KSJD Radio Interview on Morgellons Disease

KSJD aired Tom Yoder interviewing me on Morgellons Disease. The Discovery/ Life show will air my story of suffering and recovering tonight at 10 pm on "Diagnose Me" -

http://ksjd.org/post/nightmare-living-morgellons-disease

PLEASE SHARE!!

I know total caps is obnoxious as it represents shouting. Normally, I don't shout, but this time I will. Here is a clip of the Discovery/ Life show directed towards my suffering, symptoms and recovery which will first air on Friday, June 12th at 10 pm. PLEASE SHARE!!

Joe on "Diagnose Me"- Friday, June 12th, 10 pm on Discovery/ Life Channel

The Big News!

I just finished an interview with Tom Yoder of KSJD (http://ksjd.org/ ). I was able to share about my recovery from Morgellons Disease and Discovery/ Life's airing of "Diagnose Me" on June 12th at 10 pm. KSJD will air my interview on June 12th from 8:30- 9:00 am (and it will be on their website after that). Anyhow, this was a good chance to share. Let others know, if you would please!

Exercise, Niacin and Sauna

I have been following a new approach to detoxing based primarily on an interview of Dr. George Yu by Dr. Joe Mercola .

Here is the approach I am taking/ suggesting-

     

Open bodies channels for elimination of toxins- kidney, liver and colon through coffee enemas, supplements, and diet

 Follow healthy diet and utilize large doses of natural chelators (cilantro and chlorella)

Exercise, Niacin and Sauna-

Dr. Yu suggests building up to 5000 mg of niacin. I was able to get as high at 2500…but found myself having serious reactions (my skin turned blotchy red especially in upper torso/around joints and vomiting in the am). 

I have decided for myself 1000 mg daily is enough.   Your body will let you know when you’re beyond your limit. Take your time and slowly build levels. Eventually, I may up my intake to 2000 mg daily.

I am fortunate to have a sauna. I know some may consider this an extravagant expense. I actually found my sauna heater and door on craigslist. With cedar, redwood and electrical work, I spent right around $2000.

My last sauna was an online purchase of an infrared sauna. Ramona on healinggrapevine.com is a big promoter of quality infrared saunas and also provides a wealth of information for those suffering from Morgellons-Ramona on Morgellons

Morgellons sufferers may have bodies ill-designed for toxic removal. The fact that Morgellons has forced me to better understand my body and how it works makes it more of a blessing and less of a curse. I plan routine detoxing in an ongoing fashion.

Hope this is helpful.

To your health,
Joe

Talking About Morgellons on Youtube

This woman's account of all she has gone through could be the story of so many of the sufferers I've communicated with. The world does need to know! Laura Cherry Talks About Morgellons God bless her for sharing! 

Healing From Morgellons- My Present Take

I’ve been getting a number of sufferers asking how to get started and what to do to get on the path of recovery. There are plenty of possibilities. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the various protocols out there. The list I provide below is another. Since you’ve found your way to this blog, you’ve likely heard my theory on cause of symptoms (mercury in part or in whole) and my take on common ground of those recovering (a Toxins Out, Nutrients In approach). Here’s my list:

1)      Forgive/Love Yourself- I know this is easier said than done. Emotional luggage takes us places we do not need to continually revisit…and it adversely changes biochemistry. We need to take this beast by the throat, throttle it and throw it over the cliff! Just say NO to negative thinking!

2)      Eat Right- Eat organic raw and wholesome foods. High amounts of greens do the body good. Juicing is an excellent way to increase the nutrients getting to us at the cellular level (I started with a $5 thrift store juicer. Get to your local farmers market and ask for reduced/ dented/ ugly vegetables and fruit at reduced price. Juicing doesn’t need to be expensive).

3)      Supplement Detoxing- While there are plenty of supplements out there, I am currently taking only a handful. I have been trying my best to reclaim my endocrine/ hormonal system, in part, by taking iodine (thyroid) and a testosterone booster. I am also taking Readysorb, a glutathione supplement, to increase the exit of mercury. I take chlorella at each meal- ten tablets per meal (Dr. Chris Shade recommends 50- 70 tablets per day) to pull inorganic mercury out of the lower intestines and colon. A high quality daily mineral/ vitamin is important.

4)      Exercise- Exercise can take many forms. The important key concepts for it to be successful are to: A) Be consistent and B) Do not overdo it. Overshadowing these concepts is to focus on making it fun! If you don’t enjoy it, you are not likely to make it part of your daily routine. There are a million and one ways to exercise- find what works for you!

5)      Daily Quiet Time- Make time to relax, meditate, pray, do yoga, walk in nature, or just swing in a hammock. Your system needs to have these breaks. Turn off the TV, turn on the silence. This will benefit you greatly! Again, it has much to do with biochemistry.

6)      Work Toward Happiness- I recently watched a TED talk where the speaker (sorry… I can’t remember her name) studied happiness and concluded happy people do three things- have an attitude of gratitude, avoid being perfectionist, and love fully without concern of potentially being hurt. I’ve been giving it a try and finding it very useful!

7)      Share- Keep a journal of your recovery. Let other know what you’ve gone through and what you find helpful. Start your own blog (why not!?). Begin a TONI (Toxins Out, Nutrients In) group for your community. Do presentations and be brave with sharing. The time for silence is over! Speak up and be heard!

I hope this is helpful. I’m not a medical pro and don’t have plans to ever be one. If you are a medical pro and understand Morgellons, PLEASE SPEAK UP! The general public, sufferers, and other medical pros needs to hear from you. Help the healing happen instead of floating along allowing the delusion of this condition being delusional continue.

I, like many of those volunteering time toward helping sufferers, have not been talking much lately; we’re all feeling a little burnt out. Forgive me for not be more regular in my communications and understand I’m doing the best I can. We all want to see EVERYONE recover! You are NOT ALONE! Peace, Joe

Spiritual Healing

I know I've talked about the importance of prayer, meditiation and calm in healing. I've recently been introduced to the works of  healer Bruno Groning and have found it refreshing simple and sincere. He did most of his healing after WW2, but among his "Circle of Friends" there are still many documented healings. If you're interested in finding out more, go to: http://www.bruno-groening.org/english/

Watch Hungry for Change

The folks who produced Food Matters have just released another excellent health related movie. It is made up of mostly interviews of experts. It is free online until the end of the month. The title is Hungry for Change. It is definitely worth a watch!

The Greatest Gift...

you can give yourself this year is a copy of Alison Adams’s Chronic Fatigue, ME, and Fibromyalgia. While I felt this the first time I read my copy, my second reading assured me. There is absolutely no better manual written for dealing with Morgellons Disease!

Alison primarily shares her own story of recovery (from mercury toxicity related symptoms) along with the narrow alleys and highways within our internal environment. She knows this subject up and down as a sufferer and also a medical professional. I have the greatest respect for her sharing!

The book cost about $16US—that’s approximately the cost of driving to the theater, paying for your ticket, and getting a large popcorn and drink. While the movie has the potential of entertaining you for a couple of hours, this book is certain to open your eyes to conquering issues of toxicity (and, with persistence, giving you your life back or, as Alison shares, true health for the first time).

While the book certainly lends to the argument of Morgellons being a form of mercury toxicity, I found the personal account of Alison’s encounters with the medical world equally enlightening (and shades of my own experiences as well as many, many other Morgellons sufferers). She is a kindred soul, of this I’m certain.

Her website is found in my Morgellons links (top one) and has plenty of worthwhile information (as do all of the links). Give yourself the gift of this book. None of us are alone and, as more and more share on recovery from toxicity, we can benefit from following the path created by one who has journeyed through the bramble of the jungle.

The Happiest of New Years!!

Erasing Panic

The Barrier Theory presents the cause and progression of Morgellons Disease as internal biochemistry changing inorganic species of mercury to organic species (and thus allowing passage beyond the Blood/Brain Barrier). I presented this on Pam Crane’s blog talk radio show and then had it formally published in the medical journal Explore! (vol. 20.5 (2011)). In addition to the theory I suggest Morgellons occurs on a spectrum of less spectacular symptoms to more severe. Heavy metals, such as mercury, block neurotransmissions and cause depression and panic attacks. I guess this paragraph is meant to introduce the topic of panic with the suggestion of one solution.

Not to sound too random, but I once witnessed acupuncture used to treat a lame horse. Within fifteen minutes of treatment, the lame horse was prancing around the pasture. I guess it has always been my best example of- acupuncture isn’t hocus-pocus; it really works!

My neighbor and good friend Linda is an acupuncturist and expert on Chinese medicine. She mentioned treating panic attacks with wrist bands. “They’re used for motion sickness, but they work for panic too,” she said. Of course I was intrigued. I went to the local health food store yesterday and purchased some (called Sea-Band and cost around $10). The bands have little plastic numbs which you align with the acupressure point on your wrist between the central tendons and down 1 1/2 thumb widths from the wrist crease(the company suggest using two, but Linda tells me you only need one). Twenty minutes of wearing them seems to take edge off any panic (I had some confrontations yesterday and think they may have helped), though I suppose you could wear them all the time.

Stress and panic make your internal environment more acidic. I drink a big glass of water with lemon in it first thing in the morning (followed by a glass of water with bentonite clay) to make my insides less acidic (funny how lemons and lime, which seem to be entirely acidic, act in the opposite way when our stomachs are empty). Meditation and pray ease the mind and spirit. The more we do to take care of ourselves, the more we open doors to our health and well-being.

The final form of my novel Beul Nam Beinn is in the capable hands of my editor. I hope to see it out in print form by the end of January (and I hope you are pleased with the dedication). Happy holidays and let us all move into a New Year full of health and happiness! Joe

Holiday Season Wishes

This is the time of year of many holiday celebrations. While I'm a Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years celebrator, I know there are people who differ from my beliefs who also suffer from Morgellons and other conditions related to toxicity (and I will not leave you out in the cold). If there was one major message Christ shared it is- we are all connected. I'm thankful for this gift called life and this amazing planet we all inhabit. And I am thankful for all of you!

My gift to you is a break from Morgellons. It may be a short one, but please take it anyways. Here it is: http://youtu.be/JbkIXI-E7KE .

I will be taking some time away to be with family, heal more and making some final edits on another book (Beul Nam Beinn will be released soon).

Hindsight is 20/20 or Defense Before the Offense

I'm adjusting to moving back into my house. There's plenty on my mind. I have to clean up from my tenants, have a major porch repair, touch up paint, and prepare for the possibility of someone who will rent a spare room from me. It'll all come together of this I'm certain.

I've been considering all that goes into cleaning out our body systems. If I was to go back to the beginning of my Morgellons symptoms (not that I'd really want to), I would proceed differently. I feel our best approach to is build the bodies defenses before taking on the offenses (toxins).

At the base of all, I like the approach Mel (who also documented recovery with all related at: http://howicuredmorgellons.com/) mentions of his doctor from the start taking the approach of-- do no harm. I used some dangerous pesticides and meds at the beginning (I know many of us have/did). The do no harm approach is likely the best direction.

I know I've written much on pray, meditation, yoga, and other soft forms of exercise as being beneficial. This makes sense as it calms the endocrine system. This along with getting the body less acidic would be the best first steps. Initially I did some of this...but I'm finding it is something needing to become habitual. I am learning (aren't we all?).

If you haven't listened to Dr. Amin's radio/blog show with Pam Crane, I highly recommend it. He has a sensibility and understanding of this condition few do. His understanding is from someone who has been in the trenches from the start (or at least the mid-90s).

One Very Important Hour!

I believe Morgellons Disease is a form of mercury poisoning. I present this as a theory (and have had it published as so). If you have read some of my postings, none of this should come as a surprise. There are two outstanding resources I'd like to share with the request you take the time to review them (no more than an hour I suspect).

The first is a recent report by the Scientific Committee of the European Commission titled "Is dental amalgam safe for humans? The opinion of the scientific committee of the European Commission" under Mutter (as author). The link does not appear to work, but the full article can be found through the link on pubmed.gov. Please look at it. One very significant piece (I believe) is testing for mercury; they show that typical testing (hair and urine) may not show mercury accumulation in the body. I suspect a blood test of glutathione may be the best means (presently) to reflect on mercury body burden.

I also feel the best review of the many effects of mercury on the body is given in a 12 minute video at: http://www.thenaturalrecoveryplan.com/ . Take the time to watch this. It is well done. I plan to get other resources through this site and have also put the link on the right.

These two sources say much about mercury and the possible connection to Morgellons Disease. Please take the time to watch them. Happy healing, Joe

Day Two of Lemonade Fast and Morgellons Update

I'm back in Pennsylvania. I've given notice to my renter and so will be moving back into my home in one month. I'm looking forward to being in my familiar and own space. Money is tight, but I decided to splurge and purchase a nice organic bed. I'd been thinking I would like to do a week long fast before settling back in and was offered the chance to house/cat/ chicken sit for some friends. It's a quiet country setting, so I'm planning to fast, relax and take in the quiet until Friday.

I really like the update on Healing Grapevine and thought I'd pass it on. It is at: http://blog.healinggrapevine.com/morgellons/morgellons-update/

Happy Healing, Joe

Get the Metal Out!

It's a landmark week. My theory related to Morgellons Disease is now in print (Explore! 20.5) for which I give much thanks to Crystyne Jackson, Explore! editor, for ongoing support and motivation (keep on rockin' the medical world!) I'm soon to end my over half year+ of couch surfing as I'll be moving back into my home in Wellsboro. And, finally, what you might be most interested in, I'm taking more steps towards cleaning the heavy metals out of my system.

I picked up an internet order of glutathione from one of my sister's homes (remember I currently do not have a real address); this was motivation by recent dialog on this blog and understanding glutathione binds with mercury to pull it out of your system. In discussing this with a health store pro, I was told Alpha Lipoic Acid would have the same effect at a lower cost (ALA promotes our own system (liver I think) to create its own glutathione). I'll use glutathione initially with the plan to shift towards ALA.

I have just over one month until I can move back into my shack, so I will be house sitting for friends starting next week. I plan to do a week long lemonade fast (I've done this twice before) along with colon cleanse. The Tao of Detox mentions the importance of a clean colon for any detox work to be effective. I hope to also get some algin as it is known to assist in pulling metals from the digestive track and begin this along with the fast.

After the fast and re occupancy of home, I will use my infra red sauna with sulfur soap daily along with cilantro tea (not the best taste but is said to help pull mercury and improve memory). I'll continue my daily walks (minimal one hour) and build my yoga routine. I may also start doing some wood runs again. Key is getting my health and energy back to where it should be.

With summer over and fall here, it feels right to pursue happier and healthier. It makes sense to get the metal out! Happy trails, Joe

Reclaiming Your Internal Environment- Part 6- The Progress, Challenges, and Stumbles

Though we seldom talk about it, when it comes to health in America we are conditioned to believe almost always a simple pill will make things right. If there was a pill to take away Morgellons, I'm certain many would opt to take it (and it would make about 95% of the medical world happier...not to mention the drug companies). Morgellons or HyperToxicity Syndrome or NeuroCutaneous Syndrome is truly systemic. My experience has been that the only real way to get well and eliminate symptoms (some which you may presently think have nothing to do with Morgellons) is to go after the beast and detox, detox, detox!

We have to be careful though. If you loosen mercury or other heavy metals from their molecular bind where they are currently and you overtax your detox system (such as kidney or liver), you may find yourself dealing with other health issues. Such toxins have to be removed with care and patience. It will take time.

I know in my efforts over the past 4+ years, I've had some major...feeling better, feeling better, feeling better...then suddenly oh, I'm feeling bad again. The best example of this would be my endocrine system challenges over the past year.

Obviously I wouldn't have gone over to Tanzania to teach if I though my health would be an issue. I had been feeling at the top of the world having taken up rock climbing and started some serious trail running again. I though all of my health issues were in the past and then stress overtook me. The students I would be teaching were from wealth and, having been raised on a farm with little, this certainly brought out some of my insecurities. While most of the staff were good people, there were enough game-playing coworkers to make my life difficult. I felt I had stress upon stress upon stress. Without reliving this extremely dysfunctional setting where the American male did not fit in, I will simply state I started to have some serious symptoms. Piecing it all together over time, I realized I was dealing with endocrine issues. It was a major stumble!

Still with 6 months of feeling like crap and getting no answers from the various doctors I'd visited, I needed to go through this challenge. I made it through another course of crappy symptoms and found my way back to health.

The thing about Morgellons and even related endocrine challenges is they are deep core issues of health. As someone who relies heavily on my mind working proper to teach and to write, I have felt completely broken at times (and these are the times I'm most likely to seek a closer connection to God); maybe this is for the best.

Given all of the challenges and stumbles, you may wonder is it worth it? I've got to say absolutely! I love life and living! If you've visited my main website (jwkeleher.com) and looked through some of my travels, you've seen a glimpse of my life after Morgellons. You can get through Morgellons. You can reclaim your internal environment and you can live a life more full than you have ever dreamed! It is out there. Reach for it! Enough of the exclamation points (my editor hates them)and enough on reclaiming your internal environment. Saint George fought the dragon and you can fight this! Carpe diem, Joe

Reclaiming Your Internal Environment- Part 5- New Habits to Build into Healthier Living

Remember when I said I think of us as bouncing blobs of water? Of course, we are much more. We are body and mind but also spirit. So, in considering new habits to maintain and boost health, let's consider each of the three pieces which make us who we are.

Body- The body is a complex machine. It really is amazing when you ponder all it does constantly to keep us bouncing along. Key considerations in habit building (or you could say discipline) are: exercise, food intake, water intake, air intake and other. For exercise consider both internal and external exercise. Western approaches to exercise often focus on muscle building without consideration for all of the other systems the body benefits from proper functioning of including but not limited to the circulatory, respiratory, and endocrine systems. Given all my recent health challenges, I believe the endocrine system is hit especially hard by the toxicity issues related to Morgellons. I vary my exercise though I make walking an hour each day a minimal approach. I like to jog, swim (though I'm not so good at it), climbing (when I can), hiking, yoga, and now...have a growing interest in internal exercise as understood in association with Chinese health practices. We each have our likes and dislikes, but I would highly recommend something to work out your insides (yoga, tai chi, Chinese internal exercise, etc) and something to work out more externally. Find what works for you and fit it into your schedule.

Mind- It is kinda teacher-ese to be saying I think working out the mind is a necessary part of every day...but it is what I believe. For myself my minimal approach for some time has been one hour of writing and one hour of reading (though my writing sometimes expands greatly). I also enjoy tinkering such as building or renovation projects (I've been playing with the idea of getting into tree house building...but at present have no tree to build upon). I am a tactile learner and really enjoy learning combined with hand work. Again, it comes down to what works for you. Figure it out and do it!

Spirit- Sometimes we need to be reminded, a balanced and wholesome approach to your spirituality assist the body and mind as well. When I finally have a home again (which I am hoping happens sooner than later...the backpack life is getting old), I plan to invest in one of those fancy, heavy serious meditation pillows (you know what I'm talking about...they weigh a ton, are usually round and are comfortable to sit on). I want to build meditation along with prayer into my daily schedule. As a Quaker, I enjoy having weekly access to a Meeting and hope for this wherever I next land employment. Your own spiritual/religious life should be built upon those things which feed your soul and lend themselves to building yourself in spirit.

Building habits and discipline into your life will assist in recovery. Think body, mind and spirit. Think what you enjoy and what works for you. Think wellness and balance and all things good. Happy healing, Joe

Reclaiming Your Internal Environment- Part 4- Dealing With Dental Toxins

If you've been following my blog and all I have to say, you know I believe my recovery is due primarily because of my removal of dental toxins. The mouth is the gateway to the rest of your body and dental materials your body does not tolerate are a means of slow poisoning.

Key to my recovery was the removal of amalgam fillings. Mercury is the second deadliest substance known to man. Too much of it and you are dead. While we have been told mercury in fillings is safe, I no longer believe it. Mercury needs to be removed and it needs to be removed safely.

Key to removal of toxins is connecting to a qualified biologic dentist. It may be you will have to leave the old mom and pop friendly dentist you have always gone to behind. Your health is too big of an issue to not take a stand. It'll cost more to go to a qualified dentist but it is absolutely necessary!

Your biologic dentist should ask you to get tested for dental toxicity (again costly but necessary). Talk to them about prep (what they recommend taking...at least vitamin C and chlorella), the procedure, and follow up. Instead of going through all of this, I refer you to an excellent article (actually better than anything I could write on it) by Mike Adams found at: http://www.naturalnews.com/007851.html .

I know it is not what many of you would like to hear, but I must tell you the symptoms will get worse before they get better. Though a biologic dentist will do everything possible to keep your mercury levels from going up, in removal there is likely to be a slight increase in mercury released into your system. Even the slightest amount of mercury can tip the scale with these symptoms. Just remember to keep the mantra going...these are only symptoms.

The process of cleaning out years of toxins from your system will take some time. Be patient. Know the steps towards cleaning out your internal environment will help make your life what it should be. We weren't put on this planet to suffer, we're meant to enjoy ourselves. Happy Healing, Joe

Reclaiming Your Internal Environment- Part 3- Your Home

I have several entries already related to this post. I spent a large part of last school year on a sub list, as I cleaned out toxins from my house in Wellsboro, PA (a pre and post article appears in the archives of Natural Home magazine- go to http://www.naturalhomeandgarden.com/ and search for "Pennsylvania Pick Me Up"). Assuming you have taken care of removing/ managing toxins in your home, I recommend several other steps in making your home effective in assisting in reclaiming your internal environment; these include utilizing feng shui, creating a sacred space and making detox related tools accessible without being overwhelming. While I am not currently living in my home (in fact I have been living out of my backpack for almost 6 months now), I will share what I learned living in my home last year.

I've had some ongoing interest in feng shui. While I don't believe in all aspects of it, I do think the general philosophy of creating a space of health and good energy makes sense. Simple things like room color make a difference. Getting rid of clutter is a "no brainer". I feel best in a clean, crisp, comfortable atmosphere (you'll get a sense if you look at my home in the NHM articles). Take care of these matters and keep your space healthy. It'll help.

I think a sacred space for prayer and meditation is helpful. I have a labyrinth in my backyard to walk through and quiet my mind (it is found in one of my early entries). I also consider my hammock essential; it is where I go when I need to relax my body and mind. Sacred space is a personal creation based on beliefs, needs and desires. Create what works for you. It can be as simple as a seat or pillow in the corner or as elaborate as your own backyard church. Create what you can and keep it sacred. God knows you need this space!

Some of my tools for recovery include: hand massager, yoga equipment, jogging gear, climbing gear, and a sauna. I try to keep materials handy without getting in the way (although the sauna does take up part of the dining room). Keep it accessible, neat and logical- everything has a proper place.

Your home should be a calm setting. I realize this may be easier said than done. Understanding the framework you are living in and working with it will make a difference. Good luck, Joe

Reclaiming You Internal Environment- Part 2- Opening Detox Channels

There's plenty out there on detoxing to assist in healing. As I view Morgellons as a condition due to toxicity, I am keen on sharing some of the basic knowledge I feel is worthwhile. In general, I view our bodies as bouncing blobs of water. Our blobs are only on this world for a short time; it make sense for our time to be as healthy as we can make it.

Let's begin. We need to think about what we are allowing into our bouncing blob of water. Keep our intake of food, water and air as healthy as possible is essential. If you live near know toxic exposure, realize it has effects on your health...if you can, move (as I did. It ain't been easy, but I made the decision my health was more important than my income. I moved away from the power plant area of the Four Corners). Eat right--organic (when possible), avoid known junk foods, no GMOs,...you know, there are endless sources of information on this. For water, get it as clean as possible. I recommend filters on drinking water as well as showers (your body will absorb approximately 5 cups of water each shower). If you are in an area where historic mining has taken place, sponge baths may be your best alternative (I did this for an extended time when I lived in Teec Nos Pos, AZ. My levels of uranium exposure increase in urine test and I realized this was likely to waters coming down from mountains with uranium tailing piles). Air quality should be good if not great; my recent job/hell on earth position in Tanzania including my asking about air quality right off the bat (the head of schools told me, "...the quality is good". He failed to mention my needing to drive through diesel traffic for close to two hours each day). I will discuss/review more on air quality in the home in my next entry. Now that we've explored the intake for our blog, let's look at the outtake.

Toxins leave the body in three major ways--sweat, urine and feces (stress is also a form of toxin. Traumatic issues from the past may need to be confronted. Forgiving needs to happen...you need to forgive friends, health professionals who do not understand Morgellons (very, very important!), family, and even yourself. As I have made use of the 12 Steps for recovery (and suspect I will always need to make use of them), I recommend their use. For today's entry I will focus on matters related to the body and not the mind/spirit). The skins is the largest organ and sweating away toxins is helpful. I like sweats and saunas weekly (if possible). After getting to the point of sweating, you must wash off toxins before the body reabsorbs them; this can be done with a sponge bath, filtered shower, or rolling in the sand (as I did when going to traditional Navajo sweats).

Key to successful detox from heavy metals (such as mercury of course), is to have detox channels for passage out of body open. The kidneys and liver need to be functioning well. It is very important to not have toxins getting stuck along the way out. Though I have found it useful and having a huge impact, enemas (especially coffee which is good for the colon, intestines, liver and kidneys) need to be done with care. I recommend going into this slowly. There are also numerous herbal supports found at local health food stores; be cautious with these too. I use milk thistle for my liver. Lymphatic drainage is important (I have an entry on self massage and recommend looking at it). Regular massage is useful; if you cannot afford to go to a professional massage therapist, I would invest in a palm held massage device (found online for about $35).

Exercise and discipline are helpful. One hour of walking/jogging/yoga or what have you per day is good. I also find one hour of meditation/prayer helpful; stress produces toxins and calm opens the body to release. I recently found a copy of The Complete System of Self-Healing by: Dr. Stephen T. Chang at a yard sale; I have been working on internal exercise and can only say, "Wow! This is definitely beneficial!" In truth, I now know the best approaches to exercise for detox and general health includes both internal and external exercise.

Well, we've covered a lot of ground. I know there is plenty more which could be discussed and look into. Please share what you have found useful along your own path. Of course, we are all individuals and need to find what works for us. A good health professional working with you on all health matters (including detox and opening detox channels) is, as always, recommended. Happy healing, Joe