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Diagnosed or Misdiagnosed; Managed or Cured?

7/31/2015

So you took your symptoms to the doctor and came home with a diagnosis. That’s the first step to getting better. Or is it?

Symptoms are often misinterpreted and tests can also fail to give correct feedback. Misdiagnosis is not uncommon. It happens in emergency rooms, cancer centers and in every aspect of medicine.

The even bigger issue is that many conditions are overlooked by the medical community in lieu of what could be called “designer diseases” with new pharmaceutical support by “designer drugs." This is where problems often begin.

Take the complaints of a Lyme’s Disease patient and compare them to those of a fibromyalgia patient. You might easily confuse them with their similarities. You might also find the same symptoms for signs of menopause, neuropathy, chronic fatigue, lupus, arthritis and many, many more conditions. The question is, which one do you really have?

As I see it, many of the problems of misdiagnosis, are because most doctors follow what pharmaceutical providers tell them. A product that manages pain and discomfort of a condition is developed by Big Pharma and is professionally marketed to increase the “need.” The pharmaceutical representative schools the doctor as to who should be provided these medications and gives as much “encouragement” in favors and gifts as is legally allowed to promote use.

Then you show up with your complaints. The doctor has new samples for you to try which were given to them by the “oh so friendly” pharmaceutical salesperson. Suddenly, you become a victim of the most current disease.

If finding a cure is your goal you will have to ask some questions before accepting a diagnosis or medications:

• Ask if the medication being offered cures your disease or just mitigates symptoms and ask how long will it be prescribed.

• Ask what the side effects of the medication are and how it affects the other organs that must support its presence in the body. Request the detailed written information from package inserts.

• Ask if your symptoms are similar to any other diseases or conditions. Then check for yourself online.

• Ask if your doctor is willing to research any other possible diagnosis before medicating you.

• Ask for tests that will prove your diagnosis, or at least rule out other possibilities, before assuming you have a condition.

Most importantly: If you are metals poisoned, there are a boatload of symptoms that are rarely, if ever, diagnosed correctly. Those metals poisoned do not always respond to meds like others, so be prepared to find a doc that will go through the discovery with you.

A misdiagnosis leaves you in a position to only manage your symptoms and never cure the situation. Medicating the wrong condition or multiple symptoms incorrectly can take your body into new areas of pain and discomfort or serious illness and death.

Just because there is a pill for it does not mean you actually have the condition you are being offered as a diagnosis. Research will arm you with the questions to ask. Being accurately diagnosed is the difference between being managed or cured.

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Start Curing the "Incurable" Fibromyalgia Yourself

7/30/2015

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You Don't have Pain Because You Have Fibromyalgia.
You have Fibromyalgia Because You are Sick.

Fibromyalgia has a lot of press and a lot of fancy talk. In the end, all that talk is worthless because the medical industry believes it to be incurable. I've never believed for one day that fibromyalgia is the source of anyone's pain. It is a good description for the pain one is having, but it in no way identifies the problem.

A diagnosis, by definition is the identification of illness. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia falls short. It only serves to categorize large numbers of people with chronic pain. We have been trained to settle for treating symptoms instead of Searching for the Cause and not Just the Cure.

I believe that sources of fibromyalgia-like pain are different for everyone. I believe that whatever the source, there are some basic things to do for yourself, just like when you catch a cold.

Simple starts to healing:

MEDITATE, even if that means you take five deep breaths ten times a day, it will serve to remind you to slow it down and bring healing oxygen into your body. If you remember to breath every time you wash your hands, you create a very useful habit. Stress exacerbates pain.

SUGAR is a problem for every body and especially when the body is already inflamed. Avoid or stop it. Getting sugar managed is a must or you will maintain the cycle of pain and inflammation.

WHITE FLOUR is sugar to your body and provides no healing benefits. It must be managed. White flour, in all of its forms, feed your pain. At some point you may have to regulate both white and wheat flours or gluten.

EAT WHOLE FOODS rather than packaged goods. Instant, frozen or prepared meals are prepared with chemicals and lack nutrition. Concentrate on nutritionally rich foods.

REDUCE TOXINS from your daily life, including those you breath, put on your skin and eat.

MEDICATIONS have harmful side effects that can further damage a sick body. Understand the benefits and damaging effects before accepting medications.

EXERCISE and gentle movement is a must. This doesn’t mean a game of softball or just walking in the market. There is a mental state that goes with the exercise if you intend to repair the body. Make it deliberate and specific. Beginning yoga or stretching is a great place to start.

SUPPLEMENTS will provide balance and nutritional support. Our food supplies are deficient in vitamins and minerals. You cannot depend solely on food as an adequate source for repairing the body. There are reports that say selenium will cure fibromyalgia, others say if you crave sugar it is a lack of minerals. Find out what your body needs.

STRESS is to be avoided at all costs. Stay away from people, situations, responsibilities and media sources that are stressful. Limit your exposure to things that annoy or irritate. Stress is an instant trigger to body pain.

READ about health and how your body functions. Become partners with your body and give it a break once in awhile.

TEST for conditions that resemble fibromyalgia symptoms, including, Lyme disease, heavy metals poisoning, lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease.

INVESTIGATE the details of gut issues like candida, parasites and Leaky Gut Syndrome. These conditions are found in conjunction with autoimmune diseases. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said, “All disease begins in the gut.” Those who have dealt with autoimmune illness believe that to be truth.

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Would You Choose Cosmetics That Were Making You Sick?

7/20/2015

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We have an unfounded belief that government
would not allow products that are unsafe to be sold.
It's simply not true.

Most of what consumers are buying is unnecessarily out of bounds in terms of toxicity. People disregard the dangers saying..."Well it hasn't hurt me yet!" We know that phrase to be a quote that kills when we remember cigarettes or the toxic debris of the fallen twin towers. It took years to see illness develop from cigarettes and decades more to decide the cause. When the towers fell on 9-11 the only concern was to rescue, but now we know that the effects of toxic contact can take decades to manifest.

It doesn't take a catastrophe to give you more toxicity than your body can manage. Even small doses everyday can be enough to overwhelm your body. Since waiting for the government to watch-dog your purchases could be deadly, you're better off to clean up whatever toxicity you have control over managing. This means cleaner household supplies, yard materials, cosmetics, medications, personal care products, water and food.

Some simple changes can do a lot to clear your life of the hundreds of toxins that we willing add to our day. You can stop the assault on your body by knowing a bit about what commercial products contain and making the switch to chemical-free versions.

Without a doubt, natural and chemical-free products are different. They don’t smell the same work the same or lather the same. Some don’t do the job as well, while others are better. We have become accustom to convenience and product behaviors that are not necessarily good for us. The bottom line is, we don’t really have a choice anymore. There are just too many victims of cancer and chronic illness to believe these chemicals are not hurting us.

Individually and in small doses ingredients are labeled as “safe” were suspected to be manageable. The problem is that some of the most common chemicals are used repeatedly in most of our household products, causing over exposure. Chemicals alone are dangerous, but when combined with other chemicals the dangers soar. Knowing just a few of the very common ingredients will help clean up your life significantly.

Common Culprits…

Lead in Lipstick: Completely unnecessary for the production of your beauty products, lead is a component of most lipstick and many other facial products. There are health conscious products that are clean and safe for use on your skin. Beware of those mainstream products that are heavily advertised, sporting beautiful colors that are killing you. The more vibrant and most excellent colors are often the bigger culprits. Non toxic choices are fewer, but that is the trade off.

Lead is a proven neurotoxin that causes learning, language and behavioral disabilities in adults and children. Lead is known to reduce fertility in men and women, delay the onset of puberty, increase chances of miscarriage, promote aggression, seizures and brain damage to name a few things.

The FDA has allowable levels of lead in lipstick and claims that "if used as intended" there should be no danger. "As intended" is a strange choice of words since the skin absorbs and the greater percentage of lipstick can be licked, swallowed or kissed onto unsuspecting recipients who will absorb the toxin.

Parabens: You now see “Parben Free” on lots of personal care products. Here's why making “Paraben Free” choices matter. Parabens, of which there are several types, are in most of our bathroom products from gels and deodorants to shampoos and shaving creams. It is used to extend shelf life. That is why when you buy more health conscious products the “use by” dates are much shorter.

Parabens mimic estrogen. They are suspect in altering fetal development, reducing sperm count, causing early puberty and causing cancer.

Just because a product is paraben free does not make it safe. You can check toxicity levels with organizations like EWG or Think Dirty.

Aluminum: Standard antiperspirant has aluminum. It is also in cosmetics, antacids, baking powder and bleached white flour. It is known to cause seizures and dementia among other conditions. Aluminum is commonly found in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims.

Propylene Glycol: This humectant is one of the most widely used ingredients in cosmetics. It is used to retain moisture, but it is also the primary ingredient in industrial antifreeze used in hydraulic fluid. Known, not suspected or believed, but known, to cause liver and kidney damage, this non-essential ingredient to your cosmetics also causes cancer.

Petroleum, petrolatum, paraffin, paraffin oil and mineral oil: These common ingredients in cosmetics, bath products and for use on your baby’s skin are all petroleum based, produced from crude oil. When used on the skin they form an oil film, that is counter to the needs of healthy skin which needs to breath oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

The impermeable layer of petroleum based product forces the skin to plump, giving the impression of rich, moist skin. Soon the skin dries out because the petroleum product does not feed the skin in the way a coconut or olive oil can moisturize. These petroleum products are known carcinogens and interfere with natural detoxing of the body.

Ethanolamine, 2-aminoethanol, monoethanolamine, MEA, Triethanolamine, TEA, Diethanolamine, DEA: These sudsing and scrubbing agents are known carcinogens. They are a toxic, flammable, corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid with an odor similar to ammonia.

Read a few labels. Clean up your act.

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Breast Cancer Awareness vs. Prevention

7/20/2015

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It’s about PREVENTION, not PINK!

Do you really need a whole month of “awareness” for breast cancer?
If you need more awareness, then open your front door because one out of three is very aware of cancer. Breast cancer alone has seen a 40% increase in one generation.

PREVENT, PREPARE and PARTICIPATE in the future of your health. Stop the source of your potential disease before it starts. That means making choices now to be free of at least some of the worst toxic chemicals you are using daily.

Inconvenient, yes! Effective, yes! It’s a decision you can make or avoid, but there is no surprise that you gain leverage if you pay attention and minimize your exposure to cancer causing chemicals. Take control over what you eat, drink and put on your skin. Every bite you take and every choice you make is either feeding or fighting cancer.

The solution is to stop the manufacturing of goods with toxic ingredients. Sadly since there is little hope of changing the Federal Drug Administration in time to save your life, you need to become your own advocate. Your buying power is your most aggressive weapon. Use it to support manufacturers that consider your health to be their priority.

Start reading labels, knowing that most advertised brands will not be clear of hazardous chemicals. If there is a coupon for it, it is likely unsafe. A good rule is, if you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t buy it.

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Lead Poisoning from Dinnerware

7/15/2015

From ancient civilizations
to modern times, lead in dinnerware has
tortured the human body...

Much of what is in your kitchen and on your dinner table contains lead. It is found not only in your grandmother’s china, but in products that will be sold from department store shelves this afternoon. Legal, allowable limits of lead are still available in so many forms it is hard to believe and impossible to understand. What a ridiculous way to die.

We have enjoyed lead in lead crystal and china for decades without fear. Only recently have warnings been attached to lead crystal and those warnings have focused on the storing of liquid in decanters that allow long-term leaching of lead into contents. Other uses are somewhat ignored because the feeling is that the lower exposure is not harmful.

Every bit of lead exposure your body manages affects you. It diminishes your functioning and eventually can cause debilitating, and often unidentifiable, illness. There is no amount of lead that is not harmful to the body.

Your exposure to lead and other toxins from dinnerware and glassware just can't be ignored. It all gets processed by the body and all toxicity matters.

It is hard to understand how modern, educated populations could continue to manufacture eating and cooking utensils made with lead in this present day, We have known for hundreds of years that there are dangers associated with lead. It seems like the more we understood it, the more casual it's use became.

Even today the Food and Drug Administration has allowable limits for lead in dishes, cookware, crockpots and glassware. They use the term, GRAS, meaning Generally Regarded as Safe. We need truth, not generalizations that scream...."We've never tested it."

The ramifications of long-term lead exposure manifest as severe, chronic pain and illness. Because these conditions take years to develop they are rarely recognized as lead poisoning. Those poisoned die with conditions that are usually misdiagnosed.

If your goal is to purchase lead-free goods, you will need to be clever. Finding clean products will take some investigating.

Because there are no labelling requirements for lead content, manufacturers do not ordinarily address the issue in packaging. Without labeling, it is necessary to make contact with the manufacturer personally.

If the response from a manufacturer is, “We comply with FDA regulations,” you have been told there is lead content in the product. The words you want to hear are “lead-free.” Get your answer in writing.

Some things to know about lead ware for handling food:

Storing food in lead ware increases leaching time and toxicity.

Heat will escalate the leaching of lead into food.

Pieces with chips or damage to the integrity of the glaze are particularly dangerous.

Using a knife to cut on lead ware increases the potential exposure.

Imports from China and Mexico have been the most problematic in recent years.
Inexpensive, fun plates and pieces are highly suspect.

The regulatory system is poor and not to be trusted.

Suspect old clay pots, decorative plates, painted plates, as well as, older Talavera and Fiesta-ware.

Is Metal Poisoning Rare, or Rarely Diagnosed?

7/15/2015

Consider the toxic world we live in, the permissive lead and metals levels allowed in food by the FDA, the levels of mercury the American Dental Association considers safe in dentistry, municipal water systems with toxic metals levels, OSHA regulations that allow workers direct contact with metal contaminants and the endless sources of poisons in our world, is it possible that much of our chronic conditions and illness is really metals that is being misdiagnosed? The real question whether anyone is free of metals toxicity.

The symptoms of metals toxicity can take years to manifest. Decades may have passed since the worst of your exposure, so when trouble strikes, metals are rarely considered as the source.

Illness that comes in the form of fatigue, pain, allergies, brain fog, nerve pain, bowel disorders, anger, depression and palsy seem to have come from "no where." They didn't. They come from years of toxicity storing in the body to the point of system collapse. Because we are a pharmaceutically driven society, we reach for the pills that help to override the symptoms, ending our search far short of finding the true cause of issues.

Most anyone with a diagnosis of metals toxicity will tell you that it took years to discover.
They have all experienced doctors telling them they were just depressed, or gaining weight with age and that the fatigue was probably related to their depression. Their pain had no real explanation, but meds were prescribed to calm them. At some point, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia was likely made, but those who found metals as the source of their troubles were those that persevered beyond a diagnosis.

The opportunities for metals exposure are endless. The effects look like many other conditions and it is not as rare as you might hope. From dinner plates, to those common silver fillings in your mouth, to our water supplies; we live with constant exposure.

Western medicine is not well equipped to deal with metals poisoning outside of acute treatment and diagnosis of children. With so many possibilities of exposure, metals should be high on the list of suspected causes.

What Does Heavy Metal Toxicity Feel Like?

7/15/2015

Finding your way though metals toxicity
is frustrating and finding people to believe
you might be the worst part.

The process of discovery starts when you realize you are having more down days than up. The symptoms likely came on slowly enough that you just thought you just needed rest. Maybe you felt like you had a touch of the flu, but it lingered or reoccured. Not definite or describable, you might let these feelings pass as a bad day or a series of intermittent bad days. This can go on for years.

Over time, with enough toxicity, you will become unable to do certain things or have the required energy for basic living. Still there may be no definite symptoms that will identify the source of your issues.

As your toxicity level rises and the bloodstream becomes too toxic, your body will begin to store metals in fat cells, organs, tissue and bones to keep you alive. This every changing storage and release of toxins will vary the amount of toxicity in the bloodstream on any given day. I believe this is why some days you feel better than other days. In my mind, “good days” meant the bloodstream must have been fairly clear.

Eventually simple tasks like getting up, showering and getting dressed, which should be seamless activities, are exhausting. It may be that you find yourself needing rest periods to get through ordinary tasks of daily living.

At some point there is physical pain that can manifest in any number of ways. It can be intermittent, constant or ever changing. After enough pain, anxiety and lack of quality sleep, an emotional pain can be expected. It too will be without an identifiable pattern. Emotional pain means stress will follow. Stress will magnify physical pain.

Metal toxicity feels like fibromyalgia, palsy, neuropathy, Alzheimer’s and dementia all at the same time. It causes anxiety, weight loss or gain, nervousness, insomnia, anger and loads of things that people get medicated for regularly as depression and fibromyalgia.

In children the symptoms are usually noticed as learning disabilities, behavior problems and deficits in normal development. Although children are often misdiagnosed, lead is at least on pediatrician's radar because they have now been trained to identify the debilitating symptoms. For some reason, that training has not transferred to the adult community.

Heavy metal poisoning can take years to develop into a condition that you finally recognize needs your attention. Your precise symptoms can differ from anyone else because of the combination of toxins your particular body is processing. Combinations of toxins will manifest differently than individual toxins do alone. Nothing is constant during poisoning or healing from poison.

Three Lies about Mercury Fillings

7/14/2015

Three Lies about Mercury Fillings

They are safe.
They cannot hurt you.
They only off-gasses when a filling is new.

You don’t need to be a scientist to know that storing heavy metals in your head might be a bad idea. It has never been misunderstood. The danger was always clear. Being convinced that our dentists and the American Dental Association would never lie to us, we have allowed this practice to carry on through generations.

When entire countries outlaw the use of mercury in dental fillings one has to wonder why the United States is lagging behind. Sadly it appears to be a complete lack of integrity combined with public apathy that allows this practice to continue. It would be nice to believe otherwise, but even a slight bit of research will show that alternatives are available that are kinder to the body.

Even the World Health Organization called for a “phasing down” of the use of mercury in 2005. This came after their claims that that 240-300 tons of mercury was being used for dental fillings world wide.

Symptoms from mercury poisoning vary and are rarely understood as symptoms of toxicity. You can expect damage to the immune system and kidneys, neurological disorders, tremors, insomnia, memory loss, headaches and a number of random ailments. A lot of these cases get mistakenly categorized as fibromyalgia for which drugs can mitigate symptoms, but they cannot cure.

While actively Searching for the Cause of problems associated with lead and arsenic poisoning, I decided to have the last two metal fillings removed from my mouth. I had not addressed them thinking there were more important issues to deal with at the time. Within 12 hours of removing the mercury fillings my decade old hip pain was gone and never returned. There are a number of cases of spontaneous healing once metal is removed, but to be sure, there are usually lingering issues.

The video below by Dr. David Kennedy, DDS is what prompted me to Search for the Cause of what doctors said was depression, symptoms of aging or fibromyalgia. His information is basic and clear. There is no denying that mercury fillings remain active and release toxic gasses in the mouth.

So, Watch Your Dirty Mouth!

Fibromyalgia Mimics Many Other Conditions. Which Do You Have?

7/12/2015

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Sometimes a diagnosis is a trap.
You think you are working toward an end
only to find it was the wrong road.

So you have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. That seems clear enough, but did you know that your fibromyalgia symptoms mimic many other conditions that are not called fibromyalgia and are not treated in the same way?

Since there is no actual testing to verify fibromyalgia, as it is a condition rather than a disease, is important to clarify what your symptoms are actually saying. The body does not rebel for no reason. When it sends you a 911 it is important to listen. Your body is definitely screaming for help and the tough part is figuring out what it's saying..

These are just a few common conditions that mimic each other and could be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia. I like to call them fibromyalgia-like.

Fibromyalgia mimics the following conditions
Lyme Disease
Arthritis
Sleep Apnea
Parasit Infestations
Candida Overgrowth
Whiplash Disorders
Adult Growth Hormone Deficiencies
Muscle Enzyme Deficiencies
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Use of Statin Medications (cholesterol)
Lupas
Cushing’s Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Anemia
Osteoporosis
Endometriosis
Crohn’s Disease
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Heavy Metals Poisoing

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Fibromyalgia: Is It A Real Diagnosis?

7/11/2015

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Almost anyone can leave a doctor’s office
with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. That's not reassuring.

The criteria is flimsy at best.
Three months of chronic pain without an identifiable source is reason enough to offer the diagnosis.

Personally, I say let's Search for the Cause, Not Just the Cure.

When someone finally believes you are in pain, it feels like a relief, but is it?
The problem with this diagnosis is that fibromyalgia is labeled as “incurable.” Being given this diagnosis is a life sentence. Once you head gets into that game, you're probably not getting out of it.

The Mayo Clinic offers this definition of fibromyalgia:

“Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.

Symptoms sometimes begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Women are much more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression.

While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, a variety of medications can help control symptoms. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures also may help.”

This diagnosis is disturbing on many levels. Fibromyalgia is not the “cause” of anything. It is only a name given to a broad collection of symptoms. It is also an insurance code and it simplifies life for health professionals, but not for the sufferer.

Once diagnosed, a patient is offered drugs. These drugs are not meant to cure. They are only meant to mitigate symptoms. Because Western medicine has established that this condition is incurable, these drugs are available for life. The secondary risks from these drugs and dependency on them are put aside in favor of the immediate rewards of reduced symptoms. Meanwhile the long-term effects of these drugs on the body remain unchallenged. No one gets well in this scenario and the risk of doing harm to the body with drug therapy is very high.

Just a note: All of the Mayo Clinic's stated symptoms are those experienced by people who are metals poisoned. None of the drugs prescribed for those symptoms will ever end that drama.

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<<Previous

Diagnosed or Misdiagnosed; Managed or Cured?

Start Curing the "Incurable" Fibromyalgia Yourself

Would You Choose Cosmetics That Were Making You Sick?

Breast Cancer Awareness vs. Prevention

Lead Poisoning from Dinnerware

Is Metal Poisoning Rare, or Rarely Diagnosed?

What Does Heavy Metal Toxicity Feel Like?

Three Lies about Mercury Fillings

Fibromyalgia Mimics Many Other Conditions. Which Do You Have?

Fibromyalgia: Is It A Real Diagnosis?

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