• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Chaotic Immune System

Messages
85
That is a good point, it is rare when someone feels better on steroids. Heck, anti-inflammatories don't do anything for me either.
The VA has had me on steroids for several years treating the symptoms (or some of them ) that are inflammatory in nature. They help with lungs, kidney, skin and other organ inflation. They do nothing for CFS. Keep in mind that CFS is just one facict of the GWI complex of traditionally or medically undiagnosable illnesses. There are many studies being conducted on GWI, and thankfully so given there is very little government funding outside the VA system.
 
Messages
85
there is no pharmaceutical cure for polio
just better sanitation will prevent diseases
you think we should credit the sanitation department
agendas, corruption, greed and lies pervade conventional medicine
it is designed to be expensive
the medical establishment hasn't even adopted the marik protocol for sepsis
they think giving the protocol to 150 sepsis patients with no deaths is not enough proof
there are millions of unnecessary operations
as far as evidence natural medicine is safer ... next you'll want me to prove the sun exists
it's clear that generally they don't give a manure about healing the patient

they aided and abetted vaccines, mercury fillings, fluoridated water, pesticide laden GMO foods etc ... conventional medicine is perverted to the core
Beware of those who speak in absolutes. Especially the chronically cynicical. I don’t dismiss natural medicine but then many civilizations that had to depend on it are long gone, especially when exposed to now harmless viruses. I prefer to take a reasonable open minded approach to everything.
 

sb4

Senior Member
Messages
1,654
Location
United Kingdom
Only a sith speaks in absolutes.

With regards to the debate on pharmaceuticals. Yes they can be very good however IMO western medicine focuses way, way too much on finding a drug for every disease to the detrement of most, better alternatives, and to the benefit of big pharma.

Go to GP with depression? Given anti depresents which can make you better (although you will be out of pocket for potentially the rest of your life) or make you worse. What they should be doing IMO is asking what your diet, how much natural light you get, what your work / home enviroment is, etc. These things would lead to far greater sustainable improvement, I think, however they do not produce money for anyone.

You could go on about high BP, diabetes, wieght problems, etc. Most of these problems could be solved with mere dietry changes, instead of papered over with drugs.

If there was a drug that altered cytokines in a way that benefited some CFS patients then of course I would try it and that would be great.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
You could go on about high BP, diabetes, wieght problems, etc. Most of these problems could be solved with mere dietry changes, instead of papered over with drugs.

Doctors are very quick to prescribe statins or at least omega-3 oil for anyone with even slightly reduced good cholesteral (my last visit to the GP). Both treatments are very popular. However, if you check the properly done research, you'll find that neither is actually helpful for reducing heart risks, and even the best-sounding results offer only a few % reduction in chance of heart failure. Moderate weekly exercise reduces the risk by around 75%, but the doctor will suggest statins.

Not impressed with the medical system. :(
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
@prioris correct me if I'm wrong, but I think your anger is mistargeted. It's not the tools you're angry with (conventional medicine and research), it's the misapplication of them: both applied for the financial benefit of a few executives and top shareholders rather than the patients. However, that's not limited to conventional medicine; alternative medicine seems just as bad to me. Look at all the marketing for natural health products and services with no clinically proven benefits, for the financial benefit of a few top people in the industry. Both industries attract people who want to exploit ignorance and trust in their customers, rather than caring about the health of the customers. That's simply the dark side of human nature (or maybe the dark side of some humans).

Look at the conventional medicines for psychiatric disorders. Tranquilizers were overprescribed and were fashionable, before people realized they were just shamefully addictive drugs. Now it's antidepressants and ADHD drugs that are fashionable and overprescribed. Evil? Yes. However, I don't see any difference from laudanum and nicotine, which fit in the category of 'natural medicines'. Both made some people rich at the expense (health and money) of customers. I really don't see the alternative medicine industry as being morally superior to the conventional one. Both have honest, good people, and both have dishonest exploiters. Both have some good treatments, both have some bad ones.

I suggest having a calm rethink of your feelings about conventional medicine vs natural medicine. Maybe you'll find that there's a better target for your anger: human nature.
 

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
letting countless sepsis people die every year ... criminal

not using borax to cure most arthritis ... criminal

allowing pesticide laden gmo foods ... criminal

vaccinating people ... criminal

putting unfermented soy all over food products ... criminal

mercury fillings release gas was proven multiple times over the decades ... criminal

putting fluoridated in water ... criminal

they have had 50 years to study gallbladder cleanse ... criminal

like modern medicine, modern dentistry is criminal enterprise

weston price dentistry model ignored ... criminal

using chemotherapy as main way to treat cancer ... criminal

"actual evidence" ... you mean studies costing millions of dollars ... good luck

a massive health assault that modern medicine and dentistry colluded in

if the health care system were run right, most doctors would be essentially health coaches
 

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
Beware of those who speak in absolutes. Especially the chronically cynicical. I don’t dismiss natural medicine but then many civilizations that had to depend on it are long gone, especially when exposed to now harmless viruses. I prefer to take a reasonable open minded approach to everything.

The reason early civilizations disappeared was due to global catastrophes from the cosmos whether primarily of fire or water ...one of the largest was 12900 before present... there were likely large events after that also like 11600 BP etc ... cosmos is a dangerous place for earth
 

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
@prioris

I suggest having a calm rethink of your feelings about conventional medicine vs natural medicine. Maybe you'll find that there's a better target for your anger: human nature.

I have had 40 years to think about it ... too many people remain in denial
 
Messages
85
The reason early civilizations disappeared was due to global catastrophes from the cosmos whether primarily of fire or water ...one of the largest was 12900 before present... there were likely large events after that also like 11600 BP etc ... cosmos is a dangerous place for earth

Huh? There was only know town at that time. The event you seem to be referencing is the Mega Melt which lasted about 200 years and saw sea levels rise by 8 ft due to global warming especially given the Bay of Fundy has tides of 60 feet or more twice a day. I suspect any humans hanging around the beaches could manage to get out of the way of that. I am referring to civilizations such as the Incas and Caribs.

If not for GMO rice and corn there would still be massive levels of starvation in Africa and parts of Asia so lets not let our Western privilege get in the way of the forgotten people ok? Besides there is no scientific consensus on GMO foods being anything other than selective breeding sped up. We may have the luxury of being able to fall for or accept the organic vs GMO rhetoric but billions of folks do not. A full belly is very nice thing.

But it does not really matter does it...good luck if you contract cancer or Ebola God forbid. Would love to hear all about your cure for cancer though. Chemo and radiation has saved three folks very close to me so i am more than thankful that they did not simply try Mungooner bark extract.
 
Last edited:

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
they install a former monsanto employee as head of the fda who then releases gmo's over the objection of the scientists in the fda... criminal

for most cancers ... chemotherapy has a 3% to 6% survival rate
 
Messages
27
If not for GMO rice and corn there would still be massive levels of starvation in Africa and parts of Asia so lets not let our Western privilege get in the way of the forgotten people ok? Besides there is no scientific consensus on GMO foods being anything other than selective breeding sped up. We may have the luxury of being able to fall for or accept the organic vs GMO rhetoric but billions of folks do not. A full belly is very nice thing.
You should not forget, however, that GMO seed has to be bought new every year and can´t and must not be propagated by the farmer himself like traditional seeds (hybrid offspring deliver no or very little yield).
The seller can increase the price when they want and then the farmer needs a loan (which he only gets from the seller) to buy the new seed. And at the end he loses his land because he can´t pay the interest...
 
Last edited:

bertiedog

Senior Member
Messages
1,738
Location
South East England, UK
How many people here drink willow bark tea for a headache rather than take an artificial NSAID?

I take White Willow capsules to help with the pain from chronic migraine and find they work far better than Ibrufen or Naproxen which do nothing for the pain of migraine which I experience. What helps for me is on occasions to combine a capsule of White Willow bark and a Paracetamol plus I put a band around my temples filled with a frozen gel taken out of the freezer. I was really surprised how well this worked whilst I was trying to cut down on using Sumatriptan and/or Codeine which according to my Headache Consultant were causing rebound migraines and consequent medication overuse.

I have also had repeated success at getting rid of a respiratory virus within 3 days of it starting by taking Andrographis 4 or 5 times a day and combining it with a tincture of Echinacea Augustifolia poured down the back of the throat. Both of these herbs have got scientific evidence of their effectiveness and I definitely prefer to use a herbal product rather than a drug which often have nasty side effects.

Obviously this isn't alway possible and without my daily steroid I would be dead and taking natural desiccated thyroid medication also helps me to feel so much better.

Pam
 

bertiedog

Senior Member
Messages
1,738
Location
South East England, UK
I don't have a problem with mercury fillings; very little mercury is released from them ( it's tightly bound in the amalgam). What purely natural substance would you replace amalgam with for fillings? Fluorination of water is one of those good/bad things that is still debated without a clear result. Genetic modification is simply a tool, which can be used for good or bad; it is not inherently evil. I haven't heard of any truly unsafe GMOs that have been available to the public.

I completely disagree with you about mercury fillings as it was proved that I had mercury poisoning and that there was mercury leaching from my fillings when tested. I had a circuit between a gold crown and the surrounding fillings which just meant the mercury was being released even more than normal into my brain.

The mercury showed up in blood tests and also in my hair and it took more than 5 years after having all 13 fillings and gold crown removed plus following a safe chelation protocol before the level in my blood dropped to a normal level. Not only did I have over the range mercury in my body my immune system was allergic to it as per a Lymphocyte Sensitivity Test done through Biolab in London.

Furthermore I think I developed ME partly because of the thimerosal that was in a TB vaccination I had when I was 14, it took a year for the injection site to settle down as it constantly wept and I was back and forth to my GP because it wouldn't settle down. Ever after that I would be ill every time I had an amalgam filling placed or a vaccine that contained mercury.

I was born in 1948 so I would have had received a lot of mercury one way or another and thankfully things are better today but I do feel you should study the effects of mercury on our brain and body in general before you make the comments above.

From memory I remember seeing a video from the University fo Calgary (hope I have that right) where they showed the activity of the neurons of a rat and then they added one drop of thimerasol and within a very short space of time the neurons shrivelled and died. The commentary said they ended up looking just like somebody who had Alzheimers disease.

Pam
 

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
You should not forget, however, that GMO seed has to be bought new every year and can´t and must not be propagated by the farmer himself like traditional seeds (hybrid offspring deliver no or very little yield).
The seller can increase the price when they want and then the farmer needs a loan (which he only gets from the seller) to buy the new seed. And at the end he loses his land because he can´t pay the interest...

the other thing gmo's do is contaminate other crops ... transgenic
one court case involved a farmer whose crops got contaminated
monsanto (bayer) wanted payment ... court ruled in monsantos favor ... criminal
the soy gmos laden with pesticides get fed to animals and people end up eating it in other forms ... it goes right down the food chain

p.s.
the oceans rose 400 feet between 12900 BP and 10000 BP ... ocean will go lower from here out
 

percyval577

nucleus caudatus et al
Messages
1,302
Location
Ik waak up
1. Firstly I just want to say that I am not afraid of my amalgam, I also can´t relate it to any illness in my case (and it should have been detectable for my mecfs). I stay open minded though, and I don´t want to throw any doubt on your saying, @bertiedog .

2. I have somewhat strange experiences in the past three months. I was looking for influences on special brain areas, and by accident I was led to metals soon. So I tested metals. Some chaos, some pattern.
Too stiff to buy supplements I put homefound metals in boiling or cold water resp.. I don´t know if this is safe, but silver and aluminium kitchen utensils are common. Obviously the resorbtion is pretty good. I felt the need to dilute the probably already very thin solutions. I put a drop in each drink.
Now, after some time I got a feeling, what for a metal might be good right now. Sometimes it works good, sometimes it doesn´t. I figured out what apparently the best sequence is, but seldom my feeling is requesting it. Instead it´s randomly enough. You might say it´s imagination, but it´s on top of another slow (but difficult) improvement -

--> So in conclusion I would say that here is some chaos, but it´s restricted. I would say here is a free movement of forces, but the space is tight enough. But such a space might be altered in diseases.
 
Last edited:

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
Researchers from the University of Georgia revealed that amalgam fillings appear to contribute to elevated mercury levels elsewhere in your body, a concerning finding given their prevalence. Americans have, on average, three dental fillings each, and 25 percent of Americans have 11 fillings or more.3

The study used data from nearly 15,000 people and found that among those with more than eight fillings, blood mercury levels were more than double those of people without fillings.

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/11/19/mercury-fillings-risks.aspx
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
I checked that article, and what struck me was that they didn't mention absolute values of mercury. Doubling the level of mercury sounds scary, but if it doubles from 1% of the maximum safe daily level of exposure to 2%, that's less scary...and thus less newsworthy. I did some more checking, and found articles claiming amalgam filings are safe, and others claiming the opposite. So far I'm feeling pretty safe about them. I did have a blood test for metals done, and despite having many amalgam fillings, my mercury level was normal.
@bertiedog , the electrochemical reaction between gold and silver fillings seems to be very small, so I have to say that I'm skeptical of it being a significant cause of mercury release. Having 13 fillings released may have released a lot more mercury than leaving them in place. While some people can experience higher release of mercury from fillings, and have higher sensitivity to mercury, I still feel confident for their safety for me. If it was a common, serious health hazard, the billions of fillings over 150 years should have revealed it clearly, rather than something still unproven. I can't see a financial conspiracy for amalgam fillings, because I'm sure the industry would love to prove them hazardous and replace them with something new and more profitable.
 
Messages
85
the other thing gmo's do is contaminate other crops ... transgenic
one court case involved a farmer whose crops got contaminated
monsanto (bayer) wanted payment ... court ruled in monsantos favor ... criminal
the soy gmos laden with pesticides get fed to animals and people end up eating it in other forms ... it goes right down the food chain

p.s.
the oceans rose 400 feet between 12900 BP and 10000 BP ... ocean will go lower from here out

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/...rs-for-accidentally-planting-patented-seeds/#

This is a pretty useful site for all sorts of issues, science vs popular mythology. Medicine and especially genetic issues included. I find the articles are wide ranging , very interesting and mind expanding. They also provide links to further explore the issues covered.
 
Last edited:

prioris

Senior Member
Messages
622
thanks for link ... i noticed they also say glyphosate is ok ... clearly an inductry PR site but still very useful


Few people had detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine in 1993, but by 2016, 70 percent had detectable levels. Between 1993 and 2016, the glyphosate levels in people’s bodies increased by 1,208 percent
How Is Glyphosate Affecting Human Health?
Glyphosate mimics glycine (hence the "gly" in glyphosate), a very common amino acid your body uses to make proteins. As a result, your body can substitute glyphosate for glycine, which results in damaged proteins being produced. According to research published in the journal Entropy in 2013, the main toxic effects of glyphosate are related to the fact that it:8,9

  • Inhibits the shikimate pathway, found in gut bacteria in both humans and animals
  • Interferes with the function of cytochrome P450 enzymes, required for activation of vitamin D in the liver, and the creation of both nitric oxide and cholesterol sulfate, the latter of which is needed for red blood cell integrity
  • Chelates important minerals, including iron, cobalt and manganese. Manganese deficiency, in turn, impairs mitochondrial function and can lead to glutamate toxicity in the brain
  • Interferes with the synthesis of aromatic amino acids and methionine, which results in shortages in critical neurotransmitters and folate
  • Disrupts sulfate synthesis and sulfate transport
Glyphosate also disrupts, destroys, impairs or inhibits:10

  • The microbiome, thanks to its antibiotic activity
  • Sulfur metabolism
  • Methylation pathways
  • Pituitary release of thyroid stimulating hormone, which can lead to hypothyroidism
The chemical has also been linked to certain cancers. In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a research arm of the World Health Organization, reclassified

glyphosate as a Class 2A probable carcinogen11 based on "limited evidence" showing the weed killer can cause Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and lung cancer in humans, along with "convincing evidence" linking it to cancer in animals.

Since then, more than 3,500 individuals have filed lawsuits against Monsanto, claiming the weed killer caused their Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Many of the cases in this multidistrict litigation are being hand