Dr Herbert Shelton wrote an entire article titled Influenza in 1944. He states:
"Physicians and patients rarely realise how much the treatment is responsible for increased and prolonged suffering and death. Physicians are unaware of their fallacy to 'eat plenty of nourishing food to keep up your stength.... Delirium, spasm, peritonitis, pneumonia, nia, pleurisy, heart trouble, sleeping sickness etc are listed among the complications of influenza. These develop in those who are fed and drugged.
Whether the condition is severe cold, influenza, or pneumonia, the first thing is to stop stop eating. Absolutely no food, but water, should be allowed until the acute symptoms have subsided. No drugs of any kind should be resorted to.
Go to bed and rest. Keep warm. Rest, Rest, fast, fasting, warmth-these are the needs. Have plenty of fresh air in your room. Under these conditions you may lie in bed and get well in a short time with no complications and no sequels.
You don't need treatment. The fever, inflammation, coughing, etc. constitute the healing process... Just get out of their way and permit them to complete their work. Don't try to aid nature- she doesn't need your puny aid- she only asks that you cease interfering.
I would like to make a small argument in favor of herbs though. I am an herbalist and a follower and supporter of the terrain movement. Herbs are not supplements (although they can be used as such). Herbs are (for the most part) true medicine. They are mineral rich, they reduce oxidative stress, they nourish different tissues and organs. They are not anti anything, including anti inflammatory.
Let me give an example. Turmeric. I would never take a curcumin supplement but I include turmeric in my diet more days than not. Why, because spices are some of the best foods for us and turmeric in particular is a tonic herb for the liver. Which means it nourishes the liver, giving it nutrients and support to function at a healthier level.
Mostly with herbs we mistake cause and effect. We think of them in the mindset we have been trained. But when I give someone a tea to help their body accomplish the task it is struggling with after a few days (or more and depending on the rest of their circumstances) they are better. They do not relapse. Because the herbs didn't suppress anything, they nourished and supported.
Another amazing one, I've translated it in French too. Well, Google translate did it but it's not always reliable and I always have to double-check.
Actually I have translated quite a few of your articles. (INATTENDU is your nom de plume in French!). I hoped the language barrier should not be a problem (🙏). I "shared" some of them with my niece who is a mum, has been subjected to very bad treatments from the medical cult, (lithium for "bipolar disorder", forced vaccinations to her and her son...) and I believe your writings are really helping.
Thank you Unbekoming, I know this one is going to help them too.
I was reading this and thinking about swollen tonsils, though have never used pharmaceuticals to soothe them- Still chronically swollen. Maybe allergies to foods?
The tonsils are an important lymph node. If they are swollen they are working on some burden in the throat or head. If they are chronically swollen it is time to take stock on toxic inputs.
I’ll argue clinical results here. I had a patient early in my career who presented with chronically swollen tonsils that surgery was already scheduled for. He happened to be my cousin and his parents brought him in. I employed a massage to this area, indeed uncomfortable, for 10 to 15 seconds at a time with three or four repeats. The idea being that the tonsils had so much congestion blocking tissue perfusion, that they couldn’t heal on their own. Lo and behold, swelling/inflammation decreased and surgery cancelled. I employed this several times during my 30 year career and had 100% success rate in resolution. This goes directly against what Cowan and others are seeing. We were taught that as long as swelling and inflammation were present, that the healing process would be thwarted.
PS: I'm a fan of the idea of blockages/excessive congestion with this condition sometimes requiring special treatment. Of curse, the patient you mention could have gone onto some kind of difficult-to-follow diet and been permanently cured that way. But then we have to investigate why a "cleansing" or "purification" diet should be so difficult for some, yet easy for others. Better to just unblock congestions if you ask me. However, the tonsil problem might have recurred a few years down the line, couldn't it.
All grist for the mill. Thanks so much for telling us of your experiences.
When the toxic load exceeds the ability of the lymphatic system’s ability to clear things, given exercise and deep breaths assist that, and lack thereof impedes, voila!
I do not see this as a conflict. The description of inflammation as a repair crew is a useful metaphor for the sequence of repair, but misleading as a metaphor for its mechanics. Mechanically, inflammation is not like a plumber's truck that shows up, stays until the work is done, and drives away; instead it is like squeezing a hose to increase pressure in the local area to force circulation in cells that are unresponsive to normal circulatory pressure. In this view of the mechanical action of inflammation, an external massage complements the circulatory benefit. Some practitioners also recommend (though not for tonsils!) alternating heat and ice applications to inflamed areas for the same reason, as it alternately opens and closes the cellular matrix like squeezing a sponge to force circulation into and out of the cells.
There’s some truth to your statement, though the inflammation cordons off circulation at times and the pressure actually inhibits circulation, thus the hot/cold effectiveness.
I have the same questions. If a UTI is a response to some insult, how do you “support” it to get the job done? Similarly, if cancer is a symptom of underlying toxicity/nutritional gaps/stress/emf… how to you support your body’s healing while not letting the cancer kill you?
Lisa, high probability something is pissing you off. Maybe a slow deep burn you have put on the back burner? It took me a while to figure it out… had 8 UTIs in a two year span about 10 years back. I did the doctor thing, took 8 rounds of antibiotics. It was the antibiotics that motivated my research. Louise L Hay published “Heal Your Body A-Z” and am amazed at how our mental health - thinking/feeling can have an impact. I was pissed though I would have denied it if asked… I cracked up laughing when I read the A-Z book.
Don’t recall how I found the D-Mannose but there were 3 of us “old ladies” in my office who were experiencing UTIs for the first time in our lives, we all found D-Mannose at the same time. UTIs can kill you if left untreated, and once you have one the bacteria hides out till conditions allow it to flourish once again.
Linda, your body is not equipped to handle the lack of nutrition in our foods, nor the chemicals consumed in what groceries stores call food stuffs. Sometimes intervention is better than an early death. See a naturopath, herbalist and chiropractor when you are in need, avoid corporate health care. Doctors may want to help but they no longer have that option, the screen tells them what needs to be done, their employers are in it for profit, think repeat business, not cures.
Also note, the rumor that chicken was causing this at the time may have some merit, sure wasn’t sex or hygiene though the docs will tell you is your own fault. There is some truth to the “drink more water”.
Baking soda will reduce the symptoms but i have not been brave enough to up the dose enough to cure a UTI. If i can find that link, I’ll post it here.
Ya……..I’m pretty relaxed and sure there isn’t anything pissing me off.
The baking soda thing works like magic for me. As soon as I get the “twinge”, 1 tsp of baking soda in water and it resolves. Been a lifelong problem that I now manage myself. My point was letting a UTI go like he said, to me is unwise.
Matilda! I have to agree with you on the "being pissed off" & getting a UTI. I had an experience while waiting for a very tardy doctor once. I LITERALLY developed a UTI while waiting on him! I didn't comprehend what was going on at the time & I usually enjoyed this particular doctor so never considered the frustration (another word for anger, of course) that had been building up. Ironically, this doc was the one who'd directed me to Louise Hayes' book in the first place! I read about the ensuing UTI & reported that to him the next time I saw him & he agreed with my assessment & apologized for being so late! I'd resolved that UTI prior to that 2nd appt, of course, by owning up to having gotten angry, tho I initially could have sworn I was not. I was merely "frustrated"! The mind & body are connected & interact in mysterious, yet also obvious ways!
Lisa.. you nailed it! *Unresolved* anger is the key! Glad you brought that up, too, as I have some other inflammatory issues I might need to address by doing some digging into that! There are many things that *unresolved* issues can trigger.. sort of like a whistle trying to tell us something needs looked at! Peace & love to you!
We can have unresolved issues which just keep on going because we don't have the capacity (means) to "solve" them. As in being backed into a corner in some way, e.g., being forced to stay in a job with poor working conditions, due to severe economic pressures. And other chronic stressful living conditions. Maybe prayer would help, and you don't even need to be particularly religious to do this.
One reason why people don't go the route of 'finding the root cause' is due to lack of either tests or knowledge base on the things that mess up a terrain. So you end up taking test after test after test, until you have taken all the DIY tests and are no closer than you were before. Taking one or two tests to figure out what your problem is isn't a big deal; taking several is.
Doctors who follow the terrain theory aren't good pattern matchers and depend upon Western diagnostic paradigms to figure out where to go. What if we dump the Western diagnostic paradigm, and use a more energetic model for the body? That is an imbalance between the electromagnetic field outside the body and inside the body? Forget about giving the condition a label, even labels like 'hot' or 'cold' used by herbalists or TCM doctors.
I think that people will understand their condition better and be able to figure out what they need (there is a time and place for pharmaceuticals, just like Chinese proprietary formulas). Energy imbalance is draining the body of its life force, so how do you reset things to get things going again? That is the question, not what label is attached to it.
Chinese medicine comes closest, but it is way too complicated for people. For example, wind invasion is usually a pathogenic condition like a cold or flu, but it is not necessarily due to wind. Arthritis is a bi-condition and I still haven't found a good definition of it after a year of looking; most sites say needle point x, y, apply Moxa to z. Lots of people in the country don't have access to an acupuncturist and for many conditions, accupressure is inadequate.
I think terrain is a good start but given what I know about how meridians work, unless there is some sort of energetic component to the paradigm (even with herbs), there will be some of the pattern that will stay unresolved.
You make some good points. Also, regarding how to treat inflammation from injuries, I remember what acupuncturist/herb doctor Lesley Tierra had to say about this in her book Herbs of Life. She put a bad word in for suppressing inflammation symptoms with ice. Instead, moxa (application of heat by direct hot coals of a sort) was used and problems were rather quickly solved.
We can understand energy imbalance theory (Chinese medicine) all we like, but we can't do acupuncture for ourselves. Moxibustion for the highly determined might in some cases (as above) be do-able even using a cigarette instead of moxa.
"Doctors who follow the terrain theory aren't good pattern matchers and depend upon Western diagnostic paradigms to figure out where to go." I guess that is still better than "here's a prescription for ____________ and be sure to refill it in 3 months".
Now, one little problem with Chinese Medicine* is that in recent years those docs from China have their noses deep into western thinking. I see plenty of elderly in acu clinics and on the streets of Chinatown, and they look terrible, maybe way worse than the majority of non-Chinese who are old. FWIW, JMO etc.
*I guess you mean the watered-down TCM? Here is another viewpoint:
"In my opinion, Chinese medicine must not endeavour to gain legitimacy and recognition by conducting “scientific” tests that conform to the parameters of Western Medicine. Why should a medical tradition of 2000 years standing pander to the modern approach to medicine which has developed only in recent decades?"
However, I don't quite grasp where this Australian Dr. of Chinese medicine is headed, other than recommending a study of the ancient texts.
Turmeric(curcumin) appears to work because it reduces inflammation via the same pathways as anti-inflammatory drugs. It blocks the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). It directly inhibits inflammatory enzymes like COX-2 (the same target as many NSAIDs like ibuprofen). What it does do is activate the Nrf2 pathway, which triggers the body’s own production of powerful internal antioxidants like glutathione. So, it initiates more inflammation so the body can produce what actually works.
Good explanation. I wonder if the ultra concentrated curcumin is not the same thing as old fashioned turmeric powder taken with black pepper. I'd go for the latter myself.
You may want to look into the microbial aspect of chronic disease, particularly so-called autoimmune conditions. Ebringer, supported by leading iron researcher Douglas Kell and others, has shown that rheumatoid arthritis is caused primarily by the Proteus mirabilis bacteria.
Kell believes that all of us have various pathogenic organisms that lie dormant until triggered by some sort of trauma or provocation and then become active in the presence of a ready source of non-liganded (free) iron, which most of us also have, considering how much food these days is "iron-fortified."
This line of thinking also explains why chlorine dioxide actually cures many chronic conditions through benign oxidation of pathogenic microbes, as well as various toxins.
Prof. Trevor Marshall (https://www.trevormarshall.com/) appears to have a similar line of reasoning. I think its also important to not fall into the trap of seeing the condition solely as microbial. The environment/terrain works in tandem with microbes to cause the condition. So often changing the terrain and/or 'killing' the microbes will alleviate the condition.
Agree. I was on the Marshall Protocol from 2008 to 2014, when I passed out at the wheel from taking too much Benicar (per the protocol) and hit a tree, totaling my car, saved only by my seat belt (air bag failed to deploy). Can't say I made any real progress with it, although I learned I had dysfunctional Vit. D receptor and boosting with Vit. D supplement just hides/delays the problem, similar to steroids like prednisone.
I do think Marshall was on the right track, but Benicar (Olmesartan) was only a partial stab at the underlying issue.
Yes, terrain is equally important, but Marshall seemed only able to focus on the Vit. D receptor issue.
Just out of curiosity - I presume you saw no improvement for the 6 years you did the Marshall Protocol? What have you tried after 2014, did anything work?
Too many to even list! But I'm on the Shoemaker Protocol for CIRS right now under my doctor's guidance. I'm close to overcoming my chronic sinus infection (MARCONS) using the Chlorine Dioxide Snoot spray, after which I'll go on VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) which is supposed to get me out of CIRS and correct a lot of things. In a few days when my Chlorine Dioxide Solution arrives, I'll try Dr. Kalcker's Protocol C and assess the results. I did the Humble Protocol back in 2012 but saw nothing happening after 6 weeks at the max dose of 15 drops/day.
In the article on turpentine (on Unbekoming substack) a fellow wrote about accidentally taking gasoline (!!) into his mouth;
"One day, I was siphoning gasoline from a truck tank to use in another vehicle which was out, and accidentally got a mouthful from the hose which was swallowed and immediately burped up. The fumes penetrated into my head and within a minute my nose started vomiting out this nasty, foul, stinking stuff and within five minutes, the infection was gone and my head was completely clear. I have not suffered since."
I don't have a sinus infection but I am not about to ingest gasoline if I should develop this. However, I don't deny that the hand of God was at work in this man's case.
Yes, use of parasite deworming medicine is not a crime. However, certain foods/diets over time will invite them in again, at least according to writer Paul Pitchford in his tome on eastern healing (or at least his interpretation of it). Parasites are nature's cleanup crew.
Robert Gray's booklet on colon cleansing gives some good info on this. This is a no-nonsense book, not intended for people just wanting to be told "take this and all will be well!" He does not recommend harsh herbs or laxatives and does not demand hard-to-follow diets if you can't do this.
In my own case, after 2.5 decades of ghastly way of eating, I spontaneously discharged worms into the toilet after maybe 6-9 months of my new diet. I never took any herbs or medicines whatsoever, I just eliminated all sweets, dairy products and meat.
Has an article been written about Hashimoto's specifically by Unbekoming? If so, can someone link it! I'd much appreciate it! Wish there was a way to search the Unbekoming library of articles, maybe there is???
Thoughts on people getting successful results with LDN?
It seems like a lot of people are stuck in psychological loops and even when their environments and diets are healthier, they are still stuck in fight or flight.
I wonder if you have read the work of Darko Velcek. He explains inflammation very succinctly as forced (as necessary by the body) hydration, part of rehydrating and mineralizing cells. I have found your writings to reinforce his conclusions at every turn.
I have rheumatoid arthritis and am on an annual Rituximab infusion. When I try to go medication free, my joints become more crippled and dysfunctional. Especially my hands. I was under the impression that meds were necessary to prevent further joint damage. I am intrigued by the idea that RA will resolve naturally if left. I had heard that it can ‘burn itself out’
I am 72 and have had RA for 35 years. I live alone and independently. I am concerned about further joint deterioration which would jeopardise independent living
This article is misleading because the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis is not the same as regular inflammation, you need your medication because our disease is the immune system attacking our joints, it is destructive and if the inflammation is left to be it can cause permanent damage. Our medication modulate our immune system and reduce the abnormal immune attack and in doing that it helps prevent long term joints damage.
Dr Herbert Shelton wrote an entire article titled Influenza in 1944. He states:
"Physicians and patients rarely realise how much the treatment is responsible for increased and prolonged suffering and death. Physicians are unaware of their fallacy to 'eat plenty of nourishing food to keep up your stength.... Delirium, spasm, peritonitis, pneumonia, nia, pleurisy, heart trouble, sleeping sickness etc are listed among the complications of influenza. These develop in those who are fed and drugged.
Whether the condition is severe cold, influenza, or pneumonia, the first thing is to stop stop eating. Absolutely no food, but water, should be allowed until the acute symptoms have subsided. No drugs of any kind should be resorted to.
Go to bed and rest. Keep warm. Rest, Rest, fast, fasting, warmth-these are the needs. Have plenty of fresh air in your room. Under these conditions you may lie in bed and get well in a short time with no complications and no sequels.
You don't need treatment. The fever, inflammation, coughing, etc. constitute the healing process... Just get out of their way and permit them to complete their work. Don't try to aid nature- she doesn't need your puny aid- she only asks that you cease interfering.
Thank you.
Fantastic article! 👏
I would like to make a small argument in favor of herbs though. I am an herbalist and a follower and supporter of the terrain movement. Herbs are not supplements (although they can be used as such). Herbs are (for the most part) true medicine. They are mineral rich, they reduce oxidative stress, they nourish different tissues and organs. They are not anti anything, including anti inflammatory.
Let me give an example. Turmeric. I would never take a curcumin supplement but I include turmeric in my diet more days than not. Why, because spices are some of the best foods for us and turmeric in particular is a tonic herb for the liver. Which means it nourishes the liver, giving it nutrients and support to function at a healthier level.
Mostly with herbs we mistake cause and effect. We think of them in the mindset we have been trained. But when I give someone a tea to help their body accomplish the task it is struggling with after a few days (or more and depending on the rest of their circumstances) they are better. They do not relapse. Because the herbs didn't suppress anything, they nourished and supported.
Thank you.
Another amazing one, I've translated it in French too. Well, Google translate did it but it's not always reliable and I always have to double-check.
Actually I have translated quite a few of your articles. (INATTENDU is your nom de plume in French!). I hoped the language barrier should not be a problem (🙏). I "shared" some of them with my niece who is a mum, has been subjected to very bad treatments from the medical cult, (lithium for "bipolar disorder", forced vaccinations to her and her son...) and I believe your writings are really helping.
Thank you Unbekoming, I know this one is going to help them too.
You kick ass Unbokoming! And you're so prolific on such a wide variety of topics. Thank you!
Love reading your articles!
I was reading this and thinking about swollen tonsils, though have never used pharmaceuticals to soothe them- Still chronically swollen. Maybe allergies to foods?
The tonsils are an important lymph node. If they are swollen they are working on some burden in the throat or head. If they are chronically swollen it is time to take stock on toxic inputs.
stop dairy see what happens...
I’ll argue clinical results here. I had a patient early in my career who presented with chronically swollen tonsils that surgery was already scheduled for. He happened to be my cousin and his parents brought him in. I employed a massage to this area, indeed uncomfortable, for 10 to 15 seconds at a time with three or four repeats. The idea being that the tonsils had so much congestion blocking tissue perfusion, that they couldn’t heal on their own. Lo and behold, swelling/inflammation decreased and surgery cancelled. I employed this several times during my 30 year career and had 100% success rate in resolution. This goes directly against what Cowan and others are seeing. We were taught that as long as swelling and inflammation were present, that the healing process would be thwarted.
@Drew. You are right, I think. There are exceptions to all theories, including the ideas presented here. 98% is not 100%. :)
PS: I'm a fan of the idea of blockages/excessive congestion with this condition sometimes requiring special treatment. Of curse, the patient you mention could have gone onto some kind of difficult-to-follow diet and been permanently cured that way. But then we have to investigate why a "cleansing" or "purification" diet should be so difficult for some, yet easy for others. Better to just unblock congestions if you ask me. However, the tonsil problem might have recurred a few years down the line, couldn't it.
All grist for the mill. Thanks so much for telling us of your experiences.
When the toxic load exceeds the ability of the lymphatic system’s ability to clear things, given exercise and deep breaths assist that, and lack thereof impedes, voila!
I do not see this as a conflict. The description of inflammation as a repair crew is a useful metaphor for the sequence of repair, but misleading as a metaphor for its mechanics. Mechanically, inflammation is not like a plumber's truck that shows up, stays until the work is done, and drives away; instead it is like squeezing a hose to increase pressure in the local area to force circulation in cells that are unresponsive to normal circulatory pressure. In this view of the mechanical action of inflammation, an external massage complements the circulatory benefit. Some practitioners also recommend (though not for tonsils!) alternating heat and ice applications to inflamed areas for the same reason, as it alternately opens and closes the cellular matrix like squeezing a sponge to force circulation into and out of the cells.
There’s some truth to your statement, though the inflammation cordons off circulation at times and the pressure actually inhibits circulation, thus the hot/cold effectiveness.
Couple of questions……what would your course of treatment be for SARS CoV2?
Do you think ivermectin and fenbenzanol are at all effective for cancer treatment?
And have you ever had to experience a UTI without treatment?
I have the same questions. If a UTI is a response to some insult, how do you “support” it to get the job done? Similarly, if cancer is a symptom of underlying toxicity/nutritional gaps/stress/emf… how to you support your body’s healing while not letting the cancer kill you?
Lisa, high probability something is pissing you off. Maybe a slow deep burn you have put on the back burner? It took me a while to figure it out… had 8 UTIs in a two year span about 10 years back. I did the doctor thing, took 8 rounds of antibiotics. It was the antibiotics that motivated my research. Louise L Hay published “Heal Your Body A-Z” and am amazed at how our mental health - thinking/feeling can have an impact. I was pissed though I would have denied it if asked… I cracked up laughing when I read the A-Z book.
Don’t recall how I found the D-Mannose but there were 3 of us “old ladies” in my office who were experiencing UTIs for the first time in our lives, we all found D-Mannose at the same time. UTIs can kill you if left untreated, and once you have one the bacteria hides out till conditions allow it to flourish once again.
Linda, your body is not equipped to handle the lack of nutrition in our foods, nor the chemicals consumed in what groceries stores call food stuffs. Sometimes intervention is better than an early death. See a naturopath, herbalist and chiropractor when you are in need, avoid corporate health care. Doctors may want to help but they no longer have that option, the screen tells them what needs to be done, their employers are in it for profit, think repeat business, not cures.
Also note, the rumor that chicken was causing this at the time may have some merit, sure wasn’t sex or hygiene though the docs will tell you is your own fault. There is some truth to the “drink more water”.
Baking soda will reduce the symptoms but i have not been brave enough to up the dose enough to cure a UTI. If i can find that link, I’ll post it here.
Ya……..I’m pretty relaxed and sure there isn’t anything pissing me off.
The baking soda thing works like magic for me. As soon as I get the “twinge”, 1 tsp of baking soda in water and it resolves. Been a lifelong problem that I now manage myself. My point was letting a UTI go like he said, to me is unwise.
Matilda! I have to agree with you on the "being pissed off" & getting a UTI. I had an experience while waiting for a very tardy doctor once. I LITERALLY developed a UTI while waiting on him! I didn't comprehend what was going on at the time & I usually enjoyed this particular doctor so never considered the frustration (another word for anger, of course) that had been building up. Ironically, this doc was the one who'd directed me to Louise Hayes' book in the first place! I read about the ensuing UTI & reported that to him the next time I saw him & he agreed with my assessment & apologized for being so late! I'd resolved that UTI prior to that 2nd appt, of course, by owning up to having gotten angry, tho I initially could have sworn I was not. I was merely "frustrated"! The mind & body are connected & interact in mysterious, yet also obvious ways!
Lisa there is natural support for UTI’s, its call D Mannose. Amazon sells it. AND, you probably need to acknowledge what is pissing you off.
These two steps resolved after 8 UTI’s in 2 years. I am however still working on cleaning out all the Cipro poison
I’ll definitely look into the D Mannose😊 I’m still learning about natural as opposed to pharma.
Nothing is “pissing me off”. Where did that unnecessary comment come from? Or are you saying unresolved anger is a cause of UTI’s?
Lisa.. you nailed it! *Unresolved* anger is the key! Glad you brought that up, too, as I have some other inflammatory issues I might need to address by doing some digging into that! There are many things that *unresolved* issues can trigger.. sort of like a whistle trying to tell us something needs looked at! Peace & love to you!
We can have unresolved issues which just keep on going because we don't have the capacity (means) to "solve" them. As in being backed into a corner in some way, e.g., being forced to stay in a job with poor working conditions, due to severe economic pressures. And other chronic stressful living conditions. Maybe prayer would help, and you don't even need to be particularly religious to do this.
That is hormone inbalance eg menopause etc.
Hormones can cause UTI symptoms. But there is actually no “ infection”.
But didn't the article make the point that resorting to supplements and other natural interventions are just that, intervention?
I completely agree, it is not something to ignore
One reason why people don't go the route of 'finding the root cause' is due to lack of either tests or knowledge base on the things that mess up a terrain. So you end up taking test after test after test, until you have taken all the DIY tests and are no closer than you were before. Taking one or two tests to figure out what your problem is isn't a big deal; taking several is.
Doctors who follow the terrain theory aren't good pattern matchers and depend upon Western diagnostic paradigms to figure out where to go. What if we dump the Western diagnostic paradigm, and use a more energetic model for the body? That is an imbalance between the electromagnetic field outside the body and inside the body? Forget about giving the condition a label, even labels like 'hot' or 'cold' used by herbalists or TCM doctors.
I think that people will understand their condition better and be able to figure out what they need (there is a time and place for pharmaceuticals, just like Chinese proprietary formulas). Energy imbalance is draining the body of its life force, so how do you reset things to get things going again? That is the question, not what label is attached to it.
Chinese medicine comes closest, but it is way too complicated for people. For example, wind invasion is usually a pathogenic condition like a cold or flu, but it is not necessarily due to wind. Arthritis is a bi-condition and I still haven't found a good definition of it after a year of looking; most sites say needle point x, y, apply Moxa to z. Lots of people in the country don't have access to an acupuncturist and for many conditions, accupressure is inadequate.
I think terrain is a good start but given what I know about how meridians work, unless there is some sort of energetic component to the paradigm (even with herbs), there will be some of the pattern that will stay unresolved.
You make some good points. Also, regarding how to treat inflammation from injuries, I remember what acupuncturist/herb doctor Lesley Tierra had to say about this in her book Herbs of Life. She put a bad word in for suppressing inflammation symptoms with ice. Instead, moxa (application of heat by direct hot coals of a sort) was used and problems were rather quickly solved.
We can understand energy imbalance theory (Chinese medicine) all we like, but we can't do acupuncture for ourselves. Moxibustion for the highly determined might in some cases (as above) be do-able even using a cigarette instead of moxa.
"Doctors who follow the terrain theory aren't good pattern matchers and depend upon Western diagnostic paradigms to figure out where to go." I guess that is still better than "here's a prescription for ____________ and be sure to refill it in 3 months".
Now, one little problem with Chinese Medicine* is that in recent years those docs from China have their noses deep into western thinking. I see plenty of elderly in acu clinics and on the streets of Chinatown, and they look terrible, maybe way worse than the majority of non-Chinese who are old. FWIW, JMO etc.
*I guess you mean the watered-down TCM? Here is another viewpoint:
https://pearlschinesemedicine.com/pow_articles/the-rise-and-fall-of-chinese-medicine-and-a-revival-plan/ Extract:
"In my opinion, Chinese medicine must not endeavour to gain legitimacy and recognition by conducting “scientific” tests that conform to the parameters of Western Medicine. Why should a medical tradition of 2000 years standing pander to the modern approach to medicine which has developed only in recent decades?"
However, I don't quite grasp where this Australian Dr. of Chinese medicine is headed, other than recommending a study of the ancient texts.
Turmeric(curcumin) appears to work because it reduces inflammation via the same pathways as anti-inflammatory drugs. It blocks the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). It directly inhibits inflammatory enzymes like COX-2 (the same target as many NSAIDs like ibuprofen). What it does do is activate the Nrf2 pathway, which triggers the body’s own production of powerful internal antioxidants like glutathione. So, it initiates more inflammation so the body can produce what actually works.
Good explanation. I wonder if the ultra concentrated curcumin is not the same thing as old fashioned turmeric powder taken with black pepper. I'd go for the latter myself.
You may want to look into the microbial aspect of chronic disease, particularly so-called autoimmune conditions. Ebringer, supported by leading iron researcher Douglas Kell and others, has shown that rheumatoid arthritis is caused primarily by the Proteus mirabilis bacteria.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S156899720900175X?via%3Dihub
Kell believes that all of us have various pathogenic organisms that lie dormant until triggered by some sort of trauma or provocation and then become active in the presence of a ready source of non-liganded (free) iron, which most of us also have, considering how much food these days is "iron-fortified."
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/brv.12407
This line of thinking also explains why chlorine dioxide actually cures many chronic conditions through benign oxidation of pathogenic microbes, as well as various toxins.
Prof. Trevor Marshall (https://www.trevormarshall.com/) appears to have a similar line of reasoning. I think its also important to not fall into the trap of seeing the condition solely as microbial. The environment/terrain works in tandem with microbes to cause the condition. So often changing the terrain and/or 'killing' the microbes will alleviate the condition.
Agree. I was on the Marshall Protocol from 2008 to 2014, when I passed out at the wheel from taking too much Benicar (per the protocol) and hit a tree, totaling my car, saved only by my seat belt (air bag failed to deploy). Can't say I made any real progress with it, although I learned I had dysfunctional Vit. D receptor and boosting with Vit. D supplement just hides/delays the problem, similar to steroids like prednisone.
I do think Marshall was on the right track, but Benicar (Olmesartan) was only a partial stab at the underlying issue.
Yes, terrain is equally important, but Marshall seemed only able to focus on the Vit. D receptor issue.
Just out of curiosity - I presume you saw no improvement for the 6 years you did the Marshall Protocol? What have you tried after 2014, did anything work?
Too many to even list! But I'm on the Shoemaker Protocol for CIRS right now under my doctor's guidance. I'm close to overcoming my chronic sinus infection (MARCONS) using the Chlorine Dioxide Snoot spray, after which I'll go on VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) which is supposed to get me out of CIRS and correct a lot of things. In a few days when my Chlorine Dioxide Solution arrives, I'll try Dr. Kalcker's Protocol C and assess the results. I did the Humble Protocol back in 2012 but saw nothing happening after 6 weeks at the max dose of 15 drops/day.
In the article on turpentine (on Unbekoming substack) a fellow wrote about accidentally taking gasoline (!!) into his mouth;
"One day, I was siphoning gasoline from a truck tank to use in another vehicle which was out, and accidentally got a mouthful from the hose which was swallowed and immediately burped up. The fumes penetrated into my head and within a minute my nose started vomiting out this nasty, foul, stinking stuff and within five minutes, the infection was gone and my head was completely clear. I have not suffered since."
I don't have a sinus infection but I am not about to ingest gasoline if I should develop this. However, I don't deny that the hand of God was at work in this man's case.
I love the terrain articles! I will probably remain a paid subscriber forever I love your topics!
Another extraordinary article!
As for parasite deworming medication, if the cause is an infestation I would query your reticence for their use.
Yes, use of parasite deworming medicine is not a crime. However, certain foods/diets over time will invite them in again, at least according to writer Paul Pitchford in his tome on eastern healing (or at least his interpretation of it). Parasites are nature's cleanup crew.
Robert Gray's booklet on colon cleansing gives some good info on this. This is a no-nonsense book, not intended for people just wanting to be told "take this and all will be well!" He does not recommend harsh herbs or laxatives and does not demand hard-to-follow diets if you can't do this.
In my own case, after 2.5 decades of ghastly way of eating, I spontaneously discharged worms into the toilet after maybe 6-9 months of my new diet. I never took any herbs or medicines whatsoever, I just eliminated all sweets, dairy products and meat.
Has an article been written about Hashimoto's specifically by Unbekoming? If so, can someone link it! I'd much appreciate it! Wish there was a way to search the Unbekoming library of articles, maybe there is???
Thoughts on people getting successful results with LDN?
It seems like a lot of people are stuck in psychological loops and even when their environments and diets are healthier, they are still stuck in fight or flight.
The modern man can not focus nor relax.
I wonder if you have read the work of Darko Velcek. He explains inflammation very succinctly as forced (as necessary by the body) hydration, part of rehydrating and mineralizing cells. I have found your writings to reinforce his conclusions at every turn.
I have rheumatoid arthritis and am on an annual Rituximab infusion. When I try to go medication free, my joints become more crippled and dysfunctional. Especially my hands. I was under the impression that meds were necessary to prevent further joint damage. I am intrigued by the idea that RA will resolve naturally if left. I had heard that it can ‘burn itself out’
I am 72 and have had RA for 35 years. I live alone and independently. I am concerned about further joint deterioration which would jeopardise independent living
This article is misleading because the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis is not the same as regular inflammation, you need your medication because our disease is the immune system attacking our joints, it is destructive and if the inflammation is left to be it can cause permanent damage. Our medication modulate our immune system and reduce the abnormal immune attack and in doing that it helps prevent long term joints damage.