Posted: 01/18/2013 1:53 pm
Six years ago my husband had stem cells injected into his heart
(injured during a routine medical procedure) to strengthen it and to
possibly avert any future deterioration; this was performed in Bangkok,
by physicians trained and associated with U.S. stem cell professionals.
He was the 35th patient to ever receive stem cells derived from his own
blood through this newly-patented procedure. Today, with stem cells and
nutritional therapy, he is more vibrant than ever. The procedure had
strengthened his heart muscle by 50 percent. Back then, stem cell
therapy was considered a Star Wars concept, and still is in many minds, but today this alternative therapy seems to be snowballing into becoming mainstream.
It's unfortunate that the majority of Americans still equate all stem
cell therapy with embryos, but what's not as prominently known is that
there are adult stem cells, which includes those derived from bone marrow, personal blood, fat cells, and donated cells of brain and skin tissue.
Today there are reported and verified cases
of remarkable reversal of debilitating physical ailments such as
stroke, pain, bone and ligament injuries by the injection of stem cells.
It's unfortunate that Americans are still pressed to travel overseas
for most stem cell treatments for the heart, but there are centers
throughout the U.S. that offer options for various conditions that stem
cells can benefit. A person does not have to be fearful of this any
longer. The stigmas that were once attached to these precarious
alternatives are now disappearing. The stigma of stem cells per se as
only coming from embryos is slowly eradicating with the growing
awareness that stem cells can be extracted from other sources.
John Brodie,
once a dynamic NFL football quarterback, experienced a significant
stroke in 2000 that left him debilitated, bedridden, without control of
his bodily functions. Now, after stem cell therapy
in Europe, he is walking, talking and now has a better quality of life.
I personally know a woman who had been in a horrific automobile
accident many, many years ago that left her legs in constant pain,
recently had injections of her own stem cells derived from her own fat.
Within days, her pain was gone, and walking was no longer agonizing; for
the last year there has been no pain since the two treatments. Also, Peyton Manning,
another notable quarterback, has reportedly undergone stem cell
injections in Europe, using his own fat cells, for his recent neck
injury.
Yes, stem cell therapy is costly, and like all breakthrough
procedures, in time the price will go down. But stem cell therapy is
just one of many alternative therapies that anyone can be offered to
relieve myriad conditions; here are just a few:
Stem cell therapy
EECP therapy
Hyperbaric chamber therapy
Glutathione/chelation therapy
Medical marijuana
Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is a little-known therapy that actually is Harvard-produced, FDA-approved,
and Medicare-approved (for certain medical problems). This is a
non-invasive procedure of electrodes applied to the chest, and attached
to an electrocardiograph machine to monitor heart rhythm, while cuffs
are wrapped around the ankles, thighs and buttocks to gently compress
the blood vessels in the lower limbs, increasing blood flow to the
heart. The completed therapy aids in restoring circulation to a
functional level. Success stories include relief from angina, obstructed
circulation, and congestive heart failure, yet the average patient is
rarely told about this option. In fact, it does not become an option
with doctors because for them there is no major financial benefit, it is
a hindrance to their office structure, and not conducive with their
cardiological acumen, says Dr. Richard N. Fogoros,
former professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. And
because of this, it is hard to find a center to go to. A series of 35
sessions is the standard allowable therapy that has been determined to
achieve the optimum benefit. This is a treatment that more and more
people should request in order to bring it to light. As the FDA and
Medicare have approved this procedure, it makes sense to give it a try.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
may be the most efficient method of transporting oxygen to every cell
of the body. And oxygen is what the body needs for recuperation from
trauma. Hyperbaric therapy for stroke and brain injury
have not had enough trials and studies to determine their degrees of
efficacy, but personal successes have been continually reported over the
years, since the public became aware of this after President Kennedy
authorized it for his ailing baby. Successes and continual use have
proven that it does warrant an option for anyone in dire need of
improvement after such trauma. It is FDA- and Medicare-approved
for such things as severe wound healing, carbon monoxide poisoning,
smoke inhalation, and diabetic foot ulcers. In knowing this, it shows
that it is deemed safe, and does have merit. And for anyone wishing to
try oxygen therapy for improvement after a stroke, there are centers
throughout the country that offer this, where they strongly believe in
beneficial results. The necessary amount of sessions is usually at least 20 to see signs of improvement.
Glutathione and chelation therapies are nutritional, natural approaches to improving health and health conditions. Glutathione is considered
"the mother of all antioxidants." We all have a natural stream of
glutathione running through our system, and major trauma and disease
will lower this supply. When our supply is low, our bodies suffer, and
have difficulty in any recuperation process. This nutrient can get a
boost by taking certain other supplements such as R-lipoic acid, milk
thistle and N-acetyl cysteine, but through intravenous therapy (IV) this
remarkable nutrient can be presented directly, in its purest form. IV
glutathione is offered at nutritional centers all over the country.
David Perlmutter, M.D., neurologist, has done research with this antioxidant and Parkinson's, and has found it to be "quite effective" in improving symptoms. It has had great results
in treating fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Alzheimer's,
autoimmune diseases, liver and brain detoxification, and autism. A study
in 2010 involving the Cleveland Clinic has shown marked improvement in treating male infertility.
Chelation
is another natural approach to improving health. This IV procedure
introduces EDTA into the body, a synthetic amino acid first introduced
in the 1940s that draws out heavy metals and free radicals from the body
naturally. It is a proven treatment for lead poisoning in hospitals. Doctors throughout the country offer chelation for detoxification purposes, and purport
that it may also have the ability to dissolve plaque and calcium
blockages. Larger studies are needed to show proof to the medical
community, FDA and Medicare, that it can be a preventive measure in heart disease before approving it. Lead poisoning is something much more prevalent and harmful to children than adults. The symptoms can include:
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Aggressive behavior
• Anemia
• Constipation
• Sleep disturbance
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Loss of previous developmental skills (in young children)
• Low appetite and energy
• Reduced sensations
Lead and other heavy metals accumulated in the body can cause health maladies
at any age, like joint pain, circulation problems and autoimmune
diseases. Length of treatment relates to each particular ailment.
Medical marijuana of course is a controversial treatment, legal in just 16 states at the present. But studies have shown its effectiveness in helping with chronic pain, especially in cancer patients, as well as helping with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. It has helped many with sleep disorders; those with major debilitating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis or HIV, use it to cope with side effects. For end-stage disease, medical marijuana could be considered for bettering the quality of remaining life.
There are suggestions that the beneficial substance in marijuana,
THC, should be made into a drug instead of allowing the patient to smoke
marijuana in its original form. Because it cannot be patented since
it's not a drug, the FDA has yet to approve it. Several independent
companies are currently in the process of producing pill-form marijuana
by extracting certain compounds such as cannabidiol that seems to be
effective on pain and inflammation but does not give the high effect.
"Marijuana contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and probably anticancer compounds in it," says Dr. Donald Abrams,
an oncology physician and professor of clinical medicine at the
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). "I'm a cancer doctor and
I often suggest to my patients that they consider marijuana for their
loss of appetite, nausea, pain, depression, and insomnia. That's one
medicine they can use instead of five."
Too many times patients are not given the options of the preventive
treatments that can save them from forthcoming surgeries, unnecessary
harmful prescription drugs, and debilitating pain. With the onset of the
increased awareness concerning alternative therapies, everyone now has
more options to improve their health and well-being. Personal physicians
should be queried about these options, but if they do not have the
knowledge or do not approve, then, as patients, second opinions are
warranted. We are in control of our health, and can and should be
proactive. Without physician referral, it is imperative that we take
upon ourselves the initiative to research and explore these and any
natural therapeutic options.
For more by Linda Larrowe Bergersen, click here.
For more on natural health, click here.
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