Lyme is all around us but I believe we will help many more if we give up on blaming everything on the tick related introduction of more pathogens than we had the day before we are bit.  It is confusing to people, as too often Lyme tests are inconclusive. So let’s rename the condition LIMES (Lowered Immune Metabolic Encephalopathy Syndrome) or LIMNS (for Neuropathy, as in MS like conditions) or LIMAS (Arthropathy when it is more arthritic in presentation), as these names move us closer to seeing the true picture.

It is sad to turn patients away with these devastating symptoms when the Infectious Disease Association guidelines force us to say it is Lyme. I am certain broadening the approach to Food sensitivities, other Infections, Genetics, Heavy metals and Hormones and Toxins would wind up with better results than the low batting average that is reported from long-term IV antibiotics, which are often reported as low as 33% about which Lyme critics point out is the response rate to placebos. If we focus on my F.I.G.H.T. program and do something to help deal with the obvious issues that can be found in almost anyone in any of these categories, we can be more cost effective and actually help more patients, as they will stop looking just for a doctor that will interpret their test as positive for Lyme.

Realize that everyone today will fail the Mount Sinai School of Medicine $4900 test for toxins. So let’s blame the neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors just like we blame the total body burden of infection, as properly tested everyone will have some Chlamydia or CMV or Coxackie or Candida and so on.

No one will pass the test at Harvard for bone lead levels. They have shown that the level in bone is in equilibrium with most other tissues in the body including the eye so there is a direct correlation with how high lead in bones is and how soon you develop a cataract. So there is no one on earth that does not need some lead out and since Lead makes Mercury as much as 100 times more toxic, who needs tons of tests to know what to do in most of the categories my F.I.G.H.T. program acronym represents.

So would it not be better medicine to offer some oral detoxification for the Heavy metals and the Toxins, with ZeoGold and BIOE’NR-G’Y C, Beyond Fiber, and some organic Greens and some Maca and help people eliminate suspect foods for a time. Before letting the outcome of the patient’s intervention with the doctor pass on the results of unreliable negative lab tests for Lyme, because of immune suppression until some treatment is started for awhile and then the test for Lyme often changes to positive. What a waste to not simply realize we are confronted with an epidemic of autoimmune diseases that has so many different presentations that over 100 conditions are now considered to be autoimmune related. These conditions deserve meaningful intervention and my F.I.G.H.T. program protects patients from Johnny One Note health care providers who focus only on one aspect of my program and thus only help a small percentage of patients.

Let’s broaden our approach and help everyone with empowering knowledge. Everyone we see today needs help to optimize every one of the categories in F.I.G.H.T. If we expand the FIGHT concept we would make F stand for FOCUS on positive thinking not just Food and H for hormones and Heavy metals and then really the G is not just Genetics but also the entire new field of Epigenetics where exposures to BISPHENOL A have led to overnight changes in Gene activation. They are permanent until treated with aggressive methylation support, as with the MSM and TMG found in BIOE’NR-G’Y C and the active forms of Folic Acid found in Beyond B12.

We all remember AIDS is acquired immune deficiency so now I recommend that this new epidemic just be renamed LOWERED IMMUNE METABOLIC ENCEPHALOPATHY SYNDROME or LIMES then we can start to be much more cost effective in improving the health of many who suffer without excess reliance on some lab test for Lyme related infections.

This link to MEDSCAPE may help broaden your knowledge regarding some aspects of this new epidemic. By putting LIMES category into a new AUTOIMMUNE RELATED condition it forces us to broaden our approach beyond antibiotics can help our patients who still will not be covered by insurance but at least they will not be turned away without receiving real help and we will not waste time with medical board fights. Patients will be taught something that I am confident for most will help them improve their health more than getting 6 months of IV antibiotics even if it were fully covered by their insurance company. It is not just an antibiotic deficiency we are encountering; read the book BEYOND ANTIBIOTICS!

It is like the old adage TEACH a man to fish or give him a fish; I prefer the teaching approach. Knowledge of what is really wrong with our health can be empowering but to put everything on one infection or one toxin and ignore leaky gut and food sensitivities, etc I feel  means we provide little long-term meaningful help to patients who deserve a broader understanding of what is really going wrong with their health.

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Case of Ascending Paralysis: the Signs and Symptoms of Tick Paralysis
Menyoli Malafa, MSII; Veronica Tucci, JD, MS IV; Albert Vincent, PhD; Sajeel Chowdhary, MD
Posted: 03/26/2009; American Academy of Emergency Medicine.
2009;16(1):22, 26, 27 © 2009 American Academy of Emergency Medicine
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/589591

Summary
Tick paralysis (TP), a response to the neurotoxic effects of the salivary secretions produced by attached hard ticks (Ixodidae), is a syndrome that mimics a large number of better known neurological disorders. TP is a sporadic, seasonal, rural disorder in which acute ataxia often develops five to six days following a history of walking in grass or low brush, followed by ascending flaccid paralysis. Recognition and timely removal of the tick usually leads to complete resolution of symptoms, whereas continued feeding can lead to respiratory arrest and death. Follow-up includes species determination and patient surveillance for tick-borne infectious disease.

Discussion
TP is a worldwide disease, occurring in Australia, Europe, South Africa and throughout North America. In the United States, most cases occur in the Rocky Mountain states and the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and the northern parts of Arizona, New Mexico and California. However, cases have also been reported in central, southern and eastern states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and New York. In Canada, most cases are encountered in the western part of the country, primarily southern British Columbia.[1,2] More than 60 species of ticks are known to cause paralysis, but only a handful are responsible for most cases. In North America, the disease is associated primarily with six species: Dermacentor andersoni (‘Rocky Mountain wood tick’), D. variabilis (‘American dog tick’), Amblyomma americanum (‘Lone Star tick’), A. maculatum (Gulf Coast tick), Ixodes scapularis (formerly I. dammini, ‘Blacklegged tick’) and I. pacificus (‘Western Black-legged tick’). Peak incidence occurs between April and June when nymphs and mature adults abound in low vegetation and climb upward, questing for their next host by extending their anterior pairs of legs.[1,3,4] Paralysis is a response to a neurotoxin secreted by the salivary glands of the arachnid.[1,5] The biochemistry and pharmacology of the specific paralysis- inducing toxins produced in North American ticks are yet to be fully elucidated, but current evidence points to a mechanism by which the toxins inhibit presynaptic acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction.[1,3,6] TP presents more often and more severely in children, suggesting a concentration-dependent relationship between toxin levels and symptom expression.[1,4] Signs and symptoms of TP begin about five to six days after the parasite has attached, when neurotoxin is secreted at its peak levels. These prodromal symptoms include restlessness, irritability, fatigue, nausea, paresthesias and possibly ataxia. Over the next 24-48 hours, the patient develops ascending symmetrical flaccid paralysis and weakness in the lower extremities. Over the course of the next day or two, paralysis and weakness may ascend to involve the trunk, axial and upper limb muscles. Cranial nerves may also become involved in an ascending pattern, resulting in bulbar, facial and/or extraocular paralysis. Patients demonstrate diminished or absent deep tendon and superficial reflexes while, aside from occasional paresthesias, their sensory exam remains normal. Pain and fever are absent. Death ensues following paralysis of the respiratory muscles.[1,5,7,8,9] Atypical presentations reflect variations in the site of tick attachment. There may be ataxia and associated cerebellar deficits without accompanying muscle weakness. The disorder may also present as an isolated facial paralysis without trunk or limb involvement. Another group of atypical presentations is unilateral paralysis and/or weakness, including isolated unilateral facial paralysis.[1,8] Tick paralysis is treated by removal of the tick. Although the site of attachment is most often the head and neck region, the entire body should be scrutinized, including ear canals, nostrils and genitalia. Multiple ticks should be suspected, and all must be removed.[1,4,7,10] Applications of petroleum jelly, nail polish, alcohol, a needle and heat are inappropriate. These measures may result in infection and cause the parasite to salivate or regurgitate more of its bodily fluids.
The tick should be grasped with blunt, angled forceps as close as possible to the skin and to the embedded mouthparts (hypostome). Wearing protective gloves, slowly pull the organism straight outward with a gentle and steady traction, without twisting its body. Do not burst the tick. The hypostome is usually deeply and firmly embedded and should be removed surgically should it come detached. Antiseptic solution is then applied to the wound, and the recovered tick and severed mouthparts may be preserved in 75% ethanol for identification. The patient should be instructed to return in the event of additional illness and educated on protective measures against ticks.
The symptoms of TP, at least those caused by North American species, typically resolve rapidly following removal of all ticks from the patient. Improvement in the condition of the patient subsequent to tick removal is confirmatory for the diagnosis. Species found in some other parts of the world, notably Ixodes holocyclus of Australia, produce a very potent neurotoxin and symptoms may not subside as quickly, even worsening after removal.[5] The prognosis depends on clinical presentation prior to removal. If all ticks were removed prior to the onset of bulbar weakness, the patient often makes a full recovery within the first 24 hours. However, if onset of bulbar symptoms occurs during continued feeding, the likelihood of fatal respiratory paralysis increases to 10%. Therefore, prompt of diagnosis and tick removal are paramount.[1,5,7,8] Because ticks are both vectors and reservoirs for various infectious diseases, it is important to educate the patient about this added risk for possible concurrent illnesses. Table 1 displays the geographical location and infectious diseases associated with North American tick species which are also known to cause TP.[1,8,11,12]

References
1.Cunha BA, editor. Tickborne Infectious Diseases Diagnosis and Management. New York: M. Dekker; 2000.
2.Meier J, White J. Handbook of Clinical Toxicology of Animal Venoms and Poisons. STATE: CRC Press; 1995.
3.CDC. Tick paralysis – Washington. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1996; 45(16): 325-6.
4.Schmitt N, Bowmer EJ, Gregson JD. Tick paralysis in British Columbia. Can Med Assoc J 1969 Mar 1; 100(9): 417-21.
5.Meriggioli MN, Howard JF, Howard Jr. JF, Harper CM, Harper Jr. CM. Neuromuscular Junction Disorders: Diagnosis and Treatment. STATE: Informa Health Care; 2003.
6.Grattan-Smith PJ, Morris JG, Johnston HM, Yiannikas C, Malik R, Russel R, Ouvrier RA. Clinical and neurophysiological features of tick paralysis. Brain 1997 Nov;120(Pt 11):1975-87.
7.CDC. Tick paralysis – Colorado. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2006 Sep 1; 55(34): 933-5.
8.Knoop KJ, Stack LB, Storrow AB. Atlas of Emergency Medicine. STATE: McGraw-Hill Professional; 2002.
9.Biller J. Practical Neurology. STATE: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2002.
10.Gammons M, Salam G. Tick removal. Am Fam Physician 2002 Aug 15; 66(4): 646.
11.Winn WC, Kineman EW, Allen SD, Janda WM, Schreckenberger PC,Procop GW, Woods GL. Koneman´s Color Atlas and Textbook of Diagnostic Microbiology. STATE: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2005.
12.Sonenshine DE, Mather TN. Ecological Dynamics of Tick-borne Zoonoses. STATE: Oxford University Press US; 1994.
13.Greenberg BM. Clinical cases in neurology from John Hopkins. Case 2: acute ascending paralysis in a 4-year-old body. MedGenMed 2003 Apr 9; 5(2): 36.

Why people with Lyme cannot drink alcohol

Why people with Lyme cannot drink alcohol | What is Lyme?

Why people with Lyme cannot drink alcohol | What is Lyme?

WE ALL HAVE SOME CHRONIC INFECTIONS; now there is another major breakthrough to prove this.

My Fight program clearly is meant to help us educate our patients that achieving optimal health is a lifetime challenge. With increasing sophistication of lab sciences, we will find many more challenges in every one of my FIGHT categories but with the epidemic of people with chronic fatigue, you now have even more reason to want to learn about Oxidative therapies like OZONE/UVB/SILVER.

However, a unifying approach to enhance our bodies ability to deal with the multifactorial nature of any chronic disease should increase our interest in learning more about Energy medicine. This broad topic includes Homeopathy, Accupunture, Prayer, Microelectric Current therapy, Magnetic Healing, Oxygen, Hyperthermia and much of what is now called Alternative Medicine.

The exerpt below is just one line from the great overview of viral infections and XMRV that is found in Autism and Prostate Cancer and Chronic Fatigue. This area of research is all new this year but we can expect that someone will soon find many more fungi issues or parasites issues. Of course tying impaired health to our toxin load is just beginning to be seriously considered. Do not fail to look for a moment at this article, as when you tell patients they need to deal with the chronic infection component of their current symptom complex, many feel you are off the wall.

Unless they have heard of Candida or Chlamydia, or CMV, or Herpes, or Lyme, they are not attuned to the need to lower their total body burden of pathogens. No one needs to spend the money to chase down which of these infections they have, as no one will test negative for one or more of these infections if adequately tested. So testing for most patients is impractical except to get their attention as to why they must do something about the infection component of my FIGHT program if they are to achieve optimal health.

“XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus) is strongly associated with chronic fatigue syndrome/ME. The earlier study published in the journal Science was a joint study by the Cleveland Clinic, the National Cancer Institute, and the Whittemore-Peterson Institute of the University of Nevada with Drs. Vincent Lombardi and Judy Mikovits as lead authors. Here the lead author of the NIH/Harvard/FDA study, Dr. Harvey Alter, noted in a press conference that he considered his study a confirmation of the earlier WPI study, even though they had detected different MLV-related viruses (MRVs), rather than only XMRV. There does seem to be a greater variety of MRVs in chronic fatigue syndrome/ME patients than first understood. The WPI’s original study also showed some evidence of additional MRVs.”
Read more: http://www.ageofautism.com/2010/09/my-wife-my-daughter-and-xmrv.html

Sincerely,

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com

During this time of year, I hear about way too many people dying from infections. I also see people suffering from chronic infections that don’t respond to any drug treatments. Both of these are very sad situations for me because there’s a very simple cure that inexpensive and almost 100% effective.

In the upcoming issue of Second Opinion, I tell you about how ultraviolet blood irradiation (UBI) works against any infection, including the antibiotic-resistant superbugs. These nasty bugs are killing more and more hospital patients. And now, they’re leaving the hospitals and attacking the public at large. You can read all about it in the January issue.

But today, I want to tell you about a case of infection I just treated with UBI. It illustrates just how well this treatment works on very powerful infections.

MESSAGE FROM DR. GORDON:

Season’s Greetings!
I am pleased to bring to you an excellent report on PEMF entitled, “The Missing Link to Optimal Health: Recharge Your Life with Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy”, by Scott Forsgren. (see article here: http://gordonresearch.com/docs/PEMF_specialreport.pdf). Scott hosts an informative website and blog called BetterHealthGuy.com, and writes for the Public Health Alert and other publications on the topic of Lyme disease and related issues.
Magnetic therapy has been studied and documented throughout the centuries, from ancient times to the present. Magnets have long been believed to have healing powers associated with energy, muscle pain and stiffness. Today, scientific research in the U.S. and the world over is providing invaluable data on how magnetic fields can positively affect the nervous and circulatory systems, as well as every living cell – animal, human and plant.
PEMF therapy received FDA clearance in 1982 to promote the healing of bone fractures. It also has a proven track record in treating many of the conditions we encounter today, including incontinence, diabetic neuropathy, muscle weakness, impaired bone health and vascular issues including gangrene where scheduled amputations are no longer needed. The U.S. company that makes the PEMF device (PMT-100AT) that I treat with and use personally on a daily basis, has literally given me a new back! After more than 20 years of chronic back pain and problems, I can now move around and stand up straight without pain! (Go to www.pulse4life.com to view more amazing testimonials on Autism, Parkinson’s, MS, ALS, etc.).
I have experienced amazing results through the combination of my F.I.G.H.T. For Your Health program, and the latest developments in PEMF and other energy medicine modalities such as Tesla-based electro muscle stimulation, low level lasers, and correctly designed magnetic sleep pads. I invite you to read the report from Scott Forsgren and begin to learn how PEMF can help you recharge your life and achieve optimal health and longevity!
Sincerely,
Dr. Garry F. Gordon, MD, DO, MD(H)
Gordon Research Institute
Payson, Arizona USA

Link: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/bjmbr/v40n4/6497.pdf 

Excerpt:

An emerging clinical entity that reproduces clinical manifestations
similar to those observed in Lyme disease (LD) has been recently
under discussion in Brazil. Due to etiological and laboratory particularities
it is named LD-like syndrome or LD imitator syndrome. The
condition is considered to be a zoonosis transmitted by ticks of the
genus Amblyomma, possibly caused by interaction of multiple fastidious
microorganisms originating a protean clinical picture, including
neurological, osteoarticular and erythema migrans-like lesions. 

Excerpt:

Most hosts, including humans, are simultaneously or sequentially
infected with several parasites. A key question is whether
patterns of coinfection arise because infection by one parasite
species affects susceptibility to others or because of inherent
differences between hosts. We used time-series data from
individual hosts in natural populations to analyze patterns of
infection risk for a microparasite community, detecting large
positive and negative effects of other infections. Patterns
remain once variations in host susceptibility and exposure are
accounted for. Indeed, effects are typically of greater
magnitude, and explain more variation in infection risk, than the
effects associated with host and environmental factors more
commonly considered in disease studies. We highlight the danger
of mistaken inference when considering parasite species in
isolation rather than parasite communities.