This is an email exchange that I had with John Symes, a veterinarian that lives in Alabama. It's so informative that I want to share it with you.
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Sorry for the delay. I've just been swamped. Good swamped tho. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Yes, it is quite typical for people to see a measurable response in 4
days.
I tell people to do it for a week and let me know how they do and many
write
back saying it only took 4 days. I tell them I know and that I just
didn't
want to influence what they found on their own. However, there is a
subgroup
who have their pain worsen before it gets better. These are the true
dairy/gluten addicts and it can explained through the eyes of
withdrawal,
just like a drug addict. The casomorphins and gliadorphins I write so
much
about are very real things and are just like a little barbiturate in
the
food. Those who are "saturated" may actually have their pain worsen at
first. This is understandable as these morphins are actually
suppressing
neurons like a small amount of barbiturate pain reliever. Plus, the
neurons
in the addict are actually "uploaded" (have become more sensitive to
the
actions of the stimulant glutamate) to overcome these depressant
effects.
When the morphins are removed suddenly, some will experience an
increase in
pain as the neurons wake up from their depressant-induced sleep.
Thankfully,
most do not experience this because the same foods that contain the
morphins
have the high levels of glutamate in them so it is a "wash". But this
is one
of the reasons that I recommend that the "worst of the worst" do the
diet as
outlined, removing all of the main sources of these stimulants (diet
drinks,
nuts/seeds, beans) so that they have a major drop in dietary glutamate
as
the morphins are leaving their brain. I have read that it takes a full
year
for the brain to eliminate and adjust to the previously high levels of
the
morphins once they are removed from the diet, so the ultimate benefits
can
take some time to be realized.
Oats are a mixed bag. They are gluten free unless contaminated but
contain
their own prolamine called avenin. Some people are avenin intolerant
just
like others are gluten intolerant. And that prolamine is also rich in
glutamate. So, oats should be avoided in those with serious pain until
they
see the response they desire. Then they can try them and see what
happens.
Yes, I believe celiac disease (and the related food intolerances) play
a
role in who gets mercury intoxicated. If mercury from vaccines alone
caused
autism, for example, all children vaccinated would develop that
condition.
But the food intolerance affects the way that individual handles the
mercury, impairing its removal. The food intolerance also damages the
brain
so that the mercury would have a more profound effect. In other words,
as
you are thinking, the mercury alone is not the problem but is part of a
"syndrome" that leads to the signs of mercury intoxication. The removal
of
mercury would help, but it would be like slowing a car down as it
approaches
you in the street. It will still run over you if you don't get out of
the
way.
You're right. The more I read about the "big 4", the more I see that
they
were major dietary mistakes and that they are not good for anyone. They
are
just tolerated better by some than others. When looked at critically
and
historically, we see that they are unnatural and harmful in many ways.
I
wrote this little piece in response to the pet food recall that takes a
brief historical look at the "four horsemen"
(
http://dogtorj.tripod.com/id80.html ).
And yes, once you start down this road, you will see how these bad
things
affect you so much more clearly. I did not know how dairy intolerant I
was
until I went off gluten. How could I have? The gluten was masking all
of the
dairy reactions. I was a mess. But once I got off gluten, the dairy was
taking away my newfound energy and generating the same allergy signs
that
had been reduced by the gluten removal. Same with the soy, which turned
my
guts into a knot. It became so obvious that the diet drinks, peanuts
and
beans were driving my pain and insomnia that it was like night and day.
BUT,
until went off the gluten and dairy, all of this was being masked by
more
continuous symptoms. Love that spiral in the RIGHT direction. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I hope this helps. Please do keep in touch.
John
John B. Symes, D.V.M. ("Dogtor J")
www.dogtorj.netRead- "Food Intolerance- Man and Animals versus Gluten, Casein, Soy,
and
Corn OR How We Won the Battle of Helm's Deep"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Aaron Swinger" <alswinger@sbcglobal.net>
To: "John B. Symes, D.V.M. ("Dogtor J")" <dogtorj@bellsouth.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2007 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: The Answer
>I have a question, John. You said that it took only four days for you
to
>experience some relief from your pain after eliminating gluten from
your
>diet. Is that a typical response? I ate a gluten free diet for seven
or
>eight days and then I went off of it to be re-tested. In that time I
>didn't feel any relief but I ate some oatmeal and I noticed that you
said
>that epileptics should not eat oatmeal because the glutamate (I think)
in
>it promotes seizures.
>
> What I know is that I have a traumatic brain injury (revealed in
SPECT
> scans) that I probably got when I was an infant or child. I may also
be
> suffering from chronic mercury poisoning from thimerosal that was in
> allergy shots that I took for about 15 years. Now it seems that I
may be
> suffering from Celiac Disease. Just during the last 1 1/2 years I
have
> found out a great deal but I still can't put all of the pieces of the
> puzzle together and that is very frustrating.
>
> From what I've read it seems pretty common for gluten intolerance and
> mercury poisoning to coexist. Has that been your experience?
>
> I really didn't like the idea of having Celiac Disease but after
reading
> your article The Answer I can see that the gluten grains, dairy, and
soy
> are really not good for anyone. I remember that once I read an
article
> which described pop as liquid candy and after that it seemed to be a
lot
> easier for me to not drink that stuff. By not drinking it I've
become
> much more sensitive to sugar which is a good thing but obviously
there are
> still other things that I need to do.
>
> Any ideas or insights would be appreciated.
>
>
> Aaron
>
>
>
>
> At 11:12 AM 4/21/2007 -0500, you wrote:
>>Hi Aaron,
>>
>>It's great to hear from you. I am always very excited to hear from a
>>sibling in Christ who was led to the site through prayer and the
power of
>>the Holy Spirit. The last seven years have been the most amazing of
my
>>life and, at times, it is hard for me to believe that they have
really
>>occurred. But I DO get a fairly regular stream of Emails from people
who
>>have prayed for answers to their medical problems and suddenly find
my
>>Website so if anyone should understand the power of prayer, I should
by
>>now. After all, that's how it all started for me as well...an earnest
>>desire to know the truth about God, His Creation, and His perfect
plan for
>>mankind. Little did I know that it would start with the truth about
my own
>>health, which opened the doors for so many other truths. It has been
a
>>truly amazing journey. I am so privileged to be in His employment. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
>>
>>It sounds like you are headed in the exact same direction I was
medically.
>>The pain hit me at the same age after having years of depression and
>>fatigue. Sooooo, I fully expect you to make the same miraculous
recovery I
>>have. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />:):)
>>
>>One paper for you to read is "How to Control Idiopathic Epilepsy
>>Naturally". I know that you don't have epilepsy but the overall
approach
>>tom chronic pain is the same. The GARD (diet) can be applied to all
of
>>these conditions with equal success. The diet, testing (when needed),
and
>>supplements (when needed) are the same. The GARD Made Simple is
another
>>good paper for you (which again is the same as The Epilepsy Diet Made
>>Simple).
>>
>>Please write to me ANYTIME if you have any questions. I cannot wait
to
>>hear about your recovery. It won't take long to see results. AS I
like to
>>write, a little step of faith and you are off and running. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />:):)
>>
>>Keep in touch,
>>John
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>John B. Symes, D.V.M. ("Dogtor J")
>>www.dogtorj.net
>>Read- "Food Intolerance- Man and Animals versus Gluten, Casein, Soy,
and
>>Corn OR How We Won the Battle of Helm's Deep"
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Aaron Swinger"
>><alswinger@sbcglobal.net>
>>To: <dogtorj@bellsouth.net>
>>Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2007 10:28 AM
>>Subject: The Answer
>>
>>
>>>Dear Dr. Symes, I just found your website last night and I have read
it
>>>with great interest.
>>>
>>>I am 43 years old and I have suffered from depression and other
>>>psychiatric disorders for most of my life. More recently chronic
fatigue
>>>and pain have become serious problems.
>>>
>>>I have had extensive conventional and alternative medical and
psychiatric
>>>treatments that have not been effective in relieving my suffering.
>>>
>>>Like you I am a Christian and yesterday I was in total despair and I
told
>>>God that I had to have some guidance for healing or I just could not
go
>>>on any longer. Celiac Disease had come up as a potential problem a
few
>>>months ago but I had a test done that supposedly showed that I
didn't
>>>have that disease. However, one doctor urged me to go on a gluten
free
>>>diet and now that I've read your excellent article The Answer I
think
>>>that I have found the answer.
>>>
>>>Thanks for the great information and I hope that I can give you good
news
>>>soon.
>>>
>>>
>>>Sincerely,
>>>
>>>
>>>Aaron L. Swinger
>>
>
>
