09.11.2017

Essentials for Healthy Travel 

After 3 months of back and forth traveling to Mayo Clinic, I finally have an official list for my essentials for healthy travel. I’m definitely not a packing-pro, but this list has kept me healthy during my weeks of travel. (This was a road trip so some items you will have to swap out or change if you are flying)

So, what is healthy travel? I would describe it as a way to prepare, pack and successfully enjoy your trip without getting run down or sick due to the stressful nature of traveling. For those of us with a chronic illness, it may take a bit of extra preparation but feeling good on the trip will will be worth it.

My Tips

Tip #1: Be prepared and don’t stress. I always try to start writing out my essential healthy travel list 1-2 weeks before the trip,  so I can jot down things that I use each day when I think of it. This reduces stress of possibly forgetting.

Tip #2: Try to stick to your healthy routine that you have at home. Your body has a rhythm that keeps it healthy and happy so I always try to incorporate my routine into the days on my trip. This includes: good sleep, exercise, minimize chemicals, healthy eating, supplements when needed, and detox remedies.

Tip #3: Reduce exposure. Flying on an airplane can expose you to a lot since the air is recirculating and there is ionizing radiation exposure. So if possible, try a driving trip! If flying is the only option, bring nasal sprays, take those immune boosting supplements or even try a face mask.

Tip #4: Think outside the box instead of a hotel. I love using air bnb since typically the rooms don’t stench of chemicals that hotels use and the air quality is better. If staying at an air bnb, I always look for places with hard wood floors to keep air quality better.  I used to get severely sick from staying in hotels (mold, dust, chemicals), but since using air bnb I can travel again.

Tip #5: Take your vitamins, probiotics and immune boosting supplements. I typically bring along nasal sprays as well. I carry small baggies with my sorted out medications and supplements since trips are usually jam packed and you are in “on-the-go mode”.

Tip #5: Bring your own food or go grocery shopping once you get to your location. This can ensure that you are eating what is healthiest for your body. If you have a kitchen at the place you are staying, even better!

 

 

My Essentials

  • Chemical free bedroom: I always bring my own sheets washed in natural laundry detergent so I can get a rejuvenating nights rest. To help clean out the air quality in the room, I bring a mosmo detox bag. You can diffuse essential oils as well and simply open windows if its not on a busy road.

 

 

 

 

  • Medical safety: Don’t forget medications and to listen to your body when it gets fatigued or sick. With dysautonomia, I have to frequently take breaks and even find a place to lay down for a few minutes to get blood flow to my head and my heart rate at a comfortable level. I like to use a pulse oximeter to track my heart rate when I feel lightheaded. Setting alarms on my phone to take doses of medications and supplements is a necessity too because frequently on a trip I am not in my normal routine. Having these handwipes around to are great to use before eating and after out for the day if your immune system is weaker.

 

  • Use essential oils: These are the essential oils I travel with. Tummy Tamer for digestive system, purify for diffusing, peppermint for headaches and sinus congestion, oregano for keeping immune system strong

 

 

 

  • Keep the gut moving: Take extra magnesium (this can help with stress as well as keeping the gut flowing so you don get backed up). If you want bring along a travel enema bag (this is what I do) then you can do a simple saline enema or even a detoxing coffee enema (here is the blog post about it). Simple things like walking, deep breathing, drinking water and eating fruits and vegetables always keep me regular. It’s also good to carry a bottle of activated charcoal caps just incase of a bad food exposure.

 

  • Keep organized: Using the right pouches and containers to keep everything in order and accessible is a must for me. I get overwhelmed easily, so pouches with zippers like this RuMe zipper pouch is good for supplements. I organize my medications and supplements with these small plastic pill baggies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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disclosure 3
10.11.2014

Cavitations: chronic illness that stems from the jaw

Hi everyone! Today I want to share with you a story from my good friend Nicole. She found my blog a while back and learned about cavitations just as I was discovering this issue for myself. She actually went ahead and treated them with a special ozone treatment.  Her story is amazing and I’m lucky to call her my friend. I think Nicole would agree that experiences like this need to be shared, and I’m so grateful she agreed to share her journey with you.

* Update: Nicole has decided to explore treating the “root” of cavitations – Mercury and bacteria. There are several avenues to do this and Ill explain more in my next post about Mercury!)

My wisdom teeth removal nightmare

Practically everyone knows about wisdom teeth extractions, but many are unaware of the complications that can arise after having this “supposedly” routine surgery…

Hi, my name is Nicole and I would like to share the story about my health journey.

I was put under anesthesia to have all four of my wisdom teeth removed by an oral surgeon, and   I awoke pretty strong but very pale. Sometime after the extractions, I began to have extreme chronic pain (mostly focused on my left side, beginning with my left jaw) throughout my entire body. I could barely move without experiencing some shooting pain dancing around inside me. Then there was the brain fog.  If I met a new person one day, I would forget them the next. Yes, it was pretty bad (sorry to everyone, at that time, who was always a “new friend”).

 

Mysterious health issues

However, that wasn’t the worst of it.  I also became extremely fatigued to a point where I was literally a “couch potato.” My sister would trim my nails for me because I was too weak to lift my arm. I actually felt like I was going to collapse at any moment. The MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) intensified even more after my surgery.  I couldn’t be near anyone with perfume because my throat would tighten up and my breathing would become laborious.  The chemicals and smells would also create headaches and more fatigue. My hair was thinning out dramatically (time to cut it short for the new growth I have).

There was also a strange thing that happened…the tendons in my neck disappeared!  I woke up one morning to notice that I could barely breathe through my throat, and I could clearly see the indentation in my neck where the tendons should have been.  Doctors were, once again, baffled when I told them, but, personally, I think this was caused from the bad bacteria trying to overtake my weakened body.

 

Puzzling Doctors

Oh no!  For the frosting on the cupcake (that I cannot eat), I additionally gained MANY food allergies.  Not cool. Doctors were puzzled at my condition and misdiagnosed me numerous times which caused me to take several  harmful medications.   I couldn’t help but wonder about the main cause of the symptoms I was having…

It all started with the wisdom teeth extractions, and I knew deep down inside that there had to be some connection between the two.

After many hours of research, I changed my diet to grass-fed meats and organic fruits and veggies. This diet change took away the pain in my body, made the tendons in my neck return, and helped me with my major forgetfulness.  What was I just talking about???  Ha.  I’m just kidding around.  My mind is finally starting to become as sharp as a ninja’s sword. 😉

cavitations

The cavitation connection

I came to Caroline’s website one day and realized that she had the same symptoms as me! 😀
Through her,  I discovered the infamous word called cavitations (infection of the jaw), and God has blessed me with a new pathway to healing and, most importantly, He has blessed me with  a new friend.

What created all this awesomeness that you see above? Cue dramatic theme music….CAVITATIONS

 

Cavitations explained

A cavitation is an unhealed hole in the jawbone caused by an extracted tooth [or a root canal or an injury to a tooth]. Since wisdom teeth are the most commonly extracted teeth, most cavitations are found in the wisdom tooth sites. The tooth is attached to the jawbone by a periodontal ligament which is comprised of “jillions” of microscopic fibers. One end of each fiber is attached to the jawbone and the other end of the fiber is attached to the tooth root. When a tooth is extracted, the fibers break midway between the root and the bone. This leaves the socket (the area where the root was anchored in the bone) coated with periodontal ligament fibers.

 

Extractions

Extractions have to be done well. Normally they pull a tooth out, stick a piece of gauze in there and say bite on it. After the tooth is removed, the socket has to be completely cleaned so that complete healing can occur. If tissue such as torn pieces of ligaments or periosteum is left in the socket and covers the bone, the bone will tend to heal over the top, leaving a hole in the bone, and new bone cannot form. This hole can persist for the rest of the patient’s life. It is a chronic infection that is called an alveolar cavitational osteopathosis or cavitation. This means that there is an infected cavity in the bone. These bone infections are only now being seriously researched. If they are fairly easy to prevent by proper socket cleaning, why is this not being done? But many if not most dentists have never heard of cavitations.

(Source: http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=897428)

aaozone

Ozone Treatment

I had my cavitations treated with the combination of Ozone therapy and UBI treatment.

“Ozone is a powerhouse element that effectively stabilizes the healthy cells that exist in the body and simultaneously destroy weak, deformed, or sick cells. These cells have no place in the body, and include organisms such as bacteria and fungi, as well as viruses. Ozone is a natural product of sunlight, and is produced by lightning. This natural element can also be made when high currents of electricity are pulsed through medical grade oxygen. The two elements are quite closely related, actually, with oxygen being O2, and ozone being O3. It is impossible to be allergic to oxygen and/or ozone.”

(Source:http://www.holisticdentistcare.com/ozone+ubi-therapy/)

 

What is UBI?

UBI/UVBI (Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation) UVBI Ultraviolet Therapy has many similar effects to Ozone Therapy. UVBI Therapy is a medical therapy where the blood is exposed to Ultraviolet UVC light as it is removed from the patient’s body, and then reintroduced to the patient’s body. Some of its effects are:

  • Inactivation of toxins
  • Destruction and inhibition of growth of bacteria
  • Increase in the oxygen combing power of blood and oxygen transportation to organs
  • Activation of white blood cells
  • Immunostimulation of cellular and humoral immunity
  • Anti-inflammatory effects
  • Increased tolerance of the body to chemotherapy and radiation
  • Decreased viscosity of blood
  • Cardiovascular protection
  • Powerful anti-infection properties
  • Improved microcirculation
  • Decreased platelet aggregation

See more at: http://drkalidas.com/pathways/ultraviolet.html#sthash.fdxXgG1m.dpuf

 

Here is my [Nicole’s] experience with the Ozone and UBI treatment from a holistic dentist

For the past three months, I have been traveling to La Jolla to see a holistic dentist who specializes in treating cavitations. I would have blood taken from my arm and put in an IV bag (that contained saline). Then the ozone would be injected into the blood/saline mixture. You could see how my blood would begin to change colors, from a dark-sticky mess into a lighter and healthier version of blood.
This beautiful blood would then travel through the little IV tube into the UBI machine where it was cleansed to an even healthier degree as it returned back into my body.
The doctor would then take some of the “cleansed blood” and inject it straight into my jawbone (where all four of my cavitation sites were). Yes, all four of the wisdom teeth extraction spots in my jaw were spongy and full of infection.

 

PROGRESS:

I was sick and fatigued the first month after treatment, but then it has been “uphill” ever since!
My food allergies are now dwindling, I have MORE energy than ever before, my hair is growing back, and my MCS is improving!  Praise the Lord!

Nicole also had a blood culture taken from her jaw too see if the bacteria count was down after the UBI. She got the results back and it seems as if the bacteria count was still high (which is unusual). Her Dr. would like to take another extensive blood panel to see what is going on. I will keep you all updated when I hear back from Nicole and her doctor.

 

Nicole’s Resources:

Below are websites that have info about cavitation of the jaws (looks like I’m not the only research lover!):
http://www.thenaturalrecoveryplan.com/articles/Dental-Cavitations.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/dentistry/dental-cavitation-surgery

http://www.greenhousehealth.com/treatments/intravenous/ozone/

 

Caroline’s thoughts

So as you can see….compared to my experience (you can read about it here) Nicole was able to finish up her treatments and  actually benefit from the ozone. After talking some more to Nicole, my severe reactions to the pure ozone may have been because it was too strong. My holistic dentist did not offer UBI so I don’t know how I would actually do with that treatment. I have several thoughts about cavitations myself after doing extensive research.

 

 

Tooth body connection

Ever since I picked up this book from my holistic dentist’s, I have been fascinated ever since.

………………………………. Screen Shot 2013-11-11 at 3.54.50 AM

Tooth/body chart (printable)–> click here

Interactive tooth-body chart! (really cool!) –> click here

Many people have “Ah-ha” moments after finding out that their tooth is related to a organ that is weak or congested.

  .

What is a cavitation?

Before I tell you my story I want you to understand a bit more about the cavitations themselves.

A cavitation is a hole in the bone, usually where a tooth has been removed, and the bone has not filled in properly. It is an area of osteonecrosis (dead bone). When a tooth is extracted, in a normal dental procedure, the surrounding periodontal membrane is usually left behind. Theoretically, after a tooth has been pulled, the body eventually fills in the space in the bone where the tooth once was. But when the membrane is left behind, an incomplete healing can take place; a hole or a spongy place remains inside the jaw bone. Experts speculate that this incomplete healing occurs because the bone cells on both sides of the extraction site sense the presence of the periodontal membrane and “think” that the tooth is still there.

-Whole Body Dentistry

My first thought when I started to learn about cavitations was that I had a HUGE hole in my jaw. Im not really sure it is that big, but its big enough to create problems in my body. I have learned over the years that small problems can create big ones regarding your health. I like how Dr. Wilson explains how this little hole can spread into a diseased process.

Cavitations are pockets of debris and infection left behind after tooth extractions, or from other dental procedures.  They become foci of infection, similar to infected root canals.  Bacteria or bacterial toxins move from the cavitation area into the blood stream, where they can easily cause damage to many organs and tissues.

-Dr. Lawrence Wilson

 

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Do you have a cavitaiton? 

You are probably asking yourself… “I got my wisdom teeth out.. so do I have cavitations?”

“Chronic illness CAN stem from the Jaw!”

If your ligament was not removed by a trained dentist or oral surgeon, there is a chance! From my research it seems like those who develop cavitations are those who have had mercury fillings, weak immune systems, or other heavy metal toxicities because their body could not restore that area properly and the bacteria become unbalanced and the bad ones take over and over grow. The symptom list for cavitations is huge! Because every tooth is connected to an organ so basically anything is possible. I’ll list some common symptoms:

-facial pain

-jaw swelling

-digestive problems

-chronic infections

-heart palpitations

-teeth grinding

-inflammation

-arm or back pain

-pinched nerves

-sinus problems

-spacey or “fast” brain

 

BUT, if I have to narrow it down to just wisdom teeth, here are the organs related to each wisdom tooth.

tooth #16 (left top)

-Heart
-Duodenum/Jejunum/Ileum (intestines)
-pituitary (endocrine gland)
-central nervous system
-limbic system ( emotion & natural instinct part of brain)
-internal ear
-tongue
-Muscles (trapezius)

tooth #17 (left bottom)

-Heart
-Duodenum/Jejunum (small intestine)
-Joints (Ulnar side of shoulder), hand, elbow, plantar side of foot and toes, sacra-iliac (near bottom of spine)
-peripheral nerves
-energy exchange
-middle exterior ear
-tongue
-muscles (trunk, lower and upper extremities)

tooth #1 (right top)

-Heart
-Duodenum
-Joints (Ulnar side of shoulder), hand, elbow, plantar side of foot and toes, sacra-iliac (near bottom of spine)
-pituitary
-central nervous system
-limbic system
-internal ear
-tongue
-Muscles (trapezius, trunk, lower and upper extremities)
-maxillary sinuses

tooth #32 (right bottom)

-Heart
-Terminal Ileum, Duodenum (small intestine)
-Joints (Ulnar side of shoulder), hand, elbow, plantar side of foot and toes, sacra-iliac (near bottom of spine)
-peripheral nerves
-energy exchange
-middle exterior ear
-tongue
-Muscles (Psoas, trunk, lower and upper extremities)

Please refer to this chart for a visual of teeth-body connection 

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Left Behind…

The extraction process that most dentists have learned to do is not ideal for healing of the bone. Read below to understand the “anatomy” of removing the tooth.

Every tooth is connected to its surrounding bone by the periodontal ligament. The tooth receives its nourishment through this ligament. When a tooth is knocked-out (or pulled), this ligament is stretched and splits in half; half stays on the tooth root and half stays on the socket wall.

Wikipedia

I like the analogy Dr. Huggins gives. He is one of the best holistic dentists and shares a lot of his research to educate the public on mercury fillings, dental alternatives, cavitations, etc.

When a woman delivers a baby, she must also deliver the afterbirth. When a tooth is delivered, there is an equivalent of the afterbirth. It is called the periodontal ligament.

Dr. Huggins

Like the above passages state, the ligament is simply left in the bone. Instead of the bone filling in the hole with healthy bone cells, the bone where the tooth was extracted starts to get spongy. I have read stories where the dentists go in to preform the cavitation surgery and find that the cavitation spot is “mushy” and the bone can easily scraped out until a hole is visible (source).

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Diagnosing cavitations

Apparently my holistic dentist could see in my x-ray that I had 5 cavitations when I went in for my first appointment. I have gotten almost a x-ray every  year at the regular dentist and after my wisdom teeth surgery and neither my conventional dentist nor oral surgeon could see or acknowledge these “shadows”. I don’t blame them however because they never learned to even look for cavitations in the first place. Some dentists have no idea what they even are.

I could see a small shadow in the sockets where my wisdom tooth used to be. He pointed to a 5th site on my x-ray. It was the tooth I had pulled when I had my cap taken off at age 16. This tooth (#20) was starting to get infected because it never fell out (I was born without an adult tooth underneath it). It was simply extracted  (like all teeth are) by my regular dentist at age 16.

I have to back up a little bit. Before this appointment with my holistic dentist (I had not always gone to a holistic dentist), I had traveled all the way to St. Louis to see Dr Yu. If you are curious as to why I did and the details read this. I had read his book Accidental Cure which explains how the body is uniquely and intricately intertwined. A complex health issue needs to be looked at from various angles (like in this case allergies and cavitations in the teeth). I had never thought that my health issues could stem form my teeth or jaw bone.

…………………………………….. Screen Shot 2013-11-11 at 4.03.15 AM ……………..

No doctor in my area knew exactly what was wrong with me and why my health was quickly going downhill despite all my efforts and alternative therapies. Dr. Yu did EDS (electaldermal screening) which can be explained more in depth here. I like to think of it as electronically measuring the meridians “chi” and organ health. It can also be used to detect infections, parasites, and blockages in the body. By simultaneously  touching my tooth socket and measuring my meridians though my fingers and toes, Dr. Yu discovered I had at least 2 cavitations. He told be to check with my holistic dentist to confirm his discovery. Now, Dr. Yu recommends surgery for all his patients, but I will get into the options for “treating” cavitations below.

aasae

What to do now?

That brings up a very debatable topic in the “cavitation world”. What do you do next after you find out you have a cavitation? There a a few options and I think YOU have to look into this topic more if you are thinking your cavitations need some work. Feel free to click on any of the websites I link to  (I used many of these sites to help inform myself on my situation).

 .

Surgery 

You know my opinion on surgery…it’s the last resort. There is a place for everything though, and your situation may require a more immediate treatment like surgery. It”s something you can talk to your holistic dentist about (which you can find the closest one to you here), but in the end it is your decision. (Remember my natural Dr. suggested surgery and I did my research and was comfortable with the decision not to do it and try other things). I’ll give you a bunch of links I found very helpful. Since I did not go this route, I can’t give you my personal experience, so please read about others!

Dental Cavitation Surgery

http://www.lovingourguts.com/cavitations-and-my-dental-health/

http://www.lovingourguts.com/update-from-13-days-post-cavitation-surgery/

http://www.lovingourguts.com/cavitation-surgery-my-experience/

http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1484604

http://www.hugginsappliedhealing.com/dental-dangers.php

 

-Repete surgery- 

Because of the virulence of the disease process in the cavitation area, it may be necessary to repeat surgery to completely heal the lesion. –Groton Wellness clinic

Because of this chance of repeat surgery (especially for those with a low immune system and change for re-infection) I decided to opt out of the surgery. Also it is advised you don’t travel very far after the surgery and stay very close by to the dentists or surgeons office. There was no one close by and my multiple chemical sensitivities made it too hard to find a safe hotel.

 

Ozone / UBI

My experience with Ozone was much Different then Nicole’s. Why? Because our bodies are different and no person is the same. Ozone actually is the smell after a fresh rain fall. Its invigoration and natures “cleanser”. But It can be powerful when directly injected into the body. Ozone’s formula is O3 (3 oxygens). Just for a comparison, food grade hydrogen peroxide like this stuff is actually H202 – 2 hydrogens and 2 oxygens (extra oxygen molecule!). Oxygen is a great antimicrobial and ozone can detox bacteria at a rapid rate. For me it was too much but it for a majority of people, its a reasonable option. Ozone is a great alternatives to treat cavities as well! If you want to learn more about ozone, I would suggest you do some research. Ill get you started with a few links!

*Just remember ever author has their own option, and it all really boils down to your situation!

Supporting Healing with Dental Ozone

Ozone Therapy as Treatment in Dentistry

http://www.healingteethnaturally.com/dental-cavitation-infections.html

 

Nicole talks about UBI above! 

 

My experience with ozone can be read in my Healing update 7 post.

aahlistic

 

Can cavitations heal themselves?

And finally we reach the big question; Can cavitations heal themselves? When I first discovered my cavitaitons I went on a research binge (researching for days-and-days). I thought I was left with 2 options, surgery or ozone. At first I was positive that surgery was the option. I had read too many sites and natural dentists saying that ozone is only a temporary fix for cavitations. When I tell you I thought hard about it….I truly thought and prayed HARD. Going into my holistic dentists office I was still sure surgery was the option. After talking to my well educated and experienced dentist, my mind was changed. There was NO way surgery was in the future. Read about my thought process in my health story here.

I was kind of relieved to hear that surgery was not going to happen. #1 I could not settle on any one holistic oral surgeon to preform the surgery. The holistic oral surgeons are pretty limited and there are only a handful of reputable ones in the country. #2 It is strongly recommended that after the surgery you stay close to the clinic you had the surgery done at so they can preform alternative healing methods (like ozone, infrared, homeopathics, cold laser, etc). It is also not good to be driving more then a few miles after surgery. #3 I react VERY badly to anesthetic and am in no health to have surgery done in the first place. I think people underestimate “tooth procedures” when really it still is a trauma to the body. #4 Reinfection is possible and I came across a few testimonies that mentioned they needed to have a second surgery because the first one did not recover the full cavitaiton hole.

I decided to opt for ozone and see how it goes. Apparently my body has a mind of its own and did not want to follow through with the ozone. I believe it was to harsh for my already-toxic body (specifically mercury and bacteria). But you can see in the story above that Nicole is already seeing benefits from the ozone/UBI. Every body is different and I hope this post gives you a glimpse of just that.

            While many conventional dentists don’t consider cavitations a problem, they may be an important cause of ill health.  Anyone who has had dental extractions or procedures and is not feeling well afterwards may have cavitations.  Here are some options if you think this is affecting you:

 

1. Consider visiting a biological dentist who understands cavitations and knows how to find them, to assess if cavitations remain and deal with them.  However, the problem with cavitation surgery is that it is messy and bloody.  Also, the dentist occasionally damages the trigeminal nerve or another facial nerve, and this can be a disaster.

2.  A perhaps slower, but in other ways much better and less costly option is to embark on a complete nutritional balancing program.  However, be sure to use a near infrared lamp sauna every day – and no other type of sauna.  Use it perhaps twice daily, for 30-40 minutes each session.

My experience is that the nutritional balancing program will slowly bring up old dental infections and cavitations, and heal them in almost all cases.  It may take a few years, but if you are patient this is the best, as this therapy will bring up infections all over the body and heal them as well.  There are many other benefits of nutritional balancing and sauna therapy as well.

Dr Lawrence Wilson

 

 

The mercury trap

Inside a cavitation, bacteria flourish and deviant cells multiply. Cavitations act as a breeding ground for bacteria and their toxins. Research has shown these bacterial waste products to be extremely potent and result in osteonecrosis. Cavitations can also cause blockages on the body’s energy meridians and can exert far-reaching impact on the overall system. Investigation has revealed that some cavitations are reservoirs of huge amounts of mercury. Cavitations may be a source of low level or high level stress on the entire body.

 -Whole Body Dentistry

 

 

*THE MOST IMPORTANT piece of info in this blog post*

arrow

 

These are Daunderer’s findings, which clarify a statement I have made for years:cavitations4 in the jaw bone are a symptom, not the cause of disease. Daunderer recommends to not close the surgical site, but leave a gauze strip in place. The jaw bone detoxes itself massively through the open wound (he found up to 20,000 ppb of Hg [mercury]  in the gauze after 24 hours).

-Dr. Klinghardt

 

 Evidence will be presented from the latest research of top German toxicologist Max Daunderer, M.D.2, that the entire jaw bone (upper and lower jaw) has become for most of us a toxic waste dump for the following materials:….read the rest here.

So what does that mean? It means that there is a reason why you have cavitations.. You want to find the root or else you will just keep going in circles around this cavitation thing. Could it be bacteria? Could it be Mercury? Could it be a weak immune system? All of these “roots” can surprisingly be physical, emotional, or spiritual (this could be a whole other post, but I just want to point out that even though Im focusing a lot of the physical part, I have gone through emotional and spiritual healing and I found those equally important for helping my immune system function and detox pathways to start working again (under stress the detox pathways can’t function).

 

Cavitaitons are a symptom 

Finally the part I have been waiting for. You know by now, I am a reserach-junkie and appreciate backing up my ideas and researching with resources. But now I am going to go off the research grid and dive into my own experiences and instincts. Ready, set, go!

You got a glimpse of my story to discovering and *attempting* treating my cavitations. I went though a lot of research, worrying, testing, trying, and praying to decide my “treatment plan” for my cavitations. I was always asking myself “what-if” and concentrating about “fixing” the root problem. I was ecstatic to find out I had cavitaitons and on the plane ride home form Dr. Yu I decided to pursue this road no matter how hard it was going to be. Little did I know that cavitaiton surgery soon would fall out of the question due to my MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) a.k.a. allergic to the world and not being able to stay in a hotel (there was no holistic oral surgeon/dentist who performed the surgery in my state). I look back and believe this “disadvantage” was a blessing in disguise.

I went ahead and scheduled a appointment with a holistic dentist close by. My dentist found 5 cavitations by looking at my x-ray and using kinesology where as Dr. Yu only found 2 using EDS. After that appointment we decided I would do ozone to get rid of my cavitation. The first appointment went terrible (because I reacted to the anesthetic). The second appointment he still used a very small fraction of the ozone and I reacted terribly too. My whole body swelled up and made my body crash to the point where I was sleeping most the day for 3 months straight.

What happened? To be honest, I don’t exactly know. After that appointment, reality kicked in and my MCS got worse. I have not gone back to my holistic dentist to discuss what happened but I think he knows that I could not follow though due to my reactions to the ozone. He knew from the day he met me that my case is extremely unique and things may not go as planned.

From what I know about ozone, its that it is VERY powerful stuff. Even though it is a natural substance, directly dispensing it out a needle is not necessarily “natural”. Too much of something good can easily become not-so-good for the body. I do believe the ozone treatments could have worked if my body was strong enough or if the toxic load was not already high, but that is not where I am at right now.

The stories my dentist told me about recovery after ozone made me hopeful that I would soon be “one of those people”. God has other plans for me and decided ozone was not the cure for my cavitations at this time. After I came out of my just-want-to-sleep-all-day phase I started to think about. Now what? I had spent months thinking I found the cure to all my issues (allergies, MCS, declining health) and each step was so productive until the actual outcome was not so much.

It was time to reconsider my health once again (I can’t tell you how many times I have done this). I felt slightly discouraged that once again my method of choice was not going to work. I looked back and it was always ME deciding and directing my healing journey. I decided to hand my healing journey over to the One who designed it in the first place. I believe its important to have faith and hope for anyone with a chronic illness.

This is all part of our life’s journey. I’m sure if you are even reading this, you are wondering yourself why you are in the situation you are right now. Hopefully (Nicole and I) gave you some guidance, experience, and knowledge to lead you in the right direction in your health.

 

What Am I doing now?

After a year of not being able to really get anywhere with my health, Im finally doing better (It’s a Miracle!). Im currently experimenting (or have been for several months) with using essential oils on my jaw and as a mouth rise. I’ll give you a few (at home/DIY) tips below! The best news of all.. These simple tricks are actually working and my energy is up and my jaw is not achy or swollen!

 

Before I begin explaining what has helped me and my immune system and cavitations, I need to make this clear…

**Disclaimer: Essential oils are not meant to treat, diagnose, or cure any disease or ailment. I [Gutsy] do not provide medical advice. I am simply sharing what has worked for ME and hoping my experiences can provide as research for your own choices. These health benefits have not been evaluated by the FDA. Please seek medical advice if needed and use good judgement when using essential oils. 

Specifically essential oils did not “cure” my cavitations. They are just a tool to help my immune system naturally kick in and then my body will heal. Think of it like some one pushing you on a swing when you were little. After you get momentum, your body takes over and will swing higher and higher until you feel free! The oils will allow your immune system to step up a notch, which we all know is important to maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria (everyone has bacteria, its all about keeping it in balance).

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Near infrared sauna

Screen Shot 2014-10-11 at 4.10.25 AM

I also love using my near infrared sauna light bulbs (I have something like this) and sit in front of it (About 18 in away because its the head, you don’t want to overheat the brain) and rotate from my left to right jaw about 10 min each. I can see the swelling go down and it really penetrates the bacteria and reduces inflammation.

Its a very soothing and quick routine. Plus I can use the near infrared lights for over all body and organ health and immune support. I pick a spot , swollen lymph node or organ and shine it 12-24 in away for about 10-20 minutes at a time. You can do this several times a day. If you want to read more about NEAR infrared, click here.

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Clay “patch”

Now this may be kind-a strange. But when you get localized pain or swelling on any area (but we are focusing about the jaw here) I would suggest applying a clay-charcoal mixture. Do you remember my clay bath post? It is the best localized detox I know of and the skin is great at releasing toxins. This way you can bypass the elimination organs and give them a break too. It also gives immediate relief (don’t we all like that?!)

Clay has amazing absorbing properties for all sorts of toxins including bacteria.

Activated charcoal is amazing a absorbing heavy metals (most water filters are actually made of some kind of charcoal to bind to metals)

clay charocal(final)

What you will need is:

-a glass ball  jar with a lid (plastic)

high quality clay (I use this for internal and external use)

– activated charcoal ( I use this brand because it is made of hardwood. I find that it is more potent then the activated charcoal derived from coconut)

– filtered water

 

Directions:

1. Take 3 Tablespoons of clay and pour in some filtered water (start with a few tablespoons) into the ball jar.

2. Screw on the lid of the jar and shake (I find this is easier then stirring, you can always stir at the end- use a plastic or wood spoon). You want the constancy of yogurt.

3. Add 1 Tablespoon of activated charcoal and put on the lid and shake again. If you stir it, it may fly all over the place and stain (**powdered charcoal is very messy!)

4. Once it is all mixed it should be the consistency of peanut butter (add more clay (to thicken) or water (to thin) to get the right consistency).

5. Take some with your fingers and spread on the area you want to “detox” (so the jaw in this case)

6. I like to put on a thicker layer because I don’t like the feeling of dry clay and Its recommended to leave on for at least 20 minutes.

7. You can store extra in the fridge for a week

** If you do spill the charcoal use soap.

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(Easy-Peasy) DIY Thieves mouth wash:

-1 oz filtered water

-1 drop Thieves oil

Shake (I use a small glass ball  jar with a lid) and use it to swish well)

DIY thieves mouth wash (final)

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Thieves “achy jaw” spray

I came up with a cool idea that is super simple. When I don’t have a jar and water around, I carry a spray bottle pre-made with thieves oil and water in it. I used the same solution as above. So for this 4 oz spray bottle, I use 4 drops of thieves.

4 oz glass spray bottle

-4 oz filtered water

-4 drops Thieves oil

This recipe is great to carry with you as a mouth freshener or if you have chronically swollen gums or jaw it can be sprayed a few times a day (maybe more at first when the bacteria count is higher). Or you can spray a little on the outside of the lymph nodes or jaw. For me it helped to keep control of tenderness/redness/swelling (which are symptoms of bacteria balance gone wrong!). After a while it seemed like I needed it less and less so it must have worked because my jaw is hardly achy anymore! Yeah Thieves !

 

spray bottle thives( thieves)final

Thieves oily-rub

This is great to use before bed and is pretty soothing and mild. Mixing essential oils with water can be more penetrating and mixing essential oils with oil is milder.

*tip: If you ever put on an essential oil and it burns, simply rub on some oil (what ever you have on hand) to the spot and it will dilute the oil to stop the burning.

– 4 drops of oil (I like to use olive oil & coconut oil (it has to be in liquid state) but some use almond, apricot, or jojoba oil)

-1 drop of Thieves oil

 

Oil pulling (with Thieves)

I also like to use a spoonful of coconut oil with a drop of thieves and oil pull for as long as I can! (learn more about oil pulling here). This also clears the sinuses and head and makes me feel AWESOME!

-1 tsp (or more if you like a bigger mouthful) of coconut oil

-1 drop of thieves on your spoon.

Put it on your mouth and swish for as long as you can 5-20 min. Always spit in the toilet and rise with salt water after (the end spit/oil is filled with toxins and bacteria!)

coconut oil thieves final

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Other Essential oils to use:

Thieves is a young living blend of : Clove† (Syzygium aromaticum), lemon† (Citrus limon), cinnamon† (Cinnamomum verum), Eucalyptus radiata† and rosemary† (Rosmarinus officinalis CT 1,8 cineol). Boosts immune system so you can finally fight and conquer those trouble areas (aka. Jaws if its cavitations you have)

Oregano oil: Great for supporting the body with immune support (a pretty potent one!)

Clove: A “numbing oil” that can help aid in a healthy gums response discomfort, and local swelling.

 

healthy mouth and jawn (final)

 

I *think* Cavitations can heal:

Since I did not follow through with ozone (because of reasons I explained above) I researched other options. I can actually tell a big difference in the swelling around my jaw/lymph nodes and energy overall when I apply thieves oil in any of those forms above.

Overtime I found myself needing less applications of the Thieves oil. Im no scientist but I know how to read my body. My energy started to increase and the swelling (bite marks) inside my left cheek were going down (now gone). This took about 2 months of daily applications in various forms listed above.

Im happy to say that I think my cavitations are “healing” despite others claims that cavitations can’t. A strong immune system, mercury detox, and a healthy bacteria balance are they key points I focused on. Also don’t stress about it! Its one thing to be informed but its another thing to worry and let it control your life. Life is to beautiful to let these things get in the way.

 

–Mercury & bacteria connection–

I do think that detoxing mercury (which I will talk about in my next post) allowed my body’s immune system to “kick” in and fight these deep rooted infections. Where ever mercury is settled in the body, most likely bacteria, fungus, or viruses are sure to share that space. Its a protective mechanism to try and “clean” up the mercury in that space. So as long as you have mercury you can’t get rid of the bacteria. Same goes with candida, fungal infections, etc.

I would get weeks where the metallic taste was terrible and then some “furry” tongue or bad tastes as the bateria would die off. I had joint paints, muscle aches, fevers, itchy mouth along with the detox because as the bacteria died and my immune system kicked in, my body started to go through healing reactions. Was it hard? Yes! Was it worth it? Yes!

If I went back to the holistic dentist he may still find these cavitations or he may not (but I don’t plan on going into that again anytime soon because I don’t have symptoms anymore). God designed our bodies to heal. He does not want us to be sick, and I think essential oils are truly a gift because they are allowing me to heal!

Of course every body is different and whether you are using ozone, essential oils, infrared sauna, etc. I think Its a good idea to look into options before surgery. If you want to ask more about how Im using essential oils for cavitations you are welcome to join my Facebook Gutsy Essential oils group until I get more info on my blog!

 

oils rainbow (final)

The mercury connection

Do you want to know what mercury has to do with cavitations.. Stay tuned!! This post is already too long, so I will be continued with my thoughts on the real cause of cavitations next!

 

~Stay Gutsy, Caroline

 

disclosure 3
05.05.2013

The real truth about H. pylori: allergies, autoimmune, & adrenal fatigue

*Update* I want to post an update for this post because It has become so popular! (I’m so happy my experience is helping others).

I had reinfection that lasted several months (because it took me that long to match my symptoms with h. pylori again). I tried a few things like colloidal silver and a few foods. I had run out of the herb trio and a tried essential oils and olive leaf extract. I was interested and the more research I did, the more I realized there are lot of different approaches to killing it. H. pylori typically is not a solo infection but comes with a weakened immune system and other health conditions. It’s hard to distinguish whats what too (treating the whole body is always important).

So I am put together a Gutsy h. pylori Facebook group (join HERE) for all of you to ask questions about h. pylori and see what works! 

 


 

In my last post (healing update #5) I told you I have h. pylori. It is not a fun thing to have. It creates SO much destruction in the gut and organs and pretty much can ruin your body. The #1 thing you do not want to do is let it overgrow-trust me, it is much worse then the detox. So, lets begin.

h. pylori is short for Helicobacter pylori

Research

If you don’t know anything about h. pylori I suggest you watch these video’s. I have done lots of research over the past months and these videos are very detailed and explain the biochemical process your body goes through and what the h. pylori does (what vitamins it takes away, detox pathways it ruins, etc..) to the body. I wont lie- they are long, but if you are serious about eradicating the h.pylori for good, then you need to know your facts.

h. pylori- another piece to the puzzle

h. p- part 2

I find Dr. Amy is a very thorough Dr. and researcher and her protocol and testing techniques actually work. Here is her site.

h pylori 2

The confusion

H. pylori is pretty common and a lot of people don’t even know they have it. From what scientists can test- It is the most common infection in the world! When you do know you have it, most likely it is because you are already having un plesent symptoms.

Im not going to list all the symptoms here all because it can pretty much be anything. Not just digestion related/ulcers. Lots of doctors think it stays in the stomach. Nope. It can travel and infect any organ it likes to.

Not only does h. pylori invade but since it reduces stomach acid- (because it likes an base environment to grow) then other parasites and bugs have a easy time thriving. Acid kills, without acid-bad bugs will live in you. yuck.

Many people say that most people infected have no symptoms. Though, I disagree because now I know that it does only produce stomach related symptoms. (Brain fog, thyroid, allergies, fatigue, parasites, and other chronic illnesses are related to h. pylori). Who knew! The reason why I was not diagnosed earlier was because I did not have ulcers, or severe stomach pain. I had all the other symptoms no one could figure out and put the pieces together.

How to treat h.pylori?

There are tons of methods to treat h. pylori.

  • Antibiotics- Which are now clinically proven to not work long term.
  • Herbs-There are so many to count but there is good list that are proven to kill it effectively. (I have lists below)
  • Baking soda or acids- Which one do you choose? It is important to understand the “science” behind it all to know HOW to get rid of h. pylori. Read the section “a note on acids”
  • Gums: (I did not want to include this in “herbs” so it got its own category. Mastic gum is the most common and very good at killing h. pylori.

It is hard to get rid of

H. pylori is stubborn. If you were a bacteria, you would think of a million ways to stay alive-right? H. pylori got the brains so it decided to “hide” and bury itself in the mucus layer in the stomach lining- and other places it infects. You cant just kill it without provoking it out.

Not only that, but even after you eradicate it- it can take up to 6+ months to finally start felling really normal again because it can do so much damage. Your body needs time to rebuild nutrient stores and learn how to function like the body intended (without the bacteria thriving in you).

How is it transmitted?

Over half of the world’s population host H. pylori in their upper G.I. tract. Infection tends to be more prevalent within developing countries and less in western civilizations because of the health care provisions available.

The route of transmission of H. Pylori is unknown, although it’s noted that individuals typically become infected in childhood. H. pylori has a helix shape that is thought to have evolved in order to penetrate the stomach’s mucoid lining.

 

Possible routes of infection include either oral-oral or fecal-oral, iatrogenic spread with inadvertent use of unsterile pH probes and endoscopes, and vectorial spread by flies.

Many sources say it is easily transmitted so it is advised to treat the whole family (and pets) with the herbal regime so you do not get re-infected. I am planning on doing this. I still have to do a bit more research about what herbs are safe for pets.

bacteria

What are the facts- why is it SO bad?

Let me just  explain WHY you may feel so terrible. The longer the infection has been in your body and the weaker you are- the more likely that these symptoms will be on the severe side.

Allergies: 

This is because the h. pylori sort of “drills” holes in the gut, allowing big food molecules in the blood stream. This in turn will cause an “allergic reaction” because the body is always fighting against things (aka. leaky gut).

Swelling, sneezing, itching all have a purpose- to dilute or get rid of toxins produced by the body when it reacts to these things. Food, smells, chemicals, toxins, touching things, breathing- any of these are possible to give a person with h. pylori problems. Allergies are secondary to h. pylori. 

 “IgG food sensitivities and IgE food  allergies. It is my personal opinion, and what I have seen using this  program that IgG food sensitivities are related to leaky gut (often secondary to H.pylori). What happens is the system is exposed to foods that it should not be, due to the  fact that the barrier is leaky. As we address the leaky gut itself as  well as the underlying cause the sensitivity to those foods seems to  diminish.”- Dr. Amy.

Messes up our detox pathways:

This is the most destructive thing in my opinion. Detox is vital to staying alive! The detox methylation pathways NEED certain vitamins and amino acids to work.

The h. pylori takes a lot of these important “middle men” that work to keep our detox pathways open and running. So basically h. pylori shuts down some of your detox pathways. This makes people sick, sick, sick. Anything is possible at this point. Touching or just breathing in foods/chemicals/pollens can make you go crazy or pass out. Your body just keeps recirculation toxins and your liver gets overwhelmed, swollen, and full!

Autoimmune disorders:

This may get a little tricky- try to follow me. When the h. pylori decided to make a home in your body, it needs certain materials to do that. It needs to neutralize acid. It needs certain vitamins (vb-12 is one of them).It needs to make enzymes to help keep it alive – its enzymes use up manganese- leaving the body deficient in manganese. Manganese is needed to fight free radicals. Without it cell membranes and the DNA are damaged.

In the process it throws off phospholipid, DNA, uradine (helps with brain connection–brain fog anyone?), and pretty much starts messing with the mitochondria. The mitochondria houses the body’s energy (ATP). So now the body is zapped of ALL energy and things start to work slower.

Detox pathways start to shut down because of what I explained in the above points Once this happens then toxic metals start accumulating in the body’s tissues. They can settle wherever they like-brain/thyroid/pancreas, etc.

The cells are smart so they will “trap” and “hide” the heavy metals which are a threat to the body- especially the brain. Once they “trap” the heavy metals in the cell, the body starts to attack the cell-trying to get to the heavy metal to kill it. Autoimmune is the body attacking itself. But really it is attacking the antigen inside the cell. Now this process is not going to be the same for everyone-but you get the point. If you want to learn more about autoimmunity and its process read this free book.

Minerals:

Sine the h. pylroi has blocked absorption (due to neutralizing acid in your stomach), minerals are not going to be absorbed.

Detox pathways also help eliminate excess heavy metals ( “bad” minerals) and since the pathways are blocked the heavy metals will take over binding sites of good minerals. Basically minerals are off and not balanced. This is never good and can lead to pretty much any problem under the sun!

The body has an order of preference for minerals. For example, the body prefers Zinc for over 50 critical enzymes. However, if Zinc becomes deficient (which is very common) or exposure to Cadmium, Lead or Mercury is sufficiently high, the body will use these toxic minerals in place of Zinc. Cadmium, in particular, is located just below Zinc in the periodic table of the elements, so its atomic structure is very similar to that of Zinc. It almost fits perfectly in the Zinc binding sites of critical enzymes.

Look at this atomic table to figure out the possible “thefts” for each good mineral. In each vertical column find each good mineral- zinc, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, manganese, iron, copper, selenium, sulfur etc. Then search for “bad” minerals (heavy metals)  in the same column that can potentially take over the binding spots of the good ones.

High aluminum levels are correlated with bacterial infections.

Even good minerals can get off balance like calcium/magnesium,copper/zincselenium/sulfur ratios. A good test to figure out your mineral and heavy metal ratios is a hair analysis test.

Chronic infection:

H. pylori is a chronic infection. Chronic infections lead to decrease in the conversion of T4 to Active T3 (thyroid hormones- the 3 and 4 represent the # of iodine molecules).

When the body is stressed the T3 gets converted to RT3 (reverse t3). That is bad. The thyroid and the whole body are affected form this inablilty to produce thyroid hormone your body can use. The thyroid becomes “hypo” which leads to weight gain, constipation, dry skin, depression, etc. Thyroid is very important and helps regulate hormones too in the body.

learn more about RT3 here. I don’t believe in taking medication to cover up symptoms. Symptoms are the body trying to tell YOU what is wrong, I believe in fixing the ROOT problem.

Parasites:

Dr Amy says. “I regularly find blastocystis hominis, giardia, cryptosporidium, candida, and other infections in my clients and sometimes people are harbouring these organisms as well as H pylori. A long term H pylori infection and lowering of stomach acid allows these other organisms to pass safely through to the intestines where they are able to colonise. These other infections cause many overlapping symptoms – gas, bloating, headaches, diarrhoea, etc – and are therefore hard to distinguish from H pylori. I therefore recommend running high quality stool testing where possible.”

Fatigue:

Of course fatigue will be a part because they body is ALWAYS working and you are deficient in b-vitamins (aka energy vitamins), iron (h. pylori/bacteria like to use iron to their own good). Even when I was eating red meat and high iron foods, my iron levels were low.

Stomach acid:

H. pylori is attracted to low or high acid environments. It starts in the stomach because of this quality- but can travel to other organs. H. pylori can thrive in a high acid stomach because it covers itself in a barrier and hides itself in the mucous layer, deep within your stomach. This can make it tricky to eradicate because they herbs have no way of reaching the bacteria.

H. pylori also neutralizes stomach acid so you have a very poor time digesting and assimilation vitamins and minerals. Say hello fatigue and rumbly stomach!  Read more at “note on acid” below.

*you can also try this HCL temporarily. But it will not eradicate you h pylori, only help ease heartburn and digestion. Do not use at the same time as baking soda.

Ketosis:

Ketosis  is when your body starts using fat for energy.  You may think-“Oh this is great”. No not great at all. The brain NEEDS glucose for energy and to survive. When the body turns to fat for energy the body produces ketones.

Part of the ketone molecule can be used for energy but the “bad” part called acetone (the chemical also found in nail polish remover) cannot be used by the body. It is excreted through the urine and breath (stinky urine and breath). The urine is first filtered through the kidneys. When too much acetone is always flushing through the kidneys, the kidneys start to overwork (read here if your kidneys are in danger).

Acetone is a toxin that makes the blood more acidic and starts to damage the liver. When the kidneys overwork the body starts to really get messed up and it can be dangerous. I was there, and I never want to go back. I still have to be careful because I get kidney pain and fluid retention (kidneys facilitate fluid in the body).

In TCM the kidneys are the life force- you don’t want to be messing around with that. It is important to support the kidney with homeopathic, foods, herbs, and whatever you can think of.

You should be taking the ph or your urine:

Something I am thinking of doing is buying these Ph test strips. You take the strip and hold it under your urine. A high urine ph (alkaline) means toxins are being excreted by your kidneys and they are stressed!

High urine ph (7-8): ALKALINE

  • kidney stones
  • vegetarian diet
  • chronic renal failure
  • bacteria infection (Most of the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections make the urine more alkaline because the bacteria split urea into ammonia and other alkaline waste products.)

Low urine ph (4.5-7) : ACIDIC

  • high protein/meat diet
  • diarrhea
  • starvation
  • dehydration

 

Learn more about it here.

Neurotransmitter imbalances:

You have probably heard of neurotransmitters so you know how important they are to the cells and brain. Serotonin will be off balance. OCD symptoms may be present and mood and appetite will be affected as well.

Muscle spasms:

This one was random but made sense why I get random eye twitches. High triptamine levels are associated with h. pylroi infection. These high triptamine  levels create “twitches” in the body. I found that Magnesium Bath Flakes help the twitching.

Ammonia:

H. pylori produces high ammonia levels in the body. I cant imagine this is good for any organ. Just more for the body to deal with.

Hard to eradicate:

This bacteria digs deep deep down into the mucous layer. It hides itself form the immune system. Because of this and its “tail” that buries itself in the body, it can take a long time to eradicate. It can take many months to get neurotransmitters back to normal too (after eradication). This infection is common in autistic kids and eradicating it can have a huge improvement on moods, speech, cognitive abilities.

Liver/gallbladder problems:

The liver filters the blood (which is becoming toxic from the h. pylori) so it gets clogged and overwhelmed.

The detox pathways are not working so the liver takes the upper hand and overworks night and day until it becomes too clogged to do the job.

Allergies commonly become worse when the liver is toxic.

When the liver does not work right, the gallbladder will not do its job right either. The gallbladder is connected to the liver and works according to how the liver works and vice versa. You need bile to help flush out hormones and toxins and to digest food.

Liver herbs and gallbladder herbs (bitter) are helpful in getting these important detox organs stronger and functioning again (listed below).

To learn more about liver/gb connection read this book. Ox bile and coffee enemas can also assist these two organs greatly.

Adrenal fatigue:

The adrenals sit on top of the kidneys, so they are connected. Since h. pylori damages kidneys so badly, the adrenals are affected as well. When your body is under chronic stress it starts to affect your adrenal glands and drags your body down the stages of adrenal fatigue until one day you feel “dead tired”. Cortisol levels, sleep, and blood sugar will be off too.

Here is a good book about adrenal fatigue.

Malnutrition:

Not only is your body not absorbing nurtients because you need acid and vitamin b-12 to assimilate nutrients, but since h. pylori neutralizes your stomach acid- parasites, bugs, and bacteria grow and use the nutrients up and leave you with…well not much. This can leave you feeling always hungry- like “nutrient hungry” I call it. Height and growth is also affected in some children and adults.

Histamine:

Gut problems is directly related to histamine levels. Mast cells (which release histamine) increase with an h. pylori infection.

I never really had a problem with his until one day out of the blue I got full body hives and itching. Since then I have had more hives and itching spells. I keep it under control by eating low histamine foods, detoxing, and following my h. pylori program so it does not overgrow more. For me, sea salt seems to help calm the itching/hives as well- natural antihistamine. I find magnesium flake baths help the itching/hives.

Digestive problems:

Digestive problems are characteristic symptom for people with h. pylori (so are ulcers). Diarrhea, constipation bloating, acid reflux, indigestion, nausea, loss or gain or appetite, nervous stomach, gas, etc.  In the mean time, activated charcoal can help digestive issues and gas.

Hernia of stomach (hiatal hernia):

This is when the stomach rides up and get “stuck” and pushes into an ares it doesn’t belong-upward into the chest. Usually the feeling is a hard stomach that is tender. GERD is also a symptom.

This type of hernia can be corrected with manipulative pressure from a kinesiologist (or yourself). I got mine”pushed down” (and you can fix your too!) and will have to continue doing it every few weeks or so until it actually “stays where it is suppose to”

Other organs infected:

Since bacteria can travel, other organs can get infected. For me, my small intestines, stomach, and sinuses are all infected with the h. pylori. Each person is different. Just paying attention to your symptoms may help you figure it out.

Look at a human anatomy chart to know where your organs are. Stomach (hard/tender-h. pylori starts in the stomach). Small intestines (absorption issues). Large intestines/colon (digestion/ bowl problems). Pancreas (enzyme and insulin imbalances). Liver (toxic liver symptoms). Kidneys (kidney pain and associated problems). Sinus (sinus pressure and constant swelling).

Teeth and sinus problems:

The stomach and intestines play a big role in teeth and sinus health. I have a history of cavities and sinus infections. Bacteria can travel from the stomach into the teeth and do damage. The bacteria can travel from the mouth into the sinuses. It is important to kill the bacteria in the sinuses and mouth with salt water rises until you get the h. pylori under control.

Migraines:

*for relief, magnesium oil can help headaches instantly.

” Migraines can be caused by hormone and/or serotonin imbalances and recall that serotonin imbalances can related to chronic bacterial issues. So this gets us back to a need for a full CPR if other suggestions are not enough of a help. Also lack of carnitine (often secondary to H.pylori) can be sufficient to cause migraines.- Dr. Amy”

GABA/glutamate imbalance:

GABA is a neurotransmitter used by the nervous system to transfer messages. It is important to prevent anxiety, restlessness, and brain health.

Vitamins b-6 and B-12 specificlaly are needed to make GABA and since your body is already deficient in them, GABA production slows down. When GABA is out of balance glutamate will be to.  GABA gets low, while glutamate gets high.

I experienced this “drunk” feeling after drinking too much bone broth and fermented veggies once- this was because these foods are high in free glutamate. I already had enough glutamate being produced at abnormal levels so even slight amounts in food send the balance way overboard. This can be a reason why some people do worse on the GAPS diet. Look up high glutamate foods here.

 

Did I list enough for you? There is alot more that h. pylori does, but lets try to focus on what to DO to get rid of it and bring the body back in balance.

Testing

You are probably wondering how do you even know if you have h. pylori for sure?  You do testing- but here is where it can get tricky (not all testing is reliable).

* I got kinesiology testing, which in my opinion can be just as accurate as a blood/stool/breath test if you get a good practitioner.

* always work with a practitioner if you think you have h. pylori.

Stool test:

(like this one). Do the stool test on a full moon- bacteria and parasites are most active then. This is the most reliable according to most studies. It can be done before to diagnose h. pylori. and after to make sure you have it cleared from your system. Read here why it is the most reliable test.

Kinesiology:

This requires a special kinesiologist practitioner to use muscle testing to find the “root cause” . This is what I did and my Dr. used “bacteria” viles and my muscles to determine that I had an h. pylori infection. We tested things until we found out what exactly made my muscle weak.

Blood test:

Checks the antibodies to H. pylori. Antibodies can stay in your blood 12-18 months after eradication (treatment). If you do have antibodies and have never been treated then YES you have h. pylori.

Breath test:

This test uses radioactive carbon atom to detect h.pylori. Though it is a inconsistent test, and usually expensive.

Stomach biopsy:

A sample is taken from inside the stomach and small intestine. This test too is inconsistent and the most invasive.

Markers on other testing:

Here are some of the markers trained Dr.’s look for that “hint” at the patient has an h. pylori infection.  Here are Dr. Amy’s findings…

  • “if manganese is  consistently low on a Urine essential elements test
  • if most amino acids are low on a Urine amino acid test  and  arginine is normal range
  • if suberic is really high  on a Metabolic Analysis Profile (MAP) in spite of carnitine support
  • if particular Krebs  intermediates are high while others are in normal range on that MAP
  • if  5HIAA is very high when it doesn’t make sense with the maoA status or  the support being used
  • if there is consistently midrange to high  cadmium and bismuth excretion
  • if a Neurotransmitter test is showing  high tryptamine or tyramine”

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A note on Acid:

Some pratcitoners like to supplement acid to “kill the h. pylori”. But if you have been following what I have been saying, then the h. pylori will not be killed by the acid because it will either neutralize it or hide in the mucous layer of the gut so it stays in a “safe environment”

Here is what Dr. Amy says:

“I would NOT add anything acidic to drop the pH in my personal opinion.  I will explain why I am saying that by explaining my personal theory on  H.pylori that seems to be holding up to the test of time and having  positive results…I believe that the H.pylori may be coming out of  hiding due to the program. H.pylori makes an enzyme called urease. This  enzyme uses arginine from the body and makes a product to help to  neutralize the stomach acid. While H.pylori may initially be attracted  to a gut that has a higher stomach pH, and while it is shown to be a  factor in acid reflux, GERD, stomach ulcers…it actually will not live  in an acid environment. That is why it hides in the mucosal cells lining  the gut. I believe it is in part so hard to eradicate as it is hiding  in those mucosal cells. The idea of the baking soda which has worked  well is to trick the H.pylori into thinking the pH is less acidic so it  will come out of hiding and so the other supplements (Peptimycin and  HELXthese are the supplements she uses which contain many of the herbs I am listing) can reach it. When the pH climbs  like you are seeing, I believe that represents H.pylori that has come  out of hiding, out of the mucosal cells and is making urease to  neutralize the stomach acid so that it can live there. I feel it is now  more vulnerable to eradication, but it also may be causing more gut  pain. This is why we consider the H.pylori program when the gut  pH is very low (an environment that H.pylori may be attracted to) or  when it is high (indicating H.pylori is making urease to increase the  gut pH to neutralize the acid). What has been seen on a number of tests  is that the pH will swing from very low (ie around 5) to very high  (closer to 8 ) for the same individual.”

* a gut test determines the h.p of the stomach.

*So basically- don’t use acid- use baking soda to “provoke” the h. pylori out of hiding so you can kill it with supplements and herbs. Baking soda is used to trick the h. pylori that the stomach is “safe” and base (not acidic).

food

FOOD/diet:

What to eat?

This is a very broad question and I wonder if I am doing the right thing each day. It all boils down to- how do you feel after eating? Of course you should stay away form the junk, sugar, table salt, and the obvious bad things. But what about all the lists you see online “what not to eat with h.pylori”. I tried to find out the pros and cons or each. I hope it helps. Your best bet is to listen to your instincts.

“Are these food’s ok if I have h. pylori?”

Coffee:

pro: It can decrease GGT (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) levels–this is a “bad” liver enzyme.

con: Coffee is acidic in nature and can stress adrenals more-so this is a decision you have to make. I personally do not drink it.

Fermented foods:

pro: Full of good natural probitoics to hep fight infection and bacteria.

con: Can increase excess glutamate and histamine levels.

High fat (even good fats):

pro: Help absorption of vitamins  (especially since you are deficient probably) and keep you full longer.

con: Can aggravate ketosis and inflammation in the stomach- look at note below **

** Eat a higher carbohydrate/ lower fat diet:

Too much fat aggravates the h pylori symptoms (digestion/gallbladder doesn’t work/ketosis) and keeping a steady amount of carbohydrates prevents the body from going into ketosis. This is a temporary diet- and you can return to lots of healthy fats once you recover. A stool that is pale and stinky is most likely a signal you are not digesting your fats. To help digest fats- increase herbs to support bile (dandelion root, bitter herbs).

Onion/garlic/broccoli/cauliflower:

pro: Helps to “fight” h. pylori directly.

con: If you have a CBS mutation, you have a sulfur detox problem and this can aggravate your symptoms. (check out foods high in sulfur)

Spices (cayenne/mustard/cloves/cinnamon):

pro: Antibacterial properties and are known to help ulcers (common in h. pylori).

con: Spicy foods can aggravate the stomach lining and increase HCL in the stomach. Remeber that 1-2 hours after eating we want to make the stomach “base” so the h. pylori comes out of hiding. Some sources say they can promote the perfect ground for bacteria growth.

*Here is my thinking. Is it may be ok to eat these healing spices with food  (even if it does increase the Hydrochloric acid in the stomach temporarily) and then just follow with the baking soda after most of the food is digested. If it aggravates your stomach- don’t eat it, but if you crave it- your body may need it. (here is a good article to help)

Dairy

pro: Especially if it is raw and cultured, it will be a rich source of probioitcs.

con: Can be a cause of excess mucous in the body and high fat dairy can aggravate sensitive stomachs with h. pylori. Fermented milk or cheese are high in glutamates.

Chocolate

pro: High in magnesium and mineras.

con: Can aggravate the stomach because it is acidic.

Red meat:

pro: A good source of b- vitamins and iron (anemia and B-12 are common deficiencies with h. pylori)**

con: Meat is acidic but it depends on how your body digest it if it will be ok with h. pylori symptoms.

**h pylori is commonly found in blood type O’s -who process meat well and need to eat it to feel good and strong. read about it here

Protein:

pro: Keeps you full, contains important amino acids to make neurotransmitters (which you are lacking in).

con: Too much can stress the kidneys- which are already fragile and detoxing hard.

Bone broth/gelatin:

pro: Rich in gut healing properties.

con: If you have a GABA/glutamate imbalance then you need to be careful about eating foods high in free glutamate and gelatin is high. (check out foods high in glutamate).

cranberry

AVOID:

carbonated drinks

alcohol: Too much free glutamate

canned foods: Histamine is high

leftover foods: Histamine is increased

sugar

white products

vinegar: Use apple cinder vinegar instead

foods you are allergic to: Aggravates stomach and pretty much the whole body.

tomatoes: They have an acidic affect in the stomach.

grains (gluten and non gluten): There are alot of problems with grains and leaky guts /cross reacting to gluten grains so it is best to stay away while you heal.

ADD:

flavinoid rich foods: Cranberries (good for kidneys too), apples, onions, celery

sea salt: Helps balance adrenals and regulate kidneys

leafy green veggies/sea veggies (organic): Rich in vitamin b’s, and other vitamins and minerals

wild fish– Rich in omega 3’s -reduce inflammation

veggies and fruits

squash and starchy veggies: To help keep carbohydrate intake higher if you are on low fat- you will need calories

 

Remember these are just my thoughts and can be used as guidelines, but I say the best bet is listen to your body’s healthy cravings.

 

The protocol

My protocol will look different from yours, but I will show you my protocol as an example. I am still very sensitive, so I did some extra research and “dissected” common h. pylori supplements that contained herbs and enzymes so I could stay away from “fillers” and capsules.

Tip: Cycle on and off supplements/herbs- don’t want to over drive the immune system. You want to give the body a break.

example: 2 weeks on herbs & 1 week off herbs or 4 days on herbs & 1 day off (whatever feels right with your body)

teas

Organ support:

I created this to have its own category because these herbs don’t necessarily “kill the h. pylori, but they are still important to keep the organs strong and eliminating the toxic waste.

Herbal teas:

Many teas are very supportive of the organ systems (which you need right now). I will give you a small list for supporting each organ system.

*I always have someone in my family muscle test me to make sure my body needs them at that time. Use these videos to learn how to muscle test yourself. I have a new love for learning about herbs-here is my new page for them

Kidney: uva ursi, cranberry, rose hips, parsley, nettle, burdock, dandelion leaf

Reproductive system: maca, red raspberry leaf, red clover, white peony root

Lymph: oregon grape root, poke root, cleavers, wild indigo, Figwort, horsetail, echinacea, goldenseal

Bowel:

  • constipated: senna leaf, Cascara sagrada, rhubarb root, chickweed
  • diarrhea: marshmallow root, slippery elm bark, peppermint, camomile

Liver/gallbladder: dandelion root, dandelion leaf, Schisandra berries, milk thistle, gentian root, turmeric

Digestion/stomach: ginger, fennel, marshmallow root, slippery elm bark, rose hips, lotus leaf

Spleen/blood: hawthorn berries, red root, barberry

Adrenals: licorice, codonopsis root, sarsaparilla, ginseng, wild yam *sea salt is also very good at supporting adrenals

Brain: ginkgo, ashwaghandha, rosemary, peppermint, holy basil, green tea

Screen Shot 2013-05-05 at 7.45.53 PM

Homeopathics:

Homeopathics help support organ systems and keeps their toxic load down. I like the apex line. I use this and this one. When I had my second flare- homeopathics really helped calm my symptoms and bring my body back in balance.

RNA’s:

Thee may be new to you. My dr. usually recommends them to her patients. RNA’s help support organ systems. I take Liver RNA, Kidney RNA, cytokine inflammation RNA

Enzymes:

Digest gold or digestive enzymes : taken 20 minutes before meals to help digest your food.

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How to “kill” h. pylori:

Anti-h. pylori Herbs: These are specific herbs used to kill h. pylori. that I am taking daily:

combine

My H. Pylori blend:

With trial and error and some research I figured out what “blend” works for my body. I believe that if the body is going to heal, it needs to have a nourishing diet, detoxing (to get the toxins out of your body), and an overall balanced healthy life style.

Nature provides special herbs and plants to flush toxins–specifically we are targeting h. pylori–out of our bodies that make us sick. These 3 plants (triphala (actually 3 herbs in 1) , cats claw, and mastic gum) are the things I choose to kill off the h.pylori in my body to use consistently.

I dissected a bunch of well trusted supplements and these 3 ingredients were common in many mixtures. I don’t like taking capsules and I prefer to source my own ingredients. Im ok with this because it forces me to learn about each one.

Since I am sensitive, I like to try each herb individually to make sure my body is ok with it. I first muscle test myself and then try a very small amount. After I know I was ok with all 3, I combined them into a formula that my body tolerated well.

Some days I make the herbs into a tea (with hot water) and take the mastic gum separate. Some days I combine and drink in regular temp water.  Do what your body tolerates (you may have to change up the measurements) and feel free to change up the formula to add in any of the other “anti-hpylori” herbs listed below.

Where to buy?

Most everything I have taken can be found on my “supplements” tab above. I made this page just for you guys. –>  Gutsy’s H. Pylori Supplements

 

Triphala: You can buy powder here or capsules here.

Cats Claw: You can buy powder here, bark here, and capsules here.

Mastic gum: You can buy in capsules here  or whole here.

.

Triphala:

what is it?

latin names:

family:

Triphala is actually a combination of 3 herbs. It is a very popular Ayurvedic herb that originated in India. The herbs are dried and ground into a powder.

Triphala is an Ayurvedic remedy consisting of equal parts of three herb, taken without seed: Amalaki (Phyllanthus emblica), Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica), and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula). The word triphalameans literally “three fruits”.

 

Triphala contains five of the six tastes recognized in Ayurveda (sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent), only missing the salty taste.

Dosage:

1/4 tsp 1-2x a day  (you can either dissolve in hot water or cold). I prefer taking it in liquid because of this…

Triphala Tea The traditional way of ingesting triphala is as a tea. This method allows one to taste the herb fully, and taste is considered by Ayurveda to be an important part of the healing process. Taste starts the digestive process, and sends signals to the body as to what to expect, already initiating your body’s own inner pharmacy.

Studies:

A 17 year old girl discovered an Ayurvedic herb to effectively break the protective layer of bacteria. The specific herb was Haritaki. This protective layer is called a “biofilm”. Some people use biofilm enzymes to help break down this protective layer so the body can then recognize and attack the bacteria (h. pylori).

One of the common tropical plant extracts penetrated the bacterium’s protective layer. Next, Madhavi isolated the specific molecule in the extract that was able to inhibit bacterial growth. She found that the molecule was heat resistant, and resistant to pressure. “It kills the cell,” she explains, “by preventing the transcription of the genes involved in energy, metabolism, adaptation, membrane transport, and toxin secretion.”

This study explains the qualities of Haritaki (one of the three herbs in triphala) and its effect on h. pylori.

Haritaki has anti-bacterial effect (International Journal of Cardiology, 1988). In this study the researchers tested the effect of extracts of Haritaki on a bacteria called Helicobactor Pylori. The results indicated that water extracts of Haritaki contain a heat stable agent with inhibiting effects and possible therapeutic potential for fighting Helicobactor Pylori and other bacterial species.

About:

I included an “about” section for triphala because it is such a complex herb. Ayurvedic medicine has a different way of looking at the body, illness, and foods/herbs. I will help you understand the herbs and how each one relates to a specific “dosha”- characteristics that help make up the body and mind. Each one is a completely different herb with amazing properties.

Amalaki: 

  • has a cooling affect on the dosha Pitta (fire/bile)
  • helps with digestion and assimilating food
  • clears thinking ability
  • mildly laxative
  • astringent- constrict tissues to heal
  • alterative-helps restore body functions
  • antipyretic-helps reduce fever
  • used to treat “fire” imbalances -ulcers, stomach/intestine inflammation, constipation/diarrhea, acne/rashes, liver congestion, infections.
  • very high source of vitamin c
  • antioxidant
  • sour

Bibhitaki:

  • helps target problems in kapa (water/mucus) dosha
  • balances excess mucus
  • helpful for respiratory problems (allergies/asthma)
  • astringent taste (smooth/bitter/dry)
  • cleanses the blood
  • remove harmful toxins in body
  • strengthens hair roots and color or hair
  • balances kapa (water) imbalances- eliminated fluid (edema)
  • antiviral and antibacterial
  • improves eye site
  • balances over weight conditions

Haritaki:

  • helps balance the vata (wind/nervous system) dosha
  • helps to eradicate parasites
  • clams nerves and anxiety
  • removes toxins- “scraping” effect
  • helps maintain a healthy weight
  • lubricant and laxative-helps constipation
  • has 5 tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent)
  • stimulates digestion and sensory organs
  • helps combat anemia
  • combats gallstones
  • restores health

 

Benefits:

  • 3 herbs that support 3 different dosha’s  (a well balanced herb)
  • improves circulation (cleanses blood and increases red blood cells)
  • detoxifies at a deep level without depleting the bodies reserves
  • helps stimulate bile flow
  • good liver tonic
  • internal cleanseing
  • helps fight bacteria (h. pylori), parasites, and viruses
  • improves digestion and elimination
  • helps body absorb nutrients, fight cravings
  • helps body balance out weight-fights unwanted fat
  • regenerate tissues
  • anti-imflamitory
  • promotes normal appetite
  • helps heal metabolism
  • used as a tonic for eye and hair washes
  • supports healthy immune system

 

warning: 

  • Do not use if nursing/pregnant
  • do not use if you have acute diarrhea– mild laxative effect
  • can cause weight loss-do not use if you are already very underweight
  • no known drug interactions
  • be cautious with blood thinning medications
  • do not take with dysentery (inflamed intestines with severe diarrhea)
  • if you are allergic to any of the herbs plant family’s (listed above) do not take
  • can cause detox symptoms- you may have to stop temporarily if it gets too uncomfortable

 

Cats claw:

what is it?

latin name: Uncaria tomentosa

plant family: Rubiaceae

The coffee family (Rubiaceae) is the largest woody plant family in the wet tropics, and contains approximately 13,200 species. Most species live in the lower ‘understorey’ level of the forest, where their fruits, nectar and leaves provide an important source of food for animals.

 

Cat’s claw is a tropical vine clinging to 100-foot (and taller) trees by using its namesake “claws.” Cat’s claw (una de gato in Spanish) refers to at least 20 plants with sharp curved thorns, both native to the South and Central American tropical rain forests, with most of the commercial production focused on Uncaria tomentosa. Ethically harvested cat’s claw bark is a major source of income for many Brazilian and Peruvian villages.

cross reactants: coffee, rubiaceae (coffee) family

Dosage:

1/4 tsp (powdered) 1-2x a day

1-3 tsp (bark). Steep in boiling water for 15  minutes.

*The tannins in the herb are released only if it is taken in an acidic medium

If you can tolerate lemon juice- stir cats claw powder in lemon water or squeeze some lemon juice in your tea. I cannot do this because I am sensitive to citrus fruit. I just take it in water and still believe I am getting the benefits of this herb (i have gotten detox).

 

Studies:

Fights against lyme and other bacteria (h. pylori)- In this study

In this study the patient went on a course of antibiotics for h. pylori. Symptoms were nauseous, weight loss, loss of appetite, and high blood pressure. She only got worse. After 1 month of cats claw (120mg ) a day, taken 30 hour before breakfast, her h. pylori was gone and her symptoms were a lot better.

 

Benefits:

  • DNA repair (8 week study proved this)
  • helps allergies (breaks down mucous)
  • treats inflammation (by suppressing TNF-alpha synthesis–which is needed in the inflammation process)
  • detoxify intestines while helping keep friendly bacteria alive
  • stimulates immune system to help fight cold, viruses,
  • Fights some cancers (study done that it stops cell mutations in long term smokers)
  • regulates microphages and white blood cells (either low or high)
  • acts against h. pylori
  • helps fight sinus problems
  • used for arthritis and joint inflammation conditions
  • helps people with stomach and bowel disorders
  • fights fungal and viral infections (candida)
  • promotes speedy wond healing
  • antioxidants help fight free radicals

 

warning:

  • Avoid when trying to get pregnant/ already pregnant/ nursing/young children.- can cause miscarriages
  • should not be taken 2 weeks before/after surgery or people who have bleeding disorder
  • should not be used by people who have organ transplants
  • should not be taken with some autoimmune disorders (can make the immune system more active)–for this reason I balance it with herbs that stimulate my T2  side.
  • can aggrivate leukemia cancer.
  • can lower blood pressure–i have low blood pressure but again it is all bout balance.
  • medications: since cats claw is broken down by the liver it could interact with certain medications that are broken down by the same enzyme (allergy meds, cholesterol meds, allergy medication, anti fungals)
  • if you are allergic to the rubiaceae (coffee) family no not use.

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Mastic gum:

what is it?

latin name: Pistacia lentiscus (Greek for mastic)– mastic gum comes from this small evergreen tree

plant family: Anacardiaceae

Mastic is a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). In Greece, it is known as the “tears of Chios,” being traditionally produced on that Greek island, and, like other natural resins, is produced in “tears” or droplets. Originally liquid, it is sun dried into drops of hard brittle translucent resin. When chewed, the resin softens and becomes a bright white and opaque gum. The flavor is bitter at first, but after chewing, it releases a refreshing, slightly piney or cedar flavor.

 

The ancient Greeks chewed mastic gum (or mastiche, pronounced “mas-tee-ka”) for centuries. This substance is formed from the resin contained in the bark of the mastic tree found mainly in Greece and Turkey. Grecian women favored chewing mastic gum to clean their teeth and sweeten their breath.

 

Anacardiaceae (the cashew or sumac family) are a family of flowering plants bearing fruits that are drupes and in some cases producingurushiol, an irritant. Notable plants in this family include:cashew (in the type genus Anacardium), mango, poison ivy, sumac, smoke tree, and marula. The genus Pistacia (which includes thepistachio and mastic tree) usually is now included, but has sometimes been placed in its own family, Pistaciaceae

Cross reactants:

Mastic gum is related to cashews, mango, poisin ivy, sumac, smoke tree, marula (oil used in cosmetics, to treat leather, and preserve meat), capers, pistachio (im including it just to be safe), and the Anacardiaceae (cashew family).

Dosage:

I took the weight (grams) of the mastic gum I bought in powder (here).  This are approximate values .

1/2 tsp = 0.8 gram

1/4 tsp = 0.4 gram

Taking 1 g of mastic gum is a good amount in opinion. I have no problem doing this and I don’t even notice I am taking it. Some people take from 500mg -1 g of mastic gum a day. I find it best to do this (1/4 tsp) 2x a day.

Studies:

In this article there were 2 groups of people. One group was given 1g of mastic gum the other a placebo. After 2 weeks 80% of the people in the mastic gum group had their symptoms improve and 70% had healing in their gastric mucosa.

In this article they do a study where people  with ulcers -caused by h. pylori- take 1g of mastic gum a day. After 2 weeks the ulcers were “cured”. This study showed that mastic had a anti-h. pylori. effect.

What is the gastric mucosa? Thanks wikipedia.

The gastric mucosa is the mucous membrane layer of the stomach which contains the glands and the gastric pits. In humans it is about 1 mm thick and its surface is smooth, soft, and velvety. It consists of epithelium, lamina propria, and the muscularis mucosae.

Here is an interesting study about the early cause for stomach ulcers and how mastic gum kills h. pylori!!

Researchers in Australia made that startling discovery about the true cause of ulcers in the early 1980s, at about the same time that mastic was being rediscovered by the Arab scientists in the Middle East. The Arab and British researchers subsequently (in the late 1990s) found that mastic kills H. pylori. By then it was known that H. pylori typically infects the stomach and intestines, but it is also commonly found in the mouth (which is, after all, part of the gastrointestinal tract), because there’s no way to prevent the bacteria from migrating up and down the esophagus

Benefits:

  • effective at eradicating h. pylori
  • helps prevent cavities -specifically Streptococcus mutans- known to create cavities. (the bacteria travels from stomach to the mouth)
  • acts as prebiotics for your probiotic (natural source of food for your healthy bacteria- helps keep bad bacteria out)
  • soothes stomach ailments
  • eliminates stomach ulcers
  • “absorbs” bad cholesterol –helps reduce heart attack risk
  • anti-bacterial and anti-fungal
  • decreases symptoms of IBS
  • helps protect liver by decreasing certain liver enzymes.
  • anti-viral

 

warning:

  • Usually considered safe unless you have a true allergy to the cashew family. It can be used by people on medications, but to be safe, check with your doctor first.

 

 

probib

Probiotic:

I take custom probiotic 11 strain (affiliate link). Gut pro and prescript assist are also good. Both of these are free of fillers. There are many strains that are superior in killing h. pylori, but when I did my research I found that Custom probitoics was the best fit for me. Be careful because they are powerful and can cause detox/die off.

Here is an article going over the “best strains” for eradication h. pylori. They don’t “kill” the h. pylori but they prevent any further grown.

Studies have also highlighted probiotic supplementation to enhance natural killer cell activity, stimulate IgG antibody responses

  • L. acidophilus- reduce urease activity of h. pylori.
  • L. johnsonii- secrete antimicrobial substances that stop the h.pylori from adhering to the gut lining.
  • L. salivarius- secrete antimicrobial substances that stop the h.pylori from adhering to the gut lining. Reduce inflammation in gut
  • L. casei– inhibits h. pylori by lactic acid 
  • L. lactis- inhibits h. pylori by lactic acid
  • L. reuteri- inhibit h. pylori by competing with the adhesion sites.
  • L. plantarum- increase secretion of mucin by colon (helps restore permeability of gut)
  • L. rhamnosus– increase secretion of mucin by colon (helps restore permeability of gut)
  • L. brevis- helps decrease the h. pylori bacterial load
  • L. gasseri– helps decrease the h. pylori bacterial load
  • L. bulgaricus-increase mucosal immune response and IgA cells in gut tissue
  • B. Bifidum- directly inhibit h. pylori
  • B. lactis- directly inhibit h. pylori

  natually

Other herbs known to help kill h pylori:

 

Baking soda:

Used to provoke the h. pylori out of hiding your mucous gut lining so it can be reached by the “killing” herbs. Look at “a note on acid” above. I use this kind .

Dosage: 1/4 tsp baking soda 1-3 x a day. 1 hour after meals

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rife 2

RIFE:

RIFE is light frequency to kill the frequencies of bacteria-which then kills the actual bacteria. This was a good option for me because at first I could not tolerate ANY supplements. Through NAET I have become less allergic to foods/herbs and now I can use supplements/herbs. I still use my RIFE to treat h. pylori each night. Learn about RIFE here. 

I have a few friends who use a Zapper (like this one) instead to kill their bugs, and it actually works very well. They get bad die off, but eventually feel better and their pain and aches subside.

 

A note:

*NO iron supplements- feeds and fuels bacterial infections

* When you work with a practitioner they may want to help supplement other things to keep your body functioning as best as possible. I don’t know everything and I am still learning what I need. Since I am very sensitive, so I take what MY body needs.

 Screen Shot 2013-05-05 at 7.45.36 PM

Detox/ support:

Magnesium baths: To ease the constipation, muscle twitches, fatigue (I get this kind), and general wellness. Are you deficient? I use this kind.

Coffee enemas: Helps to detox all the stuff that is being kiledl off and to support the liver so it does not get overwhelmed. Look at this post for instructions and more information. I use this non-toxic enema bucket and this organic enema coffee.

Charcoal: Used to soak up extra toxins in the blood stream and help ease detox symptoms. Gives me a sense of mental clarity and less “toxic” feeling. This can cause constipation in some people because it binds to toxins in the gut and if you have h. pylori you have a toxic gut. You may use herbs-listed above- to help bowel movement. Charcoal on amazon.

Lymph: Getting the lymph system moving is important to keep the toxins moving OUT- you don’t want the lymph stagnant. Learn how to move your lymph here. A rebounder can be very helpful.

Oil Pulling: If sinuses and brain fog are a problem you may want to consider oil pulling. I find that it gives me energy and drains my sinuses very well. Look here for instructions. I use coconut oil. This book explain the “why” behind it.

Clay: Using the skin as a detox organ and giving the other ones a break (liver & kidney) is a helpful tool. On my bad detox days, I feel calmer and less “toxic” after a clay foot, face, or body mask or soak. Look at my post for directions. I drink and bath in this clay..it that pure!

Infrared sauna: A far Infrared sauna heat can penetrate into the system and actually help kill viruses and bacteria! I use this sauna which is AMAZING and the wood is hypoallergenic since I am extra sensitive. It is also a LOW EMF sauna which is very important. I also use this near infrared sauna light because the light frequencies are extremely beneficial at killing bad bugs and regenerating organs.  Don’t forget the light clip! To learn more, read this or this article or this book. You could also build your own sauna!

EMF protection: A extra stressed or toxic body can feed illness and infections. Make sure to protect yourself from EMF’s. I sleep on a earthing mat. I protect my house with this and my wifi with this. I protect my phone with these little EMF sticker (actually filled with a special rock powder thats proven to block EMF’s). Immediately my brain felt clear, and my body felt more relaxed. I one time knocked the house protector out of the socket and my mind was racing and I felt my heart rate go up for no apparent reasons.

How long will it take?

This is a very good question and it will depend on the person. It depends on how long you have had the infection, how bad it got, etc. Most likely it will take many months to eradicate completely. You can always follow up with a stool test to make sure it is 100% gone.

You may start feeling better after a few weeks, 1 month or it could take 3 months. Mine over grew and I feel like the overgrown was much worse then the detox that happened weeks later. I have only been treating it for 2 months and I can already feel a small difference- but I know I have a long way to go.

Since h. pylori disrupts neurotransmitters and nutrients, it can take an additional 6 months (after eradication) to start feeling normal.

Doing all of these things/herbs can get a little confusing. Just listen to your body and things will fall in place. I am still trying to figure out the groove of things and pace myself with detox and such. At least I KNOW I am on my way to healing :). You will heal too.

 

* update 8/23/13 : after 3 months of active treatment (herbs) and then 2 more more months being diligent with my food choices, doing the RIFE frequencies, and detoxing I have my h pylori under control.  I still have digestive issues, and will continue to keep an eye on my h pylori symptoms. Since I have other factors going on (heavy metal toxicity) it will be easy for any bacteria to take advantage of my out of balance body. Since h pylori is common, and I don’t want to get reinfected I will continue with a few parts of the treatment to be preventative. Once my body is free of toxins, I will be able to fight off bugs and illness, better and will not have to worry about reinfection. 

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” ~Psalm 34:19

 

 ~Stay Gutsy, Caroline

Resources:

  • http://amyking.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/im-so-happy-i-have-h-pylori/ <– good post to help give an example of another persons “protocol”
  • http://rhrplus.com/b2evolution/blogs/index.php/Articles/antimicrobial-herbs-for-helicobacter-pyl
  • http://www.h-pylori-symptoms.com/the-11-best-herbs-vitamins-for-fighting-h-pylori/
  • http://www.livingsource.co.nz/heavymetals.cfm
  • http://www.ulcer-cure.com/H_Pylori/h-pylori-test.php
  • http://www.neuroconcepts.memberlodge.org/resources/Documents/NN%20155%20probiotics%20H.%20pylori.pdf
  • http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/Cats_Claw.htm
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncaria_tomentosa
  • http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/kew-stories/kew-research/coffee-family/index.htm
  • http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-cats-claw.html
  • http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/catsclaw.php
  • http://books.google.com/books?id=oRsXKdSaiKsC&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq=h+pylori+fights+cats+claw&source=bl&ots=UnNH4JMruG&sig=Q4p5IHhuCfOpcxnof4RX0hFPV5A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LYmJUb-LDIrlyAHHoIF4&ved=0CGMQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=h%20pylori%20fights%20cats%20claw&f=false
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastic_(plant_resin)
  • http://www.wrigley.com/global/about-us/history-of-gum.aspx
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacardiaceae
  • http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/Mastic-Gum.htm
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9394753
  • http://www.intactnutrition.com/blog/the-benefits-of-mastic-gum.html
  • http://www.intactnutrition.com/blog/benefits-of-mastic-gum-include-killing-h-pylori-to-prevent-and-combat-ulcers.html
  • http://www.livestrong.com/article/267577-what-are-the-benefits-of-mastic-gum/
  • http://www.life-enhancement.com/magazine/article/770-mastic-is-more-than-an-antibacterial
  • http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=6320
  • http://taxondiversity.fieldofscience.com/2011/06/phyllanthaceae.html
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllanthaceae
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combretaceae
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminalia_chebula
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminalia_bellirica
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllanthus_emblica
  • http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/triphala.asp
  • http://ayurvedabykailas.com/ayurvedic-reference/triphala.html
  • http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/triphala.asp
  • http://www.organicindia.com/triphala.php
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triphala
  • http://herbalicine.com/Triphala-is-a-natural-ayurveda-herb-for-gItract-digestion
  • http://www.planetherbs.com/specific-herbs/the-wonders-of-triphala.html
  • http://www.experiencefestival.com/wp/article/triphala-a-traditional-ayurvedic-herb-to-help-cleanse-the-body
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