Entry for September 03, 2006

I’ve recently joined a magnesium support group at yahoo groups. I’m just watching what people are saying before I join in. Someone posted that they were having trouble boosting their magnesium levels and I found this in the reply:

Here we are a support and information giving group. A few questions first- how are your potassium levels, copper and Boron and B2 and B6 levels? If any of these are low you will not hold onto the magnesium no matter what you do.

Isn’t that interesting. I had read the opposite about potassium. Now I don’t know what to think. I’ve been taking my B2 and B6 for months now and I already know my B2 is low. Who knows about potassium, copper and boron??

Entry for September 03, 2006

I’ve added my profile to RemedyFind detailing my history with Allergic Rhinitis:

Personal Bio: I grew up in a small town called Orangeville for most of my life. Late in high school, I had discovered a love for photography and became the yearbook photographer. My health issues started around 1990 after my last year of high school. I was 19 years old and I went to the doctor for allergies.

He gave a nasal spray called RHINARIS. It did nothing for my allergies so I went back to him and he gave me another prescription for the same thing but he told me to try it for a longer period of time. I tried it again and it had no effect so I figured it was something that you just have to live with.

I had just finished working in a photo lab and I had suspected that it could be the photo chemicals but I never handled them, never touched them and I only worked the cash so I really had nothing to do with them. That summer I went on a trip to England and spent three weeks walking around Liverpool discovering the places were the Beatles had found their fame.

Later in the year I moved to Toronto and I thought it was a good time to find a new doctor. I went to a walk in clinic for my allergies and I told him about how I thought the trip to England might have had an effect on my allergies having been out of my regular environment for three weeks but it made no difference. He found this interesting and commented on the fact that if anything it should’ve been worse because of the cold and damp weather. He refered me to an ear, nose and throat specialist.

Went to the specialist and he performed a weird procedure where he used something like a sodering gun and was burning something in each one of my nostrils. I went home with cotton balls in my nose and I wasn’t allowed to blow my nose for a couple of days. He said something would fall out of each nostril within the week and it did. Did it have any effect on my allergies? None.

Another attempt was made with my allergies when I went to a different doctor. He sent me to an allergy clinic in downtown Toronto. There I had a skin test done and the test came back that I was allergic to dust, pollen, grasses and mold. The strongest reaction? Cats. I found it strange because at the time, I didn’t own any cats and my parents never had any either. They told me that I had Allergic Rhinitis and recommended allergy shots over a five year plan. I started them for a few months and quit. It wasn’t making any difference.

I went four years dealing with my symptoms until I tried again. Another doctor I went to suggested I try Rhinocort. I tried it and again it made no difference. Then I read an article in the Toronto Star about a woman who had a variety of health issues that were greatly improved when she had her mercury fillings removed. I think one of her symptoms were allergies so it was off to my dentist. It seemed logical to me as I had a lot of dental work done around the time my allergies started. I had my mercury fillings removed and it made no difference.

I moved to a downtown location a year later and we lived close to a health food store so I asked them for some advice. She suggested taking a homeopathic remedy called Sinna and this time, I got results. It cleared my nose and there was mild improvement but I still had my allergies. It was helping but I was looking for the root cause.

I always felt that my allergies never fit the usual descriptions to describe them. The doctors would ask me if it changed with the seasons? NO. Did it change with the difference in weather? NO. I had allergies all year round and it never seemed to be affected by the types of food I ate.

This time I decide to go back to the doctor that gave me a referal to the allergy clinic and I started taking allergy shots again. Once a week for two years I took allergy shots and again, it didn’t really make any difference. Maybe a little…it was hard to tell.

I’ve always been a fairly healthy person despite my diet and since moving to Toronto, I’ve never had a regular doctor. I would go to the nearest walk in clinic if I had any minor issues.

Last year I finally developed a weird set of symptoms totally unrelated to my allergies that no doctor could figure out what was causing my problems. I had numerous test results: three blood tests, two urine tests, two ECG tests, chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasound, stool sample, colonoscopy, gastrocopy, hormone testing, hair analysis that all came back normal. I was really irritated because all of these tests and procedures recommended by doctors were showing normal. They seemed to think because the testing was normal then there was nothing wrong. I was of the opinion that they were doing the wrong type of testing. I had neurological symptoms and I was being told it was normal.

It wasn’t until I took to using Google on a daily basis to get an understanding of my symptoms that I began to question the regular doctors. I tried all kinds of alternative methods and nothing worked. No one was able to determine the root cause.

My best results were from Google searches and when I finally made a series of breakthroughs I began questioning everything and everyone. I began reading stories about CBC’s Wendy Mesley’s breast cancer and how she thought it was caused by the birth control pill. Newscaster Bill Cameron who went to a throat specialist to be told there was nothing wrong and he died nine months later of esophageal cancer. 14 year old Brooke Di Bernardo had weird symptoms for four years with doctors and specialists telling her there was nothing wrong because their tests came up normal. Another doctor told the parents that she was doing it for attention. They diagnosed her with pulmonary hypertension the day after she died. The family looked up the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension and they matched her symptoms exactly. How was this missed by so many doctors and specialists? I was outraged by these stories and I started to live by a very famous quote:

“The important thing is to never stop questioning” -Albert Einstein

And I never did. I questioned the doctors because I was finding things that made me better and I would present my findings to them only to be questioned and they never seemed to be interested in nutrition despite me eating things that made me feel better or had an impact on my symptoms. I even gave them a diet diary but they only seemed to be interested in disease and not prevention.

I began to realize that simple obvious signs that I had ignored were actually symptoms and connected to my current health problems even though I had them for years. Symptoms like chapped lips, muscle twitching and blaming extreme tiredness on a lack of sleep.

Don’t get me wrong. Google should never replace a trained professional medical doctor and I’ve been wrong several times using it. But at the same time, when used to verify or validate what the doctors were telling me or to question what they were telling me, is when I found success.

Because of my success with my other health problems, I thought I would use Google again to try and figure out the cause of my allergies and I did. I came across a quote from the internet that quoted a doctor that said “99 percent of people who have allergies are allergic to microwaved food”. I questioned how people could be allergic to food that was microwaved so I looked further. I then found a study that talked about a chemical that was said to cause Allergic Rhinitis:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/95/103140.htm

Plastic containers that contained the additive called: Benzyl Butyl Phthalate can cause Allergic Rhinitis. I started to wonder if this chemical was used for microwaveable containers so I stopped eating microwaved food.

I was just finishing my tenth accupuncture treatment and although it made a difference in the blockage in my nose, I still had my allergies. I was also trying different chinese herbs but they too didn’t seem to make a big difference either.

Then I stopped eating food in plastic microwaveable containers. Every day following my ban I could feel the inflamation in my nose slowing disappearing. Then I found another study that suggested that same chemical was found in our toothbrushes so I switched to one from the health food store.

Here’s the site: http://www.mst.dk/chemi/01083703.htm

I also cames across another study that suggested there was a link between Allergic Rhinitis and infants exposed to cigarette smoke:

http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/view.article.php?ArticleID=24477

My father smoked until I was 10 years old and the above link was only a study on infants. My Allergic Rhinitis didn’t develop until I was 19 so is there a connection? Who knows…but it’s something I’m very suspicious of. I am the oldest child and my younger brother doesn’t have allergies just like the article suggested.

Very recently I’ve had really bad allergies for two days then they disappear. This has happened twice lately and I questioned it because it didn’t make any sense and it seemed to be related to take out food. Is it possible I ate microwaved food without knowing it? I ate a different resaurant each time so it’s possible that I may have an undiagnosed food allergy that I always thought was my regular allergies. I had roasted greek potatoes both times and I suspect it had something to do with the sauce.

Self discovery is a wonderful thing and I am thrilled that a site like RemedyFind is around to share my experiences to help other people.

My recent health problems? A combination of severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Did I learn this from a any doctor or specialist? Nope. I learned from self education. I’ve been to so many different types of doctors. Numerous Walk-in Clinic Doctors, my regular Doctor, a Naturopath, a Gastroenterologist, an Acupuncturist, a Chiropractor, an Osteopath, an Iridoligist and finally a Neurologist.

Each one of them provided me clues that I strung together for a self diagnosis. Some of them sent me in wrong directions and I came to the conlusion that they were guessing as much as I was. The fact that I had Google for my searches seemed to give me an advantage because I found that they never seemed to do any research of their own. I’d get the normal lines “We’re not sure why that happens…” or “I believe in the art of medicine…if it makes you feel good, keep doing it.”

I’ve never been a person to eat any type of raw fruits and I rarely had any vegetables with my meals. It wasn’t until I did my research about eating healthy and the importance of eating fruits and vegetables that I realized how malnutritioned I was. Did any doctor mention the importance of eating fruits and vegetables? Nope, not one.

For the past six months I’ve been constantly trying different combinations of vitamins, minerals and enzymes to find out what worked best. I noticed the biggest difference when I started taking vitamin A and vitamin E probably because they are fat soluble vitamins. Vitamin A helped the blockage in my nose and vitamin E made a huge difference to my skin and I was shocked at the improvement.

I have a severe Riboflavin deficiency that seems to be caused by a chronic level of Magnesium. Based on my diet over the past fifteen years it’s not hard to see why. But the main things that worked for my current symptoms?

A prescription from a medical doctor for a B2 Riboflavin injection when I convinced him that it matched my symptoms (And this was over a year after my symptoms first started). Then I discovered that I couldn’t get it from any pharmacy anywhere in Canada so I ordered it from Europe. An Omega Three supplement that was recommended by a friend for no reason other than good health, and Magnesium for a deficiency that a two doctors told me I didn’t have.

I’ve read the book by Carolyn Dean called “The Miracle of Magnesium” and it turns out I have nineteen symptoms of a magnesium deficiency.

“No one knows your health better than you.”

Entry for August 31, 2006

Follow appointment with my doctor…

As he walks in he notices that I am sneezing and have a runny nose. He casually mentions that my symptoms appear to be sinusitis but doesn’t say anything more.

The first thing he asks is if there is any improvement since the B2 injection. Yup, the tingling on the top of my head has stopped completely. I even stopped using the vitamins that would make it stop and it never came back. He was very happy to hear this great news. Then I launch into my latest research about magnesium leading to the chemical imbalance.

I tell him that I’ve been experimenting with different dosages and he wants me to keep taking it. I ask him about magnesium injections and he said he would prefer to see me try the oral doses before we get to the injection.

He writes down some notes on my file and he’s very happy about these new discoveries. He gives me the B2 injection and it was a bit more painful than the first time around and he explains he switched to a smaller needle this time. He recommends that I also take a multivitamin daily.

My eyes are slightly red and itchy so I quickly ask him to take a look. He takes a quick glance and asks me if I drink tea? He then recommends that I put used tea bags underneath my eyes for the citric acid content.

He doesn’t think it’s anything serious although he’s not an eye doctor and it was hardly a eye exam. I don’t drink tea so I won’t bother with the teabags.

Another follow up in three weeks.

Entry for August 28, 2006

All morning I’ve had what I call my “B vitamin” feeling in my head. It’s a feeling I get when I haven’t taken my B vitamins and I think it’s when the myelin sheath is getting very thin. The weird thing is that I’ve already taken my B vitamins this morning.

I’m thinking now that the Omega 3 supplement played a part protecting or building the myelin and that’s the reason I started taking it again. I haven’t had any head pinching/tingling sensation since I had the riboflavin injection. I still have the chapped lips so something is still wrong and my magnesium status is not helping.

I forgot to take my acidophilus this morning but luckiliy, I had one in my desk and felt better after taking it. I also had a tuna sub for lunch which is a great source of Omega 3 and didn’t have any weird feelings again for the rest of the day.

I also cancelled the Iridology appointment. She told me I didn’t need the Omega 3 supplement.

Entry for August 19, 2006

I forgot to take my vitamins with my lunch today and we had great tasting Angus Beef Burgers. After thirty minutes I start having a lot of gas. I take my vitamins including the enzymes and in another thirty minutes it settles down.

I’ve come up with an idea. I’m deficient in riboflavin and magnesium and both are key in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fat synthesis so it’s no wonder I need the enzyme supplement.

Why don’t I try eating a diet that doesn’t contain any carbohydrates, proteins and fat? Or at the very least, consume the absolute bare minimum for a while and see if that has any difference on how I feel. I’ve read in Carolyn Dean’s book “The Miracle of Magnesium” that eating a lot of protein and fat can actually inhibit the absorption of magnesium.

Magnesium: Necessary for energy metabolism, protein and fat synthesis. The metabolism of carbohydrates and fats to produce energy requires numerous magnesium-dependent chemical reactions.

Magnesium is required at a number of steps during the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and proteins. A number of enzymes participating in the synthesis of carbohydrates and lipids require magnesium for their activity. Glutathione, an important antioxidant, requires magnesium for its synthesis.

Riboflavin: Riboflavin is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin, also known as vitamin B2. In the body, riboflavin is primarily found as an integral component of the coenzymes, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN). Coenzymes derived from riboflavin are also called flavins. Enzymes that use a flavin coenzyme are called flavoproteins.

Flavin coenzymes participate in redox reactions in numerous metabolic pathways. Flavins are critical for the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Entry for August 16, 2006

Exposing Multivitamin Dangers and Deficiencies
By Gailon Totheroh
CBN News Health & Science Reporter

CBN.com – Even if you are eating the recommended number of daily fruits and vegetables, you still arent receiving all the nutrients you need. And government research says those multivitamins don’t begin to cover the gap. CBN News decided to take a deeper look at what science is saying about vitamins you should be taking.

In an article published in June 2002, the American Medical Association reversed their 20-year stance against multivitamins. Just buy a cheap one, the AMA essentially said, that is all you need. But will the popular dime-a-day multis really help consumers attain optimum health?

Nutrition-oriented physician and neuroscientist Russell Blaylock says the answer to that question is “no,” because the vitamin world is a wasteland. “For instance, we’ve found a lot of youthfulness in vitamin D. A lot of these multivitamins don’t even have vitamin D. If they have it, they have it in very low concentrations,” he said.

On top of that, Janie Johnson, general manager of a vitamin store chain, says the media from magazines to TV ads have left consumers confused. “And they’re steered in all different ways and they really don’t know what to take,” she said.

To help consumers identify optimum multis, CBN News employed a set of vitamin standards obtained from scientific research. We used a total of 25 guidelines. At 4 points for each guideline, a perfect score would be 100. Of 55 multivitamins evaluated, only 10 scored a 40 or above. All of the nationally advertised major brands scored a 12 or lower.

Certainly, there is plenty of controversy about what is best in vitamins. For instance, a recent CBN News story on vitamins spoke of having the minerals calcium and magnesium in about equal amounts. But many nutritionists favor double the calcium over magnesium.

In the debate over calcium and magnesium, researchers had largely based their recommendations on the fact that bone has a ratio of 2 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium. However, newer research shows most people have a significant dietary intake of calcium and can experience excess calcium calcifying the blood stream. That can induce circulatory problems.

Also, magnesium is now found to be crucial to muscle function, protection against MSG and related toxins, and 300 chemical reactions in the body.

The bottom line is that individuals may need medical guidance in deciding their optimum intakes of calcium and magnesium.

Other viewers of our previous story were curious about the issue of riboflavin and ultraviolet light.

Our sources recommend no more than 10 milligrams of vitamin B2, or riboflavin. A French study found that excess riboflavin “in the organs and tissues that are permeable to light, such as the eye or skin” could damage cell components “causing inflammation and accelerating aging.” So it is important not to take too much riboflavin.

While 10 milligrams is still several times the government’s recommendation, some multis should be avoided since they contain daily portions of 50 or more milligrams.

Blaylock says some afflictions may require higher doses of B2. Those diseases include Alzheimer’s and the nerve damage that often afflicts diabetics. “Outside of that restricted use, I don’t think that the general public should take more than 10 milligrams of riboflavin,” he said.

And even the most popular individual supplement vitamin C needs supplementation.

Research shows vitamin C works best when matched with bioflavonoids, at a quantity of 70 percent of the vitamin. In other words, 500 milligrams of C should be accompanied by 350 milligrams of bioflavonoids.

Bioflavonoids include the rind of citrus fruit and the popular quercetin derived from apples and red onions.

Yet with all the new research about the right nutrients for staving off disease, Johnson says consumers still seek out multivitamins mostly when they are sick.

She said, “They’re not doing it for the prevention, they’re doing it because of an issue. And they want to feel good, and they don’t want to be fatigued. So, they really kind of need to do the research on their own.”

Blaylock says that assessment is right, that consumers need to do their homework, and do it based on good science and good sense. “You need to have a vitamin that has all its different components in the right concentrations and the right balances, complete, with no iron,” he said

Entry for August 12, 2006

Went to the Chiropractor this morning. The same kind of stretching and he offers a bunch of ideas again. He told me to look up something called immunol, beta glucan and celiac sprue. I did a quick search on those but nothing interesting really came up.

I’ve felt lousy all day with zero energy. Probably the worst I’ve felt in a long time. By mid afternoon I take a hot bath as that will always make me feel better and it does. Why do I have no energy? I’m still taking the B complex vitamins and now the omega 3 so there must be something else.

The riboflavin injection seems to have no effect. The only symptom I haven’t had is the tingling of the myelin sheaths. So maybe my problem is from a number of deficiencies instead of just one.

I keep trying to look for the one thing that is causing my symptoms. Maybe it’s possible there is a combination of deficiencies.

Entry for August 10, 2006

Went to the doctor’s office this morning with the riboflavin glued to my hands. I decided today not to take my morning vitamins to see if the needle would have any effect. While I am in the waiting room, my eyes are really itchy and I wash them twice with the running tap water.

He comes in and says “I believe you have something for me”. “I have a present for you” I joke with him and I hand him the injections. He looks it over and asks me where I managed to get it. I ordered it from the internet and it looks like they came from Romania. He opens the package and pulls out the intructions. The writing is in Romanian and he finds what he is looking for. He breaks the top of the vial and he’s got the needle ready to go.

He says it has to go into the buttocks so I bend over and he injects the needle. He only uses one of the vials and hands me the four back in the package. The muscles around by buttocks start twitching really strong so I mention it to him. He doesn’t seem surprised and said to have a follow up appointment in three weeks to see if it has any effect on the vibrations.

I sure hope so…

Entry for August 09, 2006

I open the package and it contains 5 little bottles…

They are the weirdest type of bottles I’ve ever seen. Each bottle holds 0.2 ml of riboflavin and they appear to be in one whole piece with a ring around the neck. I’m guessing there is some type of medical tool that can open these. Hopefully, it’s universal and my doctor has one.

Entry for August 09, 2006

I rush home from work and I am now holding it in my hands…

Riboflavin injections from Romania… I still can’t believe it…

Entry for August 09, 2006

My wife calls me this afternoon with some good news. The vitamins from Romania have arrived!! I contact my doctor’s office and tell them I have the injections and I’ll be at their office for nine o’clock.

FANTASTIC!!

Entry for August 06, 2006

Deficiency Diseases and Good Nutrition
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Riboflavin is needed in every cell of your body every day. It promotes repair and proper growth of tissue, and is essential for good digestion and steady nerves. It is also vital to correct metabolism. Riboflavin is an important component in FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide) and FMN (flavin adenine mononucleotide). These two coenzymes are common helpers in the metabolism of fatty acids and glucose. They are produced by a reaction that requires the enzyme flavokinase. Flavokinase is regulated by thyroxin, a hormone produced in the thyroid. Therefore, if you have a thyroid problem, flavokinase cannot be produced to stimulate (with the help of riboflavin) FAD and FMN production, and you’re not able to metabolize your food properly. If you have a thyroid problem, you’re going to have some troubles with your metabolism. You probably already knew that, but now you know how riboflavin is involved in metabolism.

Riboflavin is also important in DNA and RNA metabolism. Animals fed no B2 had babies with extreme malformations in the skeletal system, because of mutations in the DNA. Low riboflavin can also cause degeneration of your nerves. Riboflavin is needed to stimulate the hormone that stimulates the adrenals to release their hormones. (The body is pretty complex.) Hormones from the adrenal glands are the ones that help you deal with stress, so you don’t want to disrupt those! The hormones from the adrenal glands also control where and how fat is deposited.

Entry for August 06, 2006

Made a discovery today. I’ve been reading about how your intestinal flora produces riboflavin so I’ve been trying to find out if there is an actual type of strain that I could look for. I was at my parent’s house and I borrowed a thick medical book from my dad. It’s a book he’s had for years. It’s about three inches think and I can’t remember the title but I think it’s something to do with internal medicine.

I look up riboflavin deficiency and it explains that there is an actual strain in the intestinal flora that can produce riboflavin and it’s called “Bacillus Subtilis”. A quick google search and I have the history:

The Bacillus Subtilis Story
 
Dr. Rothschild backed up his point by telling us the story of the discovery of the Bacillus subtilis, a bacterial microorganism that is commonly found in the environment rather than in humans, yet is well known by modern science to be very friendly to the human system. It can promote dramatic healing benefits in humans, even though it isn’t one of the native microbes that normally inhabit the human body. According to Dr. Rothschild, the story of Bacillus subtilis goes like this:
 
The bacillus subtilis was discovered by the Nazi German medical corps in 1941, toward the end of their African campaign. At the time, the German military victory was at its height. But the German high command became genuinely alarmed when hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers in North Africa suddenly began dying every week. Oddly, the Nazi soldiers weren’t dying because of British General Montgomery’s retaliatory bombs and shrapnel, but instead, they were dying of uncontrollable dysentery.
 
Of course, the Germans were aware that dysentery was caused by pathogenic (i.e. disease-causing) bacteria from local food and water sources. But in those days, there were no antibiotics. Sulfur was already on the market, but only in a topical non-ingestible form. So with no medication available with which to stop the plague of dysentery, the Nazis quickly began looking for other means to help their dying soldiers. 

The German high command immediately sent out a contingent of scientists, physicians, chemists, biochemists, bacteriologists and other experts to help solve the problem. With typical German circumspection, these top experts reasoned that there must be a natural way to counteract the deadly bacteria causing the dysentery because, if there wasn’t, the millions of Arabs living in the region would have been dead long ago.
 
Therefore, the Germans’ first step was to closely scrutinize the native Arabs, and see whether or not they were affected by dysentery. What they discovered was that the Arabs also caught dysentery, but at the first sign of diarrhea [the #1 symptom of dysentery — Ed.] the Arabs would do something quite incredible: They would immediately begin following around a horse or camel until it would drop its dung. Then, the affected Arab would pick up the warm dung droppings, and quickly gulp them down! This strange procedure effectively eliminated the dysentery almost overnight.
 
Once the good hygienic Germans finally recovered from the shock of seeing the Arab natives gulping down warm camel dung, they quickly realized that there must be something in the dung that somehow counteracted the harmful bacteria that caused the dysentery. They questioned the Arabs, who told them that they had no idea why it worked, but that their fathers had always done so, as had their forefathers, and it had always worked. The only caveat was that the camel or horse dung had to be ingested while still warm and fresh, because it had no effect on the dysentery if ingested cold.
 
So the Nazis began carefully examining fresh camel and horse dung. What they discovered was that it was teeming with a powerful bacterial microorganism which later came to be called Bacillus subtilis. This bacteria, it turned out, is so strong that it practically cannibalizes all harmful microorganisms in the human body — particularly pathogenic bacteria like the virulent strain which was causing dysentery in the German troops.
 
Within a very short time, the Nazis began producing hundreds and thousands of gallons of active Bacillus subtilis cultures for their troops to ingest. And bingo, no more dysentery! Soon afterwards, the Germans even discovered the process by which the Bacillus subtilis cultures could be dried and placed into easily ingestible capsules. From that time forward, the resourceful Germans had no more problems with losing troops from dysentery.
 
Still Benefiting Health-Savvy Individuals
 
For many years afterwards, cultures of Bacillus subtilis were sold worldwide as a medicinal product (sold in the U.S. and Mexico, for example, under the brand name Bacti-Subtil) rapidly becoming the world’s leading treatment for dysentery and other intestinal problems. Unfortunately for Americans, this popular bacterial supplement that cures intestinal infections began losing favor in the late 1950’s and 1960’s, upon the advent of synthetic antibiotics which were heavily touted by the giant pharmaceutical companies as “wonder drugs,” even though they cost five times as much as Bacti-Subtil, and took three times longer to accomplish the same results.
 
Nonetheless, Bacillus subtilis remains one of the most potent and beneficial of all health-promoting and immune-stimulating bacteria. According to clinical studies documented in the medical research report, IMMUNOSTIMULATION BY BACILLUS SUBTILIS PREPARATIONS, by micro-biologist J. Harmann, the cell wall components of ingested Bacillus Subtilis are able to activate nearly all systems of the human immune defense, including the activation of at least three specific antibodies (IgM, IgG and IgA secretion) which are highly effective against many of the harmful viruses, fungi and bacterial pathogens which regularly attempt to invade and infect the human system.
 
Bacillus subtilis is still used widely today in Germany, France and Israel, where safe, effective all-natural therapeutic products are more highly esteemed by the health-savvy public than the more expensive synthetic drugs espoused by the orthodox medical establishment with all of their dangerous side effects.
 
In short, the incredible Bacillus subtilis, which is commonly found in the outside environment rather than in the human intestinal system, continues to benefit mankind ever since its unusual discovery by the Germans in 1941. What’s more, it is only one small example of the multitude of “friendly” microorganisms which can create tremendous benefits for humans when ingested, even though they are not necessarily “native” microorganisms to the human body.

Entry for August 02, 2006

Riboflavin is one of three vitamins (A & B12) involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms in humans. Could this be why I’ve never had a refreshing sleep? I know I was deficient in vitamin A, my b12 tested fine so now I just need the last piece of the puzzle…

Riboflavin

Recent research has found that riboflavin is one of three vitamins involved in the regulation of circadian (daily) rhythms in humans and other mammals. Riboflavin helps to activate certain light-sensitive cells in the retina of the eye that synchronize the animal’s daily biological rhythms with the solar light/darkness cycle.

Entry for August 02, 2006

I tried an experiment today. I took 1 SISU Multi-Vi-Min capsule with my breakfast and another one with my lunch. For dinner, I decided to have a SISU B Complex instead. About an hour after taking it, I start sneezing like crazy. In fact, I’m sneezing for most of the night. Then I remember what the SISU site said about B Complex allergies.

Super B Complex
The richest sources of the B-vitamins are brewer’s yeast, liver, whole grain cereals, and yeasts, molds, bacteria and fungi. Unfortunately, this poses a problem for people with allergies. To compound the problem, many vitamin B supplements are highly allergenic.

Precautions
Riboflavin should not be taken by anyone with a B vitamin allergy or chronic renal disease. Other populations are unlikely to experience any difficulty from taking supplemental B2.

The SISU B Complex is specially formulated for people with B Complex allergies. So if it turns out that I am allergic, then I am allergic to the one thing I need the most to get better. But was it the vitamins or was it something I ate?

Entry for July 31, 2006

Was just reading about ways to protect yourself against cell phone radiation. Here are some supplements that help protect the body. No one has ever mentioned any of this despite my story about EMF exposure.

Microwave radiation has been shown to decrease levels of anti-oxidants in the body. These are substances the body produces to protect itself, and their levels are sensitive indicators in stress, aging, infections and various other disease states.

Take nutritional supplements, particularly anti-oxidants Superoxide Dismutase (SOD),  Catalase, Glutathione, and Coq10.

Other supplements you may need are:

– Melatonin: a powerful anti-oxidant noted to prevent DNA breaks in brain cells. Also effective in preventing kidney damage from cell phones;

– Zinc: protects the eye from oxidative damage and helps preserve the levels of anti-oxidants in the blood;

– Gingko Biloba: an herb considered a powerful anti-oxidant which prevents oxidative damage in the brain, eye and kidney. Also helps support the production of SOD, catalase and glutathione;

– Bilberry extract: preserves vision and reduces oxidative damage to the eyes.

Microwave radiation has been shown to decrease levels of anti-oxidants in the body and I had extremely high level of free radicals in my system. Another interesting connection? Riboflavin deficiency can cause high level of free radicals in the body.

In addition to producing energy for the body, riboflavin also works as an antioxidant by scavenging damaging particles in the body known as free radicals. These particles occur naturally in the body but can damage cell membranes, interact with genetic material, and possibly contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of health conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants such as riboflavin can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.

Entry for July 31, 2006

Picked up the multi-vitamin today from SISU. Even the multi contains the high grade formula of B2 & B6. The advantage now is that the dosage is only 10 mg and 1 mg respectfully so I’ll be able to take it three times a day for better absorption without getting too much. I take one with my dinner.

Suggested Adult Dosage: 2 capsules daily with meals.

Each capsule contains:

Vitamin A (palmitate) 4,000 IU
Vitamin E 80 IU (dl-alpha tocopherol acetate)
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 50 mg
Thiamine hydrochloride 20 mg (Vitamin B1)
Riboflavin-5’-phosphate (B2) 10 mg
Niacinamide (B3) 10 mg
Pantothenic acid 100 mg (B5 – D-calcium pantothenate)
Pyridoxine hydrochloride (B6) 30 mg
Pyridoxine 1 mg (pyridoxal-5’-phosphate)
Cobalamin (B12) 160 mcg
Folic Acid 0.06 mg
Biotin 80 mcg
Magnesium (oxide) 50 mg
Potassium (chloride) 20 mg
Manganese (sulfate) 3 mg
Zinc (sulfate) 6 mg
Selenium (selenite) 40 mcg
Molybdenum (molybdate) 40 mcg
Chromium (HVP* chelate) 80 mcg *HVP=hydrolyzed vegetable (rice) protein
Iron (ferric ammonium citrate) 4 mg
Para Aminobenzoic Acid 40 mg
Glutamic acid 40 mg

What are the ingredients in Multi-Vi-Min?

Vitamin A: Most of our organs require vitamin A for healthy function, especially the eyes and reproductive system. Deficiency can depress the immune response, which can improve with supplementation.

B Vitamins: B vitamins work together in the support of many bodily systems and are important to cardiovascular, nervous system, gastrointestinal, skin and mental health to name a few.

Vitamin C: Immune response is comprised of a complex network of multiple actions, reactions and interactions. Vitamin C is known primarily as an immune booster because it enhances virtually every aspect of immune function. It is also a potent antioxidant as well as an anti-viral and antibacterial agent.

Vitamin E: Another powerful antioxidant, Vitamin E is important in cardiovascular, nervous system and immune function. It works synergistically with other antioxidants, including Vitamin C and selenium, and plays a role in protecting the body against such toxins such as lead, mercury and other heavy metals, environ-mental pollutants, compounds such as benzene, carbon tetrachloride and cleaning solvents, as well as drugs and radiation.

Biotin: Deficiency is associated with baldness, fatigue, insomnia, muscle pain and weakness.

Magnesium: Calcium and magnesium together are essential to heart health. Magnesium works closely with potassium, which is also vital to heart health. Magnesium also can help regulate blood pressure.

Potassium: Linked with heart health, potassium supplements have been shown to lower blood pressure. However, potassium should always be taken together with magnesium, as the two work synergistically.

Manganese: Supports bone formation and glucose metabolism, and enhances natural killer cell activity.

Zinc: Deficiency can impair immune function, male fertility and wound healing, and can contribute to eczema and acne.

Selenium: Another antioxidant, selenium works synergistically with Vitamin E. Deficiency can impair growth, immune function and pancreatic function.

Molybdenum: This trace mineral may help the body detoxify sulfites, which are used to preserve many foods and have been linked to allergic reactions.

Chromium: This mineral is essential to glucose metabolism. In fact, glucose intolerance is one of the first signs of chromium deficiency. High blood glucose can impair immune function. Supplementation can improve glucose tolerance.

Iron: Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in North America which can cause anemia and impaired immune function.

Para aminobenzoic acid: Deficiency is associated with fatigue, constipation, headaches and irritability.

Glutamic acid: A metabolite of the amino acid glutamine. Deficiency has been linked with depressed immune function.

Entry for July 31, 2006

I stopped drinking milk on a regular basis when I read it was linked to Allergies. Before that, I used to drink milk all of the time. So then I switched to apple and fruit juices thinking it was healthier. I never really noticed any difference to my allergies after i quit drinking milk but I never went back. Actually, without even knowing it, I was making things worse.

Riboflavin

Fortifying cereals and flours with riboflavin began during World War II, when meats and dairy products, among the best sources of the nutrient, were rationed. But folks who choose to limit their dairy and meat consumption may still be at risk for deficiency. “We’ve done a study that shows there is a correlation between low milk intake and riboflavin deficiency, particularly among African-American youths,” says Dr. Cooperman.

Intestinal bacteria produce varying amounts of riboflavin; this poses some questions regarding different people’s needs for B2 and may minimize the degree of riboflavin deficiency, even with diets low in riboflavin intake. Though there are many deficiency symptoms possible with low levels of B2 in the body, no specific serious deficiency disease is noted for riboflavin, as there is for vitamins B1 and B3 (niacin). Riboflavin-5-phosphate, a form of riboflavin, may be more readily assimilated by some people.

Entry for July 31, 2006

My Doctor’s office called me today. I have an appointment with the Neurologist on August 29th. One month to see a specialist, that’s better than I expected. I thought it would be a lot longer…

Followed up with Sick Kids and the pharmacist said she spoke to the person who actually places the orders and it has never been ordered and it is not possible to get it. She said if I do find it, I don’t need a prescription and that I should be able to order it for personal use.

Holding out for Romania!!!

Entry for July 30, 2006

I end up taking three of the new B complex capsules and I shouldn’t have taken the last one. I took it with a multivitamin and for most of the night, my eyes are really bloodshot, itchy and tired. Then I realize, three capsules plus the multivitamin equals 85 mg of Riboflavin. That’s way too much as it is based on weight and I already knew this but this new stuff must be more powerful to have this effect. I’ve been taking 400-500 mg per day with the other cheaper version and it was never like this.

Riboflavin deficiency can be treated with supplemental riboflavin (0.5 mg/kg body weight per day) until the symptoms disappear.

My Calculation: 186 lbs equals 84.36 kg therefore I should be taking 42 kg a day.

I won’t take any tomorrow and get back on track for Wednesday.