There is a certain irony that takes place when you launch a raw foods web site because, no matter how much you love and believe in what you do, no matter how solid the proof may be that the information you're providing is true and accurate, no matter how clearly it can be demonstrated by analyses of blood tests or tons of "before and after" photos that this lifestyle heals the human body, you're still pretty much bound by legal best practices to include a full disclaimer on your site. And, as much as you just write it once and kind of forget about it, it's always there. For practical reasons, of course we understand all of that. But beyond all of that, there's an implied message that "only a medical doctor" really knows what's best for you.
Well, in fact, we DO recommend working with a competent health professional. But what we do not endorse here is simply accepting whatever that professional has to say without question. So, the operative word would be "competent" in that recommendation.
The only reason I bring all of this up is because we learned today, upon receiving Wendi's next set of blood test results, that yes, Wendi has Lyme disease -- as we have known for months. (It's not an easy disease to diagnose, as the bacteria can disguise itself and trick the immune system, among other things.) What's shocking to me about this is that, even after pleading with her doctor for a course of antibiotics to address the Lyme (which, if taken immediately can result in an almost immediate cure of the disease), even after reviewing each and every symptom she'd been enduring (all of which are classic Lyme symptoms), he flat-out refused. "Your blood test says no Lyme, you look healthy, so you don't have it," he said, refusing to acknowledge that a *majority* (over 80%) of Lyme tests return false negatives.
He said to her: "Unless you were camping in a heavily infested Lyme tick area for two weeks or more, you couldn't have Lyme. Sure, it sometimes presents itself outside of those areas, but you don't have it. Plus, your test results are better than mine!"? This is nothing more than pure ego. The subtext of all that was: "*I* am the doctor. *I* went to medical school. *I* have an M.D. degree. Therefore, whatever YOU say, whatever YOU feel, whatever YOU read on some Internet site, is ridiculous. Only *I* am capable of determining what ails you. I am right. You are wrong."
And meanwhile, the patient suffers. I cannot begin to tell you, during this period of uncertainty when we were trying to figure out what Wendi had, the number of similar heartbreaking stories we've heard. Frankly, they *abound* on the Internet. People are being denied medicine, forcing them unnecessarily into more chronic stages of this disease. Many others are told that they're essentially crazy(!), that their symptoms are psychosomatic.
We spend quite a lot of time on this blog discussing intuition -- intuitive eating, being in tune with your body, etc.It's really a very difficult thing to teach, perhaps even more of a gift than a learnable ability. But, we'll continue to cover it here in the hope that, over time, it can be learned by more people. I'm certain that it's one of Wendi's gifts, this ability to know what's going on in her body at any given time. (I can't always tell so much, although I think raw has helped me significantly in this area.)
At some point, though, you're faced with a related dilemma: Do I trust the M.D. who is telling me that I'm crazy, or do I go with my gut Well, thankfully, it doesn't always have to be so dramatic. Going with your gut doesn't necessarily mean you're "going it alone" in terms of your medical care. It can be as simple as realizing that you DO have a say in your care, and that you are free to fire your doctor if he or she is not listening to you. So, she fired him.
Quite hysterically, he fired Wendi as well! (Trust me, she beat him to that, though; he was fired the moment he rolled his eyes and told her there was nothing wrong with her!) After refusing to treat her for the ailment that she had, he sent her a letter saying something about how the doctor/patient relationship should be based on communication and mutual trust, and that he couldn't work with her. (I could very realistically note here that, had she blindly trusted him, she could very well have progressed to a wheelchair-bound life.)
So, she embarked on the LONG process of finding a "Lyme literate" doctor. Yes, there are actually doctors so designated, though it's all unofficial. These brave men and women risk their livelihoods and professional credentials each and every day by accepting patients claiming to have Lyme. You see, Lyme is kind of a controversial thing. It's hugely widespread, largely misunderstood, difficult to treat, presents as any number of other conditions, and is generally nightmarish for about a dozen other reasons.
Fast-forward a bit... She found a Lyme specialist who agreed to see her. It was hugely difficult to find him, but she did. Before even seeing her, he ordered a panel of specialized blood tests. Wendi signed some forms at the lab so that they would copy her on the results, and they arrived today: Yes, she has Lyme. For her, she's fortunate that her immune system *is*, in fact, beginning to attack the Lyme bacteria. Many individuals go *years* before enough antibodies show up in their blood tests to properly diagnose Lyme disease. Her raw lifestyle has most likely helped her in more ways than we'll ever fully understand.
The Lyme has also activated a the Epstein Barr Virus (aka mono), which is something that is usually dormant, yet present, in most people since childhood. So, we now know what we're dealing with and, thankfully, have been helping her body heal in various was for quite some time now.
We'll post another update if, after seeing the Lyme specialist, we have further relevant information, or any new directions.For now, the best course of action is to continue boosting the immune system. It's hugely interesting how this immune-boosting initiative dovetails with the "listen to your intuition" tone of this article. Based on these test results, it turns out that building the immune system is exactly what is called for at the moment, and Wendi began asking Pure Jeevan readers many weeks ago for tips on that specific topic! (We've received a ton of great comments on that post, so keep any information and ideas coming!)
Original Comments
Below, we have included the original comments from this blog post. Additional comments may be made via Facebook, below.
On October 7, 2009, wrote:
MMS for lyme in conjunction with raw juice fasting?
On October 7, 2009, wrote:
oh wendi what an ordeal!
sadly i have gone through a similar difficult to diagnos situation with my back pain. and it too activated the epstein barr virus (i had mono as a teenager). I have done a lot to activate my immune system. there is no one thing that will do it all. it take some time.
if you want to laugh a little, there was a good episode of curb your enthusiasm recently where larry diagnoses people with lyme disease.
On October 7, 2009, wrote:
Your story, in so many different guises, sadly, is being played out over and over all over the US and the world I am sure. Dr as God has to end. My take on all chronic illness is the same as yours "Boost that immune system!". That is my focus each and every day and in my humble, non doctor, opinion, why my disease has not progressed as forecast by my very well schooled oncologist. I mean, he has important degrees on the wall, right ?
KEEP UP THE FIGHT Wendi and Jim, we are all right here cheering you on!
love deb
On October 7, 2009, wrote:
Oh my Goddess, you would think in all these years doctors would have changed. Sounds like the ones in the past that used to tell women that PMS was all in their head. I am glad you guys found a competent doctor and I am sending all my thoughts, love and best wishes to you.
Hugs,
Maria
On October 7, 2009, wrote:
Dear Wendi,
As a fellow chronic pain sufferer, I have been reading these posts with tears in my eyes. My prayers are going up for your full recovery, and strength for the journey for you, Jim, and KDCat.
Many,many hugs and kisses to you all,
Colleen
On October 7, 2009, wrote:
I had a very bad/similar situation with a doctor. He just so happened to be close friends with my mother/step father, i went to him when i was younger and of course had my mom in the room with me. But there was once when i was older that i went by myself, I was having severe menstrual cycles, lots of ovarian pain, etc. And went to him for help. I had some outs with my mom/step-dad before this happened, where i had moved away to live with my dad for a little while, then i moved out again from their house when i was 18. I went to him for help with my ovarian pain, and he began asking me some questions that were obviously for his own personal benefit, questions like "What is your history in your living situations? Why did you leave your mom's house? Etc." Upon questioning him on why he was asking me these very irrelevant questions he scolded me and said "Because i am your doctor, i know what i am doing and some of your problems could be psychological" I brought back with "I didn't come here to go through a psych evaluation, I am in physical pain." He told me he was going to perscribe me some kind of birth control to help "get rid" of the problem. I am a strong opposer to birth control medication, it is unecessary (personal belief) I shared with him my opposition to the birth control and he got angry and said there was nothing else he would perscribe to me. I left without the perscription.
It was absolutely absurd.
A few months later I was having some very severe stomach/ovarian pains. I called his 24/7 hotline, it told me to leave a message and he would get back with me as soon as he could. He called me back (it was around 9pm at night... so not too late) I explained to him the pain i was feeling.. and it was very severe, i could not walk, move, stand up, etc. He continues to scream at me to "Go lay down and take some deep breaths, it can't be anything serious enough that i have to call him that late at night"
I went to the Emergency Room that night and had emergency surgery to have my appendix removed.
I will never go back to that doctor and absolutely will tell anyone i know not to go to him. Where is the love and compassion for the patients
Sorry my reply was so long.. :) Just thought i would share my horrible experience. I am currently researching Going Raw and any advice you would have for a new beginner i would greatly appreciate =)
On October 7, 2009, wrote:
Let's just say i fired that jerk for sure
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
Hi Wendi,
My heart goes out to you. I suffered with a debilitating illness (an incurable auto-immune disease) for over 6 years before I had a diagnosis. I too was told that it was psycosomatic when the other "health-care professionals" could not find an answer to my long list of symptoms. Prayer, raw organic food, exercise and love cured me over about a 5 year period. I feel so blessed for the turn of events in my life and I'm now dedicated to helping others reach their optimum health. www.rawfoodrene.com
I wanted to suggest one thing that I added to my life that makes a huge difference...sauerkraut, eating raw, organic sauerkraut every day makes an amazing difference in immune system function for myself and so many others. I have two videos on my site that demonstrate the fast and easy way to make it. http://reneoswald.com/videos.html (It's the 14 & 15th ones) If you aren't eating it now, it's best to start with only a couple tablespoons and work your way up to 1/2 to 1 cup. I eat a cup every day and my body craves it!
Hope that helps!
Love you,
Rene
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
Hello Wendi,Jim and KDCat
What an experience to go through if not having Lyme Disease is enough.
Doctors that believe in you, can be hard to find!
I am coming to believe and trust in my intuition more and more every day when it comes to anything to do with me and my family.
At the moment I crave fresh fruit for breakfast but I get bored with it, and sometimes it not enough every morning, so I need to get organised with other foods.
But anyway I hope that there is other healing professionals around the corner to help you on your journey.
Keep the faith Wendi because I believe in you and Pure Jeevan, the other members, posts and articles have helped me keep going on my journey.
Thinking of you all the way over here in sunny but warming up Canberra
sheryl miller
Australia
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
Oh that must have been so stressful! I too had to fire a doctor. 2, actually. One of them said that Omega 3s don't help with depression, and the other said I should take SSRIs and forget about breastfeeding because it wasn't important. FIRED! And a proper diet (with omega 3s) totally cured me :)
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
Hi there,
Soooo glad you guys had taken the course of action you took (following your intuition)....and that you found a great doc that was versed in Lyme Disease. That is how Jack (husband) got well so quickly when he got it. The doc knew about Lyme Disease in such a way that he didn't mess around with it. He treated it straight away before it became an bigger issue.
You are right on about "competent" doctors. I recently listed to Dr. Leonard Coldwell speak and his advice was this - Challenge your medical doctor...if they tell you things like "you are going to die" or "it's all in your head" CHANGE DOCTORS,,,you would change lawyers if they told you that you were getting the death penalty or that you were making stuff up, so why would you keep a medical doctor that is treating you in that way? The medical profession is a BUSINESS.... well, right on Leonard!
I am so thrilled you now know what you are facing and can continue to heal and move forward with conviction. Sending you love and gentle hugs sweetie...
Hugs, Tina
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
Why people stay with incompetent doctors is a mystery to me - surely they've heard about malpractice insurance !?! I loved your article and hope it continues to raise awareness that people need to read, research, and question their medical professionals anytime they have health issues. Don't listen to one or even two but continue untill you find the most appropriate diagnosis for you. We all have heard the statement "get a second opinion" but sadly many do not to their own detriment. I am glad you found someone who knows what they are doing and listens to you. I posted the link to this on my Facebook page too!
Love and prayers to you all :)
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
WOW......after reading all of what you have gone through and everyone's posts here this morning, all I can say is "thumbs up" to everyone! We have come so far from the days where Doctors came to homes to treat patients, and the ones that I knew personally came from compassion. (trying not to disclose my age here...no, it was not horse and buggy! <grin>)
I am happy that you have found an L.DAD (Lyme Disease Aware Doctor) that will set you on a course of healing along with all the wonderful things you are doing at home for yourself, Wendi. My heart goes out to you in all that you have been through over this past summer. May your journey towards wellness be the best ever!
Love and blessings, Tracey xxxxoooo
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
Months is so much faster than the years it takes so many people to find a diagnosis! So glad you followed your intuition and so very glad that you're doing everything you can to support your immune system. Since you asked about teasel root, I found this cool little video on YouTube: http://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/lyme.... I know you guys sometimes forage and maybe you can find some teasel root near you if you haven't been able to procure a tincture. Blessings, love and lots of healing! Laura
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
I hope Wendi sends her blood test to the jerk doctor she fired so,just maybe he can learn something from this...Maybe another pne of his patients might not have to go through this....Please dont let it rest. Send him your results PLEASE!
On October 8, 2009, wrote:
Bitt! I love Curb! , pretty good, pretty good!
On October 10, 2009, wrote:
I know this is major LONG, but I just found this via an herbal course I am taking. I immediately thought of Wendi. I know you've done tons of research and may have already come across this, but I couldn't help but post it just in case. I hope it helps.
"The salt/C protocol is more of an anti-parasite program than a Lyme disease treatment, though many with Lyme do have good results with it due to an anti-spirochete effect that the salt has indirectly. The salt probably can't do much against the other non-spirochete forms of borrelia, but as long as the spirochetes are suppressed, the symptom picture will probably improve to a degree, which is what we're seeing in a lot of people.
First of all, although vitamin C has some antimicrobial effects, I don't think that's its purpose here. Vitamin C is important for those with Lyme due to its collagen forming properties (Lyme destroys collagen like crazy), so on that merit alone, it has value. However, for this protocol, its usefulness is found in its immune boosting and detoxification properties, as well as its function as an osmotic agent. Vitamin C draws water into the bowels, which helps to keep things hydrated and moving, as it were. The real magic for fighting the parasites/spirochetes, however, is in the salt.
The salt kills the pathogens by a couple of mechanisms.
1) Increasing your intake of salt will cause an increase in something called neutrophil elastase. Elastase breaks down the outer membrane of bacteria, effectively killing them. According to Professors Bradford and Allen, in their article Lyme Disease, Potential Plague of the 21st Century, the exact mechanism (in summary) is as follows:
"The enzyme elastase, found in neutrophils, is stimulated by high salt concentrations to remove a polypeptide LL-37 from the precursor protein CAP-18. A group of the polypeptides assemble into a pore and becomes imbedded into the outer membrane of the infectious microorganism, allowing potassium and other ions to escape, thereby killing the organism."
Salt-CChart.jpg Salt/C Chart picture by drostollan
Again, this is probably only spirochete specific, so I don't believe this is the best or total answer for Lyme (which can exist in three unique forms), though it
surely is helpful for those with active infections and high spirochete loads.
2) The salt kills pathogens by means of osmotic shock, via something called hypertonic pressure. All microorganisms must have a proper sodium balance in order to stay alive. There has to be a perfect fluid/pressure relationship both inside and outside the organism. Inside the organism, there are fluids exerting outward pressure on the organism's body, as it were. Meanwhile, there is fluid outside of the bug pressing in. As long as there is this pressure balance, the bug survives. But if we increase our salt concentration, the fluid (and thus pressure) outside of the bug decreases, leading to an increase in pressure inside the organism. Because the pressure pushing out is now greater than the pressure pushing in, this causes the bug/parasite to "rupture," leading to death by osmosis. This is the exact same mechanism that is at work when you kill a slug with salt, and it happens to work for parasites, too."
So there you have it, in the words of David. Basically we make the parasites (or spirochetes) explode from the inside. COOL!
So how do I do it
First off, figure out your dosage. The general rule of thumb is 1 1/2 grams of salt for each 20lbs of bodyweight (a teaspoon of salt is 5 grams, thus someone weighing 130lbs should be taking 1/2 teaspoon 4 times a day to get the recommended 10 grams per day). Do not, however, begin the protocol at the full dosage. Most people begin by taking 1g of salt and 1g of vitamin C per day. Over a period of days or weeks depending on how ill you are when you begin and how your body handles it, increase the amount until you reach your full dose (vitamin C should be taken to bowel tolerance - likely around 1 to 4 grams per dose - divided into 4 doses with the salt). You should mark your calendar on the day you begin and take you salt/C 4 times daily for three weeks, then take a two week break during which you take only one dose of salt/C in the mornings. Continue this for the full two weeks, then switch back to the full 4 doses per day for three weeks. Continue this on and off cycle for approximately 3 months.
Most people find that the easiest way to take the salt/C is by mixing the salt and vitamin C into a glass of water and drinking it. I add a little bit of stevia to mine to sweeten it (the vitamin C is quite sour!) and the end product is something I actually look forward to drinking multiple times a day! Flavored stevia is quite good in it as well as the unflavored kind. You can make this drink as weak or as strong as you like by simply using more or less water (if you use less than the recommended amount per dose you must drink some regular water before or after each dose in order to stay properly hydrated). If you prefer it though, you can take the vitamin C in capsules and just drink the salt water. Be sure to drink plenty of water while on this protocol! For every 2 1/2 grams of salt you want to be sure you're drinking at least 16 oz of water. Do not put your salt and vitamin C into a bottle of water to sip on throughout the day; this method, while convenient, results in unreliable dosage and accidental overdosing can occur (putting a dose in a bottle when you're on the go or to take to work is a fine idea, though just be careful not to "nurse" the bottle too long - while it tastes like a "for fun" drink, remember that this is essentially acting like a medicine and should be treated as such).
Cautions about Salt/C
While this protocol should not be feared one must approach it with a modicum of caution.
First, you absolutely must use a good quality sea salt, as mentioned above in the "What is it " section. There are other brands of sea salt that would be safe to use with this procotol besides the one mentioned, but Redmond's is the most cost effective we've run across yet.
Also you must slowly ramp up your dosage. Too much too fast can make you feel very ill.
You must divide your dosage. Don't take your full daily dose at once, but divide it into four separate doses; breakfast, lunch, supper, and bedtime (or whatever is convenient for you provided it is approximately evenly spaced through your waking hours).
As well you must carefully monitor your blood pressure when beginning this protocol. Despite the popular belief that high doses of salt are dangerous to everyone, it is really only a very small percentage of the population (between 5%-10%) that is sensitive to salt and would not be able to follow this protocol safely. It is very important that you monitor your blood pressure when beginning this protocol though, as an increase in blood pressure is the first sign that you are in that small percentage of the population that is sensitive to even a good quality salt. Ignore an increase in blood pressure and continue the protocol, and you could cause damage to vital organs.
Following these simple instructions and cautions, you should be on your way to a parasite-free, more energetic you!
Note:If you try this protocol and are sensitive to the salt and must quit the program, there are many alternative parasite cleanses. Salt/C is the most cost effective (and probably one of the more pleasant; drinking a delcious beverage 4 times a day versus taking pills or tinctures of various herbs), but you can check out websites like HumaWorm.com for a thirty dollar thirty day parasite cleanse that is supposed to get great results.
Tags: parasites, cleanses, salt/c protocol, parasite cleanses
On October 12, 2009, wrote:
Doctors can be complete jackasses. They are more into the business of business than the business of healing. It just is mind boggling how people are so into the whole "he wears a white coat, he is the authority" mentality.
FYI some hardcore survivalists keep a store of antibiotics on hand they get from the Feed stores. You can pick up amoxacillin etc, granted you are going to use it for your livestock. (wink!) Sending out healing waves and warmth to you Wendi!
On October 14, 2009, wrote:
Thanks, D2! Wendi read about this in some of her Lyme treatment books, but the details they gave weren't as easy to understand. So, thanks a TON for explaining this here for us and for everyone! -Jim
On October 15, 2009, wrote:
wendy,
a researcher i knew tested garlic.
garlic, he said, kills cancer cells dead.
if it kills cancer cells, i figure it's good for everything.
one doctor cured himself of skin cancer with:
1 habenaro pepper and 6 cloves of garlic a day.
he ate it on bread with butter.
i eat it on greens with avocado.
ginger. ginger. ginger.
i keep ginger & garlic & hot peppers
flushing my system out all day long.
garlic is the ultimate antibiotic...
i also make colloidal silver.
i love the remedies of yore...
and don't trust pharmaceuticals
anymore than yardsnacker trusts
MDs. :)
On October 15, 2009, wrote:
We've been eating a fair amount of fresh garlic lately. I do love it, although it stimulates my appetite almost to an annoying level -- *always* hungry when I eat garlic.
On October 15, 2009, wrote:
jim, my friend wendy's mom was in a nursing home & kept getting urinary tract infections. wendy asked the staff to order cranberry juice daily for her mom. no more UTIs. then they started serving EVERYONE in the nursing home cranberry juice daily. good idea, hmm ??
i would rather eat garlic and use nature's antibiotic to avoid the medicine man's inventions. :) this is my favorite current recipe to facilitate my intake of garlic...
1 batch of kale, washed and massaged and chopped. 1 hot red pepper. as many cloves of garlic as i can hold... 3 or 4. juice of one nice plump lemon. a splash of olive oil (2-4 tablespoons ). 1/4 cup soaked & sprouted pumpkin seeds and 1/4 cup soaked pine nuts. celtic salt.
that is a full meal and i promise you won't be hungry after. or use 2 bunches of kale if you can hold it. kale won't add weight. :) just HEALTH. Food is the best medicine.