MY HEALING JOURNEY

I've been symptom free, with no PN recurrence since November 2004.
I do have some scarring.  I decided not to use the term, cured (at
least not yet since it has only been about 2 years as I write this
article in January 2007).

I learned a very important lesson by observing some cancer
patients.  I noticed some cancer patients wait at least five years,
to see if they have any recurrence or experience any new symptoms,
before they declare themselves, cured.  Since PN doesn't have such a
timeline, I felt it was prudent to use at least a five-year
threshold, to see if I experience any recurrence or new symptoms,
before I declare myself, cured.  This 5-year threshold is important
because cancer patients understand if all they did was remove the
clinical detection of cancer, but they did nothing else to correct
the root causes that made them more vulnerable to cancer in the
first place, it's probable they will see a recurrence within 5-
years.  Similarly, if all we did was mitigate and suppress symptoms,
and we did nothing else to correct the root causes for PN, it's also
probable we will see a recurrence within 5-year.  Just like
mitigating and suppressing symptoms doesn't equal cure, the absence
of disease doesn't equal health.


DIAGNOSTIC TESTS TO EXCLUDE PN

After my initial diagnosis of PN (based on clinical observation and
assessing my health history), additional tests were ordered just to
see if it could exclude PN.  Depending on your health history, your
doctor may order similar tests.  There is currently no inclusive
test for PN.  However, you can use various tests to exclude PN.

Comprehensive blood test: CBC/Platelets, Lipid Profile,
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, and Endocrinology (Free T3). Special
attention for blood glucose levels to eliminate diabetes mellitus.

Urine Test: Analyzing many different things, but special interest
for serum creatinine and creatinine clearance to eliminate possible
renal disease.  Urinary Hormone Evaluation with Growth Hormone

Allergy Patch Test: Just to eliminate other possibilities.

IgG4 Blood Test: Food Allergies


MY CLINICAL AND SUB-CLINICAL FINDINGS

Clinical findings are things that are tested, and the test results
are far enough out of range to show up on standard lab tests like
Blood Test, Urine Test, etc.  Sub-clinical findings are things that
are tested, and the test results are not far enough out of range to
show up on standard lab tests, but nonetheless, it's far enough out
of range to prevent optimal health.

Clinical Findings:

Gut Wall Infection
Systemic Infections (Weaken Immune System)
Poor Digestion (leading to malabsorption, mild acid reflux)
Overuse of antibiotics (leading to Intestinal Dysbiosis and Weak
Immune System)
Dysbiosis (Imbalance between Good and Bad Bacteria)
Intestinal Disorder
Colon Toxicity (Sluggish Bowel)
Mercury Intoxication
Gum Inflammation and Infections
PN

Sub clinical Findings:

Systemic Infections (Weaken Immune System)
Allergens: Food Allergies and Environmental Allergies
Bacteria, Virus, Fungus, Parasite (from Acidic/ Anaerobic Biological
Terrain, Weak Immunity)
Endocrine Hormonal Imbalance (Mercury Intoxication)
Over acidity (Poor Diet)
Liver Toxicity
Kidney Toxicity
Gallbladder Toxicity
Blood Toxicity
Poor Lymph Drainage
Nutritional Deficiencies (Poor diet and Malabsorption from low
digestive enzymes)
Over Stressed
Enzyme Deficiencies (Systemic and Digestive)
Weaken Immune System
Weaken Liver, Kidney, Adrenal, Thyroid (Poor Absorption of necessary
nutrition)
Low Grade Inflammation


1) GETTING PSYCHOLOGICALLY READY

Getting psychologically ready is a Preparation Step.

I recommend you read the article "Psychological Life Changes" on my
site, for the details about how I got ready for the healing journey
ahead.   Do you have the right attitude to sustain the changes
ahead?  I believe all of us have the ability to do the things I
write about here.  But not all of us have the right attitude to
sustain these changes long term. Without the right attitude, any
changes are short-lived, done reluctantly, begrudgingly, and done
for the wrong reasons.

Secondly, do you have the right perspective to sustain the changes
ahead?  How do you see your PN?  I saw my PN as my body giving me
warning signs, and a precious second chance to make meaningful
changes.  Some of you may know someone who died of a heart attack,
where the first symptom was the deadly heart attack.  They had no
warnings, no clues, and no chance to make a difference!  I'm
thankful I had a disease, PN, which gave me plenty of warning
symptoms, plenty of clues, and gave me a chance to make a
difference.  Just like we do not lament our fire alarm going off
when we have a fire in our home, we should not lament our body alarm
going off with warning symptoms, since that is what it is supposes
to do.  Count your blessings since your body is still working and
not permanently damaged by drugs to mitigate and suppress
symptoms.

Thirdly, do you have the right focus to sustain the changes ahead?
Some people spend time accumulating information, but they still
don't take meaningful action.  It's like spending money to buy many
books, but instead of reading and applying the information available
in those books, they allow the books to just sit on the shelf to
collect dust.  Others mistakenly focus on mitigating and suppressing
PN symptoms, without correcting the root causes for their PN.  Not
surprisingly for them, recurrence is highly probable, since they
focused on the wrong things.  Others focus on appealingly easier
methods, like taking a drug, applying some ointments, or standing in
a light box, because what I'm recommending is not as easy to do, and
therefore is not as appealing.  I understand how you feel (as I
didn't write this to judge you) since I was initially attracted to
appealingly easier methods too!

Fourthly, I also recommend you read my article, "Stages in the PN
cycle", and the "The Blame Game" on my site, so you can understand
it is human nature to experience many of the characteristics listed
in that article.   Just like every meaningful journey has a starting
point and a desired destination, your journey, just like my journey,
goes thru different stages, from Beginning Stage, to Transition
Stage, to True Healing Stage.   Your time in the Beginning Stage may
be very short, or it may be for the rest of your life, depending on
your Attitude, Perspective, Focus, Choices, and Actions.

My overall focus was and is, holistically taking care of my overall
health and correcting root causes, not mitigating or suppressing
symptoms.  The Right Attitude, the Right Perspective, the Right
focus, equals the Right Choices, the Right Actions, resulting in
true healing.

I use a very simple question to help me make better decisions.  Is
(_____________) going to make me healthier, or correct root causes?
I only proceed if the answer is yes.  I can fill in that blank with
any action, any product, or any method to test whether I should
proceed or not.  May you use this same question honestly, to help
you make better decisions too!

I've spent a large portion of this article covering psychological
preparation because I feel it is that important.  All the best
information and ideas don't mean anything, if one is not
psychologically ready to take action to sustain the changes ahead.
Are you ready?  Only you truly know.  If you feel you are truly
ready, please continue with the action steps below.  Please don't
proceed halfheartedly, or prematurely if you are not truly ready.

2) ALKALIZE DIET


See Alkaline Acid Chart for your Blood Type to put together your
safe foods list.
(Permanent change for long-term optimal health)

Eliminated Allergic and Inflammatory Foods

Common allergic foods include, but not limited to the following:
sugar, corn, wheat, oat, egg, cow's milk, chocolate, soy, citrus
fruits, and peanuts. Sugar, corn, and eggs are almost ubiquitous in
processed foods.  Other additional allergic foods may vary with
different people.  The most common inflammatory foods include but
not limited to the following: All processed foods, sugar, wheat,
soda, deep fried foods, alcohol, and dairy. Other additional
inflammatory foods may vary with different individuals.  (Permanent
elimination from diet for long-term optimal health)

Alkalize Ionized Water
I drink 2 liters a day.
(Permanent change for long-term optimal health)

Green Smoothies (Read the book "Green for Life" by Victoria Boutenko
for recipes)
I drink 1 quart a day.
(Permanent change for long-term optimal health)

If you are already eating 80% or more alkalizing foods, then
alkalizing supplements and or boosters is not necessary.

3) DETOX YOUR COLON, LIVER, AND KIDNEY

See the article "Instructions for a General Detox" on this website
for all the details.


4) SUPPLEMENT

Your best defense is a great healthy diet, and lifestyle.  Dietary
supplements are really just to help you fine tune.  The foundation
of your health is still your diet, not your supplements.  Healthy
diet without supplements, is still better than a bad diet with
supplements.

These are the supplements I use for fine-tuning.  In each category,
I listed the current brands I use.  I also list other brands I've
used, as I rotate my supplement brands, just like I rotate my
foods.  I'm not endorsing any brands or supplements, but just fully
disclosing what I use.  Each category is unchanged.  But the brands
within each category changes by rotation.  I try to keep my
supplements to a minimum and just focus on good healthy alkalizing
foods.  I did take many more supplements when I was beginning my
healing journey.  Back then, there was a lot more things that needed
attention.  Now, I'm just taking the minimum since I'm much
healthier now, and symptom free.


A) Digestive Enzymes

Elite-Zyme Ultra by Thropp's Nutrition (I use this currently)
Pancreatin by NOW Foods (I use this currently)
Zypan (Not used currently, but kept in rotation)
Digest-A-Meal (Not used currently, but kept in rotation)

B) Probiotics

Probiotic 10-10 by Nutraceutical Science Institute (I use this
currently)
Total Flora Support (Not used currently, but kept in rotation)
Jarro-Dophilus + FOS by Jarrow Formulas  (Not used currently, but
kept in rotation)
FOS by Swanson (Not used currently, but kept in rotation)

C) General Supplement

Albion Chelated Multi-Mineral by Swanson  (I use this currently)
Omega 3 Fish Oil by Carlson (I use this currently)
Wheatgrass by NOW Foods (I use this currently)
Chelated Mineral Complex (Not used currently, but kept in rotation)
Omega 3 Fish Oil by NSI  (Not used currently, but kept in rotation)

D) Colon Cleanser

Intestinal Formula 1 by Dr. Schulzes  (I use this currently)
Expel  (Not used currently, but kept in rotation)



5) STRESS REDUCTION (Tai Chi, Deep Breathing, etc.)

Stress is just a part of everyday life.  We all need to reduce as
much stress as possible because it not only affects us
psychologically, but biologically too.

EXERCISE (Cycling, Walking, etc.)
(Permanent change for long-term optimal health)

Our Circulatory System uses the heart as our pump to move vital
fluids around to the rest of the body.  However, our Lymphatic
System doesn't have a pump, so moderate exercise becomes our
lymphatic system pump.  Since our lymphatic system is our body's
sewer system, it's important we keep it effectively draining with
moderate exercise.

15 minutes of natural sun per day, without sunscreen, for natural
Vitamin D.  I usually get my sun during my lunch break, as I try to
eat outdoors as much as possible.

FILTERING:

I use these water-filtering systems just for my overall health,
since my criteria is not whether some method or product will help
PN, but whether it will improve my overall health safely.

These are the products I use:  (Permanent change for long-term
optimal health)

Jupiter Mavello: (Alkalizing Ionized Water Machine) to filter and
alkalize my drinking and cooking water.

April Shower: (Showerhead Filter) to filter out Chlorine and other
negative chemicals.

Tom's of Maine Toothpaste: (Fluoride Free Natural Toothpaste)
Purchased from my local health food store.


MERCURY AMALGAM REMOVAL /MERCURY CHELATION: (See Chelation Therapy
article for details)

This is a step I did for my overall health and is consistent with
the ideals of Holistic Healing.  I don't know if there is a cause
and effect relationship between PN and mercury intoxication, since I
cannot find conclusive evidence.  There is debate among allopathic
medicine and ADA dentist about whether mercury is dangerous or
benign to our overall health.  But since I cannot find any evidence
that mercury is beneficial to our health, I decided the prudent
thing to do was use a Biodentist to remove my amalgams, and follow
Dr. Cutler's Chelation Protocol, thereafter.

PERSONAL CHOICES

I don't microwave anymore.  I use my Flavorwave Oven, my Corning
ware, Pyrex glassware, and my 18/10 stainless steel cookware.  I
don't use non-stick cookware.  I don't drink milk (we are the only
species that drink another animals' milk into adulthood).  I do eat
some grass feed beef occasionally, antibiotic and hormone free
chicken, and different types of fish like Salmon, Bass, Red Snapper,
and Tilapia.  I stay away from processed grains.  I keep to my diet
as much as practical.  But for social, business occasions or
holidays, I do eat some comfort foods.  I don't use oils for cooking
anymore.  I do take Omega 3 fish oils.   I don't eat soy in any
form, but do realize it is in many food byproducts.  I try to eat
organic fruits and vegetables whenever practical, but sometimes, for
convenience, I will eat non-organic fruits and vegetables too.  I
drink green smoothies as a quick way to get more raw vegetables into
my diet.  I use Neem soap, and Tree Tea Oil shampoo.  I do try to
exercise 3 times a week, and get 15 minutes of sun exposure without
sunscreen daily.  I use full spectrum lighting for reading and in my
bedroom, as it is a very pleasant light.  These are just some of my
personal preferences.


CONCLUSION

I know there is a lot of information here to understand and absorb.
Some of you are committed and already do many of the things outlined
here, so I'm preaching to the choir.  I congratulate you and
encourage you to continue your commitments.  This article was
written for those who don't know what to do, what questions to ask,
or are still skeptical, still unsure and paralyzed with inaction or
indifference, still looking for short cuts and perceive there must
be easier solutions.  That's human nature.  I've been there, done
that.  I understand and accept it.  I can relate.  For those who are
ready to commit to these changes, may my results inspire you with an
unbreakable WILL to truly cure your PN!