I found this message on a mailing list:
"The information below is by Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, &
Environmental Illness alternative medicine guide by Burton Goldberg
and . . .═"
any comments?
arie
"When I see a patient with mercury fillings, I always think, 'It's the
teeth, stupid!' says Bruce Shelton, M.D., M.D.(H), DiHom., director of
the Allergy Center in Phoenix, Arizona.═ Mercury amalgams are as close
as you can get to the center of the illness universe; their use in
dentistry has set us up for most of the health problems we see today.
"In his practice, Dr. Shelton frequently observes a domino effect of
illness that begins with mercury toxicity.═ He reports that 90% of his
patients who come in with allergies have an overgrowth of the
yeastlike
fungus Candida albicans.═ This overgrowth can be due to heavy metals
in
the body, principally from mercury in the teeth, continually draining
in
minute amounts into body tissues, Dr. Shelton says.═ 'The body is
smart
and wants to protect itself at all costs.═ One of the natural
absorbers
of heavy metal is Candida.═ The body attracts this yeast (and
parasites)
into the intestines to act as a natural sponge for the mercury.═ The
body, in trying to protect itself against mercury, creates another
problem - a yeast infestation.'
"The stage of the domino effect is that patients in this predicament
typically develop leaky gut syndrome.═ 'If we do not totally digest
and
absorb our foods before they are broken to basic chemicals, then we
have
a 'leaky gut.'═ For example, a little piece of fish that is still
chemically fish instead of amino acids will trigger an immune
reaction.'═ In this way, leaky gut syndrome leads, in turn, to food
allergies, Dr. Shelton says.═ Soon the person becomes a universal
reactor, allergic to multiple chemicals, to seemingly everything.═
Environmental illness is then the end-product of a string of health
problems that stem from mercury and build, one upon the other.
"Common Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction - Breathing congestion,
inflamed, bloodshot, or scratchy eyes, watery eyes, tears, sneezing,
coughing, itching, nosebleeds, puffy face, flushing of the cheeks,
dark
circles under the eyes, runny nose, swelling, hives, vomiting,
stomachache, intestional irritation or swelling.
"Common Health Problems Partly Caused by Allergens - Acne, allergic
rhinitis (inflammation of mucous lining of nose), bedwetting,
diarrhea,
asthma, ear infections, eczema, fatigue, chronic runny nose, headache,
irritability, hay fever, concentration problems, hyperactivity,
attention deficit disorder.
"The Cycle of Food Allergies - With food allergies there is a strange
situation:═ often a person becomes addicted to a food that produces an
allergic response.═ When a person stops eating an allergy-producing
food
to which their body is 'addicted,' such as coffee or chocolate, there
is
a three-day period in which they experience unpleasant withdrawal
symptoms, such as fatigue; eating more of this addictive substance can
actually improve the situation by suppressing these withdrawal
symptoms.═ This of course becomes an unhealthy cycle of addiction,
craving, and fulfillment that eventually leads to more serious health
problems.═ Allergy experts call this suppression of symptoms by an
allergy-producing (allergenic) food 'masking,' because it masks or
disguises the true allergic symptoms.
"What Happens in an Allergic Response - . . .═ Because the body judges
the allergens to be dangerous to its health, the immune system
identifies them as antigens.═ Antigens trigger an allergic
inflammatory
response.═ The immune system then releases specific forms of protein
called antibodies to deactivate the allergenic antigens, setting in
motion a complex series of events involving up to 12 different
biochemicals.═ These chemicals then produce the inflammation or other
typical symptoms of an allergy response.
"An antibody known as IgE is most commonly involved in the allergic
response to pollens and foods, IgE is one of five immunoglobulins, or
antibodies, involved with allergic responses.═ An immunoglobulin is
one
of a class of five specially designed antibody proteins produced in
the
spleen, bone marrow, or lymph tissue and involved in the immune
system's
defense response to foreign substances.═ The main types of
immunoglobulins, grouped according to their concentration in the
blood,
are:═ IgG (80%), IgA (10% to 15%), IgM (5% to 10%), IgD (less than
0.1%), IgE (less than 0.1%).═ Technically, all antibodies are
immunoglobulins.
"Mast cells, which produce the allergic response and are found
throughout the body's tissues, next come into play; they tend to be
concentrated in the skin, nose and lung linings, gastrointestinal
tract,
and reproductive organs.═ A single mast cell, for example, contains
between 100,000 and 1 million receptor sites on its surface for the
IgE
antibody; it also has about 1,000 granules containing a substance
called
histamine.
"When the IgE antibody senses an allergen, it triggers the mast cells
to
release histamine and 28 other chemicals and the allergic response
flares into action.═ The IgE molecules also attach themselves, like a
key fitting a lock, to the allergens.
"Histamine - This is the substance that causes the blood vessels to
widen enabling more fluid to pass into body tissues, resulting in
swelling; it also triggers the smooth involuntary muscles in the
lungs,
blood vessels, heart, stomach, intestines, and bladder to contract.═
Histamine gives us runny noses, red itchy eyes, hot, tender, or
swollen
body parts, flushing, and the other symptoms associated with allergic
reactions.
"In general, the allergic response, in the form of an inflammation,
swelling, heat, redness, or tenderness, is the body's attempt to heal
itself from the effect of the allergen.═ In other words, these
responses
are normal ways the body takes care of itself, albeit in the process
they can make us feel miserable.═ They may be the body's protective
mechanism, but if they continue unchecked for too long your health
will
suffer.
"The allergic response can happen as quickly as 15 minutes after your
initial exposure to an allergenic substance.═ If the histamine and
related biochemicals are released in the chest you may experience
coughing or asthma-like symptoms; if they come out through the skin,
the
symptoms may be hives or eczema; if in the intestines, the allergic
response may show up as diarrhea; and if in the brain, it may result
in
a migraine headache.
"Other Chemicals Released During an Allergic Response -
"Heparin:═ Increases blood flow to the site of inflammation or
swelling.
"Platelet Activating Factor:═ Causes blood platelets to group together
so that they release chemicals to change the diameter of blood
vessels,
thereby affecting blood pressure.
"Serotonin:═ A brain chemical known as a neurotransmitter, found
mostly
in the mucous membrane cells of the gastrointestinal tract, and
involved
in the allergic response to foods.
"Lymphokines:═ Produced by white blood cells (lymphocytes) and
involved
in communications among cells.
"Leukotrienes:═ Found in cell membranes and involved in making the
lung
muscles contract and the lungs retain more air, as in the bronchial
spasm of asthma.
"Prostaglandins:═ Hormone-like substances that help dilate blood
vessels, affect smooth muscle contraction, increase pain in affected
areas, and heat up inflamed tissues.
"Thrombaxanes:═ Chemicals which cause the blood vessels and bronchial
tubes to contract.
"Bradykinin:═ Support the cascade of inflammatory symptoms set in
motion
by the mast cells.
"Interleukins:═ Antigens involved in the activity of lymphocytes,
including the irritation of tissues.
"Interferons: Produced by lymphocytes to regulate the speed of immune
responses."
