"It’s fairly easy to identify much of the quackery that complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and woo-friendly physicians have 'integrated' into integrative medicine.   The problem with 'functional medicine' is that at its core it is close to being as nonsensical as the more 'obvious' forms of quackery.  It just hides it better, given the number of fancy-sounding laboratory tests. It’s also incredibly difficult to pin down just what the heck it even is...   The very first principle is FM’s 'get out of jail free' card for basically anything its practitioners want to do. They can always find ways to justify any form of treatment, be it science-based or quackery, simply by invoking the 'biochemical individuality' of each human being."  The ever-vitriolic DAVID GORSKI from an April edition of his blog, Science Based Medicine (Functional Medicine: The Ultimate Misnomer in the World of Integrative Medicine).  The question we are going to answer today is whether or not Dr. Gorski is correct in his assessment.  By the way, one of his "obvious forms of quackery" would be what I do.

When it comes to icebergs, any 3rd grade science text will tell you that less than 10% of their mass resides above the surface of the water, meaning that 90% remains hidden below.  I absolutely love the picture above center.  It shows some of the numerous CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEGENERATIVE and AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES that the medical community fixates on, mainly because it's what they can document via PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS and tests such as MRI'S.  However......

When you look at the causal factors lying hidden below the surface, you start to get an idea of how badly the boat is being missed when it comes to treating these diseases (HERE is an example using diabetes).  Medicine's number one weapon in the war against sickness and disease (the things above the water's surface)?  It's a no-brainer --- DRUGS, DRUGS, AND STILL MORE DRUGS.  Unfortunately we know that while drugs can at least on some level cover symptoms of said diseases, they don't do anything to change the underlying physiology (HERE).  Enter something called "Functional Medicine".

According to the Institute for Functional Medicine (About Functional Medicine) FM practitioners are all about discovering, "the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, Functional Medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms.  In this way, Functional Medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual."  In essence, the focus of FM moves from covering symptoms to discovering causes.  What are some of the underlying causes of disease as indicated by the picture at the top of the page?  Let's list them.

• INFLAMMATION:  I just showed you in an earlier link that INFLAMMATION is the root of just about every single health-related problem you care to mention --- even those that are largely (and erroneously) labeled as "GENETIC".  Inflammation is also the known cause of Scar Tissue and Fibrosis that I deal with in my clinic all day, every day (more to come on this point shortly).

 

• ENDOCRINE IMBALANCES: This covers a lot of ground --- everything from DIABETES, to THYROID DISEASE, to ADRENAL FATIGUE (Fibromyalgia), to ESTROGEN DOMINANCE (in both females and males), to LOW T (which is part of SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION for both men and women), to PCOS, to SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE, to HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY, and on, and on, and on.  The brutal truth is that most of these issues begin by consuming too much sugar and processed carbs (HERE'S A CRAZY EXAMPLE of this phenomenon that shows how sugar turns men into women and women into men).

 

• TOXICITY:  Although there are about a jillion things that can cause the body to become toxic, first and foremost is a CRAPPY DIET.  Plus, the worse a person's diet, THE MORE ADDICTED THEY ARE TO IT.  The cool thing is that while this is one of the most common of the points to see (as well as being the most causal to all the others), it is usually the easiest to address and quickest to respond.  However, it can also be one of the more difficult bullets to address on your own if your body is having trouble in the "BIOTRANSFORMATION / DETOX" arena.

 

• STRUCTURAL IMBALANCES:  This involves things like POOR POSTURE, SUBLUXATION, and SCAR TISSUE / FIBROSIS.  Other than a big potential to cause pain, why is this bullet such a big deal?  Because when you adversely affect your frame, you affect your nervous system (HERE).  This is why solving structural problems can lead to miraculous clinical results (HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE).  This might be a great place to at least mention FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS as well.

 

• MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION:  Along with the P-450 CYTOCHROME SYSTEM that reverses oxidative stress and damage from FREE RADICALS, mitochondrial dysfunction is a huge factor in all sorts of problems.  This is because your MITOCHONDRIA create the cellular energy your body uses in the form of a compound called ATP.  No ATP, and your body will malfunction in an almost endless variety of ways.  This is one of the areas, along with the P-450 CYP I already mentioned, where genetic testing could prove beneficial (can anyone say MTHFR?).

 

• IMBALANCES OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, & GUT:  I combined two of the bullets because 80% of your Immune System is found in the Gut (HERE).   Furthermore, the combination of problems with your MICROBIOME (often referred to as "DYSBIOSIS") and something known as "THE LEAKIES" is arguably the number one factor in your ill health other than your cruddy diet (actually, it's probably being at least partially caused by your cruddy diet).  Much of this has to do with decades of our national fascination with antibiotics (HERE).  And to top it all off, many of us are dealing with this whole mess simply because we are not making enough stomach acid --- true even though we have been endlessly told that the problem is just the opposite (HERE).  This is also the best bullet to put issues like GLUTEN INTOLERANCE as it is intimately related to both inflammation and autoimmunity (HERE).

 

• EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS:  Although I touched on this point earlier, be aware that POLLUTION is now said to be the number one cause of death and disease worldwide and that one of the most common ways we are exposed to said pollution is via VACCINES.  Unfortunately, even infants whose parents understand the value of things like NATURAL BIRTHING and MOTHER'S MILK are assaulted from the day they are born by a variety of toxic chemicals (HERE), usually in the form of ALUMINUM and MERCURY.

 

• TOXIC EMOTIONS:  The Scriptures tell us that as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.  Thoughts are real folks.  They have power.  If you live in a constant state of stress, worry, hatred, bitterness, criticism, anxiety, DEPRESSION, fear, insecurity, worthlessness, indifference, invalidation, or CHRONIC PAIN, they will undoubtedly take a toll on your health.  This is not news, as science has told us for decades that 2/3 of all illness is directly related to stress.  This might be a great place to add ADDICTIONS as well (not necessarily sugar addiction, which I already discussed).  A huge result of toxic emotions is Sympathetic Dominance (HERE).

The most current issue of Practical Pain Management carried an article published by two doctors called Incorporating Functional Medicine Into Chronic Pain Care.  Their premise was that all of these issues above can be addressed in four distinct visits.  This is critical because not only is our nation broke, but our screwed up healthcare system is arguably the thing that is doing the biggest amount of "breaking". 

The authors went as far as saying that with spending on chronic illnesses being so out of control, estimates say that our spending on healthcare will soon be, "$4.153 trillion dollars --- the equivalent of four Iraq wars in a single year".  Think that might be a problem?  It's exactly why I've frequently referred to the current trajectory of our healthcare system as "UNSUSTAINABLE".  What might ease some of this burden?  Functional Medicine at least provides a glimmer of hope, when compared to our current system.

Unfortunately, what the bassackwardsly-named Affordable Care Act did for American healthcare was take a failing system and instead of even attempting to fix it, expand it.  Not surprisingly, we have a much larger medical bureaucracy than we did just eight short years ago (HERE, HERE, and HERE are some examples), and cost overruns that are out of the stratosphere.  And when I recently asked MY BROTHER, an Emergency Room Physician in Topeka Kansas, whether any (even one) of the myriad of the current barrage of healthcare mandates would / could / might improve patient care, he looked at me as though I were on drugs. 

Without a different approach, sooner or later (probably the former) our healthcare system will totally implode.  The problem is, integrating a system like this into the mainstream is a huge challenge.  Mostly because it requires patients to team up with their doctors.  In other words, it will require patients to actually do something.  They will have to get off the sidelines, and actually help their doctors by taking personal responsibility for their own health.  And doctors will have to become more than glorified PILL PUSHERS, shilling for BIG PHARMA.

"Science has lent support to what may be known intuitively—how we live, the quality of our relationships, the food we eat, and how we use our bodies, have a much larger impact than genetics ever will. In other words, FM treats chronic pain by addressing these poor habits. This is also a fundamental principle of sustainable health. Implemented correctly, FM can help practitioners to prevent, treat, and often cure chronic conditions more effectively and at lower cost than the conventional medical paradigm.  The onus is placed on the patient’s self-care to process this information and to determine what specific healthy behaviors are best for their cells. This process is not easy for most; it takes determination, focus, and dedication."

Unfortunately, if you ask the average physician how much "onus" their average patient has, the answer will probably be, 'not very darn much'.  After all, we are the "Easy Button" society.  We don't want to take an active role in our own health; we want someone else to do it for us.  And by golly, we want someone else to pay for it too.  The problem is, despite what America's industrial medical complex tells us, our current system has proved an abject failure in almost every measurable way.  The solution?  These authors offered up a four-visit system to turn things around --- a system that incorporates several things I write about on at least a semi-regular basis.  

• VISIT ONE:  This is where patients are taught how to do an ELIMINATION DIET.  I have been preaching the Elimination Diet for years, and when done correctly, I am of the opinion that it is far more accurate than ELISA testing.  It's also far less costly and can be done without the supervision of a physician (HERE).  In other words, you can do this on your own.  Although most people tend to think of this bullet in terms of their weight (HERE), honestly, overweight is nothing more than a symptom --- the part of the iceberg that sits above the waterline that you can actually see (HERE is a great example).

 

• VISIT TWO:  Physical exercise is the focus of this visit.  What is my opinion about physical exercise?  Although it's certainly important, it's not anywhere near as important as an ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET is.  I am a monster fan of RESISTANCE TRAINING, but for those of you who can do almost nothing without stirring everything up, simple BALL EXERCISES,  WHOLE BODY VIBRATION, or even YOGA is the ticket.

 

• VISIT THREE:  The focus on this visit is "sleep hygiene and stress management".  Honestly, trying to accomplish this point without understanding SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE could easily prove to be an exercise in futility.

 

• VISIT FOUR:  This visit is all about reviewing progress.   I'm all about seeing if we are accomplishing anything beneficial, but honestly, it seems like it's a bit too soon for this point.  It's definitely too early to redo any labs or blood work, and you know better than the doctor how you feel or if you are CHEATING or not.  And as far as WEIGHT LOSS, who really cares anyway.  A mirror (or better yet, a picture) will tell you more than any scale ever did.

My take?  Fantastic when compared to DIABETES DRUGS, CHOLESTEROL DRUGS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE DRUGS, ACID BLOCKERS, OSTEOPOROSIS DRUGS, ANTIDEPRESSANTS, PAIN MEDS, and the mountain of other pharmaceuticals being foisted on the American public.  It's certainly a step in the right direction (be aware that these four visits are in a group setting).  However, I think that this protocol stops short of being all it could be --- far short.  Honestly, it's more like "FM-lite".   Want something better?  Here's my gift to you in the form of a couple of (whisper, whisper)....secrets.

Firstly, most of you don't need to go through "Functional Testing" to get started taking your health back (HERE).  Secondly, I don't charge you one red cent for a protocol that leaves the one above in the dust. And thirdly (and even better), for the most part, my basic protocol is DIY (HERE).  How much easier do you want it to be?  Just do me a favor and share our site with those people you love and care about and could benefit from this information.  The best way to do this?   FACEBOOK, of course!

I am frequently asked why I have so much information on my site about FASCIA, as well as one of the chief problems that occurs within this tissue --- FASCIAL ADHESIONS / SCAR TISSUE / FIBROSIS. My answer?  I have to.  As I showed you YESTERDAY, I do things very differently in my clinic, with a huge emphasis on the integrity of connective tissues (or lack thereof) as a potential source of pain --- particularly CHRONIC PAIN.  This is very different from any number of others who feel that if you'll only get ENOUGH ADJUSTMENTS (or THERAPY FOR THAT MATTER), or do enough EXERCISES OR STRETCHES, your problems will miraculously vanish.  While I am not against any of these things (in fact I am very much for them), as I have discussed repeatedly, the FIRST STEP in solving any number of chronic pain issues is "UNTETHERING" the microscopic adhesions. 

I use the word microscopic because that is exactly what they are; microscopic.  In plain English, this means that Scar Tissue / Fibrosis has the potential to be chronic pain's "PERFECT STORM".  How so?   Because fascia is arguably the single most pain-sensitive tissue in the body.  The problem is that you don't necessarily get this vibe when you go to the web.  Do a Google search on "Fascia Pain" and other than an article from my sister site over at WordPress (DESTROY CHRONIC PAIN) and a couple things by marketer extraordinaire, ABG, for the most part, what you'll find are tons of articles about "Myofascial Syndrome". 

Realize that I am not knocking Myofascial Syndromes (TRIGGER POINTS) and have covered this phenomenon extensively. But also realize that for every person with severe trigger points, there are many many more who have Fascial Adhesions, which are rarely dealt with in the peer-review, even though there are brilliant mainstream scientists and physicians who believe that fouled up connective tissues are the starting point for all (that's 'all' as in all) pain syndromes, sickness, and disease (HERE).

The microscopic tangling of fascia (think HAIR BALL here), which is the most abundant connective tissue in the body, is extremely problematic because it does not show up on tests such as MRI even though it leaves tissues THICKENED and "DENSIFIED".  This means that one of the most potentially pain-sensitive tissues is also one of the body's most abundant, but cannot be seen with our current imaging technology (AT LEAST NOT WITH THE MOST COMMONLY-USED TECHNOLOGY).  What does this mean to you, the suffering patient?  I showed you a prime example of this yesterday.

Many people go to their doctors believing they must have something horrendously wrong with them because their pain is so bad.  The doctor finally orders an MRI, and they are extremely excited because finally someone is going to see how bad their problem really is.  In their mind, their doctor is going to gasp with horror and the MRI unit will melt down like a faulty nuclear reactor because of the severity of their problem. When the test comes back negative from the radiologist, patients are in a state of shock.  How in the world can pain as bad as mine not show up on a test?

Furthermore they are both embarrassed and often ridiculed by doctors who tell them that there is nothing really wrong with them except maybe "A BIT OF ARTHRITIS".  They are frequently accused of simply wanting PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDS.  They are humiliated at being accused of malingering for some sort of financial gain (ACCIDENT SETTLEMENTS, disability, etc).  On top of everything else, they feel trapped on THE MEDICAL MERRY-GO-ROUND because every doctor they go to seems to be stuck in the same old paradigm of tests, drugs, and referrals to specialists who do more of the same.  They feel increasingly powerlessness in this situation as they are repeatedly told that their suffering is not real --- it's all in their head.  Ah; that's it.  Their problem is Depression.  Not surprisingly, ANTIDEPRESSANTS --- one of "THE BIG FIVE" --- have become the medical profession's go-to drug for these sorts of situations.

The failure of modern medicine in this realm has produced mass quantities of fear.  Fear to live life because it all causes pain.  Fear that you will not be able to hold down your job for much longer.  Fear to talk to your spouse because they don't understand what's going on either (all they know is what the doctors have been parroting to them).  This leads to an overriding insecurity that in many ways is like living in your own personal prison.  The suffering and loneliness can be terrifying, leaving some to wonder if they would be better off dead (HERE).

Dealing with the underlying causes of these sorts of problems must be multi-faceted ---- which does not merely mean the patient needs MORE DRUGS.  And while there are any number of approaches, two that are critical include dealing with underlying inflammation as well as with UNDERLYING SCAR TISSUE. This is because inflammation not only always leads to Scar Tissue (HERE), but can actually hypersensitize chronically injured tissue as well, potentially making it over a thousand times more pain-sensitive than normal tissue (HERE).  For instance, a cherry-picked statement from BrainFacts / The Society for Neuroscience (Touch and Pain) put it this way.....

"The sensory fibers that respond to stimuli that damage tissue and can cause pain are called nociceptors. Different nociceptor subsets produce molecules that are responsible for the response to noxious (i.e., painful) thermal, mechanical, or chemical stimulation. Tissue injury also causes the release of numerous chemicals at the site of damage and inflammation. Prostaglandins enhance the sensitivity of receptors to tissue damage and ultimately can induce more intense pain sensations. Prostaglandins also contribute to the clinical condition of allodynia, in which innocuous stimuli can produce pain.  Persistent injury can lead to changes in the nervous system that amplify and prolong the 'pain' signal. The result is a state of hypersensitivity in which pain persists and can even be evoked by normally innocuous stimuli. Persistent pain is in many respects a disease of the nervous system, not merely a symptom of some other disease process."

While this last sentence is certainly true (a phenomenon known as CENTRAL SENSITIZATION), it would pay you to notice how big a deal INFLAMMATION (chemical mediators made by your immune system) really is. Unfortunately, virtually everything our medical community does for pain is based on mopping up excess amounts of these chemicals we collectively refer to as "inflammation" (cytokines, prostaglandins, interleukins, histamines, Nitric Oxide, Substance P, etc, etc, etc). Unfortunately, continually mopping without ever shutting off the source of the overflow (HERE), is an exercise in futility.

It's because these chemicals are not bad in and of themselves.  Truth be known, they are an integral part of healing damaged tissues; actually manufactured by your body and released in response to said damage.  The problem is that too much of a good thing can quickly become a bad thing, with the potential for the inflammation to hypersensitize the nervous system (ALLODYNIA & HYPERALGIA), thus causing the pain to become "learned" or locked into the brain's pathways.  Unfortunately, this process can be somewhat likened to riding a bike --- you can't forget how to ride a bike once you know how.  This information is not novel or new, and is reinforced by our government (cherry-picked from an NIH article called Pain: Hope Through Research). 

"The pain that we perceive when we have an injury alerts us to the potential for tissue damage.  Sometimes this protective pain persists after the healing occurs or may even appear when there was no apparent cause.  The link between the nervous and immune systems also is important. Cytokines, a group of proteins found in the nervous system, are also part of the immune system—the body's shield for fighting off disease and responding to tissue injury. Cytokines can trigger pain..... even in the absence of injury or damage. This persistent pain is linked to changes in our nervous system, which responds to internal and external change.  This phenomenon is known as neuronal plasticity, a process that allows us to learn, remember, and recover from brain injury. Following an injury or disease process, sometimes the nervous system undergoes a structural and functional reorganization that is not a healthy form of plasticity. Long-term, maladaptive changes in both the peripheral and central nervous system can make us hypersensitive to pain and can make pain persist after injuries have healed.  This hypersensitivity of the central nervous system is called central sensitization. It is difficult to reverse and makes pain persist beyond its protective role. Chronic pain is now believed to be a chronic disease condition in the same manner as diabetes and asthma."

The thing I want you to notice in this paragraph is the emphasis on inflammation.  It's true.  DIABETES and ASTHMA are, along with a MYRIAD OF OTHER COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS, known to be caused by inflammation.  And not surprisingly, so is pain.  The lesson here is to get out of an inflammatory state and stay in an anti-inflammatory state.  The good news for you is that I've already shown you how to effectively start the process (HERE).  No, it will not solve every problem for every one of you.  And no; I don't even for a moment claim to have the solution for everyone.  But for most of you out there, my site is a great starting point (it always amazes me how many people email me for solutions to their problem but have never read the previous short link concerning solutions that I provide in almost every post).  

If you are wondering whether or not your pain is the result of Central Sensitization or Fascial Adhesion, you're not alone.  How do you tell?   Although it is often very difficult to tell, if you are complaining of ALL-OVER PAIN, your problem is much more likely not simply due to Fibrosis.  The good thing is that even if your problem is actually Central Sensitization, Scar Tissue Remodeling, WHILE POTENTIALLY UNCOMFORTABLE DURING TREATMENT, is not going to make it worse over the long haul (HERE).  And for those who can't get enough, take a look at my post with all 160+ articles I've written on fascia (HERE).  Oh; don't forget to like, share, or follow on FACEBOOK as it's the best way I know to get critical information in front of those you love and care about most!

First off, let's clear the air about the word "cure".   The only thing that I can legally say is cured is probably a ham.  So to say that I am curing (or rather solving) CHRONIC NECK PAIN, CHRONIC SHOULDER ISSUES, CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN, and a MYRIAD OF OTHER PAIN SYNDROMES in one visit would be --- at least in many cases --- rather unrealistic  I will, however, say that with my particular approach to Chronic Pain, you will know in one treatment whether or not what I do is right for you and your particular problem.  Let's use a person with chronic neck pain as the example.

A person came to see me, worried sick about his chronic neck pain.  For the better part of a decade he has been invalidated by the medical community and suffered the humiliation of being called both a malingerer and a drug-seeker. He actually had to leave a good job because he could not physically function.  As you might guess, he had been through everything --- MRI'S, specialists, tests galore, more specialists, THERAPY, CHIROPRACTIC (lots of visits ---- a typical approach for both professions), and a variety of drugs from the "BIG FIVE" family.  How do I go about solving problems like this?

• HISTORY:  Have you ever injured yourself in a fall off a horse, SPORTS, an MVA, or some other event that may have damaged your neck?  What does your job entail?  What makes your problem better?  What makes your problem worse?  Is it possible to reproduce the pain?  Is your pain worse now than it was a year ago?  Five years ago?  For my LONG-DISTANCE PATIENTS, the history is a much bigger deal because I am trying to figure out whether or not I can help them via an email --- not always easy to do (HERE).

• EXAM:  Mostly this involves testing RANGES OF MOTION.  Unless you are rather older, you should be able to put your nose over the center of both shoulders without pain (right & left rotation).  You should also be able to put your chin to your chest or thereabouts (flexion).  And as for the most important ROM in your whole body --- your ability to tip your head backward and put your neck into extension ---- you should be able to set a glass of water on your forehead without leaning your body backwards (i.e. all the motion is occurring in the C-spine).  To put it a different way, you should be able to get your forehead parallel to the floor without real effort.

• X-RAYS:  Not that I'm not interested in them on some level (it's always interesting to see just how much DJD a person really has) but in light of numerous studies showing virtually no relationship between the amount of pain a person is having to the amount of degeneration that seen on their x-ray (HERE), they are not usually pertinent to what I do.  As a side note to this issue, it is fairly easy to see whether a person has Forward Head Posture (FHP) without an x-ray.  Although FHP is a very big deal, I don't worry about it at this point in the process, although it will be addressed.

• TREATMENT:  Although the typical patient I see has some serious ROM restriction in their cervical spine (neck), I sometimes run into people --- usually younger people --- that can fool you with "normal" ROM (HERE).  Before I ever make the first adjustment, my goal is for the patient to have a normal or near-normal ROM in the neck.  Although this is not always possible, usually I can at least get in the ball park.  Yesterday I had an individual come see me for vertigo.  Although he had zero neck pain, he was extremely (extremely) kyphotic / hump-backed, with severe FHP and an ROM that was less than half of what it should be.  After dealing with SCAR TISSUE / FIBROSIS in the appropriate areas, his ROM was about 75-80% of normal.  I was then able to adjust him quite easily.  He was improved immediately.

• POST-TREATMENT:  I approach this bullet point from two different angles.  Firstly, it is important to get most people doing some sort of EXTENSION THERAPY, which often involves using some sort of device like the DAKOTA TRACTION.  In order to truly change the structure of the neck, EXTENSION-TRACTION is far more important than the number of adjustments a person receives.  And the cool thing is that virtually all of this can be done at home.  The second approach is to take a minute or two to talk to people about INFLAMMATION and give them the appropriate information from THIS HANDOUT.  Because inflammation always leads to fibrosis, it is important for the patient to do what it takes to solve this problem.  Again, I have shown you how most of you can tackle this on your own (HERE).

• RETURN VISITS:  Although this drives the average chiro absolutely batty, I rarely make an appointment for a return visit.  Out of the half dozen new patients I saw yesterday, exactly zero were rescheduled.  This does not mean I kicked them out on the street, telling them either that they were "cured" or that there was no hope.  It's fairly simple; if what I do is beneficial (less pain / increased ROM / better function / improved activities of daily living), they'll see improvement after the first treatment.  Come back as needed.  Most chiros can't even fathom this sort of approach to patient care because as a profession we've been led to believe that the single most important indicator of a successful practice is something called PVA (Patient Visit Average --- the number of times the chiro sees a patient).  Suffice it to say that large numbers (3 figures) are highly sought after.   Let me clarify.  I am not saying that one treatment will necessarily solve your problem.  I will say that you will know after that first treatment whether or not we are on the right track.

Does my renegade approach to patient care work?  Not always.  But then again, what does?  However, it does work better than anything I have ever seen.  PERIOD.  Want proof?  Take a look at our VIDEO TESTIMONIALS for neck pain (HERE).  We won't keep you coming back over and over and over again for adjustments that are failing due to FASCIAL ADHESIONS.  And we won't make you worse.  In other words, you've got nothing to lose.  BTW, HERE is the video (it's not brand new) of the person I used as my example in the second paragraph.

• DISC PROBLEMS:  HERNIATED DISCS require an entirely different approach.  Firstly, in light of decades worth of research, it is very difficult to tell if a person's problem is actually coming from their disc from looking at their MRI (HERE).  If I suspect disc, I will give people THIS INFORMATION.  If this fails to solve their problem, SPINAL DECOMPRESSION THERAPY is an excellent option before jumping into surgery.  The odds of success are better than 50/50 (between 60 and 70%) and you can always go have surgery if you really need it.  You can't "unhave" a SPINAL SURGERY. 

"Arguments must be crude, clear and forcible, and appeal to emotions and instincts, not the intellect. Truth is unimportant and entirely subordinate to tactics and psychology.  The truth is the greatest enemy of the State."  Joseph Gobbels, Hitler's right hand man and Minister of Propaganda

"Education is a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed. Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas."  Joseph Stalin, leader of WWII-era USSR

Love em or hate em, when it comes to selling their products, BIG PHARMA is brilliant.  Not only are they able to 'educate' the public via NEWS RELEASES and PRESS RELEASES that are little more than glorified commercials gussied up to look like news stories, but our society is so saturated with DRUG ADS that most of us grew up believing the pharmaceutical industry to be the pinnacle of health and virtue.  We were repeatedly told that DRUGS ARE BOTH NECESSARY AND GOOD (especially ANTIBIOTICS) if we wanted to stay healthy.  It was drilled into our heads that ROUTINE EXAMINATIONS OF ALL SORTS are vital to our well-being and longevity.  And we were taught that "Science" had all the answers; able to solve any and all health problems as long as they were provided the financial wherewithal to do so (HERE).  We also grew up believing in the veracity of vaccines.

You'll hear no argument from me that at least on some level, many vaccines work.  They help prevent many of the diseases that people --- particularly children --- used to get as a matter of course.  For instance, everyone in my era had the chicken pox; it was no big deal.  Go back a generation and everyone had PERTUSSIS, measles, MUMPS, etc, etc.  Rather than embracing these childhood diseases as the chief way that humans DEVELOP OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS INTO THE POWERHOUSES THEY SHOULD BE, the average person now receives over 100 inoculations by the time they are 18 years old if they get everything recommend.  Yet this doesn't even begin to touch on the multiple vaccines they will receive each and every year for the rest of their lives (flu / pneumonia / etc), the periodic "boosters" for those they received as children, or the nearly 300 vaccines that are currently in R&D (HERE and HERE).   Of these, none is more controversial than the influenza vaccine.

As any good dictator could tell you, effective propaganda always begins with fear.  If the powers that be can make something scary, or even deadly; and then tell you that only they have the power to protect you from said deadly substance, entity, or event, it's easy to see where their power comes from.  The annual flu vaccine is the ultimate example of this phenomenon, as every year is PREDICTED TO BE THE WORST FLU SEASON EVER.  While there have always been FLU PANDEMICS that killed thousands, or even millions of people, the annual flu was never considered dangerous until our government started propagating the myth of 36,000 - 59,000 annual deaths --- a myth debunked by Dr.  Edward Yazbak in his 2006 paper called CALCULATING US INFLUENZA DEATHS, revealing that this figure was exaggerated by 14,000%.  It was around this same same time that our government, in cahoots with Big Pharma, began their huge push for mandatory flu vaccinations for all healthcare workers.

Presidential front-runner, HRC, recently gave us a front-row view of what governmental "pay-to-play" policies look like up close and personal.  Her thousands of emails revealed that corporations and governments are more than willing to fork over tens; even hundreds of millions of dollars to promote their interests and businesses.  The point here is not to pick on Hillary, because the majority of politicians, multinational corporations, and banks are guilty of similar 'indiscretions' (far too kind a word).  Today I am going to show you how a vaccine that has virtually no scientific backing, managed to become mandated for the single biggest group of employees in the United States --- the American healthcare worker.  But before we delve into this, we need to answer a couple questions.

"The overall influenza vaccination rate of health care workers (HCWs) in the U.S. is low. Overcoming barriers to vaccination and improving targeted outreach to subgroups of HCWs could reduce the high mortality rates because of influenza.  Influenza, the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., was associated with an average annual mortality rate of over 36,000 between 1990 and 1999.  Mortality from influenza is concentrated in the very young, the very old, and the chronically ill. Despite such evidence and ACIP recommendations, health care institutions report employee vaccination rates that range only from 15% to 40%.  At most 71% of physicians and 51% of nurses would have been vaccinated; rates that fall far short of optimal coverage.  Low vaccination rates may occur either because HCWs do not believe in influenza vaccination efficacy, believe that their own immune system is sufficient, or are concerned about side effects such as Guillain–Barre..."   Cherry-picked (as are all quotes in this post) from the February 2006 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine --- a combined effort of Harvard and UCLA called BRIEF REPORT: Influenza Vaccination and Health Care Workers in the United States

Generally speaking, health care workers would fall on the upper end of the intelligence spectrum of the American public.  In other words, people that work in clinics and hospitals are not dummies.  Not only that, good or bad, they know the score when it comes to flu vaccines because they are around them all the time.  Thus it is imperative to ask why only 10 short years ago --- before flu vaccination mandates began kicking in --- American healthcare workers were getting vaccinated against SEASONAL FLU at a rate similar to that of the general population --- well under 50%?  If the flu shot is so wonderful, wouldn't it make sense that they would all clamor to get vaccinated?  After all, this group has an almost unlimited access to providers, and for them the shot is free.  The simple fact that healthcare workers are not (at least not by choice) lining up to get their flu shot tells us that there are other factors at play.  Today I am going to show you how all three of the factors in the final sentence of the highlighted paragraph above are true.

As you will soon see, the Cochrane Review (the medical community's gold-standard for analyzing medical research) revealed several years ago that the conclusions and action steps that the scientific community were coming up concerning mandated Flu Vaccines did not match the findings of their research.   Unfortunately, all that's ever needed for said medical community to jump on whichever bandwagon they wish to jump on (AND NOT THOSE THEY DON'T) are studies.  That's because thanks to A MYRIAD OF HIGHLY MANIPULABLE FACTORS, researchers can prove anything they want to depending on how they choose to set up their trial.

For instance, a study published seven years ago this month in Pharmacy & Therapeutics (Mandatory Vaccination of Health Care Workers: Whose Rights Should Come First?) concluded that, "Certainly, health care workers have rights that must be respected. Mandated medical interventions, such as vaccination, should never be imposed capriciously; however, patient contact involves unavoidable risks and special obligations. Patients should have the right to expect that their hospital will take every reasonable precaution to protect them from developing a new disease that they did not have upon admission. With regard to the flu, vaccination is the best way to honor this right."  This is quite interesting considering that a huge percentage of those who are admitted to the hospital come out with problems they did not have when they went in (NOSOCOMICAL INFECTIONS / IATROGENIC INJURY) --- which is one of the better kept of the dirty little secrets in the field of medicine ("a significant proportion of hospitalization-associated disability may be induced by iatrogenic events" --- HERE).

Then, in early 2011, a group of researchers from Mayo published a study in the American Journal of Public Health called Vaccinating Health Care Workers Against Influenza: The Ethical and Legal Rationale for a Mandate.  The authors stated that, "Despite improvements in clinician education, symptom awareness, and respiratory precautions, influenza vaccination rates for health care workers have remained unacceptably low for more than three decades, adversely affecting patient safety.  Mandatory influenza vaccination for health care workers is supported not only by scientific data but also by ethical principles and legal precedent."  As you are going to see momentarily, the first part of the last sentence of this quote as it pertains to flu vaccine is abjectly false.  As for the previous sentence --- revealing to us that flu vaccination rates have been "unacceptably low" for over 30 years --- aren't you interested as to why?

I know for a fact that in many cases, healthcare workers (both doctors and nurses) are going into the exam room and "vaccinating" (wink wink) each other rather than rocking the boat.  However, there are large numbers of nurses that want nothing to do with the flu vaccines (HERE) and are willing, at least on some level, to make some waves. Unfortunately, resisiting is rapidly becoming more than simply labeled an "Anti-Vaxxer".  All you have to do is look online at their stories to realize that thousands of such resisters have been fired from their jobs.  Which brings us to an issue within this issue.  Who is it beyond doctors and nurses that actually make up our nation's healthcare workers?

According to the CDC. "Health care workers include (but are not limited to) physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, therapists, technicians, emergency medical service personnel, dental personnel, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, autopsy personnel, students and trainees, contractual staff not employed by the health-care facility, and persons (e.g., clerical, dietary, housekeeping, laundry, security, maintenance, administrative, billing, and volunteers) not directly involved in patient care but potentially exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted to and from health care workers and patients."  That's one heck of a lot of people.  What percent of them has been vaccinated against flu?  Again, according to the CDC, "Early season 2014–15 flu vaccination coverage among health care personnel was 64.3%, similar to early season coverage during the 2013–14 season (62.9%).  By occupation, early season flu vaccination coverage was highest among pharmacists (86.7%), nurse practitioners/physician assistants (85.8%), physicians (82.2%), nurses (81.4%), and other clinical professionals (72.0%)".  We see that the numbers are increasing, but are far from 100%.  Allow me to show you why this increase is extremely misleading.

Firstly, even though the CDC tells us that nearly 20% of the treating staff have declined being vaccinated against flu, stats like these tell us absolutely nothing about what these individuals believe about mandatory flu vaccination.  In other words, it's quite likely that many of the people getting these shots don't want the shots.  Then why are they getting them?  The threat of losing a job can be rather motivational as far as rolling up your sleeve is concerned.   We saw a good example of healthcare workers beliefs about this subject two years ago this month with the results of MedPage Today's poll of 5,500 of them (HERE).  Fewer than 1 in 5 were for mandatory flu vaccines for healthcare workers, while 56% believed there should be total freedom to choose.  Numbers like these are not unique to this poll.   Case in point are the 25,000 members of NURSES AGAINST MANDATORY VACCINES.  There are also organizations like HEALTHCARE WORKERS AGAINST MANDATORY VACCINATIONS, or numerous large labor unions, INCLUDING THE AMA who are against mandatory flu vaccinations.

Secondly, the stats on the large numbers of healthcare workers who have resisted getting vaccinated against the seasonal flu have been grossly underreported.  For instance, an article by Lawrence Solomon from the January 14, 2014 issue of the HuffPo (Why Governments Want Health Care Workers To Stop Resisting Immunization) stated that, "To protect the population at large against diseases, public health authorities generally aim to immunize 90 to 95 per cent of the population. To the dismay of the authorities, however, one segment of the population is surprisingly resistant to getting the flu and other vaccines recommended for them -- doctors, nurses and others working in the health care sector.  In the UK, only 46 per cent of health care workers -- slightly less for doctors (45 per cent) and nurses (41 per cent) -- are vaccinated for the flu, despite concerted government efforts according to Public Health England. This startling failure is similar to that seen in Canadian jurisdictions for health care workers today, and those seen in the recent past in the U.S. The [Canadian] government has promised to consider stronger medicine still if inoculation rates, currently at 40% to 50% for doctors, nurses and other health workers, don't improve.  According to a Centers for Disease Control Internet survey, when employers remain neutral on vaccinations only 44% of health care workers get vaccinated. That figure rises to 70 per cent when the employer recommends it and 89 per cent when the employer requires [demands or mandates] it."  Statistics like these tell us that something is up --- that something big is being hidden from the American public by politicians, Big Pharma, and those actually running the circus within the medical community (the CEO's of large clinics and hospitals).

Logically, this means that one of three things is true about healthcare workers.  They are either extremely stupid for not wanting the vaccines, they are extremely lazy for knowing better but failing to have someone at work stick them, or they know something that we don't.  The first two points are so absurd that they can be dismissed out of hand.  Healthcare workers --- particularly doctors and nurses --- know what the scientific research really says about the benefits of flu vaccinations.  There are no benefits.  They're worthless.  They don't work.  Plainly stated, they don't do what they claim' prevent the flu.

When I say that Flu Vaccines have no scientific backing, I'm not telling you the whole truth.  There are mountains of evidence out there about the various flu vaccines; virtually all of it proving how absurdly ineffective they really are --- that is, unless the studies were done by industry.  That's right folks, even though you are still being told to get your annual flu shot, we've seen through a number of high profile COCHRANE REVIEWS (Cochrane is inarguably the biggest and most reputable organization for analyzing biomedical studies) that today's the flu vaccines are virtually 0% (zero percent) effective when it comes to preventing the flu.

I'm not making that statistic up.  The flu shots you have been taking your whole life are a huge scam that uses the American taxpayer to fill the bank accounts of the dirty politicians and pharmaceutical CEO's perpetrating this fraud.  Which once more begs the question of how the mandate happened in the first place.  How in the world did a vaccine that is, according to the "BEST EVIDENCE" both ineffective and dangerous, wind up being mandated for each and every one of our nation's tens of millions of healthcare workers?  You probably won't bat an eye when I tell you that it all came down to MONEY.  Before we discuss the money side of this issue, let me show you what the research from Cochrane and others actually showed after crunching the data from hundreds of studies concerning flu vaccinations.

"Indeed, hundreds of influenza vaccine efficacy and effectiveness studies have been conducted since the 1940s, and vaccine efficacy in healthy adults of 70% to 90% is frequently cited. However, the preponderance of the available influenza vaccine efficacy and effectiveness data is derived from studies with suboptimal methodology, poorly defined end points, or end points not proven to be associated with influenza infection. Studies using optimal methodology have not found the level of protection often attributed to the current vaccines."  Conclusions of a 160 page 2012 scientific paper by the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy called The Compelling Need for Game-Changing Influenza Vaccines: An Analysis of the Influenza Vaccine Enterprise and Recommendations for the Future

"Studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines. The review showed that reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin but there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies. The content and conclusions of this review should be interpreted in light of this finding."  From the Cochrane Review

"Promotion of influenza vaccines is one of the most visible and aggressive public health policies today.  This enormous growth has not been fueled by popular demand but instead by a public health campaign that delivers a straightforward, who-in-their-right-mind-could-possibly-disagree message: influenza is a serious disease, we are all at risk of complications from influenza, the flu shot is virtually risk free, and vaccination saves lives.  Yet across the country, mandatory influenza vaccination policies have cropped up, particularly in healthcare facilities, precisely because not everyone wants the vaccination, and compulsion appears the only way to achieve high vaccination rates. Closer examination of influenza vaccine policies shows that although proponents employ the rhetoric of science, the studies underlying the policy are often of low quality, and do not substantiate officials’ claims. The vaccine might be less beneficial and less safe than has been claimed, and the threat of influenza appears overstated."  Dr. Peter Doshi of Johns Hopkins (and Post-Doctorate Fellow at Harvard) from the May 2013 issue of the British Journal of Medicine (Influenza: Marketing Vaccine by Marketing Disease)

"Figures never lie, but liars figure.  There are lies, damn lies, and statistics."  Mark Twain

The research on flu vaccinations is appalling; so bad that if you turned this sort of work in for your eighth grade science fair, you would not only fail, you would probably be expelled for cheating.  Who knows; you might even end up in juvie wearing striped pajamas. Firstly, it's simply filthy that there is such a huge difference between studies done by industry, and studies done by unbiased third parties (these are less likely to happen in the United States where the MASSIVELY CORRUPT FDA is running the show under the watchful eye of Big Pharma --- or is it the other way around?).  Secondly, despite everything you've been led to believe, there is almost zero research pointing toward flu vaccination as being beneficial in any measureably meaningful way.   Let's take a look.

• FLU VACCINES FOR THE HEALTHY ELDERLY:  We've discussed this one already.  However, if you need any more evidence, read THIS POST.  It was the World Health Organization (WHO) that said in their Vaccines Against Influeza WHO Position Paper November 2012 that, "the efficacy of TIV [vaccines / shots] to prevent influenza infection in individuals aged 65 years or older is at best modest, irrespective of setting, population and study design."  You'll see why this is in a moment. 

• FLU VACCINES FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN: I have covered this topic as well (HERE).  Suffice it to say that there is virtually no evidence of benefit of flu vaccines for people in either of these first two categories.
  

• FLU VACCINATIONS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN:  Although pregnant women were included in the Cochrane Review that's a major part of the following bullet point for "Healthy Adults," I created my own post on the subject (HERE).  Suffice it to say, the evidence is poor as is the efficacy.
  

• FLU VACCINES FOR HEALTHY ADULTS:   This is where the rubber meets the road.  Two short years ago, six members of the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group did a meta-analysis of over 100 studies on this topic (Vaccines for Preventing Influenza in Healthy Adults), publishing it in March of 2014.  Guess what they concluded?  "Vaccination had a modest effect on time off work and had no effect on hospital admissions or complication rates. Inactivated vaccines caused local harms...  The preventive effect of parenteral inactivated influenza vaccine [shots] on healthy adults is small: 71 people would need vaccination to prevent one case of influenza. Vaccination shows no appreciable effect on working days lost or hospitalization.  The effectiveness of live aerosol vaccines on healthy adults is similar to inactivated vaccines: 46 people would need immunization to avoid one influenza-like illness case."  Interestingly enough, few areas of scientific study have a worse track record of manipulating results via INVISIBLE & ABANDONED STUDIES than flu research (for the record, the FLU MIST / ARESOL was taken off the market earlier this year because it was 0% effective for the past three to four years).  Cochrane addressed this by saying that, "For the first publication of this review, we wrote to the trial authors and manufacturers to identify possible unpublished studies and missing data. The response was disappointing and we desisted from any further attempts.  The main problems with influenza vaccine studies are their poor quality and discrepancies between the data presented, their conclusions and the authors' recommendations."  In other words, Big Pharma is burying / hiding / not publishing studies that show their product in a manner they don't like.  It's one of the all-time easiest ways to skew results whichever direction you want them to go.  Then they make recommendations (GET YOUR FLU SHOT) that have no basis in what their research actually concluded.

• FLU VACCINES FOR HEALTHY ADULTS PART II:  This is more from the Cochrane Review that was discussed in the previous bullet.  "Influenza vaccines have a very modest effect in reducing influenza symptoms and working days lost in the general population, including pregnant women."  As to why the authors of the studies being reviewed by Cochrane would abandon so much research as discussed in the previous bullet, the answer is crystal clear.  "The real impact of biases could not be determined for about 70% of the included studies (e.g. insufficient reporting details, very different scores among the items evaluated). About 20% of the included studies had a high risk of bias. Just under 10% had good methodological quality."  The icing on the cake is how effective (or not as the case may be) the various forms of flu vaccines are at preventing the flu.  Here it is in real numbers that we can all understand.  "The difference between these two values depends on the different incidence of influenza-like illness and confirmed influenza among the study populations: 15.6% of unvaccinated participants versus 9.9% of vaccinated participants developed influenza-like illness symptoms, whilst only 2.4% and 1.1%, respectively, developed laboratory-confirmed influenza."  This is important to understand, because influenza-like symptoms are not influenza.  In essence this means that out of 100 healthy adults immunized against flu, you will prevent a whopping 1.3 cases. 

• FLU VACCINES TO PREVENT CARDIOVASCULAR MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY:  Do flu vaccinations prevent cardiovascular diseases? Because cardiovascular disease is so common in our society --- particularly in our elderly population --- the "frail elderly," many who are on their way out with the next infection or illness they happen to get, may see some slight benefit.  The question was answered in the May 2015 Cochrane Review called Influenza Vaccines for Preventing Cardiovascular Disease.  "The risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes is increased with influenza-like infection, and vaccination against influenza may improve cardiovascular outcomes." "May"?  Aren't you interested in seeing what this word really means and how much improvement in outcomes the flu vaccinations might afford the elderly?  After reviewing all of the studies on the topic (over 12,000 individuals), the authors determined that, "In patients with cardiovascular disease, influenza vaccination may reduce cardiovascular mortality and combined cardiovascular events. However, studies had some risk of bias, and results were not always consistent.  Not enough evidence was available to establish whether influenza vaccination has a role to play in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease."  Just remember that "bias" refers to the numerous ways to draw a sample that skews results (HERE are numerous examples how you are being affected by medical study bias on a daily basis).

• FLU VACCINATIONS FOR CHILDREN ON CHEMOTHERAPY:  What are vaccine freedom-of-choice people constantly told?  We are told that if the general population is vaccinated against the flu, it will save the lives of vulnerable people with an array of chronic illnesses, including CANCER.  How true is this?  Thanks to still another Cochrane Review of studies published on the subject since 1966 --- this one from August of 2013 --- we now know the answer.  "Children with cancer are prone to developing infection. One of the viral infections is influenza (flu).  Pediatric oncology patients receiving chemotherapy are able to generate an immune response to the influenza vaccine, but it remains unclear whether this immune response protects them from influenza infection or its complications. On the basis of this updated review, it is not possible to recommend or discourage influenza vaccination in children with cancer who are treated with chemotherapy."  Notice the pattern?  Healthy individuals of virtually any age or condition don't need flu vaccines because the vaccines don't do what they are touted to do --- prevent the flu.   Sick patients, however, might benefit slightly from flu vaccination.  But the differences are so minimal and the evidence so poor, that nothing definitive can be determined from the research. Wouldn't it make sense that if the flu vaccine were everything it were touted to be, there would be no question as to its efficacy?

• FLU VACCINATION AND ASTHMA:   There is still another group (ASTHMATICS) who are strongly prodded to get their annual flu shot.  How well has this worked out?  According to a 2013 Cochrane Review (Vaccines for Preventing Influenza in People with Asthma), not like industry had hoped. After looking at numerous studies of thousands of asthmatic children, the authors determined that while it is true that, "Influenza vaccination is recommended for asthmatic patients in many countries as observational studies have shown that influenza infection can be associated with asthma exacerbations," there is much more to the story than initially meets the eye.  For many people with asthma, cold and flu viruses trigger their symptoms. Therefore, getting a flu virus makes their asthma worse and having a flu jab (influenza vaccine) may protect people against some of the flu viruses that they will come into contact with in a given winter. However, the effects of a flu jab (vaccination) are not straightforward as there is also the possibility that the flu jab itself could cause a worsening of asthma. A single parallel-group trial, involving 696 children, was able to assess the protective effects of influenza vaccination. There was no significant reduction in the number, duration or severity of influenza-related asthma exacerbations. There was no difference in the forced expiratory volume in one second although children who had been vaccinated had better symptom scores during influenza-positive weeks.  There were no significant differences found in exacerbations or measures of lung function following live attenuated cold recombinant vaccine versus placebo in two small studies. There were no significant differences in asthma exacerbations found for the comparison live attenuated vaccine versus trivalent inactivated vaccine in one study on 2229 children.   While an overview concluded that there was no clear benefit of influenza vaccination in patients with asthma, this conclusion was not based on a systematic search of the literature."  I would argue and say that the search of the literature was rather systematic (almost 50 years worth).

• FLU VACCINATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC DISEASES IN GENERAL:  The WHO study quoted from in this section has something to say about flu vaccines for people with "A systematic review in 2011 of studies on vaccine performance among different vaccine target groups found limited good quality evidence of vaccine effectiveness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and in elderly individuals with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, kidney or liver disease and immune suppression."  Trust me; when the WHO uses wording like 'limited good quality evidence,' what they really mean is that the data has either been scrubbed, fudged, or both. 

• ANTI-PANDEMIC STOCKPILES OF NEURAMINIDASE INHIBITORS:  Thanks to Big Pharma's lobbying efforts (along with the efforts of one DONALD RUMSFELD who was also instrumental in getting ASPARTAME approved after decades of FDA denials), billions of doses of something known as Neuraminidase Inhibitors have been stockpiled by numerous western governments (including ours) against PANDEMIC FLU.  If taken immediately before or immediately after exposure to Influenza A or B, these drugs have been shown to shorten the life of the disease by as much as half a day (cost of treatment is between $100 and $200 for a course).  I wrote a post on this very topic almost three years ago (THE SORDID STORY OF TAMIFLU).  In April of 2014, a Cochrane Review by a dozen researchers concluded that fraud in the form of INVISIBLE & ABANDONED STUDIES was so rampant in the flu vaccine industry that nothing in this area of study could be trusted.  "Inadequate reporting put most of the zanamivir studies and half of the oseltamivir studies at a high risk of selection bias. There were inadequate measures in place to protect 11 studies of oseltamivir from performance bias due to non-identical presentation of placebo. Attrition bias was high across the oseltamivir studies and there was also evidence of selective reporting for both the zanamivir and oseltamivir studies (in excess of 160,000 pages [of withheld results]). The placebo interventions in both sets of trials may have contained active substances."  As you can see, the system was rigged from the beginning --- seriously rigged.   "For the treatment of adults, oseltamivir reduced the time to first alleviation of symptoms from 7 to 6.3 days.  Zanamivir reduced the time to first alleviation of symptoms in adults by .6 days. The effect in children was not significant.  Treatment of adults with oseltamivir had no significant effect on hospitalisations.  There was also no significant effect in children or in prophylaxis.  Oseltamivir in the treatment of adults increased the risk of nausea and vomiting.  The use of oseltamivir increases the risk of adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, psychiatric effects and renal events in adults and vomiting in children.   We came to the conclusion that there were substantial problems with the design, conduct, reporting and availability of information from many of the trials. The influenza virus-specific mechanism of action proposed by the producers does not fit the clinical evidence. "

• GETTING THE RIGHT VIRAL MATCH IS NIGH IMPOSSIBLE:   Back in February, Scientific American published an article called How Are Seasonal Flu Vaccines Made?  "Scientists at five main centers meet in February to analyze data to identify new flu strains and to determine which strains of the virus are most likely to spread and cause illness in the upcoming flu season."  Considering our local weatherman can't even tell us if it's going to rain tomorrow, how in the world do the experts hope to guess next year's flu strain?  Plainly stated; they're not.  According to the sources I've seen, vaccination 'experts' guess the three correct strains of flu virus for next year's vaccine about 9% of the time, or for posterity's sake, once a decade.  However, this is probably a moot point because in similar fashion to what we see with the common cold, vaccines won't work anyway because the virus is constantly mutating.  Mayo Clinic (Influenza: Symptoms and Causes) heartily agrees with this assessment. "Influenza viruses are constantly changing, with new strains appearing regularly."   According to the WHO paper I quoted from a few bullets above, "When the vaccine strains closely match the circulating influenza viruses, efficacy rates in individuals younger than 65 years of age typically range from 70% to 90%."  However......  Even if this were true, 90% efficacy once a decade, when averaged out with the 1.3% as stated by Cochrane, comes out to an annual effectiveness of less than 10%.

• DOES ANY OF IT EVEN MATTER ANYWAY --- ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A HEALTHCARE WORKER?    How ridiculous are mandatory flu vaccinations for healthcare workers when visitors and patients from the general public freely roam the halls, moving in and out of patient rooms, through the cafeteria, up and down elevators, and throughout the facility anyway?   But to top it all off, Cochrane did one more review you might be interested in.  Just a few short months ago (June of 2016) Cochrane answered this question by way of a meta-analysis of data from 1966 through 2015 concerning almost 14,000 individuals, and published in a study called Influenza Vaccination for Healthcare Workers Who Care for People Aged 60 or Older Living in Long-Term Care Institutions.  "Because the signs and symptoms of influenza are similar to those of many other respiratory illnesses, it is important in studies testing the effects of influenza vaccination to prove by laboratory tests, which are highly accurate, whether residents actually have flu or another illness.  Our review findings have not identified occlusive evidence of benefit of health care worker vaccination programs in specific outcomes of laboratory-proven influenza, it's complications (hospitalization or death) or all cause mortality."

• WHAT DOES THE CDC ITSELF SAY ABOUT FLU VACCINATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS?  Back in the later portion of 2013, five researchers working for the CDC published a study in Clinical Infectious Diseases called Effect of Influenza Vaccination of Health Care Personnel on Morbidity and Mortality Among Patients.  "We identified studies conducted in long-term care or hospital settings.  Pooled estimates for all-cause hospitalization and laboratory-confirmed influenza were not statistically significant. The quality of the evidence for the effect of health care provider vaccination on mortality and influenza cases in patients was moderate and low, respectively. The evidence quality for the effect of health care provider vaccination on patient hospitalization was low."  In other words, according to the CDC itself, having healthcare workers vaccinated against the flu, did not drop confirmed rates of flu in a statistically significant manner.  However, in response to the fact that this study claimed that flu vaccines dropped the flu's death rate by almost a third, Cochrane added the studies to their meta-analysis, reworked their data, and came to the same conclusions they came to previously (see above).

Knowing how pathetically, absurdly, and utterly ineffective the flu vaccines are for preventing flu in anyone but possibly the sickest segments of our society (which is itself highly debatable), how is it that this vaccine became a mandate in the first place --- an issue force-fed to the American public as part of Obama Care?  What you are learning today should make your blood boil.  I promise that WHEN YOU LEARN THE REAL COSTS associated with being blackballed into receiving annual flu shots (THAT IS, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR JOB), you'll be even madder.

As I mentioned earlier, the whole "forced-flu-shots" (Flu Vaccination Mandate) was part of Obamacare, otherwise known by its oxymoronical government name, the Affordable Care Act or ACA.  It is also written into CMS (Medicare and Medicaid).  If you remember, it was Nancy Pelosi who so famously said of the ACA, "We'll have to pass the bill so that you can uh find out what is in it...."  It doesn't matter which side of the political aisle you cast your lot with, this legislation continues to be a true bureaucratic monstrosity.  2,700 pages long to begin with, with the rules and regulations surrounding and supporting it already over 20,000 pages and counting (it's a seven and a half foot tall stack of paper coming in at over 12,000,000 words).  One of the many surprises found in the deep dark recesses of the ACA was the Flu Vaccination Mandate.

A number of years ago, the government decided that it was necessary to make cuts to CMS's (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) payments to physicians, hospitals, or clinics, that did not meet certain criteria as set forth in the ACA.  These reimbursement reductions were used to fund the ACA's value-based incentive program.  In other words, the entities that managed to meet or exceed the criteria demanded by the ACA would get extra money.  As of a month from now (the beginning of 2017) this percentage is up to 2% of CMS collections.  While 2% might not sound like a lot, in a hospital system that collects tens, or even hundreds of millions of dollars annually from CMS, 2% could add up to some serious jack.

Some might argue that the criteria for earning incentives as set forth by Obamacare are necessary and helpful.  Those in healthcare will tell you otherwise --- that most of the new rules (HERE'S ONE EXAMPLE and HERE'S ANOTHER) do virtually nothing as far as bettering patient care, while adding immense amounts of time, expense, and regulatory burden to a system already bursting at the seams with all three.  Starting in 2013, healthcare's "Santa Claus" (CMS's Inpatient Prospective Payment System ---- the organization that determines whether or not your clinic or hospital has been naughty (not meeting criteria) or nice (meeting criteria)), required such entities to submit data / statistics on the rate of employee flu vaccination.  To get those extra goodies in the form of your tax dollars, hospitals and clinics must have a 90% rate of employee vaccination against the flu.

These "quality measures" were not tied to money at first.  But starting in 2015, a failure to meet vaccination mandates meant that your clinic or hospital was not going to get their bonus (the percentage of vaccinated employees needed to qualify was significantly less than 90% then).  Needless to say, the healthcare entities that had not been firing employees that failed to toe the line and get vaccinated against the flu, began doing so in wholesale fashion (HERE is an example of someone I personally know).  As you are seeing, this is a money issue.  Speaking of money........

"Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease specialist who has studied medical records and flu studies dating back to the 1930s, told CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano that growing viruses in chicken eggs is slow, inexact and outdated.  Despite his concerns, he recommended people get the vaccine because it's safe, and some protection is better than none."  From Ryan Jaslow's January 15, 2013 story for CBS News called The Flu Vaccine: What's Stockpiled, Why You Should Get One Now

Osterholm is raising the ultimate question concerning the flu vaccine; why exactly should I get one this year / this week / today / right now?  In light of what we've seen from the scientific community, as well as Cochrane's researchers letting us know that expert recommendations don't match up to study conclusions, I would say that Dr. Osterholm is mistaken.  Which raises an important question: Who is making the most profit from this little shindig?  The usual actors of course!  Ask yourself this simple question.  Why in the world would people work so hard to get elected to positions that pay so relatively little?

Because it is both concise and short; if you want to read about the history of the flu vaccination, I would suggest you read the piece in WebMD's Medscape Pediatrics called Flu Vaccines for All: A Critical Look at the Evidence (HERE).  Rather than being written by a crackpot like myself, it was put together by a couple of Pediatricians (Dr. Eric Biondi and Dr. Andrew Aligne), the later of whom has a masters degree in public health.

"Vaccine manufacturers have projected that as many as 157 million - 168 million doses of injectable flu vaccine will be made available for the 2016-2017 season."  Straight from the CDC's site (Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Supply for the U.S. 2016-2017 Influenza Season)

"Three big drug makers announced deals Monday that give them rights to new flu vaccines.  The deals reflect the growing conviction among pharmaceutical executives that vaccines against a variety of maladies will become an increasingly important source of growth.  Vaccine sales are growing faster than sales of other prescription medicines....  Moreover, government agencies both in the U.S. and around the world are increasingly reliable buyers of vaccines as they seek to stockpile medicines that could help protect the public in case of a major flu outbreak.   Flu vaccines typically average $10 to $20 a dose. Despite their low price, analysts say companies like them because they provide a steady source of revenue."  From Rockoff and Loftus' 2009 article in the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Drug Companies Chase Vaccines

"Even if a small portion of everything that's going on now is successful in the next 10 years, you put that together with the last 10 years (and) it's going to be characterized as a golden era," says Emilio Emini, Pfizer Inc.'s head of vaccine research.  While prescription drug sales are forecast to rise by a third in five years, vaccine sales should double, from $19 billion last year to $39 billion in 2013, according to market research firm Kalorama Information. That's five times the $8 billion in vaccine sales in 2004.  What was essentially 25 years ago a rounding error now has become real money.   Vaccines are now perhaps seen to be more attractive than drugs.   For flu shot makers, U.S. guidelines have steadily widened to include 83 percent of Americans. Use has jumped from 20 million doses in 1990 to 113 million last year."   From the AP's November 2009 article, Vaccines Market Gives Pharmaceutical Industry a Boost

"The business of vaccines is soon to become a major source of profits for the world’s largest pharmaceutical corporations. A press release published by marketwatch.com says that Technavio, one of the leading technology research and advisory companies in the world predicts that pharmaceutical corporations who produce vaccines will reach an estimated $61 billion in profits by 2020....  In terms of geography, the Americas dominated the global human vaccines market in 2015, accounting for about 45% of the total revenue. The US was the largest revenue contributor to this region in the same year, capturing a significant portion of the global market."  Timothy Alexander Guzman from a 2013 article published in Global Research (Big Pharma and Big Profits: The Multibillion Dollar Vaccine Market)

"In rich countries, growth relies on either finding more diseases to immunise against, or widening the reach of existing products.  With children already extensively vaccinated in the developed world, much of the industry’s focus has turned to older age groups.  The complexity of vaccines, and the fact they are given to healthy individuals rather than to treat the sick, makes quality and reliability especially challenging."   From Andrew Ward's April 2016 article in the Financial Times called Vaccines Are Among Big Pharma’s Best-Selling Products.

"Several pharmaceutical companies made a conscious decision to chase and develop the vaccines market towards the end of the last decade, as it became clear that the traditional blockbuster drug treatment model for the industry was changing. Vaccines were seen as promising from a business perspective because they could be applied to huge swathes of the population, and because the economic case for payment could be made to governments.  Chris Viehbacher, chief executive of Sanofi, explained part of the appeal of vaccines earlier this year. 'The nature of vaccines is such that generally you have a better feeling for the success of a vaccine than you do for a new drug.  Even at an average price level you get to some pretty significant sales.'  You can charge much more in the U.S. for a flu jab, so the U.S. will always be prioritized."   Catherine Boyle from an October 2013 edition of CNBC (Achoo! Who’s Making Money Out of Flu Season?)

"The CDC now suggests that nearly everyone older than 6 months get an annual flu shot, once reserved for the elderly and high-risk populations. An estimated 42 percent of Americans, or 132 million people, received flu shots in 2011, up from 25 percent in 2000 and 11 percent in 1990.  That growth has generated traffic not just for traditional providers such as physicians and hospitals, but for relative newcomers such as drug stores and other retailers. Physicians' offices, hospitals and other medical clinics account for about 60 percent. Workplace programs make up the rest.  'Everyone makes something on the immunizations,' said Dr. Joel Shalowitz, director of the health-industry management program at Northwestern University."  From Adam Smeltz October 2012 article at Trib Live (Flu Shot Boom a Boon for Many, as Industry Continues to Grow)

"Many critics within industry, however, lay the biggest share of blame at the feet of the U.S. government, which is America’s primary purchaser of vaccines—the result of Congress’s 1993 creation of the Vaccines for Children program. Under this program, which was established to improve vaccination rates among the poor."  From Johns Hopkins Public Health (Weakened Defenses).  "In 2011, the US Federal government awarded 6 pharmaceutical corporations over 5.7 Billion to manufacture children’s vaccines alone.  According to information on the Centers for Disease Control and Federal Business Opportunities websites, the contracts were for the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program.  What is really happening is the US Federal government has given the corporations a guaranteed paycheck through the contracts. It makes perfect sense why the federal health agencies would keep demanding more vaccinations – they get more money!  Take the example of the former head of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Julie Gerberding. She helped promote the highly controversial GARDASIL VACCINE while she served in her government post. After she finished working for the CDC, she was made President of the Vaccine Division for Merck Pharmaceuticals."  From Vaccine Truth's Who Says There is No Money in Making Vaccines? At Least $5.7 Billion Given to Vaccine Manufacturers in 2011 by US Government

"Big money has fueled the exponential expansion of CDC’s vaccine schedule since 1988, when Congress’ grant of immunity from lawsuits suddenly transformed vaccines into pay dirt. CDC recommended five pediatric vaccines when I was a boy in 1954. Today’s children cannot attend school without at least 56 doses of 14 vaccines by the time they’re 18.   An insatiable pharmaceutical industry has 271 new vaccines under development in CDC’s bureaucratic pipeline in hopes of boosting vaccine revenues to $100 billion by 2025.  Vaccine industry money has neutralized virtually all of the checks and balances that once stood between a rapacious pharmaceutical industry and our children. With the research, regulatory and policymaking agencies captured, the courts closed to the public, the lawyers disarmed, the politicians on retainer and the media subverted, there is no one left to stand between a greedy industry and vulnerable children except parents."  Robert F Kennedy Jr (a vaccination proponent) From a July 2015 issue of World News Daily (Vaccines, Government & Big Pharma's Dirty Money)

Don't let anyone fool you --- there's big money in vaccines.  Really big money.  Because of this, industry has hard-lobbied congress to have increasing numbers of vaccines mandated for both children and adults.  Under the mantle of Obamacare, back in February of 2015 HHS revealed it's newest plan at a meeting of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee --- the National Adult Immunization Plan.  It's goal being to enlist businesses, corporations, churches, THE MEDIA, non-profits, and a whole host of others to push the American public toward universal vaccination.  What vaccines would be required?  Whatever the government deems appropriate.  The cherry on top was that healthcare facilities would be offered "incentives" (can anyone say BRIBES?) to rat out those who didn't follow along so they could be entered into state and federal databases --- databases that are already in existence and awaiting legislative stamps of approval to go live.  This program was designed specifically to curb PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO OPT OUT. 

Other than the fact that the various flu vaccines are worthless as far as protecting the general population from contracting flu, why would anyone want to opt out?  There's really only one reason.  If the government and BIG PHARMA have been lying about flu vaccine efficacy for so long, why would anyone in their right mind believe they are telling the truth about flu vaccine safety?

"Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the nation's most outspoken advocate for childhood immunizations, is at the center of a white-hot medical controversy. Offit set off a flurry of angry postings when he said that a baby's immune system could handle as many as 10,000 vaccines. Then he upped the ante, saying it was probably "closer to 100,000."  Parents who worry that children are getting too many shots too soon were incensed. The outrage is triggered by Offit's approach.  He basically says the case is closed. He's very dismissive of anyone who disagrees. Critics charge that Offit, one of three patent holders of a vaccine against rotavirus is dependent on drug companies and motivated by greed. They call him Dr. Proffit.  Offit isn't apologizing. He acknowledges "it's like winning the lottery."  From Claudia Kalb's October 2008 article in Newsweek called Dr. Paul Offit: Debunking the Vaccine-Autism Link

"Thimerosal is 50% ethylmercury, which is far more toxic and persistent in the brain than the highly regulated methylmercury in fish. Hundreds of peer reviewed studies by leading government and university scientists show that thimerosal is a devastating brain poison linked to neurological disorders now epidemic in American children. Although Thompson’s CDC and vaccine industry colleagues have created nine patently fraudulent and thoroughly discredited epidemiological studies to defend thimerosal, no published study shows thimerosal to be safe.  The common canard that US autism rates rose after drug makers removed most thimerosal from pediatric vaccines in 2003 is wrong. That same year, CDC added flu shots containing massive doses of thimerosal to the pediatric schedule. As a result, children today can get nearly as much mercury exposure as children did from all pediatric vaccines combined in the decade prior to 2003."  Robert F. Kennedy Jr from his internet article, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, The Truth About Vaccine Science

I've shown you over and over again how dirty both the CDC and FDA really are when it comes to protecting and promoting their agenda (HERE are some examples).  But the corruption is not confined to our government.  Enter Dr. Paul Offit.  In similar fashion to many alcoholics or those addicted to PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDS, people rarely come to the point of admitting they have a problem.  It's really no different when it comes to admitting to Financial Conflicts of Interest.  This is why people in Dr. Offit's position rarely admit that what they are doing has anything to do with money --- it's all about the public good.  I don't care who you are, money has a strange way of clouding ones thinking.  It's no different than Hillary saying that the 153 million dollars that she and Bill "earned" between 2001 and 2015 for half hour speeches given to the various boards of Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Business, and Big Banking, did not favorably influence legislation or decisions concerning the interests of said entities.  Even her most ardent supporters knew better.   But as I said earlier, this is not simply a Hillary issue.  It's the nature of the beast in corporate America.  It's business as usual.

Whether or not Offit had ulterior financial motives when he sat on the CDC's advisory committee, while voting to add his vaccine to the government-mandated schedule, is not the issue.  Financial conflict of interest doesn't mean that Offit actually did anything wrong (although many would argue vehemently he did).  A conflict of interest is simply the appearance of wrong-doing.  FCOI's are to be avoided because they put you in positions or situations where the system can be gamed for gain.  For the record, Offit received an up-front percentage of 182 million dollars said to be in the 30 to 55 million range, plus annual royalties estimated themselves to be in the millions.

I bring up Offit only because he is arguably America's number one spokesperson for our government's forced-vaccine policies, as well as the fact that his story shows the absurd level of financial conflict of interest in this area.  But the conflicts don't stop there.  The truth is, it can be difficult to find individuals or organizations in this arena who aren't collecting significant amounts of money from the medical / pharmaceutical industry, including the American Academy of Pediatrics.   But CORRUPTION AMONG THOSE CREATING MEDICAL STANDARDS OF CARE is barely the tip of the iceberg.  An even bigger factor in skewing the studies on flu vaccine safety has to do with something called "underreporting".

I already showed you how Invisible & Abandoned studies skew the evidence whichever direction researchers want it skewed.  But in order to truly grasp this issue of flu vaccine safety and side effects, you must first understand what underreporting is.  UNDERREPORTING THE SIDE EFFECTS AND ADVERSE EVENTS associated with medicine (including vaccines) and procedures is arguably the number one way that the medical community gets their products to look far better on paper than they actually perform in reality (HERE).  The difference is frequently huge.

We already know that only about one percent of all side effects and adverse events are ever reported to the proper authorities (see links above).  With vaccines, this number is actually worse.  Why?  Think about it this way; if you were a college professor or student at any of America's major universities, what are the very worst things someone could accuse you of in today's "diverse" multicultural, politically-correct, gender-free, environment?  How about a racist?  A bigot?  A homophobe?  Or God forbid, a hater.  You get the point.  Now imagine that you are a treating-physician in our current "Death to Antivaxxers" environment.  What's the worst thing you could possibly do or be accused of?   How about rocking the boat by reporting to VAERS?  What is VAERS you ask?  We'll get there momentarily, but first let me show you how the flu shots actually cause flu in the form of something known as flu-like illnesses.

According to the CDC's website (Flu Vaccine Safety Information) the, "common side effects from the flu shot include soreness, redness, and/or swelling from the shot, headache, fever, nausea, muscle aches."  Wait a minute!  Is this a perfect description of the flu or am I imagining things?  In the immortal words of the heavy-set king from the old Bugs Bunny cartoons, who stated while eating a carrot, 'if I didn't know better, I'd swear this were HASENPFEFFER'. It does, however, help to explain why, while experts will tell anyone who bothers to listen that it's impossible to get the flu from a flu shot, they can and frequently do cause flu-like symptoms.  The only difference between the two as far as the symptoms go?  There is none.  (SIDE NOTE: If your "flu" involves vomiting and diarrhea, you don't have the flu, you have gastroenteritis, which is commonly called "flu" by the American public)

• "Symptoms of flu include sore throat, fever, headache, muscle aches and soreness, congestion, and cough.  Most flu symptoms gradually improve over two to five days....."  From Cold or Flu Symptoms from WebMD

• "TIV [flu] vaccines are generally considered safe although transient local reactions at the injection site occur frequently....  fever, malaise, myalgia, and other systemic adverse events.   In a study of 791 healthy children aged 1–15 years, post-vaccination fever was noted in 12% of those aged 1–5 years."   From the WHO's 2012 Position Paper on the flu
• "Influenza-like illness (ILI) is a medical diagnosis of possible influenza or other illness causing a set of common symptoms.  Symptoms commonly include fever, shivering, chills, malaise, dry cough, loss of appetite, body aches, and nausea, typically in connection with a sudden onset of illness.  In most cases, the symptoms are relatively non-specific. Most cases of ILI are caused not by influenza but by other viruses. Common causes of ILI include the common cold and influenza.   Less-common causes include side effects of many drugs and manifestations of many other diseases.    Technically, any clinical diagnosis of influenza is a diagnosis of ILI, not of influenza. This distinction usually is of no great concern because, regardless of cause, most cases of ILI are mild and self-limiting. Furthermore, most cases of ILI are not due to influenza.   ILI is very common: in the United States each adult can average 1–3 episodes per year and each child can average 3–6 episodes per year."  From that bastion of truth and infallibility, Wikipedia (Influenza-Like Illness), trying with all their might to sort this one out.  Think they're confused?  They're not alone.
  

And other than listing the symptoms of an allergic reaction to the eggs the vaccine is grown in (the reason that people with egg allergies should never have a flu shot), the only other side effect even mentioned in the CDC article was Guillain Barre Syndrome, which they claimed to be something like one in a million.  But is catching the flu really the worst that can happen as a side effect of taking a flu shot?  And if so, other than all the previous lies that the pharmaceutical industry has fed us, what could possibly make so many people gun-shy when it comes to the flu shot?  How about the research itself?

As for VAERS, a study from last year's April issue of the Journal of Pediatrics called Adverse Events Following Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Vaccines in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, 1990-2013 helped shed some light on this issue.   The purpose of this study was, "To characterize adverse events (AEs) after Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines reported to the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). VAERS received 29,747 reports after Hib vaccines; 5179 (17%) which were serious, including 896 reports of deaths. Median age was 6 months (range 0-22 months). Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) was the stated cause of death in 384 (51%) of 749 death reports with autopsy/death certificate records. The most common nondeath serious adverse event categories were neurologic (80; 37%), and gastrointestinal (39; 18%) conditions. Review of VAERS reports did not identify any new or unexpected safety concerns for Hib vaccines."  900 people died and who knows how many had serious --- probably irreversible --- neurological damage?  But nothing new or unexpected was found; just business as usual.  BTW, Flu and HIB are different entities, the point here is to show you how the system works.

Part of the problem is that according to some experts (HERE is an example), the rate of reporting side effects / adverse events to VAERS is significantly worse than the rate of reporting drug reactions in general, which I already showed you was an almost unbelievable 1%.  This is because according to some of the research that I've seen, only 1 in 40 doctors has ever reported to VAERS to begin with.  Beyond that, all vaccines intentionally contain aluminum (HERE), and most, including the flu shot, intentionally contain mercury (HERE) --- incredibly neurotoxic elements, which are intimately associated with PARKINSON'S, ALZHEIMER'S and numerous other common neurological problems, including (gulp) AUTISM.  If you are interested in getting a better and more accurate idea of the serious side effects of flu shots, I would suggest you visit any number of online message boards.  Dig into the comments, posts, and discussion threads, and you'll be shocked to learn what healthcare providers are actually saying about flu vaccinations --- almost universally anonymously of course.

What do I recommend that you do to prevent the flu?  Nothing really; beyond staying healthy and washing hands regularly.  For those of you having trouble in the "staying healthy" department, HERE is a generic protocol with a huge emphasis on GUT HEALTH.  But if you think flu shots are wonderful, great. I'm a freedom-of-choice kind of guy.  HAVE AT IT!  However, in light of the preponderance of peer-reviewed evidence, the American people --- most particularly it's millions upon millions of healthcare workers --- need to seen by Big Pharma as more than walking, talking dollar signs.  Commodities.   A simple way way for them to sell millions more doses of their products year after year after year after year --- even though we've seen that research says consecutive years of flu shots diminishes their already crappy effectiveness (HERE).

"There's no one else in the radio media who can discuss influenza vaccines to the extent that I can because I have a Ph.D from the University of California at Berkley.  One of the specialties is in epidemiology, which means I can read the scientific literature.  I'm not an expert in vaccines but I know enough to read the literature.  And let me tell you something; reading the literature will give you pause for thought."  Radio personality Dr. Michael Savage from a YouTube Video on Flu Vaccinations excerpted from his nightly program (The Savage Nation).

Let me first say that technically speaking, many of the migraines diagnosed as migraines are not really migraines --- they are varying forms of OTHER HEADACHES.  And although there are about a million things that can cause MIGRAINE HEADACHES, these can essentially be broken down into three main categories; chemical, mechanical, and electrical.  It is important to note that there can be and often is a significant degree of crossover between the three.

• CHEMICAL:  Although this could be something like HYPOGLYCEMIA, it is usually made up of the group of chemical messengers we refer to collectively as inflammation.  The thing to bear in mind is that INFLAMMATION can be driven by a wide variety things (BLACK MOLD and GLUTEN are two of the more common ones).  This is a situation where an ELIMINATION DIET is imperative, as is solving your issues with "THE LEAKIES". 
  

• MECHANICAL:  Mechanical headaches not only make up the biggest group of Migraine Headaches, but are typically the easiest to solve.  They are caused by things like SUBLUXATION, SCAR TISSUE / FIBROSIS, FORWARD HEAD POSTURE, or a LOSS OF PROPRIOCEPTION.  Dealing with any underlying Scar Tissue is the key factor in this bullet.
  

• ELECTRICAL:  Although mechanical dysfunctions can certainly cause electrical (nerve) problems, I am mostly talking here about BRAIN-BASED HEADACHES.  In our fast-paced age of SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE, this group is certainly growing.  It may take seeing a FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGIST to help you solve this.
  

Please note that all three bullet points are addressed in my GENERIC PROTOCOL for solving headaches along with solving numerous other chronic problems, including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

"The term gluten intolerance may refer to three types of human disorders: autoimmune celiac disease, allergy to wheat and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Gluten is a mixture of proteins present mostly in wheat, but also in barley, rye and oats. It has been suggested that in NCGS gluten-related peptides enter the systemic circulation and cause extraintestinal manifestations such as ataxia, neuropathy and encephalopathy. Moreover, it has been proposed that gluten causes depression, anxiety, autism and schizophrenia in patients with NCGS, and also reported that psychosis might be a manifestation of NCGS. Nowadays, gluten-related disorders have often been recognized as commonly mimicking irritable bowel syndrome because of the similar symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, bowel habit abnormalities (either diarrhea or constipation). Furthermore, the microbiome may also play a role in the pathogenesis of NCGS. Gut microbiota composition and metabolomic profiles may influence the loss of gluten tolerance and subsequent onset of gluten intolerance in genetically-susceptible individuals.  There is currently only one proven effective way of treating celiac disease and NCGS—a gluten free diet."   Cherry-picked (as are all studies quoted in this post) from last month's issue of Nutrients (Properties of Gluten Intolerance: Gluten Structure, Evolution, Pathogenicity and Detoxification Capabilities)

"Approximately 50 million Americans, 20 percent of the population or one in five people, suffer from autoimmune diseases. Women are more likely than men to be affected; some estimates say that 75 percent of those affected–some 30 million people–are women."  From the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association

Despite the fact that we've known for decades that wheat is intimately related to autoimmunity and the numerous autoimmune diseases associated with, the medical community largely continues to ignore their own research.  This doesn't even begin to take into account NCGS, which studies show, is not even believed to be a real entity by over half of all treating physicians (HERE).  For instance, the July issue of the medical journal Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz (Non-Allergic Gluten Sensitivity. A Controversial Disease or not yet Sufficiently Explored?) concluded that, "The avoidance of wheat, gluten and other cereal products is a growing phenomenon in industrialized countries. There exists a significant proportion of people reporting at least subjectively significant complaints and quality of life improvements after switching to a wheat- or gluten-free diet. The absence of clear diagnostic autoimmune or allergic criteria in these wheat sensitive patients has resulted in the description of non-celiac gluten sensitivity. It is clinically detectable in only very few individuals and may manifest with either intestinal, extra-intestinal or neurovegetative and psychosomatic symptoms."  It is important to realize that despite our ability to test for it, NCGS is both real and potentially severe as described by the previous sentence.

The evidence linking autoimmunity to Celiac Disease is overwhelming.  The question now becomes, how much autoimmunity can be intimately linked to NCGS?  A study from the September issue of Gastroenterology (High Proportions of People With Nonceliac Wheat Sensitivity Have Autoimmune Disease or Antinuclear Antibodies) went a long way toward answering this question.  "We evaluated the prevalence of autoimmune diseases among patients with nonceliac wheat sensitivity (NCWS), and investigated whether they carry antinuclear antibodies (ANA).  In the retrospective analysis, similar portions of subjects with NCWS (29%) and CD (29%) developed autoimmune diseases (mainly Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 29 cases).....  In the prospective study, 24% of subjects with NCWS, 20% of subjects with CD developed autoimmune diseases. In the retrospective study, serum samples tested positive for ANA in 46% of subjects with NCWS, 24% of subjects with CD....  in the prospective study, serum samples were positive for ANA in 28% of subjects with NCWS, 7.5% of subjects with CD...."

The point here is that NCGS is at least as associated with autoimmunity as Celiac Disease is as measured by the ANA or antinuclear antibody test --- and in some cases more so.  The ANA is an inexpensive blood test that can be added to the panel next time you have blood work done.  Although vague as far as what it tells you (it gives you an idea of whether your body is making antibodies against self, although it does not tell you what specific tissue is being attacked), it at least provides a starting point.  Now; allow me to show you some studies concerning GLUTEN and AUTOIMMUNITY.

• GLUTEN SENSITIVITY IS RELATED TO THE MICROBIOME:  Again, since virtually everything else is related to GUT HEALTH, why not Gluten Sensitivity?  Actually, there are tons of studies on this specific topic, including one from last month's issue of Gastroenterology (Duodenal Bacteria From Patients with Celiac Disease and Healthy Subjects Distinctly Affect Gluten Breakdown and Immunogenicity).  This study revealed that, "Partially degraded gluten peptides from cereals trigger celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune enteropathy occurring in genetically susceptible persons. Susceptibility genes are necessary but not sufficient to induce CD, and additional environmental factors related to unfavorable alterations in the microbiota have been proposed."  Did you catch that?  GENETICS alone won't do it; there has to be other factors at play.  Although there are any number of reasons that more people than ever are reacting to Gluten (HERE), I would have to say that the 'alterations in the microbiota' that we refer to in the medical community as "DYSBIOSIS" are arguably biggest.  "Small intestinal bacteria exhibit distinct gluten metabolic patterns, increasing or reducing gluten peptide immunogenicity. This microbe-gluten-host interaction may modulate autoimmune risk in genetically susceptible persons and may underlie the reported association of dysbiosis and CD." An Italian study from the July issue of the International Journal of Food Microbiology (Salivary and Fecal Microbiota and Metabolome of Celiac Children Under Gluten-Free Diet) revealed something similar.  "Dysbiosis can precede the CD pathogenesis and/or persist when subjects are on GFD.  Salivary microbiota and metabolome differed between healthy and celiac children treated under GFD for at least two years.  Different studies showed bacterial dysbiosis at duodenal and/or fecal level of patients with active untreated CD compared to healthy subjects. The ratio of protective anti-inflammatory bacteria such as Lactobacillus-Bifidobacterium to potentially harmful Bacteroides-Enterobacteriaceae was the lowest in" the treatment group. Even though these and many of the studies we will discuss today specifically pertain to Celiac Disease (CD), it is critical to understand that.......

• GLUTEN CAN BE RELATED TO AUTOIMMUNITY EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF CELIAC DISEASE:  You've seen many studies on this but feel like I need to belabor the point.  When doctors talk to patients, they will often tell them that while certain health-related issues might be linked to Celiac, Celiac is not their problem because they didn't test positive, thus their problem has nothing to do with Gluten.  As I've shown you repeatedly (HERE), this is a dangerous way of thinking.  The difference between Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is simple to understand.  The only thing that a Celiac diagnosis really means is that your own immune system is making antibodies against the villi / microvilli of the Small Intestine, creating damage that can be seen on biopsy.  Knowing this makes it simple to understand why.......

• GLUTEN IS RELATED TO INFLAMMATION, ANY NUMBER OF THE SYNDROMES IN THE "LEAKY" FAMILY, AND AUTOIMMUNITY WITHIN THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM:  Rather than belabor this point, I'll simply ask you to look at the first link at the top of the post, as well as my post on THE LEAKIES AS RELATED TO GLUTEN. If you are dealing with Chronic Pain or Chronic Illness, it is imperative for you to understand this bullet point.  And since we are talking about Autoimmune Diseases today, the link between Gluten and Autoimmunity is nothing new.  In fact, it was something being discussed by leaders in the field of natural medicine seven decades ago (HERE).  The Swiss journal, Digestive Diseases, published a study in April of 2015 called Celiac Disease and Endocrine Autoimmunity.  In it they concluded that, "Endocrine autoimmunity is prevalent in patients with CD. The genes that predispose to endocrine autoimmune diseases, e.g. type 1 diabetes, autoimmune thyroid diseases, and Addison's disease, are also the major genetic determinants of CD....  Moreover, once autoimmunity is established, a gluten-free diet is not able to induce remission."  Firstly, this last sentence is not true in any way, shape, or form as you will see at the end of this post.  And secondly, as you may have already guessed from this short list, one of the top autoimmune diseases being linked to NCGS is......

• GLUTEN SENSITIVITY & AUTOIMMUNE THYROID:   Although many are unaware, the vast majority of thyroid problems are autoimmune (HERE).  In fact, earlier this year, the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism (Celiac Autoimmunity in Autoimmune Thyroid Disease is Highly Prevalent with a Questionable Impact) stated, "It has been hypothesized that the exposure to gluten in patients with CD triggers off autoimmunity against other tissues in the body.  CD patients are prone to a number of other autoimmune disorders.  The prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is 10–12% in the general population worldwide.  280 consecutive patients with AITD attending the thyroid out-patient department of a tertiary care hospital were screened for the presence of tissue transglutaminase antibodies.  Conclusions: The prevalence of CD in patients with AITD is much greater than in the general population."  This follows closely with the results seen when the May issue of Liver and Digestive Diseases published a Dutch study called A Large Variety of Clinical Features and Concomitant Disorders in Celiac Disease - A Cohort Study in the Netherlands.  In this study the authors revealed that just over one quarter of those diagnosed with CD had autoimmune diseases (immune mediated diseases or IMD).  The third most common of these, just a few tenths of a percentage point behind the first and second place diseases, was THYROID DISEASE.  What was in first place.......? 

• GLUTEN AND TYPE I DIABETES:  Not to be confused with TYPE II DIABETES, Type I Diabetes is an autoimmune disease manifesting in the body attacking various types of cells and enzymes in the pancreas.  Although the cause of Type I Diabetes is unknown, it is said, like most other autoimmune diseases, to be a combination of genetic and "ENVIRONMENTAL" factors.  What are some of these environmental factors?  The April 2015 issue of the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed that, "The one definite environmental factor is congenital rubella, because of which a subset of children subsequently develop type 1 diabetes. The predisposing factors are viruses, gluten and cow's milk. The protective factors include gut flora, helminths [worms], viral infections, and Vitamin D."  Isn't it interesting that viral infections can be both preventative and predisposing at the same time and that worms can be protective?  Another study, this one from the May 2015 issue of Diabetologia (A Model for the Role of Gut Bacteria in the Development of Autoimmunity for Type 1 Diabetes) sums up the whole mess perfectly.  "Studies suggest a testable model whereby a diet high in fat and gluten and low in resistant starch [HERE] may be the primary driver of gut dysbiosis. This dysbiosis may cause a lack of butyrate production by gut bacteria, which, in turn, leads to the development of a permeable gut followed by autoimmunity."  Everything we have been discussing rolled into one neat package.  Just remember that a HIGH FAT DIET is a wonderful thing as long as it is high in good fats.

• GLUTEN & TYPE I DIABETES PART II:  The September 2015 issue of Nutrients (The Role of Gluten in Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes) showed us that, "Celiac disease and type 1 diabetes are autoimmune conditions in which dietary gluten has been proven or suggested to play a pathogenic role."  How do the authors suggest this problem be addressed?  One way mentioned was, "A gluten free diet should cause no side effects, since gluten has limited nutritional value."   Getting off and staying off gluten is important because, "Digested gluten interacts with epithelial cells in the small intestine and triggers the disruption of tight junctions. The consequent increased intestinal permeability leads to...... a high rate of comorbidity between these two autoimmune diseases and their rapidly increasing prevalence in the last few decades.... relating intestinal dysbiosis to various diseases, among which CD is included. It has been shown that the dysbiosis characterizing active CD patients is partially reversible and linked to the presence of gluten in the diet."  A year ago next month, the Canadian Journal of Diabetes (Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes in Adults: Is This a High-Risk Group for Screening?) reiterated these findings by concluding that, "The association between celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune condition involving intestinal inflammation related to gluten ingestion, and type 1 diabetes has long been recognized. CD prevalence rates 4 to 6 times greater in adults with type 1 diabetes than in the general population. Much of the existing literature focuses on important implications related to the impact of a gluten-free diet on short-term outcomes in metabolic control and quality of life. Canadian Diabetes Association guidelines recommend targeted CD screening in patients with type 1 diabetes who have classic symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, unexplained weight loss or labile metabolic control; however, a significant proportion (40% to 60%) of patients may have mild or absent symptoms. Recent evidence suggests that adult patients with both conditions are at higher risk for diabetes microvascular comorbidities, increased mortality and impaired bone health if the CD is untreated."  The icing on the cake is that you don't have to sit back, totally helpless, letting the disease dictate your life.  July's issue of Springer Plus (Potential Beneficial Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet in Newly Diagnosed Children with Type 1 Diabetes) showed how a, "Gluten-free diet is feasible in highly motivated families and is associated with a significantly better outcome as assessed by HbA1c and IDAA1c."  BTW, one of the more common issues I noticed being tied to both CD and Type I Diabetes is......

• GLUTEN & OSTEOPOROSIS:  After looking at over 200 studies on the subject, authors from the University of Connecticut published their meta-analysis (Bones of Contention: Bone Mineral Density Recovery in Celiac Disease—A Systematic Review) in the May 2015 issue of Nutrients.  "Metabolic bone disease is a frequent co-morbidity in newly diagnosed adults with celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune disorder triggered by the ingestion of dietary gluten. Approximately 75% of newly diagnosed patients with celiac disease have low bone mineral density. And when matched by age and gender to a non-affected population, celiac patients have a 40% greater risk for bone fracture   Gluten-free diet adherence resulted in partial recovery of bone density by one year in all studies, and full recovery by the fifth year. No treatment differences were observed between the gluten-free diet alone and diet plus bisphosphonates in one study."   As for bisphospsphonates, we shouldn't be surprised (HERE).  This month's issue of Joint, Bone, and Spine (Osteoarticular Manifestations of Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Hypersensitivity) says simply that, "Celiac disease is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune enteropathy based disorder that is triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. The global prevalence of 1% to 2% represents only the tip of the iceberg.  The diagnosis is difficult and often delayed because the clinical variability is very large, ranging from digestive clinical presentation "classic" to "atypical" symptoms, often extra-intestinal, that are sometimes attributed to a concomitant disease or a complication. Among them, there are frequent musculoskeletal manifestations such as osteoporosis and osteomalacia.  Non-celiac gluten intolerance is a new entity defined by symptomatology similar to that of celiac disease induced by the ingestion of gluten and disappearing after crowding-out [GFD], among patients without specific antibodies and without intestinal lesion of celiac disease."  OSTEOPOROSIS affects bones, and so does......

• GLUTEN & ARTHRITIS:  There is an overwhelming amount of information concerning the relationship of wheat to various forms of arthritis.  One of last year's issues of Acta Chirugiae Orthopedicae et Traumatologiae Cechoslovaca (Bone and Joint Involvement in Celiac Disease) said that, "Celiac disease (gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is currently regarded as a multisystem autoimmune disorder; its clinical signs and symptoms do not involve merely the gastrointestinal tract but are associated with several other medical specialties, including orthopaedics and traumatology. In orthopaedic and trauma patients, celiac disease should be suspected in the following diagnoses: osteomalacia, premenopausal osteoporosis, post-menopausal osteoporosis more severe than expected and refractory to medication, osteoporosis in men under 55 years of age, recurrent bone fractures in the limbs, large joint arthralgia or arthritis of unclear aetiology, erosive spondyloarthropathy particularly in patients with the history of chronic diarrhoea, anaemia or associated autoimmune disorders (type 1 diabetes mellitus or autoimmune thyreopathy), and in women with secondary amenorrhea or early menopause. The orthopaedist or trauma surgeon should be aware of suspected celiac disease in patients who do not respond adequately to the standard treatment of pain related to the musculoskeletal system, in patients with recurrent fractures of the limb bones and in young patients with suspected secondary osteoporosis."  I don't care how you slice it, that was a heck of a list!

• GLUTEN & ARTHRITIS PART II:  Completed at Mexico's Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología and published in January's issue of Spain's Rheumatologia Clinica, this study (Non-celiac Gluten Sensitivity and Rheumatic Diseases) looked specifically at NCGS as it pertains to arthritic problems.  The authors stated, "Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is an emerging entity with symptoms similar to celiac disease, but without specific diagnostic tests.  Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is an emerging entity characterized by gluten-related intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms in patients with negative CD tests who, thus, are not considered to be celiac patients.  With regard to the symptoms, CD and NCGS are indistinguishable.  NCGS is estimated to affect around 5% of the population.   However, the dichotomous working approach of considering CD and NCGS as different entities does not depict the complexity of a disease that is probably the expression of a biological continuum. There are many examples of patients who, following strict criteria, cannot be considered celiacs, but whose profile overlaps substantially with CD.  The idea that has guided the clinical development dealt with in this article is that NCGS occurs frequently and is the cause of a number of rheumatic complaints.  It seems reasonable to think that, like CD, NCGS is also associated with autoimmunity."  After discussing various health issues known to be associated with NCGS (FIBROMYALGIA, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS, CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN, CHRONIC SACROILLIAC PROBLEMS, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, along with a slew of other Autoimmune Diseases), the authors specifically mentioned that, "The use of anti-inflammatory agents, proton pump inhibitors and psychotropic drugs was also minimized because of their secondary effects on the small intestine and on the central nervous system."  What they are referring to here, folks, are THE BIG FIVE (opiods were also mentioned), ACID REFLUX DRUGS, and ANTIDEPRESSANTS.

• GLUTEN & ARTHRITIS PART III:  Last February's issue of Gastroenterology Research (Coeliac Disease With Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Unusual Association) revealed the association between Gut Health (Leaky Gut & Microbiome) and autoimmunity in general.  "Coeliac disease has a significant association with many autoimmune disorders. It shares many common genetic and immunological features with other autoimmune diseases. Gluten, a gut-derived antigen, is the driver of the autoimmunity seen in coeliac disease. The altered intestinal permeability found in coeliac patients, coupled with a genetic predisposition and altered immunological response, may result in a systemic immune response that is directed against sites other than the gut. Gut-derived antigens may have a role in the pathogenesis of other autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis."  Bottom line, if you have chronic joint or back pain and have not done a GLUTEN-FREE ELIMINATION DIET (the correct way, by eliminating CROSS-REACTORS and NIGHTSHADES) and are still suffering, I can't really offer you any help since you are skipping the first and most important of the factors in solving your gluten-related problems.  Speaking of gluten-related problems, you need to realize how many of these gluten-related autoimmune issues are neurological, including.......

• GLUTEN AND CEREBELLAR ATAXIA:  We've known for years that the huge majority of gluten-related symptoms are extra-intestinal (people don't have belly aches, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, etc), with most of these tending to be neurological (HERE).  One of the most well-documented of these is a potential mimic of PARKINSON'S DISEASE known as Cerebellar Ataxia.  Cerebellar Ataxia presents clinically as an inability to coordinate balance, gait, and extremity and eye movements.  Pay attention as the authors of Guidelines for Treatment of Immune-Mediated Cerebellar Ataxias (from the November 2015 issue of Cerebellar Ataxias) reveals one of the body's prime targets for autoimmune reactions.  "Accumulating evidence suggests that the cerebellum is one of the main CNS targets of autoimmunity, as demonstrated by the high prevalence of cerebellar degeneration amongst neurological syndromes."  I would argue that at least half of the ataxic syndromes mentioned (Gluten Ataxia and Hashimoto's Encephalopathy) will likely respond to a GFD.  In March of 2015, seventeen scientific / medical experts got together to create a consensus paper, which was published in the journal Cerebellum.  The authors concluded that, "In patients with immune-mediated cerebellar ataxias, a part of the deficit appears to remain reversible because they are sometimes treatable."   Reversible is cool!  How are they treated?  "In the case of gluten ataxia, strict adherence to a gluten-free diet."   As bad as Cerebellar Ataxia is, there are neruological syndromes that are much worse.  One of these is......
  

• GLUTEN & AMYTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS:  Known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, ALS attacks the part of your nervous system that sends the messages telling your body what to do and how to move.  The result is stiffness, weakness, twitching, atrophy, and eventually a total inability move, speak, swallow, or even breathe.  Needless to say, the disease is 100% fatal, usually within a few years, although some like Stephen Hawking, have lived with it for well over half a century.  This is another of the cases where Epigentics trump Genetics as less than one in ten cases is passed on through genes.  The single biggest risk factor for ALS?  Head injuries, which are themselves strongly associated with autoimmunity (HERE).  In the SUMMER OF 2015, JAMA Neurology published a study called Transglutaminase 6 Antibodies in the Serum of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.  The authors stated that, "Many patients with gluten ataxia produce antibodies toward the newly identified neuronal transglutaminase 6 (TG6). Two case reports described patients initially diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ultimately with celiac disease who improved with a strict gluten-free diet"  In this study, physicians and researchers at Israel's Tel Aviv University compared looked at 150 consecutive ALS patients, testing them for the TG6 antibodies.  The authors concluded that, "The data from this study indicate that, in certain cases, ALS might be associated with autoimmunity and gluten sensitivity."
  

Although there are many reasons people end up with CHRONIC PAIN (some purely mechanical), often times it's totally, or at least largely, a function of inflammation.  Unfortunately, the biggest majority of the American public has no idea what inflammation really is, what causes it, how to reduce it, or for that matter, why it even matters.  It matters because not only does being sick, overweight, and in pain, drain the joy out of life; but in this day and age, will cost you an arm and a leg --- and quite possibly your life.  Follow along as I show you how you --- that's right; you --- can take charge of your health and pull yourself out of the rut that's rapidly becoming your grave. 

In case you are new to my site, you have to realize that health starts in the Gut.  This is why I am constantly preaching that GUT HEALTH is the most important aspect of your overall health.   When I talk about Gut Health, there are two separate but intimately related aspects that should immediately come to mind, Gut Barrier Integrity and an intact and healthy Microbiome.  It is important to realize that these two are so closely related to each other, they are often discussed in tandem in the scientific literature.

• HEALTHY MICROBIOME:  Let me start by saying you are your MICROBIOME.  In other words, you are the bacteria that are found in and on your body.  Allow me to explain.  There have been any number of studies (I discussed one of these IN MY LAST POST) where bacteria from sick, fat, or depressed animals are transplanted into healthy animals, almost immediately making them sick, fat, or depressed.  What's crazy is that this process can run either direction, back and forth.  Put bacteria from healthy subjects back into the "sick" subjects and presto, they become thin, happy, and healthy again.  When the ratios of 'good' Gut bacteria to 'bad' Gut bacteria are out of whack, the medical community refers to this as "Dysbiosis" or A DYSBIOTIC MICROBIOME.  Bear in mind that research on the Microbiome is arguably the hottest area of study in the biomedical field and has been for several years --- even though your doctor has not mentioned it to you.
  
• GUT BARRIER INTEGRITY:  When it comes to the Immune System, we like to talk about B-Cells, T-Cells, antibodies, antigens, etc, etc, etc (HERE or HERE).  Just as important, however, is Gut Barrier Integrity.  Fully 80% of your body's entire immune system resides in your Gut, the lining of which (the intestinal wall), is exactly one cell thick.  This layer of cells creates a barrier against the myriad of invaders constantly trying to get into your bloodstream and wreak their havoc.  A compromised or "leaky" Gut barrier allows these invaders in, causing your immune system to go into hyperdrive, always leading to rampant inflammation, and frequently ('usually' would probably be the best word here) leading to autoimmunity and the NUMEROUS AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES associated with.  Although most physicians (yes, probably yours) deny that LEAKY GUT exists, a quick search of the peer-reviewed literature reveals more than 10,000 studies on the subject (hint; this common problem goes by dozens of names including Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction, Increased Intestinal Permeability, Gut Hyper-permeability, etc, etc, etc).
  

What are the easiest ways to foul the Microbiome?  Let me show you by walking you through the life of a chronically ill person struggling with chronic pain.  Little Johnnie is born to a mother who took any number of MEDICATIONS, including ANTIBIOTICS, while pregnant (yes, gestational antibiotic exposure causes problems for Johnnie after he is born).  A quick look at PubMed.com reveals that mom's SMOKING (not to mention dad's) further degrades Little Johnnie's Microbiome.  We must also account for the fact that Little Johnnie was born via C-SECTION and immediately started on FORMULA (SOY).

Because Little Johnnie always seemed to be sick with COLDS and EAR INFECTIONS, he was always at the doctor and always on ANTIBIOTICS and STEROIDS (corticosteroids are immunosuppressive drugs).  Because these drugs (as well as the OTHERS HE IS ON for his ASTHMA, ADHD, IBS, and PERPETUALLY UPSET STOMACH) destroy the immune system by destroying Gut bacteria, Little Johhnie has always been that much more susceptible to whatever infection happened to be coming down the pike.  And did I mention; because Little Johnnie spent so much time at the doctor, he has had every recommended vaccination and then some --- a significant destroyer of one's Microbiome as well (HERE, HERE, or yesterday's post).

Because things were almost always hectic (crazy might be a better term), Little Johnnie grew up eating lots of HOT DOGS & CHICKEN NUGGETS, frozen pizza, instant macaroni and cheese, cold cereal, and peanut butter sandwiches.  Plus, there was always soda and "SNACKS" handy.   Since Little Johnnie was frequently sick, his mom told him he couldn't go outside, but could instead hang out in the house and play VIDEO GAMES.   After awhile mom noticed that Little Johnnie is not as 'little' as he was, and switches him from regular soda to DIET SODA --- a major destroyer of Gut bacteria (see link). 

As Johnnie enters adulthood, he isn't even aware that the fact that he is LIVING THE HIGH CARB LIFESTYLE (and literally never eats vegetables of any kind, except CORN) is contributing to his growing number of health problems and pain.  That's right; Johnnie is having joint pain, and his doctor recently told him that he is a borderline diabetic (pre-diabetes, aka Metabolic Syndrome).   His doctor started him on some NSAID MEDICATION,  DIABETES MEDICATION, and for good measure, an ANTIDEPRESSANT.  Since he is significantly overweight, his doctor told Johnnie to CUT BACK ON HIS FAT INTAKE.  Johnnie tried it, but feels DRAWN TO the "foods" he grew up with, not even remotely aware that SUGAR AND HIGH GLYCEMIC CARBS FEED DYSBIOSIS.  

Although Little Johnnie's case might seem extreme, how many of us have had to deal with at least some of these factors over the course of our lives?  Probably most of us, as there are so many novel ways to screw up one's microbiome that I didn't even mention.  And ultimately, what a fouled up, leaky, and dysbiotic Gut leads to is inflammation.  

Inflammation is the collective name given to a group of internal chemical messengers responsible for healing damaged tissue, no matter the cause of said damage.  For a moment, I want you to visualize the inflammation in your body as red ink.  Now, imagine that red ink is pouring from your kitchen faucet and into your sink.  Just like inflammation, certain things you do create more of it, and certain things create less. 

In Johnnie's case, as more and more inflammation in the form of red ink pours from the faucet with increasing intensity and volume, it overcomes the ability of the sink's drain to deal with it, eventually overflowing onto the floor.  What does Johnnie do?  He tries to mop up the inflammation by taking the various drugs his doctors have given him (MOSTLY THESE).  Unfortunately for Johnnie, the sink continues to pour red ink out on to the floor, and no matter how much or how intensely Johnnie mops, sponges, and wrings, he can't get ahead of the red wave that is not only destroying his floor, but filling his basement.  It's getting so bad that the ink is starting to create a pool that can be seen slowly rising up the walls in his kitchen and living room.  Johnnie is all but drowning in red ink.  

Johnnie continues to see his doctors, who try all sorts of novel, interesting, and "SCIENTIFIC" treatments to no avail.  Even after installing drains in Johnnie's kitchen and living room floors, the level of red ink in his house, even though slowed momentarily, is continuing to rise.  

To us who are on the outside looking in, the solution is obvious.  Simply walk over and turn off the faucet, stopping the flow of red ink (inflammation) onto the floor, into the basement, and out into the street.  Once this first step has been taken, Johnnie could actually make some progress cleaning up the existing mess.  It's a fairly easy concept, isn't it?  Stop inflammation at its source instead of constantly trying to mop up the mess it leaves behind.

The first thing I want you to understand is what inflammation really is (HERE).  Not to pick on my patients, but few do.  And not to pick on their doctors, but none are explaining it to them as an overarching principle of health.  If you don't know your enemy, how in the world do you propose to conquer him?  Secondly, you must understand that while drugs might diminish inflammation for awhile, they don't change health (HERE).  And thirdly, realize what causes inflammation.  Although we talk in terms of things like SUGAR CAUSING INFLAMMATION, this might not be quite as true as we think.  Basically everything we do has consequences on the health of our Gut (HERE), and it's a screwed up Gut that ultimately drives the inflammation.  What does inflammation do as far as ill health is concerned?  Everything!

There's good reason that you'll sometimes hear physicians (particularly those with a "natural" bent) say that, "Inflammation is everything!".  They're correct.  Inflammation is what drives the vast majority of our health issues --- even many of those erroneously deemed "GENETIC".  Want to know if you are inflamed?  Take THIS SELF TEST,  Before we leave this topic, I want to talk about inflammation as it relates to both Scar Tissue and Chronic Pain.

Inflammation always (that would be 'always' as in always) leads to something called Fibrosis (HERE).  Because most people have no idea what Fibrosis is, in my clinic I refer to it as MICROSCOPIC SCAR TISSUE.  Believe me when I tell you that Scar Tissue is a big deal!  ADJUSTMENTS, THERAPY, massage, and any number of other therapies and modalities --- therapies and modalities that have the potential to be highly beneficial --- cannot work as they should as long as there is Scar Tissue present in the form of FASCIAL ADHESIONS. 

Beyond microscopic scarring in the form of Fibrosis; when chronic inflammation is exposed to injured, damaged, or compromised tissue (particularly nerve), hypersensitivity can result.  The famous medical neurologist and father of MODERN DRY NEEDLING, Dr. Chan Gunn, wrote in a RECENT PAPER that various tissues of the body that have had the nerves to them injured have the ability to be hypersensitized to the point they are over a thousand times more pain-sensitive than normal tissues.  Not surprisingly, Gunn was mentioned in the foreword of surgeons Rea & Patel's Reversibility of Chronic Degenerative Disease and Hypersensitivity, Volumes 1-5, when they stated, "Thanks to all the great anatomists and physiologists of the ages, especially ... Chan Gunn, MD... and many others whose ideas and facts we used liberally to solidify the concepts of hypersensitivity and chronic degenerative disease." 

This sort of scenario is exactly what we find with Scar Tissue and at least part of the mechanism that induces Chronic Pain.  Let me hit you with a few studies as related to Inflammation, Fibrosis, and Chronic Pain / Chronic Disease.

The bottom line is that anything that causes tissue damage from injury, to smoking, to crappy diets, to CHEMICAL EXPOSURE, to food intolerances such as GLUTEN or NIGHTSHADES, etc, etc, etc, causes at least some degree of inflammation (did you know that aluminum is purposefully added to virtually all vaccines in order to purposely cause an inflammatory response --- HERE)?   My point here is to show you in a step-wise fashion why it may behoove you to do whatever you can to control the amount of inflammation in your blood (Systemic Inflammation).

I've SHOWN YOU PREVIOUSLY that there are essentially three types of pain.  While inflammation is virtually always a part of the pain process at the beginning, it's not always part of the process at the endpoint.  Allow me to elucidate.  According to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Types of Chronic Pain), "Chronic pain may also occur despite healing and with no obvious injury to tissues. This may be the result of damage to the nerves that transmit pain (neuropathic pain), but chronic pain also affects the entire nervous system, sometimes in a permanent way. When any type of pain lasts a long time there can be changes in the spinal cord and the brain that change how we perceive painful sensations. These changes may result in severe pain with little or no painful stimulus."  In English, this means that you do whatever it takes to deal with underlying inflammation now because the longer the entire process continues, the greater the chance of it being "locked" into your nervous system where it plays on a continual loop.

• CHRONIC INFLAMMATION = CHRONIC PAIN:  Last month's issue of Trends in Immunology (Nociceptor Sensory Neuron-Immune Interactions in Pain and Inflammation) revealed this about nociceptors (pain receptors), "Nociceptor sensory neurons protect organisms from danger by eliciting pain and driving avoidance. Pain also accompanies many types of inflammation and injury. It is increasingly clear that active crosstalk occurs between nociceptor neurons and the immune system to regulate pain, host defense, and inflammatory diseases."  In a study from the September issue of RMD Open (Post-Traumatic Arthritis: Overview on Pathogenic Mechanisms and Role of Inflammation), we learn that, "Post-traumatic arthritis (PTA) develops after an acute direct trauma to the joints. The activation of inflammatory mechanisms during the PTA acute phase appears to play a critical role in the chronic disease onset."  None of this is rocket science and.........
  

• NONE OF THIS INFORMATION IS REALLY NEW:  Although science is constantly adding to their knowledge-base in this area, it's not like any of this is really new information.  For instance, a 2001 issue of the British Journal of Anesthesia (Mechanisms of Inflammatory Pain) revealed that, "One of the cardinal features of inflammatory states is that normally innocuous stimuli produce pain and result in the hypersensitivity state that accompanies inflammation.  Symptoms and signs arising from normal tissues exposed to high intensity stimuli generally reflect the intensity, localization and timing of the initiating stimuli. In contrast, pain arising from inflamed or injured tissues may arise spontaneously in the absence of an external trigger. Alternatively, responses to noxious stimuli may be enhanced (hyperalgesia) or normally innocuous stimuli may produce pain (allodynia)."  This is a fantastic overview of the entire process, talking at length about the way that specific inflammatory markers (cytokines, interleukins, bradykinnin, prostaglandins, histamine, nitric oxide, substance P, etc, etc, etc,) affect pain pathways.  Furthermore, almost two decades ago, Current Reviews in Pain (A Role for Inflammation in Chronic Pain) said that, "Recent studies indicate that inflammatory events induced by nerve injury play a central role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. These involve inflammatory cells (eg, macrophages), the production of molecules that mediate inflammation (cytokines / interleukins), and the production of nerve growth factor (NGF). However, in many instances, neuropathic pain is associated with nerve inflammation, neuritis, in the absence of nerve injury. It is conceivable that biochemical and physiologic changes (inflammatory mediators) that occur along the "pain pathway" (nociceptors, peripheral nerve, dorsal root ganglion, dorsal root, neurons in the spinal cord) may sensitize one or all these sites along the pain pathway and hence lead to chronic pain)."  Macrophages are cells in the immune system that clean up invaders by engulfing them and then digesting them like the 1950's movie, The Blob.  The cells that do this job in the brain (the brain's macrophages) are called microglial cells, and......
  

• MICROGLIA ARE A HUGE DEAL WHEN IT COMES TO CHRONIC PAIN:  Thought for decades to simply be a structural sort of scaffolding framework for the brain (a sort of "glue" to hold the structure together, MICROGLIAL CELLS are not only at the forefront of Chronic Pain research, but act as both gatekeepers and housekeepers, destroying invading pathogens and cleaning out dead neurons and other cellular debris, often times leaving pro-inflammatory messengers in their wake (remember that inflammation is responsible for tissue repair).  This is all a function of the Sympathetic Nervous System, which we will talk about in the next bullet point, and is a part of normal physiological function.  But when microglia are let off their leash, bad things can occur.  Here are a few studies on the topic.  An Italian study from the September issue of CNS & Neurological Disorders Drug Targets (Mast Cell - Glia Dialogue in Chronic Pain and Neuropathic Pain: Blood-Brain Barrier Implications) revealed that the scenario we are discussing today can be related to "LEAKY BRAIN / CORD / NERVE SYNDROME".  "Mast cells and microglia, working singly and in partnership, produce inflammatory agents which play key roles in a wide array of nervous system disorders. Such neuroinflammatory settings may compromise integrity of the blood-nerve barrier, the blood-brain barrier, and blood-spinal cord barrier.  Mast cells and glia are endowed with homeostatic mechanisms/molecules which come into play following tissue damage."  Furthermore, this month's copy of Science (Pain Regulation by Non-Neuronal Cells and Inflammation) said that, "Acute pain is protective and a cardinal feature of inflammation. Chronic pain after arthritis, nerve injury, cancer, and chemotherapy is associated with chronic neuroinflammation, a local inflammation in the peripheral or central nervous system. Accumulating evidence suggests that non-neuronal cells such as immune cells, glial cells......  play active roles in the pathogenesis and resolution of pain. Recent studies also suggest that bacterial infections regulate pain through direct actions on sensory neurons, and specific receptors are present in nociceptors to detect danger signals from infections."  Did you catch that?  Bacteria are responsible for regulating pain.  Can anyone say Gut Health?
  

• CRPS / RSD; THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM RUN AMOK:   There are two parts of the Autonomic Nervous System, the Parasympathetic and Sympathetic.  The Parasympathetic has to do with rest, relaxation, and digestion, while the Sympathetic is what gives you that jolt of adrenaline (epinephrine) necessary for a "fight or flight" response.  When the body is in a state of SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE, bad things happen.  Listen to what Dr. Dr. Katinka van der Merwe of Fayetville Arkansas says in a guest post for the RSDSA website called Putting Out the Fire: A Brand New Approach to Treating RSD/CRPS. "The one thing every CRPS patient has in common is that they are stuck in Sympathetic overdrive, meaning, instead of their nervous system being nicely balanced between these two states, they are stuck in Sympathetic overdrive. This often happens long before they ever develop CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome).  The Vagus Nerve supplies motor Parasympathetic fibers to ALL the organs except the adrenal glands, from the neck down to the transverse colon. The Vagus Nerve (VN) is responsible for many different tasks, including (but not limited to): heart rate, digestion, sweating, speech, coughing, fainting, and vomiting, to name but a few. Remember, people who suffer from CRPS also suffer from Sympathetic dominance (the schoolyard bully), causing the Parasympathetic nervous system to be suppressed and to shut down. This means that people who suffer from CRPS also suffer, by definition, from an underactive VN.  An underactive VN may be a result of an injury to your upper cervical spine (neck) directly, such as an old whiplash injury...."  The cool thing is, it's fairly easy to measure the degree that a person's neck is not functioning (HERE) as well as the degree of SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE a person is dealing with.   In fact, if you look at the first link in this bullet, you'll note that it is actually a better marker for inflammation than blood biomarkers.  BTW, it's virtually universal to see people in Sympathetic Dominance after a WHIPLASH INJURY.
  

• PARASITES CAN CAUSE INFLAMMATION:  I recently had a dear friend nearly die of PARASITES that doctors could neither find nor treat.  Fortunately, he got things turned around and is today living a happy, healthy life.  Never forget that in similar fashion to bacteria, parasites are huge modulators of the immune system compounds known as "inflammation".  A study from this month's issue of Parasite Immunology (Signalling Pathways Associated with IL-6 Production and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Induction in Prostate Epithelial Cells Stimulated with Trichomonas Vaginalis) proved this point in a study concerning the world's most common 'cureable' STD, Trichomonas Vaginalis.  "Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) has been found in patient tissue of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and suggested to cause chronic prostatitis. IL-6 is known as one of the important factors of chronic inflammation in prostate cancer. Patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) had higher levels of IL-6 in seminal plasma. Furthermore, inflammatory conditions induced by pathogen infections have been shown to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We found that PECs stimulated with Tv increased the production of IL-6, as well as [numerous other inflammatory markers].  These findings are the first evidence that Tv infection of prostate epithelial cells may induce EMT."  Interestingly enough, EMT  also happens to be strongly associated with the inflammatory conditions; CANCER and Fibrosis.
  

• DEPRESSION IS RELATED TO THE WHOLE MESS:  We know from research that DEPRESSION is related to both inflammation (which is the known cause of Depression --- HERE) and Chronic Pain (which in my opinion causes a huge amount of Depression --- much more than the reverse).  Last month's issue of Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences (Patterns of Association of Chronic Medical Conditions and Major Depression) helped prove this by concluding that, "Overall, conditions characterised by pain and inflammation tended to show stronger associations with major depressive episodes. The prevalence of MDE is elevated in association with most chronic conditions, but especially those characterised by inflammation and pain."  What exactly are these inflammatory conditions mentioned?  They are many found on THIS LIST of inflammatory conditions ("high blood pressure, cancer, migraine, arthritis, diabetes, back pain, cataracts, effects of stroke and heart disease, thyroid disease, epilepsy....).  Last month's issue of Neuroscience (The Effects of Extended Pain on Behavior: Recent Progress) stated, "Chronic pain is frequently associated with anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunction. This review discusses recent work in rodents that contributes to the understanding of their neurobiological links. Brain regions that contain circuits that mediate persistent changes in behavior that are caused by nerve injury or joint inflammation......  Broadly projecting modulatory systems and widely expressed factors such as cytokines and growth factors also contribute to pain-associated behavior. "  If you want to understand the concept of "growth factors" as related to nerve tissue, take a look at the pictures in the "Chronic Pain" link at the very top of my website.
  

• FIBROMYALGIA AND INFLAMMATION:  If there is a more misunderstood systemic health issue than FIBROMYALGIA, I'm not quite sure what it would be.  Next month's issue of Neuroscience (Neurobiology of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Widespread Pain) helped shed light on this by not surprisingly revealing that it's related to whole-body inflammation.  "Fibromyalgia is the current term for chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain for which no alternative cause can be identified. Emerging evidence has begun exploring other potential mechanisms including a peripheral nervous system component to the generation of pain and the role of systemic inflammation.  We conclude that fibromyalgia and related disorders are conditions with a complicated pathobiology, with patients falling along a continuum, with one end a purely peripherally driven painful condition and the other end of the continuum is when pain is purely centrally driven."
  

Let me assure you that "CENTRALLY DRIVEN" pain is not where you want to be.  This is the pain, which in similar fashion to riding a bike, you can't forget because it has become locked into neurological pathways and "memorized" so to speak. 

Punchline.  It's defined by Wikipedia as, "the unexpected and funny conclusion of any performance, situation, story, or joke."  When it comes to Chronic Inflammation, there's always an "unexpected conclusion".  Unfortunately, it's never a laughing matter.   Chronic Inflammation will always lead you down the path of Chronic Pain, some of which has the potential to become self-perpetuating (centralized).  This means that you had better do everything within your power to live as anti-inflammatory life as is humanly possible.  And while the concepts for doing so are fairly simple and straightforward, walking it out in real life is not always so easy --- at least until you get the hang of it.  My friend Richard J. Burris of LEADERS FUEL wrote recently in one of his free online articles that.....

"Lasting change takes time. It takes practicing something a little bit very often.  90% of the U.S. population are considered 'health seekers'. This means 9 of 10 of us know we are not practicing regular habits that support a healthy life. (And age has nothing to do with it. There are plenty of people in their 70s and 80s enjoying better health than many 20 and 30 somethings.) Does this mean only 1 in 10 people is a gifted and talented person of health and 9 out 10 have little to no potential for enjoying good health? Of course, it doesn’t. You already knew that!  The 10% are no longer looking for better health because they do a little every day to support their health. They're not all triathletes and marathon runners.  But, even the super athletes must get off the couch and train every day."

Fortunately for you, there are people out there who are watching your back.  Why is this important for you to know?  Because many of those whom you have trusted with your health are not helping you out in any tangible way, and probably making you worse.  Your doctors?  Are you joking me?  They ignore the current research every chance they get (HERE), while prescribing increasing numbers of TESTS and DRUGS.  And speaking of more drugs; more doctor visits plus more drugs is nothing but status quo healthcare in America.  It's the very thing you've been trapped in, but trying to free yourself from for years; maybe decades.  The solution often boils down to you being honest with yourself about a simple question; when it comes to your health, are you looking for sympathy or empowerment (HERE)?

How do you get off the medical merry-go-round?  For many of you that is the $64,000 question.  Fortunately, I'm handing out gold bricks today in the form of an "EXIT STRATEGY".  If you are interested in getting out of pain and getting your life back, a great place to start is HERE.  And for those of you who found this helpful, take two seconds to reach those you love and care about most by liking or sharing on FACEBOOK.  They'll be thrilled you did.

"There has been increasing interest in understanding the role of the human gut microbiome.  Certain microbes have been shown to enhance metabolism, the immune system, cancer resistance, endocrine signaling, and brain function.  Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is the administration of a solution of fecal matter from a donor into the intestinal tract of a recipient in order to directly change the recipient’s microbial composition and confer a health benefit.  There are indications to suggest therapeutic potential for other conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and functional gastrointestinal disorders.  In addition, observations from patients treated with FMT for functional bowel disorders have noted improvement in seemingly unrelated comorbidities, revealing a possible role for gut-microbiota modification in many other conditions."  Cherry-picked, as are all quotes on this post, from the March issue of Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology (Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: In Perspective)

There are two main reasons that I'm doing another post on FMT (Fecal Microbiota Transplant) as it relates to Gut Health and chronic inflammatory diseases.  Number one, my last post on this topic was over a year ago.  Because this subject is one of the hottest in all of medicine, it behooves us to look into what the medical community is saying about it.  Secondly, one of the most common questions I get looks like this.  After going telling me about their array of diverse and nasty physical symptoms, then talking about how many tests they've been through and doctors they've seen, people ask me this question (often in the form of an email or blog comment).  Hey Doc, what can be done about my X.................(insert virtually any health problem for X)?   If you've ever asked this question, this post is for you.

Bowel health has been a known factor in overall health for thousands of years.  Yet what do we continue to do here in America?  We go out of our way to destroy the health of our collective guts, in every conceivable way (HERE'S A NOVEL ONE).  As I've already shown you, both ANTIBIOTICS and NON-ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS destroy the diversity of the bacteria that make up what's known as your MICROBIOME (the bacteria that live in your Gut and urogenital tracts, and on your skin).  The resulting imbalance of "bad" bacteria to "good" bacteria (or even an imbalance in the ratios of various types of "good" bacteria) is known in science as DYSBIOSIS, which is then fed by sugar and highly processed carbohydrates.  However, medicine in the form of various DRUGS are not the only exogenous chemicals that cause Dysbiosis.   Let's discuss for a moment the role of vaccines in Dysbiosis.

Although it is very politically incorrect to say so --- a career-busting death knell (ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE A SCIENTIST) --- vaccines; especially the MONSTER NUMBERS PEOPLE ARE BEING COERCED INTO TAKING TODAY, are dramatically disrupting the body's ability to achieve something called HOMEOSTASIS.  In plain English, VACCINES are responsible for the disruption of health, largely via disruption of one's microbiome.  I've shown you the mechanism via something known in the scientific community as the "HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS".   Let me give you an example from the April issue of Gut (The Gut Microbiota Plays a Protective Role in the Host Defense Against Pneumococcal Pneumonia).  This European study helps make the case, while addressing today's topic; FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANTATION.

While not discussing pneumococcal vaccine specifically, this study says that, "Pneumonia accounts for more deaths than any other infectious disease worldwide (3.5 million, although this number is probably an underestimation).  Antibiotic treatment led to a significant drop in the microbial diversity, which was significantly reversed by transplantation of normal feces.  We found that the gut microbiota protects the host during pneumococcal pneumonia, as reflected by increased bacterial dissemination, inflammation, organ damage and mortality in microbiota-depleted mice compared with controls. FMT in gut microbiota-depleted mice led to a normalization of pulmonary bacterial counts."  Instead of doing things to normalize immune system function, what are we doing here in America?  We're telling people that along with FLU VACCINES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE NEARLY 100% INEFFECTIVE, they need to get an annual pneumonia vaccine as well, which actually destroys Gut Health, leading to infections, including pneumonia itself.   Lest you think I am inferring too much from this study, lets move to another.

The same month as the study above, the journal Clinical & Transnational Immunology published a similar study called Bugging Inflammation: Role of the Gut Microbiota.  This study began by saying, "The advent of vaccination and improved hygiene (antibiotics such as penicillin) have eliminated many of the deadly infectious pathogens in developed nations. However, the incidences of inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, obesity and diabetes are increasing dramatically."  We could spend a month dissecting these two sentences made by scientists at Australia's Monash University.  Since we don't have time, let's take a quick peek at what they have to say about the Hygiene Hypothesis as it relates to health and disease.

"Decreases in early-life microbe exposure owing to increased hygiene, parallel major increases in the incidence of inflammatory diseases. Owing to this association, researchers have proposed two hypotheses to describe the recent drastic increase in the incidence of inflammatory diseases.  The hygiene hypothesis was proposed as an explanation for the increasing prevalence of inflammatory diseases in the Western world. The hygiene hypothesis is hinged on the proposition that early-life exposure to diverse microbes help the immune system develop and differentiate infectious from harmless agents. Previous studies have shown that children raised in rural areas have more frequent microbial exposures and lower incidences of asthma, leading to the belief that a cleaner environment, such as with improved hygiene, results in a dysregulated immune response and consequent development of inflammatory diseases.  This creates a lack of diversity in the microbiota, and is thought to cause an underdeveloped immune system, predisposing the host to a range of diseases. Therefore, the contribution of both urban/rural setting and antibiotic use have been shown to influence microbiota composition and diversity, induce a dysregulated immune response and leads to the development of inflammatory diseases."

Because researchers tend value their jobs (who could blame them?), they would not dare directly attack, or even raise questions about vaccinations.  However, in this case someone had the cahonies to do an end-run and take a shot at the unprotected flanks.  Despite growing numbers of scientists taking this 'contrarian' position, our government continues to spout their status quo; that vaccinations don't really have any side effects other than the ones mentioned at the beginning of THIS POST.  While not denying that the reactions seen toward the end of the link exist, authorities claim they are extremely rare.  As you can see, bolstered by current peer-review (particularly if it comes from outside the United States) researchers are gaining small measures of courage to at least discuss / mention this issue.  A prime example can be found in the January issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology (Gut Microbiota in Autism and Mood Disorders).  In this study a half dozen Italian researchers concluded that.....

"Available evidences display that the impairment of gut microbiota plays a key role in the development of autism and mood disorders. The gut microbiota is involved in the maturation of the immune system: it stimulates innate immunity in the early years of life, leading to the maturation of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, and acquired immunity, through stimulation of local and systemic immune responses. Known, finally, is the role in the synthesis and metabolism of certain nutrients, hormones and vitamins, and clearance of drugs and toxicity.  Recent data show the strong correlation between dysbiosis and conditions such as obesity, allergies, autoimmune disorders, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and psychiatric disorders.  Due to these new evidences about the fundamental role of gut microbiota in the alteration of immune, neural, and endocrine pathways, the so-called “gut-brain axis” is acquiring new significance, even if the communication routes are not still defined.  In the last few years, much research has been done in this direction, underlying the importance of dysbiosis in the etiopathogenesis of pathology such as autism, dementia and mood disorder. The evidence of the inflammatory state alteration, highlighted in disorders such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, strongly recalls the microbiota alteration and highly suggests an important role of the alteration of GI system also in neuropsychiatric disorders.  In particular, the dysbiosis and the consequent alteration of intestinal permeability lead respectively to the production and spread into the bloodstream of ......."

Firstly, much of this study will be lost on you if you did not at least browse the previous link (it's short) as having a firm understanding of the HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS.  Secondly, we see that AUTISM is tied directly to GUT HEALTH (HERE as well). Thirdly, did you catch the reference to LEAKY GUT SYNDROME ("intestinal permeability" allowing all sorts of toxic junk to be "spread into the bloodstream")?    And fourthly, the authors put the cherry on the sundae by revealing that FMT is a viable option for treating those with Autism (the study related it to the "amelioration of specific symptoms" in autistic children).  

Do you think that vaccines might have the capability of fouling / corroding / destroying Gut Health?  If not, you've been swallowing too much of what the taxpayer-funded government-led propaganda machines continue to distill.  Their distortions of the truth and outright lies are just another of the many examples of the unholy alliance between BIG PHARMA and our GOVERNMENT (including the FDA) --- one more reason SCIENCE-BASED MEDICINE is often anything but.   But beyond antibiotics, medications, vaccinations, dysbiosis, a leaky gut, and their relationship(s) to any number of health issues, diet is also at play here.  After Bugging Inflammation discussed the importance of DIETARY FIBER as a prebiotic food source for our microbiomes, they mentioned that.......

"It is becoming increasingly clear that the aforementioned hypotheses inadvertently [or maybe even intentionally] influences the composition of the host gut microbiota / microbiome. The microbiota harbour essential genes required for the metabolism of food intake, indicating an additional role in energy harvest and homeostasis. Many factors in the hypothesis, such as antibiotic use and dietary components, influence significantly on the composition of the host gut microbiota. The resultant dysbiotic microbiota could prove to merge both the hygiene hypothesis and the diet hypothesis into one, and contribute to the risk of inflammatory disease development. However, this also raises an exciting opportunity whereby altering the microbiota may also present as a potential modifiable component or therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases.  Factors in both the ‘hygiene hypothesis' and the ‘diet hypothesis' converge on microbiota modulation. The factors proposed by the hygiene hypothesis (such as early childhood exposure to microorganisms and the use of antibiotics) and... FMT."

The first thing I would ask is why aren't more practicing physicians talking about diet since it's importance is reinforced over and over again in the peer-reviewed science (HERE)?  And while the authors tout both PROBIOTICS and FMT as effective therapy against any number of INFLAMMATORY and AUTOIMMUNE illnesses, they readily admit that, "Human studies have shown that probiotics have minimal effects on the composition of the gut microbiota, and is usually undetectable after 2 weeks post-ingestion."  Unfortunately they are correct.  The April issue of Genome Medicine (Alterations in Fecal Microbiota Composition by Probiotic Supplementation in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials) takes this concept even farther by stating, after reviewing studies on the efficacy of probiotics for treating "healthy adults," that there was a, "lack of evidence for an impact of probiotics on fecal microbiota composition."  Firstly, this study tells us absolutely nothing about using probiotics to treat "unhealthy" patients, of which there are hundreds, if not thousands of studies touting benefits for.  And secondly, even though I see numerous patients who respond like gang-busters to probiotic therapy; for the chronically ill patient, FMT is frequently a far better option (HERE'S WHY). 

What I am going to do now is show you a few studies from our current calendar year (2016) that help prove that while I might be slightly off my rocker, I'm not totally off my rocker, although there are plenty out there that would vigorously debate this.

• WHAT LEADS TO DYSBIOSIS?  The June issue of Clinical & Transnational Immunology (New Insights Into Therapeutic Strategies for Gut Microbiota Modulation in Inflammatory Diseases) stated that, "The interaction between the gut microbiota and the host immune system is very important for balancing and resolving inflammation. The human microbiota begins to form during childbirth. C-section delivery, formula feeding, a high-sugar diet, a high-fat diet and excess hygiene negatively affect the health of the microbiota. Considering that the majority of the global population has experienced at least one of these factors that can lead to inflammatory disease, it is important to understand strategies to modulate the gut microbiota."  Think about it for a moment.  There are lot's of C-SECTIONS here in America (ONE IN THREE).  Most citizens are LIVING THE HIGH CARB LIFESTYLE.  Children are often given formula instead of being breast fed (HERE).  And as you'll see from other studies we'll discuss momentarily, science is saying that all it really takes to completely foul up your microbiome is a single round of antibiotics (HERE and HERE).   As for those worried about a diet high in healthy fats (HERE or HERE), don't be, as the authors are talking about "high fat" diets as they relate to JUNK OR HIGHLY PROCESSED FOOD.   BTW, the study discussed the benefits of FMT.

• BLOOD PRESSURE REGULATION:  Last month's copy of Circulation Research (Hypertension-Linked Pathophysiological Alterations in the Gut) revealed that, "Sympathetic nervous system control of inflammation plays a central role in hypertension. The gut receives significant sympathetic innervation, is densely populated with a diverse microbial ecosystem, and contains immune cells that greatly impact overall inflammatory homeostasis. The increase in blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats was associated with gut pathology that included increased intestinal permeability and decreased tight junction proteins. These changes in gut pathology in hypertension were associated with alterations in microbial communities relevant in blood pressure control. A dysfunctional sympathetic-gut communication is associated with gut pathology, dysbiosis, and inflammation, and plays a key role in hypertension. Thus, targeting of gut microbiota by innovative probiotics, antibiotics, and fecal transplant, in combination with current pharmacotherapy, may be a novel strategy for hypertension treatment."  There's that Leaky Gut / Dysbiosis / Inflammation thing again.  Quite interesting considering that SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE is best measured by Heart Rate Variability, which has itself been shown to be better than blood work for measuring systemic inflammation (click the link).

• POST-STROKE ORGAN FAILURE:  What happens when blood pressure is not dealt with?  CardioVascular Accidents (CVA's) which are also known as strokes.  Last month's issue of Critical Care (Successful Treatment with Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Patients with Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome and Diarrhea Following Severe Sepsis) provided a case study of two elderly gentlemen who had been diagnosed post-stroke who were both suffering with, "multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), cerebellar hemorrhage and cerebral infarction, septic shock, intestinal dysbiosis and severe watery diarrhea....  Following FMT, MODS and severe diarrhea were alleviated in both patients. Their stool output and body temperature markedly declined and normalized.....  associated with a decrease in the patients' fecal output and in the levels of plasma inflammation markers."  No idea whether or not these individuals regained neurological function, but FMT bringing people out of multiple organ failure is rather astounding no matter how you slice it.

• CARDIOMETABOLIC SYNDROME & OBESITY:  Because my site has at least a dozen studies showing that antibiotics lead to obesity (obesity is part of the METABOLIC SYNDROME) --- PARTICULARLY IN CHILDREN --- it should come as no surprise that there are tons of studies on using FMT to treat those with Metabolic Syndrome (aka "PRE-DIABETES").  I am going to give you a few from this year.  The September issue of the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine (Treating Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome with Fecal Microbiota Transplantation) had this to day on the subject.  "Alterations of this complex physiological bacterial population associated with negative functional outcomes or disease, known as dysbiosis, can cause low-level inflammation and altered intestinal homeostasis. Dysbiosis is linked to a variety of ailments, including obesity and its associated metabolic disturbances. One way to modify the human gut microbiome is by transplanting fecal matter, which contains an abundance of live microorganisms, from a healthy individual to a diseased one...."   While this might initially sound gross, it usually starts sounding much more tolerable once the possibility of living life at a healthy weight is contemplated.

• CARDIOMETABOLIC SYNDROME AND OBESITY PART II:  The April issue of Nutrients (The Intestinal Microbiota in Metabolic Disease) showed that, "microbial changes in diseased subjects have been linked to adiposity, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia.  Gut bacteria exert beneficial and harmful effects in metabolic diseases as deduced from the comparison of germ free and conventional mice and from fecal transplantation studies."  This next study is particularly interesting in light of what we know about SUGAR BEING CANCER'S FOOD OF CHOICE.  The July issue of Current Oncology Reports (The Gut Microbiome and Obesity) stated that, "Animal and human studies have implicated distortion of the normal microbial balance in obesity and metabolic syndrome. Bacteria causing weight gain are thought to induce the expression of genes related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism thereby leading to greater energy harvest from the diet. There is a large body of evidence demonstrating that alteration in the [microbiome] leads to the development of obesity...."   February's issue of Frontiers in Cellular Infection and Microbiology (The New Era of Treatment for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders: Evidence and Expectations for Gut Microbiome Transplantation) put the icing on the cake when they revealed that, "The microbiome has been implicated in the development of obesity. Conventional therapeutic methods have limited effectiveness for the treatment of obesity and prevention of related complications. Recently, microbes residing in the human gastrointestinal tract have been found to act as an "endocrine" organ, whose composition and functionality may contribute to the development of obesity. Therefore, fecal/gut microbiome transplantation (GMT), which involves the transfer of feces from a healthy donor to a recipient, is increasingly drawing attention as a potential treatment for obesity."  They are correct about interventions for the obese being ineffective (HERE).  Fortunately for you, there are literally hundreds of studies on FMT / GMT for treating OBESITY.

• POLY-CYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME:   Because PCOS is causally linked with sugar and carbohydrate metabolism (it's typically treated with the same drugs doctors treat DIABETES with), it should come as no surprise that we are starting to see studies on the topic as it relates to FMT.  The April issue of PLoS One (Association Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Gut Microbiota) stated that, "Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age. It is difficult to treat PCOS because of its complex etiology and pathogenesis. After treating PCOS rats with Lactobacillus and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from healthy rats, it was found that the estrous cycles were improved in all 8 rats in FMT group.  These results indicated that dysbiosis of gut microbiota was associated with the pathogenesis of PCOS."   If you are heavy, hairy, and have unusually severe menstrual problems, it's likely you have PCOS.

• CONSTIPATION:  Because so many of the problems commonly treated with FMT are intimately associated with diarrhea (C. Diff, COLITIS, Crohn's, Regional Illitis, etc, etc), it should be noted that one of the recent studies was on CONSTIPATION.  Published in the April issue of the Archives of Medical Research (Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Combination with Soluble Dietary Fiber for Treatment of Slow Transit Constipation: A Pilot Study), this study said that, "Intestinal microbiota and soluble dietary fiber play an important role in intestinal microecology, which is closely related to gut motility. Regulating intestinal microecology comprised of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and fiber supplementation is becoming a novel therapy for functional gastrointestinal disease. The patients showed an increased stool frequency from 1.7 per week to 4.8 per week and an improved stool consistency after FMT combined with fiber. This is a pilot study confirming that FMT combined with fiber may improve symptoms experienced by constipated patients by regulating intestinal microecology, without any serious adverse events."  Hardcore constipation (no pun intended) can be virtually impossible to solve without FMT.

• WHAT ABOUT FMT AND / OR ANTIBIOTICS WHILE PREGNANT?  The June issue of BMC Medicine (Antibiotic Use During Pregnancy: How Bad Is It?) came to essentially the same conclusions I've trying to warn women about for decades.  "Perhaps the most clinically relevant aspect of the pregnancy microbiome is antibiotic treatment during pregnancy. Antibiotic treatment during pregnancy is widespread in Western countries, and accounts for 80% of prescribed medications in pregnancy. The use of antibiotics during pregnancy has also been associated with increased risk of asthma in early childhood, increased risk of childhood epilepsy, and increased risk of childhood obesity. Antibiotic usage during pregnancy undoubtedly affects the bacterial environment of the mother and of the fetus A single course of antibiotics perturbs bacterial communities, with evidence that the microbial ecosystem does not return completely to baseline following treatment.  Antibiotics in pregnancy should be used only when indicated, choosing those with the narrowest range possible."  The thing about treating pregnant women; most doctors (natural or allopathic) are at least to a significant degree, running scared because if something happens to either mama or baby they are likely to end up on the wrong end of a lawsuit.  Thus, you are not likely to see FMT recommendations for pregnant women anytime in the near future.  To reiterate; be warned that giving your child antibiotics, whether in the womb or out, is possibly the SINGLE WORST THING YOU CAN DO FOR THEIR FUTURE HEALTH.  And because the vast majority of antibiotic prescriptions in America don't meet official criteria (standards of care), they are considered unnecessary to begin with.

• ANTIBIOTICS ARE THE MAJOR DESTROYER OF HEALTH IN CHIDREN PART II:  In a recent study (The Effects of Antibiotics on the Microbiome Throughout Development and Alternative Approaches for Therapeutic Modulation) from the "Harvard of the Midwest" (St. Louis's own Washington University), researchers publishing in the April edition of Genome Medicine stated that, "Human-associated microbes perform an array of important functions, and we are now just beginning to understand the ways in which antibiotics have reshaped their ecology and the functional consequences of these changes. Mounting evidence shows that antibiotics [adversely] influence the function of the immune system, our ability to resist infection, and our capacity for processing food, and effects on diseases such as malnutrition, obesity, diabetes.....   It is becoming increasingly apparent that there exist several disease states for which a single causative pathogen has not been established. Rather, such diseases may be due to the abundances and relative amounts of a collection of microbes [dysbiosis].  A dysbiotic microbiome may not perform vital functions such as nutrient supply, vitamin production, and protection from pathogens. Dysbiosis of the microbiome has been associated with a large number of health problems and causally implicated in metabolic, immunological, and developmental disorders, as well as susceptibility to development of infectious diseases.  Critical developmental milestones for the microbiota (as well as for the child) occur, in particular, during infancy and early childhood, and both medical intervention and lack of such intervention during these periods can have lifelong consequences in the composition and function of the gut ecosystem."  Have I mentioned to you yet that staying away from antibiotics is the best thing you can do for your family?  By the way, the authors spoke at length about turning dysbiosis around with a therapy that's been in use for the better part of two millennia ---- FMT.

• DEPRESSION & BEHAVIOUR:  I've already shown you how the microbiome is intimately linked to Autism.  Now let's look at DEPRESSION and other similarly related diseases of the brain.  In a fascinating study similar to several done previously related to both obesity and FMT, researchers in this month's issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research (Transferring the Blues: Depression-Associated Gut Microbiota Induces Neurobehavioural Changes in the Rat) took feces from 33 human patients diagnosed with, "major depression," (as well as 33 controls) and transplanted it into 66 'normal' rats.  The results were astounding.  "We demonstrate that depression is associated with decreased gut microbiota richness and diversity. Fecal microbiota transplantation from depressed patients to microbiota-depleted rats can induce behavioural and physiological features characteristic of depression in the recipient animals, including anhedonia [an inability to experience pleasure from activities usually found enjoyable, e.g. exercise, hobbies, music, sexual activities or social interactions] and anxiety-like behaviours, as well as alterations in tryptophan metabolism. This suggests that the gut microbiota may play a causal role in the development of features of depression...."  August's issue of Clinical Psycopharmacology and Neuroscience (Fecal Microbiota Transplantation and Its Usage in Neuropsychiatric Disorders) showed that, "The interest in microbiota-gut-brain axis and fecal microbiota transplantation is rapidly increasing. New evidence is obtained in the etiology and pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, neuropsychiatric areas of use of fecal microbiota transplantation have been discussed in the light of the current information.  It is pointed out that microbiota plays the decisive role on immune function and interacts with human cells.  Micro damage to the intestinal epithelial wall may occur by the changes of the microbiota, and intestinal epithelial permeability may increase. Thus, the microorganism-induced harmful substances can be released into the systemic circulation and can initiate an immune response. This condition is called “leaky gut”.  There is strong evidence that intestinal microbiota dysbiosis may play an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, mood disorders, depression and anxiety disorders.     FMT is a fairly reliable application. Serious side effects have not been reported."  Speaking of side effects......

• SIDE EFFECTS IN FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANTATION:   After having looked at hundreds of studies on FMT, I have yet to see one mention anything other than similar to what's mentioned in the last bullet point concerning side effects.  Bear in mind that most of these studies are looking at FMT performed on very sick patients, who are often dying of C. DIFF INFECTIONS (FMT is the medical standard of care for dealing with these patients after antibiotics have failed twice, which they usually do because the infection itself is caused by antibiotics, usually in a hospital setting).   February's Journal of Hospital Infections (Adverse Events in Fecal Microbiota Transplant: A Review of the Literature) stated plainly that, "The vast majority of adverse events of FMT appear to be mild, self-limiting and gastrointestinal in nature."  The May issue of Clinical Endoscopy (Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: Current Applications, Effectiveness, and Future Perspectives) revealed that, "The high success rate and safety in the short term reported for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection has elevated FMT as an emerging treatment for a wide range of disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, myoclonus dystopia, multiple sclerosis, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and autism.  FMT may be safe and well tolerated with few serious adverse events, even though it is often administered to patients with significant medical comorbid conditions."  PLoS One stated in their August issue (Systematic Review: Adverse Events of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation)  that, "A total of 7,562 original articles about FMT were identified in this study...  The total incidence rate of adverse events was 28.5%."  Holy outhouses Batman, that's a lot of adverse events!  However, the question we need to be asking is how serious were said events?  "The commonest attributable adverse event was abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, increased stool frequency, flatulence, bloating, cramps and other nonspecific symptoms. The second commonest attributable adverse event was transient fever."  About 3% of patients had "transient" (short-lived) FEVER, while the others who had side effects had common GI issues such as gas. 

SAFETY SIDE NOTE:  Please realize that in most cases, the people getting FMT's, are seriously ill.  The vast majority of those receiving transplants are getting it because they have recurrent C. Diff --- a nasty, and often deadly, bacterial infection caused by the very thing used to treat it.  Also be aware that of the people who died in the PLoS study (yes, there were something like eight deaths at least somewhat associated with the procedure), they were not dying from being infected by someone else's feces.  They were dying because of instead of using a simple "Retention Enema," many of these people were having the transplant done via endoscopy (the upper GI style was far more dangerous than the lower GI style).  Unfortunately, one of the dirtiest of the many dirty little secrets in the practice of medicine is that colonoscopies come with some serious and common side effects (HERE).  This is why I am not suggesting you try this on your own.  Many people do, getting fantastic results.  This is why I have to warn you from time to time that my site is meant for informational purposes only, and is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any diseases.  If you feel your disease(s) may have been cured due to the information on my site, immediately report it to the proper authorities so they can give you your disease back.

• DOES THE DONOR MATTER?  According to the May issue of Future Microbiology (Does the Donor Matter? Donor vs Patient Effects in the Outcome of a Next-Generation Microbiota-Based Drug Trial for Recurrent Clostridium Difficile Infection), "the specific donor did not affect the outcomes."  However, I would warn you that this study was done on very sick people --- people dying of recurrent C. Diff infections.  I would argue that when it comes to treating people with the other sorts of health problems we've discussed today, the donor very much matters.  For a list of what one should be looking for in a feces donor, all you have to do is CLICK THE BUTTON (honestly, it's mostly common sense).

This, folks, is the real poop on the matter.  If you are chronically ill or have done everything under the sun to lose weight to no avail, FMT is something to look into and at least explore.  Even though it sounds gross, it's been proven to be both safe and effective for any number of health-related issues.  I'm not sure what more folks want.  And not that I am suggesting that my readers rush out and do it, there are ANY NUMBER OF SITES that actually show you how to do an FMT, DIY-style.  All of this is why FMT is an integral part of THE POST I give people who are desperately in search of solutions to their chronic health conditions.

"This is undoubtedly the single biggest ethical problem facing medicine today. We cannot make decisions in the absence of all the information."   Dr. Ben Goldacre talking about Invisible & Abandoned studies in the Ted Talk below

Why do I continue to harp on INVISIBLE & ABANDONED STUDIES?  Probably for the same reason I am the reigning world-record holder for consecutively-made free throws at 43,458 (HERE).  Other than maybe UNDER-REPORTING DRUG AND VACCINE SIDE EFFECTS, nothing, and I do mean nothing, skews the truth more than BIG PHARMA burying test results it doesn't like (probably a big factor in the reason that most biomedical research CANNOT BR REPLICATED).  In other words, we can't possibly wonder why in real life, side effects of drugs and procedures are far more common than in trials (HERE).

Thanks to Oxford University's DR. BEN GOLDACRE, there is now a WEBSITE that provides a simple graph on how serious this problem really is, as well as a list of the biggest offenders.  Speaking of 'biggest offenders,' some of the leading culprits are Sanofi-Aventis (one of the world's top-three largest drug companies), Novartis (the largest pharmaceutical company on the planet, with sales in the 300 billion a year range), and Ranbaxy Labs - Sun Pharmaceuticals (the largest pharmaceutical company in India and the fifth-largest generics company in the world).   Out of the 1,004 studies these three companies registered with the federal government (as required by law), only 521 of them were ever published or reported on --- just over 50%.  The other half......?  Buried alive!

I would suggest you thumb Goldacre's list.  Just make sure you have a trash can or barf bag handy for the moment you realize how sickeningly massive this problem really is.  From 2006 to 2014 there were just shy of 26,000 studies registered with the FDA.  Of these, only 14,200 bothered to report their results.  Huge numbers of pharmaceutical companies are reporting on or publishing less than 25% of their studies, and many are publishing significantly less than that. Ranbaxy Labs mentioned above published exactly zero of the 35 studies they performed during the period.  Of America's major universities (public and private), most were in the 50% range.  Why?  They get to hide or abandon the studies that SHOW JUST HOW DANGEROUS AND INEFFECTIVE their drugs really are.

If you want to hear Dr. Goldacre specifically discuss Invisible and Abandoned studies (as well as TAMIFLU and the importance of the COCHRANE REVIEW), you can start his video at the 9:30 mark.  As far as John Oliver is concerned, he is frequently both profane and irreverent.  However, he does a good job of showing how STUDIES ARE RIGGED (or HERE, HERE or HERE), not to mention the fact that most of the "science" you see on THE NEWS is not real, but made up of NEWS RELEASES and PRESS RELEASES specifically prepared by Big Pharma to look like news stories in order to deceive the sheeple known as "the American public".  A few more of the many reasons you can't trust the so-called "evidence" in EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE.

Who could forget the 1980's?  Ronald Regan. Big hair.  Interest rates of 18% (good for savers, terrible for borrowers).  Great music (see below).  It also happened to be the decade where American health and healthcare went completely off the rails, where junk food went totally mainstream (HERE), and where ridiculous amounts of ridiculous misinformation ruled the day.  Unfortunately, that "ridiculous misinformation" in many ways led directly to our national ill health; particularly our population-wide epidemics of OBESITY, DIABETES, CANCER, ARTHRITIS, CHRONIC PAIN, AUTOIMMUNITY, and any number of CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEGENERATIVE DISEASES.  What sort of misinformation am I talking about?  Try these on for size.

• Dietary fat is what makes you fat --- eat all the carbs and sugar you want and you'll be just fine (HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE).
• Calories are calories are calories; there's no difference (HERE and HERE).
• Red meat and eggs cause high cholesterol (HERE).  In other words, high cholesterol is caused by dietary consumption of CHOLESTEROL.
• Consuming salt causes high blood pressure and strokes (HERE).
• The ultimate health food is SOY.
• Dietary fat is what causes heart disease and strokes (HERE and HERE).
• The most healthy way of eating is based on consumption of mass quantities of grain (HERE).
• Butter will kill you --- eat "heart healthy" vegetable oils instead (HERE).
• Orange and grape juice (and mass quantities of carbs) are part of a healthy breakfast (HERE and HERE).
• The more VACCINES we all get, the more healthy we'll all be.
• The same goes for MOST MEDICATIONS; the more the merrier.
• The "Annual Examination" (for both males and females) is important because there is abundant amounts of solid science backing it (HERE). 
• Medicine is safe (HERE) --- particularly for our children (HERE).
• ANTIBIOTICS are a wonderful cure-all for whatever ails you.
• You can never be too clean, inside or out (HERE).
• Bad genes and not bad habits are mostly responsible for your ill health (HERE).
• Running is the best form of exercise (HERE).
• Preventative Care and "early detection" are one and the same (HERE).
• Given enough time, "SCIENCE" has all the answers.

If you can remember the 1980's, you undoubtedly remember many, if not most of these bullet points.  Truth be known, this list could have stretched into a book if I wanted to spend that much time.  What have I learned since the 1980's?  Frankly, that ALMOST EVERYTHING I WAS TAUGHT CONCERNING HEALTH (I was a Nutrition / Exercise Physiology major at Kansas State University) was either totally wrong or not completely true. I've also learned that today's music is for the most part, not very fun.  Fun? Before we move on, let me treat you to a few "fun" songs from my era.

Although there are certainly some cool new technologies (HERE, HERE, or HERE), most of what I do in my clinic that was vilified as unsafe and unscientific back in the 1980's, is today being borne out in the scientific literature.  Take CHRONIC BACK PAIN for instance,  The brand new issue of Practical Pain Management (a journal for pain doctors) has an article called Low Back Pain and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine: A Trend in Pain Management.  While they rather ignore the fact that it's chiropractors who do the vast majority of the manipulative therapy in the United States, the article was full of great stuff (cherry-picked as usual).

"Low back pain  is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions in the United States. It is primarily responsible for more than 20 million ambulatory care visits, and costs $100 billion annually. Low back pain is also the most common reason adults seek complementary and alternative medicine.  As much as 95% of LBP is described as mechanical in nature, meaning that the underlying cause is an anatomic or functional abnormality.  Therefore, it stands to reason that manual medicine is a useful tool in the diagnosis and therapeutic management of the various mechanical spinal disorders.  As treatment of low back pain moves away from invasive techniques and opioid medications, the use of OMT to augment patient care appears to be a viable option as it correlates with decreased medication use, improved symptoms, and fewer days of missed work, while also appealing to patient preferences."

The authors went on to quote any number of studies on the benefit of manipulative therapy for musculoskeltal pain.  But today's post is not meant to be just a "CHIROPRACTIC" thing.   Since the 1980's, we are seeing really amazing evidence for eating healthy diets, exercising, and addressing GUT HEALTH ISSUES; including FMT (all of which and more can be found HERE).  Unfortunately, we've seen over and over that the medical community frequently fails to follow their own standards of care (HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE) --- particularly when large amounts of green paper are involved --- dramatically jeopardizing their results with their patients as compared to decades gone by (HERE).

Because the majority of the medical community continues to stray farther and farther from their mission as healers (HERE, HERE and HERE), increasing numbers of people are looking elsewhere for solutions (HERE) --- particularly once they find out that as often as not, their doctors have no idea whatsoever what's really wrong with them (HERE).  Consumers are looking to address underlying causes of illness and INFLAMMATION without dangerous drugs, including THE BIG FIVE.  It's all based on a simple premise --- people want to actually be better, not just feel better; stoned for a while, taking ADDICTIVE DRUGS that don't work very well anyway; especially after they've been on them for any length of time.

What makes me different and what does a visit to my clinic look like?  Although similar in some ways, in many ways a visit to Schierling Chiropractic, LLC is RADICALLY DIFFERENT than what people think of when they think of going to a chiropractor.  If I accept you as a patient, I'm so confident I will be able to help you that I rarely schedule return visits.  I let OUR CLINIC'S AMAZING RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.  As far as "rehab" or other recommendations, most of it can be done in the comfort of your own home (HERE'S ONE EXAMPLE).

If you come see me, I will not only do all I can to help you break out of the cycle of chronic pain and inflammation you are stuck in, I will help you help yourself.  Sometimes all you need is a boost --- a helping hand --- a jump start if you will.  That's what I'm here for.  So; if you are wondering whether I can help you get your life back on track, don't hesitate to CONTACT ME.  If I think I can help, I'll tell you.  And if not, I'll tell you that as well.

Have you ever played baseball?  If so, you know how difficult it can be for even good hitters to hit a curve ball.  If you can master this skill to the point you can get a hit in one-in-three plate appearances, you'll be a superstar making tens of millions of dollars a year.  Life is like baseball in that as soon as you think you've got it figured out, it starts throwing you curves.  If you can simply learn to hit whatever life throws at you, you can be incredibly successful in every area, creating a balance that brings contentment in the present and optimism for the future, no matter what you might be dealing with right now.  Part of the secret?  Finding the right trainer / mentor / coach.  My good friend Richard J. Burris is just that person.  

Richard (Rick) has been the Executive Director of three large YMCA camps (CAMP WOOD, CAMP CLASSEN, and CAMP GREENVILLE).  He's rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous, but would rather mentor a lonely and unloved child whose self esteem has been crushed by life.  He was the state of Kansas' WRESTLER OF THE YEAR in 1986, going on to wrestle for what's now known as MSU; 100 miles down the road from us in Springfield, MO (back then it was SMS).  He's got a great marriage and a family that I've considered myself a part of as long as I've known him.  He's lived the highs and lows of life, nearly dying last year before finding a cure for a chronic health issue he's dealt with for thirty plus years.

At the end of yesterday's post, I told you that it was possible to turn your life around. I also told you that I would soon be running a guest post by someone who could show you exactly how to do it.   That would be Rick of Leaders Fuel (HERE).  Despite the fact that it exposes them to constant danger, great leaders (military or otherwise) have always led from the front, willing to take the criticism associated with making hard decisions.  These are the people who leave behind GREAT LEGACIES.  They are also some of the attributes that describe Rick, whose business mantra is that great leaders help "fuel" those they are leading.  In this context, 'fuel' is a verb.  It's active leadership --- not just telling, but showing people how to take control their life, while helping them realize they don't have to stay in THE SAME OLD RUT they've been living in, whatever aspect of their life it is they're struggling with; health, marriage, family relations, finances, spiritual life, business, etc, etc. 

Here's Rick, and if you like what you're hearing, share it with someone you love or care about.  They'll be glad you did!

One of the numerous (free) health-related information services I subscribe to is Gary Schwitzer's weekly Health News Review.  Besides being in health journalism for decades, Schwitzer has held several professorships at major universities.  He and his team of fifty employees use numerous evidence-based criteria to rate health-related articles and research.  I tell you all this because they recently gave the FDA a "report card".

In a Halloween article called Early Report Card on Quality of FDA News Releases: C at Best, Schwitzer's team said (cherry-picked due to time and space restraints), "None of the FDA’s news releases have satisfactorily met both of our two criteria that deal directly with medical evidence. One would expect that the FDA–which reviews reams of research before a product is approved–easily has that information on hand and could include it in news releases.  Instead, the news releases we’ve reviewed include mostly vague statements that may come across as endorsing new products without providing the context that readers need to make decisions.  The only nod to the evidence was this scanty detail: Approvals for the new indications were based on clinical studies, including safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetic data."  Why can't the federal government do a better job than this?  Anyone following our current election knows its all about the money because like it or not, they've had a front-row seat to the filthy corruption that best characterizes Washington.  Are PRESS RELEASES from the FDA any better?

I have shown you repeatedly (HERE) that this organization is corrupt and for the most part, cannot be trusted as far as you could throw them.  They tend to work hand in hand with industry, helping in any way possible to get new drugs and medical devices approved.  Although I have shown you examples of this over and over again, brand new studies have revealed (not surprisingly) that the FDA has been rubber-stamping fraudulent soda research for decades (HERE & HERE).  Instead of the FDA being a watchdog organization that protects our nation's health, they've become a willing (AND WELL-PAID) industry shill.  It's exactly why you must be extremely cautious trusting anything touting itself as "EVIDENCE-BASED".

In another recent study, nutritionists, social scientists, and economists from universities around the country published a study in the brand new (December) issue of Preventative Medicine called Economic Preferences and Fast Food Consumption in US Adults: Insights From Behavioral Economics. In this study, nearly 6,000 adults were interviewed concerning how much FAST FOOD they ate as related to their tolerance for financial delayed gratification. 

Researchers asked participants if they would rather have a certain sum of money in 30 days or a significantly greater amount in 60 days.  Interestingly, the individuals who wanted their money "now" had almost double the penchant for fast food.  "Notably, participants with the highest future time preference were significantly less likely to consume fast food than those with very low future time preferences.  This shouldn't be surprising when you consider how different America used to be as far as both of these things were concerned. 

John Walton-like patriarchs used to be the norm (HERE and HERE).  Families attended church together and actually sat down around the table to eat their meals. And even though they might not have had a lot of money, most gave generously to their church and had a savings account.  People were savers, not simply consumers.  Parents passed on their work ethic to their children, expecting real effort, good grades, and part time jobs (full time jobs in the summers).  Folks knew how to fix and build things themselves.  People believed in the future and had a plan to make things better for the next generation.  Rugged Individualism ruled the day as people relied on themselves and God / their local community / church instead of RELYING ON THE GOVERNMENT for everything.  Unfortunately, the things that helped make America a truly great nation are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.    But in every cloud there's a silver lining.

For those of you who are willing to put forth the effort, your life can be turned around (coming soon I have a fantastic guest post from a life-coach who will show you how it's done).  For the most part it's up to you.  And as far as your health is concerned, I truly believe that there are answers out there for just about everyone.  It's just a matter of finding them.  Do I claim to have all the answers?  Of course not.  What I do have for you is a generic DIY protocol that works great both for weight loss and chronic inflammatory, degenerative, and autoimmune illnesses (HERE).

Not being a surgeon; until a few years ago I had never heard of Langer's Lines, aka Lines of Cleavage or Langer's Lines of Cleavage.  What are Langer's Lines?  In the same way that both wood and muscle have a specific direction that their fibers run (we call it "grain"), so does SKIN.  Langer's Lines show you the way that the grain runs in the skin; according to the orientation of the COLLAGEN FIBERS.  As far as surgery is concerned, an incision that runs with the grain as opposed to against the grain of the collagen fibers, is less likely to gap or pull apart.  But what does this mean as far as the FIBROSIS, SCAR TISSUE, and FASCIAL ADHESION that I deal with all day, every day?

I am not completely sure at this time, but there are interesting patterns I've noted for quite some time.  For instance, I had an individual come from the East Coast to see me recently for a problem that was the result of being body-slammed flat onto his back during a fight about 20 years earlier.  The list of treatments and surgeries (all of the later completely unnecessary) that this individual had gone through over the previous two decades was jaw-dropping.  When I examined him he could not only not touch his toes, he could not bend forward and touch his knees. 

Although none of it could be seen with the naked eye, almost immediately I found the parallel "STRETCH MARK" like lines that in my experience are usually the result of an impact.  After treating this person twice, he was within two inches of touching the floor and having less pain than he had had in years.  How do these two phenomenon (stretch marks and Langer's Lines) fit together?  I'm not totally sure, but I'm seeing the patterns over and over again.  By the way, make sure to watch for a VIDEO TESTIMONIAL from this individual in the very near future.