A 68 year old female patient with a history of the autoimmune illness known as Sjogren's Syndrome since 1990 came in for a follow up feeling pretty good. Sjogren's patients have symptoms highlighted by decreased tears and saliva resulting in very dry mucous membranes like in the eyes and mouth.
This patient was seeing one of the best rheumatologists in town for her Sjogren's. She had a recent routine follow up visit and everything was stable blood and symptom-wise except she had a very high sedimentation rate of 68 (normal less than 30). An erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) usually termed "sed rate" is a nonspecific general marker of inflammation. The rheumatologist remarked that it was surprising the patient felt so good having such a high ESR. She was on no medications just supplements and again she was feeling pretty good.
When you evaluate people with complexed illnesses, such as an "Autoimmune" disease, meaning your immune system starts attacking your own tissues, usually in a specific area, your traditional physician is looking for a collection of symptoms and lab abnormalities that fall under a particular name of that illness (i.e. Sjogren's syndrome, systemic Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, mixed connective tissue disease, autoimmune thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, sarcoidosis, etc.) so they can prescribe drugs that will help control the symptoms and progression of the disease. Rarely are they looking for the cause of why the body's immune system started attacking itself in the first place. And they (especially rheumatologists) are experts in recognizing a particular illness through this collection of lab tests and symptoms and then coming up with a drug regimen and monitoring system to slow the progression of the illness, maybe stop it, but rarely reverse it. These are very smart doctors. I call the above effort "treating the tip of the iceberg." Sometimes people may have 2 or 3 "tips of the iceberg" (health conditions).
What I do is look at the "base of the iceberg". What is the chemistry, the physiological systems and the nutrition that is/are out of balance, the environmental challenges this person presents with, the infections they may have or had and try to correct these imbalances and then allow the body to heal itself. As the base of the iceberg that is under water "melts" the smaller the tips (symptoms & signs) of the "iceberg" above the water line (what you see and feel) begin to change and become smaller. In some cases, the illness can fade away (i.e. the patient's symptoms start to improve, they need less medicine or none at all and/or their illness goes away all together) or the "iceberg tips" melt.
Traditional medical people don't think this way and generally don't believe the autoimmune condition is reversible. But they can be.
In this particular patient's case with Sjogren's syndrome I was trying to figure out what the patient should do next since they were feeling good and started talking about the benefits of periodic water fasting, modified fasts, Prolon (fasting mimicking diet) or simple food elimination diets (page 2) for 5-7 days minimum, to reset her immune system, stimulate autophagy ("self-eating and cell recycling") and how this could remind her what foods she consumes (or doesn't) that affects her symptoms. I have been practicing as a PA for almost 40 years I strongly believe the foods we consume effect 90 plus percent of every symptom we have or what patients come to see me for. Properly conducted and intentional patients can save thousands of dollars in medical bills, time, not to mention suffering if they new how to periodically check themselves for food sensitivities.
As I was going through options of different ways to use elimination diets for this patient I mentioned the InflamX product we frequently use as a low allergy anti-inflammatory meal replacement. Sometimes I just put people on 2 fruits, all the non-starchy vegetables they
want to eat, cooked or raw (no oil frying), and just have the Inflamx for a week 2-4 times daily with water, tea and maybe a cup of coffee per day. Nothing else...
She just "lit-up" when I mentioned the InflamX and said "Yes when I went on the InflamX with just vegetables and some fruit I felt great, lots of energy!..." She was excited to go back on it during the Holidays which is a great idea to get a check on excess food and drink consumption. So, we agreed to take her sed rate that day. Go on that diet for 5-10 days and repeat the sed rate immediately after this diet and see if her sed rate goes down along with any symptoms after the restricted diet since it made her feel so good in the past.
A Periodic Diet Reset
Everyone needs to periodically do a reset. We live in a processed food environment that surrounds us with lots of potential food allergens, especially dairy products, processed wheat products, alcohol, sugary foods and in some people eggs. A 5-7 day break, especially during the holidays can relieve symptoms, make you more aware of what you are doing to yourself and sometimes can result in a dramatic change in your health. This type of diet challenge also helps you lose your cravings.
Here are some ideas during the Holidays of things you can do over 5-7 days that can relief symptoms. If you give your immune system and "gut" a rest long enough to heal every few weeks to months, you can reverse some very serious diseases. One thing I tell Prolon users is to do the "fast" for 5 days each month until you achieve your ideal weight or your symptoms go away. Doing the Prolon monthly for 6-12 months would go a long way in help people reverse some autoimmune diseases or any chronic disease.
Some Diet Check Ideas...
1. Fast one day a week for 24 hours from one meal to the next (you are still eating every day - just 24 hours in between).
2. For one full day per week just have water only, or a plain tea or coffee. If hooked on coffee try and go with decaffeinated coffee and an herbal tea, or just water.
3) Do the InflamX 1-2 scoops in ice water 2-4 times per day alone or with just non-starchy vegetables and 1-2 pieces of whole fruit, water, plain tea or decaffeinated coffee.
4) Just have the 1-2 scoops in ice water of the Inflamx and nothing else as many times as you want throughout the day.
5) Do a water only fast for 5-7 days but you must be able to rest when you need to. No vigorous exercise while on a water fast. Walking is great!
6) Do a Prolon 5 day fasting mimicking diet fast
7) Just go off eggs, dairy, wheat and alcohol and process foods for a week (BED Diet)
8) Eat all your meals and food in an 8 hour window each day for a week.
Do some type of food restriction on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis to remind you of what food does to you and to help you control your cravings. You may be very pleasantly surprised!
I can't emphasize this enough if you do this correctly on a regularly basis you can save thousands of dollars in trips to the doctors, supplements, and medications.
Below are some additional testing that help with complexed patients and those with autoimmune illness.
1. Comprehensive stool exams that measure intestinal bacteria population, parasites, digestive function and inflammation, intestinal permeability (GI-Map)
2. Mold assessment tests, Urinary Mycotoxins, ERMI testing
3. Heavy metal testing before and after a chelation challenge
4. Serum and saliva hormone testing
5. Vitamin and mineral testing
6. Lyme testing
Happy to talk to you about your situation. Call 916-489-4400 and ask for Kirk Hamilton PA-C
Kirk Hamilton PA-C
Health Associates Medical Group
3301 Alta Arden, Suite 3
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 489-4400 (w)
krhammer@surewest.net
www.KwikerMedical.com
www.HealthyLivingforBusypeople.com
www.StayingHealthyToday.com