“Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can heal the patient with food.” Hippocrates.

My stepdaughter has bipolar disorder. She’s 5 years old. No, that is not a typo. In the 2 years since her diagnosis, we’ve tried several ‘traditional’ psych meds typically prescribed for childhood onset bipolar disorder with poor results. Each time her psychiatrist prescribes a new med, we go through the same pattern. We get a 2 or 3 weeks – a month if we’re really lucky of calm, really with it behavior followed by a total and complete meltdown. As her body begins to adjust to the meds it seems to over compensate and the results are not good. When we take her off the meds, she seems to even out and go back to her ‘typical’ bipolar pattern. A few months later, her psychiatrist wants to try a different med and we start the whole process over again.

We’ve decided to take her off the medication treadmill and treat her bipolar disorder with supplements and herbs if at all possible. So, I’m doing a lot of research on the topic and I thought I’d share what I’m learning here, in the hopes it will help on of my readers.

Several medical studies have shown that people who take 50 mg of Vitamin B1 or Thiamine experience improved moods, less depression, and faster reaction time than those whose intake is at or below the FDA for this vitamin.

Vitamins B12 and B9, or folate, have proven equally important when treating depression and other mood disorders. B12 deficiencies impair the body’s ability to clear out the amino acid homocysteine. High amounts of this amino acid have been shown to cause depression. Insufficient amounts of folate in the system cause symptoms of depression. In addition, low folate reduces the effectiveness of standard SSRI depression medications.

Serotonin production is dependent upon Vitamin B6. Inadequate amounts of B6 in the blood and brain result in the body not being able to produce this important brain chemical.

Selenium in amounts of appoximately 100 mcg per day helps relieve depression, anxiety and fatigue.

According to Psychology Today, several studies have found that chromium can effectively treat mild to severe depression. And a study at Duke University revealed that depression symptoms are reduced by taking 600mcg of chromium picolinate daily. Chromium is found naturally in liver, mushrooms brewer’s yeast, and whole grains.

Calcium, Omega 3 and zinc levels also seem to play a part in mood stability.

On theory is that those with bipolar disorder and other forms of mental illness may process and metabolize certain vitamins and minerals differently than those without mental illness. The difference in metabolic rate may cause deficiencies in the minerals and vitamins which regulate mood and stability.

I’m not a doctor, and everyone coping with mental illness should make treatment decisions in cooperation with their medical professional. A nutritionist or holistic doctor can help patients determine which vitamins and minerals they may be lacking, and can help the patient determine the best course of action to treat their illness in the most natural way possible

Originally posted Jan 19, 2008

Most people would think I’m nuts for being excited about burning myself, but well.. when you have MS little things mean a lot, right?

I lost the ability to feel hot and cold in my hands when I was 17 or 18…I’m 37 now. . My left side has had the most sensation deterioration. I feel pressure, but not pain in all 3 fingers and the thumb on my left hand. My left pinky-finger has been mostly numb for years. I know when something is touching my pinky, but beyond that.. nothing. I’m famous for pulling hot things off the stove or from the oven sans oven mitt or potholder because I forget that I shouldn’t do that… it doesn’t hurt and so, I don’t think about it.

But, yesterday afternoon, as I pulled cheese crisps off the baking sheet for my kids’ lunch, I burned my left thumb. The thumb isn’t blistered, or even red, but man did it hurt enough that I dropped the cheese crisp and yelped. I’ve noticed that today my left pinky-finger tingles, too. Like when an arm or leg falls asleep and wakes back up. Sure it hurts every time I use that finger to type.. but yesterday I had no sensation in it at all… So.. that’s progress.

These little thing show me that my treatment methods for the MS are working. I started a new treatment last weekend, and I think it’s the new method that is giving me sensation back. I interviewed a brain researcher and hypnotherapist this weekend for a book series I’m writing, and while we were on the phone she asked if it was okay for her to work with me a bit on the stuttering so she could better demonstrate what it is that she does.

I agreed and she lead me through an exercise surrounding the stuttering. I’ve not stuttered ONCE since. But more importantly, she and I talked about the Spiritual nature of disease and how spiritual, emotional and physical health are interrelated. During that discussion, I told her of how I quit smoking by simply deciding I was done with it. No cravings, no temptation.. nothing. She made the comment that if I could do THAT, then I can overcome asthma and MS the same way.

Somehow I had forgotten that I used meditation, Spiritual Law, and paying attention to my thoughts to greatly improve almost fatal asthma 13 years ago. The asthma was so serious I was on daily steroid therapy and could not do a lot of things. Then I landed on a respirator and it scared the hell out of me. My pulmo told me “if the asthma doesn’t kill you in the next 5 years, the meds WILL” I came home from the hospital and studied herbal and spiritual medicine. A year later, I was completely off the meds and doing well.

I told her what I had experienced with asthma, and although she didn’t voice it, the unspoken comment was obvious… — why haven’t I used that knowledge in regards to the MS? –

Good question. So for the past week I’ve been using the techniques I used during the interview, along with the techniques I learned years ago to track down and eliminate the roots of the illness. It has been an interesting week. I’ve gone off the LDN and the supplements so that I can see if what I’m doing has any real effect on the symptoms. I am still following the gluten free, meat free, and processed food free diet.. our entire family eats that way to help treat mental illness and autism in my step kids.

so.. have I seen any real differences over the past week? I think I have. I’ve completely stopped stuttering, my balance is good, my thinking clear, even though I’ve been off the LDN for a week, and I have pins and needles in my left pinky finger even though it’s been numb for several years. Of course, it’s very possible that the changes I’m seeing are still residual effects from the LDN. I’ve had wonderful symptom reversal with LDN. I guess only time will tell.

If symptoms return, I will go back on the LDN

he other night I fell asleep while cuddling with my son at bedtime. I was very tired, and so my husband and older kids let me sleep.

It wasn’t until the next afternoon, when my kids asked why I was forgetting so much, stuttering and off balance that I realized I had missed my ldn the night before.

By 9 pm that night I was almost unable to walk because my balance was just so horrible. My left leg was completely numb up from toes to the knee and the inside of my left arm felt weak and tingled. Vision was as bad as it was before I started the ldn, and I was stuttering so bad my own kids couldn’t understand me. I finally switched to sign language because speech was almost impossible and for some reason, when I can’t talk, I can usually still sign.

From what I’ve learned from the ldn experts, my response to missing a dose was extreme. Most people who see symptom relief from ldn do regress when the go off the med, but it usually takes a couple days. Of course, not every person who takes ldn for MS has any symptom relief. That’s not the purpose of the med. Ldn is taken stop progression of the disease.

I resumed the ldn that night, and was perfectly back to my new normal two days later. Yeah. it took 2 days to get back to where I was before I missed that dose. My family now has explicit instructions to wake me up for my med regardless of how tired I am or if I’m sick. I’ve gotten used to having no MS symptoms, and I’d like to keep it that way, if I can.

Even after a month, it is still amazing to me how much ldn has given me my life back, I can keep up with my kids, and stay up to spend time with my husband.. I’m not exhausted all the time any more, and I’m almost never in pain anymore. No more muscle twitches.. I can play football with my 12 yr old daughter again..I’m thinking about coaching her team next season – something she’s wanted me to do for over a year now, but I’ve been unable to because of the MS. I’m not too inclined to call any medication a “miracle drug” but ldn is about as close to it as you can get. I will be forever thankful for the person who introduced ldn to me

Also, after talking to the new doctor a little more, he’s fairy convinced the MS had changed from RRMS to SPMS. He made this determination because I was to the point where I had symptoms every day without a break. Every day at the same time I would start to have symptoms, and the pain never went away. It seemed to have stopped remitting. Of course, I’m not too sure that he’s right about the change in MS classification, and honestly, I’m not even sure it matters.

The new dr isn’t doing as much research into ldn as I’d hoped. And while he supports my using alternative treatments and is willing to work with what I’m doing, he won’t be helping me figure out the best ways to treat my ms and asthma with nutrition and herbals. But that’s okay.. I can do my own research just like I always have. As long as he’s willing to understand that herbals and nutrition will always be my first treatment choice for ANY illness, we’re good. I did find out from another patient of his that he does suggest using garlic to treat bronchitis and pneumonia, though.. so that is a huge point in his favor.

Just a note for those who are exploring the gluten free and msg free lifestyle… I have put together a booklet of 10 recipes using gluten free and msg free ingredients.

The featured recipe of this booklet is my GF Chocolate Drizzle Cake.  This is the perfect chocolate cake for anytime you need an an elegant and delicious gluten free cake. Also included in this booklet are recipes for GF Tuna Burgers, Enchilada Pie, Yummy Chocolate Mousse, and 6 other kid tested and approved gf and msg free versions of everyday foods.

This booklet Gluten Free and MSG Free for LIFE! booklet 1 is the first in a series of booklets to help families avoid gluten and msg for optimal health.

Booklet cost is $5. payable through PayPal.
If you are a member of MW, TWM, low dose naltrexone or mscured on yahoogroups, please contact me for discount information.

To order, or for more information, send an email to orders@atlanteanproductions.com

I found the coolest doctor. Finally! It only took me 4 MONTHS of research, but I think I found a doctor here that my family and I can work with and be comfortable with.

If you’ve been reading, you know I was in the hospital a few weeks ago for a killer asthma attack.. of course I needed to follow up on that , so I got serious about finding a new doctor. Since the move, I’ve been calling and interviewing about one doctor ever 2 weeks or so. Trying to find some one who is knowledgable (or at least willing to work with.. ) about alternative treatments – specifically herbals, nutrition and LDN.

Ive been having a really difficult time. It seems conventional medicine is alive, thriving and king here in Nebraska.  The mere mention of herbal treatments and nutritional therapy has been met with comments like “we don’t do that HERE” and “Well, what do you expect, this IS Nebraska, you’ll have to go back to where ever you came from if you want that” I even had one MD tell me “well, if that really works then there must be nothing wrong with you that a good psychiatrist can’t fix because you can’t treat ANY illness with nutrition”

I had almost given up.

Until yesterday.

After 30 referrals from friends, and a phone call to my insurance company, countless phone interviews I *finally* found a doctor I can work with.

He’s a D.O and although he isn’t particularly up on the latest alternative treatments, he was at least knowledgeable enough to know what I was talking about and to understand that yes, certain nutrients CAN be used to treat illness. He had never heard of using low dose naltrexone in the treatment of MS, but he did listen and took down the info on clinical trials I shared with him. So, maybe he’ll research it and start using ldn for some of his MS, Crohn’s and cancer patients. Who knows.. but at least the next time he hears “ldn” he’ll have at least passing knowledge of what it can be used for and how it works.

His nurse was very up on nutrition and supplements. We had a good 10 minute conversation about gluten and msg and the damage they can do to the body. She also keeps her family msg and chemical free.

He was also very comfortable with the idea that I can and will do my own research into any treatment option before I put anything into my body.

“If all my patients were as informed as you, my job would be a whole lot easier, ” he told me.

I like a doctor who likes his patients to be informed.

Recently, one of the email lists I participate in, a woman wrote the list asking how, exactly, she was supposed to change her diet. Her email mentioned a husband and children she was responsible for feeding, and she really didn’t have the energy to cook separate meals for herself and her family. She went on to say she was completely and utterly overwhelmed by all the suggested dietary changes. Overwhelmed to the point of depression. She wanted to change her diet, but felt it was an impossible task.

And, she’s not alone. Many people think changing their diet is impossible. In today’s fast food, genetically engineered, hormone enhanced, MSG laced food marketplace it is difficult to eat healthful foods. But, with a plan of attack and reminders of what’s at stake, it is possible to make the change.

In my opinion, the absolutely most important thing to cut from the diet is processed food. Especially anything that has MSG or aspartame in it. MSG is a neurotransmitter that basically travels through the body turning on the nerve cells on. This will cause MS symptoms. I know people who have regained the ability to walk after going of MSG and aspartame.

So.. how do you go about removing these deadly chemicals from your diet?

The key is to make consistent, slow, small changes.

Stop eating fast food.

Get in the habit of taking a homemade lunch to work or school and plan ahead for those nights when you have no time to cook.  I keep 2 or 3 days of homemade dinners in my freezer for those nights when things are hectic or I just don’t have the energy to prepare a meal.

If you don’t already have one, buy a crock pot. You can spend  15 minutes in the morning before work or school loading up your crock pot, turn it on low and by the magic of slow cooking dinner will be ready when you walk in the door. And, as an added bonus, the house will smell wonderful.

Keep a bag of nuts, dried fruit, or other healthful snack in the glove box of your car for those times you’re on the road and hunger hits.

Plan ahead.

Read product labels. FDA rules state manufactures only have to list MSG as an ingredient if  it is added at their plant. When they obtain an ingredient manufactured somewhere else which contains MSG, they do not have to list it on the ingredient list. Check out NoMSG .com and MSG Myth  for more detailed information.

Here is a list of the most common phrases used to hide MSG in your food.

• Anything “hydrolized”
• Anything “autolyzed”
• Seaweed, soy, yeast, or fish ”extract”
• Monopotassium glutamate
• Glutamic acid
• Gelatin
• Sodium Caseinate
• Textured Protein
• Yeast Nutrient
• Soy protein, Soy Isolate, Soy Sauce
• Carageenan
• “Natural Flavors and Ingredients”

Give yourself 2 or 3 weeks to get used to this new routine and then cut out any and all diet products you use.

If you drink diet soda switch to a flavored water, or homemade iced tea. Water is best, but we’re taking small, manageable steps.

Use real sugar. Of course, this means you’ll have to cut down on the amount of sweet stuff you consume, but a few extra calories are much better than putting damaging chemicals into your body. If you are very concerned about calorie intake, consider switching to Stevia. People in all over the world have been using Stevia for centuries with no ill effect. Look it up.

Now that you have cut out all the artificial and chemical contaminants you’ve been putting into your body, you will probably experience an improvement of some of your symptoms. And, maybe you won’t. Some people have such a high toxic load that it takes a couple months of great eating, supplements and wonderful nutrition for the damage to repair itself.

Give yourself a good month to adjust to the changes you’ve just make before undertaking the next step in revamping