[NOTE: If you like my articles, please order my book(s), and other publications, and consider coming here for Kinesiology consultation and/or seminars, or phone consultations. Please do not send us your medical history, I can only help those that are ready to proceed fully. Thank you.]

Healing The Liver To Help Heal Allergies, Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Illness

Copyright 2002 Steven Rochlitz, PhD
All rights Reserved. Illegal to Copy, Post Online, or Transmit Without Express, Prior Permission
rochlitz@wellatlast.com (928) 649-2116

People with chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia and food/chemical/pollen/electromagnetic allergies, or some other chronic illnesses often have overburdened and weakened livers. Toxins from overgrowths of parasites, fungus, bacteria, etc, or heavy metals, or food or environmental toxins stress the liver in people with allergies/CFS/FMS. A vicious cycle can occur, as a weakened liver then cannot detoxify food, air, water, or other toxins in the body. The liver then may also under-perform it's myriad of metabolic functions. Many people with these disorders, and possibly many other illnesses, may not recover unless and until the liver "gets well." This can take months of doing everything just right. Many diet, lifestyle and supplement changes may need to be made and some of this will be described here. Repairing the liver may also help other organs to function better. This can sometimes include improving thyroid function perhaps with little or no medication, if and when the liver is fully restored. Recall from my thyroid/adrenal article that the conversion of the thyroid hormone T4 into the more bioactive T3 does not occur primarily in the thyroid. Rather this happens in the cells of the liver and other organs. So the liver is also involved in building up and breaking down numerous hormones and other substances the body utilizes. The adrenals too can be weak due to an overloaded liver.

[In the last two years, I have become expert on Porphyria. This illness which I call a Detoxification Limitation Disorder may play a large role in many people's food, chemical and electromagnetic sensitivities. Though it is in part a genetic defect, it is greatly exacerbated by environmental toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides, organism overgrowth toxins, certain foods, and other factors. Though sometimes described as a liver disease, more correctly it affects the mitochondria of all cells, and causes much neurological, gastrointestinal and muscular symptomatology in its sufferers. While I have devised kinesiological testing (which is not a substitute for blood, urine, stool, DNA testing) and balancing and have made nutritional and diet breakthroughs, it is beyond our scope of discussion here. But some of this liver article's recommendations would likely be helpful for Porphyrics. Further work is best done individually.]

The liver has some 500 known functions and perhaps thousands of chemical reactions occurring in it. It is well beyond the scope here to delve into most of this. (There are many books, articles and websites that cover this material.) We are concerned here with the liver's ability to detoxify substances that get into the body, and it's role in anti-oxidant protection, and in overcoming allergies, fatigue, and fibromyalgia. The liver may have been weakened from long-term antibiotic therapy or other drugs. Exposure to any toxin can weaken the liver if the exposure is long enough or the substance is toxic enough. These toxins include unnatural substances in food (pesticides, hormones, junk food), air, water, cosmetics, dental material, and of course, the toxins secreted by any harmful "critters" living in us. Heavy metals, and protozoan parasite toxins are among the roughest toxins on the liver. (The liver also physically filters out microorganisms from the blood.) Eliminating toxic chemicals and critters are the first steps to liver wellness. Chronic viruses including Epstein-Barr, Cytomegalo, Herpes, Parvo, Coxsackie, Hepatitis and other viruses, which can harbor in the liver, should be countered with electric medicine and other safe means. Once the liver has been weakened, recovery can include crucial diet changes as part of a "liver cleansing" diet. The elimination of animal protein and fat is often a part of this diet. Even though you may not be allergic, per se, to meats, eliminating them may help the liver to heal. Alcohol, tobacco, sugar, dairy and caffeine need to be eliminated. Aspirin and acetaminophen and NSAID drugs and many other over-the-counter or prescription medications can over-tax the liver. Many nuts and seeds are rancid by the time they are eaten due to their high fat content. Nuts and grains also often have high mold content and its concomitant aflatoxin. The latter, a potent carcinogen, is rough on the liver. Peanuts and corn often have the highest aflatoxin levels, but all stored nuts and grains may have significant levels of aflatoxin.

Sometimes all fats and oils need to be temporarily eliminated. "Healthy" oils may also need to be eliminated, or cut back on, including flaxseed oil. (Is it really natural for humans to use large amounts of these oils? Do animals reach for a bottle of oil in the refrigerator?) Hydrogenated oils and any heated oils are the worst here. The lipid peroxide radical--one of the most harmful free radicals--can be created from oils or fats. Some experts though do recommend daily intake of essential fatty acids including MaxEPA omega 3 fish oil and evening primrose or borage or black currant oil. Lecithin, choline, inositol and phosphatidyl choline can help the liver handle fats. Again individual, kinesiological testing reveals what foods, supplements, etc. are safe or unsafe for any person. This is crucial when a person is very ill! There is no substitute for this, not by "blood type" or anything else. A rotation diet may be needed to prevent new allergy/addictions from forming. Some liver-aiding foods include: beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green barley powder, artichokes, burdock root and dandelion root. (Caution: some of these vegetables have anti-thyroid substances. H.E.B.S. muscle testing, as always, is recommended. See also my thyroid/adrenal article.) Other sulfur containing foods like eggs, garlic, onions, shallots can also help the liver's detoxification pathways.

Eliminating every allergic or toxic substance from entering the body and halting a weak liver from having to deal with it, is necessary for recovery. Some experts recommend liver cleansing only after colon cleansing, as a leaky gut will force the liver to over-work to clear out critters or their toxins. A good daily probiotic may also be helpful here. Colonics may be good for removing waste stuck to the intestinal walls, but always remember, they don't actually kill most of the critters that cling to the intestines. L-Glutamine is often recommended for "leaky gut syndrome" or "intestinal repair." It may help. But there are two points I wish to raise here. First, some people, especially those with MSG sensitivity, may not tolerate glutamine. Secondly the intestines cannot be repaired until all overgrowths are ascertained and then eliminated. This may need to be done many times in the lifetime of those who were not breast-fed or who have genetic weaknesses or other weaknesses in this regard.

Many people have a problem with the ubiquitous food additive MSG (Monosodium Glutamate). Cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid may be contraindicated for those with MSG sensitivity. MSG is now more ubiquitous than ever. Apparently, it may now even be labeled as "natural flavoring" and thus may even be in many products at your health food store, labeled "all natural." If a product says "flavor," spice" or "hydrolyzed protein", beware. A food product can even say "no added MSG," and it can mean that the final manufacturer didn't add any MSG. But they could have purchased some processed ingredients from somewhere else that contains MSG, and it"s all OK?! It can also be called many other things. MSG is sort of a super sodium and can overload the liver. Processed foods also can contain sulfites and other toxic xenobiotics without listing this.

The amount of food (daily caloric intake) may need to be decreased as well. Eating less can help lighten the liver's load. A proper amount of protein though is said to be needed to help the liver do its work. Of course, ideally, the caloric intake can also be individually ascertained via muscle testing. Drinking a lot of good water is important as always. Distilled water may be required if heavy metals or other toxins are at high levels, otherwise a good, purified water is recommended. But water should be muscle-tested. Avoiding excess salt is important too. While I noted the need for salt (sodium) in the weak adrenal person in another article/enewsletter, there are many conditions that are only conducive to healing with low sodium diets. This can include liver disorders, parasitosis, ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems, asthma, and other disorders. Foods containing salicylates can be rough on the liver. These foods were already noted in my Allergies and Candida book as a cause of hyperactivity in children--the so-called Feingold Diet. (They include many fruits, nuts, potatoes and other foods and aspirin and some preservatives.) Wheat, corn and other gluten grains may need to be eliminated for the benefit of our livers. All grains (grasses) may need to be eliminated if the liver is very weak. Others can eat some rice, millet, or quinoa. Muscle test. Simple carbohydrates (sugars, fruits, fruit juices) may not be tolerated. Green vegetables will be the mainstay of the liver diet. Fasting for more than a day or two is not recommended here, as the liver needs protein to recover and work properly. Fasting depletes glutathione and other anti-oxidants and can weaken the thyroid. A too-rapid detox may also occur from a lengthy fast. But a one-day fast should be fine for many people. (Consult your health practitioner.) Some people recommend a rice (or rice powder) diet, but many are, or will, become allergic to this too, if eaten everyday. These so-called hypoallergenic food substitutes also have too much sweetener--usually rice syrup. People with weak livers also often have blood sugar/insulin problems. There is no such thing as "hypoallergenic" if it is ingested often. This is despite claims by "experts" that such rice powders are "hypoallergenic." Likewise I do not recommend any other daily, powdered, protein foods for the same reason. Except maybe as part of a rotation diet, until the "critters" are killed and the mercury or other toxins are eliminated from the body. Get a Hair Mineral Analysis to easily check your levels of heavy metals.

Weight loss is important once the liver becomes fatty. This may not be easy to do, as a weak liver is partly responsible for weight gain. So diet changes, exercise and supplementation are all needed to simultaneously restore the liver and eliminate excess weight. A study just out from Sweden obtained preliminary results that weight disorders may really be part of an autoimmune disease affecting the hypothalamus in the brain. See, for example: http://www.laurushealth.com/HealthNews/reuters/NewsStory1209200211.htm Of course, my Allergies and Candida book years ago noted the hypothalamus' role in weight problems. But the liver may be weak leading to the autoimmune disorder, and the diet and supplement changes herein may help the body to overcome this (and other) autoimmune disorders.

Many supplements can help the liver to restore itself. (But some experts recommend little or no supplementation as supplements may force too rapid a detox that some liver elements may not be able to handle. Or the supplements may contain something allergic or toxic.) Potentially helpful supplements include vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs. Herbs, of course, are not part of the body and caution is urged here. Also beware that any herbal supplement that contains "certified potency" nutrients, may also have hexane or other chemical used to extract "certified amounts." Some companies care less than others what chemicals may be in their supplements. I have already written that "vegicaps" contain cotton or wood pulp that has been pesticided and further treated with processing chemicals and then sodium lauryl sulfate as a preservative. You may have to avoid capsules and take the contents in liquid or under the tongue followed by water.

The most beneficial herb for the liver is milk thistle and its component silymarin. It can protect and even restore liver function. Milk thistle is even available in organic form (contact us for this information.) Globe artichoke is in the same food family and provides similar benefits. There are many different herbs used in different parts of the world for boosting the liver. Many herbs are actually salicylate containing compounds (see above) and may not be tolerated if the liver is very weak. So I have decided not to list dozens of different herbs here.

The tripeptide (three amino acids), L-Glutathione can be crucial for the liver's detoxification pathways. The three amino acids comprising reduced glutathione are L-cysteine, L-glutamic acid and L-glycine. (If a bottle of glutathione doesn't say "reduced glutathione" or Glutathione-GSH, it is the three amino acids in the uncombined form.) After reading several books and articles on Glutathione recently, it is clear that virtually all the anti-oxidants work with Glutathione. Its levels decrease with age and virtually any stress or illness. It may be more crucial for the liver than all other supplements and herbs put together. It has, until recently, been considered to be very poorly absorbed in the gut. More recent research indicates Glutathione is absorbed when taken orally. Valerie Hudson, PhD wrote an excellent overview of Glutathione and she reported "the number and sophistication of recent research articles demonstrating that GSH is taken up intact from the small intestine outweigh those denying that such uptake occurs." Vitamin C may be needed to assist Glutathione uptake. See Dr. Hudson's article at http://members.tripod.com/uvicf/gsh/gshprospects.htm

One can also get glutathione through an "I.V. push" or via a nebulizer direct into the lungs, and via a nasal spray for the sinuses, brain and systemically. If taken orally, it should be placed under the tongue for a while. Glutathione works with Selenium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, and Vitamin P (bioflavonoids such as carotenoids or quercitin). The supplements N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), and alpha lipoic acid (these two supplements should be tested carefully by an expert kinesiologist, as many clients have tested weak to them) also can help boost either Glutathione levels or the liver's ability to detoxify substances.

In general, aging, exercise, physical and mental stress, and virtually all illnesses create free radicals; and the body's stores of glutathione will get depleted while the body tries to counteract the free radicals with this substance. Thousands of studies have been done in the last several decades, which have revealed that virtually every organ in the body utilizes this crucial anti-oxidant and the tissue becomes depleted of it when stressed in any way, such as with illness. The liver itself is protected by the glutathione it manufactures. So depletion of it leads to a vicious, downward cycle. Glutathione may well be the closest thing to the fountain of youth as far as a supplement or injectable substance goes. (But there are no panaceas or substitutes for complete medical and kinesiological work-ups.) The studies that have been done are often done with N-acetyl-cysteine or other nutrients or even with some drugs that boost glutathione levels. I find this very strange. Some of the researchers claim they use these other substances when they are purportedly trying to assay glutathione's effects, because of the short half-life of glutathione. This may be true to some extent, but I wonder if they don't actually use glutathione itself because of politics and economics. The injectable glutathione had its patent lapse so there are no great profits to be made on it. It may thus be even more beneficial than these studies indicate. And the powers that be would rather have people need a drug from a physician and the pharmaceutical industry, rather than get the actual nutrient--glutathione--that they need and are trying to utilize!?

Glutathione is found in raw fruits and vegetables. You might consider trying Glutathione via the IV push from your holistic physician, hopefully after muscle testing it. Orally, amounts now recommended are from 1,000 to 3,000 milligrams a day. (We have some of the best reduced glutathione.) Then, there is a somewhat popular, patented, cow�s milk, whey powder that is touted as a glutathione booster because of its high cysteine and other amino acid content. It has been used in many studies, so there is likely some truth in this, but my readers and those with significant allergies will not likely tolerate it. Dairy products are usually contraindicated for liver healing. Again, the final word on glutathione may be that it is best to try the new, liposomal glutathione from us or other source.

Other amino acids needed for liver detoxification, or rejuvenation, include taurine, glycine, glutamine, and cysteine. Some recommend methionine, but I would avoid this unless tested properly. Vitamin C is very important, as are the B-Vitamins. My Allergies and Candida book already notes the need for obtaining phosphorylated B-Vitamins, as the liver may no longer be able to convert these vitamins into their active, coenzyme form. This applies to Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and B5. Pantethine is the converted form of Vitamin B5; and is also the precursor to Coenzyme A, of the body�s energy cycle. Pantethine is available as a supplement, and it is very important for general wellness and energy levels. Vitamin A should perhaps be supplemented only in an emulsified form or palmitate form if the liver is weak. Vitamin E is needed. Small amounts of the essential fatty acids may be needed. These need to be tested carefully because of the oil discussion cited above. Lots of raw, fresh vegetables (for the nutrients and the fiber) and vegetable juices (and fruits only if tolerated which is often not the case) should be the mainstay of the liver-cleansing diet. I know this is in contradistinction to my recommendation to eat only cooked food when trying to eradicate parasites. So there are several options. It may be impossible, or undesirable, to do the two diets simultaneously. Do one or the other first. Logically, it would seem that killing the critters should come first as the liver cannot "get well" while critter toxins are continually entering the blood from the gastrointestinal tract. Consult your health practitioner. Of course, you can see if you can get your glutathione, and other anti-oxidants from supplements (instead of raw produce while you are killing the critters), nebulizer, IV, etc. But there is a time for everything, and a time not to do certain things. So (later perhaps) for the liver cleanse, raw vegetables may be needed and helpful. You could always burn off the critters. A brief, direct fire over all the surface area of a fruit or vegetable will likely kill all the critters while soaking in any solution will not.

A liver/gallbladder flush and colon cleansing can be crucial for obtaining a healthy liver. I will not describe the liver/gallbladder flush here because in rare cases--large or plentiful gallstone(s--people have had crises and underwent emergency gallbladder removal surgery after doing this flush. So consult your practitioner in this regard. It can be very beneficial for most people, but first get a CT scan to check for gallstones or a clogged bile duct; then you should be able to find this information easily on the Internet or in your library. [It's just that I have had clients who reported this flush (done on their own before seeing me) caused a gallstone (they didn't know they had) to get stuck and emergency surgery, and gallbladder removal, were needed.] Some people though report weight loss and health returned only after doing one or more liver/gallbladder flushes.

Some experts tout oral or injectable glandular extracts. So-called live-cell extracts are derived from cow, sheep, or pig fetal tissue. These are available for the liver and numerous other organs and are more popular in Europe. Supposedly they can help your own liver to heal and regenerate or reinvigorate itself. These can be very expensive, but some people swear by them.

Experts on dehydration tout the 8-10 tall glasses of water a day as an aid to help the liver and may even lower excess cholesterol and triglycerides.

Charcoal taken a half-hour before eating is recommended as charcoal adsorbs toxins to a remarkable extent. Skin brush cleaning before showering, bathing or taking a sauna aids the body in detoxing. Naturopaths strongly recommend some form of hydrotherapy. This can include saunas, or hot and cold showering, or hot and cold wet towel treatments. See your naturopathic reference. Castor oil packs warmed and placed over the liver area also can aid in detoxification and liver rejuvenation. Sweating out the toxins rests the kidneys and the liver. All these hydrotherapy methods, and exercise, get the blood and lymph flowing. (Contact us if you are interested in getting a far-infrared sauna, which is a great toxin eliminator and lymph mover.)

I should summarize the Liver's Phase I, II, and III detoxification pathways. Many toxins are fat-soluble and it is the liver's job to make them water-soluble so that they can be eliminated via the kidneys or via bile/stool elimination. In Phase I, (cytochrome P-450 enzyme and other) detoxification reactions, include oxidation and hydrolysis. These reactions add oxygen and are called activation or--when increased--up-regulation. This makes some chemicals less toxic. However this phase of activation or oxidation actually creates large amounts of free radicals and even makes some chemicals become carcinogenic. If the liver's Phase II capacity is under-functioning, many of the free radicals, and potential carcinogens, created via the Phase I reactions can get into the blood stream and cause harm and illness. Some labs test for Phase I and II activity as well as for glutathione levels. These lab tests involve ingesting aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine. Assuming this is tolerable, then blood, urine and saliva are taken to assay how well and how quickly the liver processes these chemicals. As I am known for, I do not recommend wasting time and money on stool testing for "critters" as they are primarily incapable of finding Protozoan parasites. Phase I can be inhibited by grapefruit (narginen) and some herbs, spices and drugs. Other herbs can enhance Phase I. Some Phase I intermediate metabolites are similar, or identical, to sedative drugs or herbs. This can, in part, account for fatigue in CFS sufferers. Aldehydes also are produced in Phase I reactions.

I should note that the P450 enzymes also synthesize steroids, prostaglandins, and other substances. The P450 enzymes are found not only in the liver, but also in the gastrointestinal tissue (especially at the tip of the villi), lungs, skin and kidneys/bladder, brain and blood vessels, and to a lesser extent in all the cells of the body. They have been found in the cell�s mitochondria (energy factories) and in the nuclear membrane.

Phase II is conjugation (or addition) of sulfur, or other, compounds--making the toxins water-soluble. Larger processed toxic molecules are eliminated in the bile; smaller ones via the kidneys. Phase II reactions ideally process and eliminate the substances made from the Phase I pathway as well as any free radicals or heavy metals not processed by Phase I reactions. Some people have very active (up-regulated in response to toxins) Phase I, but diminished Phase II, capacities. This can lead to many Phase I activated substances released into the blood and subsequent damage to the body's proteins including DNA. If the immune system then has to counter these toxins, allergies, autoimmune disease or cancer can result. If both Phase I and Phase II are under-functioning many toxins, including fat-soluble toxins get into the blood stream. Fat-soluble toxins will obviously damage fat-soluble organs or cellular components. The cell membrane is fat-soluble and thus cells can lose their integrity, which leads to their own permeability or death. Fatty organs include the brain, the nervous system, endocrine glands, the skin, and the liver itself. So these tissues or organs will degrade when Phase I and II are both malfunctioning, or perhaps when Phase II alone is overloaded.

Phase III is elimination/excretion into the bile and thence into the small intestine. This Phase is the last to be elucidated. Like Phases I and II, various factors can hinder or up-regulate Phase III. Estrogen or estrogen-like substances (such as DDT and other pesticides) have recently been found to interfere with Phase III.

Taking supplements that up-regulate Phase I while Phase II is "weak," can lead to harm. So nutrients that help both phases do their respective jobs should be taken together, unless you get specific tests that indicate otherwise. Helpful Phase I nutrients include: Vitamins C, E, B1, B2, folic acid (or better the coenzyme form: folinic acid), selenium, zinc, magnesium, molybdenum, carotenoids, glutathione, NAC, alpha lipoic acid, indoles (from cruciferous vegetables) and milk thistle (silymarin.) A low-fat diet can be crucial here. Helpful nutrients for Phase II include magnesium, pantethine, and the amino acids taurine, cysteine, glutamine, glycine, glutathione (crucial here), and sulfur containing foods such as: radish, watercress, eggs, garlic, onions, shallots. A newer Phase II helper supplement is also a great, hypoallergenic source of calcium. This is Calcium D-Glucarate. The D-Glutaric acid part of this molecules aids the Liver's Phase II detoxification pathway known as Glucuronidation. So from the above discussion, taking the B-Vitamins and the anti-oxidants and other nutrients that boost Phase I activity without taking the amino acids, glutathione and/or the sulfur containing foods listed above that would boost Phase II activity can be harmful. Much water is needed for the liver's detoxification pathways. Two or even three 8-10 oz glasses of water a half-hour before eating, is recommended by some experts, just for "normal" digestion. Kidney problems can also occur if insufficient water or diminished liver processing of toxins is present.

To sum up, you may be able to get well only if and when your liver gets well first. This can be a prerequisite to overcoming allergies, fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic illness, etc. You may need to be on a meat-free, grain-free, organic vegetable-rich diet for a few months. As well, try to avoid all toxic substances in air, water, and food. Special liver enabling nutrients like glutathione, milk thistle (silymarin) and other anti-oxidants may help. Ideally muscle test every food and supplement before ingesting. Failure to do this with a good and accurate kinesiologist is a leading reason for failure of chronically ill people to get well. It your food or supplement is allergic or toxic for you, you cannot get well.

The length of time needed for a liver-detox diet and supplement regimen can be determined by your (hopefully kinesiology-using) health practitioner. The length of time that one needs to eat a reduced-calorie, gluten-free, meat-free, fat-free (or lowered fat) diet along with large amounts of the nutrients listed above varies with the individual. How "liver-sick" and/or allergic one is, age, ability to exercise, handle stress, and eliminate environmental toxins are all relevant factors here. Tolerance of the "healing crisis" is also a factor. Remember though that allergy/addiction withdrawal, or allergic reactions themselves, or critter die-off often masquerade as a "healing crisis." These factors are usually not considered when a change in diet or supplements occurs. All symptoms are often piled together as the "healing crisis" or a "good thing" when it may not be! This is another crucial reason for using HEBS Kinesiology.

In the beginning of the liver cleansing diet, there can be a worsening of some symptoms including fatigue, brain fatigue, headache, and perhaps any complaints the person usually suffers from. As usual, only if the person has been tested for allergy to all foods and supplements can we be sure that any such symptoms are from a healing crisis, and not merely from allergy to the foods or supplements. Nearly all of my clients are reacting to many of the foods and supplements they think are helping them, when they first come to see me. If gastrointestinal overgrowth is present, the "critters" should perhaps be dealt with first. If heavy metals or other toxins are in the body, these should be removed if possible. Or the person should be removed from a toxic environment first, if this is he source of the problem. But supplementing with glutathione and milk thistle and other anti-oxidants may be a good thing for most of humanity to do most of the time.

Get some gentle exercise like walking or rebounding. Reduce stress, and get proper rest and sleep. Underlying problems like hiatal hernia and trigger/pain/neurologically dysfunctioning points should be addressed as well to aid normal energy flows. There is much energy balancing for the liver that Applied Kinesiology can provide. These methods--including Chapman neurolymphatics and Bennett neurovasculars--can be done many times per day. They will increase lymph and blood flow to the liver respectively. The liver's front neurolymphatics are under the right nipple--a 3-4 inch band. Rub hard. Moving the lymph is very important for overcoming chronic illness. This can be facilitated via Applied Kinesiology, lymph massage, exercise, swing machine (see wellatlast.com), Lymph/Rife machines and other means.

Patience is needed as it can take months for the liver to get completely well, assuming you have first identified any underlying medical conditions and have eliminated toxic/allergic food, critter overgrowths and other toxic substances from your life. Some people though feel great improvement in only a week on the liver cleanse diet. The liver cleansing diet may have to be used several times a year for the rest of our lives. Or we may perhaps be wise to eat similarly all the time.

[Note: It might be wise to find out whether or not you have any hidden medical problems that are directly or indirectly burdening your liver. The quickest way may be to get a full body and head CT scan along with a virtual colonoscopy. The liver and gall bladder themselves will also be seen. No prescription is necessary and no dyes are injected and all of these procedures together can take just a half-hour or so. These centers are in most large cities in the USA and often there are mobile units going to smaller towns. (I have no financial, or other, ties to any such centers.)]

[NOTE: If you like my articles, please order my book(s), and other publications, and consider coming here for Kinesiology consultation and/or seminars, or phone consultations. Please do not send us your medical history, I can only help those that are ready to proceed fully. Thank you.]

Breakthroughs For Fatigue/Fibromyalgia, Anxiety, Asthma, and Cardiac and Other Chronic Illnesses

Copyright 2002, 3 Steven Rochlitz All Rights Reserved Illegal To Copy, Post Online, or Forward

Some of the chronic fatigue and brain fatigue felt by millions of sufferers with allergies, CFS, and fibromyalgia may be due to hidden or subclinical asthma, hyperventilation syndrome, and sleep apnea. Much chronic pain in fibromyalgia sufferers may be due to hidden trigger or pain points being active. All these problems may be related and will be covered in this article along with related maladies including (the chemical basis for) anxiety and (the neural/trigger point basis for) heart attacks.

Some allergists believe that anyone with food or pollen allergies has some asthma. It may at first only be noticed upon exertion or exercise. Some variations of asthma may induce little wheezing, just shortness of breath, or intolerance of exercise. So both the patient and the physician may not be aware of the asthma until it progresses to a serious point; by which time it will be more difficult to overcome. Asthma is increasing in children and adults at an alarming rate. In New Zealand, one out of five adults has been diagnosed with asthma. Perhaps it is better tested there. It is sad that both orthodox and holistic physicians (and emergency room physicians) do not include the use of a $20-$30 Peak Flow Meter. Its use only takes a minute. A full, rapid exhalation pushes out a marker, and you look up your age and height, and compare the results. The usual "deep" breath in and out while the physician listens to the lungs is apparently, and perhaps unknowingly, insufficient to detect many cases of asthma. I would advise readers to purchase a Peak Flow Meter either online or from a medical supplies (or oxygen) supplier in their neighborhood. A related and free test is to see how long you can hold your breath. (This is also the Applied Kinesiology test for the diaphragm muscle.) A normal response is at least 45 seconds. World-class divers and athletes can go several minutes. A breath holding time of 30-45 seconds is borderline, or can be due to mild asthma or other maladies. (This includes Hiatal Hernia.) 15-30 seconds may be considered moderate asthma. Less than 15 seconds may be severe. With critical asthmatics having a time of 5 seconds or less, as may many of those with emphysema or COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.)

Asthmatics have a constriction and inflammation of the bronchiole tubes and possibly also mucous formation. Of course, allergies to foods and inhalants (chemicals and pollens) often play a role in this. Inhalation of industrial pollutants and cigarette smoke and other toxins can be, at least partially, causative. Allergies to MSG and sulfites may be very problematic here. Deficiencies of negative ions, high altitude and other factors may also be at play. Correcting nutritional deficiencies may help. These can include magnesium and Vitamins C, B6, B5 and B12. The tripeptide Glutathione (made in the liver, and to a lesser extent in all cells) is the crucial anti-oxidant for the lungs. It is available in nebulized form for people with respiratory problems. Glutathione is also available as an "I.V. push" into the blood or as a supplement. See my article on the liver for more information on glutathione. (So if glutathione deficiency is the cause of some asthma, ultimately the liver may be the organ that needs to first be improved.) One study found significant relief, and objective air flow test improvement, was afforded to asthmatics in 4-12 months with a diet free of grains, salt, meats and some other foods. This is also nearly identical to a "liver cleanse" diet! As always, complete allergy testing to all foods and supplements is crucial here. Dust mites affect many people. Some people get some relief with air filters, negative ion generators, mattress and pillowcase covers and mite-killing detergent and cleaner.

Drugs used to treat asthma include bronchodilator inhalers, corticosteroid inhalers and/or oral medication, cromolyn sodium (an allergic reaction preventer), and leukotriene inhibitors. The first two classes of drugs above are now often prescribed together and in a time-release manner. Many herbs have for hundreds or thousands of years been used to improve asthma. In reviewing this list, I find that many are often nowadays allergenic and have decided not to list them, as most people would not get tested first! Various homeopathic remedies are employed by practitioners of this art. Again as this is almost never muscle-tested, and the fact that there may now be a cure, or near-cure, for asthma (see below), I will not list these here either. We also have to recognize the desire for an instant pill cure often indicates that we do not want to make the diet or lifestyle changes needed to overcome a problem. Acupuncture and various bodywork methods on the breathing muscles may also provide some benefit. There is even a new, handheld, oral device that puts variable resistance on inhalation so as to improve your breathing muscles. See www.powerbreathe.com or contact us to order the new PowerBreathe device.

Live cell glandular extracts may be beneficial for asthma and other respiratory illnesses. (See my Liver article for more on live cell therapy.) The adrenal, lung and mesenchyme extracts may be very helpful. A trial of a few vials--hopefully after HEBS muscle testing is performed--will suffice to know if this therapy will work. Sadly the original "Adrenal Cortical Extract (ACE)" was replaced, beginning in the 1940's and 1950's, by cortisone drugs which do not work as well as the ACE did, and have side effects. But the adrenal live cell extract may help "re-charge" the adrenals, and thus help with asthma and many other ills.

Hiatal Hernia and GERD (reflux) may cause or exacerbate asthma; or the low oxygen states of asthma may cause or exacerbate Hiatal Hernia. Treating one may help the other. Mastering the testing and correcting of the Hiatal Hernia/Vagus Nerve Impingement Syndrome may be both crucial and difficult! This syndrome may be the earliest cause of asthma in many people. Many allergic people have chronic sinusitis, which has been called "asthma of the nose." Sometimes only a CT scan, or MRI, finds that the sinuses are chronically "clogged" and/or infected. Bacteria and/or fungi may be harbored there. Becoming asthmatic later in life may be symptomatic of harboring viral and/or bacterial infections. Emotions or stress can exacerbate asthma. But see the discussion below which elucidates the chemical cause and nature of "anxiety."

The ultimate test for asthma and other respiratory diseases is the Pulmonary Function Test (PFT). Done in a hospital or large clinic setting, this test takes about an hour or more. Numerous inhalation and exhalation tests are conducted with air volumes and times accurately measured. All these tests may then be repeated after inhalation of a bronchodilator drug if a problem is found. These tests can be stressful for those with severe respiratory disorders.

Anyone with fatigue, allergies, and/or anxiety should learn about hyperventilation syndrome. Hyperventilation is also called over-breathing. Asthmatics are said to greatly over-breathe more than is needed, thus losing much carbon dioxide (CO2). So low carbon dioxide blood levels and an over-alkaline blood condition exists. Let us now explore the linked biochemical basis for fatigue/fibromyalgia, asthma, hyperventilation and anxiety. You may know of the body's citric acid (energy) cycle. Cellular citrate, and sometimes blood citrate levels, are elevated in people with the above maladies because the citrate cannot be converted properly to 2-oxo-glutaric acid. This important reaction is glutathione-dependent. As glutathione levels go down, citrate goes up and 2-oxo-glutaric acid goes down. As citrate goes up in the cell, the level of a chemical called 2,3 DPG goes down in the cell. 2,3 DPG controls the ability of hemoglobin to yield its oxygen molecules. So even though there may be plenty of oxygen on the hemoglobin on the red blood cells, too little is released by the hemoglobin. With decreased oxygen, the tissues become acidic, with concomitant aches and pains (as in fibromyalgia). With tissue acidosis, carbon dioxide levels drop. Carbon dioxide is far more than �a waste gas� as most of medicine considers it. It is a master regulator. The body counters tissue acidosis by making the blood overly alkaline. When the blood becomes too alkaline, the kidneys rush in to help. The urine becomes acidic. If your urine is too acid and nothing helps, you may have hyperventilation syndrome and alkaline blood and low CO2 blood levels. All the diet changes, supplements, �coral calcium� etc. may be of no use in correcting urine or saliva pH, if hidden asthma and/or hyperventilation syndrome is at play. When the blood becomes very alkaline and the carbon dioxide level drops, a severe anxiety state (and possibly asthma) can exist. Unfortunately, the medical profession often classifies someone showing low CO2 and alkaline blood as anxiety-induced, even by the "fear of getting an artery nicked for the blood gases test!" In all likelihood, because the people with these blood anomalies exhibit anxiety, the medical profession, as usual, has it 180 degrees from reality. In fact, CFS expert Paul Cheney PhD (Physics), M.D. has written, that when arterial blood alkalosis along with urine acidosis shows itself, "It is never psychogenic. It's a metabolic problem. It's a compensatory, respiratory and renal alkalosis." The blood alkalosis further lowers the 2,3DPG and a vicious cycle ensues! Blood alkalosis then causes constriction of all the blood vessels in the body! Toxins are not removed well, and the blood volume drops from the constriction. More aches, pains, fatigue and brain fatigue result from systemic and brain vasoconstriction. One way to increase the blood volume and help the blood vessel constriction is to drink a lot more water! So the "water cure" can help a lot, but we see that dehydration may be a result, and not a primary cause.

So here, at last, is a cohesive, biochemical picture revealing the intertwining of hyperventilation, anxiety, allergies, toxicities, asthma, glutathione deficiency, dehydration, and liver and cellular anomalies. Ultimately toxins overloading the liver--mercury perhaps being the worst--and perhaps all the cells, by interfering with glutathione, may be the cause of this whole Syndrome. So as I have always said, there are few things that truly initiate chronic physical and "mental" illness: Basically critters and/or toxins. Dr. Cheney first recommended halting this vicious syndrome by raising carbon dioxide levels by using a rebreathing mask with oxygen. More recently, he has recommended a yoga type breathing method, using some breath holding, that will (over time) raise CO2 levels.

There are various breathing methods that may help with hyperventilation syndrome. Two important breathing methods are actually in opposition to each other as far as some of their basic tenets are concerned. Yoga breathing (pranayama) is often associated with deep breathing. However it includes breath-holding and some shallow breathing too. A newer method stems from the Russian physician, Konstantin Buteyko. It involves re-training the body to hold onto more carbon dioxide by performing many periods of shallow breathing (the mainstay), and breath holding throughout the day. Buteyko held that the low CO2 level was the cause of asthma and many other maladies. Only nasal breathing (in and out) is allowed in this method. The mouth gets taped at night to prevent excess exhalation of CO2.

For those using oxygen, special add-on devices make the person re-breathe some CO2. The old "breathe into a paper bag" method for those suffering anxiety/panic attacks is again for rapidly increasing blood CO2 levels. The Buteyko method has purportedly benefited over a million Soviet citizens. Many of these people were able to get off asthma medication after mastering this method. Perhaps most people with respiratory problems and hyperventilation syndrome will benefit. One Australian study had a significant portion of the Buteyko users get off some or all medication, although their peak flow tests did not significantly improve. (Asthmatics often get bronchospams just from performing a forceful, rapid exhalation.) You can easily test the validity of the carbon dioxide hypothesis as follows. A stuffed nose may be corrected by holding your breath and then moving your head up and down. The breath-holding raises CO2 levels and the head involvement brings some CO2 to the head region. Sinuses should quickly clear up, if you hold your breath for a while. Breath-holding for 45 seconds raises the carbon dioxide levels to an extent that it equals one puff on a bronchodilator! Breath-holding should never be done to the point of great duress; only until you feel you need to breathe again. Hiatal Hernia and the infraspinatus and/or cardiac reflexes found by Harry Philibert, M.D.(see below), or others,may also cause or exacerbate the hyperventilation syndrome.

Regarding anxiety, my website and books, etc. make clear there are many other potential physical/biochemical causes of anxiety states. Perhaps some, or all, of these anomalies end up causing the low CO2/hyperventilation syndrome? These other factors include endocrinological disorders (adrenal, thyroid, blood sugar problems), mercury and other toxic overload, parasitosis, allergies, Hiatal Hernia/Vagus Nerve Impingement, the respiratory and /or coronary reflexes from Dr. Philibert (see below), or other trigger points, and other problems. But I wish to reiterate the asthma/anxiety link. There may be many people whose anxiety signifies a (sub-clinical) asthmatic state! Test the breath-holding time, or use a peak flow meter. This type of asthma may be without significant wheezing, but is recognized by breathlessness upon exertion, alkaline arterial blood and low CO2 blood levels.

It is the lowered carbon dioxide level that Buteyko hypothesized leads to bronchoconstriction as the body tries to stop the loss of any more carbon dioxide. Hyperventilation Syndrome (low CO2 level) is said to "cause" 200 illnesses, all of which are said to be improved by practicing the Buteyko, or other, breathing method of tricking the body into raising its CO2 levels. These maladies include: phobias/anxiety/panic, allergies, arthritis, eating disorders, cancer, sinusitis, diarrhea, CFS, colds, brain fog, depression, dizziness, skin problems, vision problems, flu, impotence/frigidity, headaches, heart problems, GERD, high blood pressure, infertility, insomnia, diabetes, irritability, memory problems, numbness, menopause symptoms, M.S., fibromyalgia, depression, PMS, sleep apnea, blood vessel spasms, stomach disorders, stress, stroke, thyroid problems, varicose veins, weight gain or loss, and numerous other problems. The list can be so large perhaps because the carbon dioxide level regulates the blood and the body�s pH (acid-alkaline) balance. Some of the above are serious medical problems that can require a physician�s continual care. It can take weeks or months of lengthy, daily breath re-training to get the body to change its CO2 levels and see an improvement. And then it's a life-long continual process, if this is all that is done. (But learning and trying the Buteyko system can be valuable for many people.) It is my opinion that low CO2 levels are a result of other problems and not the ultimate cause. See the discussion herein on glutathione, and also the discussion on the Philibert respiratory and cardiac reflexes. When you truly ascertain the earliest possible cause and deal with it wisely, the greatest improvement and possible outright cure can occur.

Many asthmatics, and many non-asthmatics, have sleep apnea. Just as with "sub-clinical" asthma, there may be millions of people not knowing that they have sleep apnea. Apnea refers to a cessation of breathing. The two types of sleep apnea are obstructive (back of mouth/throat closes off) or central (breathing totally stops due to an anomaly in the brain--likely the thalamus). A sleep apnea test is usually conducted in a hospital with a respiratory therapist and a video monitor observing throughout the night. An EEG (brain wave) monitor and an ECG (heart rhythm) monitor are hooked up to the patient throughout. Devices to monitor airflow from the nose and mouth are also placed on the subject. A diaphragm strap (to test for central sleep apnea) and leg monitors are also used to test for restless leg syndrome. Newer home apnea tests are in the works. A respiratory therapist can come to your home for testing. Snoring is the first sign of possible obstructive sleep apnea. Deviated septum, excess weight in the face, sinusitis, TMJ disorder, and recessed lower jaw are all predisposing factors to obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea events cause hypoxia (low oxygen blood levels), rapid heartbeat and increased likelihood of stroke, heart attack and high blood pressure and other serious complications including being "permanently cured" in your sleep. There may be very little deep sleep and REM state dreaming occurring because the brain continually senses a cessation of breathing and has to repeatedly awaken oneself (perhaps with a sensation of shocks in the head or body).

The lack of good sleep and REM dreaming does not allow the brain to re-fresh itself and chronic fatigue and brain fatigue may result. If the pituitary or hypothalamus is affected, endocrine (adrenal, thyroid, etc.) disorders can result. Sleep apnea may be a frequent hidden cause, or exacerbating factor, of CFS/FMS. Sluggish metabolism and overweight conditions can be caused by sleep apnea. Treatment is with a CPAP or BiPAP machine which forces air into the nose throughout sleep. Losing weight and avoiding allergens can help many apnea sufferers. But there are said to be many apnea sufferers who are thin. Apnea often accompanies asthma and sinusitis. Besides CPAP/BiPAP machines, dental devices are made by dentists for those who have mild to moderate sleep apnea. These push the lower jaw forward. (I am researching a similar mouthguard device for martial artists that may save over a thousand dollars.) There are also surgical interventions for severe sleep apnea sufferers. Radio waves or the newer laser beams burn away some tissue in the back of the throat. In extreme cases, partial tongue removal is actually performed. Many surgeries are apparently unsuccessful. I hypothesize that the Hiatal hernia is often the major cause of sleep apnea as it often is for asthma (whether the asthma is known or unknown).

A "free" potential "cure" for asthma and several other maladies is the "water cure." A method of natural healers for millennia, the water cure was brought to a new level by the work and books of F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. He claims to have routinely cured asthma, ulcers, gastritis, hiatal hernia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, arthritis, angina, obesity, and numerous other maladies with water. One needs to drink half one's (pound) weight in water ounces. I.e., a 200-pound person needs to daily drink 100 ounces of water. It may take several months to rehydrate oneself properly (whether or not you are thirsty) so this will not happen overnight. Salt is to be added so as to avoid the diuretic effect and sodium loss. The water volume must be measured precisely as we may not be drinking as much as we think we are. How many people drink 2-3 tall glasses of water upon awakening? This may be needed before each meal. Other liquids do not count and are usually dehydrating according to Dr. Batmanghelidj. I think that everyone should try this, but I have several criticisms of this work. It is first-rate work, but little or no mention is made of the different choices of water. (See http://www.wellatlast.com/products.html#waterionizer ). (If there is significant toxicity, distilled water may be needed.) Neither is the fact that some foods like monoamine containing foods (See my Allergies and Candida book), meats, and allergies cause dehydration in many people, perhaps regardless of how much water is imbibed. There is no warning that many people are already eating far too much salt. Many people ingest ten times the amount of salt they need! The �water cure� may be beneficial, in part, because it leads to diuresis and elimination of much of this excess salt! So, in my opinion, dehydration may be greatly improved just by cutting out, or down, on allergies, monoamines, salt and meats, and by eating less. (Recall also my discussion above about the blood vessel constriction and the factors that lead to this. This was part of the hyperventilation/low CO2 syndrome, perhaps ultimately due to low glutathione levels.) But I may be wrong, and the heroic efforts of long-term re-hydration may cure or greatly improve asthma and the other maladies noted above. Everyone should try the water cure, for at least two months, as it is virtually without side-effects, and free, and it may work.

Some pulmonary disorders like emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis are said to be incurable, but the different modalities in this article can provide significant relief. Asthma though has been cured. New NIH guidelines now, however, say that asthma is incurable. I believe that is said because there is much money to be made on lifetime drug support. In fact, I have already written that asthma medications (oral and inhalers) have a long and sordid history of containing the most allergenic ingredients or preservatives, coloring agents, etc. This remains the case today. Bronchodilators cause hyperventilation--acting almost like adrenalin; and hyperventilation, we know, can cause asthma and thus such drugs may make it very difficult to overcome asthma. Oftentimes more and more puffs are needed until it stops working. Older texts until the 1940�s declared that no one died from asthma. Now some 6,000 deaths occur annually in the U.S. from asthma or the medications for it. Some benefit for asthma comes from the work of Harry Philibert, M.D.

Philbert began using what is now called "neural therapy" 50 years ago. This refers to injections of procaine or lidocaine or cortisone, or combinations of these, into various trigger points or pain points or other points on the body. This therapy came into its own in Germany in the 1940�s and today it is said to be a frequent treatment there for pain disorders. It is not popular elsewhere. Major work in this area was elucidated by Janet Travell, M.D. She discovered many "trigger points" throughout the body. Her treatments were injections, or compression on these trigger points, or the "spray and stretch" method which employed spraying a numbing compound while stretching the muscle. She was President Kennedy's White House physician and even designed his famous rocking chair. A related treatment protocol for trigger points is Bonnie Pruden's myotherapy. This involves pressure on the trigger points followed by stretching and exercises to loosen up the affected muscles. There are many other, newer systems offering some manual type of therapy on trigger points. The point here being that the existence of trigger points in a person may signal not just pain, but may be the cause, or a cause, of many serious diseases!

Neural therapy is variously hypothesized to correct neurological, lymphatic, acupuncture, fascia matrix, and/or toxicological/chemical imbalances. There are involved theories as to how procaine or lidocaine injections into nerve/pain/trigger points can sometimes lead to such profound and rapid changes, and health improvements, in the body. They are beyond the scope here, and are as of yet unproven. But any, or all, the imbalances noted above may be involved. All these systems may be imbalanced and inter-related. Philibert found that asthmatics that received injections into their infraspinatus muscles (for shoulder blade, or other pains) later told him their asthma was improved.

Less well-known, and even more crucial for survival, may be Dr. Philibert's discovery of the coronary reflex. Here the pain points are on the pectoralis major muscles' joining to the sternum. According to Philibert, this cardiac reflex may be a cause of angina, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), high blood pressure and 50-60% of heart attacks! He notes that autopsies on half of all heart attack fatal victims reveal no heart or blood vessel disease that could have caused the heart attack! When this reflex becomes active, chest pain, vasoconstriction, panic, tachycardia, and eventual heart attack may ensue. But there is a prerequisite to this reflex. First there must be some trauma to certain vertebrae. This occurs in whiplash, and other, injuries. Here is a critical link to fibromyalgia. Many fibro sufferers report a car accident or other trauma then led to severe, chronic pain. Once again, Philibert duplicated his findings with rabbits. Only those rabbits whose vertebrae were first traumatized followed by saline injections into the pectoralis major pain points died of cardiac arrest. Dr. Philibert, or other neural therapy physicians would treat both the spinal vertebrae and the pectoralis major pain points with lidocaine injections.

The typical whiplash-injured vertebrae--that also can lead to activating the coronary trigger (reflex--include C-4, 5, 6, 7 of the cervical spine (neck), T-4, 5, 6, 7 of the thoracic spine (just below the neck), and L-3, 4, 5 (of the lumbar region) and S-1 of the sacrum. The cardiac trigger reflex points themselves are the following: Most often Philibert found that the tendon end of the Pectoralis Major muscle where it joins the sternum at the level of the left 3rd and 4th ribs, and less frequently the 5th rib. It can exist on the right side as well. But note that it is the C-5, 6 vertebrae that also innervate the infraspinatus muscles! I may be the first to hypothesize a direct connection between the Hiatal Hernia/Vagus Nerve Impingement (HHS/VNI) Syndrome to the respiratory and/or cardiac trigger reflexes of Dr. Philibert. Perhaps the activation of one or both of these two Philibert trigger reflexes causes or exacerbates the HHS/VNI, or vice versa! Perhaps the activation of one or both of these reflexes is a missing link preventing the stomach from staying down! I am currently researching these possibilities. The vast majority of the physicians employing neural therapy do not know or use his cardiac and respiratory reflexes, and the other triggers Philibert found.

In general, neural therapy practitioners claim that 40% of all illnesses are due to interference fields in the body. They claim great success with the following maladies: allergies, arthritis, asthma, emphysema, heart problems, sinusitis, eye diseases, hormonal/endocrine imbalances, PMS, bladder dysfunction, prostate problems, circulatory disorders, many gastrointestinal problems, dizziness, ear problems, gallbladder, kidney, liver disease, headache, chronic pain, and other ills. Neural therapy is said to be very effective under the following circumstances: Other therapies, including holistic therapies, do not work as expected, and new symptoms and organ involvements continually arise despite all treatments.

I have begun to use Advanced Kinesiology to perform a "Priority Balance" when the Philibert reflexes test weak (with good results). With this modality, the body "tells" the kinesiologist how to fix these trigger points. But this may be one area where an injection of procaine or lidocaine deep into these points may be the best treatment. I do not yet know which is the better method at the present time. I insert the following here at a later date: I have not found neural injections to last long at all. Likewise for the manual therapy. But I have learned this and teach these methods to my clinets for them to repeatedly do on themselves as it can be a great help for asthma, hiatal hernia and many other problems.

To sum up, there are many new methods available for preventing, improving, and even curing respiratory and cardiac illnesses. First though we need to recognize that much of the fatigue, and brain fatigue in those with allergies, CFS, and FMS may actually be due to subclinical asthma, hyperventilation (low CO2), and/or sleep apnea. ("Brain allergies" may sometimes really be asthma without wheezing.) These dangerous conditions (asthma, sleep apnea) need to be tested and dealt with if found. Failure to do so only ensures that they will get worse and can even be fatal. If your orthodox or holistic physician won�t employ an inexpensive Peak Flow Meter, get one yourself; and/or test your breath-holding time. Regarding sleep apnea: do you snore or wake up unrefreshed? Get someone to observe your sleep, then get the full-blown test. The various methods noted here--hyperventilation correction (breath re-training), Philibert pain point injections (neural therapy), herbs, glutathione, breathing device, and re-hydration may provide some improvement for even the most disabling pulmonary disorders including emphysema, bronchitis, pneumonia, and COPD. For asthma, there may be a relatively rapid, total cure. For fatigue/fibromyalgia: correcting hyperventilation, dehydration, glutathione deficiency, and using Philibert, or other, neural therapy injections, may yield relief or cure�assuming the other things my books discuss have been dealt with. Even for heart attacks, angina and other cardiac problems, there may also be a rapid method for prevention, improvement or cure.

Be well.

[NOTE: If you like my articles, please order my book(s), and other publications, and consider coming here for Kinesiology consultation and/or seminars, or phone consultations. Please do not send us your medical history, I can only help those that are ready to proceed fully. Thank you.]

Hiatal Hernia Syndrome/Vagus Nerve Imbalance: A Missing Link To Chronic Illness, Allergies and Longevity?

Copyright 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009 Steven Rochlitz, PhD
All rights Reserved. Illegal to Copy or Transmit Without Express, Prior Permission
rochlitz@wellatlast.com (928) 649-2116

CRUCIAL NOTE--JUST PUBLISHED: A separate Booklet on the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome/Vagus Nerve Imbalance. It includes many things not in the article including the role of the esophagus, and 14 illustrations, including corrections for the Hiatal Hernia, Vagus Nerve, and the Diaphragm. It is 30 pages, 8.5" by 11". Cost is $20.00 plus $4.00 shipping. Send for yours today. (This is separate from the PFO/heart defect booklet described below.)

NOTE that Prof. Rochlitz has been correcting Hiatal Hernia Syndrome/Vagus Nerve Imbalance since 1985. But he will be retired by the end of 2010.

[Legal Disclaimer: This article is not intended for diagnosing, prescribing or treating any medical condition. Consult your physician.]

Could there be a factor either unknown, or not fully understood, by both mainstream and alternative medicine, that can initiate much chronic illness including many heart and lung disorders, and allergies? Could there be a very dangerous condition in the body that can cause virtually every other organ of the body to malfunction? Could 85% of the population have this undetected condition? The answer is decidedly yes to each of these questions. At the end of this article, surprising, new evidence will be revealed that this factor may even be a predictor of life expectancy.

The biochemist Carey Reams, PhD, said, "illness begins with the Vagus Nerve." The Hiatal Hernia Syndrome (HHS), by pinching the Vagus Nerve, causes Vagus Nerve Imbalance (VNI). However (see below), one may have hidden, underlying illness(es) that ALREADY have disordered the Vagus Nerve! This imbalance is usually a hyperexcitability, but a decreased energy state is also possible at some point in time. In a Hiatus Hernia, or Hiatal Hernia, the upper portion of the stomach protrudes through the opening (hiatus) in the diaphragm muscle.

This article will reveal how this condition, Vagus Nerve Imbalance/Hiatal Hernia Syndrome, which I will abbreviate as VNI/HHS, can cause so many other maladies and symptoms, and how it can cause many other organs to malfunction. Then I will describe testing to uncover the VNI/HHS, and finally how to treat this insidious malady with various modalities. These methods include techniques to perform on the body to correct (bring down) the stomach, as well as nutrition, diet and lifestyle changes. Anyone can learn these crucial techniques.

Theodore Baroody, D.C. called the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome, "the Mother of All Illness" and he stated that nearly "every [non-infectious] condition (except trauma) is the direct result of some digestive dysfunction." He wrote that the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome is "dangerous and brings about constant imbalances that lead to all maladies known to mankind." He found that over 85% of his patients, when tested, have a Hiatal Hernia! He further postulated that about "85% of the overall populace" have the HHS! My own clients, include many with fatigue/fibromyalgia and/or food, chemical, and electromagnetic sensitivities. They have the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome over 90% of the time. It's no coincidence. I cannot blame the reader for any initial disbelief, but 25 years of working on this problem in people has made the matter clear to me. Seemingly unrelated illnesses, or symptoms, can often be immediately relieved when "the stomach is brought down." The difficulty in seeing all this clearly, often arises because many factors can prevent the stomach from "staying down." My own improved techniques, over the last 7 years, may make this change last longer, and thus the improvement in these many seemingly, unrelated conditions is observable. I have gone vastly beyond all other practitioners regarding the Hiatal Hernia and Vagus Nerve Imbalance--even finding a hidden heart defect, and/or a liver defect, may be the reasons some with HHS/VNI suffer so much!.

As stated above, Hiatal Hernia refers to the stomach's protrusion through the opening (hiatus) in the diaphragm muscle. Wellness returns if and when the stomach stays below the diaphragm's hole (hiatus). This can take months of continuously doing everything just right. Or, more frequently, it may require learning a set of techniques (far beyond the simple "pull down") that is taught to the individual and is tailored to his/her unique problems, trigger points, imbalances, etc. One key to an enlightened understanding of the VNI/HHS is that the amount of stomach protrusion is often irrelevant. In many people, serious illness begins unfolding even if the amount of protrusion is small. The Hiatal Hernia may be "small,” for example on upper G.I X-ray. In many sufferers, any such protrusion causes major hyper-excitability of the Vagus Nerve. Or--this researcher has found--the Vagus Nerve may already be damaged/imbalanced from numerous, possible, underlying and hidden conditions. These hidden, causative factors for the Vagus Nerve Imbalance must be tested and corrected individually for wellness to be attained. The extensive Vagus Nerve is so diverse, and so interconnected to so many organs, that it has been nicknamed the "wanderer." The slightest upward displacement of the stomach through the diaphragm disorders the Vagus Nerve, or worsens its already imbalanced nature, if that was the case. Immediately the stomach and diaphragm malfunction. Over- or under- production of hydrochloric acid may result. Heart and lungs no longer function optimally. The entire digestive process also may then be adversely affected. The final result is often that the entire body may become too acid.

From an imbalanced Vagus Nerve, and diaphragm, any other organ can begin to malfunction depending on genetic weaknesses, and various other factors. Of course, the diaphragm itself will directly be affected, and breathing normally no longer occurs. Other openings in the diaphragm--itself now stretched or torn--allow the major blood vessels to and from the heart to pass through it. Thus spasms in the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava can occur. The heart itself can be crowded, and pressed on, by the stomach being "where it doesn't belong." These last factors, and the direct hyperexcitability of the Vagus Nerve's connection to the heart, lead to many Emergency Room visits and "pseudo-heart attack” symptoms of chest pain, difficulty breathing and left arm numbness. The reader, if experiencing these complaints, should seek emergency medical care, and not assume they are arising from the HHS. There is a remarkable similarity between Hiatal Hernia Syndrome and angina. [See the CRUCIAL UPDATE at the end of this article for Rochlitz' breakthrough linking the heart and the H.H.S.] Both can cause similar symptoms and both can occur after similar events such as overeating, exercise, and heavy lifting. My own hypothesis is that the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome, if uncorrected, may sometimes eventually become true angina. Also I have noted that every person I have seen with either atrial fibrillation or supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) had hiatal hernia. It usually takes years before it gets to these serious cardiac complaints, but dealing with the Hiatal Hernia/Vagus Nerve Syndrome and also muscle trigger points may be the best long-term solution if these are the ultimate causes of the heart rhythm disorders. Any degenerative heart condition may ultimately result from, or be exacerbated by, the VNI/HHS. .

Pregnant women, for the obvious reasons, need frequent Hiatal Hernia corrections. This can provide remarkable relief for many complaints. The Hiatal Hernia can readily result from the trauma of birth. This will be undetected unless a good kinesiologist is around to perform surrogate muscle-testing on the infant. Now the end of this article will reveal that there is a possible link between Hiatal Hernia Syndrome and life expectancy. I would propose a long-term study, from birth, to learn statistically what illnesses correlate with Hiatal Hernia, as well as the Hiatal Hernia's possible use as a predictor of life expectancy.

Kinesiologists will pull the stomach gently down on newborns possibly preventing a lifetime of illness. Note: I now use various trigger points, and not the "pull-down" to attain the dropping of the stomach. I can also imagine that the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome could arise before birth from weeks or months of being somewhat "scrunched” in the uterus. Physical trauma to the abdomen, at any time, can also cause a Hiatal Hernia. Even emotional stress is said to be able to cause or exacerbate this condition. There is a strong genetic component as many family members have the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome and often intestinal hernias and, in males, other hernias such as varicocele (or testicular hernia.) There is a strong allergy connection to VNI/HHS. There is a vicious cycle between allergies and the HHS, each one is capable of causing or exacerbating the other. In fact, I would like to note a possible, remarkable connection of a VNI/HHS symptom and a well-known allergy test. This is the Coca Pulse test, which denotes an increase in pulse rate some time after eating a food (allergen). But one of the most common VNI/HHS symptoms is an increase in pulse rate! So I hypothesize that most, (if not all), the food allergy sufferers, and their practitioners, who have used the Coca Pulse test for allergy detection (for decades now), may also have been dealing (unbeknownst) with Hiatal Hernias.

To get well, one often has to learn to give up one's favorite foods as these are usually allergy/addictions. Once a Hiatal Hernia exists, it may worsen with every passing day, with every stress, and with every meal eaten (especially if it's an allergenic meal). Eventually this can result in very serious disease, unless uncovered and corrected, and unless the appropriate diet and lifestyle changes are made.

The Hiatal Hernia Syndrome is the earliest cause of GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) virtually 100% of the time, though the orthodox literature often only denotes "an occasional link." But I believe many people have Hiatal Hernia for some time before GERD develops. Even traditional physicians now make the following very helpful recommendations for GERD/HHS. Lose weight, chew food well, don't eat spicy foods, eat small meals, avoid alcohol, tobacco, (and I would add possibly other nightshades: tomato, potato), avoid fried or greasy foods and mints, elevate the top of the bed by 6-8 inches, avoid tight clothing at the waist, and don't eat less than 3 hours before going to sleep. Some sources recommend sleeping on the back or left side only. Avoid right side sleeping. Lifting, bending, sneezing, coughing, stress, and many other factors can immediately push the stomach up through the diaphragm. Other foods that can be problematic for this syndrome include dairy, wheat, vinegar, citrus and other fruits. Avoid food or drink that is too hot or too cold.

Diet constraints cannot be overemphasized. Eating only small meals is key. Getting complete food allergy testing, (via Kinesiology is recommended here), and possibly rotating foods to avoid new food allergies can be crucial. Avoiding greasy and spicy foods is also essential. I have found that roughage may have disastrous consequences for the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome sufferer. The cellulose fiber may immediately push the stomach back up, or worsen the condition itself! Likewise for nuts and seeds. So only soft foods, cooked foods or juices should be allowed at first. Indeed I have made the following hypothesis. A pure juice diet may have healing potential at least, in part, because the liquid diet will allow the VNI/HHS to heal! Likewise I have surmised that taking supplements may cause or exacerbate the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome. The hard tablets and capsules, (until they dissolve), may also push the stomach right back up through the diaphragm. I have had clients say, "All supplements make me sick." Muscle testing on clients often reveals most clients are allergic to most of the supplements they take everyday; but never "all." So perhaps the client is just reporting how the supplements push the stomach back up resulting in the myriad of symptoms of the VNI/HHS. Some people take dozens of supplements because they aren't well and don't know the cause often at the same time! (Up she goes.) Pulling capsules apart, and putting the contents in a liquid, may be absolutely necessary, or else avoid supplements until healing has occurred. Previously, as a general wellness modality, I recommended lengthy fasting. In theory, this might help heal this condition. (I have done several two-week, water fasts.) However, the work by E. Denis Wilson, M.D. on thyroid malfunction, (Wilson's Syndrome), indicates that fasting can disorder the thyroid system, as he calls it. Since his work shows that this may not show up on any blood tests because 80% of T4 to T3 conversion occurs inside cells and the thyroid and adrenals are already stressed from the VNI/HHS, I cannot recommend any lengthy fasting.

Avoiding caffeine and any other neurotoxins and/or excitotoxins such as the ubiquitous MSG, (Monosodium Glutamate), or aspartame is also crucial. Perhaps the most nerve-damaging substance is mercury. Perhaps too the vagus nerve, due to its high metabolic rate, preferentially absorbs mercury, or other toxins, more than other nerve tissue? And this combination of VNI/HHS and mercury can be devastating. The Vagus Nerve, like the hernia itself, probably needs time to heal and for everything to be done right for a span of several months. Soda--with the extra gas it contains--should be avoided. Trapped gas makes this syndrome much worse. Indeed the sufferer may have episodes of feeling as if dying, only to be relieved by belching or perhaps the gas passes down the other way unnoticeably. Likewise when the practitioner gets the stomach down, much gurgling is often audible. One hundred years ago, medical schools taught Roemheld's, (or Gastro-Cardiac), Syndrome which described significant cardiac complaints arising from stomach problems. Unfortunately, this now seems to have disappeared from all but the homeopathic, medical literature.

Medical testing for the Hiatal Hernia may miss it. Less expensive is the Upper GI X-ray series, done after ingesting a radioactive milkshake. The far more involved test is the endoscopy (EGD). This may miss the HHS also, if the sedative relaxes the system sufficiently, and the stomach temporarily drops out of the diaphragm. Here, the gastroenterolgist will do an endoscopic exam. The patient is put to sleep and a tube is inserted down the esophagus. Some gastroenterologists use a numbing, throat spray at the outset. Others have found this is often allergenic and unnecessary. The video camera that the endoscopic tube contains, reveals the status of esophageal, gastric and duodenal tissues. Ulcerations, inflammations, and growths are looked for. The tube/device is also used to take biopsies. These tissues are then tested for cancer or pre-cancerous conditions and to look for bacteria, especially the ulcer-causing Helicobactor pylori. This examination also looks for the potentially, dangerous pre-cancerous, esophageal condition called Barrett's Esophagus, which can occur after long-term GERD.

It may not be possible to overcome the VNI/HHS unless the sufferer becomes thin. This can be difficult. Many forms of exercise will exacerbate the hernia. Finding some exercise regimen that doesn't worsen the hernia is crucial, as is taking it slow and steady. Getting thin alone may not bring the stomach down without manipulation; but losing weight may be necessary for it to stay down assuming everything else needed is being done. It may be very problematic to become thin as one complaint for the VNI/HHS is that eating when the stomach is up may immediately cause the sufferer to get hungrier (and not satiated) as s/he eats! Over-eating, (one of the worst things for this condition), often results. Hypoglycemia may be caused by this condition. But sometimes glucose testing, when these assumed hunger pains arise, reveals that no standard, simple low blood sugar disease exists. But there are other more complicated illnesses that most practitioners do not know about.

I suspect many cases of "hypoglycemia” may either really be the VNI/HHS, and not hypoglycemia, or at least that the VNI/HHS is one of the exacerbating factors of hypoglycemia, (as well as are allergies, parasitosis, porphyria, etc.) I was astounded once myself recently when I was feeling "out of it." My glucose meter revealed a blood sugar of 60, which is low, and low for me. I had one of my students test me for Hiatal Hernia. My stomach was up, and I showed him what to do to get my stomach to drop below the diaphragm. I felt that "assumed low blood sugar feeling” immediately go away. I was astounded to see the glucose meter then read 90! The VNI/HHS is also one of the great, hidden causes of obesity. However, when the Vagus Nerve is perhaps even more imbalanced, a loss of appetite may result. The sufferer is then in an even more dangerous condition, perhaps with significant, adrenal failure at that point.

Any practitioner who works with phobias, panic attacks, or anxiety needs to learn how to test and correct the VNI/HHS if s/he truly wants to help her/his patients. Or the sufferer must become his/her own expert. While I am fond of the "energy psychology” field and have made contributions to it, I state that various conditions cause these corrections to be far from "permanent” unless these underlying conditions are addressed. Perhaps chief among these conditions is VNI/HHS. Other "anti-permanent” factors include mercury and other toxins, and parasitosis and subsequent allergies. The acupuncture point tapping performed by energy psychologists will often be short-lived (often despite incorrect muscle-testing results), unless, and until, these and other (underlying) problems are corrected.

The illnesses of children need special mention. There has been an epidemic of asthma, dyslexia, learning and behavioral problems in children in the last several decades. Once again, I assert that VNI/HHS is a large part of the cause of these illnesses in children and of the asthma epidemic (in both adults and children). Asthma is not mentioned in Baroody's book, even though asthma (often a non-wheezing variation that includes locked-up chest muscles) may be the most frequent "side effect" of the hiatal hernia (see below). It is never "too early" to get the stomach down. I have found children with learning and behavioral disorders such as dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, Aspergers Syndrome, autism, etc., and asthma and allergies, almost always have the VNI/HHS. The hyperactive child's inability to "sit still” could actually occur because the seated position often makes the VNI/HHS much worse! Most seats may be very unnatural and may further stress the hernia. (If my stomach is up, I sometimes eat standing up. And my sporty car's seat is notorious for aggravating my Hiatal Hernia.) Getting back to children. As stated earlier there is often a terrible synergism between mercury toxicity and VNI/HHS. The child, who suffers from these illnesses cited, often also has mercury poisoning as determined by Hair Mineral Analysis (which can easily be verified by blood mercury testing.) The child's mercury poisoning could have come from the preservative used in vaccinations (ethyl mercury, AKA thimerosol, a potent neurotoxin), or from leeching of the mother's dental amalgam when the child was a fetus; or from fish or environmental sources. (Of course, the germs in the vaccinations themselves are believed by many to cause disease, but that is beyond the scope of this article.) The parent can be taught how to get the child's stomach down, with my techniques, during a session. Mercury poisoning in particular, I have found, makes it difficult for the stomach to stay down. Unless and until mercury, and/or other toxins present, are eliminated, the stomach may not stay down. Perhaps the Vagus Nerve is itself permanently, or semi-permanently, damaged by mercury (or other) poisoning, which then exacerbates this syndrome.

There may be an intimate, even causal, relationship between hiatal hernia and asthma and possibly other respiratory disorders. For example, some researchers have noted a frequent occurrence of both GERD (reflux) and asthma in children and adults. Some researchers believe that GERD may cause or influence asthma and others believe that asthma may cause or exacerbate GERD. Some physicians or researchers have found that treating either GERD or asthma sometimes helps the other condition when both occur in the same individual.

What I propose here is that the earliest link and possible iniator of both may be the hiatal hernia. The reasoning is as follows. Hiatal hernia experts would propose that GERD is almost always due to hiatal hernia. But hiatal hernia can cause or exacerbate respiratory disease, as the diaphragm (a primary breathing muscle) is torn and no longer functions properly. In addition there is the pinched vagus nerve--a branch of which goes to the bronchi and lungs. In addition, reflux may bring up acid that can be inhaled into the lungs causing or exacerbating respiratory illness. So these mechanisms can cause or exacerbate asthma. But, in some individuals, asthma may occur first--due to these mechanisms. But then sooner or later, the hiatal hernia will result in GERD. Now asthma is deeply connected to allergies, and possibly to an overexcited nervous system. But we have already seen how this HHS/VNI syndrome can lead to both a very allergic state, and to an imbalanced parasympathetic nervous system.

In an informal study I have noted that an apparently large percentage of people with various respiratory diseases (including asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, COPD) either are aware that they also have a hiatal hernia (via an official diagnosis), or are being treated for GERD or heartburn, which I assert is nearly always a result, or an indicator, of the presence of hiatal hernia. What I also propose is that all sufferers of respiratory disease who possess a known or "hidden" hiatal hernia may benefit significantly if they or their practitioners learn to get the stomach down and below the diaphragm--and more importantly and more problematically, try to keep it that way--regardless of the etiology. Sadly, this connection and method is not known to pulmonolgists or respiratory therapists. I am also currently researching a possible connection between the hiatal hernia and the Infrascapular Respiratory Reflex (IRR) treatment of Harry Philibert, M.D. (See the asthma article herein.) Here the asthma treatment is injections of local anesthetic (lidocaine) into the IRR trigger points, or manual therapy on these points. But I ask, does hiatal hernia/vagus nerve pinching cause the IRR to go bad? Or possibly the other way around? Philibert also has elucidated a cardiac reflex in the pectoralis major muscle. This reflex may cause or exacerbate angina, or other cardiac problems including myocardial infarction (heart attack). Can this crucial reflex or trigger (treated again with neural therapy injections) also be related to the hiatal hernia? Update: I now believe that the Hiatal Hernia/Vagus Nerve Syndrome is often the cause for the creation or re-creation of numerous trigger points. And so neural therapy or manual trigger point therapy will be short lived unless and until the HHS/VNI is brought under control.

Now hidden overgrowths of micro-organisms may be a strong factor in the HHS/VNI, or in the difficulty of keeping the stomach down, and/or the Vagus Nerve in proper balance. In addition, I have found numerous factors, such as hidden liver problems, that may be the real cause of BOTH 1. Why the stomach "doesn't stay down" and 2. Why the Vagus Nerve may be damaged even without having a Hiatal Hernia! Each person needs to be individually tested for so many factors to find the cause of their individual HHS/Vagus Nerve Imbalance.

Symptoms
Some of the symptoms of Vagus Nerve Imbalance/Hiatal Hernia Syndrome include the following:

• Belching
• Bloating
• Gas
• Hiccups
• Reflux (GERD)
• Dental enamel erosion
• Ulcers
• Regurgitation including dry heaves
• Waist Sensitivity
• Nausea
• Diminished, or excess, appetite
• Colic in children
• Diarrhea or Constipation
• Fatigue
• Hoarseness
• Coughing
• Pain in throat, chest, shoulders, spine, extremities, back
• Arthritis
• No deep breathing, or can't breathe, or hyperventilation
• Diaphragm or lung pain
• Swallowing air
• Fatigue
• Nervousness, Insecurity Feelings
• Facial Flushing, blushing
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic Attacks
• Tachycardia, eventually many heart conditions
• Faulty blood pressure (either high or low)
• Orthostatic hypotension
• Food, Chemical, Electromagnetic Allergies
• Pain in Neck or shoulder
• TMJ
• Bruxism
• Headaches
• Dizziness, poor balance
• Numbness, paralysis
• Hypoglycemia
• Shakiness
• Mental confusion
• Poor Stress tolerance
• Vision weakness
• Need for glasses
• Asthma
• Learning/behavioral Problems (ADD, ADHD, etc.)
• Autism
• PMS
• Prostate problems
• Bladder Weakness
• Weight gain or loss
• Ulcers
• Intestinal Disease
• Gall Bladder Disease
• Adrenal Fatigue
• Hypothyroid, Hyperthyroid
• Kidney Disease
• Epilepsy
• Cancer
• Sleep apnea--obstructive or central, insomnia
• Many Pregnancy Complaints

I am not saying that the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome is the sole cause of all these problems. But alleviating the Hiatal Hernia has helped all of these maladies, and may be either a primary cause, or an exacerbating factor, much of the time in these illnesses. These symptoms, or organ disorders, can arise from direct over-energy from the Vagus Nerve's connection to these organs, or by secondary nerve imbalance, as these other nerves interact with the Vagus Nerve, or from digestive disorder begun in the stomach, or by systemic pH imbalance. Of course, when we don't breathe right, oriental knowledge has revealed that any imbalance can then result. Likewise when adrenal exhaustion sets in, from the continual stress of the VNI/HHS, all the other organs in the body will weaken. Fixing, or attempting to fix, resultant problems is of very limited value, unless and until the earliest causative factors are found and dealt with, if possible. And the reason the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome is considered to be "minor" is because most of medicine has not observed how so many seemingly, unconnected illnesses can often be immediately improved by getting the stomach below the diaphragm. Of course, decades--perhaps a lifetime--usually goes by without most people ever getting their "hidden" Hiatal Hernias corrected. The illnesses it has (directly or indirectly) caused will then be even harder to connect to the VNI/HHS.

The above is a large list indeed. Space constraints prevent me from going into detail for most of these maladies. Except to say that I have been correcting HHS for 25 years and have seen proof of this connection in clients and/or myself over this span of time. I would urge anyone with any of these problems to add this to his/her protocol of things to do ASAP. Alkalinizing the body is important to re-attaining wellness. I have found that the recent innovation of making water alkaline with a water ionizer to be one of the best methods of alkalinizing the body. These water ionizers also make the water become wetter and a potent anti-oxidant greater than fresh, wheat grass juice and you can't become allergic to the water.

As I stated above, over 90% of people who have seen me with severe food, chemical or electromagnetic sensitivities have the VNI/HHS as one causative factor in their sensitivities. This can be a very tricky thing to uncover. E.g., many clients have said the following to me: "I can't figure out what I am allergic to!" Now sometimes this may be said by someone who is not taking responsibility and/or is in an addictive state. But this may not be the case; and I make the following hypothesis. (Even a food diary may not help if the following scenario is at play.) Let's say someone eats something and does not react to it as s/he eats this food when the stomach is down (VNI/HHS in balance), so there is no reaction. Then a few days later, the person first eats some lettuce at night, or takes twenty vitamin pills. The fiber, or the pills, before the person goes to sleep, causes the stomach to move up (through the diaphragm). The next morning when the subject eats the food that did not provoke an allergic or sensitivity reaction the last time, s/he now suffers a reaction. Or possibly any food will make the Hiatal Hernia sufferer "react” at that point in time! Because of Vagus Nerve Hyperexcitability and/or stomach imbalance, the gastrointestinal tract may now be in a hyper-permeable state, and that undigested food will now get into the blood stream. From there it can directly shock any organ or possibly provoke an antibody-antigen reaction. So we see the intimate relationship between the VNI/HHS and food sensitivities. But a hyperexcited Vagus Nerve will make the subject over-reactive to any change in his/her environment, including chemical substances and electromagnetic fields. This is further magnified by the subject having weak adrenals and or thyroid glands, which are needed to counter any environmental stresses. Summing up, the VNI/HHS can cause or exacerbate allergies and vice-versa.

It often requires a lot of learning and conceptual change in someone with severe chemical sensitivities, (MCS), who is used to blaming the chemicals "out there” for all his/her problems to learn that when his/her Vagus Nerve is hyperexcited is most likely when he/she will be over-reacting to those chemicals! It is often a shocker to think in these terms: "as your vagus nerve goes, so goes your allergies." (Of course, I am not in favor of the prevalence of these toxic, environmental chemicals.) But I have always strived to find out what is different about those of us that have, or have had, a history of severe environmental allergies. If everyone does not react to a food, chemical, pollen or electromagnetic field, I have always believed that the problem arises in the person. Previously I have written on how hidden parasitosis, secondary opportunistic microorganisms, (viruses, Candida, etc.), and mercury and other toxins are causative in food, chemical and EMF allergies. This syndrome, VNI/HHS (and any factors that may be causing or exacerbating it) may be a crucial factor in elucidating the causes of chronic allergies, chronic fatigue, and chronic, degenerative illness.

The "Correction"
Before hopefully getting the stomach down/out of the diaphragm, various advanced techniques may be needed to correct an imbalanced or misshapen diaphragm. This then restricts the diaphragm's movement. The longer one has had this undiagnosed, untreated condition, the more likely it is that one has the stuck diaphragm. It is also most likely if there is chest pain, rib pain, and trouble breathing, and bloating. Corrections can include rubbing or stretching certain body points, or the diaphragm itself. The abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava may suffer fewer spasms when the diaphragm is corrected.

The stomach itself can then be “pulled down”, after muscle testing the Hiatal Hernia point which is just below the xiphoid process. The correction is to push into the Hiatal Hernia test point and then to either push down and to the left, or vertically down, a few inches. This technique may or may not directly pull the stomach down, but can allow it to drop. After observing quite a few people having much pain from this method, I have had to go far beyond this as follows. I use muscle testing to "ask" the body which direction to push down. "Ask" also if breathing in or out is optimal during the pull. "Ask" again if the correction should be optimally done while seated, standing or lying down. Also, I have found that it is crucial to hold in the diaphragm; otherwise pulling down further detaches or stresses the diaphragm! This is one of the reasons many people do not tolerate the “pull down.” So I recommend holding in the upper diaphragm during the stomach “pull-down”, because I found that the act of pushing the stomach down could pull the diaphragm down too. CRUCIAL UPDATE: Finally, I often no longer use any pull-down on clients, because of the stress, and the pain and short-lived nature of this correction. I usually find, and use trigger points for the lungs, heart, stomach, gall bladder--that when rubbed appropriately--cause the stomach to go down on its own! I teach this to clients, so that they can do this for themselves.

Sometimes, after the stomach goes down, the subject smiles and feels like they are breathing right for the first time in many years. The subject often reports standing taller, and feeling stronger, than s/he has in years! I have seen oxygen saturation go from 88% to 98% after Hiatal Hernia correction. Sometimes, however, there is great discomfort in the abdomen. The person feels really bad. This may be due to the factors described in the previous paragraph, or to the skin factor. If it is the skin factor, I can almost always fix this with a skin proprioceptor correcting technique. The actual technique is to pull, stretch and vibrate the skin in certain ways. The Hiatal Hernia Syndrome sufferer's skin proprioceptors have likely been in a bad state for many years. They are supersensitive to touch, let alone a deep stretching. This is an indication, as well, of how the Vagus Nerve is likely also to be in a really bad, (hyperexcited), state.

Assuming I have tested for many other imbalances first, I then re-check them. It is indeed amazing to, (usually but not always), see blood sugar imbalance, thyroid, adrenal, small and/or large intestine, gall bladder, brain integration, pitch/roll/yaw (spatial imbalance), TMJ (sometimes though the TMJ can actually help fix the HHS), and many other circuits re-test as intrinsically fixed by the HHS correction. (Of course, none of this is a substitute for proper medical testing, and treatment, for any of these problems. This refers to energy states only.) Then comes the perennial question, "how long will it last?" I have already stated how difficult it may be to keep the stomach down due to so many factors already described. So, as with much of chronic illness, it is up to the sufferer to learn and master these factors. But these diet and lifestyle changes can be mastered by all. It is advisable for everyone to learn how to best get and keep the stomach down.

Kinesiological corrections for the diaphragm are often an additional benefit, as is advanced bodywork on this muscle itself. Reflexology for the solar plexus, diaphragm, pyloric valve and brain also help. It is fascinating that the stomach is often OK while the diaphragm, solar plexus, and brain often need treatment. An acupuncture/acupressure point for the vagus nerve is PC6.

Walt Stoll, M.D. recommends meditation, (skilled relaxation), and ginger for GERD/HHS. But muscle testing needs to first be done for the ginger, as you can react to its strong flavor. Everything must be done individually! You can also become allergic to something after taking it every day. Learning and practicing proper breathing methods can be a big help. So can the following herbal substances: comfrey, pepsin, aloe vera, and Swedish bitters. Useful homeopathic remedies include lycopodium, nux vomica, nux moschata and others. I trust the reader will realize that no neutraceutical is a substitute for keeping the stomach down, and for making the diet and lifestyle changes needed.

To summarize, the Hiatal Hernia may be a frequent, undetected occurrence often from the trauma of birth, or from some stress or trauma shortly thereafter. The Vagus Nerve is then immediately imbalanced. However, the Vagus Nerve may ALREADY be imbalanced due to crucial but hidden problems that I have uncovered, and these factors must be tested individually. Through the mechanisms outlined in this article, virtually any organ can then be adversely affected. Thus this VNI/HHS may be a primary cause of much chronic, degenerative physical and "mental" illness. The VNI/HHS may also be a primary cause in food, chemical and electromagnetic allergies. The Hiatal Hernia/Vagus Nerve Imbalance is a crucial Syndrome that can eventually cause many other illnesses including many heart and lung problems. Finally, I suggest that the Hiatal Hernia may be a predictor of life expectancy.

A recent advance in cardiology is the sub-field of Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV refers to statistical analyses of five-minute, (or longer), electrocardiograms. HRV analyses and subject follow-up for "all-cause mortality” yielded the conclusion that Heart Rate Variability is perhaps the best predictor of life expectancy. But Heart Rate Variability and even stress, "stress vulnerability” and "reactivity to stress” have been demonstrated to be highly dependent on the state of the Vagus Nerve. Thus we have come full circle and verified Carey Reams quote cited at the outset of this article. Reams stated that illness began with problems with the Vagus Nerve. HRV studies have now found that our life expectancies may depend on an optimum or balanced Vagus Nerve; and the Vagus Nerve cannot be in balance unless the stomach is down and stays down. The logical conclusion I propose here is that the Hiatal Hernia overlooked, in its totality, by nearly all of mainstream and alternative medicine may indirectly be a great predictor of life expectancy! Though this may be the first time this Hiatal Hernia/Longevity hypothesis has been explicitly stated, it should not come as a surprise. Since this problem, the Hiatal Hernia Syndrome, often arises from the trauma of birth, or other stress or trauma shortly thereafter; it may well be the longest standing, undetected, misunderstood, yet dangerous, condition the person has experienced, since being born.

Maybe one day the best toast or wish for a friend's health and longevity will be "May Your Stomach Always Be Down!"

So to all my readers I say, "May Your Stomach Always Be Down!"

UPDATE: This article was revised in several ways. Please re-read it. Pulling the stomach down is not always safe, beneficial, or appropriate; and other methods are cited herein (such as finding individual trigger points). Too many people have found the "pull-down" to be both very painful and short-lived. It can even create other problems. SEE THE CRUCIAL NEW HEART AND LIVER RELATED INFORMATION in the next paragraph. So I often do not do this on people anymore as I have gone well beyond older methods. I teach people individually which methods are best suited for them to use on themselves--the ones most effective and least painful. People also ask about surgery. One gastroenterologist, I know, advised against it as it often does not correct the problem and causes new ones. First speak to people (physicians, and patients who have had it) other than the surgeon!! If diet and lifestyle changes aren't made, it may not help. If they are made, it may not be needed. But the size of the Hernia is a factor. Finally, because of the large response to this article, please be aware of the following. Please be appreciative of getting this article for free. I am unable to do any more for people because of legal and other constraints. I can only help a few people via phone, or in-person, consultations. Please do not ask for email, or phone, advice otherwise; and see the final missing link in the Hiatal Hernia/Vagus Nerve matter below. Be well.

BREAKING NEWS I have made an amazing breakthrough regarding the possible interplay of the Hiatal Hernia and the Heart. Please go to the books page, by clicking its link on the upper left. Look for my NEW BOOKLET, Hidden Heart Defect--and/or Liver Disorder--as Possible Cause of MCS, EMFS, Allergies, Chronic Fatigue, Brain Fatigue and other Degenerative Illness, And LINKED to the HIATAL HERNIA.

Finally, instead of believing that an instant "pull-down" of the Hiatal Hernia" will "cure" us of everything, what is needed instead? To get well: We all need the following: Complete, and ACCURATE testing for all foods, supplements, and anything else that goes in or on the body Any food or supplement that shocks the stomach or esophagus can immediately bring back the Hiatal Hernia. (Never get allergies "re-tested" by someone who claims to have "cured" your allergies instantly and permanently. They will likely get it to bogusly "re-test" O.K., when an impartial testor would not; and you will react and not know what is happening to you.) We all need complete and accurate testing for all "Critters" (Candida, Protozoan parasites, Viruses, Bacteria, etc.) that may be harbored by the body, including in the stomach. We all need extensive energy testing and balancing to optimize healing, meridians, organs and more. We need to be tested for the new factors revealed by Prof. Rochlitz in his latest articles and new booklet--see above. This includes the Hiatal Hernia, "Little Hole in the Heart", Porphyria and more. All the stressors on the body/person must be identified and balanced. Contact us to learn how to get all this testing and balancing.

NOTE: If you like my articles, please order my book(s), and other publications, and consider coming here for Kinesiology consultation and/or seminars, or phone consultations. Please do not send us your medical history; I can only help those that are ready to proceed fully. Thank you.

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On Bogus "Allergy Elimination" Schemes and Other So-Called Permanent Kinesiological "Cures"; Towards A Science of Kinesiology

Copyright 2002 Steven Rochlitz
All rights Reserved. Illegal to Forward Or Copy
rochlitz@wellatlast.com (928) 649-2116

Previously, I have written of my research on the role of Protozoan parasites and other microorganisms, and other toxins, as triggers of severe permeability states, in susceptible individuals. That article then linked this syndrome to severe food allergies, MCS (viruses), CFS, Fibromyalgia and other environmental illnesses. As promised therein, this article will depict the benefits and drawbacks in the use of kinesiology and will explain how some kinesiological methods have gained immense popularity while purporting to "instantly and permanently cure allergies." Other so-called instant, permanent health cures via kinesiology will also be cited. This author takes no pleasure in elucidating this matter. Indeed, as a kinesiologist, I feel it is beholden to me to point out, both the remarkable benefits, on the one hand; but also the impossibilities on the other hand, that some of the offshoots of Applied Kinesiology contain. Hopefully this article, written by a physicist/kinesiologist, will not be used to discredit kinesiology as a whole, but rather to point out to its practitioners some problems inherent in its use and potential solutions.

Applied Kinesiology was developed by George Goodheart, D.C. and colleagues in the early 1960's. Initial discoveries by Dr. Goodheart included the following: the use of manual muscle testing to gauge the status of muscle balance, spinal vertebrae, acupuncture meridian and corresponding organ balance. No use of the unfortunate concept of "permanent" re-setting of imbalances was ever cited, to my knowledge by any "official" Applied Kinesiologists or any of the offshoots until about 1980. However, in the last two decades some kinesiologists have mastered the art of making subjects' arms strong, and declaring that they have been "permanently cured." This latter notion has been applied to allergies, cranial corrections, dyslexia, "DNA repair," bacterial elimination, goal setting, etc. This will be described in detail here. This article may also be the first to offer an explanation of the mechanism involved in getting a specious result with muscle testing, specifically in regards to "instant, permanent cures." The sad thing is that while we will demonstrate that perhaps the vast majority of muscle testing done on this planet on any given day is spurious, muscle testing and kinesiological energy balancing may have immense potential for uncovering the basis of illness and correcting it.

I know of at least three popular Kinesiology systems over the last 15-20 years that have had their inventor claim to "curing everyone's allergies permanently in seconds or minutes." (Or some variation of this theme.) New offshoots spring up all the time. Usually allergy sufferers gain little or nothing beyond what any reasonable practice of acupuncture or kinesiological energy balancing would have provided. Of course, the allergy sufferer would have gained the most, by having Kinesiology used to uncover the cause of his/her permeability and the optimum remedy.

Manual muscle testing is first used to demonstrate a weak or unlocked muscle response to a food or other substance placed on the body or under the tongue. Some technique, e.g. tapping or needling acupuncture, or other body, points is then employed by the "allergy eliminator" and when the food, etc. is re-muscle-tested, the muscle now tests strong. "Voila! You are permanently cured." One system employs tapping of certain neurological disorganization points while the food is on the body to "permanently cure allergies." Perhaps the fact that the patient has to then take sucrose-laden homeopathic pellets of these foods belies the fact that nothing but making arms strong has occurred. The allergy sufferers sooner or later realize that nothing of long-lasting value was provided. This article will explain how the testor makes the muscle re-test as strong, or locked, when it may not really be so. However, even if the muscle truly were made strong, I assert that this is, at best, irrelevant, as the underlying illness (permeability and its cause) has not been addressed.

Another system holds or taps meridian end-points to make the allergen test "strong." A decade or so later, when perhaps thousands of people made it clear that it did nothing for them, the system�s creator began to teach that "geothermal stress" was the cause of allergies and must be corrected first?!

I will now detail a third very (currently) popular system. This one uses kinesiology and/or acupuncture. Now, a well-known environmental physician contacted me in 1996. He explained how he himself had been treated and "cured" of his allergies by a staff member: a M.D. from China that he had paid to send to the seminars of the person teaching this system of "allergy elimination." But the environmental physician said something must be amiss. "Why am I getting so sleepy on the job so often? And it seems to come after eating some foods." Retesting by his associate "revealed" that it "wasn't allergies as they were all still permanently cured." On the phone I told him how specious this all is and of my experience of over a dozen years, (at that time), with it and what really causes allergies. He suspected as much. He flew over and I found the usual. First: viral imbalance causing chemical sensitivities. Second: Protozoans again being the initial cause of the entire problem and certainly of the permeability and subsequent food allergies. Of course, when I tested the allegedly "cured" foods, he, in fact, tested weak to them as he suspected from his sleepy reactions.

He flew me out to his Medical Center to see ten of his worst patients. I called and spoke to some of them on the phone before flying out. As per the usual, some patients said, "My allergies have been cured. I don't seem to get the same reactions as before. It's wonderful." I then asked them the following question: "Do you still suffer from chronic fatigue?" Ever is the answer, "Yes. But I know it's not from allergies! My arm always tests strong!"

The results of my working on these ten patients are as follows. Eight of the ten had Protozoan parasite imbalances, (as well as other viral and/or other microorganism imbalance). Two had only Candidiasis. The foods that were "100% cured" with the "allergy curing system" showed only 10-15% strong responses to my manual muscle testing. Probably this is no better than would arise from not having eaten these foods recently. In other words, 85-90% of the "cured" food allergies were, in fact, not cured. (Despite the fact that the "allergy eliminator" always re-tested these foods as "cured.") The 15% that did test strong is a low enough percentage that we postulate that these foods may not have been eaten recently enough to elicit a reaction or a response. After all, most allergies are not fixed and may not be a problem if rotated.

To the best of my knowledge, the results of these ten people are as follows. Nine followed my advice (based on testing) and did quite well. There was great improvement in fatigue, headaches and overall allergic sensitivities without needing to work on the allergies individually. Some patients had contacted me to thank me and to tell me that they were much better. Some did later relate to me that symptoms were returning which is not unexpected. What is most needed (and what I tried to provide, as discussed in my last article herein) is the knowledge that the susceptibility to the Protozoan parasites, (from uncooked food and/or water and other sources), requires lifelong vigilance and diet and lifestyle changes. Heavy metal toxicity and other matters must also be uncovered and dealt with as well. There are no "permanent cures," just as there is no permanent cure when you get over a cold that you will never get one again. I applaud this physician for being able to change and use what works, and for giving me the opportunity to help his patients.

What really causes allergies, Environmental Illness, MCS, Fatigue/Fibromyalgia?

Copyright 2002 Steven Rochlitz
All Rights Reserved. Illegal To Forward Or Copy
rochlitz@wellatlast.com (928) 649-2116

This article is, in part, excerpted from the author's book, Allergies and Candida: with the Physicist's Rapid Solution, 4th Edition. Copyright 2001

Much of chronic, degenerative, physical and "emotional" illness is ultimately caused by allergies. Specific recent maladies are known to be intimately tied to allergies. These include Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Fibromyalgia, Candidiasis, Parasitosis, environmental illness, MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities). This article has several goals. First to demonstrate the link between all these maladies, secondly to hypothesize common cause(s), and thirdly to briefly describe a plan of action. As a physicist, this author realizes that there are a potentially infinite number of "treatment" options for an illness. However, only a methodology that deals with the earliest possible cause(s) can be the most effective.

After researching the above maladies since the 1970's (and unfortunate personal experience with them as well), it became clear to this author, ten years ago, that there are common links in all these illnesses. They are, in fact, variants of one disorder. I propose a term, which encompasses these ills and their cause and treatment: PPDEI. Parasitosis Permeability Disorder (with accompanying) Energy Imbalance. The remainder of this article will clarify the factors in this acronym.

All of these maladies have some set of severe food, chemical, electromagnetic, and pollen allergies as the cause of much symptomatology. Of course, fibromyalgia is the term that orthodox physicians use for chronic fatigue and muscle/joint pain. In those quarters, only drugs are considered for treatment and so those patients often do not ever learn of their severe allergic states (and blood sugar anomalies) until they see more holistic practitioners who might then find the different types of allergies. In fact, this kinesiologist has realized years ago, that some of the pain points listed for "fibromyalgia" are none other than the Chapman neurolymphatic reflex points that must be rubbed if wellness is to be attained! (Rubbing these points can increase lymph flow to associated organs and meridians. When these reflex points are out of balance, they are painful and there can be general debilitation.

Let us return to allergies which plague all the sufferers of these linked maladies. The cause of the type of allergy we are discussing is permeability. People afflicted with these maladies do not usually possess the original, high-IgE, classical, allergic responses. They suffer because their bodies have become hyper-permeable to the outside world. The gastrointestinal tract is too permeable allowing food constituents to enter the blood improperly and cause reactions directly, not through an IgE-mediated response. (Seemingly paradoxically, a hyper-permeable gastrointestinal tract often simultaneously leads to a lessening of absorbability of many nutrients.) But the gastrointestinal tract can even allow pollens and chemicals to enter the blood too! The breathing apparatus and the skin, and their mucous membranes can become hyper-permeable also and allow for chemicals (or pollens) to enter the blood through these routes. (This is why we don't use the term, "leaky gut." We believe that more than just the gut is leaky, and permeability is a better term.) Electromagnetic sensitivities, we shall learn, can have a similar etiology to chemical sensitivities.

What causes these severe permeability states? Severe gastrointestinal permeability may be caused by several factors. But the most frequent cause is protozoan parasite toxins, usually arising from Entamoeba histolytica or Giardia lamblia. With severe, immediate and "universal" food allergies, the above amoeba will usually be causative. Unfortunately both the usual medical stool tests and the one commonly used by alternative practitioners have a "great" inability to detect these protozoans. Only the rectal swab (Parrish-Bueno) test, or an enlightened use of Advanced Kinesiology methods is accurate in our experience. While some authors want to blame certain worms for all illness, we have found this is rarely the case. Though liver flukes or other worms are harmful to the human host and should be eradicated when found, we have ascertained that worms do not usually cause severe permeability and are relatively rare in comparison to amoebiasis or giardiasis.

Though intestinal parasitosis may be accompanied by diarrhea, constipation, or foul stool odors, some people suffer from allergies, environmental illness, MCS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Candidiasis and Fibromyalgia even though the amount of intestinal parasitosis may be quite small and none of these intestinal symptoms need be present. That is, in some people, the smallest amount of protozoan overgrowth immediately triggers permeability and energy imbalance, and the other changes cited in this article. But it is interesting to note that many with food, chemical and electromagnetic allergies ignore their diarrhea or constipation and thus the ultimate cause of their problems. Once the gastrointestinal tract is hyper-permeable, caffeine, sugar, wheat, dairy, corn and yeast/mold often cause severe allergy or addiction or both, and should be completely eliminated. Eating any food often may result in a severe allergic reaction. Many sufferers end up eating foods everyday that were once safe and thus the formerly, safe foods become their worst foods unknowingly. Food rotation thus becomes necessary, though it is not a cure.

Vitamins, vitamin injections, and neutralizations usually often become allergenic and are also seen here as not dealing with the cause of the problem. Homeopathic remedies become problematic as they usually come in sucrose, lactose or alcohol--all highly allergenic. Two decades of experience has also revealed that energy balancing alone--whether via kinesiology, or homeopathy, or acupuncture--is insufficient to kill off strong "critters" such as protozoan parasites. "Strengthening the immune system" is the cry now heard continually. But we must never lose sight of two facts. 1. That eliminating the parasite (or other) toxins that are the cause of the weak immune system is the primary goal, and 2. Specific, anti-parasite agents (herbs or drugs), not general "immune boosters" are what is needed!

Now we have found that chemical and electromagnetic allergies usually have a viral etiology. Epstein-Barr Virus (most frequently), or Cytomegalovirus (CMV), or Coxsackie or Herpes variants or other viruses, or all of these may be the causative agent(s) for chemical and electromagnetic allergies. Electromagnetic allergies may also arise from mercury or other heavy metal toxicity. To detect heavy metal toxicities, everyone should have a hair mineral analysis regularly. We believe that nearly everyone has the above viruses within him or her. The problem only arises when one or more of these viruses runs rampant. And the usual prerequisite for this type of rampant, viral syndrome is none other than the same cause of severe gastrointestinal permeability: protozoan parasite toxins. But we see one difference between a sufferer of severe food, chemical and/or electromagnetic allergies, and another sufferer who truly possesses only food allergies. Both will have protozoan parasitosis and gastrointestinal permeability. But the former will also have the viral syndrome as well, while the latter will not. Only full antibody panels (or Advanced Kinesiology) reveal the Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus, or CMV, or Coxsackie, or Herpes presence or the immune response to them. Unfortunately many who suffer from, and/or treat, chemical and electromagnetic allergies have no knowledge of the causative factors described above. It is common to read "chemical exposure causes chemical allergies" and "electromagnetic exposure causes electromagnetic allergies." While we should avoid these unnatural, toxic things as much as possible, it is not the exposure that causes the sensitivities, otherwise the entire population would have them. Most of the time, a sufferer feels the allergic responses to chemicals or electromagnetic fields after s/he has developed overgrowths of (and internal energy imbalance from) the above cited microorganisms! And certain "unknown" medical problems, such as Porphyria may be aggravated by overgrowths of critters, and/or toxic exposures."

Now Candida albicans continues to be blamed for almost everything by some. But 80-90% of the time that such claims are made, chronic Candidiasis either is not actually present, or has long ago been killed off, or--if present--is secondary to protozoan parasitosis. Of course, Candida albicans does lead to its own unfolding of specific illness, which we have revealed even includes learning disorders/dyslexia and ADD/ADHD. Indeed, in 1984, this researcher hypothesized that acetaldehyde from Candida overgrowth in the mother would be able to cross the placental barrier and affect the fetus' brain resulting in corpus callosum anomalies by blocking acetylchloline receptors therein and resulting in dyslexia and other problems. This was called the RADH (Rochlitz Aldehyde Dyslexia Hypothesis.) By 1989, medical science proved that acetaldehyde (not the alcohol in alcoholic beverages) does indeed cross the placental barrier and causes fetal brain disorders! This led to warnings, against pregnant women drinking alcohol, now found in all bars and supermarkets in the USA. However, those--including this author--who have written books on Candidiasis have overplayed its role in causing allergic diseases. While even the earliest (1988) edition of my "Candida" book included a parasite section, it was not until 1991 that it became clear that most of the time protozoan parasitosis occurs first and this causes the severe permeability disorders and that Candidiasis (if present at all) is a secondary, opportunistic organism.

Treating "Candida" with antifungals has been so ineffective, in part, because the underlying parasitosis is not dealt with. The Candidiasis, if actually, originally present would have been eradicated within a month or so of antifungal treatment. But antifungals won't kill protozoans. Some physicians still treat their patients for months, even years, with newer, powerful, potentially-dangerous antifungal drugs without any benefit because the original cause--protozoan parasitosis, Porphyria, other--is never dealt with. Indeed, the manufacturers of some of these antifungal drugs recommend a maximum 10-day trial due to potential liver or kidney toxicity. But some physicians employ them non-stop for many months?! Candida dies much more readily than the two protozoans cited above. The protozoans, when attacked will enter the cyst stage and become even more resistant to herbal or drug agents. Candida is much weaker than these protozoans. E.g., both Kinesiology and actual trials indicate that grapefruit seed extract is often sufficient if only Candidiasis is present, but it is not strong enough to combat protozoan parasites.

Just how parasite toxins cause the severe permeability states is described in more detail in my book. Briefly, this author has hypothesized an "improper potassium metabolism" induced by parasite toxins. (There may also be a genetic predisposition with an overabundance of histamine receptors on gastrointestinal cell membranes.) This author has found that taking extra potassium, though wise, will not be sufficient here as this problem is an electromagnetic one whereby many of the body's cells in effect lose the ability to recognize potassium while the "gain" is turned too far up for sodium. This author has found that a set of seven conditions then shortly develops in many people: gastrointestinal permeability, adrenal shock, pancreatic shock, serotonin (and/or other neurohormonal) decrease or blockage, stomach acid/pepsin insufficiency, secondary microorganism overgrowths, and severe energy disturbance in the body (see below). Due to the permeability, parasite toxins readily get into the blood and can affect any organ. The liver and pancreas (blood sugar anomalies) may be overloaded in dealing with these toxins. The brain is often seriously affected in specific ways resulting in depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, paranoia, autism. It is a joy to see the termination of these brain disorders (as well as dyslexia, ADD/ADHD) when ecology and energy work are performed on the actual causes of these problems.

It is crucial to learn that one anti-protozoan herb commonly used, Artemesia annua (wormwood), itself in many people strongly interferes with the body's ability to recognize potassium. Since the parasite toxins are already interfering with potassium recognition, this is a very serious problem and has caused grave illness! We know of asthma, suicide, and near-death reactions from this effect from Artemesia annua. This author has found those with an Eastern European ethnicity often have this intolerance to Artemesia annua or the even more potent and even more potassium-interfering strain known as Artemesia annua vera. It is important to realize that taking extra potassium does little here. Many practitioners do not comprehend the electromagnetic nature of this problem and might recommend extra potassium. It is almost worthless for this problem. We have devised a special kinesiology test for this Artemesia annua-induced potassium recognition problem--it's not an "allergy." If this test is not performed, we strongly advise against using the Artemesia annua form of wormwood. This researcher has found that Artemesia absinthum does not usually cause this problem. This again is especially important for those with any eastern European ethnicity. Fortunately there are many other herbal remedies available now to combat parasitosis.

We should also note here that "friendly flora" often feed and do not displace the much stronger protozoans. (This is why so many people, even after years of ingesting all forms of "friendly flora," don't have much, or any, in their guts. The stronger "critters" have just eaten them all along.) Friendly flora should, in some people, be provided only after herbal or drug eradication of anomalous overgrowths has been successful. We must also specifically caution against "soil-based" microorganism ingestion. These microorganisms may be totally unnatural to the human gut and may cause detrimental overgrowths and severe illness on their own!

Why do we have the recent explosion of allergic-related disorders and the severe permeability states? The above discussion reveals that this question is equivalent to asking: Why do we have the explosion of (hidden) parasitosis? It is this author's hypothesis that the ultimate cause of all these ills and their recent explosion may, for many, be the lack of (sufficient) breast-feeding in infancy! Breast milk contains protective antibodies that may, in effect, coat the gastrointestinal tract for a lifetime--and/or make the gastrointestinal tract less permeable to allergens and less susceptible to parasite attachment and/or overgrowth. The absence of, or an insufficiently lengthy, breast-feeding process (at least six to nine months), thus leads to a lifetime of susceptibility to protozoan parasitosis and its subsequent permeability and subsequent Candidiasis, viral syndromes, fatigue/fibromyalgia and allergic disorders. Lack of (sufficient) breast-feeding can make parasitosis inevitable. As cited above, there is also the genetic component to these illnesses--a weakness for developing parasite-induced permeability. A weakened immune system, or digestive system, can allow overgrowths of these organisms. The opposite is also especially true: Perhaps nothing weakens the immune system as severely as the toxins from parasites, and the permeability--and subsequent allergic reactions--these toxins then cause. Lack of breast-feeding is, of course, a relatively recent phenomenon brought on in the western, "civilized" world by the collusion between orthodox, medical physicians and the drug industry in order to sell the scientific-sounding "formulas" which lack so many nutrients and the protective antibodies. But any factor, even later in life, that alters immunity can also lead to parasitosis. As an example, the experimental vaccines that Gulf War soldiers were forced to take by the Pentagon almost certainly has led to parasitosis and environmental illnesses. Once gut or general immunity is lowered, parasitosis will be practically a given for many�especially those who were not breast-fed! But these ideas point the way for the testing and treatment these poor veterans need but are not getting!

Another leading cause for the explosion of parasitosis-induced permeability and subsequent chronic illness will be a shocker to many in the holistic movement. This is raw, organic produce. Now we continue to recommend organic produce, as pesticides have long been linked in the etiology of degenerative, neurological disorders particularly Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It is only the raw aspect that needs to be altered for many people; especially those that were not (or not sufficiently) breast-fed. Organic usually means that the produce was fertilized with what comes out of the rear ends of horses and cows. But, this is the focal point for the giardias and amoebas! Much produce goes to industrialized nations from third world countries where the animal manure is again the fertilizer. The recent "One-World" trade pacts now forbid telling the consumer which is the country of origin. Pesticide-free produce is great, but cook it to kill the protozoans. Eat only cooked foods! Many practitioners, who treat people with parasitosis, unfortunately do not warn their patients that they must avoid raw produce indefinitely. Indeed, we have had clients who were apparently perfectly healthy; some were even breast-fed. But shortly after they started eating much raw, organic produce, these individuals ended up with severe allergies and often in a disabled state. Certainly this scenario helps prove the case against eating raw, organic produce--at least for these people!

Many holistic practitioners recommend everyone eat much raw, organic produce. So we often ask people to perform a gedanken (or thought) experiment. Imagine the manure on top of a fruit or vegetable you are about to eat. Now mentally subtract the fruit or vegetable and visualize the raw substance left that you are about to eat. We ask, is it natural and is it a long-term phenomenon for humans to eat animal manure? We think not. But again it is the lack of breast-feeding and other recent harmful phenomena that have lowered our immunities incapacitating our gastrointestinal tracts from being able to prevent parasitosis. Leading parasitologist, Dr. Louis Parrish has stated (once again contrary to much, popular holistic belief) that washing or scrubbing produce in chlorine, or peroxide solutions will not kill 100% of the protozoan cysts. Regardless of drug or herbal therapy, those who continue to ingest uncooked produce, juices, salads, etc. will either be unable to completely eradicate the parasitosis or will soon get it back. The latter is especially true once again for those that were not breast-fed. As stated above this is a lifelong problem for those of us whose mothers were talked out of breast-feeding by their "doctors."

Unfortunately many people think that because they may have once taken some anti-parasitic agents, they were "cured" for all time. Of course, the agent may never have been safe or effective, or the parasitosis may have immediately returned because of the above dietary "indiscretion," or from water-borne organisms, or by kissing one's pet, or from other factors. But the non-breast-fed individual must ever more maintain sharp vigilance against ingesting new parasite cysts, or else battle parasitosis again and again.

It is essential to recognize that once something terribly unnatural has been done to an individual--here the lack of breastfeeding--that individual may be different and weaker for the rest of his/her life. And we cannot then declare that what is good for the rest of the population--eating raw produce--must be good for such altered and weakened individuals! The ultimate lessons are not to again allow physicians or drug companies to alter the course of nature under the false pretense of science, but in reality for their own profit; and that alternative practitioners must be able to change, when warranted, and not make the same mistakes made by the medical orthodoxy--treating symptoms and not the cause; and treating everyone identically.

Now some will immediately say, "What about all the enzymes in the raw produce?" First we note it is not the "rawness" of the produce we object to. It is the prevalence of raw produce commonly purchased to be unnaturally fertilized with manure. Due to handling, though, any uncooked food may contain harmful microorganisms. Sufferers of the above maladies who never stop eating raw produce usually never get well! That answers the question for these people. If--but this is a very big if--one does not have these problems or the tendency to develop them, then by all means eat the raw, organic produce.

Our advanced Human Ecology Balancing Sciences (HEBS) Kinesiology breakthroughs actually enable the testor to ascertain which agents are safe and effective against the person's parasite imbalance--even before taking the agent. Ordinarily if the subject gets sick after ingesting a supposedly helpful agent, the practitioner cannot know if the subject is merely allergic to the agent, or if the reaction is the die-off or Herxheimer reaction. So our Advanced Kinesiology can be crucial in both rapidly ascertaining and eliminating this problem.

But we must always bear in mind the limitations of kinesiology or of energy balancing. By itself, kinesiology cannot "cure allergies in minutes" as some in the field of kinesiology have unfortunately, and ignorantly, claimed in the last two decades. As a physicist, this author can state that it's easy to make an arm strong. But that is quite worthless, as the cause of allergies "permeability" and the permeability's cause: usually parasitosis�is not addressed by simplistic and bogus "allergy elimination systems." Causality reigns supreme at the macroscopic level in our Universe. Allergic reactions cause meridian imbalance, not vice versa. While some energy balancing may alleviate some symptoms, it is nonsense to claim that acupuncture/acupressure treatments "cure allergies."

People with the most intense, immediate or Universal allergies quickly find out how bogus the now popular "allergy elimination" schemes are. Others may feel a little better from the meridian balancing, or the shock organ for the allergic reaction may be altered--thus fooling the patient and the doctor. Or the subject may merely be mesmerized by seeing his/her arm made strong in a bogus muscle test.

Sadly, as a kinesiologist, I must report that most of kinesiology is bogus. I will explain in detail in the future just how the testor in many "systems" affects the test result making it come out the way s/he wants it to. It is also important to avoid those who claim to make "permanent" cures or corrections with kinesiology/energy work. Any energy state that is easily re-set may be easily turned off again--usually by the ecological factors discussed in this article. We will have more to say about how the testor who claims to make such "permanent cures" makes the muscle testing come out the way s/he wants it to. Some people (even numerous physicians who do this work and have come to us) get so much worse after "allergy elimination treatment" because they start eating allergic foods--even toxic foods like sugar, coffee, alcohol--because they believe they have been "permanently cured" as the muscle testing "proves" to them. It is fascinating to observe both sick patients and their physicians ignore the patients--actual symptoms because they believe the results of bogus muscle testing! "My new symptoms can't be from allergies--they were cured!" Or to hear the words from the so-called allergy eliminator: "It hasn't held." So much for "permanent" cures. Of course, it's not that it "hasn't held." It never worked. You can't make toxic foods safe! Allergies can only be halted if, and when, permeability is halted.

Nonetheless, an enlightened use of kinesiology (so rare) can be crucial to rapidly determine the cause and the protocol for the ills cited in this article. This is what the HEBS System of kinesiology and ecology was created for in 1983. We can't make up for not being breast-fed, but we can ascertain what parasites, bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc. we may be harboring, and can find what is safe and effective in eliminating them, and we can then eat only cooked food and make the other diet and hygiene changes. Yes, we can finally, and completely, overcome, environmental illness, MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Candidiasis and Fibromyalgia, and food, chemical, pollen, and electromagnetic allergies and all the other diseases that are actually caused by these factors. We can get and stay well! Often this can be achieved in weeks or months despite a lifetime of severe illness and allergic states. But to stay parasite-free, everything must be done right and must continue to be done right. It's very easy to get parasites back if one is not vigilant. However, once the "patient" understands all this, s/he can readily eradicate them once again, if necessary.

Finally, let us see what the "E.I." or "Energy Imbalance" in our acronym PPDEI relates to. Most sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Candidiasis, Fibromyalgia, allergies, environmental illness, MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities), etc. never learn the reason most orthodox physicians may tell them "there is nothing wrong with them?"when there most certainly is. The reason is that these poor people suffer from tremendous energy imbalance, which is not detectable via blood tests. These energy imbalances include the acupressure meridians, the neurolymphatic system, the neurovascular system, chakras, the spine, the cranium and other "energy systems." One can learn--from our Allergies and Candida book how to optimize the brain and heart in seconds with the Rochlitz brain and heart hemisphere integration exercises. You can also learn to rapidly re-set blood sugar imbalance, dizziness, brain fatigue, tired legs and many other complaints. Thus the sufferers of the above maladies can actually feel good again while they eliminate their "critters." This is what we mean by simultaneous energy and ecology balancing. One without the other will not be effective.

Once the patient has this knowledge of allergies, parasites, and self-energy balancing, they should have the ultimate responsibility for their own wellness. However, we beseech physicians to change, and learn these methods. Please also stop wasting the patient's time and money with worthless lab(s) that cannot accurately test for the presence of amoeba or giardia. Everyone would be wise to appreciate both the value and the limitations of recent breakthroughs in kinesiology.

Thus we have seen how the acronym, PPDEI, for Parasitosis Permeability Disorder (with accompanying) Energy Imbalance, describes the cause(s) of the linked ills cited at the outset of this article, and their major manifestations: permeability, allergies and energy imbalance. The acronym also implies the two main treatments: 1. Eradicate all the infectious microorganisms with eradication of protozoan parasites being the primary but not the only goal. 2. Treat the energy imbalance immediately with our kinesiology breakthroughs.

[NOTE: If you like my articles, please order my book(s), and other publications, and consider coming here for Kinesiology consultation and/or seminars, or phone consultations. Please do not send us your medical history, I can only help those that are ready to proceed fully. Thank you.]

Finding The Cause and the Solution for ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism, Allergies, Asthma, and Other Illnesses In Children

Copyright 2002 Steven Rochlitz
All Rights Reserved. Illegal To Forward Or Copy
rochlitz@wellatlast.com (928) 649-2116

This article will reveal the links and causative factors responsible for many maladies in children. This virtual epidemic in the children of today includes chronic health, learning and behavioral disorders--such as: food allergies, dyslexia, hyperactivity/ADD/ADHD, autism, and asthma. The ultimate causative factors, this author has found, are usually Protozoan parasites and/or heavy metal (or other) toxins. Food allergies usually include caffeine, sugar, wheat, corn, milk products, yeast, artificial substances, citrus, chocolate; or anything that is eaten often, especially the favorite foods--the allergy/addiction syndrome. Pollen and chemical allergies are also often present.

As a former physics professor, I implore the parents of chronically sick children to become the experts themselves and to always strive to find the ultimate cause(s) of their children's illnesses. This is the only way that true and complete wellness can ever be attained! A perfect example is the matter of food allergies. Now allergies can cause, or exacerbate any, and all, of the ills cited above. In the short run, I advise the use of muscle testing (Applied Kinesiology) to test all foods eaten by children who are not well. However, my research for the last 22 years has revealed that food allergies are a result of several factors which must be ascertained and dealt with, or else the allergic child will simply become allergic to any new "safe" food introduced. In other words, allergies, are themselves, a result, not the earliest cause of these maladies.