| The
Editors |
Dan
Stradford, Editor
Alan Graham, Assistant Editor
Gloria McTaggart, Assistant Editor
SafeHarborProj@aol.com
www.Alternative
MentalHealth.com
Feedback: We'd like to
hear your comments and views. Please forward them to
the e-mail address above. Contact information is
below.
|
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|
| About
Safe Harbor |
| Safe
Harbor was founded in 1998 in the wake of growing
public dissatisfaction with the unwanted effects of
orthodox psychiatric treatments such as medication and
shock therapy. Seeking to satisfy the desire for
safer, more effective treatments, Safe Harbor is
dedicated to educating the public, the medical
profession, and government officials on research and
treatments that, minimally, do no harm and, optimally,
cure the causes of severe mental symptoms. Our primary
thrust is education on the medical causes of severe
mental symptoms and the use of nutritional and other
natural treatments.
|
About
Alternative
MentalHealth.com |
ALTERNATIVE
MENTALHEALTH.COM IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST WEB SITE
DEVOTED exclusively to alternative mental health
treatments. It includes a directory of over 240
physicians, nutritionists, experts, organizations, and
facilities around the U.S. that offer or promote safe,
alternative treatments for severe mental symptoms.
Many of the physicians listed do in-depth examinations
to find the physical causes behind mental problems.
Also included on the site is an array of articles
on topics ranging from the medical causes of
schizophrenia to the effects of toxic metals on mental
health.
Special AlternativeMentalHealth.com T-shirts and
bumper stickers are available at our online store.
A bookstore page lists top books that cover many
areas of alternative treatments with titles like
Natural Healing for Schizophrenia and Other Common
Mental Disorders and No More Ritalin.
AlternativeMentalHealth.com has been created to
educate the public, practitioners, and government
officials on the medical conditions that create
"mental illness" and the many safe resources
available for addressing and often curing severe
mental symptoms.
|
| WE
WELCOME YOUR DONATIONS. AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION,
SAFE HARBOR IS SUPPORTED SOLELY THROUGH THE
GENEROSITY OF THE PUBLIC. DONATIONS CAN BE MADE
ONLINE AT OUR WEB SITE OR MAILED TO THE ABOVE
ADDRESS. WE ALSO ACCEPT VISA/MASTERCARD BY PHONE.
THANK YOU. |
|
| Editor's
Comment |
|
Although we have a cram-packed issue of AMH News as
always, I want to point out the article by Dr. James
Lake (Complementary and
Alternative Mental Health Caucus Established in APA)
as being especially significant.
Dr. Lake, co-author of Chinese Medical Psychiatry,
spoke at Safe Harbor's Non-Pharma II conference in
2003. He announced at that conference that an effort
had been made at the 2003 annual American Psychiatric
Association meeting to form a committee on
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) but the
committee did not come to fruition.
While CAM has caught on like wildfire in much of
traditional medicine, the field of psychiatry has been
one of the last realms where CAM has had not a
significant influence.
But at this year's meeting of the American
Psychiatric Association (APA), thanks to the efforts
of a number of psychiatrists, an official caucus has
been created within the APA to promote the use of CAM
in American psychiatry.
The APA guidelines defines a caucus as a group of
self-selected special interest psychiatrists for whom
there is no other vehicle or subspecialty organization
already relating to the APA. The purpose of an APA
special caucus is to promote communication and
networking among psychiatrists/members of the
association who share a special interest; and to
provide a voice to association members who share a
common interest so that they may bring to the
association's attention important or emerging issues
that will affect patient care and the practice of
psychiatry within that special interest area.
Safe Harbor would like to URGE psychiatrists who
are APA members to take part in this caucus to promote
this critical area of care within psychiatry. This is
a very special chance to infuse a breath of fresh
ideas into American psychiatry that would eventually
have far-reaching effects into millions of lives.
Dr. Lake and his participating colleagues are to be
commended for their humanitarian efforts in persisting
along this course and for planting a seed that will
ultimately sprout a forest of hope and recovery for
psychiatric patients across America.
|
| Six
Announcements |
index |
| CMEs
Offered for Safe Harbor's Non-Pharma III
Conference |
| |
We are happy to
announce that we are offering CME (Continuing
Medical Education) for physicians at Safe
Harbor's Non-Pharma III conference. Full
details are below.
We are able to
do this thanks to our co-sponsoring partner,
ACAM, the American College for the Advancement
of Medicine. Founded in 1973, ACAM is a
not-for-profit medical society dedicated to
educating physicians and other health care
professionals on the latest findings and
emerging procedures in preventive/nutritional
medicine. It is the leading organization of
its kind in the world.
|
| Safe
Harbor's Non-Pharma III Conference |
| |
NON-PHARMA III
Safe Harbor's Third
Annual Medical Conference:
"Non-Pharmaceutical Approaches to
Mental Disorders"
|
FEATURING: A
special afternoon with Michael Lesser, M.D.,
author of The Brain Chemistry Diet, with a new
book, Nutrition and The Mind, to be released
in 2004, and one of the pioneers of
nutritional psychiatry in the United States.
Join Safe
Harbor and the nation's leading voices on
safe, non-drug treatments for the mentally
unwell.
When:
Saturday, June 5, 2004, 8:30 AM to 6 PM
Sunday, June 6, 2004, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Where: Glendale
Hilton Hotel, Glendale, CA (just outside
Los Angeles). The Hilton is next to downtown
Glendale with an array of nearby shopping,
restaurants, theaters, etc. Rooms $109.00 per
day. Mention Safe Harbor when booking. Event
parking $8.00 per day. For reservations, call
(818) 956-5466.
Fees:
Before May 20: $130 for both days (lunch not
included) After May 20: $160 (lunch not
included)
Day Rates Available
| Continuing Education Units |
- 15 Hours of
CMEs (continuing medical education) for
physicians - $160.00 extra.
- 15 Hours
continuing education units (CEUs) for CA
LCSW/MFTs and nurses - $60 extra (BBS Prov.
No. BCE 2516; BRN Prov. No. pending - No
refunds after May 24.).
- 15 Hours of
CEU credit for members of the Society of
Certified Nutritionists (newly named
National Association. of Nutrition
Professionals) - $60.00 extra.
This activity has been
planned and implemented in accordance with the
Essential Areas and policies of the
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical
Education through the joint sponsorship of the
American College for Advancement in Medicine
and Safe Harbor. The American College for
Advancement in Medicine is accredited by the
ACCME to provide and sponsor continuing
medical education for physicians. The American
College for Advancement in Medicine designates
this educational activity for a maximum of 15
category 1 credits towards the AMA Physician's
Recognition Award. Each physician should claim
only those credits that he/she actually spent
in the activity.
Register by phone - (323) 257-7338,
email - SafeHarborProj@aol.com
or online at:
https://secure.corpsite.com/secure_alternative/donation.htm
Seating is limited!
If you want to exhibit at the conference,
please contact wendy@alternativementalhealth.com.
With a dozen speakers, presentations will
include:
Saturday, June 5, 2004
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM: Registration
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM: Opening Remarks: Dan
Stradford, President, Safe Harbor
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Peter Muran, M.D.: Holistic
Approach to Mental Health Through the Balance
of Neurotransmitters, Hormones, and Nutrition
Dr. Muran, host of the TV show "Longevity
Healthcare" and director of the Longevity
Healthcare Center of Laguna Hills, California,
is a recognized expert in the treatment of
candidiasis, natural hormone replacement
therapy, treatment of digestive disorders, and
chelation for cardiac disease and mercury
toxicity.
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM: Break
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM: Barbara Massey, R.N.: Reversible
Dementias - Detecting and Treating Common
Medical Causes of Dementia Symptoms in the
Elderly
Ms. Massey is program director for
G.E.N.E.S.I.S. - a unique community outreach
project established in 1995 under the Los
Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
Their mission is to organize medical and
social services for seniors having difficulty
caring for themselves. They do not accept most
diagnoses of "dementia," reporting
that the majority of cases are due to
treatable medical problems.
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM: David Steenblock,
M.S.,D.O.: Reversing Psychiatric Symptoms
of Traumatic Brain Injury
Dr. Steenblock is the director of the Brain
Therapeutic Medical Clinic of Mission Viejo,
California. Dr. Steenblock's clinic was the
first to combine Hyperbaric Oxygen with a
comprehensive program including nutritional
therapies, cardiovascular rehabilitation,
physical and occupational therapy, biofeedback
and neuro-biofeedback, acupuncture, and pulsed
electromagnetic therapy, in addition to
conventional treatment protocols, to increase
the potential for improvement. (www.strokedoctor.com)
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM - Lunch
1:15 PM - 2: 45 PM: Denis Wilson, M.D.: Hidden
Thyroid Conditions That Commonly Affect Mental
Health - And How to Treat Them
Dr. Wilson is the discoverer of Wilson's
Thyroid Syndrome, originator of the thyroid
hormone sustained-release T3, and author of
Wilson's Thyroid Syndrome - A Reversible
Thyroid Problem. (www.wilsonssyndrome.com)
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM: Randy Martin, Ph.D.: Homeopathic
Treatment of Anxiety and Depression
Dr. Martin, author of Optimal Health, How to
Get It, How to Keep It, has published numerous
articles nationally and internationally on
homeopathy and Oriental medicine (www.optimalhealth4u.com).
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM: Break
4:00 PM - 5:15 PM: Raymond Silkman, D.D.S.:
Is It Mental or Is It Dental? How Mercury
Fillings, Root Canals, Temporo-Mandibular
Joint (TMJ) Syndrome, and Other Dental Issues
Affect Mental Health
Since 1992, Dr. Silkman has been practicing
holistic dentistry, orthodontics and treatment
of TMJ and related disorders in cooperation
with chiropractors, homeopaths,
acupuncturists, osteopaths, and other health
professionals.
5:15 PM - 6:00 PM: Gottfried Kellermann,
Ph.D.: Laboratory Testing for
Neurotransmitters and Its Clinical Application
Sunday, June 6, 2004
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM: Karen Barth Menzies,
Esq.: The Rising Tide of Pharmaceutical
Lawsuits: What the Practitioner Needs to Know
About the Future of Psychiatric Drug
Litigation
Ms. Menzies is the drug products liability
attorney for Baum Hedlund, legal counsel for
the Paxil class action law suit and one of the
nation's leading law firms for pharmaceutical
litigation (www.baumhedlund.com).
9:30: AM - 10:30 AM: To be announced
10:30 AM - 10:45 AM: Break
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM: Victoria L. lbric,
M.D., Ph.D.: EEG Biofeedback Treatment for
Depression, Anxiety, Addiction and Other
Disorders
Dr. Ibric is a board certified instructor who
offers internship training for therapists
interested in using Neuro/biofeedback in their
practice. Dr. Ibric graduated from medical
school in Bucharest, Romania and obtained her
PhD in both immunology and health psychology.
Dr. Ibric practiced medicine for more than 20
years in the field of oncology, neurology and
cancer research. Presently she has a full time
thriving private practice in Pasadena at the
Therapy & Prevention Center, and she is
consultant for UCLA- Pain Medicine Center,
Kaiser Permanente, and other clinics. She
provides Neuro/biofeedback for a variety of
disorders or symptoms caused by stress, as
well as peak-performance training. Since 1993
Dr. Ibric has had a high rate of success using
Neurofeedback training on patients with
disorders such as chronic pain, sleep or
tremor disorders, traumatic brain injury,
ADD/ADHD, autism, and seizures. Dr. Ibric
continuously applies her research experience
while practicing neurofeedback. Many of her
results have been presented at National and
International conferences, and have been
published in peer review journals. She has
been and continues to be an active promoter of
Biofeedback/ Neurofeedback in the community. (www.neurofeedback-dribric.com)
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch
1:00 PM - 3:15 PM: Michael Lesser, M.D.: Nutrition
and the Mind
An afternoon with Michael Lesser, M.D., one of
the founders of the orthomolecular
(nutritional) psychiatry movement in the U.S.
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM: Break
3:30 PM - 5:15 PM: Safe Harbor's 2004
Recovery Panel
6 people, now leading drug-free lives, tell
their remarkable stories of recovery from
mental disorders.
5:15 PM - 5:30 PM: Closing remarks, Dan
Stradford, President, Safe Harbor
|
| Pfeiffer
to Offer Patient Services in Scottsdale,
Arizona |
| |
Location:
Chaparral Suites, 5001 N. Scottsdale Rd., May
17-19
The PFEIFFER
TREATMENT CENTER is an outpatient clinic
dedicated to assisting children and adults
with biochemical imbalances. We offer natural,
individualized treatment emphasizing ADD,
ADHD, learning disabilities, autism,
depression, thought & mood disorders. Our
doctors prescribe individualized nutrient
therapy for each patient's unique
biochemistry.
For
information or an appointment call
630-505-0300
8:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. (CST) Mon.-Fri.
Be sure to
visit the Pfeiffer website, www.hriptc.org
|
| Safe
Harbor Miami Launches with May 22 Autism
Conference |
| |
We are very
happy to announce the establishment of Safe
Harbor Miami, headed by Dr. Andrew Levinson, a
reputable orthomolecular psychiatrist and
member of Safe Harbor's professional listserv,
Integrative Psychiatry. The Safe Harbor Miami
chapter is kicking off with a bang by
co-sponsoring a superb autism conference:
REVERSING AUTISM
ONE CHILD AT A TIME
|
Saturday May
22, 2004 - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Functional
Therapies and Cutting Edge Research
An all-day
conference for parents of children with
Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) together
with clinicians and health care professionals
seeking to advance their awareness of
therapeutic options for reversing the symptoms
of Autism.
World Renowned
Researchers and Leading Physician Experts
- Andy
Wakefield, MD, Gastroenterologist
& Research Director, ICDRC - Dr.
Wakefield's current research is an
investigation of the immunological and
pathological changes occurring in
association with autistic enterocolitis,
and the relationship of this condition to
possible environmental causes such as
childhood vaccines. His research,
dedication to ASD children & IOM
(Institute of Medicine) testimony has
brought him international acclaim.
- Timothy
Buie, MD, Harvard University Pediatric
Gastroenterologist at Massachusetts
General - Dr. Buie is an instructor of
Pediatrics at Harvard and a clinician
& consultant with the LADDERS program
(Learning and Developmental Disabilities
Evaluation and Rehab Services). He is
known for his expertise in diagnosing
children with GI complications and dynamic
approach to treating gut issues in
children on the spectrum. His current
research work regards carbohydrate enzyme
deficiencies in ASD.
- Andrew
Levinson, MD, Founder & Director,
Vitality Health & Wellness - Dr.
Levinson is an orthomolecular
psychiatrist, with expertise in treating
children on the spectrum. His work in
heavy metal detoxification, nutritional
therapies and dietary intervention offers
effective options to parents looking for
treatment alternatives to pharmacologic
sedation and institutionalization.
- David
Berger, MD, Director of Pediatrics
Vitality Health & Wellness - Dr.
Berger is an expert in treating children
with ASD. His comprehensive appreciation
of the potential risks of vaccine injury
and the biochemistry of the pathways that
are affected in Autism give him insight
that few other doctors have.
- Doreen
Granpeesheh, Ph.D, Director &
Founder, C.A.R.D. - Dr. Granpeesheh has
been providing diagnosis, assessment and
behavioral treatment for children with
Autism and related disorders for over 25
years. She founded CARD in 1990 and has
provided ABA services for over 5000
children through CARD's 14 offices
worldwide.
- Jeff
Bradstreet, MD, FAAFP Founder &
Director, ICDRC - Dr. Bradstreet's current
research in the area of genetics,
environmental toxins, and biochemistry
redefines the diagnosis of Autism. He is
an adjunct professor at two universities
and is the founder of the International
Child Development Resource Center (ICDRC)
Saturday May
22, 2004 - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kovins Center
FIU Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street
North Miami, Florida 33181
Early
Registration $115/$140 after May 14. Parking
and Lunch included. Sign up Now! Call
305-466-1100 or register online by going to: http://www.vitalitywellness.com/seminars/rev_autism_register.php
Please join us
and our speakers for dinner in the evening in
honor of Dr. Wakefield
Dinner,
Cocktails, Live Art Auction
Call
305-466-1100 for an invitation
Chispa
Restaurant Bar, 225 Altara Avenue, Coral
Gables.
This
fund-raising event is sponsored by Oleomed and
Safe Harbor Miami. All monies raised will go
toward Autism research - Medical Interventions
for Autism (MIA) 501(C)3.
For more
information on our center, go to www.vitalitywellness.com.
|
| Safe
Harbor Los Angeles Support Group Meeting, May
12 |
| |
The Los Angeles
Safe Harbor Support Group meeting will be held
at the Safe Harbor office, 1718 Colorado Blvd,
Eagle Rock, from 7 to 9 PM, Wednesday, May
12th.
We will
present James Hopson, L.Ac., speaking on
Metabolic Typing and foods that promote mental
health. He will share how he dramatically
turned his own physical and mental health
around.
The meeting is
free and open to all interested persons.
Kindly RSVP (323) 257-7338 if you will be
participating.
The support
group will meet from 7 PM to 8 PM and the talk
will be presented from 8 PM to 9 PM.
|
| Complementary
and Alternative Mental Health Caucus
Established in APA |
| |
In recent
decades there has been a growing trend toward
the use of complementary and alternative
medical (CAM) approaches to mental and
emotional disorders. Recent surveys suggest
that 60% of psychiatric patients, especially
those suffering from anxiety and depressive
disorders, use some form of alternative
treatment. Further, most patients who use
alternative approaches don't disclose this
fact to their psychiatrists. At the same time,
increasing numbers of psychiatrists and
non-medically trained mental health
professionals believe that certain CAM
modalities are valid and effective treatments,
and administer these therapies directly, or
refer patients to CAM practitioners for the
treatment of diverse psychiatric disorders
including depressed mood, bipolar disorder,
generalized anxiety and others.
The decision
of the American Psychiatric Association to
establish a special Caucus on complementary,
alternative (CAM) and integrative approaches
in mental health care represents a strategic
response to the widespread use of
non-conventional treatments in mental health
care. The first meeting of this A.P.A. caucus
has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 4th,
during the A.P.A.'s annual meeting in New
York, hosted by Darrel Regier M.D., director
of the American Psychiatric Research
Institute.
Initial
objectives of the Caucus include the
systematic examination of established and
emerging CAM and integrative assessment and
treatment approaches with the goal of
providing reliable information on safety and
efficacy to the A.P.A., member psychiatrists,
other professional medical societies, and
non-medically trained mental health
professionals. The diverse perspectives and
backgrounds of Caucus members reflect the
widespread and increasing interest among
conventionally trained psychiatrists in
complementary, alternative and integrative
treatments addressing the range of psychiatric
disorders. The Caucus will advise relevant
A.P.A. committees (including the Committee on
Research on New Treatments) on significant
emerging research findings or safety
considerations pertaining to CAM or
integrative approaches to psychiatric
disorders. An important long-term goal is the
development of evidence-based clinical
practice guidelines for the use of CAM or
integrative assessment and treatment
approaches in mental health care.
| EDITOR'S
NOTE: Anyone wishing to contact Dr.
Lake on this matter or psychiatrists
interested in participating in the APA
caucus can contact Dr. Lake at egret4@mindspring.com |
|
|
| Testimonial:
Life After Catatonic Schizophrenia |
index |
| Safe
Harbor's web site, www.AlternativeMentalHealth.com,
was created several years ago after an episode
with one woman who had been diagnosed with
catatonic schizophrenia in her mid-30s. Her
husband called us numerous times, refusing to
give up on his wife and leave her on
medications. We encouraged him, through a
number of phone calls, to find a doctor to
FULLY examine her and yet every doctor
refused, saying there was no need - she simply
had schizophrenia.
He finally
found a doctor to fully test her and an
organic acids urine test by Great Plains Lab
found the woman dramatically deficient in
glutathione, a nutrient that clears up toxins.
We still have her lab results in our files.
The woman, nearly mute by this time, was given
glutathione injections and supporting
nutrients and 24 hours later got on the phone
and spoke for an hour. A month later she was
normal.
We launched
our site to help others in finding
practitioners. The woman's story - we called
her Mrs. J - was the first testimonial to
appear on our site. When she contacted us last
year, we found she had returned to college and
had gotten her university degree.
The following
came in to us very recently from her:
|
I am Mrs J and, living life now, I just wanted to
give you a personal update and to share some recent
victories: Firstly, I made the first page of my local
paper for being one of two convenors of a writers
conference that turned over a profit to a nonprofit
organization; secondly, a piece of my poetry won first
place and the mayor of my city presented the award on
behalf of the city; and thirdly, a piece of my writing
just appeared in a teacher's magazine (circulation
58,000)!
Life is getting better and better. I work with
children, helping them to write essays. It is truly
wonderful to watch a child gain certainty and
knowledge. It is very true that helping the
individual, one can get a forward advance in the
future and culture of civilization. But there are more
successes to be had, so off I go to find them and
enhance the world around me.
I have so wanted, for some time now, to write you a
short note on how life is going. The future is in
front of me and I look forward to creating it. Thank
you for all the work you are putting into this website
as it is so valuable in saving the lives of others.
|
| Testimonials:
Healing Mental Symptoms with Homeopathy |
index |
| The
use of homeopathy to treat mental disorders is
a safe, successful approach not well known in
some circles. On Safe Harbor's directory at www.AlternativeMentalHealth.com/directory
we have a number of homeopaths who treat
severe mental symptoms in their practices.
Such practitioners include Tim Shannon, N.D.,
in Oregon (drt@drtshannon.com)
and Michele Galante, M.D., in New York (mgalante@earthlink.net).
To offer some
insight into homeopathic recoveries, we
present these testimonials, recently posted to
our site. They are from the practice of
Gabrielle Traub, Doctor of Homeopathy at 3268
Governor Drive, San Diego, California 92122;
Phone: (858) 531-5279; Email: drtraub@san.rr.com
|
I began treatment with Dr. Traub in July of 2003.
My medical history consisted of a chemical imbalance
called Bipolar Disorder. With Dr. Traub's expertise in
homeopathic medicine and her experience with this
condition, I was given a remedy that changed my life.
I felt better immediately. I never was one who slept
well or regularly. Now I sleep soundly and I feel
better than I've ever felt in my life. My moods are
much better since I sought homeopathic treatment. I
was cleared of my prior diagnosis and now do not take
any medication at all. I am so grateful for Dr.
Traub's thoroughness and attention to details of my
medical profile. She is kind, supportive and her
treatment has made me healthier than I've ever been. I
have referred friends and family to Dr. Traub and they
have had wonderful experiences as well.
-- NZ
I was diagnosed bipolar two years ago. I started to
take lithium, antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs.
The problem with those drugs are that I felt
"flat," I mean, without emotions. I gained
weight, too, and had acne problems. My husband was
afraid of the side effects of lithium (including
kidney damage) so he started to look for natural
options. We found Dr. Traub and started to have a
consultation with her in April 2003, and she helped to
wean me off of drugs using only homeopathic medicine.
After three or four months on homeopathic treatment
I?m really fine, I?m off all medications and enjoying
life again with my husband and my children. I?m really
thankful to her.
-- from Mexico
Anxiety, Depression, Hypothyroid
By using the homeopathic remedy Dr. Traub has given
me, I am now off Paxil and on my way to healing my
thyroid. Dr. Traub has been a very caring person
through the entire process; no other doctor has ever
been so concerned and taken so much time to really
help me. I wish that someday Western medical doctors
will have the same sympathy and understanding and
diligence to help their patients as Dr. Traub has
shown. Most doctors spend literally 5 minutes with you
and send you on your way; you end up wondering if they
even gave you the right medicine or if they really
know what is wrong. How can they, in just 5 minutes?
Something that I was not being treated for has gone
away, an eczema spot on my hand permanently which had
been there for years has disappeared! I was having
terrible side effects on Paxil and the homeopathic
remedy has no side effects in relieving my anxiety and
depression. I decided to try homeopathic treatment for
my hypothyroid because I did not want to be on
medication the rest of my life. The last blood tests
showed that my thyroid is completely normal from
taking my homeopathic medicine.
|
| Article:
Feingold Program Affords Simple Remedy for Mental
Symptoms |
index |
|
"Trouble may begin in the grocery cart,"
says the homepage of www.feingold.org,
the website of the Feingold(r) Association of the
United States. Continuing the work of health pioneer
Ben F. Feingold, MD, this non-profit public charity
promotes a diet to eliminate ADHD symptoms that is
neither expensive nor difficult to follow. Acceptable
products and their suppliers are listed on the
website, along with a free downloadable chapter of the
book Why Can't My Child Behave? - featuring many
encouraging success stories like this one:
"Mark was such a cheerful little baby until he
was about six months old and I introduced solid food.
We moved at this time, and I assumed his radical
change in behavior was the result of the move. I never
suspected it was triggered by the foods and baby
vitamins he ingested.
"His record for sleep was 3 hours. A day with
my son alternated between loudness, constant motion,
and short periods of sleep -- generally one or two
hours. By age one he slept through the night, but woke
screaming. This was his only form of communication
except for one word: 'see.' When we got a puppy, Mark
learned to imitate it. Looking back, it's funny to
recall that my son spoke two words, one of which was
'woof.' But at the time, my husband and I didn't laugh
at that, or at much of anything else, for that matter.
I was with this miserably unhappy baby for 24 hours
each day. Who would want to baby-sit? There were times
when I thought I was cracking up, and I even
daydreamed of being institutionalized -- somewhere
restful and quiet!
"The few other adults I encountered weren't
much help. 'You're spoiling him.' 'He certainly knows
how to get his way.' Why was I made to feel so guilty?
I turned to my doctor for help and received a
sarcastic, 'If he's this bad at two, we'll refer you
to a psychiatrist.'
"When Mark was one and a half he got a
terrible case of diarrhea. (I didn't realize at the
time that it was caused by cow's milk.) This went on
for three months, and all the medications my doctor
tried were of no help. Another doctor in the group
told me to put Mark on a very restricted diet, with
only three foods. Gradually the diarrhea stopped, but
most astonishing was the dramatic change in Mark's
behavior. Gone was the child who behaved as though he
was possessed, and my sweet little boy was back.
('See, he outgrew it,' explained a relative.)
"On the Feingold diet, my two-year-old's
vocabulary of one word and a bark suddenly became a
torrent of words and even some short sentences. Within
a week he was naming all of the letters of the
alphabet."
| Disclaimer
from www.feingold.org: |
| |
"Neither
a diagnosis nor a prescription is required in
order to implement the Feingold Program as a
healthy diet choice. This information is not
intended, however, to replace competent
medical diagnosis." |
|
| Article:
Fluoridation Enables Lead, Aluminum to Invade The
Brain |
index |
|
Evidence is mounting that various compounds of
fluoride from a variety of sources, most notably
municipal water supplies that are deliberately
fluoridated, act to compromise the blood-brain
barrier. (Definition: "A barrier that exists
between the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid which
prevents the passage of various substances from the
bloodstream to the brain.") www.sonoranspine.com/glossary.htm
The chemical most commonly used to fluoridate
America's drinking water is associated with an
increase in children's blood lead levels, according to
research presented to the 17th International
Neurotoxicology Conference ("Children's Health
and the Environment," Little Rock, Arkansas,
October 17-20, 1999), as quoted at www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof.
Pro-fluoridation literature uniformly cites a
handful of studies done on sodium fluoride, an
aluminum industry waste product used in fluoride
toothpastes and dental treatments. Since 1997, the FDA
has required fluoride toothpastes to carry the
warning: "...if the child swallows more than a
pea-sized amount, contact a Poison Control Center
immediately."
Here's some enticing promotional copy from a
Chinese manufacturer's website:
Sodium Fluoride "Properties:
White powder, soluble in water, slightly soluble in
alcohol, poisonous. Uses: Be used as manufacture of
enamel, vermin destroyer, rat poison; as insecticide,
preservatives for wood and food, antiseptic in alcohol
distillation."
While far from proven safe, sodium fluoride is
significantly less toxic than the cheaper
silicofluorides used in most fluoridated communities.
Sodium Fluorosilicate "Usage:
It can be used as white-adding reagent of porcelain
enamel and glass, melt-supporting reagent, antiseptic
of wood, insecticide in agriculture, moisture
absorption reagent of acid tolerance cement,
solidification matter of natural latex products, ...
filling substance of plastic."
www.china-fluoride.com/web_c/cpjs_e.htm
Fluoride applied topically to teeth may provide
some decay resistance, but no published research
supports the assumption that ingesting fluoridated
water has the same effect.
Researchers Roger D. Masters, Ph.D., of Dartmouth
College, and chemical engineer Myron Coplan, found
that the silicofluorides (SiF) do not separate
completely, as sodium fluoride does. "As a
result, water treatment with silicofluorides
apparently functions to increase the cellular uptake
of lead," according to their findings published
in the International Journal of Environmental Studies
(September 1999).
Masters and Coplan studied lead screening data from
280,000 Massachusetts children. They found that
average blood lead levels are significantly higher in
children living in communities whose water is treated
with silicofluorides. (Lead and arsenic are
significant components of the "chemical
soup" recovered from the smokestack scrubbers of
phosphate fertilizer plants and repackaged as a water
treatment.)
"Data from the Third National Health and
Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES III) and a survey
of over 120,000 children in New York towns (population
15,000 to 75,000) corroborate this effect," adds
the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof/_pgg5.php3).
Masters and Coplan reported that some minorities
are especially at risk in high SiF exposure areas,
with significantly higher blood lead levels than they
do in unfluoridated communities.
Silicofluorides are used by over 90% of U.S.
fluoridated towns and cities. Ironically, children
with higher blood lead levels also have more tooth
decay (Journal of the American Medical Association,
June 23/30, 1999).
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
(CDC), lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities,
behavioral problems, and at high levels, seizures,
coma and even death.
"Lead is a highly significant risk factor in
predicting higher rates of crime, attention deficit
disorder or hyperactivity and learning
disabilities," said Dr. Masters.
The Aluminum Connection
Research findings covered in previous issues of
Alternative Mental Health News point to a link between
Alzheimer's Disease and aluminum in the brain.
Unfortunately, fluoride has a strong affinity for
aluminum and helps the metal atoms get past the
"blood-brain barrier."
Isabel Jansen, R.N., wrote of a simple experiment
regarding the use of aluminum pots, where you can
easily prove for yourself that both the aluminum and
the fluoride content in water both increase
dramatically, when combined:
"In January 1987, experiments performed at the
Medical Research Endocrinology Dept., Newcastle upon
Tyne, England, and the Physics Dept of the Univ. of
Ruhana, Sri Lanka, showed that fluoridated water at 1
ppm, when used in cooking in aluminum cookware,
concentrated the aluminum up to 600 ppm, whereas water
without fluoride did not. (Science News, 131:73)
"The researchers suggested that because of the
known fact that aluminum is neuro-toxic and is in
abnormally high concentrations in the brain of
Alzheimer's and other neurological disease victims,
including AIDS, that these findings raise questions
about adding fluoride to the water supply of
communities to reduce tooth decay.
"Because of these findings, a test was made of
Antigo, Wisconsin water which had been fluoridated for
33 years. The water was examined by a certified
Wisconsin laboratory, and showed that when it was used
in cooking in aluminum cookware, it concentrated the
aluminum by 833 times and increased the fluoride
content by 100%.
"The maximum allowed aluminum content of water
is set by the World Health Organization at 200
micrograms per liter. This makes Antigo water, when
cooked in aluminum, 75 times over the maximum. No test
was made of distilled water, as the Antigo Water Dept.
does not dispense distilled water. Antigo water pipes
are also encrusted with (calcified) fluoride from 26
to 3,100 ppm. This latter was analyzed and diagnosed
by the Wisconsin Dept of Hygiene as being aluminum
fluoride. Regardless of which findings are true, to
chance exchanging a hole in a tooth---which can be
repaired at a nominal fee---for dementia (organic
brain disorder) in later years, for which there is no
remedy at any price, hardly seems to be a good
bargain.
"Therefore, it would seem imperative that
other communities test their water in the same manner
to see if it produces the same results, as tests may
vary depending on the mineral variations of the water
and the type of aluminum cookware. This simple test
can be done by anyone, with the help of a laboratory
to do the analysis." ISABEL JANSEN, R.N. (Journal
of the National Academy of Research Biochemists -
Jan/Feb '90)
These quotes about aluminum are thanks to users.rcn.com/mgfree/Medical/Fluorine/FluorineApathy.html.
If Your Water Is Fluoridated
If you are drinking bottled water, be sure to check
out the guidelines at www.bottledwater.org.
Ironically, many companies add fluoride to bottled
water, as listed at www.bottledwater.org/public/fluorida.htm.
In fluoridated areas, 80% of the fluoride
assimilation is through the skin in bathing, so
drinking bottled water alone is not enough. Few home
water filtration systems are equipped to trap the
chemical, so read the fine print if you are about to
install a system.
Sailors used to take one-minute showers. Travelers
have learned to do so in areas where water is scarce.
Cutting back does not have to be this extreme to be
effective, however. Consult the references at www.aquasafe.us
and the other websites listed in this article for
information about who is most at risk (kidney
patients, diabetics, small children) and what exposure
levels you should be concerned about in your area.
|
| Article:
Attention Problems Linked to Early TV Exposure |
index |
|
As we reported in Issue 6:
Dr. Alan Gaby, medical editor of the Townsend
Letter for Doctors and Holistic Medicine reports,
"Time-lapse cinematography studies have shown
that first-grade children sitting under fluorescent
lights become hyperactive, compared to those exposed
to standard lighting.
"The radiation emanating from television sets
(not to mention the questionable programming) may also
have an adverse effect on behavior. In one study, rats
were placed in a cage fifteen feet away from a
television set. Although the sound was turned off and
all visible light from the screen was shielded by a
piece of black cardboard, the rats became hyperactive
and aggressive. However, if a lead shield was placed
over the black cardboard, the rats behaved
normally."
Radiation exposure decreases as the square of
distance. This means, for example, that children
sitting a foot from the television are bombarded with
25 times more radiation than they would be at five
feet away, and 225 times more than the unfortunate
rats in the study.
Now, a study has been published linking early
television exposure and subsequent attentional
problems in children. (Pediatrics Vol. 113 No. 4 April
2004, pp. 708-713)
"Cross-sectional research has suggested that
television viewing may be associated with decreased
attention spans in children. However, longitudinal
data [data covering an extended period of time, often
several years] of early television exposure and
subsequent attentional problems have been
lacking," says the abstract of the study.
When study author Dr. Dimitri Christakis of the
University of Washington, Seattle, analyzed
longitudinal data for 1278 children at age 1 and 1345
children at age 3, he found:
"...for each additional daily hour of
television that young children watched on average, the
risk of subsequently having attentional problems [by
age 7] was increased by almost 10."
This means that 1- to 3-year-olds who watched eight
hours of television a day "would have an 80
percent higher risk or attentional problems compared
to a child who watched zero hours," he explained.
"Our hypothesis is that it's the rapidity of
image-change that's potentially damaging to children's
brains," Christakis said. "They are
experiencing events unfolding in a surreal fashion --
this is not how life unfolds."
Christakis, a pediatrician at Seattle's Children's
Hospital and Regional Medical Center, tells all of the
parents he works with that "they should not let
their child watch television during the first two
years of life, and subsequently they should exert
extreme caution both with respect to the amount and
content." Current guidelines issued by the
American Academy of Pediatrics agree.
|
| Article:
Easy "ADHD" Prescription: Green Fields and
Open Sky |
index |
|
Researchers at the Human Environment Research
Laboratory at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign (www.herl.uiuc.edu)
have found that "green time" - time spent
outdoors in parks, farms or grassy backyards - reduces
symptoms of ADHD when compared to time spent at
concrete, asphalt or indoor playgrounds.
Reported on in Psychology Today (www.psychologytoday.com/htdocs/prod/PTOArticle/pto-20040406-000015.asp),
the study by Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances Kuo adds
to the lab's earlier finding that neighborhood ties
are stronger, and reports of domestic violence less
frequent, in public housing developments when grass
and trees are part of the environment.
The new findings were consistent regardless of the
child's age, gender, family income, geographic region
or severity of diagnosis. Parents rated their child's
behavior after extracurricular and weekend activities.
The researchers eliminated the effects of physical
exercise as a factor.
If doctors eventually prescribe "green
time" for the treatment of ADHD, it has the
advantage of being widely accessible, free of side
effects, nonstigmatizing and inexpensive, Kuo says.
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