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Lupus

 
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Joined: 13 Dec 2006
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Location: Cleveland, OH

PostPosted: Dec Fri 15, 2006 12:39 pm    Post subject: Lupus Reply with quote

Lupus

Lupus - Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
I have a Lupus client that has had surgery and has been on medication and decided that was enough as it wasn't helping her. She is on Cat's Claw and Glucosamine and is not on medication anymore and hasn't been now for a year, and that is all she is taking, she is a marvel in our area. -Jo Thaxter
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I have not treated anyone with lupus, but I believe the KB-C is good because it will help balance the potassium/sodium level in the body. Also she needs to take the Female Comfort. Her hormones need to be balanced then the diarrhea should stop as long as the parasites are also gone. She needs a low Protein diet and high vegetable diet. Too much protein (animal or vegetable) could also stress the immune system, so a vegetable fruit diet would be better. -Lori Hassion
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We have always found that yeast is the underlying cause of Lupus. It would weaken her defenses enough that parasite would become a problem and therefore an immune problem. Check her for Zinc. I will bet she is deficient. It was probably the very first problem. She will need to take a gentle form of Zinc such as Saw Palmetto or Herbal Pumpkin. Let that be her only supplement for 3-4 weeks and then she will be strong enough to start a cleanse . -Marty Kliesh
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Detox Bath
A Bentonite bath might pull it out. 1/2 cup Bentonite to a tub, soak at least 1/2 hour. As the water cools, it pulls toxins out of the skin. Probably 6 altogether. Only do three a week. These baths leave you limp afterwards.:) -Judy Vedder
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It has been my experience that lupus is usually a problem associated with parasites. The book "Reversing Fibromyalgia" by Dr. Joe M Elrod (Woodland Publishing, (800) 777-2665) lists Lupus as a type of Arthritis characterized by inflammation of internal organs and skin rash, and chest pains. May be caused by estrogen, genetics, and/or environment. Garlic, Elecampane (in Artemisia Combo), and Black Walnut are all good products for parasites. -Kathy
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Lupus effects all of us differently, i.e., some people have severe kidney problems, pancreatitis, liver problems, skin rashes, etc. That is why it is so difficult to diagnose and treat. My problems were severe bronchial problems, pneumonia, sinus infections, low grade fever, extreme fatigue, muscle cramps and spasms, and overall body pain. When I went to the iridologist she had to ask me what color my eyes were because to her they looked black around the edges and white on top. There seemed to be no color pigmentation left. I am allergic to prednisone, which I view as a great blessing because it led me to seek out herbology. One of the first things I needed was large quantities of yucca, as it is a mild natural steroid. While it seems that the pain is in the joints, it is really the connective tissue that is inflamed and in need of repair. I have worked with some people that use licorice root also. I have also used Ayurvedic Bronchial Formula for bronchial problems, HS-C, Lymph Gland Cleanse, Target TS II, actually I've had a chance to use many of NSP products. The greatest help for me was the knowledge that my body can become almost completely deficient in minerals. Lupus patients almost always experience trauma in late spring and fall of the year, and for myself I have found that this is the time that my body needs huge dosages of minerals and trace minerals. I currently am on one cup per day of Colloidal Minerals which has been a tremendous help. If you can muscle test your clients to see which products will work the best for them. Don't be surprised at how many supplements they might need. Large quantities of the Colloidal Minerals have worked wonders for me. Besides the herbs that come up for target areas, I always take a multi vitamin supplement, extra minerals (Mega Chel) and at least 2-3 capsules of vitamin C. When everyone around me was devastated by last year's influenza, I escaped with just a couple of days of minor discomfort, no bronchial infection, vomiting, fever or sinus infection. My greatest allies have been muscle testing and CRA (Contact Reflex Analysis). Through these processes I've been able to target the major problems of this disease and survive it with flying colors. Another major area for me has been the support of the adrenals and lymphatic system. If doing CRA test the salt reflex as many times I've had to use Aloe Vera Capsules (6-8 per day) to replenish the salt in my system. CRA will also at times bring up chronic fatigue and at that time Chinese Trigger Immune or IF-C has been used with great success. Check also for parasites. In the beginning, I was plagued with parasites and amoebas (very uncomfortable). I have tried to abstain from sugar and follow more of a high protein, lower carb diet (meats, vegetables, low sugar fruits, (berries) small amounts of rice (I'm allergic to wheat) and have found that I have had very little or no parasitic problems since then. While living through this disease has been stressful, it has been a wonderful learning experience in mind body and spirit. I have read that Lupus has an emotional foundation in people who are very critical of themselves and coming from a background of emotional abuse, I had allowed myself to mentally continue the abuse and turn it inward.

Touch for Health has been very helpful in working with the emotional trauma. I also go to a reflexologist and Reiki practitioner. I am also learning about therapeutic oils to augment the herbal program. Balance and harmony are the keys for all of us. -Donna Keating
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Last week I attended NSP aromatherapy regional meeting, The speaker said that she's had great success treating lupus with 8 drops of Tea Tree Oil in a glass of warm water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. She was talking fast and covering lots of topics, she didn't say for how long or any other details.
Editors Note: I have on occasion used 6 –– 8 drops internally for knee pain and for Candida with no ill effects. This was for periods of time going into several weeks. -Judy Kerr
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Auto-immune disease of the connective tissue affecting control of the nervous system and the joints. Often affects the kidneys. Can be caused by breast implants. Client will initially feel worse but then will feel better. Tiao He Cleanse twice followed by Para-Cleanse (I like Jack's cleanse better followed by para-cleanse), Adrenal support: Licorice Root, Joint Support or Ayurvedic Joint Health + Grapine, DHEA-F or M, Candida control essential support kidneys & nerves. No caffeine, sugar or red meat.
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Lupus is a disease where the immune system overacts and attacks the rest of the body. Client will initially feel worse before feeling better. Take: Una De Gato or IF-C for inflammation 1 qt. daily of Pau d'Arco or Red Clover Blend Extract Joint Support (ATC) or Ayurvedic Joint Health Black Walnut - Elecampane & Garlic Licorice, Chinese Kidney Activator if kidneys are affected, Antioxidant Arsenal plus THIM-J, Vitamin C Ascorbates to bowel tolerance, Grapine - 1 mg. per lb. body weight per day, Skeletal Strength, Proactazyme - 2 each meal. Also important to follow parasites program, clean colon, and detox mouth, rest, avoid strong sunlight, follow a diet low in fat and salt. I'm afraid they don't give out the exact dosage amounts for most of these. It may be best to muscle test. -Morgan
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Joint Support or Ayurvedic Joint Health --- Contains many of the herbs specifically recommended for lupus. For pain, inflammation. Feeds liver, lymph, muscles and skeletal system. Cleans the blood.
Una De Gato --- boosts the immune system, T-Cells (white blood cells. IMM-C --- boost immune system, restore energy, fight stress and general weakness.
THIM-J --- Feeds thymus, exhaustion, T-cells, general immune support. Lymphomax - immune system support. Red Clover Extract --- Very Important to fight lupus. Several drops can be used in hot water for a pleasant tea, or dropped under the tongue.
Oregon Grape - take 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. three times a day.
All Cell Detox -- aid your digestive system/intestinal system. Loaded with minerals lacking in a lupus patient. BP-X --- most of the herbs listed for lupus. Food Enzymes --- over 80 percent of these patients are severely hypochlorhydric -- contains all the digestive enzymes necessary for digestion of protein, carbohydrates, fats. NOTE: tablets are not to be chewed or dissolved.
MEGA- CHEL & Mineral Maintenance --- taken together will assure that you are providing your ravaged body the minerals needed for better health. Mega-Chel also pulls toxic metals from your body.
Pau D' Arco Lotion ---- externally for skin problems associated with lupus.
Last but certainly not least -- FLUIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must drink eight large glasses of water daily. Never ever use tap water. Purchase a counter top filter (Editors Note: Countertop purifier such as NSP Nature's Spring) or buy bottled water. Drink grape juice in moderation. Raw juices greatly needed in lupus bodies: carrot, celery, and add wheat germ to the blend. The client will initially feel worse before feeling better. You need to detox your digestive system and colon.

YOU MUST REMOVE MANY TOXINS FROM YOUR BODY IN ORDER TO GET BETTER

Also address parasites.
(Editors Note: Here is where if you start with something as thorough as Dr. Jack Ritchason's Bowel Cleanse started gradually with ½½ tsp of the Bentonite & same of the Psyllium Combination, you are much less likely to feel worse before better.) -Lisa
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Donald Lepore in his book, The Ultimate Healing System, says he has had luck as have I, by supplementing sodium and potassium by administering Bee Pollen, Alfalfa, & Spirulina. There should be improvement. Sodium and potassium are burned up during the summer with excess perspiration, and stress will do it as well. Lepore says with a shortage of potassium and sodium, allergies arise and the various symptoms of lupus will appear. By supplying the needed nutrients, these allergies can be corrected. The pituitary gland controls the fluid of the body so check the pituitary gland as well. The best news is that lupus is not as fatal as people believe. -Sandy Taylor
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A friend of mine is on MSM and keeps coming back for more, as it helps with his lupus. Comment: MSM is the product that most customers keep coming back for without me asking them -- it sells itself! -Adrian Mowatt-Wilson
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LUPUS AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
by Al Stone, L.Ac.

Treating lupus with acupuncture and Chinese herbal formula requires that we first understand the disease from the Chinese perspective. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) looks at the human body a little differently than conventional medicine that defines lupus as an auto-immune disease. It is common today to refer to this new perspective as a paradigm shift. It is looking at things a little differently than the conventional scientific fashion. With this done, we find answers to medical issues that hadn't been considered prior, and of course we find new and effective treatments as well.

One way of explaining the vast majority of lupus symptoms from the Chinese medicine perspective is through the diagnosis of Yin deficiency. The purpose of this article is to explain what Yin is, what happens when you don't have enough of it, and finally show how many of the symptoms of lupus are an expression of this Yin deficiency. In TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) we often seek to regulate the balance of Yin and Yang within the body. Yin and Yang are universal concepts that explain all of the phenomena in the universe. They're also handy concepts to explain how the body works as well. Yin is the things in our body that keep it cool. Yang is the things in our body that keep it warm. Yin is, among other things, the bodily fluids. Yang is, among other things, metabolic heat. When there is a balance between Yin and Yang there is health, there is vitality, and there is the ability to correct any imbalance as it occurs. In TCM lupus is often associated with a deficiency of Yin. If we recall that Yin is the body fluids and other nourishing, cooling, and moisturizing mechanisms in your body, we can begin to explain lupus symptoms. The first thing that happens when the body is deficient in bodily fluids is that the Metabolic Heat, or the body can get too hot because there isn't enough control for that hot Yang energy, the metabolic heat.

When there isn't enough water in your car's radiator, the engine can overheat. It isn't that the car is running too hot, it's just that the cooling mechanism is deficient. With the condition that we call Yin deficiency, there follows a kind of overheating in the body, and this is the cause of many of the symptoms of lupus from the Chinese medicine perspective. Yin and Yang in balance create the normal body temperature. Deficient Yin cannot cool the Yang and creates chronic low-grade fever. Malar Flush: one of the more typical symptoms of lupus is the malar flush. That's a band of redness that covers the cheeks. This is among the most common symptoms of Yin deficiency in Chinese medicine. With the lack of cooling mechanisms working in the body, there rises into the upper parts of the body an internal heat. Everyone knows that heat rises, and according to TCM this law applies within the body as well. Red is the color of something that is hot, and so we find redness rising up into the face. Fever: when the Yin (cooling mechanism) is deficient, the Yang (warming mechanism) is, by comparison excessive. This results in a chronic low-grade fever.
Oral ulcers or chancre sores: these are another expression of heat rising to the head. These sores tend to be red and hot, just like the malar flush. In fact, oral sores such as this are often associated with a deficiency of Yin in the stomach specifically. There is also a chance that the sores are not due to a Yin deficiency at all, but some other problem of the stomach. In either case, a TCM practitioner would need to see you to determine which cause is most likely. If the problem creating the oral ulcers is a deficiency of Stomach Yin, the patient would like feel heartburn most pronounced when the stomach is empty. If the problem is due to another condition that we call Stomach Fire, then heartburn would be a greater problem on a full stomach.

Malaise: we've been talking about Yin as bodily fluids, but Yin is also the material in the body that we burn for fuel. In a car, the Yang is the fire, it is the ignition system, the spark plugs. The Yin is the gasoline. When there is a deficiency of Yang or Yin, it results in the inability of the car to move well. With the Yin deficiency, it is like you're always out of gas. When there isn't enough Yin, there isn't enough fuel, and so there is fatigue.

Symptoms worse among the young: one reason that the symptoms are more intense and the flare-ups are more common among young people than old is that the Yang energy among young people is more intense than in the old. Yang is the fire in the body. When you don't have enough Yin, the Yang is, by comparison excessive. Add to that the fact that young people spend much of their time trying to control all their energy (Yang) and we find a great potential for aggravation of the symptoms in those whose Yang energy is so active. The older you get, the less Yang energy you'll have to aggravate the lack of Yin in your body, and the less frequent are the flare-ups. Yin is deficient, and so by comparison there is excess Yang, and symptoms of heat. With maturity, there comes a gradual decrease in the amount of Yang in the body, and so there arrives a balance between Yin and Yang again, the body temperature returns to normal and the heat symptoms go away.

Symptoms more common among women: TCM doesn't do a very good job of explaining this. One possible reason that could help to explain this is that there is a very close relationship between blood and Yin in the body. With the menses, blood is lost each and every month. As it is in Western medicine that Anemia is more frequently found in women than it is in men, so may it be that lupus is a more common syndrome among women than men.

The next few symptoms have to do with a deficiency of Liver Blood in the body. Because blood is a bodily fluid, it is a subset of the Yin in the body. When Yin is deficient, blood can be deficient as well. Keep in mind that the Chinese concept of the functions of "blood" and the "Liver" are very different than the concepts that we study in Western medicine. There is a little overlap, but not too much really.

Photophobia: that's an extreme aversion to bright lights, or more likely an aversion to a normal light, because it seems too bright. The brightness of an open window will cause physical pain to the eyes. In TCM, it is the blood of the Liver that is in charge of nourishing the lubricating the eyes with tears. With a deficiency of Yin, the patient may feel that their eyes are dry, or they may feel that bright lights are painful for them. That's called photophobia, or fear of light. It isn't especially an emotional fear, but a physical one. Like a discomfort or aversion more than anything.
Alopecia: the growth of hair is associated with a few different organs in the TCM way of looking at things. Again, when the nourishment of the Yin is lost, so is the ability of the different organs to produce healthy long hair. In fact, hair is sometimes considered excess Liver blood in Chinese medicine. When the Liver blood is deficient, so is the hair on the body.

Arthritis and "Growing Pains": another typical symptom of lupus, one which many patients recognize as being among the first symptoms of their syndrome is pain in the joints, or "growing pains" during adolescence. This could be due one of three things: A deficiency of Liver blood. It is said that the Liver blood nourishes and lubricates the tendons. With this lack, there will follow the arthritis that is so common in the lupus syndrome. A deficiency of Jin-Ye. Jin Ye is another manifestation of Yin. Jin Ye is the other bodily fluids in the body. Liquids such as the synovial fluids in the joints of the body. When Yin is deficient, Jin Ye is deficient and that means that the joints are not being lubricated adequately and hence there is pain and stiffness. Arthritis which is, in TCM, considered an invasion of cold, wind and damp from outside the body. In the West, we talk about catching a cold. In TCM we can not only catch a cold, but we can catch a wind, a damp, or even a heat. When what we catch gets lodged into the joints, it results in arthritis. So, the joint pain of lupus may be associated with any one of many causes.

Discoid rashes: these are the little circles of rash that can show up anywhere on the body, often on the hands. Another function of the blood, in Chinese medicine is to lubricate the skin. With the deficiency of blood, there can follow red dry rashes.

Lupus has a couple of differentiations in Western medicine. One form of lupus, known as "discoid lupus erythematosus" (DLE), is a milder condition than "systemic lupus erythematosus" (SLE). The major difference is that DLE's symptoms are mostly limited to these discoid rashes all over the body, whereas SLE includes all of the other symptoms mentioned in this article. This article hopes to explain everything that the lupus patient experiences through the eyes of Yin deficiency, however it is entirely possible that the patient may have more than one condition. When it comes to the existence of the discoid rashes, the potential for other diagnosis come into play.

The job of the TCM practitioner will be to determine which syndrome is causing the skin rashes and then treat it. Keep in mind that lupus is not a TCM diagnosis. Rather, we would look to the Yin/Yang balance or the health of the blood, or even the lungs, to treat the rashes. Left untreated, lupus can lead to kidney damage and failure. This can be a fatal condition. One of the important things to keep in mind when educating yourself in alternative therapies is where the benefits of one end and another begin.

In the case of breathing or acute kidney problems, one should seek the assistance of Western medicine to avoid any life-threatening moments. When the acute stage has been treated, Chinese medicine can again go to work on the underlying condition, the chronic condition that has given rise to everything else.

The intent of this article is to give you some answers. However, each patient is unique. As any practitioner of Chinese medicine will tell you, it is very rare to find a patient who perfectly conforms to any one syndrome such as Yin deficiency. We are all a blend of a variety of factors and variables that requires of the practitioner the ability to wade through conflicting signs and symptoms in order to come up with a diagnosis and treatment that is perfectly suited for the individual patient. Because of this flexibility, traditional Chinese therapies are incredibly powerful in treating individuals.

Acupuncture serves to get the ball rolling. It stimulates the appropriate organs systems to create more Yin in the body. Chinese herbal formulas continue the work from the inside out. There are other methods of strengthening the Yin in the body as well. Lifestyle changes, meditations, yogas and Qi Gong, all assist the lupus patient to overcome the Yin deficiency or other condition that has caused his or her symptoms.

Al Stone, L.Ac,. Santa Monica and West Hollywood, CA.
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