upon the quality and character of the
caring relationship that a practitioner has with him/herself, with his/her patients, and
with his/her community. Dacher says that the essential component of a healing relationship
is empathic listening, during which one seeks to fully and non-judgmentally understand
another's experience. Empathic listening cannot occur unless one silences his/her own
inner dialog and personal perspectives. Dacher also suggests that practitioners seek an
expanded biogr!aphical history for each patient, one that includes the biological,
psychological, social, and spiritual. Such a history prevents primary care practitioners
from reducing the people who come to them to mere physical complaints and honors the
humanity of both parties.
"As healers again begin to approach their clients and the healing
process using both intellectual, sensory-based knowledge, and empathic, intuitive
knowledge," writes Dacher, "the practice of medicine will be revitalized.
"...The art will return to medicine. And what exactly is this art
of medicine? It is the creative capacity to enter into the experience of another human
being, understand from the client's perspective the nature of that life and its forces (by
empathic listening) and participate with this individual in composing a healthy life,
involving recovery, healing, and health - the fully lived life."
"Reinventing Primary Care" by Elliott S. Dacher, MD.
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine November 1995. For subscription information,
call 800-345-8112.
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Kaiser's Grievance
Procedure in Action
A case in California illustrates the drawback of relying upon health
maintenance organizations (HMOs) to address the grievances of clients who have complaints
about their care. When Wilfredo Engalla joined Kaiser Permanente of California in 1980, he
had to sign a contract agreeing to submit any medical malpractice claim to binding
arbitration instead of filing a lawsuit. Arbitration is supposed to be less expensive and
quicker than a court trial. According to the Kaiser Service Agreement, the opposing
parties argue their case before a panel of three experts and submit to the panel's
decision. One expert is chosen by Kaiser, one by the member, and a third neutral party is
selected by the two chosen experts.
In 1986, Engalla was troubled by a constant cough and shortness of
breath. A 1986 lung X-ray revealed abnormality, but no diagnostic tests for lung cancer
were given. Over the next five years, the Kaiser diagnosis was that Engalla suffered from
allergies and common colds. A new set of X-rays taken in 1991 showed that Engalla had
inoperable lung cancer. Believing that the Kaiser physicians had been negligent in failing
to diagnose the cancer sooner, Engalla and his family asked for arbitration of their
grievance.
According to the service agreement, the first two experts were to be
chosen within 30 days; and, they in turn were to select the third expert within another 30
days. Kaiser's outside attorney did not name an expert until 47 days after Engalla's
lawyer had filed for arbitration on May 31, 1991. In mid-August, the Engalla family
learned that Kaiser's expert would not be available until late November. Engalla's death
was expected long before then. Under California law, the complainant could receive up to
$500,000 for non-economic damages - if (s)he were alive. Upon the complainant's death, the
limit drops to $250,000. When, after repeated requests from Engalla's counsel, Kaiser
finally selected an alternate, Kaiser continued to stall by ordering its appointed
arbitrator to reject neutral arbitrators proposed by the other side. It took 144 days, not
60 days, before all the arbitrators were selected. On the 145th day after his! claim for
arbitration had been filed, Engalla died.
Despite a request from Engalla's counsel to ignore the $250,000 award
limit, Kaiser was determined to take advantage of its delay tactics; so, the Engalla
family took their case to court. The court ruled that the Engalla family's charge that
Kaiser had committed fraud had enough merit to be decided by court trial. Court records
showed that it took an average of 674 days for a neutral expert to be named in Kaiser
arbitration cases between 1984 and 1986 - well beyond the 60 days put forth in Kaiser's
Service Agreement. If the court finds Kaiser guilty of fraud, the Engallas will not be
bound by the service agreement. Their medical malpractice claim will be resolved by yet
another trial instead of through Kaiser's arbitration system.
"HMO's Arbitration Process Provides Delay, Not Justice"
Public Citizen Health Research Group Health Letter September 1997 (no address available)
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Removing Amalgam Fillings
The American Dental Association refuses to admit that mercury amalgam
fillings can affect health even though scientists have known for decades that mercury
harms the immune system, reproductive system, central nervous system, kidneys, and
beneficial mouth and colon bacteria. Dentists who advocate removing mercury amalgams risk
censure and delicensure for promoting a costly procedure that, critics say, has no
scientific basis.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine,
proper amalgam removal reduced or eliminated 80% of the symptoms associated with chronic
mercury poisoning in 118 patients. Before the fillings were removed, a survey listing 38
symptoms revealed that 83% of the patients experienced fatigue, 76% poor concentration,
65% poor memory, 64% irritability, 62% muscle fatigue, and 61% metallic taste. In
addition, over half of the patients complained of bloating, headache, joint pain, throat
pain, allergies, and poor appetite. Before amalgam removal, researchers tested each
patient's serum globulin reaction to 34 different metals and dental materials so that
replacement fillings would be biocompatible with each individual.
Filling removal followed the protocol recommended by Hal Huggins, DDS
(Colorado Springs, Colorado). The protocol includes the use of antioxidants, vitamins,
minerals, and dietary guidelines to support the immune system and the use of proper
ventilation and oral suction to lessen contamination from the mercury and mercury vapor
during its removal. One to four years after mercury (and, in some cases, other metal)
fillings were removed, the subjects were given the same list of 38 symptoms and asked to
indicate whether their complaints had improved, disappeared, or remained unchanged: 48% of
symptoms were reduced, 31% were eliminated, and 21% were unchanged. Patients whose blood
serum test showed a strong globulin reaction to amalgam metals "did not recover as
favorably as those with mild reactions."
"Symptoms Before and After Proper Amalgam Removal in Relation to
Serum-Globulin Reaction to Metals" by H. Lichtenberg, DDS. Journal of Orthomolecular
Medicine Fourth Quarter 1996. Phone 416-733-2117; Fax 416-733-2352.
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Schizophrenia and Omega 3
An excerpt from Leo Galland, MD's book The Four Pillars of Healing
(Random House), reprinted in the newsletter Health Perspectives, recounts the case of a 16
year-old patient who had been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic two years before.
Catherine was deeply troubled and frightened by voices that told her to kill schoolmates.
When Galland first met her, she was taking Thorazine, a tranquilizer, to help control
symptoms. On physical examination, Galland noticed that "[h]er skin had the texture
of rough sand, visibly peeling, from her arms and legs; her hair had the texture of a
rusty Brillo. She was about the driest teenager I had ever seenÉ."
That dryness made him wonder if Catherine had an omega-three essential
fatty acid deficiency, which can cause abnormalities in the development and function of
the nervous system. According to Galland, a small Nigerian study indicated that some
people with schizophrenia metabolized omega-3 EFAs very slowly and seemed more prone to
EFA deficiency. Also, Dr. Donald Rudin reported several cases of schizophrenia that
responded to flax oil while performing research at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute
during the 1970s. Flaxseed oil and fish oil contain high concentratians of omega-3 EFAs.
Galland asked Catherine to take 3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil each day,
along with a multivitamin. He recommended the multivitamin-mineral supplement because the
body needs certain vitamins and minerals - especially E, C, A, B3 (niacin), selenium,
zinc, and manganese - in order to use EFAs. When Galland saw Catherine one month later, he
noticed that her skin and hair were less dry and that her behavior had changed. Instead of
being withdrawn, Catherine smiled, made eye contact, and had opinions. She asked to stop
taking Thorazine since the voices had disappeared. At her next month's appointment,
Catherine's skin and hair appeared normal. "[S]he was attending school every day,
doing well in her class work, engaging in sports, and visiting friends with whom she
hadn't spoken for two years." She was no longer taking Thorazine. Galland recommended
that she reduce her intake of flax oil to one tablespoon per day. Catherine an!d her
parents believed that she was cured. Telephone follow-up by Galland over the next two
years confirmed that "she had no further problems."
"Flaxseed Oil: Pillar of Health" by Leo Galland, MD. Health
Perspectives Sept/Oct 1997. Health Perspectives, 315 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Suite U6,
Encinitas, California 92024. Phone 800-200-9931.
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Yeasts & Mental Illness
In an interview for the newsletter Mastering Food Allergies, Richard G.
Jaeckle, MD discusses the role of yeasts in causing mental disturbances. "[E]very
psychiatrist has probably treated patients whose schizophrenia, psychosis, and/or
depression just wouldn't respond no matter how many potent psychotrophic drugs they
tried," says Jaeckle. "This is the patient population I think we're finally able
to help: I'm suggesting that we achieve mood improvement, improved self-control when
necessary, and so on, by vigorously and aggressively addressing those patients' yeast
infections."
Jaeckle relates the case of a periodically violent, 12 year-old girl
who did not respond to anti-psychotic drugs. When the girl's symptoms cleared up for 24
hours after receiving Milk of Magnesia to clear her gut, Jaeckle focused on
gastrointestinal allergies. Because psychotic symptoms flared up even with rotated
single-food meals, Jaeckle convinced her to take gastrocrom, a medication that blocks the
release of histamine. Gastrocrom enabled her to eat foods without reacting to them.
Jaeckle used provocative neutralization to treat her food allergies; but, although she
improved, symptoms continued to persist. Then, Jaeckle tested the girl for antigens of the
body yeasts Tricophyton, Monilia, and Epidermophyton. Within minutes she became
uncontrollable; it took two injections of benedryl to stop the reaction. Jaeckle gave her
regular T-E antigen injections for several months along with nystatin, supplements of
lactobacillus acidophilus, vi!tamin C, magnesium citrate, and diet suggestions used to
treat candida. As long as this treatment continued, she displayed no symptoms and behaved
normally. After several months, her platelet neurotransmitter levels, which reflects brain
activity, had normalized.
Because of the link between body and mind, the biologic and the
psychiatric, Jaeckle does thorough physicals on new psychiatric patients. He takes time to
ask questions and look for signs of physical illness that may be linked to the patient's
mental symptoms. Elevated white blood count, uric acid and CPK enzymes in patients' lab
work may indicate yeast-induced psychosis, but not all patients reacting to yeast will be
suffering from an overgrowth large enough to show up in lab tests.
"Yeast-Related Mental Disturbances: An interview with Richard G.
Jaeckle, MD." Mastering Food Allergies January-February 1995. Mast Enterprises, Inc.
2615 N. Fourth St. #616, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814. |