For JOE: Any experience using Arnica 6C for MS??

Thanks Joe, for your reply. I've copied it and sent it onto my friend (a woman) who said she will eagerly try the remedy as sleep is often difficult when she has a bout of joint pain. She gave up on all medical help about 2 years ago as the drugs were causing her to have kidney damage (!!!!) I am also investigating KRILL OIL for her as well. Do you know about this? Krill is a shrimp-like creature in the cold Atlantic waters. There is significant evidence that Krill oil works beautifully on PMS (especially where the emotional body goes haywire), high cholesterol, depression and joint pain.

Thanks again for your input. I'll keep you updated as she reports back to me.

Jane

Astra,

Yes, I have checked out the Budwig Protocol. I actually wrote an article about it for a national magazine about 10 years ago. However, recently, I am having my doubts about flax seed oil and flax seeds in general. I recently attended a major health conference (alternative therapies and really cutting edge stuff) on the east coast. I attend these conferences at least three times a year to keep up with the latest in health, technology and what's on the horizon for complementary health care. At this conference, I met a woman who is both an MD, ND and a holistic researcher. She is based out of Quebec. She is the second person to tell me that flax seed oil can often do more harm than good. Partly, it's due to the rancidity quality of the oil; another aspect is how the flax seed oil affects the estrogen receptor sites. I'm still debating whether Budwig's idea of combining the oil with the cottage cheese altered any of this. Obviously, the results she found with her protocol speak for themselves and I don't mean to dismiss any of those. I will say that flax seed oil does not agree with my body. I used to take it every day as an overall health protector. I found my menstrual cycle getting all screwed up. When I stopped the flax seed oil, the cycle slowly went back to normal.

This brings me to Flax seeds. This woman at the conference made a statement that I have yet to be able to confirm (and trust me, I have researched it very much since I returned.) She claims that flax seed (ground and whole) contains cyanogenic glycosides that convert to formaldehyde in the liver, much like Aspartame does. Now, I can confirm the cyanogenic glycosides. But they are usually found in the young plant before it goes to seed. The same cyanogenic glycosides are also found in aprioct pits, cherry pits, peach pits and a few more. For short term use and in small quantities, these naturally occuring glycosides can kill infection. The Amish use peach pit tea quite effectively to kill the common cold virus. I've tried this and it does seem to work if you take the tea at the onset of the illness. My question is whether flax seeds (either brown or golden variety) are indeed toxic to the liver over time??? I have taken them on and off for years and they do wonders for my colon.

Any ideas from anyone on this? I'd love to get it either confirmed or have a place to locate pertinent info.

Jane

Astra,

No I didn't mix it with dairy. I have mixed the FRESHLY ground flax seeds in my yogurt. I actually like it better that way rather than mixing it with liquid. Forget about buying pre-ground flaxseed meal. The rancidity factor is in high gear then. You simply MUST freshly grind the seeds. Eating them whole is pointless as the seed shell is so hard and your hydrochloric acid can't break it down. Talked to a researcher today and explained the question re: flax seeds converting to formaldehyde and his response was that unless you take the flax seeds and expose them to 98.7 degrees or higher and see a chemical change when exposed to hydrochloric acid (essentially mimicing the body's process of breaking down nutrients), he doesn't buy into the whole toxic principle as far as the ground seeds. He does, however, not promote the use of flax seed oil as a rule. He says that a "fix" does take place when the oil is combined with cottage cheese. But it doesn't work for everyone. I understand this and try desperately not to generalize protocols and say that everyone can benefit from the same thing. That's why I constantly remind people that the MIND rules it all. Throw in genetics, stress, belief systems, family dynamics, intimate relationships, children....and one can see that everyone's healing path will vary.

Right now, I am doing research on two products that intrigue me greatly. One is simply called Female Tonic and was developed by Dr. Arvigo. It has some fairly amazing uses for everything from balancing menstrual cycles to completing ridding the body of cervical dyplasia (pre-cancerous cells).

The second nutrient simply fascinates me. It's called Cernitin or Swedish Flower Pollen. This pollen, derived from timothy, rye and corn pollen, has shown seriously dramatic abilities to reduce an enlarged prostate, allowing many men to not have to endure needless surgery. It can do much more, including strengthen the immune system, reduce the body's response to the common cold, and increase a woman's libido (especially women who are pre-menopausal or post menopausal). I'm sure there are more usees for it. That is why I'm doing research. It's been used quite successfully in Sweden for over 50 years and just introduced into the States within the last 18 months, as far as I can tell. It seems to work best on men who are over the age of 40, by the way. Don't know why. Oh, I left out the most provocative use for the pollen: it supposedly really intensifies a man's orgasm and improves libido. Don't think it affects erectile dysfunction.

Anyway, that's just a couple things I'm working on right now.

Jane

Astra,

I can't deny that Budwig's protocol is effective and has created miracles. I'm not saying that it's harmful (the mixture). Infact, I've mentioned it to a few friends who have joint problems, immune issues, etc. I'm still waiting to hear back from the MD/ND who made the claim that flax seed oil converts to formaldehyde in the body. I did have a lengthy conversation today (2+ hours) with a researcher who has worked with many chemists, all of whom are on the plant-based bandwagon. In other words, these people are NOT trying to fix a study to support allopathic regimens. He told me that four people in the research field have voiced their concerns over flax seed oil due to the varying quality of oils on the market, their stability and lignan count. When I asked him about Budwig's protocol, he said that "results can't be ignored" but that was about it. When I asked about freshly ground flax seeds, he said that there are many people who seem to have allergies to flax seed (more than he thinks realize it) and that the seed may be allergenic to those simply because their body rejects it. This of course does not mean that flax seeds are "bad." I think it's a good idea, though, to stress to people that flax may not be the ultimate panacea for every single person that it's made out to be. I know from my own experience that the oil caused havoc with my system and it wasn't until I stopped taking it that I felt better.

Yes, absolutely, if the MIND cooperates than all is much better on the road to full recovery and even reversal of symptoms. But as I was discussing with this gentleman today on the phone, there is such a terrific spiritual/mental connection to one's ancestors and the trauma that often occured within one's lineage. He told me a fascinating story about a woman who had unexplained fear of elevators and was paralyzed by that fear. Yet, there was no connection to her fear from her own experience. The fear, he says, (as does ANY fear) lodges in one's cell structure and literally creates a blueprint for one's psyche. This blueprint of negative programming, as he put it, stays stuck in that cell structure and repattens the DNA/RNA for generations to come. Welll, she learned, through a very involved process that allows one to connect with one's DNA/RNA pattern, that her fear of elevators was a fear of tight spaces and that her grandfather had been trapped in a steerage compartment on his way on a boat to America and left that boat with abject fear of tight spaces. He in turn passed this cell memory onto his son who passed it onto his daughter. It's very interesting, I think. It makes me consider the saying that one must examine one's fears and find out if they are truly your own or borrowed from another. I can think of numerous cases in my own life where I "borrowed" many fears that I didn't even own! Once I figured that out, I released my attachment to them and felt much more free.

Hope that wasn't too out there but I thought it was terribly interesting and thought provoking.

Jane

It was the oil. For whatever reason, it just doesn't agree with my system. I usually used it alone (took it off the spoon) but occasionally I'd mix it in cottage cheese. I didn't feel that the mixture agreed with my stomach either. Can't say why.

Now, lately, I've been experimenting with freshly ground flax seeds as a mode to regulate one's menstrual cycle. I am in peri-menopause and experiencing irregular cycles. My estrogen half of the cycle (the first half) was shorter than the progesterone cycle. Thus, I experimented using ground flax seeds just during the first half of the estrogen phase to see if I could extend it longer, thus creating a 28 day cycle. It didn't work. In fact, it caused that particular cycle to go 37 days!! So, I tried using the flax seeds during the progesterone side of the cycle. I can't tell you the results yet as I'm in the midst of it. Any ideas on this?

I liked the way the flax seeds helped me get regular but after about five days, I felt a tremendously uncomfortable bloating in my belly. Yes, I drank plenty of water to push the seeds through and allow them to do their work. But it really didn't feel right. And I think it's vital to listen to your body and how one feels. Of course, one must separate one's ego or emotions from one's intuition (not so easy a task to disconnect that, you know). But I can only tell you what I feel at this time.

Jane

Astra,

We'll read Christian's posts later today. Am on tight writing deadline at the moment.

As for friend with MS, have not heard back from her in three days. She is going through some bad problems with her husband who is not supportive (never has been in over 20 years of marriage) and so she says she is thinking of separating from him. This, of course, is causing her obvious stress and that stress makes the MS flare up worse. She still works full-time as a sales rep for a large technology company in the US but she has just put in her three month notice as she says she cannot handle the long hours and pressure to constantly meet sales numbers that keep going up quarterly. So, in short, she is going through some very tough life changes right now. She is a novice with homeopathy and since she lives far from where I live, I cannot help her through any aggravations she may or may not experience with homeopathy. Will do a search on Andre Saine in Montreal. Thanks for the tip.

I've stopped the flax seeds altogether. I must listen to my body and it says "no" at the present time.

Thanks for your info.

Jane