Deadly Sunscreen

Posted on May 28, 2018 by kdgersch

The Dangers of Sunscreen     

Summer is upon us! The brutal heat. The thick humidity. Ahhhh…but we have the beach and the lake as our respite. And it’s the only time of year most of get that radiant golden glow from mother sun.

So, raise your hand if you slather yourself and your kids in sunscreen every summer to stop the burn but still get some color. The higher SPF the better – right? And, if you’re a woman, most likely it’s in your beauty products and face creams and you wear it on your skin every day of the year. Sadly, the chemical sunscreens meant to protect us and our loved ones are harming us and our environment deeply and contributing to cancer.

200% Increase in Skin Cancer

Depending on your generation (being smothered in baby oil laying on foil mats was our thing), sunscreen is just part of summer – a  MUST DO all day, every day when at the beach or outside. If we only knew … after decades of research and a 200% increase in skin cancer between 1975 and 2013 (the mid-1970s is when sunscreen became a recommendation), the truth about chemical sunscreens is starting to come out.

The use of some chemical sunscreen can reduce new squamous cell skin cancer, “but has no effect on basal cell and may actually contribute to the development of the more aggressive malignant melanoma.” See the following statistics from the Skin Cancer Foundation.

  • Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 4.3 million cases of BCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths.
  • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. More than 1 million cases of SCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, resulting in more than 15,000 deaths.
  • One person dies of melanoma every hour.
  • In the past decade (2008 – 2018) the number of new melanoma cases diagnosed annually has increased by 53 percent.

According to the National Cancer Institute, “Americans are being diagnosed with melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – at steadily spiraling rates.”

Sunscreen Absorbs the Sun’s Rays

“But if I wear sunscreen I can stay outside all day. It’s waterproof and says it lasts for hours. I’m protecting myself from skin cancer,” you say. Guess again.

Part of the reason for the rise of skin cancer is the false sense of security sunscreen provides. Most people feel that if they put it on throughout the day, they can be in the sun for hours. And those same people usually end up sunburned.

Sunscreen actually absorbs the UVB (and some UVA) rays, though many don’t have full UVA protection. Sunburns are caused by deep UVA radiation which causes the deadliest of skin cancers, not to mention the breakdown of collagen and healthy cells (can you say irreversible wrinkles?).

Serious Sunscreen Hazards

As if wrecking our skin and potential cancer isn’t enough, other serious issues beyond smothering our largest breathing organ with chemical sunscreens include long-term health concerns and the massive impact it’s having on our wildlife.

  • EWG research: “84% of 910 name-brand sunscreen products offer inadequate protection from the sun or contain ingredients like oxybenzone with significant safety concerns.”
  • Manufactured sunscreen chemicals pose significant health risks by being absorbed into skin, entering the bloodstream and mother’s milk. These chemicals have been proven to cause estrogen, testosterone, androgen, and reproduction disruption, thyroid and behavioral alterations, have links to endometriosis and other female cancers, cause low birth weights, and severe skin irritations.
  • “More than 5.4 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer were treated in over 3.3 million people in the U.S. in 2012, the most recent year new statistics were available.”
  • “More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined.”
  • A 2008 headline from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, “Americans Carry Body Burden of Toxic Sunscreen Chemical.” They found oxybenzone contamination in 97 percent of people living in the U.S.

Killing Aquatic Ecosystems

Currently, 14,000 tons (28,000,000 pounds) of sunscreen ends up in America’s rivers, lakes, and oceans annually. Sunscreen washes off while swimming and enters our sewage and water systems through showering. This sunscreen wash-off problem is creating a disastrous outcome for our fish and water wildlife and causes coral reef damage that is worse than environmental coral bleaching.

According to Craig Downs, the executive director of the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory based in Clifford, Va., these chemicals damage coral reef DNA, inhibit its ability to reproduce, cause deformations, bleaching, endocrine disruption, and is having the same effect on the rest of the ocean’s delicate ecosystem.

When coral reefs die, so do our oceans. It’s really as simple as that. Way to go, Hawaii! May 1st, Hawaii was the first state to pass a bill banning the sale of chemical sunscreens.

Toxic Warning Label

So what are these horrible toxic chemicals in our sunscreens and cosmetics? The most toxic is Oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is also known as benzophenone-3. It absorbs sunlight and is the most common sunscreen found in lip products, lotions, and cosmetics. It is the highest ranking toxic ingredient according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) who investigates sunscreens and creates an annual list of the worst and best based on scientific testing. And Europe isn’t too keen on it either.

The European Chemical Agency uses the following labeling for products that include oxybenzone.

“Hazard classification & labeling…Warning! According to the classification provided by companies to ECHA in REACH registrations, this substance is very toxic to aquatic life and is toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.”

 “Additionally, the classification provided by companies to ECHA in CLP notifications identifies that this substance causes serious eye irritation, causes skin irritation, and may cause respiratory irritation.”

It’s quite shocking that the FDA and our regulatory agencies who were formed to protect us (don’t get me started on that topic!) allow this and other toxic ingredients in our products and our children’s products.

What Ingredients to Avoid

Our skin is our biggest organ. It has its own immune competent cells and needs to breathe; it is a direct line to our bloodstream. Smothering it in oxybenzone and other toxic chemicals (many “poly” “propyl” and “ene” ingredients are petroleum-based plastics) for 50-70 years will bring about dangerous and often fatal health issues.

According to the EWG and other scientific entities, AVOID these sunscreen chemicals:

  • Octinoxate (Octyl methoxycinnamate)
  • Homosalate
  • Octisalate
  • Octocrylene
  • Enzacamene
  • PABA (Aminobenzoic Acid)
  • Avobenzone
  • Mexoryl SX
  • Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) “In sunlight, retinyl palmitate can form free radicals that damage DNA and lead to cancer (NTP 2000).”

The Best Sunblock Options

The best sunblock options are naturally refined minerals that sit on top of the skin to reflect the sun’s rays and do not harm the environment. These include:

  • Zinc Oxide – protects against UVB, UVA1 and UVA2 radiation
  • Titanium Oxide – protects against UVB and UVA2 radiation

Safe Sunscreen Options

If you have purchased sunscreen for your summer days on the lake, it may be time to dispose of it as hazardous waste and buy a brand that will keep you safe. There is a large selection of all-natural “reef safe” UVA and UVB sunblocks and sunscreens available, mostly online. Not only do they contain minerals for sun blocking, they are full of wonderful oils and ingredients to keep skin and lips beautiful and nourished.

Look for these and other “Reef Safe” sunscreen lotions, sprays, waxes, and lip balms:

  • TotLogic Reef Safe Natural Sunscreen
  • Goddess Garden Organics
  • Tropical Sands
  • All Good Sunscreens
  • Raw Love
  • Stream2Sea
  • Manda Sun Paste
  • Badger “All Natural” Sunscreen Cream
  • Raw Elements Face + Body
  • Eir NYC Surf Mud ProStick
  • The Honest Company (does not have the “reef safe” label but is all natural)

You can also make your own skin nourishing sunblock by mixing raw, organic shea butter, which has a natural SPF of 6, and non-nano, all-natural powdered zinc oxide. Both are available with a recipe from a company I love called Better Shea Butter.

But I Want to Get a Tan

If you want a healthy glow and the life-giving benefits of Vitamin D, go into the sun without sunblock for 20 minutes per day, all year long, as recommended by many holistic doctors. Then put your sunblock on and feel the glory of nature.

So go ahead, Sungoddess, Beach Bum, and Zimzala – get out there and enjoy summer while nourishing your skin, caring for our delicate ecosystem, and sharing this information with others.

 

Resources:

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Right Water for Ultimate Wellness

Posted on April 14, 2017 by kdgersch

If you follow health-related articles and trends, you’ve undoubtedly heard about acid versus alkaline and the effects on illness, diseases, cancer, and overall health. It is a very confusing, controversial topic and extremely difficult to change through diet alone. Recently, I altered my pH (without radically changing my healthy diet) and the benefits are unbelievable.

My Shocking Discovery

Throughout my life, I have battled chronic inflammation and immune issues, most recently suspected RA (possibly one of the 15% that doesn’t show the blood markers). In late October 2016, I took a photo of my extremely swollen knuckles to show my rheumatologist; I wanted him to see it at its worst. My hands hurt to the point of not being able to type; work was increasingly difficult. Writing is my livelihood – I was fearful of what my future might hold. My continual efforts to stay healthy and lower my inflammation seemed in vain.

One Monday morning I had a conversation with my sweetie, Allan, about finding a way in the upcoming year to permanently stop my spiraling symptoms, not just treat them and deal with it. My functional medicine activities were helping, but not enough. I remember saying, “There has to be SOMETHING besides all the energy work, chiropractic, supplementation, diet, exercise, and the painful IVs that I can do to make this better!”

Unbeknownst to me, my life would change the very next day. I had agreed to go to a networking group at the Kangen water store; I did not realize I was walking into my SOMETHING. A coincidence? No way! That networking invitation changed my life!

I was familiar with ionized water from my doctors in Florida but this system was way beyond anything they had ever mentioned. I took some of the mechanically ionized alkalized water home to try and within four days, my arthritis pain and inflammation were gone. Completely gone. I have the photos to prove it! I woke up pain-free and could see the outline of my bony calcified knuckles. If I hadn’t had the physical proof, I would’ve assumed it was mind over matter.

Before

 

After

pH Balance

As I am keen to do, I began voraciously researching and discovered a major factor to being healthy and possibly cancer-free – removing excess acid from our diets while adding oxygen and hydration (diseases and cancer thrive in oxygen-starved, acidic environments).

Most of us are, unknowingly, acidic and chronically dehydrated. My diet consists of 90% organic food with a little sweet treat daily, lots of water, no alcohol, soda (pop), or coffee, and very little acidic food. So, when I learned my pH was around 4 (very acidic), I was shocked! Healthy pH is between 7.35 and 7.45. Though our bodies are designed to automatically balance our pH, our lifestyles, food, and poor water make it very difficult to find that balance. I also discovered I wasn’t absorbing the water I was drinking; my cells were starved for fluids.

By drinking ionized alkalized water, I quickly neutralized my acidity, added more oxygen and antioxidants, hydrated my body and boosted my body’s ability to create healthy cells and fight inflammation. Seems too easy, doesn’t it? To put it very simply, by mechanically ionizing the water (not chemically like most alkaline water), the hydrogens and oxygen atoms divide into smaller molecules making the essential nutrients and hydration easier to absorb.

I had been wondering, why isn’t my daily aerobic workout, clean diet, and 7-8 hours of sleep per night enough to provide a healthy, balanced system? The answer: because I am genetically predisposed to a poor immune system, the environment is loaded with oxidizing pollutants, and our drinking water – whether filtered tap water, reverse osmosis water, or bottled mineral water – is acidic (pH of 7 is not enough for most to balance the acid), low in essential minerals, and difficult to completely absorb.

Benefits

The advantages of drinking ionized alkalized water stem from boosting your body’s defenses and ability to perform properly by lowering your acidity and opening your cells to badly needed nutrients, oxygen, and hydration.

  • Healthy blood cells and heart (akin to aerobic activity)
  • Antioxidants absorb directly into your cells – better immunity
  • Hydration greatly improves
  • Fight free-radicals; keep cells from being damaged
  • Better sleep, more energy, ability to fight disease and illness
  • Helps with cravings and weight loss
  • May decrease or eliminate diabetes and other chronic illnesses
  • Another weapon to fight against cancer

After another week of trying the water, I bought a Kangen water machine (been around since 1965 in Japan and Europe), my doctor found no signs of RA in December, and I have stayed healthy since. I have been able to limit my medical bills and feel well nearly every day (if I don’t drink enough, I feel it). Research and controversy aside, I am living proof that there are benefits to drinking the right water.

There are pages of research and data proving and disproving the acid/alkaline theory, but if you want to learn more, look into the references below or reach out to me via email, kdgersch01@gmail.com.

Dr. Shinya’s video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUa5tUIigHU

Dr. Mercola’s video with Dr. Pollack, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvHtCOVSLC4,

A brief history of the first ionizer for drinking water (Kangen water)  developed in Japan, 1965, https://infofromthor.wordpress.com/category/brief-history-of-kangen-water/.

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Bit About Grief

Posted on March 4, 2017 by kdgersch

Dedicated to all of you who have lost a loved one. Unless you’ve been in that unfortunate situation, you cannot imagine the emotional ups-and-downs that challenge you and change you forever.

Image result for freight train photos

Grief comes out of nowhere, like a freight train unpredictably barreling down unused tracks. You can hear the whistle getting louder and louder and see the scorching light, but you can’t get out of its way. It feels as though you will be crushed by it yet there’s no escape.

You try to run, unable to move while it makes its way toward you at uncontrolled speeds. It makes you angry that it can come whenever it chooses…all you can do is grab a sidecar, ride along, and try not to analyze why it has chosen today to run you down. You ride it for hours, sometimes days, as it speeds toward the next station called Living, Loving & Grieving.

At the station of Living, Loving & Grieving you disembark and slowly move out of the fog, into each day, acutely aware of every breath you take, every tree in bloom, every bit of kindness that makes being in the now so important.

Eventually, life returns to “normal” and all you hear is the occasional distant whistle of that freight train, reminding you that it will come again, maybe less often and with less power, but it will come again. All you can do is go with it, process whatever feelings you try to fight, and remind yourself that there is happiness, love, and grace around the next bend.

Posted in inspirational | Tagged | Leave a comment

Iceland

Posted on November 10, 2016 by kdgersch

The Volcanic Wonder

Hello, Readers. I’ve missed you! I started writing this when we returned from our two  week journey to England by way of Iceland (in May!). It was never on my bucket list to visit Iceland, but since it was a stop over on an a-la-carte airline, Allan (my sweetie) and I said, “Why not?” Of course, we Googled the heck out of it before we went but it was still full of surprises.

Peering through the cab windows en route from the airport to Reykjavik City, to our surprise at the time (now we get it-it’s a volcano), it looked like we were on the moon. No trees, mostly cloudy skies, black and brown flatlands and rocks everywhere. In the distance were snow-capped glaciers. We looked at each other as if to say, “Why did we decide to do this?”

On the road to Reykjavik

On the road to Reykjavik

Reykjavik City

Once we got closer to Reykjavik City, the scenery was more colorful and inviting. Their capital city looks just the way you would expect. A fishing town with brightly colored homes and businesses, some old architecture, and flowers and trees planted to add some greenery. All the houses and buildings are smashed together as if there is no space when in fact, only a tiny percentage of their landmass is built upon. We also noticed there weren’t any structures from the Viking days — most things “old” date back to the 1700-1800s.

2016-04-30 16.52.57 2016-05-01 16.24.28
Lutheran Church started in 1945, finished in 1986. The view from the windows at the top and from the behind the clock.2016-05-01 16.24.382016-05-01 16.30.06

Many of their cafés and restaurants have outdoor seating….um, really? It is COLD there. Even on a warm day (45 degrees Fahrenheit), that wind off the north Atlantic is biting, and by midday, it usually precipitates. As we sat inside at Café Paris, with our hands wrapped around warm mugs of tea and coffee, we watched Icelanders sit outside with their wool sweaters and coats, thick boots, scarves, and hats eating, drinking and acting like we do when it’s seventy degrees. When we asked if it get’s warmer, they said, “Oh, this is a warm day!”

Cafe Paris with the red benches

Cafe Paris with the red benches

Those are some rugged, tough people. Albeit, most of them don’t look tough. As a whole, they are tall and thin; Scandinavian-looking, with blonde hair and blue eyes, with legs to the sky. Must be all the walking and bike riding they do, uphill…in every direction. (Reykjavik City is on a peak). And I don’t want to neglect to mention how friendly and helpful Icelanders are. We felt welcome and comfortable.

Since this is a health blog…

I want to address two things that Iceland has that I long for here in America. #1: good drinking water and #2: fresh, preservative-free food.

No Bottled Water Needed

We went to the market first thing to buy bottled water and the clerk filled us in on why we didn’t need it. Iceland is a volcanic rock. The ground water is from natural springs and glacial streams. It is naturally filtered through that volcanic rock and comes out of the tap fresh. No chemicals. The clerk’s only advice was to let the cold water run for a few seconds first to flush out the warm spring water (it has a bit of sulfuric smell since it’s from hot springs). The tap water is mineral rich; in fact, there are tiny bubbles when you look through your glass. I was delighted! Allan was a bit more skeptical so we asked someone else later that day and got the same answer. It was delicious and energizing. Not much we can do about not having glacial water in America except import it and well, it just wouldn’t be as healthy. Darn it!

Fresh, Real Food!

Icelandic food is mostly fresh fish and lamb, a few pork and chicken items, and very few beef items. They are known for their yogurt and dairy, and they grow amazing tomatoes, cucumbers and a few other greens in greenhouse farms; again with no chemicals. There were bottles of fresh fish oil with shot glasses on the breakfast bar at our hotel! Does it get any better?

One afternoon, we were craving a salty snack and stopped into a small market. I looked at the back of a Pringles can, knowing how bad they are normally, and was surprised to see “Made in Belgium.” The first ingredient was actually potatoes with very few ingredients in total. I could pronounce the ingredients and didn’t feel terrible about eating them. In fact, being the weirdo that I am about reading labels (food sensitivities), we read most of the items we were interested in and found they had hardly any additives and the few that were listed were identifiable. I would also like to note that I didn’t have one food reaction even when we ate in restaurants. (I have them all the time in America–I never know what’s in most restaurant meals).

So Why Not in America?

Why is it so hard? Real food. Real ingredients. We have more diverse farming area than any other country, yet we depend on chemical additives for flavor, color, and shelf-life. It baffles me. When we were in England, we watched a news program about black market American food. The UK has banned processed food from America. Well, at least most of it. They are fining stores for “black market American snacks.” Can you believe it? There are roughly 3000 banned chemicals in Europe that we use in our food They are known to be toxic. So why?

Sadly, I don’t have an answer for this question. It is rhetorical. My only suggestion is to eat clean, organic, non-GMO farm-fresh food at home and try to make smart choices when eating out. Frequent restaurants that go the extra mile to provide farm-to-table meals. As for non-bottled healthy drinking water, check out ionized water (or alkalized water).

Sigh. I’m just old enough remember and long for pure milk in glass bottles and eggs straight from the farm, veggies that provide real energy and chemical-free nutrients that don’t cost an arm and a leg, and fresh bread and hormone-free butter like we used to have when I was a kid.

Skál! (Cheers & Good Health!)

I hope you enjoyed your little tour of Iceland. If you get the chance to go, it’s a bucket-list worthy trip and very easy to get there from America via Wow! Air (yep, that’s the name of the airline).

“The world is a book and those who don’t get to travel read only one page.”  St. Augustine

Continental Divide

Continental Divide

Geyser Park

Geyser Park

Glacial Pool

Glacial Pool

Glacial Waterfall

Glacial Waterfall

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Calves at the dairy farm where we had fresh ice cream.

Calves at the dairy farm where we had fresh ice cream.

One of the only inland lakes

One of the only inland lakes

Perspective on the size of the rocky terrain

Perspective on the size of the rocky terrain

Our hotel-Apotek. Lovely place.

Our hotel-Apotek. Lovely place.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Time to “Krill” Your Omega-6 Overage

Posted on April 7, 2016 by kdgersch

Omegas

We read and hear a lot of information about “good” versus “bad” oils and fats, Omega-3s and Omega-6s, and the information can be confusing; even contradictory. These essential oils are so named because they are essential to life. Our bodies don’t make these fats so we have to get them from our diet. The Paleo diet is rich in Omega fatty acids; somehow our cavemen ancestors knew their importance! But we don’t have to be on any extreme diet to get what we need.

Balancing Your Ratio

Commonly we are told to increase our intake of essential fatty acids in the form of Omega-6. What that blip of a headline fails to detail is that Omega-6s should be balanced at a ratio of 1:1 with Omega-3s; preferably no more than 3:1. And the best form of Omega-6 is in the form of GLA (see list below). When the balance is tipped toward Omega-6 in any form, which it is with most Americans (20-50:1), inflammation and other negative effects take place in the body.

Benefits

In order to lower inflammation and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, reduce heart disease and incidence of depression, manage inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, allergies, and immunity issues, our Omega-3 consumption needs to increase (about one teaspoon for 150 lb. person per day) and Omega-6 needs to decrease to a moderate level (about a 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon for a 150 lb. person per day). For a list of 255 different diseases that Omega-3’s benefit, go to: http://greenmedinfo.com.

How Much?

There are different essential fatty acids in Omega-3 (DHA, EPA, ALA) and Omega-6 (GLA, LA), and each needs to be present to be effective, but the balance is most important. According to Dr. J.E. Williams, OMD, (and many other scientists and doctors) we should take between 2,000-4,000 mg (2-4 grams) DHA/EPA per day, from fish oil, and have the rest in moderation.

To make the best fish/krill oil choice, I found an independent study by Labdoor, http://labdoor.com/rankings/fish-oil of all the brands on the market. They’re ranked and graded A+ through D+ based on several criteria. I was shocked and disappointed to learn the brand I’ve been taking for many years received a C and I just bought a bottle of 240!

Let me also mention coconut oil. It is a medium-chain fatty acid, and adding it to your diet offers major benefits to heart health, immunity, skin, thyroid and more. As with other fats, a little goes a long way, so keep it in moderation.

How to Get Enough

Besides fish oil, “how do I get these complicated phospholipids?” you might be asking. I’ve created a list below, and as with everything I write about, it is best if the items are organic, non-GMO, unprocessed (no hydrogenation) and/or raw, free-range, grass-fed, wild-caught — basically as pure as possible.

Krill

Krill: such a tiny sea nymph but oh so healthy! According to scientific studies, Krill Oil is the most bioavailable Omega-3, meaning our bodies can immediately absorb the DHA and EPA at nearly 100%.

 

 

Best Sources for Omega-3:

Fish (DHA/EPA)

  • Krill*(least contaminated, best source)
  • Halibut
  • Herring
  • Sardines
  • Trout
  • Mackerel
  • Oysters
  • Salmon

Produce 

  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Watercress
  • Mint
  • Parsley
  • Avocado

Best Sources for Omega-6 (GLA): 

  • Borage Oil
  • Blackcurrant Seed Oil
  • Evening Primrose Oil (softgel capsule, min. 750 mg/day)

Combination of Omega-3 (ALA) & Omega-6 (LA):

Seeds & Nuts/Oils

  • English Walnuts (nearly 10x the antioxidant power of black walnuts)
  • Flax Seeds/Oils
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Chia
  • Sunflower
  • Sesame
  • Pumpkin
  • Almonds
  • Pine Nuts
  • Avocado

Meat/Dairy

  • Pasture-raised, organic poultry and egg yolks

Avoid or limit:

  • Corn/Soybean/Canola Oil/Palm Oil
  • Non-Organic Meat/Poultry
  • Processed Carbs/grains
  • Margarine/Trans Fats
  • ALL Hydrogenated/Partially Hydrogenated fats

Side note: Olive Oil does not lose its health benefits when cooked. For variety, a combination of Olive/Safflower/Sunflower/Coconut provides a nice balance when sautéing or frying. But go ahead and stick with Olive, Safflower or Sunflower oil if that is what you have on-hand. They are far better than most choices.

“Every time you eat, you are either feeding disease or fighting it.” Heather Morgan, MS, NLC

Sources:

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Eureka Zika!

Posted on March 23, 2016 by kdgersch

West Nile, Lyme, Zika

With the new panic over the Zika virus, I thought it appropriate timing to share my knowledge (and experience) with Lyme Disease and West Nile, other organisms that can cause neurological and late-term illness, very similar to the mysterious Zika Virus.

One problem with these sneaky viruses and bacteria is that you can get infected unknowingly, have no or few symptoms, and go through life unaffected until the natural aging process starts to lower immunity, or a long-term stress event occurs. Once the immune system is compromised, symptoms may start to appear, but they will be masked as any number of other issues.

Lyme Disease

Most often, chronic Lyme Disease symptoms will be subtle, like fatigue (who doesn’t suffer from that?), headaches, joint and muscle pain, inability to concentrate or remember simple things, anxiety and anger, mood swings.

Because most doctors don’t think about checking blood serum for Lyme, (and even if they do it may not show up), symptoms get chalked up to normal aging, menopause, stress, and get diagnosed as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, Parkinson’s disease, and a myriad of other auto-immune diseases. The problem is, especially with Lyme, it will slowly destroy your nervous system until it does irreversible damage. It is a neurological bacterium, affecting the brain and nervous system. It can be diagnosed through clinical information (like Parkinson’s Disease, which it mimics) and muscle testing.

West Nile

West Nile Virus, which is carried by over sixty species of mosquitoes, according to the CDC, acts very similar, with a headache being a major symptom since it can cause encephalitis. So little is known about West Nile that it is rarely reported and it seems there’s very little being done about it. There is no treatment and antivirals do not work (webmd.com). If struck with WNV, it is unlikely that you would know that West Nile is the culprit. It presents as a common bug, but many holistic doctors have found that it stays in the body forever, inhabiting its host, potentially causing neurological and immune system problems later.

What to Look For

In my case, I knew something was very wrong when I had a serious, rapid change in my eyesight, constant headaches, and facial twitching. I found a specialist who determined it was, in fact, Lyme and West Nile. I had observed numerous Lyme patients at clinics over the years and many were wheelchair-bound, with facial paralysis; most were misdiagnosed with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and Parkinson’s Disease. Lyme can cause strokes, bell’s palsy, and many other tragic, permanent ailments if left untreated.  I witnessed a proper diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease change those lives completely. Most of them were out of their wheelchairs and living again, crying tears of joy at the miracle they’d experienced.

Treatments

I feel I dodged a bullet — had my diagnosis come any later, I may have suffered irreparable damage. I tried intravenous pharmaceutical antibiotics and antivirals for two weeks at my doctor’s suggestion (and against my instincts), to no avail. Once I started natural treatments of Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation (UBI),  http://drsubi.com, interchanged with intravenous silver, vitamin C, glutathione, and ozone therapy; homeopathies and supplements, I recovered and both went dormant, http://www.FLIMC.com. I endured four months of nearly daily IVs, but it worked. Lyme and West Nile will never leave their host now — they are a part of my DNA and RNA, but as long as I stay healthy, they cannot take over — I won’t let them!

The Scoop

There are approximately 300,000 people newly affected with Lyme annually, http://lymedisease.org. This doesn’t count the chronic life-long suffers that get diagnosed many years later. And it is not simply limited to certain states — it is now throughout the U.S. and eighty countries http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org.  It usually comes from a nymph tic, about the size of a poppy seed, so one can see how it goes unnoticed. Scientists are also linking the spread of Lyme with mosquitos, and West Nile to tics.

About 42,000 people are on record as having been infected with West Nile (reported cases, mine will go unreported due to the late diagnosis) in the US since 1999, nearly half of them had or have infections to the brain and spinal cord, and 1700 have died, http://cdc.gov.

 Zika

Zika symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes, fatigue and a general sense of having the flu. It’s very easy to think nothing of it and never receive a diagnosis. There is no treatment or vaccine. It is associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and paralysis, and is sexually transmitted. I fear this virus, discovered in 1947, will continue to evolve and the fallout will be years in the making. And, just like Lyme Disease and West Nile, the virus may lay dormant in the system and create havoc at a later date.

What To Do

Because I already host two lovely bug-borne illnesses, I will be extra diligent about being outside this season when the mosquitoes are at their worst and will slather on layer after layer of natural repellent — those who spend time with me will smell me before they see me. I will be a walking potpourri of lemon, mint, eucalyptus, oregano, clove, rosemary, tea tree, cedar, lavender and witch hazel. So much for the expensive Eau de Parfum in the cabinet!

If you suspect for one tiny second that you may have one of these insect-borne diseases, get tested right away while it will still show up. Though there is not much that can be done, it will be useful information if exaggerated yet seemingly normal symptoms, crop up later. If you do get a diagnosis, try to find a holistic clinic and heed the doctor’s advice for the best course of treatment. Thanks to UBI, other IVs, and NIS/NET, I am healthy today and know how to stay that way if I get the slightest inkling that one of them is trying to invade my inner sanctuary.

“You are your only advocate. If you think something is going wrong within you, it probably is. Do not be brushed off and sent away as another case of ‘normal aging.'” K.D. Sadler

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are Your Teeth Making You Ill?

Posted on March 19, 2016 by kdgersch

Mystery Solved

Dental related nerve pain and illness are more common than anyone realizes. In 2012, I was fortunate to have a doctor who witnessed many nerve-pain, dental-related cases before and asked the question that changed my life, “Have you ever had a root canal?” If he had not stepped in, I would be in a wheelchair today, though I am never one to give up or stop looking for answers.

I had another very recent situation with a tooth and chronic nerve pain in my left shoulder area. For almost two years, I dealt with what I thought was an injury from my dog, Barney, pulling on the leash. The pain was so bad, I couldn’t take a deep breath and I couldn’t use my left arm at all. I had to quit yoga, quit lifting any weight, and had to switch to the other arm to carry my purse and groceries. I lost sleep and lost my ability to concentrate. My adrenal glands took a beating again and illness crept in.

Unnecessary Tests

I had my teeth checked regularly throughout that time and all seemed okay. I had an MRI of my shoulder (inconclusive), my neck (inconclusive), had every theory thrown at me — it’s a rib, it’s the neck, it’s a tear in the shoulder area, it’s in the thoracic spine, and so on. Chiropractic helped, but not for more than a day. I tried physical therapy — which I couldn’t tolerate, laser therapy, massage therapy, ultrasound, traction, acupuncture, and on and on. I started suspecting it might be a tooth, but when I went for my next dental cleaning, all was well.

However, after that cleaning, the facial twitching I had begun having earlier in the year intensified and my left ear was killing me; then I started having nagging pain in my face, and I knew. I muscle tested myself and it showed the pain and twitching were from my only remaining wisdom tooth, upper left side. I consulted the tooth chart and confirmed that wisdom teeth correlate to the shoulder, neck, thoracic and rib area. I went to my alternative doctor and had her check it using NIS, NET (see below) and muscle testing. She narrowed it even further by finding it was a “root problem” with that tooth.

Finally an Answer!

I went to my dentist two days later, told him what we had found and he proceeded with a panoramic X-ray. It showed nothing suspicious. He is a holistic dentist, so he muscle tested and came to the same finding we did, but, perplexed by the clean pano X-ray, he took a bitewing X-ray to find out more. It showed a slight “reabsorption” of the root. My body was trying to reabsorb the tooth. (Gross!) He pulled it and guess what? The nerve pain in my shoulder stopped.

Once again, two years of suffering, which I suspect led to more major illness, all because of a tooth. I’m not certain why it didn’t show up as weak until now — I suspect it was due to the fact that it correlated with my husband dying, and our bodies will only show us what it most prominent.

My grief process with Ken, then our dog Barney several months later, overshadowed the mechanics of what was going on. I’ll explain in more detail the way muscle testing and quantum medicine works, but suffice it to say, it is like the onion I referred to earlier: layered, with emotions overruling mechanics.

Dr. Meinig & Dr. Price

Dr. George Meinig, D.D.S., root-canal specialist and author, published twenty-five years of research from Dr. Weston Price about the dangers of root canals and the delicate nature of dental issues in his book Root Canal Cover-Up. He writes about Dr. Price’s first case (around the year 1900) ,when he removed a tooth from a woman with severe arthritis and immediately implanted it under the skin of a rabbit. Within two days, the rabbit was crippled with arthritis and the woman found relief. He continued with smaller bits of teeth and many diseases until he was injecting tooth powder, always with the same results. One-hundred-percent of the time, heart disease transferred from infected patient to rabbits. Other diseases were about eighty percent — kidney disease, ALS/MS, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases such as Lupus, Crones, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Dr. Price found that people with strong immune systems were able to stay healthy, despite having root canals. He also found that those healthy individuals, when faced with anything that overly stressed their immune systems, such as an accident, the death of a loved one, a severe illness or anything severely taxing, allowed the bacteria trapped in the teeth to escape into the body and cause any number of diseases, or a “failure of the body defense system.”

To perform root canals (41,000 in the United States daily as of 2012), dentists drill through the enamel and dentin to clean out the root pulp, which is all blood vessels and nerves hooked to your jawbone by the periodontal ligaments. Then the hollow root is filled and all the germs and bacteria living in the tooth and root get packed in with nowhere to go but up and out into your body.

There are miles of inaccessible, untreated tubules in which germs and toxins can hide, grow stronger, then mutate into super-bugs and pour into the body. These can travel to the heart, lungs, eyes, stomach, mouth, brain, nervous system and now, the latest research shows a strong link to cancer.

Link to Dental Issues & Cancer

Dr. Robert Jones, in a five-year study of three-hundred breast cancer cases, found ninety-three percent had root canals, seven percent had other dental issues and tumors always occurred on the same side of the body as the root canal or dental issue. Another physician, Dr. Josef Issels, treated terminal cancer patients for forty years and found ninety-seven percent had root canals.

Doctors and dentists who are knowledgeable about this topic recommend never having a root canal. Even if you are well after the procedure, during the aging process your immune system will naturally weaken, and trouble can start. If you have already had a root canal, have the tooth removed, even if it looks and feels fine, and replace it with a non-invasive option (bridge, partial, spider). During removal, make sure your dentist removes the tooth AND the dental ligament along with 1mm of the bony socket to reduce risk of bacteria from any infected tissue left behind.

So What’s the Solution?

If you have infected teeth that need to be extracted, get them out of your body and opt for false teeth (no implants) and watch chronic illness, and aches and pains dissipate or even disappear, and watch your health improve.

To find a biological dentist who will be aware of this procedure, visit toxicteeth.org, or search the internet for a holistic dentist in your area. True natural dentists tend to lay low to avoid backlash from the American Dental Association, and may only be found through word-of-mouth.

If you are living with chronic pain or auto-immune disease, a wise step would be to start checking your teeth. Even if you’ve never had a root canal, subtle dental issues can cause a myriad of life-altering symptoms and diseases. I am living proof that something as simple as a botched filling or a dying tooth can change a life forever.                                                    

Clink on the link seen here to download the tooth/organ chart.

Tooth Organ Chart 8.5×11

If you suspect your teeth are making you ill:

Find a practitioner who performs any version of muscle testing or energy healing such as:

  • Applied Kinesiology (AK)
  • Total Body Modification (TBM)
  • Neuro Emotional Technique (NET)
  • Applied Psycho Neurology (APN)
  • Autonomic Response Testing (ART)
  • Neurolink (NIS)
  • Touch for Health
  • Reiki

These practitioners can help you discover if the pain is dental-related, then you can get further confirmation from the dentist and fix the issue. Generally, you will not find these people on the internet. Chiropractors commonly use AK, but the rest of the list usually practices quietly, so you’ll often find these amazing healers through networking. Once you witness your body showing you what’s wrong in ways that blood work will not, the healing will begin.

References:

Root Canal Cover Up, Dr. George Meinig, DDS, FACD

Price-Pottenger Foundation, www.ppnf.org

Cancer Free, Bill Henderson, www.beating-cancer-gently.com

Rescued by my Dentist, (E-Book), Dr. Douglas L. Cook, DDS, SC, www.dentistryhealth.com

www.mercola.com

www.foodmatters.com

www.westonprice.org

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Mysterious Link

Posted on March 18, 2016 by kdgersch

The Unraveling

If you read my last blog, you know how I struggled with a dental infection, chronic hip pain and immune reactions for almost two years.  The story ended when the dental implant was finished in early September and I had a beautiful molar that cost as much as a diamond ring. I was hopeful that my issues were behind me and my immune system would begin healing.

However, by late autumn, my body could not take the ever-increasing hip pain any longer and I began repeatedly fainting — always in public, much to my embarrassment. I visited my regular doctor thinking I was having blood sugar or blood pressure issues, only to find out, once again, my blood work was perfect and maybe I should “take an anti-depressant,” (though my blood sugar hovered around 59 and had spikes down into the low 50’s). I walked out wondering why I wasted my time and energy, yet again, for zero results. Instinctively, I felt my problem was adrenal related, and the hip pain had something to do with it.

After a few more weeks of suffering, I relented and met with an orthopedic surgeon who diagnosed a tiny rupture in my L-5/ S-1 disc. It was pushing on the sciatic nerve, radiating pain across my pelvis, into my groin and down my right leg. “A laminectomy would fix it,” he said with complete confidence, so I scheduled surgery five days before Christmas. I wanted to trust him, but my gut was doubtful; I wondered, is that teeny-tiny rupture really the cause of such deep pain or is it the result of fainting in full-stride a couple of weeks prior?  Turns out, my gut was right.

The Immune Puzzle

Throughout the two-year ordeal, I had continued with Vitamin C IVs and as many immune strengthening procedures as I could afford, but it wasn’t enough. My practitioner at the time recognized that my problems were too layered for her level of knowledge, and recommended another clinic with two alternative doctors who had practiced for decades and specialized in severe immune deficiency cases.

I got an appointment at the new clinic right away. We created a plan to get me through the impending surgery while repairing my immune system. Hope was restored and I went forward with a positive attitude.

The day of surgery, the surgeon assured me I would have immediate relief, yet four days post-surgery, the pain had increased and I could barely walk. He said to give it more time, “Sometimes nerves take a while to heal.” Recovery didn’t happen and my pain worsened.

Bed-Ridden at 41

Feb 6, 2012, I had a second laminectomy and four other procedures. The surgeon was baffled and tried everything to offer some relief. To no avail — the pain intensified until I was bed-ridden in agony. My blood pressure kept dropping and I kept fainting. One morning it fell to 60/40 and I had to be taken by ambulance to the ER. After a week in the hospital and test after inconclusive test, they started acting like I was faking it. Yet my legs would fold from underneath me upon standing, and I would crumple to the floor from back spasms and electric shocks that would paralyze my entire body. The doctor started talking about fusing my spine. I refused to have any more surgery and left the hospital with a heavy heart and no solution.

Weeks passed while I lay in bed depressed and hurting, not eating until three in the afternoon some days because I couldn’t get to the kitchen. By then, I was only able to walk with assistance and wondered how this would all end. The nerve pain was so excruciating, the sheets touching the tips of my toes felt like nails being driven into them. Involuntary screams ripped from my mouth when back spasms racked my entire body. I toyed with giving up, but my faith kept me going, and I believed there was an answer out there somewhere.

I dug deep and used my Type A personality and German stubbornness to make sure I did not quit exploring every option — I was hell-bent on getting better. I continued to drive myself to the clinic (an hour away) to stay with the immune-repairing program, knowing that strengthening my system was only going to help.

My Miracle

After several months, my allergies to food and nickel improved, and I had stopped fainting. But, the nerve pain remained and I began coming to terms with the potential of living in a wheelchair…and then a miracle happened.

Friday, April 13, 2012, was the day my life changed forever. My doctor was off that day; I was at the clinic for allergy desensitization. The practitioner conducting the procedure noticed the tears gently streaming out of the corners of my eyes as I lay on the exam table, and asked if he could get the other doctor (Dr. M) involved. Why not? I was open to anything (and it turned out to be divine intervention).

Dr. M listened carefully to my story until I finished, then after pondering, he asked me if I had ever had a root canal. “Huh?” was all I could think. He explained that he had seen dental-related nerve pain often, and shared a story about a man in his thirties who hadn’t walked in seven years. He came to see Dr. M and discovered it was a dental infection that went undetected by X-rays. After removing the tooth and treating the infection, the man climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro a year later.

He muscle tested the dental implant and found a weakness, so he injected it with Novocaine to numb the area and see if there would be any relief. My pain slowly ebbed like a wave rolling out to sea; I got off the exam table easily and walked around the clinic like a normal person. Everyone working there watched. Our eyes got as big as the full moon and we were all silent for a moment. Disbelief….relief…a miracle! I cried tears of joy. I think Dr. M did too.

Pain Washed Away

Three additional times, a week apart, he numbed it, the spasms released, and the pain washed away. During that time, we tried healing it with ozone and a laser, and my periodontist removed the crown and screw, to no avail. The implant had to come out.

May 15, 2012, immediately upon its removal, I walked out of the periodontist’s office on my own. I could walk without a cane! I live a very normal life now. I’m back to exercising, and though I see a chiropractor about once a week to keep my lower back healthy, I am grateful every day that I am able to walk and never take for granted my ability to be in this world without a cane, or worse.

Gratefulness

From my horrible life-altering experience, I grew in ways that I never would’ve understood before. I still feel blessed every single day that I can do normal activities; things I thought were over for me. I have patience with people who are hurting or those who may walk “too slow” in front of me. My compassion for others has grown and I try to take life as it comes — in moments. If I have an uncomfortable day, I allow myself rest and remember what a bad day truly consists of.

The strength and knowledge that I gained throughout this ordeal, as well as a deeper faith, have helped me deal physically and emotionally with the even bigger life-altering events that have happened since. I hope by sharing this information, it continues to shine the light on thinking outside the western medicine box and may help one person solve their own health mystery.

In the next blog — how to determine if your teeth are making you ill. The science behind it and resources to explore.

“To know truly is to know by causes.” Bacon 

[from the book Root Canal Cover-Up, George E. Meinig]

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fatty Vitamin C — What?

Posted on March 5, 2016 by kdgersch

Vitamin C Superhero!

I know in a previous blog, I mentioned a few supplements to boost your system, but I’ve decided to touch on only one today. Liposomal Vitamin C. If there is nothing else in the universe that you add to your daily routine, it is this (Vitamin D3 is close behind — but we’ll get to that).

According to the experts (there are so many published research findings, I won’t reference them here, but feel free to do your own search on the Internet) and every doctor I’ve been to, the value and benefits of added Vitamin C outweigh any other nutrient. If you can only afford or want to start with one — this is it.

Why Liposomal?

It has an added “fat” so that our cells will absorb it readily versus peeing it all away. Our cells need a little fat to absorb nutrients. I’m not talking bacon — I’m talking olive oil, safflower or sunflower oils. The one that I take has sunflower lecithin. Some have soy lecithin. Not my first choice as I’m soy intolerant, so as always, read the label.

The benefits of Vitamin C

  • Boosts the immune system (and greatly helps those with immune deficiency)
  • Helps with inflammation
  • Improves cardiovascular health
  • Lowers risk of stroke
  • Increases eye and skin health
  • Repairs cell damage from daily pollutants, toxins, illness
  • New findings show it may control blood sugar
  • Best of all, it can help stave off cancer or in high doses (IV) kill cancer cells

How Do You get Enough?

It is hard to get enough Vitamin C from our diet, even if we eat the recommended nine servings of fruit and veggies per day, our modern-day produce is severely lacking in nutrients, so supplementation is a great way to ensure you’re getting enough.

I don’t want to be liable for dosing recommendations so I will share with you that I take a minimum of 1000 mg of Liposomal C per day. I usually take more based on my needs and my doctor’s recommendations.

I have been receiving intravenous vitamin C since 2006. I consider it a gift that I have access to IV Vitamin C and feel that it is the least I can do for my body to stay functional and minimize inflammation and free-radical damage.

“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” Hippocrates

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Letter to Myself

Posted on January 26, 2016 by kdgersch

Divinity

I was trying to open a file from my documents earlier today and the letter below, that I composed to myself October 31, 2013, opened. I do not know how as I did not click on it, but I am pretty sure I know why.

My freelance business has gotten very, very slow again and panic has started setting in. When I daydream worst-case-scenario (a bad habit) and think about having to support myself for the rest of my life, I start scouring the internet for a sales job. Sales is my comfort zone and I know I can make money doing it, but my writing would become obsolete. At the end of a long work day, there is very little capacity for creativity.

This letter popping up on my screen, instead of my resume, has reconfirmed that I need to stay the course as a writer, no matter how scary it is at times. And, since I don’t believe in coincidence, thank  you my guardian angel for sending me a critically needed message.

A Letter to Myself

There is no room in life for the phrase “if it weren’t impossible,” although sometimes it may be “improbable.” Accomplishing your goals will happen if you’re dedicated and you make the most of each opportunity. That is the key to unlocking dreams.

You know it’s pointless to dwell on the “what ifs.” Recall the numerous lessons and challenges along the way. Being a sales rep for over fifteen years in a man’s market gave you a serious backbone. Quitting your favorite job in 2000 and moving to paradise to start over was brave. You didn’t think it was scary or crazy – you followed your heart. Always shrug off rejection (though once in a while it may still sting) and keep trying.

You have such a diverse list of interests and each one loops back to writing. You wish you were a marine biologist to explore the serenity and intricacies of the sea and its creatures and then share it with others. You’ve explored the field of natural medicine as a profession and upon deeper reflection, realized it was because you wanted to impart amazing, sometimes life-saving tips to those searching for a more natural way. Traveling the world to experience gorgeous scenery, different cultures, and noteworthy history is still on the agenda with great anticipation as it will enhance your historical fiction.

Never stop believing in your abilities and evolving as a writer, and when times are tough, remember this is where you’re meant to be on your journey.

Me

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments