Dysautonomia and MS/CCSVI Part 1

and MS/CCSVI Part 1 Dysautonomia is a medical term used for a group of complex conditions that are caused by a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS regulates all of the unconscious functions of the body, including the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system, metabolic system, and endocrine system. A malfunction of the ANS can cause debilitating symptoms and may pose significant challenges for effective medical treatment. This means that the automatic things your body always does may not be happening so well. Dysautonomia is a dysfunction of your autonomic nervous system. Obviously, the autonomic nervous system is very important to our bodies. The heart, stomach, intestines, blood pressure, body temperature regulation, endocrine system (glands), pupil dilation, and muscles (in the skin, around blood vessels, in the eye, stomach, and in the heart) are all controlled by the autonomic nervous system. A malfunction of this system impacts every organ of the body. Most of the time we are unaware of our autonomic nervous system working in its usual "involuntary" manner. It controls our systems automatically and we usually take it for granted. It works 24/ so we don’t have to rely on reminding our hearts to beat for instance. Some patients develop symptoms after a viral illness, immunization, or trauma. Vaccines play a larger role in chronic illness than is generally known. Children may have symptoms after a growth spurt, common in early teens. Dysautonomia conditions are widely unknown to society at large. As a result, most people do not realize the impact such conditions have on those afflicted and their families. When we stand up - gravity pulls about 1/3 of our blood to the lower part of our body. Then our autonomic system responds and immediately tells our brain we are standing up and to do three things: 1. make the heart beat faster 2. increase the force of the heart's contractions and 3. tighten blood vessels in the lower part of the body to about three times it's previous tightness. The effect forces blood from the lower half of our body into the upper half. Then, our blood pressure regulates properly and we are good to go. In some people with dysautonomia the brain does not get these messages correctly and their blood stays in the lower part of their body and then their blood pressure drops and their heart rate increases. Low blood pressure has nothing to do with our intelligence or how smart or clever we are. It can cause cognitive dysfunction such as short term memory loss .It affects their ability to think clearly and to concentrate. This impact on concentration is usually brief or transient. Some people are overwhelmed by their symptoms and have to lay down all the time. The heart rate often shoots up as the body responds to a drop in blood pressure. This can be the cause for a lot of tiredness and fatigue and generally feeling washed out. It is often difficult to see the symptoms of dysautonmia. A general physician sometimes misses the clues leading to a proper diagnosis. Cardiologists and cardiac electrophysiologists can efficiently diagnose and treat dysautonomia children. Sometimes neurologists get involved though personally I wish they didn’t. Research is being done at the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Medical University of Ohio, National Institutes of Health, NY Medical College, Vanderbilt Medical Center and others. It is exciting and revolutionary, and there is tremendous hope on the horizon. Tragically, there are also extremely rare fatal forms of dysautonomia but this is not at all common in children. The average person may have never heard of dysautonomia before, but progress is being made in this field of medicine every day and word is getting out. With time and awareness, more and more people will start to understand the various forms of dysautonomia and more and more people will know what it is. Thanks to medical science and compassionate physicians and researchers, there is tremendous hope. For additional information on the history of dysautonomia: http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/womensissues/a/dysautonomia.htm Dysautonomia: A family of misunderstood disorders Symptoms of dysautonomia may include: • tachycardia (extremely fast heart rate) • bradycardia (slow heart rate) • palpitations • chest pain • dangerously low blood pressure • wide swings/sudden drops in blood pressure • orthostatic intolerance (the inability to remain upright) • excessive fatigue • exercise intolerance • Dizziness • Fainting • near fainting • gastrointestinal problems • nausea • insomnia • shortness of breath • anxiety • tremors • frequent urination • convulsions • cognitive impairment • visual blurring or tunneling • migraines

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Steroids: a Band-aid Not a Cure

I am on another anti-steroid campaign. I’m not sure that I am capable of re-wording the information to make it more palatable, but I’ll give it a go. For over 30 years we've known that steroids can routinely cause over-activity of adrenal hormones, which produces Cushing's disease. They can also cause muscle wasting, hyperglycemia, water retention, bruising, insomnia, serious mood changes, menstrual problems, impotence, loss of libido, or even allergic shock and diabetes and its evil twin, reactive hypoglycemia. I know because I have both. Like antibiotics, steroids are one of the most abused class of drugs in this country. Daily low doses of prednisone can double your risk of hip fractures and cataracts. I have had my share of fractures and recently learned I have cataracts. Steroid treatment is the cornerstone of managing diseases and conditions where inflammation is the prime issue. Intractable pain is good motivation for steroid therapy. Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disorders respond well to steroids. They have a place in medicine, just not the prime spotlight. Irreversible damage from steroid treatment is no longer the rarity it was when it was used in emergency situations 15 to 20 years ago. Some of the most dangerous among them include: • liver damage, jaundice • Fluid retention • High blood pressure • Increases in LDL (bad cholesterol) • Decreases in HDL (good cholesterol) • Renal failure, • Severe acne • Trembling Men: • Shrinking of the testicles • Reduced sperm count • Infertility • Baldness • Development of breasts • Increased risk for prostate cancer Women: • Growth of facial hair • Male-pattern baldness, • Changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle • Deepened voice Why do physicians make steroids a first line of attack? They give the appearance of the instant miracle cure the patient expects Too many doctors prescribe these drugs and cross their fingers that the patient feels better quickly and find a different practitioner before the next bout. They refuse to believe that steroids can cause the terrible damage that drug companies have long admitted to. Even they can’t give us a line of BS with a straight face when it comes to these drugs because the side effects easily lead straight back to them. The fastest relief is what medicine in this country is all about. (After profits of course). The answer to what ails us is to suppress inflammation and the immune response, working against the body. If there is a fever lower it, if inflammation is present provide steroids to remove it. If it appears we may have a virus or a bacterial infection just quell it with antibiotics. This way of doing things can be effective in the short term, and important in life threatening situations, but potentially devastating in the long term especially when over-used. Many of our most debilitating diseases can be traced to some form of inflammation. Those of us with Multiple Sclerosis are learning this and hoping our doctors follow suit. This type of medical care eventually weakens our immune system making it less effective while the disease burrows deeper into the body and must be dealt with in the future. Doctors seek immediate resolution of present symptoms merely to treat a chronic condition later on. Why do you think so many of us have chronic illnesses? The key is to NOT suppress symptoms unless it it becomes perfectly clear that it is absolutely necessary. Symptoms are a sign the immune system is working and doing its job. We cannot continually weaken he immune system hoping to kick start it further down the road without some unfortunate outcomes.

Keeping an eye on Lyme and the CDC..

Keeping an eye on Lyme and the CDC.. by Linda Rousay (Notes) on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 1:39pm With the current interest (and consequently little or NO interest from Healthcare providers, I thought we should explore Lyme related issues. The same tick that carries Lyme disease has another little nasty critter that can infect people with or instead of Lyme disease. Many people who are infected with Babesia microti feel fine and do not have any symptoms. Some people develop flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, sweats, headache, body aches, loss of appetite, nausea, or fatigue. Babesia parasites infect red blood cells so babesiosis can cause hemolytic anemia (from destruction of red blood cells). Babesiosis can be a severe, life-threatening disease, particularly in people who: do not have a spleen have a weakened immune system for other reasons have other serious health conditions (such as liver or kidney disease) over 55 years old BTW: The CDC (Center for Disease Control) in the US doesn’t want you to bother reporting or having your doctor report a diagnosis of Babesiosis. Tickborne transmission of B. microti primarily occurs in the Northeast and upper Midwest, however it has been reported sporadically nationwide. Of course if we aren’t to report these occurrences than how accurate can the statistics be? There have also been isolated reports from western Europe though the governments don't seem overly concerned. Anaplasmosis is another disease transmitted the same way, however the treatment for Lyme will effectively take care of this bad boy also. Human anaplasmosis (HA) wasn’t officially recognized until 1993. (Doesn’t that sound familiar?) Fever (over 102°) Severe headache Muscle aches Chills and shaking Nausea Vomiting loss of appetite weight loss abdominal pain cough diarrhea aching joints change in mental status including short term memeory loss and instant recall. Although people of any age can get human anaplasmosis, it tends to be most severe in the aging or immune-compromised. Severe complications can include respiratory failure, renal failure and secondary infections. The number of anaplasmosis cases has been increasing since the first cases of HA were reported in Minnesota in the mid-1990s.1,500 cases of HA were reported in 2011 in the state of Minnesota alone, which is remarkable given that reports are not encouraged, remember? In 1999 the CDC offered this in answer to the question, “If I get Lyme disease will I always have Lyme disease?” ‘NO; patients treated with antibiotics in the early stages of the infection usually recover rapidly and completely. Most patients who are treated in later stages of the disease also respond well to antibiotics, although some may have suffered long-term damage to the nervous system or joints. Approximately 10-20% of patients experience fatigue, muscle aches, sleep disturbance, or difficulty thinking even after completing a recommended course of antibiotic treatment. These symptoms cannot be cured by longer courses of antibiotics, but they generally improve on their own, over time.’ In 2012 the same question was answered with this; “Updated statistics and better reporting by physicians will require an amendment of the CDC’s findings from 1999.” IS THAT EVEN AN ANSWER, OR AM I REACHING HERE?

Clinical drug trials: real or fabricated?

We are led to believe that Clinical trials, particularly drug trials are designed to facilitate symptom relief for a myriad of diseases and conditions. Doctors base their treatment, in part by the information garnered by these well planned and executed trials. Unfortunately the unvarnished truth is that results are manipulated even fabricated in order to facilitate profit sharing for drug companies and health care providers in too many instances. Multiple Sclerosis is only the tip of the iceberg as we are learning with great speed via the technology which brings the world into our homes and offices where we can peruse it at our leisure. The family doctor is a distant memory as is the trust we placed in them. The practice of medicine has become as politically charged as any other industry. The CDC (Center of disease Control) recently revealed that prescription drugs are now killing far more people than illegal drugs. Most major causes of preventable deaths are declining, yet those from prescription drug use are increasing. In 2009 for the first time ever in the US, more people were killed by drugs than motor vehicle accidents. Overdosing on prescription pain and anxiety medications has grown to epidemic proportions. Drug fatalities more than doubled among teens and young adults between 2000 and 2008, and more than tripled among people aged 50 to 69. The most commonly abused prescription drugs, Oxycontin, Xanax, Vicodin, and Soma now cause more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined. Many medication studies published in leading journals have been found to be sponsored by drug manufacturers and include deceptive statistical reporting and wording. The flu vaccine is a perfect example of medical manipulation, with research concluding the effectiveness of the shots to be as low as one percent. A recently released government audit shows nearly one in seven elderly nursing home residents are given antipsychotics ; nearly all of them dementia patients for whom the drugs can be lethal. With the advent of easy internet access, the responsibility for our own health care becomes clear. We are the only ones we can trust to monitor the medical professionals we once deemed omnipotent. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/66292082/Drugs%20Exploitation%20in%20Multiple%20Sclerosis%2C%20Open%20Letter%20to%20MS%20Society.pdf http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naturalnews.com%2F039416_medical_research_scientific_fraud_false_data.html&h=0AQEhAXgp

Stress: Good or Bad?

https://www.facebook.com/notes/linda-rousay/stress-is-it-good-or-bad-for-us/10151491892329598 Stress in small amounts is necessary in order to live a productive and healthy lifestyle. First and foremost, stress is positive in that it can be a great motivating force at times and this is partly probably why we developed stress in the first place. Stress improves some aspects of our intelligence. Stress is actually a cognitive enhancer which can boost several aspects of our mental prowess and so help us in professional and academic capacities. Hormones are released into an individuals system as a response to a stressful event. These hormones increase the heart rate and heightens the alertness and focus level of the individual. This response is known as “fight or flight “ which we are born with. Stress appears each time something changes, when we have to adapt to a new situation. If we manage to react in a positive way, we can use this energy. Stress then becomes a chance, an opportunity for growth. A negative reaction, however, turns this energy against us and can become fatal. Stress helps our brain to focus. It can help you to narrow your attention and to focus on the task in hand. Stress helps to increase memory and recall .This results from higher levels of cortisone. When levels of cortisone are too high it causes damage to the hippocampus. Stress causes the release of adrenaline which in turn raises the metabolism and heart rate. This can then result in increased reactions and reflexes, while also acting as a painkiller giving us a higher endurance level. Adrenaline can also help to fight tiredness and fatigue. ‘Good' stress should be acute and not something that exists over a prolonged period. This is because an increased heart rate and lack of tiredness or pain might increase your endurance over short amounts of time, but over a long period of time the stress to the body can be too great and damage your immune system and cause heart problems. However in the right circumstances, stress can be perceived as the 'spice of life' and can be what creates challenge, suspense and excitement. For instance some of the most important and happiest moments of your life were probably also very stressful – your first day at work, your marriage, the birth of a child, traveling, holidays special achievements. These are highly stressful because they represent exciting positive life changes. A complete lack of stress in your life might suggest that you haven't had any such major changes in your life and that might suggest likewise that you are not challenged in your life and not moving forward. Stress becomes negative when the body stays uptight and alert, ready to take action as required. Too much stress leaves a body exhausted, anxious, frustrated or angry and leads to depression. Excessive stress is overwhelming we become unable to cope with the smallest task or event. Stress and excitement upset breathing and muscle tone. To know how to breathe properly is as such of vital importance. Chronic and ongoing stress which is not counterbalanced with periods of release can lead to emotional problems, manifesting itself into physical illnesses. However, insufficient stress can act as a depressant and leaves many people feeling bored, dejected and unable to seek goals. The first step toward handling positive stress is to acknowledge that it exists and to seek ways to correspond an equal amount of time relaxing and regenerating. Handling stress, whether positive or negative, is important for long term health. For a good and happy life, stimulation is necessary. Too much stimulation is also harmful. We need to learn to understand the difference.

Always have a cold? Chronic Respiratory infections

Causes or triggers chronic respiratory infections can be divided into allergic and non-allergic etiologies. Aeroallergens can include seasonal pollen, mold spores, dust mites, animal allergens, and food (especially in children). Non-allergic causal factors can include smoke, odors, cold air and weather, chemicals, medications (eg, aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs)], beta-blockers), exercise, hormonal changes (eg, pregnancy, menstrual cycle), and bisulfite food additives. Genetic differences may alter susceptibility to respiratory medications Significant genetic variation exists between and within racial and ethnic groups, but the issue is confounded by important coexisting economic, cultural, and environmental differences, including geography (place of birth). Breathing difficulties can seriously handicap our ability to function and enjoy life. Air is our most vital source of energy and vitality. When we suffer from, bronchitis, allergies, frequent colds or simply insufficient oxygen intake, we are prone to a lack of energy, vitality and /or mental clarity. Every cell within our body depends on an abundant supply of oxygen for proper metabolism and vitality. Some Causes of Breathing Problems 1. Hereditary weakness may make our lungs or other organs of respiratory apparatus weak points in our system. Thus when tired, overworked, anxious or stressed, these parts of the body will start to malfunction. This does not mean, however, that we must suffer. It is in our hands to live in a certain way so as nurture and protect our bodies and minds. Among such weaknesses we should include the inability of the immune system to effectively protect the body from microbes and viruses. In some cases the immune system may work overtime trying to protect the body from "imagined" dangers. Allergies and asthma are often the result of such over-reactions from the immune system. 2. Environmental factors may also aggravate the condition. Cold and humid weather tend to accentuate breathing problems. Pollen and other particles in the air may cause allergic reactions. Occupational conditions such as working in a dusty area or in a smoke filled room may also aggravate the problem. Pollution irritates our nasal passage and lungs. Smoking cigarettes obviously damages our lungs, cutting off our supply of oxygen. 3. An over production of mucus clogs up the breathing passages, obstructing breathing. Foods, which tend to cause excess mucus, are all dairy products, white flour, white rice and sweets. 4. A lack of sufficient liquid intake causes the mucus to thicken and cling to the lungs and other breathing passages. This creates a favorable environment for microbes to reproduce. 5. Blockages in the spinal vertebrae or tension in the muscles of the upper back may also obstruct the flow of nerve impulses and bioenergy to the lungs. This may inhibit the proper functioning of the lungs. 6. Emotional blockages are directly connected with our breathing. People, who experience anxiety, depression, fear, nervous tension or a poor self-image, tend to subconsciously hold their breath. Thus their breathing is tense, shallow, and sometimes spasmodic. Long-term emotional blockages may also affect the adrenal glands and thus hormonal disorders may also play their part in the problem. Negative emotions also depress or disturb the functioning of the immune system. 1. Environmental & Habitual Factors a. Surround yourself with large green leafed plants, which produce oxygen and absorb pollution. b. Get out of the city frequently. Go the sea or mountains and breathe fresh clean air. c. Use regular deep breathing to clean out and rejuvenate your lungs. d. Deep breathing while walking can clean out a considerable amount of pollution from the lungs. e. If you smoke, then - love yourself - and stop. 2. Dietary Guidelines a. Avoid all diary products, white sugar, sweets, white flour and white rice. When the problem has subsided, then we can start taking small quantities of dairy products while watching the body's reaction. b. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. c. Drink plenty (6 or 8 cups per day) of warm liquid daily. This may be water, herb teas, or water with lemon. Do not drink refrigerated or iced drinks. d. When one has a cold, an onion and garlic soup spiced with pepper, cinnamon ginger and cloves, opens up the nasal passages and allows the congestion to flow out. e. In some cases the use of natural vitamin C tablets can be helpful. 3. Facing emotional factors is essential for healing the cause of the breathing problems. Indoor air pollution can be much worse than air pollution outdoors. In Europe, most children spend 90% of their time indoors. More.. Indoor air quality may be affected by outdoor pollution, but also by indoor pollutants such as those produced by smoking and indoor heating and cooking and those released from building materials and cleaning products. It may be worsened by insufficient air exchange with the outside. More.. Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. The most important source of indoor pollutants is environmental tobacco smoke. Other factors which can contribute to indoor pollution are damp housing, the presence of pets, the use of fuels for cooking and heating, and chemicals released from building materials. There is clear evidence that air pollution is associated with troublesome respiratory symptoms in children, but it is less clear whether specific pollutants are directly responsible. Key air pollutants that can affect health are particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide. This pollution is mainly linked to road traffic or industrial processes. More.. Air pollution, worsens respiratory symptoms .Exposure to molds can cause human disease through several well-defined mechanisms. In addition, many new mold-related illnesses have been hypothesized in recent years that remain largely or completely unproven. Concern about mold exposure and its effects are so common that all health care providers are frequently faced with issues regarding these real and asserted mold-related illnesses. Dust mite debris is the major source of allergens in house dust. These microscopic arthropods primarily feed on human skin scales. Mites typically infest objects that contain fabrics; for example, higher concentrations of mites are found in mattresses, pillows, bedding, carpets, throw rugs, stuffed animals, and upholstered furniture. Higher concentrations are usually found in older homes, in regions of high humidity, and in homes with heating units other than forced air. Cold, dry air at high altitudes is not conducive to dust mite growth. Both the mite bodies and fecal pellets are major sources of mite allergens, which become airborne when disturbed. Major Allergen Avoidance Strategies  Impermeable (woven) covers (pillows, mattresses)  Elimination of dust reservoir (carpets, upholstered furniture)  Weekly vacuuming  Weekly washing of bedding in hot water  Reducing indoor humidity Cat, dog  Pet removal  Pet washing  Impermeable covers  High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters An association between cockroach sensitization and more frequent episodes of asthma in patients in the emergency department has been described. Cockroach exposure in persons with asthma who reside in inner-city areas could account for the disproportionately high morbidity in this population, and the association of low socioeconomic status and cockroach allergy appears to be independent of age, sex, and race. Several studies have demonstrated that cockroach allergy is found not only in the inner city but also in any substandard housing conditions or where apartments are infested with cockroaches. Cockroach:  Pesticides  Thorough cleaning  Elimination of food and water supply

Fungi  Closing windows and doors  Repairing all leaks  Using air conditioning  Heating all rooms in the winter  Removal of contaminated source  Cleaning contaminated area with bleach solution