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Swiss Bee-Keepers Hold Key to MS Vaccine

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 | Author: admin

Investigators: David Wraith and Hartmut Wekerle
by John Bonner

Swiss bee-keepers are the unlikely source of evidence to suggest that a proposed new treatment for multiple sclerosis will work, said immunologist David Wraith from the University of Bristol.

Wraith’s team has been investigating ways of blocking the specific T cells that react to proteins of the protective myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells. The T cells produce inflammatory cytokines that mediate destruction of the protective sheath.

He has been using synthetic peptides based on fragments of myelin protein to induce tolerance and stop the disastrous autoimmune response.

The approach has been successful in a laboratory model for human MS, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Repeated exposure to the peptides switches off the Th1 pathway, which generates T cells that produce tumor necrosis factor and other cytokines implicated in the inflammatory response in MS patients.

Treated mice express a different T-cell population, known as Th0, which produces the protective cytokine IL-10. This blocks any further autoimmune degeneration by preventing antigen-presenting cells from activating new Th1 cells.

The peptides are squirted up the nostrils rather than given as an intravenous vaccine. This makes use of the mucosal immune response designed to prevent damaging inflammatory reactions to harmless antigens in the air and (in the gut mucosa) in food.

“Most autoimmune diseases are inflammatory responses, and so we are tapping into the machinery which has been specially designed to dampen down the inflammatory process,” Wraith told BioMedNet News.

Even antigens that are otherwise harmful can be tolerated when presented to the immune system via the mucosal surface. Scientists in the mid-19th century described how Native Americans had devised a way of preventing skin reactions to poison ivy by regularly eating the plant’s leaves, Wraith says.

But, Wraith needed evidence that the beneficial changes induced by the vaccine in mice could also be generated in humans. “It is all very well having an animal model. But before we could think of trying this approach on patients, we needed evidence that people could produce the same type of T cells that generate the protective IL-10 response seen in mice.”

That evidence came from a study of beekeepers in Switzerland, which showed that regular exposure to bee stings switches off allergic reactions - the bee-keeper’s blood samples were rich in IL 10.

Wraith has an agreement in principle from the UK medicines licensing authority to begin trials in MS patients. These are likely to begin within the next year, after completing the necessary preclinical safety tests. Patients will probably receive a primary course of repeated weekly doses followed by monthly booster doses. He expects those patients in the early stages of the disease to benefit most.

Current treatments for MS do little more than treat the symptoms of the disease.

Even the controversial beta interferon therapy works only in some patients and then only slows the progress of the disease. “We hope that we can shut the gate - this is the only treatment that gets to the heart of the process that causes the disease,” he said.

Bio Med Net News July 27th, 2001

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

MS is one tough illness to reverse. But if one gives careful attention to the eating plan and implements some of the treatments discussed below should help to resolve the underlying issues contributing to the problem.

Elimination of milk and dairy is critical. Studies have shown that cow’s milk consumption is correlated with MS prevalence (Neuroepidemiology 1992;11:304-12, Neuroepidemiology 1993;12:15-27).

Additionally one should always consider heavy metal toxicity when addressing MS.

NST is one of the more important aspects of a successful treatment strategy for neurological diseases like MS. NST can help by restoring balance to the autonomic nervous system with a secondary improvement in the immune system.

This certainly has been my experience with rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Klinghardt, who was not interviewed for this article, also has a considerable amount of clinical experience with MS and has found bee venom therapy to be helpful. There is a link to the protocol below for Lyme Disease which is identical to the MS protocol.

My comment in that article also has a phone number where professionals can order the bee venom.

Other useful measures include:

1. Vitamin D Deficiency - MS much more common in individuals with lower vitamin D levels and in countries where people get less sunlight exposure. A previous article in the newsletter showed a positive effect of sunlight exposure on MS. Maybe correcting a vitamin D deficiency can halt progression?

2. Calcium AEP - Although I don’t know of any good studies on it, the late Dr. Nieper in Germany used it extensively in his clinic and Dr. Robert Atkins in New York City claims that 85% of his patients get positive results from it. Although there is an oral form available, most physicians use an IV administration. I have not tried it yet but might enter a clinical investigation with it in the near future.

3. Electromagnetic Stimulation of the Pineal Gland - There is a Dr. Reuven Sandyk in the NYC area who uses AC pulsed electromagnetic fields to stimulate the pineal gland and he seems to get some very good results, although the treatment is very expensive and must be done long-term. Due to the prohibitively expensive equipment, Dr. Sandyk’s clinic is probably the only place to receive this treatment.

4. Alpha Lipoic Acid - A study from the Netherlands showed that Lipoic acid is a non-specific scavenger of Reactive Oxygen Species and decreased the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages. Free radicals appear to play a regulatory role in the destruction of myelin (Journal of Neuroimmunology 1998 Dec 1;92:67-75)

5. Progesterone - Progesterone has actually been shown in animal studies to promote the formation of new myelin sheaths (Human Reproduction 2000 Jun;15 Suppl 1:1-13, J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 1999 Apr-Jun;69:97-107, Mult Scler 1997 Apr;3:105-12). I am not aware of any clinicians using progesterone the treat MS patients, but if any of my readers have any additional information on this, please e-mail me.

Category: Better Living, Diet & Nutrition, Health, Western Medicine | Leave a Comment

Starvation Diet May Improve Multiple Sclerosis

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 | Author: admin

Article from www.mercola.com

The theory that diet may play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS) was further confirmed by a study indicating that starvation may impact the progression of the disease.

In the study, starving mice with a similar condition for 48 hours resulted in fewer symptoms and fewer signs of advancement of the illness in the brain. Although they still developed the disease, their physical symptoms were less severe.

Typically, a healthy, balanced diet is recommended for those suffering from MS, a neurological condition in which the immune system attacks the coating of nerve fibers in the brain. Researchers say that a nutritional approach combined with drugs may offset the progression of the disease.

And the researchers concede that the effect they have noticed may be due to the removal of just one ingredient from the diet - but they do not yet know which one.

Although it is uncertain why starvation may be beneficial to MS, researchers mention that the effect could be due to the removal of any one ingredient from the diet–though they are not sure which one. Leptin, a chemical released by the body that reduces appetite after eating, may also be involved.

Researchers also mentioned that the positive effects seen on the animal model of MS used in the study might not necessarily extend to humans.

Journal of Clinical Investigation January 2003;111(2):241-50

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

MS is a very challenging problem to treat. There are no simple solutions. However this study suggests that lowering your food intake may help.

I suspect this may be largely related to normalization of insulin levels, and it is likely that the elimination of grains and sugars from the diet was the reason why investigators noted improvements in the above study.

Following a healthy diet is, of course, also key, along with eating right for your Metabolic Type.

Optimization of your vitamin D levels is also of primary importance as many studies suggest. You should NOT guess at your vitamin D levels; I highly recommend serial blood tests to help you maintain your vitamin D level around 50.

In my experience with MS patients there is nearly always a precipitating traumatic emotional event that causes the immune system to crash. Clearly, issues related to this event need to be addressed.

Fortunately, there are many tools to help you do that. Many of you know that I use EFT, personally and in my practice, for this purpose. Because MS is such a serious challenge I would not advise using EFT for MS by yourself, but rather only as a supplement to a trained EFT practitioner. Gary Craig has compiled a list of EFT Practitioner Referrals. Many of these therapists even offer a free 15-minute phone session in which you can ask them questions to see if you connect.

Also consider these other helpful approaches for MS:

1. Elimination of pasteurized milk and dairy is important for most people. Studies have shown that cow’s milk consumption is correlated with MS prevalence. Many people will tolerate RAW dairy, however.

2. Calcium AEP–Although I don’t know of any good studies on it, the late Dr. Nieper in Germany used it extensively in his clinic, and Dr. Robert Atkins in New York City claims that 85 percent of his patients get positive results from it. Although there is an oral form available, most physicians use an IV administration. I have not tried it yet but might enter a clinical investigation with it in the near future.

3. Electromagnetic Stimulation of the Pineal Gland–There is a Dr. Reuven Sandyk in the NYC area who uses AC pulsed electromagnetic fields to stimulate the pineal gland, and he seems to get some very good results. The treatment is very expensive and must be done long-term, however, and due to the prohibitively expensive equipment, Dr. Sandyk’s clinic is probably the only place that offers this treatment.

4. Alpha Lipoic Acid–A study from the Netherlands showed that Lipoic acid is a non-specific scavenger of Reactive Oxygen Species and has decreased the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages. Free radicals appear to play a regulatory role in the destruction of myelin (Journal of Neuroimmunology 1998 Dec 1;92:67-75).

5. Progesterone–Progesterone has been shown in animal studies to promote the formation of new myelin sheaths (Human Reproduction 2000 Jun;15 Suppl 1:1-13, J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 1999 Apr-Jun;69:97-107, Mult Scler 1997 Apr;3:105-12). I am not aware of any clinicians using progesterone the treat MS patients.

Category: Diet & Nutrition, Health, Western Medicine | Leave a Comment

Exposure to Organic Solvents May Heighten MS Risk

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 | Author: admin

Article from www.mercola.com

Consistent exposure to organic solvents such as toluene, white spirit and xylene may increase a person’s risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study.

The study followed close to 12,000 painters, who are known to be exposed to organic solvents, from 1970 to 1986. Construction workers, 36,899 of them, and 9,314 food-processing workers, who were not thought to have been exposed to organic solvents, were also followed.

After a review of participants’ disability pensions at the end of the study, results revealed that nine painters, 12 construction workers and six food workers had been diagnosed with MS.

The cause of MS, which occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers in the brain and spine, remains unknown. Symptoms of the disease include muscle weakness and stiffness, balance and coordination problems, numbness and vision disturbances.

The study showed that painters had almost double the risk of receiving a disability pension because of MS than the combined group of construction and food processing workers.

Researchers believe the findings indicate that exposure to organic solvents might increase the risk of developing MS, though more research is needed to fully address the association.

Epidemiology November 2002;13:718-720

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Typically solvent exposure is more strongly associated with another neurological illness, Parkinson’s Disease. However, it is clear that these toxic chemicals can play all sort of havoc with the human brain.

Please see the other article on MS in this issue that addresses my current strategy for treatment.

Category: Better Living, Drugs, Health, Western Medicine | Leave a Comment

Amazing Recovery From Multiple Sclerosis

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 | Author: admin

Article from www.mercola.com

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

The longest study to date on therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) recommends that patients with MS be treated with Avonex (a type of interferon) as early as possible. The central premise of the article is absolutely correct–one should start treatment of a chronic disease as soon as possible as it becomes progressively more difficult to treat the longer one holds off on treatment.

However, I have major disagreements with the study’s recommended treatment–Avonex. Someone please help me understand why ANYONE would use a drug that costs $1,200 per month–yes, you heard me correctly, $1,200 per month–and in no way, shape or form treats the cause of the disease. (If you are thinking corporate drug company greed that sure sounds right to me.)

You will be able to see the flaws with this recommendation yourself by reading the following story of one patient with MS who came to see me. Like nearly all severe chronic disease cases I see, his event started shortly after a severe emotional trauma occurred in his life. When he came in I had him stop the Avonex immediately, as I don’t believe that there is any indications at all to ever use this drug. He followed a raw-food, metabolically appropriate, diet and received plenty of energetic emotional treatment. Over the next few weeks 10 of his 12 initial symptoms all but disappeared and the remaining two improved. He said he hadn’t felt so good in years.

If he had waited a few more years and came in a wheel chair, I suspect it may not have been possible to obtain the same results. At some point the damage does become irreversible. Prior to my application of nutritional typing and effective emotional interventions, it was uncommon to see these types of improvements with MS, but now I am really shocked if we don’t see them. Fortunately, I am seeing these types of improvements quite regularly now in the MS patients we are treating.

For more information on MS treatments please see the related links after the story below.

By Matt Bolson
Woodridge, IL

“I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) on May 1, 1999 and was put on Avonex [an Interferon beta drug]. The drug cost me $1,200 a month and for the over two years I was on it my symptoms continued to get worse and I had fevers and many other drug side effects.

I realized that I needed to find out how to get some positive results and then I came across an article in Dr. Mercola’s newsletter, which I’d been reading for about two years, called “MS Drugs a Waste of Money“. I really wanted
to get off the drugs so I made an appointment to see Dr. Mercola.

I’ll never forget Dr. Mercola’s response when I asked ‘When can I go off the drugs?’ He asked me what time it was, and I said ‘It’s 2:00.’ He replied, ‘Well, how about right now?’

After I saw Dr. Mercola and stopped taking the drugs, it took about one and a half to two months of following his program before I began feeling better. I had been following a low-fat diet, which is what is typically recommended for MS, but found out that this was conflicting with my nutritional type, which turned out to be protein type.

I began eating dark meat chicken and red meat, which I love but hadn’t eaten in almost three years, and raw coconut and avocados. I’d never thought to eat raw coconut or avocados before, but now they’re just about my favorite foods on the program.

I also began to eat raw meat–bison and beef–and noticed an immediate change in how I felt. I also juice, mostly spinach and celery, almost daily.

When I started the program I was in the middle of an exacerbation and was feeling weak and numb, but soon I began to feel better. I used to get nerve and spine pain, searing head pain and fevers and now it’s all gone.

But there were two major factors that I learned at The Optimal Wellness Center, aside from the dietary changes, that really made a profound difference in my recovery. First, I had to learn that I didn’t have MS, I had
symptoms associated with it. Next, I had to believe that I could overcome this disease, even though that goes against everything you hear in mainstream media.

I did EFT with Linda, an EFT therapist, and that really helped me to accept these two truths. Learning and believing these two factors was imperative to my recovery. I was also able to see my progress each month with the live blood cell analysis from Jordan. Being able to see my blood on the screen and actually see it improve was the coolest thing I’d ever seen!

I’d also suffered from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for my entire life, but when I changed my diet my stomach repaired itself almost immediately. Now I continue to improve, feel great and am completely off the MS drugs. Dr. Mercola’s program has really made a difference for me.”

Category: Better Living, Drugs, Health, Interesting Stuff, Western Medicine | Leave a Comment

Yet Another Reason Why MS Drugs Harm Your Health

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 | Author: admin

Article from www.mercola.com

Multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder that causes blurred vision, weakness and memory loss, affects more than 1 million people worldwide. And just like other MS “wonder drugs,” Biogen Idec’s Avonex has been linked to critical, potentially fatal, side effects. Together with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Biogen has issued a warning that Avonex could cause severe liver damage to MS patients.

A statement posted on the FDA’s Web site further stated that the drug has, in some cases, been found to cause liver damage in the presence of other drugs linked with hepatic (liver) injury.

But this isn’t the first time Biogen has experienced product pitfalls: Two cases of an unusual, but deadly, infection of the central nervous system occurred in patients taking Avonex in juxtaposition with Tysabri–already pulled from the market–for over two years. To say the least, Biogen’s stock continues to crash and burn.

Beta-Interferon Drugs Responsible for Liver Problems

Avonex is an injectable medicine known as a beta-interferon drug–which blocks the immune system’s white cells from attacking the protective coating that surrounds nerve fibers. Other beta-interferon drugs rivaling Avonex include:

  • Pfizer’s Rebif
  • Schering’s Betaseron

In defense, a Biogen spokeswoman explained that liver trouble has been found to be a side effect among all drugs in the beta-interferon class, and that the warnings pertaining to Avonex are not a product-specific case. Both Rebif’s and Betaseron’s labels contain warnings pertaining to potential liver problems. Avonex’s label is schedule to reflect revisions soon.

ABC News March 16, 2005

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Yet another crystal clear example of how detrimental drugs can be to your health. Drug solutions are rarely ever the best bet for disease but that is especially true for MS. Additionally with MS, most drugs are quite expensive and typically cost well over $1,000 per month.

And as noted in the above article, Avonex, like other MS drugs, is an interferon. Interferon drugs have the power to damage brain functions and are among the conventional medications that may harm or even kill their users. If you are not familiar with the danger of interferon drugs please read Dr. Russell Blaylock’s excellent article titled, The Harmful Brain Effects of Interferons.

I have rarely found interferons to be effective in treating MS and have never prescribed it. Even though it has the appeal of a “natural” therapy, it really isn’t because it is forcing the body to some unnatural level of interferon, which is unlikely to be anything but randomly associated with the optimal level.

Additionally, your body has a dynamic intricate feedback loop that constantly modulates and adjusts important biochemistry like interferon. Once you remove the feedback loop out of the circuit you are simply asking for trouble. Generally a prescription for interferon is a prescription for potential disaster. Depression is a common side effect of interferons and is the last thing someone with MS needs.

Treat MS With Safe Alternatives Instead

I used to cringe when a new MS patient would come to my office, as the tools I had 10 years ago were not sufficient to significantly alter the course of the disease. However, since then I have learned that there are a number of very effective natural treatment options for improving MS and, in many cases, eliminating it entirely. With these new tools I welcome MS patients in the practice, as I am confident that the vast majority can be improved:

  • It is imperative to have your vitamin D blood levels checked. I would check the level every month or two until the level was between 45 and 55. Believe me, it is worth the hassle, time and expense to get this one right as vitamin D clearly is vital in the treatment of MS.
  • MS patients must receive adequate amounts of vitamin D, as it keeps your cell growth and activity in check. Although sunshine is still your best natural source of vitamin D you can consume a high-quality cod liver oil.
  • Fish oil and cod liver oil are also loaded with beneficial omega-3 fats like DHA and EPA. These are also critical in the treatment of MS. You may not need any supplemental vitamin D in the form of cod liver oil, but virtually every single MS patient needs a high-quality fish oil once their vitamin D levels have stabilized with sun exposure.
  • In my experience with MS patients, there is nearly always a precipitating traumatic emotional event that causes the immune system to crash. Issues related to this event need to be addressed by using an effective energy psychology tool like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), but only with the help of an experienced practitioner.
  • Removal of heavy metal toxins like mercury

Like most diseases, the earlier in the course of the illness you start treatment, the higher the likelihood of success will be. Thus, start utilizing the resources above and experience the benefits for yourself!

Category: Better Living, Drugs, Health, Western Medicine | Leave a Comment