Are You Toxic?

1. Are You Toxic? By Heather Plude www.agoodhealthadvocate.com

2. What I’m going to talk about • My family • Medical history • Lyme treatment • Heavy Metals • Mold – our keystone to healing • The toxins that are all around us • How to test for mold in buildings and bodies • How to detox the body

3. My Family This was one week before my son got sick. He looks fine doesn’t he? Look at me, I don’t look sick. I was 174 pounds in this picture.I went on to gain another 20 pounds… even though I was throwing up every day. It took my son getting sick to help me figure out why I was sick. What a blessing in disguise!

4. My Health History • Always got sick eating sweets • 16 amalgams from a car accident @ 21 yrs old • Chronic reactive arthritis shortly after • My pain was extreme and all over, migrating • Hospitalized for throwing up blood • Could not work as an auto mechanic any more • Went back to school for Nutrition

5. I Wanted to Know Why I Was in Pain • I was researching anything that might help with arthritis and inflammation • I tried several natural “cures.” • Tons of things didn’t work. Finally one thing worked for me. • Grape Seed Extract took my pain away if I took enough of it AND it was high quality. • I could buy a CVS brand or a GNC and those would do nothing for me… but over the years there have been 2 brands that worked for me. • The first was New Image International and they went out of business. • The 2nd was USANA Proflavanol (Grape Seed Extract) took that for the next 15+ years • It didn’t always work for every one who had pain from “arthritis” – but it always worked for my pain. Then again, I am sure my arthritis was never arthritis! UsanaProflavanol Get it from a Usana Distributor or on ebay!

6. In 2007, I got a new job and bought a house that needed renovations • The new job was in a building that was old and had lots of water leaks. • My “new” house was 100 years old and had lots of repairs needed • Both work and home were toxic… but I didn’t know it yet • I had a constant stabbing pain on the right side of my torso, near my rib cage • I saw my doctor who said there was nothing wrong with me… it was all in my head. • The pain got progressively worse • I started throwing up once or twice a day • I was gaining weight even though I was eating less and throwing up every day

7. Back to the doctor • The doctor wanted to know if I was upset about the weight I had gained lately. • They asked if I would like to see someone to talk about my weight problem and discuss why I was throwing up • Again, they were telling me it was all in my head. • I left disappointed and still sick

8. ER - February 2008 • Liver Enzymes High and Kidney Function Low • AST was at 131 - reference levels are (12-32) • ALT was at 152 - reference levels are (20-65) • My eGFR result was less than 60 f – which if it stays that low for 3 months is considered chronic kidney disease

9. The next 2 years going to doctors and Hospitals with emergencies • GI doctors, endocrinologist, internal medicine, gynecologist, several general practitioners… • Emergency gallbladder surgery • Emergency ovarian cyst surgery • Admitted to the hospital for 3 days for being unable to stop throwing up • Diagnosed with Sphincter of Oddi • Put on muscle relaxers, Anti-nausea meds, and pain killers… I refused anti-depressants. • Life goes on.

10. July 2010 • My 11 year old son gets what seems to be the flu • Then he gets painful knees and ankles • He tests positive for Lyme Disease • Gets 28 days of Amoxicillin • Gets worse… no one explained the herx • I was told “that’s normal” but not WHY • He can’t eat, can’t sleep, moans in pain, doesn’t want to move because of the pain

11. Grape Seed Extract • I start giving him the Grape Seed Extract that helped me with my extreme pain • It didn’t work for him the way it did for me • It didn’t seem to touch his pain… while it took my pain away. Why?We are all different No ONE thing works for everyone

12. The Follow up with our doctor • He no longer has Lyme • Lyme cannot survive 28 days of antibiotics • Liquid Prednisone was prescribed for pain and swelling of the joints… I was told he should be fine after that. • Alternate Tylenol and Ibuprofen • Nothing to ease the pain…

13. Prednisone • The first 2 days on the Prednisone, we saw some improvements in pain levels and I had hope. • 3 days into the prednisone, he started having seizures, pain was intensified, neurological tics and he was falling down walking • I called my insurance company for suggestions and a referral to another doctor. • They called me back with a pediatric infectious disease specialist. • Sounded great to me!

14. Pediatric Infectious Disease • She examined him for 10 minutes, asked some general questions and before taking one vial of blood, she wanted to check my son into the hospital. • NOT for an infectious disease • For mental problems • The doctor suggested he was faking it • Maybe he was depressed? • There was a special floor where they take care of kids “like him”

15. I assured her that my son was SICK • I asked her if she even planned on checking his blood and looking for infection?!! • She wrote a prescription for some lab work, told us where the lab was and we left • We didn’t go to the lab in that hospital, we went to an independent lab • The Lyme test came back CDC positive and this ID doctor called me and told me she STILL thought my son had been treated adequately and needed no further treatment.

16. Munchausen’s By Proxy • This ID doctor haunted me for months • She thought my son was “at an end result” • She said it was all in his head and needed psychological treatment • She thought his looking at me for answers when she questioned him was me coaching him… really he was just sick and confused by her questions. • She saw him for 10 minutes! • She said that if I did not follow her advice she may have to prosecute me for Munchausen’s By Proxy • I lived in fear of getting prosecuted for seeking humane treatment for my son

17. By this time I had found Lymenet • You might know me as momlyme • I found Lymenet in the fall of 2010 and was an active contributor and avid researcher while my son was sick. • That’s how we found my son’s LL pediatrician • She would have done anything to get him well • She was new to treating Lyme and had never seen a child as sick as my son

18. My Son’s LL Pediatrician (Dr. B) • Consulted with other Lyme doctors because my son’s case was difficult • Tested for every co-infection under the sun • Prescribed multiple combo oral antibiotics • Called me nights and weekends • Wrote letters to the school excusing my son from going to school [504 children with disabilities] • Wrote letters to the insurance company to get the PICC line covered and extended antibiotic treatment at home

19. 6 Months of Antibiotics • My son was only getting worse • His WBC was low • His Liver Enzymes were high (AST & ALT) • His blood was thick • He had dropped from 85 pounds to 70 pounds • He was throwing up every day • Miserably sick • Missing out on his childhood • He couldn’t read • He couldn’t play video games or watch T.V. • He would fall down walking • Neurological seizures, tics, catatonic stares • Alzheimer symptoms, forgetting what he was saying in mid sentence • He needed a wheelchair to go out • He couldn’t go to school • He couldn’t play with his friends • He was too sick to do anything… except sit and stare • He tried to do stuff and would wear out in no time

20. 3 Days Before Christmas • Pulled the PICC line • Watched a video about HPU by Dr. Klinghardt • http://planetthrive.com • Klinghardt says if you have white spots on your fingernails you don’t even have to test for HPU – you have it! • I knew my son had those white lines. • I looked at his fingers and couldn’t wait to call his doctor to tell her I had found the answer

21. I couldn’t find a doctor to treat my son • Dr. B admittedly knew nothing about mercury other heavy metals. She asked me to try to find another doctor to treat him. • We saw ½ dozen doctors that would not consider testing or treating my son for HPU or heavy metals • I was told that you can only get heavy metal poisoning if you worked in a battery factory or a thermometer factory • I was told that Dr. K was an unreliable source • I was told to stop researching on the Internet and make my son go out and play

22. Heavy metals testing • In one of Dr. K’s HPU presentations he lists “Common Lab Abnormalities” –Dr. B. tested him for the ones we could do in NYS • High LDL, low HDL • Low normal alkaline phosphatase (Zn, Mag) • Low wbc (Zn) • Low Omega-6 fatty acids in red cell membrane test • Low taurine in aminoacid profile • High MCV (B6) • Doctor’s Data Hair Test –available through http://directlabs.com

23. I became “in charge” of the heavy metal detox • I read everything I could get my hands on about mercury poisoning and HPU/KPU • “Amalgam Illness” by Andrew Hall Cutler • Several PPT presentations by Dr. K • “Clear Body, Clear Mind” – detox protocol used by the firefighters and other 9/11 survivors • http://www.iaomt.org • I had my own amalgams out so I could test everything on myself before trying it on my son

24. Retested after 2 months • Mercury levels were going down • No change in my son’s condition • He was still very sick • WBC level was still very low • We decided to keep doing the heavy metal detox • At least the testing gave us some positive change • We didn’t have any other ideas!

25. One Day Everybody was sick • I was supposed to be going to the doctor with my son because he was having a really bad string of seizures. • The dog wouldn’t get up to eat. She cried when she tried to get up. I was heading to the vet to drop her off on the way to my son’s appointment. • My husband’s work called-he was being rushed to the hospital with chest pains • Later, my daughter’s nose started bleeding while she was talking to me • I was overwhelmed, unable to stop crying and exhausted. It seemed my world was falling apart. • I couldn’t figure out what was going on!

26. I called the Department of Health • I expected they would be interested in the fact that everybody, even the dog was sick • They offered me no help or advice • They said the symptoms were seemingly unrelated and they could not recommend a course of action • I was sure it was environmental, they were sure it was not • I have called them several times, during and after this ordeal. • I would like to see them help families that are being made sick in their homes • They have told me that there is no such thing as toxic mold and my story is anecdotal… among other dismissive remarks.

27. The thing that led me to the mold • My daughter’s bloody nose was the reason I started looking at mold being the cause • I found something on the Internet that said bloody noses could mean there is Stachybotrys in the home… one of the deadliest molds. • I decided to order Dr. Shoemaker’s book, “Surviving Mold” which had just come out a few months before. • I still remember the horror and relief while reading SM – knowing this was the cause of all our sickness – for years!

28. Sick Building Syndrome • A Multifactorial Cumulative Threshold Effect • appears only when enough contributing genetic and environmental factors are present. • Inflammation is almost universal • Target Organs Vary – Based On Occupant Factors and genetics • People in the same household, work or school could present with completely different symptoms… or none at all!

29. Symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome • Episodes of inappropriate fatigue during day • Difficulty sleeping, waking un-refreshed • General feeling of weakness, with shortness of breath after brief exertion, increased heart rate • Sinus problems, sore throats, light sensitivity, “floaters” • Vertigo, hearing loss, hearing sensitivities • Increased thirst, but “water runs straight through”, increased urination, light urine color • Static Shocks – sign of low ADH • Body aches (FMS-like or not) • Unexplained weight gain or weight loss • Difficulty with short term memory, concentration, word finding, mood swings, decreased assimilation • Difficulty regulating body temperature, sometimes with night sweats • Cough, headache, blurred vision, strange neurological symptoms: vibration, sounds, tingling, numbness

30. Other Signs of Sick Building • Vague NEUROBEHAVIORAL symptoms in children & adults may be the norm in some environmentally induced illnesses. This is a CLUE to search for an environmental cause • Allergies and Asthma • Frequent Colds • Dyslexia • ADD or ADHD • Autism Spectrum Disorders – may be intensified

31. More Symptoms SBS • NeuroToxic Effects • Severe Brain fog/dyslexia/bordering Alzheimer’s • Mucous Membrane Irritation/ Bloody noses • Respiratory/ Pneumonia/ Allergy/Asthma • Skin rashes/ oozing / look like hives or exema • Changes in sense of smell/increased or decreased • Hyper-Reactivity to chemicals • Gastrointestinal Symptoms • Cysts and/or cancer • Endocarditis or heart arrhythmia • Elevated Liver Enzymes (AST & ALT) • Low Kidney function • Low WBC …symptoms sometimes subside on leaving the building ; …very often people remain sick for months or years after they have left the building

32. After Surviving Mold • I suspected mold was our problem… but I couldn’t see or smell mold in our house • I knew one way to test the house because that was in the book – the ERMI • I talked to my son’s doctor and she knew less about mold than she did about heavy metals! • I sent her a copy of “Surviving Mold” with hopes that she could help us with this. • There were tests that Dr. Shoemaker suggests and she ordered what she could. The results showed he was having a reaction to mold • The HLA-DR testing came back double 4-3-53 which is the worst of the worst gene for being able to detox mold

33. I tested the house for mold • The test in Surviving Mold is the ERMI • Environmental Relative Moldiness IndexThe scale goes from negative 10 to positive 20 Our House was a 20.3 – off the charts!

34. How to Leave a Moldy House • Treat everything that came from the house as if it could kill you. Put it in a Ziploc bag if you have to take it with you • Wash any clothes in 1-2 cups of ammoniaNO DETERGENT – put the clothes in new plastic bags that DID NOT COME FROM THE HOUSE! • Shoes are not cleanable – flip flops are questionable • Pocketbooks, wallets, stuffed animals toys, computers, cars, phones, hats, keys or supplements can all cross-contaminate… be extremely cautious • Scrub hair well – use grapefruit seed extract in shampoo

35. Mycotoxins • Chemicals produced by certain fungi • Over 250 mycotoxins have been detected • Mycotoxins are the difference between allergic moldsand toxic molds • Mycotoxins, by-products of fungal metabolism, have been implicated as causative agents of adverse health effects in humans and animals… Consequently, fungi that produce mycotoxins, as well as the mycotoxins themselves, are potential problems from both public health and economic perspectives. • …During the 1970s and 1980s, the trichothecenemycotoxins gained some notoriety as putative biological warfare agents when they were implicated in “yellow rain” attacks in Southeast Asia. • Understanding Fungal (Mold)Toxins (Mycotoxins) http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/archive/g1513/build/g1513.pdf • TRICHOTHECENE MYCOTOXINS – Dept. of Defense: http://moldsupport.org/DODMyocotoxins.pdf

36. Dr. Shoemaker tests • http://www.survivingmold.com • The online VCS Test is a measure of one of the neurologic functions of vision called contrast.   • In order to take this test, your corrected visual acuity must be better than 20:50. • The VCS Test - Visual Contrast Sensitivity • 1 Test: $15 • 4 Tests: $40 • 10 Tests: $75 • 50 Tests:  $250

37. Dr. Shoemaker Tests • HLA DR - Your Genes 24% of people are unable to detox mold on their own! • C4a/ C3a • TGF Beta-1 - Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 • MSH - Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone • VIP - Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide • MMP-9 • Leptin • ADH/Osmolality • ACTH/Cortisol • ACLA IgA/IgG/IgM • AGA IgA/IgG • VEGF

38. Shoemaker Tests- are they necessary? • We had all these tests done… And never used them except for the initial diagnosis • If you have a Shoemaker trained doctor, you may be able to monitor your progress and use the Shoemaker protocol to get well. I do not know anyone who has gotten well using this protocol. • That doesn’t mean they aren’t out there! • Dr. Shoemaker stopped seeing patients in March 2013 • Shoemaker Protocol Certification open to physicians ($1,500) • There are 3 newly trained doctors listed on survivingmold.com

39. Getting back to Healthy • I was lucky enough to have an appointment with a LL doctor that was scheduled for the day after we moved out of the mold • He reviewed my medical records, my mold test results, and examined me… and started to guide me in getting well • He tested me for Lyme, Bartonella & mycoplasma • I was truly blessed to have found this doctor and I owe him a debt of gratitude • Although he did not see me through to 100%, without him, I didn’t know how to get started with the detox on my own.

40. This is how I started treatment • Follow the diet in the book “Clean” by Alejandro Junger for 13 weeks instead of 3 weeks • Neti pot – ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp sea salt, 1 tsp xylitol in 8 oz warm distilled or boiled & filtered water • Cholestyramine – compounded, away from food • LiverLife by Bioray Natural – 12 months (very helpful) • Nystatin – 3 months –stopped because I was feeling toxic from it • Diflucan – 1 month – this made me feel awful

41. “Clean” • Juice organic vegetables – morning and night • Explains why certain foods are bad for you… horomones, pesticides, GMOs, other poisons. • Elimination diet – eliminate most foods and then slowly add them back in, see how you feel • At least 12 hours of “fasting” at night

42. Xylitol • Antifungal • Breaks up biofilms • acts as a lubricant, facilitating the natural mucus secretions that float pathogens away • infection-fighting capabilities • action against skin ulcerations in diabetics • Can be used topically, orally, or as a nasal wash, also comes in gum and toothpaste • Available at vitacost.com

43. Cholestyramine • One comes with sugar • Another comes with Sucralose • I reacted badly to both of them • Wound up getting a compounded cholestyramine that I did not react badly to

44. LiverLife by BioRay • The instruction say start out with 12 drops, 2x a day. I started with a drop and it was too much • I did ½ a drop 2x a day for a few days and then moved back up to a drop 2x a day • I slowly ramped up until I could tolerate 3 droppers full 3x a day and then I stopped taking this supplement • It blows other milk thistle supplements away!

45. Positive for Lyme, Bart & Myco • On my 4 week follow up, I got the results of my testing and I was positive for Lyme, Bart & Mycoplasma pneumonia plus M. Fermentans • Taking antibiotics when you are sick with mold is like adding fuel to the fire… • Dr. W wanted me to start with Buhner herbs. • http://greendragonbotanicals.com • http://1stchineseherbs.com • Order of herbs: Japanese Knotweed, Cat’s Claw, Eleutherococcus, Andrographis, Sarsaparilla

46. My son started getting better • Just by getting out of the house, juicing, and eating organically, four days out of the house, my son started walking around… • He asked if he could play badmittenand he played for a few minutes • That was progress. • He started to be able to do more and more • He got to see Dr. W and did much of the same treatment I did (no cholestyramine) • We started physical therapy • He didn’t like the physical therapy so we found some things he did like

47. Exercise • Exercise is key… but not too much • It’s important to like what you do • We got a Total Gym • When we started working out, it was 5-15 minutes at a time, every other day • Our goal was to work out an hour, every other day with slow, non-aerobic weight training according to Dr Burrascano's Lyme treatment guidelines** • My son got there in 4 months. It took me 18 months. Not only was he lifting weights every other day, he was running 1-2 miles a day.  • ** http://www.lymenet.org/BurrGuide200810.pdf

48. The Great Escape • Exercise is anything that gets you moving. • We got season passes to Six Flags Great Escape and we went for as long as he could tolerate it. • In the beginning it was ½ hour to an hour and as the summer progressed, he was able to stay longer and do more things • In the beginning we would bring his wheelchair. Then later, he didn’t need it anymore. • My son had been sedentary for so long, his muscles had been wasting away. • He had gone from 85 to 70 pounds in a year • He hadn’t done anything fun in a while

49. I became Hyper-sensitive • I was reacting to perfumes, lotions, shampoos, soaps, deodorants, laundry detergents, cleaning products, gasoline, places that were moldy, people that came from moldy places, foods, drinks, etc. • My doctor said I was at a tipping point • I was so toxic that the smallest amount of toxins would put me over the edge. • Look up safety of everyday productshttp://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides • http://www.avaandersonnontoxic.com • Multiple Chemical Sensitivityhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCD-_47Maww

50. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity • I would never know when a chemical or a building would make me sick • I couldn’t go out to eat, to my parent’s house, to friends houses, to malls, to the grocery store, pump gas or to my kid’s school functions. • My kids were fine at school, but if I went there, I got sick • I couldn’t function in society because people wear perfumes, buildings have mold and mycotoxins, I was so sensitive, I would get physically sick when I was exposed to these things. • After a “hit” I could get lost in my own town, forget left and right or not know red from green. I was scared I would get in an accident because of my condition • Not only that, but I was breaking out from the products I used to use every day. Supplements, toothpastes, shampoos and other products were making me “burn” or that’s how it felt. • There is no diagnosis and no known cure for MCS • I have found that detoxing eased the symptoms I was having