Case No. 8, Dr. H, aged 62 – this is a case that was published in Dr. Georgiou’s book entitled “Curing the Incurable with Holistic Medicine: The Da Vinci Secret Revealed.”
Main presenting problem: IBS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis, severe muscle pains, severe headaches, angina, complete fatigue resulting in 40-hour sleep episodes.
Medical diagnosis:
Systemic Lupus Erythromatosus (SLE), Myesthenia Gravis, Myalgic encephalomyelitis, angina, IBS.
Mr. H. has been to many doctors and hospitals in the UK, Cyprus and other countries. There have been a variety of diagnoses that have been written up and investigated – these include Systemic Lupus Erythromatosus (SLE), a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder. One report by a medical doctor that diagnosed this mentioned the “typical butterfly syndrome” with light sensitivity, chronic fatigue and more.
At one point Dr. H was admitted to the Larnaca hospital in Cyprus complaining of malaise, dizziness and diarrhoea lasting for 14 days and a 10 kilogram loss in weight during this period. Many blood tests and other examinations followed but they found “nothing pathological.”
On another occasion during the same year, he presented to a medical neurologist with diplopia – provoked by fatigue and sunshine, mild ptosis of both sides, weakness of the neck muscles, stiffness and vague pain in the neck and lumbar region, general weakness, difficulty in speaking. The neurological examination showed an increase of diplopia and ptosis by provocation testing, reduction of the muscle power of the upper and low limbs by provocation testing, muscle atrophies in the limbs. EEG showed no signs of polyneuropathy or myopathy. The final conclusion was that the history and findings were indicative of a myasthenic syndrome.
A later CT scan picked up no abnormalities or lesions in the brain.
One surgeon that saw him confirmed a myasthenic syndrome and recommended a thymectomy (removal of the thymus gland) which Mr. H. kindly refused.
Holistic diagnosis:
Due to the fleeting visit of Dr. H in Cyprus, it was only possible to perform a few of the extensive tests that would normally be conducted during the IDEL Diagnostic Programme.
VEGA food intolerance testing identified a number of food intolerances – wheat, lactose and all dairy products, pork, and caffeine. He was also found to be reacting to house dust and the house dust mite. All these food intolerances can cause inflammation in organs and tissues of the body.1 Wheat was his primary intolerance that would block his regulation or Autonomic Nervous System completely, as measured using Autonomic Response Testing (ART). Dr. H. loved bread and would often eat it on a regular basis.
There was also systemic Candidiasis detected, along with oxyuren vermicularis, otherwise known as the common pinworm on energetic, resonance testing.
Testing his organs energetically using Autonomic Response Testing (ART) as well as VEGA showed that there were a number of imbalances such as stomach, pancreas, liver, teeth, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and prostate.
There was also considerable electromagnetic stress detected, probably as a result of using computers for long hours. He was also in the military responsible for radar and powerful electromagnetic equipment – this caused electromagnetic stress and a hypersensitivity to the point where he will now come up in red skin rashes when he is near Wi-Fi, computers and mobile phones.
Investigation of the iris in iridology showed pancreatic enzyme deficiency which was accompanied with considerable bloating after eating. The body tissues were quite acidic and inflamed.
The weak and dysfunctional digestive system is key to many inflammatory symptoms. The intestinal wall can allow endotoxins to invade the bloodstream causing a biochemical cascade of inflammatory conditions due to gluten sensitivity, food intolerances, and Candida overgrowth. When this occurs, there is an accompanying dysbiosis of the intestinal tract (an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria, where the bad bacteria overwhelm the good) as caused by prolonged or repeated antibiotic treatment. Commonly this is combined with a malfunctioning ileocecal valve (he often had pain in this area), which normally prevents bacteria from the large intestines to invade the small intestines.
A relevant observation is the presence of acetylcholine receptors in various bacteria, especially in E. coli, the most common type of bacteria in the large intestines. If the intestinal wall is weak, bacterial proteins or endotoxins can pass from the intestines into the bloodstream and cause antibodies to develop against any bacterial receptors. These antibodies, originally formed against E. coli receptors may, in turn, initiate the attack on thymus receptors in the presence of manganese deficiency. A surplus of antibodies spills over into the bloodstream and will then attack healthy muscle receptors.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis confirmed a number of mineral deficiencies such as: sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, selenium and boron. Manganese is an essential trace nutrient in all forms of life.2 It is important for the production of a number of enzymes such as oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, lectins, and integrins. The best known manganese-containing polypeptides may be arginase and Mn-containing superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD),3 present in all mitochondria required for energy production.
Manganese deficiency causes defective growth, muscular weakness, lack of coordination and balance, reproductive abnormalities and disorders of the central nervous system. Manganese is required for a healthy immune system and it is also involved in the synthesis of acetylcholine.
The hair analysis did not show any circulating toxic metals on the first test, but after taking the HMD detoxification protocol for two months and retesting his level of mercury had increased tremendously. This was an indication that he had high levels of mercury stored in his organs and tissues and needed to be chelated. Mercury will create free radicals which will cause further inflammation and degeneration of body tissues and organs.
Myasthenia gravis has been shown to be an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system attacks some of its own body proteins. Specifically, the transmission of signals from the nerve endings to the muscle receptors is partly blocked by antibodies. The messenger chemical or neurotransmitter released as signal from nerve endings to muscles is acetylcholine. Acetylcholine molecules travel the short distance in the gap between nerve ending and muscle to find a receptor on the motor end plate. When a sufficient number of acetylcholine molecules are attached to muscle receptors, there is an electric discharge of the normal membrane potential and the muscle fibre can contract.
In myasthenia gravis many or most of the receptors are already occupied by antibodies, therefore, not enough acetylcholine molecules find receptors to trigger this discharge and subsequent muscle contraction. Normally, the acetylcholine is split by an enzyme acetylcholinesterase and with this, removed from the receptor in a fraction of a second. Using drugs, which hinder this enzyme, acetylcholine molecules have more time to find receptors with an increased chance to lead to a discharge.
However, if too much of this enzyme antagonist is present, the cells remain discharged for too long and the muscles become more or less paralysed. This is a ‘cholinergic crisis’ in which heart and breathing may stop. This may have been happening to Dr. H. when he used to arrive at the hospital in a collapsed crisis state.
Research has shown that myasthenia gravis can manifest after exposure to crop sprays with chemicals as well as heavy metals which have an antagonistic effect on acetylcholinesterase. Dr. H. was full of these toxic metals.
Holistic treatments:
First, Dr. H began with an alkaline detoxification diet for 15 days with fruit, steamed vegetables, salads, vegetable juices and herbal teas. He also did the Hulda Clark parasite cleanse with Walnut tincture, wormwood and cloves during the alkaline detoxification diet. The gallbladder flush was done at the end of the alkaline detoxification diet.
As Dr. H had a history of reacting adversely to any type of detoxification programme that he had tried in the past, we decided to add plenty of homeopathic and herbal drainage remedies to facilitate the detoxification process. Specifically, he was given Berberis for the kidneys, Nux vomica for the liver and Lymphomyosot for the lymphatic system. Aloe vera was added along with a herbal drainage remedy consisting of milk thistle, dandelion, burdock, red clover, turmeric, hydrangea and uva ursi – all provided in one formula called Organic Lavage.4
He was also given nutritional supplements such as a high-potency multivitamin – HMD MULTIS, a multimineral, omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids for the inflammation, betaine HCl and pepsin to improve the stomach digestion and eliminate the hypochlorhydria, as well as pancreatic enzymes to help improve the gut digestion.
In addition, the HMD™ Ultmate Detoxification Protocol5 was added to the supplemental regime to mobilize and eliminate the toxic metals. His body posture was misaligned – upon further testing he was found to have a Rothbart’s foot or a Primus Metatarsus Supinatus6 foot type which can greatly aggravate the spine and cause a misalignment of the body posture,7 also putting pressure on the knees.8 He was fitted with 6 mm proprioreceptor insoles9 in order to adjust the Rothbart’s foot.
Shortly after completing the detoxification treatment he began the Da Vinci Candida Protocol to completely eradicate the systemic Candidiasis10,11 – there is a relationship between Candida and autoimmune diseases. If candida escapes outside the gut it can put out receptors on its cell surface which are similar to human receptors for connective tissue affected in rheumatoid arthritis and the immune system in general affected in lupus. As the body attacks the Candida it may also attack anything which looks like the Candida – because of the connective tissue receptors on Candida, the body’s immune system may attack other cells in the body which have these receptors.
Many tissues such as the joints have connective tissue receptors and as the body attacks the Candida, the body may also attack these cells. The result may be painful joints as in rheumatoid arthritis or other inflamed tissues as in lupus and other autoimmune diseases.
Patient’s own account:
Back in the 1970’s I was a very fit and active member of the Royal Navy, participating in many sailing sports and a member of the Field Gun racing crew which required a very high standard of fitness.
All this changed when in 1974 I was in Puerto Rico and suddenly developed flu like symptoms some hours following an injection for yellow fever.
Chronic symptoms which developed over the next few months and which lasted for over 30 years included:
- Severe headaches
- Migraines
- Hypersensitivity to light, sound and touch
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Severe muscle pains – fibromyalgia
- Chronic fatigue – a total lack of energy to perform even simple tasks
- Sleeping up to 18 hours per day and still feeling tired
- At times, unable to walk more than a few steps without needing to rest.
I was hospitalised many times in an attempt to discover the reasons for my ill-health and to form a diagnosis. Tests included barium meal, barium enema fluoroscopy examinations, crosby capsule duodenum biopsy, muscle biopsy and many psychiatric tests to establish to what extent – if any – the symptoms were psychologically related. Although there were many symptoms none added up to a specific diagnosis. Other tests done were gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy. No specific diagnosis was agreed.
Finally, in 1978 I was discharged on medical grounds even though no precise diagnosis had been found. Symptoms continued, but since I was self-employed, I was able to rest and sleep as necessary, so was able to manage symptoms.
This continued until a total collapse and hospitalisation in 1988. One hospital confirmed myasthenia gravis and MS, but tests at another hospital did not agree. Finally I was referred to Guys Hospital and the professor of neurology, following some very confusing test results, diagnosed a severe case of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. I was informed that there was no cure and that because I had been ill for so long, it was not going to get any better. Symptom management was the only way and I would have to live with it.
It was a relief to get a diagnosis but I refused to give up on finding a cure.
I was living in Cyprus at the time and because of my inability to do anything physical, purchased a laptop computer and began to further my studies in psychology. I got to know Dr. George Georgiou, who was teaching psychology at a local college in Larnaca. We became great friends and I realised that he could help me. He had not at that time developed the protocol to cure my ill health but I came to understand much more about ME and how to handle it.
I purchased a compound microscope and became competent in live blood analysis and darkfield microscopy all in an attempt to find out more about my condition. In January of 2006, I was invited to attend seminars on cancer treatment using natural therapies in Cyprus. Following this conference, Dr. Georgiou took me back to the Da Vinci Holistic Health Centre and ran a gamut of tests including VEGA testing, ART, Iridology and a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. We established several things. I had Systemic Candida, high levels of mercury and intolerances to wheat, dairy and other foods.
I began a strict diet eliminating the foods that displayed an intolerance, all forms of sugar and, most significantly, began the heavy metal detox protocol to eliminate mercury from my system.
Following a few days of feeling very near deaths door, even having to delay a flight out of Cyprus, I began to feel changes taking place. Within three months, by the time I had completed the Sanum remedies to deal with the Candida, I was feeling fitter than I had done in over 30 years. The healing continued over the next few months, as the mercury detox continued. The severe joint pains left me, I no longer had daily headaches – in fact, I have been free of all headaches for over 3 years now! My energy levels increased and my general health was like I had not experienced since my days in the Royal Navy.
My bowels began to function normally and I found, to my amazement, that I was completely in charge of my bowels – rather than the other way round – and could defecate whenever I wanted! I had not realised this was even possible previously and could not remember ever being so healthy.
About a year later a friend was visiting from the USA who liked to walk. I decided to take him up a steep hill, at the top of which was my old house. He was puffing a bit by the time we got to the top, and I was not feeling the strain at all. It was not until we reached the bottom again, that I suddenly realised that I had no signs of the angina, which previously I had been prescribed a drug to control. When I owned the house on the hill, I could not even manage the top tier when walking the dog without severe chest and arm pain. Now, I could walk the entire hill at a good pace with absolutely no pain whatsoever. All my friends are still astounded at the new me!
Dr Georgiou’s final comments on Dr. H:
Here is an interesting case which had received many diagnostic labels ranging from myalgic encephalomyelitis, to myasthenia gravis to Systemic Lupus Erythromatosus (SLE), angina, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and more. These are serious auto-immune diseases that were diagnosed based on medical tests – the only problem was that no-one could cure them because no-one could identify the causative factors.
A number of studies have suggested that environmental exposure such as inhalation or ingestion of contaminants is related to the development of lupus.12,13,14 In lupus and other autoimmune diseases, the immune system loses its ability to differentiate between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues, causing the body to attack itself.15 Literature suggests an overall mortality rate in lupus patients that is greater than two times the rate in the general population, a serious implication.16,17
Metals reported to be associated with autoimmune disease include gold, cadmium, mercury (xenobiotic that is widely present in the environment), and pristine. The hypothesized mechanisms of the effects of both chemical factors and metals in the development of lupus are mainly based on animal and in vitro studies, and include activating and inhibiting immune response, apoptosis, and activation of inflammatory cytokines.18
Animal studies suggest that pristane and mercury may be environmental triggers for SLE.19,20 Cooper’s epidemiologic study of human exposure to mercury among dental workers reveals increased rates of immunologic disease.21
There were a number of potential causative factors that were identified and treated during the IDEL Diagnostic Programme that were very probably related to these auto-immune symptoms that Dr. H had:
1. Food intolerances
2. Mercury and chemical toxicity
3. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
4. Parasites
5. Systemic Candidiasis, accompanied with severe dysbiosis
6. Electromagnetic pollution and radiation in home and workplace.
Once these factors were identified and eliminated Dr. H gained full functioning of all his physiological systems and all auto-immune symptoms disappeared. The SLE, or MG or ME was not the disease, but only the symptoms – the causes of these syndromes is the real disease, and it is these that need to be addressed. After 30-years of suffering with horrific symptoms Dr. H is now fully functional and enjoying his sailing, sports, fully active life, publishing books and the like at the age of 62.
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References
[1] Brostoff, J and Gamblin, L. Food Allergies and Food Intolerance. Rochester: Inner Traditionals International, p.119, 2000.
[2] Emsley, J. Manganese. Nature’s Building Blocks: An A-Z Guide to the Elements. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. pp. 249–253, 2001.
[3] Law, N. Manganese Redox Enzymes and Model Systems: Properties, Structures, and Reactivity. 46. pp. 305, 1998.
[5] www.detoxmetals.com
[6] Rothbart BA, Medial Column Foot Systems: An Innovative Tool for Improving Posture. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (6)1:37-46, 2002.
[7] Rothbart BA, Liley P, Hansen, el al. Resolving Chronic Low Back Pain. The Foot Connection. The Pain Practitioner (formerly American Journal of Pain Management) 5(3): 84-89, 1995.
[8] Rothbart BA, Yerratt M. An Innovative Mechanical Approach to Treating Chronic Knee Pain: A BioImplosion Model. The Pain Practitioner (formerly American Journal of Pain Management) 4(3): 13-18, 1994.
[9] Rothbart BA. Proprioceptive Insoles. From a Podiatric Point of View. Health and Healing Wisdom (Price-Pottinger Nutrition Foundation Journal) Vol 29(3):11, 2005.
[10] Georgiou, GJ. Scourge of the 21st Century: Systemic Candidiasis. British Naturopathic Journal, Vol. 25, No. 1, 2008.
[11] Georgiou, GJ. Treatment of Systemic Candidiasis. British Naturopathic Journal, Vol. 25, No. 2, 2008.
[12] Balluz, L., Philen, R., Ortega, L., Rosales, C., Brock, J., Barr, D., et al. Investigation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Nogales, Arizona. American Journal of Epidemiology, 154(11), 1029-1036, 2001.
[13] Kardestuncer, T., & Frumkin, H. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in relation to environmental pollution: an investigation in an African-American community in North Georgia. Archives of Environmental Health, 52(2), 85-90, 1997.
[14] Mongey, AB., & Hess, E. Chapter 3 – The Role of Environment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Associated Disorders. In D. a. H. Wallace, BH (Ed.), Dubois’ Lupus Erythematosus (6 ed.), 2002.
[15]Grossman, J. & Kalunian, K. Chapter 2 – Definition, classification, activity, and damage indices. In D. Wallace & B. Hahn (Eds.), Dubois’ Lupus Erythematosus (6 ed.), 2002.
[16] Bernatsky, S., Boivin, JF., Joseph, L., Manzi, S., Ginzler, E., Gladman, D., et al. Mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 54(8), 2550-2557, 2002.
[17] Krishnan, E., & Hubert, H. Ethnicity and mortality from systemic lupus erythematosus in the USA. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 65(11), 1500-1504, 2006.
[18] Mongey, AB., & Hess, E. Chapter 3 – The Role of Environment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Associated Disorders. In D. a. H. Wallace, BH (Ed.), Dubois’ Lupus Erythematosus (6 ed.), 2002.
[19] Bagenstose L, Salgame P, Monestier M: Murine Mercury-Induced Autoimmunity. Immunol Res 20:67-78, 1999.
[20] Mayes MD: Epidemiologic Studies of Environmental Agentsand Systemic Autoimmune Diseases. Environ Health Perspect 107:743-748, 1999.
[21] Cooper GS, Parks CG, Treadwell EL, St Clair EW, Gilkeson GS, Dooley MA: Occupational risk factors for the development of systemic lupus erythematosus. J Rheumatol 31(10):1928-1933, 2004.
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