Category Archives: Immune system

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The Healing Process: The Cell, Part 2 Energy

ENERGY!  Where does it come from?

We’ve seen how the cell makes protein molecules.  The names of some of these proteins are familiar to us, such as adrenaline, testosterone, estrogen, insulin, cholesterol, dopamine, triglycerides, ATP.  Others are not so familiar, such as collagen, the connective tissue used through the body to hold tissues together.  Then there are countless other proteins found in bones, muscles and hair.  Many do not have names but only numbers for identifying them.  Some are coded as catalyst and messengers to set in motion various events and processes, such as caffeine and “signaling messengers,” to which I’ll dedicate several blog posts later on.

But before we get too much further into our thematic consideration of  the healing process, let’s look at where the cell gets its energy to power its complex machinery.  I’ll call on Dr. Gary Samuelson again to help tell the story as he tells it so well in his booklet, The Science of Healing Revealed . . . New insights into Redox Signaling.

First, let’s view a couple of video clips:   Powering the Cell: Mitochondria (2 min)   Powerhouses of the Cell (1 min)  [Note: video clips are best viewed in full screen mode and using headphones.  To return to the blog, exit full screen mode and then click on the BACK arrow up top left on the screen.]

(Or simply view these embeded videos, although one of them does not have a full screen mode option.)


After viewing these computer animated models of the life and inner workings of the cell, is there any doubt there is a God governing intelligent unfoldment of creation?  Watching these inner “micro machines” of the cell move about in buoyant salty fluid with such grace and certainty, demonstrates the nature of what we’ve come to call the “subtle energy” of life.  Life is in no hurry.  Why should it be?   It is in control of the entire universe, and that’s not going anywhere, has no agenda to accomplish within a “deadline.”  Nor does it use “power or might” to accomplish its work. “By my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” are the eternal miracles of life accomplished. The subtle energy that empowers our cells is our very lifeline –  and “subtle energy work,” such as attunement and sacred sound healing, is the “wave of the future” in the field of health and healing, as well a lifestyle, simply because it supports the healing process and doesn’t “intervene” with or impose upon the innate wisdom of the body.

Now, on with our lesson for the day . . . .

THE FUEL REFINERS

Almost all of the machinery inside the cell is adapted to use only one type of fuel, namely ATP, providing, providing 95% of the energy necessary to keep this machinery and thus the whole body working. The cell’s fuel, ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) has three high-energy phosphate molecules on one end. They are put together by the burning of simple sugars with oxygen from the blood in a process that is called the “metabolism” of sugar. ATP itself is built up while passing through a complex protein called ATPsynthase. . . .  Most of the ATPsynthase is embedded in the wall of the main energy powerhouse in the cell, the mitochondria. It is in the mitochondria where most of the ATP fuel is manufactured. The ATPsynthase in the mitochondria produces the vast majority of the cell’s fuel, in the form of ATP.

Video clips: ATP Synthesis (1:12),  The Krebs Cycle (0:27)


The mitochondria are interesting objects by themselves, they have their own circular DNA, called “mtDNA,” and behave much like bacteria, they divide and reproduce themselves and manufacture some of their own proteins, but they are always under the control of the nucleus; something like domesticated, energy-producing “cattle” of the cell. There are anywhere from 10 to 5000 mitochondria in each cell, often comprising up to 50% of the total cell‘s inner volume. Consequently, the mitochondria also consume the lion‘s share of the cellular oxygen in exchange for the ATP fuel they produce.

The importance of ATP cannot be over emphasized; every time your muscles move or a thought runs through your brain, every time you sweat or salivate or look at something, billions upon billions of ATP molecules are being consumed in order to power the process. The chemical reactions powering your cells are blurringly fast on the molecular scale. Most of the complex reactions take place in less than one millionth of a second.

THE FUEL STATION ATTENDANTS:

Just like the gas pedal 0n your car, most of the molecular micro machines inside your cells have “throttles,” called kinases, that control how fast the ATP fuel is consumed by these machines and consequently how fast these little machines operate. ATP is expensive to produce and thus is carefully conserved and used to fuel the most important processes of the cell first. This ATP fuel is also carefully regulated so that no part of the cell receives more than its fair share and ensures that the fuel goes to the place where it is most needed. A few examples of the actual
protein regulators that determine how much ATP fuel is used and where it is used are listed next. The keys to these kinase fuel gateways are determined by a variety of different molecules that are floating around in the neighborhood as well as the presence of oxidants and reductants that will be explained in following chapters.

Pyruvate-Kinase — surprisingly, some of these tiny molecular kinase molecules, like Pyruvate Kinase, actually look like throttle valves that, when activated, physically open up a passage to let the ATP through.

cAMP and cGMP are a few of the hundreds of messenger “keys” that unlock the “fuel gates” (Kinases) on the molecular machines so that they can accept the fuel (ATP) that they need to work. These messengers are often released by signals coming from the outside of the cell and regularly unlock the gates that regulate sugar intake and smooth muscle control of the blood vessel dilation. cGMP, for  example, helps open up blood flow and is one of the active ingredients in the popular drug, Viagra.

Ck2a Kinase with IP3 — some kinase gates, especially gates that let through certain metal ions used in muscle control and rapid signaling, are controlled by small molecules like IP3 that hold the fuel gate closed or open.

Video clip:  Glycolysis and Cellular Respiration (3 min 17 sec).   This is a look at the practical, rubber-meets-the-road application of all we’ve just considered.

Aren’t these YouTube video clips entertaining, as well as educational?!  I just love them . . . and I am so thankful to their various creators for making them so freely available on the Web.

I don’t know about you, but I am totally blown away by the biological immensity and complexity of the cell’s anatomy and physiology.   And we’ve only been looking at a single cell’s internal activities.  Multiply what you’ve seen by 100,000,000,000 cells . . . that’s one-hundred-trillion!  It’s mind-boggling . . . for me anyway.   It definitely makes me more aware of the miracle that life is, and it engenders in me a profound sense of respect for the cells of my body and a desire to offer them as much help as I can to make their work easier – such help as eating wholesome foods and taking nutritional supplements and herbs when needed with an attitude of blessing them all, as well as eliminating as many toxins from my life as possible, and doing moderate exercise daily, if only a twenty to thirty minute walk outdoors where fresh air is available and nature’s beauty abounds.

But even more important, I help my cells by maintaining a internal climate of peace and joy, because I  know they feel what’s going on inside my heart, as well as the vibrations of my thoughts.   I will think of these beautiful cells every time a negative thought creeps into my head, a resentful or complaining attitude wants to take root in my heart, or an ill spirit comes along to vex my soul.   In the words of the Psalmist, “Let me dwell in the secret place of the Most High, and abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”  Let me love unconditionally myself, my neighbor, my world.  Let there be peace in my house of being.

Tune in to my next installation in this series of articles exploring the nature of The Healing Process for a consideration of  “The Signaling Messengers” and the critical roles they play in maintaining chemical balance (homeostasis) in the body and implementing its healing process.

I will also be sharing a very significant scientific breakthrough and its application via innovative technology: The Redox Signaling Molecule. I look forward to it because it will represent the “golden nugget” of this series on the healing process.

I’ll leave you to the enjoyment once again of David Bolinsky’s entertaining presentation of the “Fantastic Voyage inside the cell.”  (10 min)

My best to your health and healing,

Dr. Tony Palombo


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The Healing Process:The Cell, Part 1 Protein Synthesis

BASIC CONCEPTS

We’ve been considering the role of the cell in facilitating the healing process, sharing some of Dr. Gary Samuelson’s booklet The Science of Healing Revealed – New Insights into Redox Signaling. In this post we will look at the basic concept of the cell’s function in manufacturing protein molecules, the fundamental building blocks of our anatomy.

(Note: This post contains several video clips for your visual aid and entertainment. They are best viewed in full screen mode and with headphones. After viewing a clip, click the full screen option again to exit full screen mode, then click on the BACK arrow at the top left hand corner of the screen to return to the blog.)

We’ll start with this beautiful video clip of The Inner Life of the Cell (8 min).  Brief ABC Report (3 min).  If you have the time, enjoy  David Bolinsky’s  entertaining Fantastic Voyage inside the cell (10 min.)

An Overview of How Healthy Cells Work

All life processes take place inside of our cells. In the simplest definition, a cell is a tiny bag filled with salt water and organic chemicals. The bag itself is made out of a bi-lipid [phospholipid] membrane (3 thin sheet that has waterproof layers on both sides and a thin layer of fat [cholesterol] in between).

Note the need for cholesterol in the cell structure, not at all the “bad” thing medicine and pharma would have us believe.  Balance and ratio, as in all things, is the primary factor.

View clip Anatomy of a cell (3:38)

All of the materials that the cell needs to maintain life must be passed through this membrane into the inside of the cell and also all of the unneeded garbage that is generated inside tile cell needs to be passed back out through this membrane to the outside of the cell. The cell manufactures certain portals or gateways, called receptors and co-receptors, that are embedded in the cell membrane to let the materials in and out and to pass chemical messages from the outside to the inside of the cell and vice versa. Everything that affects the cell must be able either to pass through these portals or to diffuse through the membrane. (4:40)

(Click on picture for a larger view, then click on BACK arrow to return to blog)

In the middle of each cell there is another smaller double bag (made from two bi-lipid membranes) that contains the nucleus and DNA. The DNA [Deoxyibonucleic Acid] has encoded instructions on how and when to build the proteins that the cell uses. A DNA strand is made out of two molecular spines twisted into a double helix. Between the spines there can be found only four distinct types of molecules called nucleotides (labeled A,T,C,G)  which are arranged in sequenced groups like rungs on a ladder. Groups of three of these rungs are called “codons” (A-T-G1 for example).

The exact sequence of these codons in the DNA strand determines the specific order in which amino acids are chained together (called polypeptide chains) in order to form proteins, thousands and thousands of different varieties. Most of the cell’s machinery and inner structure is formed out of the proteins manufactured from these genetic instructions. One exception to this rule is the formation of an organelle called the Mitochondrion. The Mitochondria (plural) contain their own DNA (called mtDNA) formed in circular strands and they divide and reproduce inside the cell much like bacteria divide, but are controlled and regulated by protein messengers from the nucleus. The Mitochondria’s primary job is to efficiently produce the fuel (ATP) that energizes the micro machines inside the cell that carry out the life processes. There are anywhere from 10 to 5000 Mitochondria in a typical cell, taking up to 50% of the cell’s volume.

YouTube video clips:   DNA and RNA (1:45)   Protein Synthesis (3:30)  Transcription: From DNA to Flesh and Blood (4 min)

In theory, the DNA sequences of instructions (genes) inside any given cell in your body are entirely identical to the DNA sequences (genes) that are in every other cell (with the exception of the reproductive cells). Lately researchers have cloned whole animals by placing the DNA from a single skin cell inside an empty egg cell. The egg cell starts to divide and form a complete organism. The DNA package Inside every ceil in the animal has all of the instructions necessary to form a whole new animal. This begs the question: If the DNA in every cell is identical, then how does there come to be so many different varieties of cells and tissues, brain cells, bone cells, skin cells, liver cells, etc.? The answer to this question is found in the understanding that the individual cells do not act alone they are grouped and bound together into tissues.

The genes activated in the individual cells depend largely on messengers sent back and forth from their neighbors and are specific to where the cells are located in the body. After a while, the chemical (protein) messages sent from the surrounding cells activate the genes that determine the behavior of all the cells that collectively form similar tissue. So in a real sense, the cellular function is determined by the environment in which it lives.  Cells, in this sense, “become what they eat.”   [Underscore mine]

Cellular differentiation and “stem cells.”

The ability of a cell to change its form and function depending on the protein messengers surrounding it is called “cellular differentiation.” A cell gains its identity (brain, muscle, liver, etc.) from the messengers it finds around it and/or builds inside it. A recent triumph in science came when “stem cells” were discovered. These cells can take the form of any cell they come into contact with (they are undifferentiated cells). If you want to grow new brain cells, for example, then all that is required is to place stem cells in the brain. They will soon transform into new brain cells that fit flawlessly into their new environment as they are programmed to become new brain cells by their neighboring cells. This also happens if they are placed in the liver, heart, etc., the stem cells ultimately become similar to the cells that surround them. It is an interesting fact that the cells in your body can also genetically shift due to the intake of nutrients that you eat. What you eat can literally change the form and genetic function of your cells. There have been experiments with identical twins in mice, both having exactly the same DNA, that were fed different diets. One mouse grew shiny brown fur and was skinny. The other grew light gold fur and was fat and sickly. The only difference between the two mice was in what they ate.”

This point is one to give pause for deep consideration, so I will end this post with it.  It is this kernel of truth that emerged out of the fascinating work of world renown Cellular Biologist, Dr. Bruce Lipton.  Click on his name below when you have 35 minutes to relax and listen to this brilliant man as he tells his story of how he violated the central dogma that is the pillar of modern biomedicine.  This dogma is the concept, formulated by Francis Crick, co-founder along with Jim Watson of the DNA double helix molecule, that the flow of information in biology goes from DNA to RNA to protein, and since you body is made of protein, and protein is coded by the DNA in the cell, which carries your genetic heritage and fingerprint, your behavior is controlled by your genes, and you are a victim of your heredity past.  This is not the truth of the matter, but I’ll let Dr. Lipton tell his own story and leave you to your listening and learning pleasure . . . and with this prophetic pearl from Albert Einstein, who wrote: “The field is the sole governing agency of the particle.”

To your health and healing,

Dr. Tony Palombo

Video of  Dr. Bruce Lipton (35 min.)


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The Healing Process: Introduction

Tony Pics for SA BookWE LIVE, HEAL AND DIE AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL

My primary job as a doctor is to teach health as I administer healing of dis-ease. Teaching is what I most enjoy.  This blog is all about teaching health.  The more you understand your body and how it lives at the cellular and molecular levels, the better equipped you are with the knowledge and wisdom to manage your health.

The general heading of this and the next several articles is “The Healing Process,” and I promise that you will understand what it is and how it works at the cellular level when you finish reading the next few blog posts, and it will take several posts to cover the subject matter.

Our subject is the cell.  Our objective will be to gain an understanding and deepen our appreciation for the individual cells that make up our body: how they live, facilitate the healing process, and give their lives to maintaining the integrity and homeostasis of the whole body.  We stand to learn much about life and about how we might give our lives, dedicate our living, to the healing of the body of mankind, which is, in reality, the Body of the Creator on this planet, and to the building of a healthier community on Earth.

To help tell the story of the life of the cell, I will call upon Dr. Gary L. Samuelson, who holds a Ph.D. in Atomic and Medical Physics from the University of Utah. He has dedicated his career and knowledge to the advancement of promising technologies addressing the major health issues facing mankind today. His study of the science of healing takes him deep into the microcosm of life itself, beyond mental judgement and labeling.  Through his eyes we can see clearly the truth of all the elements that go to make up our bodies – the “good” and so-called “bad” – all of which are essential to the healing process and the maintenance of balance in our body’s chemistry.  In truth, there isn’t “good and bad,” but simply what is, and it is all good.

The deeper we go into the micro structures of the fabric of creation, where there is yet pristine terrain untouched by human hands, the clearer is the design and function of the creative process . . . and that’s my keen interest.  For if we understand the ways of life and the processes by which life brings about creation, we may better understand how we, as creator beings, can work together to bring about a healthier world.

I invite you to sit back and allow your mind to relax its effort to grasp meaning and simply settle down and go deep with me, and with Gary Samuelson, to enjoy a fascinating journey and molecular tour of the human cell.  I promise this will be a most enjoyable book review and reading, presented in sections over several blog posts so as to give the reader time to fully digest and process the material. Enjoy the tour!

The Science of Healing Revealed — New Insights into Redox Signaling,  by Gary L. Samuelson, Ph.D.

Dr. Samuelson has found a way to take a complex and difficult subject and make it lucid and understandable to the lay reader. It is very rare that someone can convey concepts in science with such clarity and still maintain a degree of accuracy and precision. Dr. Samuelson possesses this unique talent; he explains the body‘s natural healing process on the molecular level in a way that conserves the precision of the science, and yet exposes the technical terms and underlying concepts in clear language able to be understood by any interested reader.

The reader stands to gain a much better view of the science of healing and a good understanding of the basic concepts of how the body‘s healing process works.   (Chase N. Peterson, MD, Former President of the University of Utah)

FORWARD

I have always been fascinated by the process of life. How does a blade of grass grow, what determines its shape and function? If it is chopped off, how does it know to grow back? I was sometimes accused of being a strange child, yet my inquiring mind turned me toward the study of science. This love of truth and science stayed with me into my adult life. I soon realized that the mystery of life is one of the most fundamental questions facing us. Shortly after obtaining my Ph.D. in Atomic and Medical Physics, I was set on a path that would ultimately lead me to find the answer to some of these questions and to better understand the overall framework of life processes, approached on the most basic atomic level.

The purpose of this booklet is to help the reader explore and understand this newly emerging science about healing, in a clear, concise, straightforward manner, one that sets a framework around the fundamental principles of the inner workings of the body: explaining how the micro machinery of the body allows the body to thrive when it is well and to heal itself when it is not well. This topic is approached from a first-principles basis, the science is explained as best my language will allow. This book also outlines some emerging cutting-edge science related to the role that redox signaling plays in the healing process.

It is my hope that the reader will be able to follow and comprehend some of the basic, yet incredible, processes that allow us to live and then be motivated to apply this new-found knowledge toward living a healthier every–day life.

INTRODUCTION

Imagine what would happen if our body suddenly lost its ability to heal itself. Within hours, our body would age several years, tissues would degrade, infections would take hold and our body would quickly wither and die. The root of the word “health” is “heal” [to make whole]. The body is constantly healing itself. The body’s ability to heal is one of the most fundamental and essential principles of life. Since conception, our body has been abundantly endowed with this ability. In order to better understand how it does this, we must start by looking at the smallest components of life, the workings inside the living cells that make up our body.

Human cells are generally very small. In a cell’s-eye view, the wrinkles in the palm of your hand are huge cavernous canyons with cliffs and ledges, stretching on for miles. A single hair on the back of your hand is a huge towerinq column of proteins jutting far up, out-of-sight. And yet, even on this tiny scale, the cell is very large compared to the micro machines that perform the processes of life inside the cell. If we were to now dive down inside the cell with a camera that is small enough to see a single strand of DNA, we would see a bustling metropolis of thousands of different types af molecular actors floating around in the salt water, full of activity, extending for hundreds of yards in all directions; proteins being manufactured and folded, delivery systems on microtubules taxiing these proteins around to where they need to go, receptors receiving and transferring messages from inside and the cell and factory-like organelles, hubs where the most complex manufacturing takes place.  In the center would be the nucleus containing the DNA spitting out the instructions needed to manufacture and transport all of these micro machines and messengers. Within this thriving buzz of activity is found the mystery of human cellular life.

Our knowledge of these life processes is doubling in less than five years time now. In fact, the emerging science and framework contained in this small booklet have been mostly developed in the last five to ten years and is the result of literally thousands of investigators who have devoted their lives to build such knowledge. The state of our understanding is constantly changing and evolving. Our understanding of the role of oxidants [free radicals] and antioxidants, for example, has done a turn-about in the last five years. The oxidants (made naturally inside the cells) were thought of as an unfortunate toxic by-product of our metabolism, and the antioxidants (also made in the cells) were thought of as the heroes that were made to clean up these evil oxidants and save us from their toxic grip. Our present understanding, however, is more enlightened. We now have come to see that the oxidants, themselves, play a crucial and essential messenger role to maintain basic chemical balance inside and outside of our cells and, in truth, we cannot live without them.

The picture gradually becomes clearer and clearer as time goes along. As scientists put together the edge pieces, the whole puzzle starts to take shape. In this booklet, we will look at some of these pieces and how they fit together. However, the major emphasis of this booklet will be to take an overview of the whole puzzle and set up a framework that will help us understand how the bigger picture is taking form and how we can use this knowledge to make a future of better health and a better life for all.

The first 4 chapters in this booklet will introduce you to basic cellular biology and function; this part is helpful in order to familiarize yourself with the microscopic workings inside your cells and the basic concepts. Some of these concepts will be useful. including the chapter on the immune system, in order to get the big picture. The last 2 chapters, however, contain the real heart of the material and new insights on the body’s natural healing precess. These last chapters should be read carefully in order to comprehend the huge potential benefits offered by emerging technologies.

Tune in to my next blog post for a continuation of the story of the life of the cell and our ongoing exploration into “The Healing Process.”  We will take a journey inside the cell.  Click on this link for a YouTube video preview: Journey Inside the Cell

To your health and healing,

Dr. Anthony Palombo

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Your Natural Medicine Cabinet

Tony Pics for SA BookClients are always asking me for a list of natural medicines for their medicine cabinets.  So, here’s a list that will help you stock up your medicine cabinet with nutritional and herbal protocols that have really proven their effectiveness over decades of clinical performance.  After looking over the list, put an order together and email it to me.  I’ll have it at your doorstep in two to four days.  When you start running low on products, email or call me.  If you have never used natural medicines, you are in for a very pleasant surprise.  These products work magically and with no harmful side effects.  They support you immune system so that your body can do its job efficiently rather than depending on drugs to do its job for it, thus making it lazy.  Natural medicines are in harmony with you body.   Unlike high-potency drugs that require low dosages, natural medicines are high concentrations of whole food nutrients and herbs that require larger therapeutic dosages over a short period of time.  Use them according to the labels without concern for overdosing.   Remember also that natural whole food nutrients do not interfere with critical medications.  On the contrary, feeding the body with whole-food supplements help your prescribed meds work even better.

For Your Natural Medicine Cabinet

Immune support for strep infections (eye, ear, nose, throat, bronchial, and lung).

Echinacea Premium — a preventative for year-round immune support.  $30 (40 tabs), $85 (120 tabs)

Congaplex – A natural antibiotic formulated to support your immune system  $30 (150 caps.)

Allerplex –  A natural decongestant to facilitate the processing and removal of metabolic waste by the liver and lymphatic system (helps with swollen glands, sinus headaches, lung congestions).   $25 (150 caps.)

TriGuard Plus — Colloidal Silver, Olive Leaf Extract & Tea Tree Oil. Kills bacteria and viruses. ($18 /1 oz bottle, 30 servings)

Immune support for staph infections (boils)

Thymex® — supports the thymus, the master gland of the immune system.  $18 (90T)

Spanish Black Radish – bowel detoxification of bacterial debris.   $12 (90T)

Immune support for viral infections (colds, shingles, cold sores)

Immuplex® — Forspleen, thymus and liver support during viral infections.  $14 (40C), $44 (150C)

St. John’s Wort-IMT – anti-virus herbal immune support.     $27 (90C)

Synergistic herbal immune support during infections and congestions

Golden Seal – anti-staph herbal support to maintain healthy mucous membranes and breathing passageways, cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, stimulate digestion, support the body’s normal production and flow of bile, and aid the body’s response to environmental stress.  $35 (40T)

Echinacea C – Herbal support and modulation of the immune system with Vitamin C.  $18 (90T)

Andrographis Complex – powerful immune support for acute infection.  $28 (40T),  $76 (120T)

Astragalus Complex – powerful immune support for chronic infections.  (Note: switch to Andrographis Complex for acute symptoms.)  $27 (30T),  $68 (90T)

ResCo® — Multiple herbal support to encourage the removal of mucous, ease the cough reflex, and help to maintain a healthy throat.* $26 (40T)

Broncafect® — Multiple herbal support of the immune system, the natural cough reflex, the breakup of respiratory secretions, the production of white blood cells, and the maintenance of normal body temperature and resistance.* $27 (40T)

Herbal Throat Spray — for real relief of sore throat with Echinacea herb for immune support.  $20

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

*Contraindication: high blood pressure, fluid retention, congestive heart failure, and low blood potassium.

Disclaimer: the information and products above are not FDA approved and are not intended to be used to diagnose or treat any disease or replace any medications.

These Standard Process and MediHerb products are manufactured in Palmyra, WI, and are available only through licensed practitioners of the healing arts.  For product information, visit Standard Process Labs on the web at: www.standardprocess.com

_____________________________________________________________________________________

MAIL ORDER SPECIAL! – 10% DISCOUNT on all orders over $99

  • Add $13 for drop shipping.  Free shipping on orders over $400.
  • Email orders to: dranthonypalombo@live.com (see note below).
  • Mail orders with payment to Dr. Anthony Palombo, 1722 Bilbo St., Lake Charles, La. 70601
  • For inquiries and health coaching call Dr. Palombo’s cell phone  (337) 802-5510

Note: Orders are drop-shipped by UPS so a physical address is required.  Payment can be made by check, money order or credit card. Do not send credit card information by the internet or by email. Simply give me a call with your credit card information.  


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Turn stress into peace and calm!

     

THE CALM, CONNECT AND COORDINATE SYSTEM       

  You’ve heard of the “fight, flight or freeze syndrome,” haven’t you? That system is turned on by stress, or by reaction to stressors which makes you distressed. Well, the calm, connect and coordinate system is what turns it off, restoring you to a state of calm wherein you can sink back into your skin and reconnect with your body as well as your environment instead of fleeing from them. It also gets the cells of your body functioning as a well-coordinated whole once again rather than galvanized, or frozen, in an isolated state of self-defense. This syndrome is turned on by a rarely talked about and scarcely understood hormone: Oxytocin.      

 Produced in the hypothalamus–a part of the brain that coordinates pituitary hormone production with the central nervous system and with what’s occurring around you–and stored in the posterior pituitary where it is released as a hormone to circulate through the body, oxytocin functions by altering or modulating the activities in other major body systems. It can have very long-lasting effects as these major systems work in a feedback loop and stimulate more oxytocin production. New discoveries are showing oxytocin is produced in many different places, including the heart and blood vessel walls, ovaries, and testes.       

 The hormone, Vasopressin–which stimulates the stress syndrome–is also produced in the hypothalamus and is stored and released by the posterior pituitary gland. Also known as an anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), it functions to maintain the body’s fluid volume and balance. In addition, vasopressin acts to increase aggression, hyper-vigilance, and other fight or flight type reactions.    Our understanding of oxytocin and the calm and connection system is in its infancy. Almost all study has been directed to the fight or flight or distress handling system. Most textbooks still state that oxytocin’s only functions are to simulate uterine contraction and facilitate lactation in females (along with prolactin).     

 In oxytocin producing cells the electric impulses do not occur one by one, but in a cluster. When the cells are powerfully stimulated, as in breast-feeding, (or other oxytocin stimulating behavior) the electrical activity becomes coordinated and the cells act in concert. This is part of the reason large amounts of oxytocin can be released in nursing women.  Estrogen can activate the oxytocin system and prolong its effects. Therefore, at certain times oxytocin affects females more potently than males. Testosterone can activate vasopressin and sustain its effects. Therefore, at certain times, vasopressin affects males more potently than females. Neurons that contain serotonin stimulate the release of oxytocin. This may be part of the mechanism of action of SSRI drugs that affect mood and anxiety levels. (Dopamine and noradrenalin also stimulate oxytocin release.) As you can see by the following list, there are many ways we can foster the calm, connect and coordinate system.     

So, next time you find yourself stressed out over something, start producing oxytocin!      

What stimulates Oxytocin release?  

 Giving thanks, being thankful and grateful, coming into the present moment with unconditional acceptance of things the way they are as being perfect; feelings of security, sensation and pleasure; touch, stroking, rhythmic touch; friendship, closeness, bonding experiences; sexual behavior, sex and intimacy, childbirth (uterine contractions), nursing and sucking (thumb-sucking); thoughts, memories, feelings of all the above; and probably such things as . . .   

 Some types of massage, chiropractic spinal adjustments, acupuncture, and other body-mind-spirit based techniques; energy work, attunement healing (Reiki); laughter and random happiness, deep sleep (delta), deep rhythmic breathing, Yoga, tai chi, and other related practices; rocking, singing, meditation, certain types of music, dance, art, literature, poetry; giving and receiving unconditional love; interaction with animals; a job or activity well done, especially if it benefits many; play and other positive and meaningful experiences. 
 
Isn’t it wonderful how our bodies look after us and respond to our every wish and intention!  The body never makes a mistake.  Everything it does is perfect.  We have every reason to trust it.  
 
 To your health,  
 
 Dr. Tony Palombo  
 References:   Dr. Janet Lang’s Nutritional Seminars, HealthLight Newsletter, Fall 2004   
 

 

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Inner Ear Infection

 

Tony Pics for SA BookWhat a trip this has been!

Two weeks ago I woke up with a mounting pain in my left ear.  Within 12 hours I had a full-blown inner ear infection.  Two days later my right ear, no doubt feeling left out, got into the act as well and I practically lost my hearing altogether.  Wow!  I haven’t had an ear infection since childhood!  This one lasted about 10 days!  I ran a moderate fever and felt rotten the whole duration.   Not fun!

Staph & Virus

Thanks to my dear friend and partner, who is a wonderful and capable healer herself, we were able to determine very early what was going on.  With CRA (Contact Reflex Analysis), a form of muscle testing, the culprits were revealed: a staph bacterial infection accompanied by a virus.   So I went to work right away with a regimen of nutritional and herbal protocols, which, I’m here to report, worked quite well.   Supporting my immune alliance was really all that was needed.   So, I thought to share this experience with my blog readers may be helpful for others.

The Protocol: *

I took the following nutrients methodically for the duration of the infection and fever –  the daily dosage, spread out through the day, is the number inside the parentheses:

For the Staph:  Thymex (9), Thymus (6), Golden Seal (3 tabs), Spanish Black Radish (6), Echinacea Premium (3 tabs). 
For the Virus:  Immuplex (6), Congaplex (12), Cataplex E (6), St John’s Wort (3 tabs).
For fluid drainage:  Fen-Gre (10-16 per day), Antronex (6).
 
These nutrients and herbs are all Standard Process and Medi Herb products and are available through licensed health professionals.  The protocols for staph and virus listed here are good for all kinds of such infections (boils, carbuncles, styes). *
 
Note: Drink plenty of fluids and remember the old addage: “Feed a fever and starve a cold.”  There’s nothing like a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup when you’re in sickbay.  Healthy Choice puts out great soups.
 
Energy Healing
  
It’s very important to balance your energy fields when your body has a crisis such as this.  Again, my wife was able to share attunement with me to balance my endocrine system, and I sought out the services of a friend and colleague who does BEST (Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique) here in the Denver area to clear any negative sub-conscious or conscious thoughts and feeling that may have been interfering with the flow of my eneregy.   What a huge difference these energy healing arts made in restoring my energetic clarity, balance and strength.
 
Insight
  
This cycle took 10 days, and there is good reason for it taking so long.  You see, it takes 7 days for the immune system to identify and tag a new foreign invader and then produce the antibodies to deal with it.  I say “new” because it only takes a day or so for the immune system to recognize an old pathogen, one that it has encountered before and learned how to deal with.  This is the wisdom and value of not administering antibiotics to children, or yourself, indiscriminately.  The young immune system becomes educated when allowed to deal with pathogens early on.   Apparently, what I encountered was a strain of bacteria and/or virus my body was not familiar with.  After 7 days, however, it began to go after the invaders and within 3 days the fever left and I began to feel the relief throughout my body.  Now, I’m working with the fluid in my inner ears, which is draining a little every day, thanks to the help of  Fen-Gre and Antronex, natural decongestant and antihistamine respectively.  
 
Health Alert!  
There’s a deadly fungus on the move.  Check this website out for more info … and watch the video at the bottom of the site.  Very shocking information about the drug industry.
http://www.naturalnews.com/029593_fungus_Canada.html
 
So, next time you have an ear infection, have hope!  Call or email me for coaching and to obtain these nutrients.  I can have them drop-shipped to you within 2-3 days, and even overnight with a little more postage.  Better yet, order them now and put them in your medicine cabinet so you’ll have them when you need them. 
 
To your good health,
 
Dr. Tony Palombo
tpal70@gmail.com 
(337) 802-5510 
 
*These products have not been approved by the FDA are not intended to diagnose or treat any diseases.

 

 

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Understanding Psoriasis

 Tony Pics for SA BookTaking care of your liver

[ Psoriasis is a chronic condition, which means it’s been festering, or at least coming on, for quite some time due to underlying conditions.  Chronic conditions such as psoriasis have complex underlying causes, along with adaptations the body makes just to survive.  Therefore, this blog is lengthy but well worth reading in its entirety if we are to understand the complexities of this disease.  I appreciate your forbearance and promise you will not be overly taxed nor disappointed, but will be greatly rewarded with in-depth understanding of a little-understood disease.]

Your skin serves at least three functions:  protection, perception and perspirations.  It’s a membrane, made of the same embryonic tissue matrix (ectoderm) as the brain and nervous system, communicating with central control about environmental conditions ’round the clock 24/7.  It also clothes the body in a protective layer, giving you a somewhat more appealing appearance than if you didn’t have it.   It’s also an organ of elimination, so it reflects the conditions of the bowels, liver, kidneys, lungs and lymphatic system.  What these primary organs of elimination cannot handle, falls to the skin and sweat glands to carry out . . . literally.

An immune disorder

I found this explanation of what psoriasis is thought to be by Dr. Howard Sofen, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at UCLA School of Medicine: “We’ve really changed our whole idea of what psoriasis is, in that it’s really the immune system that’s driving this disorder.

“Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition. . . .  The immune system is somehow triggered, which causes a series of events, including inflammation and acceleration of skin cell growth. Instead of falling off (shedding), the cells pile up on the surface of the skin, forming psoriatic plaques. . . .  Psoriasis often appears in adolescence or young adulthood, but can occur at any age. . . .  People with psoriasis typically experience patches of thick, red skin covered with silvery scales called plaques. . . .  While there is no known cure for psoriasis, there have been many advancements in psoriatic disease research and psoriasis treatment. The evolving understanding of psoriasis as a disease of the immune system has expanded significantly the variety of available treatments, including biologic therapies such as STELARA™. . . .”  

There is this explanation of how this drug works:  “An overactive immune system can lead to high levels of IL-12 and IL-23, two proteins that have been found in psoriatic skin plaques. STELARA™, a biologic medicine, binds to IL-12 and IL-23. By preventing these two proteins from attaching to cells in your body, STELARA™ may slow down the production of skin cells and may reduce inflammation.”

Then there’s this warning:  “STELARA™ can increase your chance of having serious side effects including:  serious infections. STELARA™ may lower your ability to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections. While taking STELARA™, some people have serious infections, which may require hospitalization, including tuberculosis (TB), and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses.”

Now, I love it when medicine announces “there is no known cure” for a disease and then proceeds to treat it with drugs that have harmful side effects.  At least they are offering reportedly effective treatment for the symptoms and with it blessed relief from pain and misery.  My reasoning however is this: if it is indeed the immune system that’s driving psoriasis, then it would stand to reason that the overactive immune system would be modulated (balanced) by the treatment, not weakened.   So, let’s talk about this so-called ” immune system” and what’s “driving” it to excess in producing inflammation and proliferation of skin cells.  Let’s also talk about inflammation.

Immune Alliance

Actually, there is no  “immune system” as such in the body.  There is rather an “immune alliance” made up of many organs and systems whose shared primary role is the elimination of toxic waste from the body.  Inflammation is literally a fiery response to infection in an effort to burn up what can’t or won’t be easily eliminated. Infection is an immune response brought on by pathogens, such as bacteria , fungi and viruses, that multiply faster than the elimination systems can deal with. Pathogens thrive in an acid environment, so the pH of the skin is a significant factor.  The thymus gland, which is thought of as the “immune system,” plays a central role in tagging and eliminating toxins from the body.

[Note: I have a very beautiful, inspiring and in-depth meditation on the Thymus Gland as the brain of the immune alliance of the body under the direction of the “Spirit of Purification”  in my book Sacred Anatomy.   You will come away from reading it utterly in a state of awe at the impeccable design and intricate function of this vital aspect of your body temple — as you will reading any one section of this beautiful book.  You can order it online at my website www.healingandattunement.com, or simply drop me an email at tpal70@gmail.com. The following is an excerpt from my book that will give you a better understanding of your “immune system.”]

“The Thymus is the control center for the electromagnetic energy of the body.  It is with this energy that the body maintains its integrity and protective hedge. Although we speak of an “immune system,” the reality is that the body does not have an immune system in as much as it is an immune system in its functional totality, considering the vast distribution of lymphocytes throughout the body temple.  Systems such as the skeletal, respiratory, reproductive, endocrine, central nervous system, and others are complete functioning systems with a clear set of organs and responses.  Our “immune system” may best be described as an immune alliance between various systems and organs which, when coordinated by the brain, give an immune response to the presence of any and all non-self elements and associated dis-ease factors that are not a natural part of the internal sacred landscape of the body.

 “This immune alliance is composed of the thymus gland, which develops the immature lymphocytes ; the spleen which produces antibodies and which includes the lymphatic and blood circulatory systems; the long bones of the skeletal system which contain bone-marrow that gives birth to leukocytes (white blood cells). Then there are the organs of the digestive system: the stomach and pancreas, which make Hydrochloric acid and enzymes that destroy ingested parasites and carcinogens, the intestinal flora which destroy pathogenic microbes and manufacture B12, and the liver which detoxifies the blood and produces enzymes that break down dead tissue cells and repair those that are damaged.  So when I speak of the “immune system,” it is to this alliance that I am referring and not to some specific system in the body.” 

With this perspective, you may better understand what I’m about to say about psoriasis and its cousin scleroderma, a hardening and shrinking of the skin, as well as the rationale behind my recommended treatment of the cause of this disorder.  Both of these disorders are driven by an over-zealous immune response that has been thrown into survival and defensive mode.   This thickening of the skin with psoriasis has several causal factors.  Functionally, it reflects a toxic and congested liver that can no longer function normally in ridding the blood of toxic waste.  Holistically, it reflects a long-standing guarded condition in the heart, or emotional realm, which serves the individual as a wall of protection.

Louise Hay describes the nature of this wall as a “Fear of being hurt. Deadening the senses and the self.  Refusing to accept responsibility for our own feelings.” (from You Can Heal Your Life).  This emotional “dis-ease”  underlies this physical disease of the skin, and must be addressed along with the physical condition itself.

The proliferation of the skin cells relates to the building of this “wall” of protection.  The over-zealous (hyperactive) immune response is to the overwhelming onslaught of dying cells and other debris left by infection.  DNA gets damaged by free-radicals. Viral scavengers are needed, along with new cells to replace the dead ones. The signal that the “protomorphagen” scouts (the skin cells send out to give feed back about conditions around the cell) send back to the cell says: “Hey, cells are dying faster than usual! There’s lots of debris out here that needs to be cleaned up. Get busy and create viruses to scavenge the debris, and make more skin cells.”  So, this is what happens.  The body doesn’t make mistakes.  Everything it does is in response to what is occurring in and around the cells.   Viruses are opportunistic scavengers that appear on the scene when needed.  They are normal cells that morph into viruses right on the spot where debris needs cleaning up.   What wisdom the body continually demonstrates!

Rationale for treating the cause

The rationale behind treating the cause of psoriasis with nutritional and herbal protocols is fundamentally this:  By removing toxic waste from the body, it will no longer feel threatened.  The “immune system” is thus relieved of its hyperactivity and allowed to turn to other functions, such as healing and repairing damaged tissues.  This is also the rationale for addressing the emotional aspects of psoriasis.  By removing the toxic feelings and thoughts, the sympathetic-dominance of the fight or flight response of the body is dis-engaged, returning the person to a more relaxed, parasympathetic state wherein real health and growth can take place.  In other words, the “wall” is no longer needed, therefore the symptoms are no longer necessary and will subside and gradually disappear altogether.

The physical manifestation can be addressed nutritionally by supporting the liver and other organs of elimination, along with the immune alliance.  The emotional factors underlying the physical symptoms can be addressed very easily and effectively with B.E.S.T. (Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique) developed and taught by Dr. Milton T. Morter, a biochemist and chiropractor from Rogers, Arkansas.  I am certified in this work and have found it to be a marvelous technique for addressing the emotional and mental factors behind disease.  [To find a B.E.S.T. practitioner near you, go online to www.morterhealthsystem.com.]

Support of the liver starts with first removing those things in one’s lifestyle that abuse and hurt the liver.  In probably the greater number of cases, alcohol and other drugs are involved.   Alcohol literally cooks the liver, hardening it to the point where it can no longer function chemically to process and disarm toxins.  Drugs do as well, burdening the liver to the point of exhaustion.

Here, again,one can see the emotional factors at work driving the individual to drinking and using drugs in order to avoid facing his or her state of emotional turmoil inside.   The thickening of the skin reflects the protective shell erected in the heart realm with a large and well defended sign posted that says “Private! Keep Out!”

Nutritional and herbal protocols

Nutritional support would include detoxification of the liver pathways with herbal and therapeutic nutrients.  Standard Process Labs puts out some very effective formulae for this purpose.  Products like Livaplex,  AF Betafood, Hepatrophin, St. John’s Wort, Organic Garlic,  Spanish Black Radish, Cruciferrous Complete, along with LivTon and LivCo, botanicals by Medi Herb, the herbal division of Standard Process Labs, comprise a 21-day protocol for liver detoxification.*

Calcium metabolism and mobilization play a facilitating role in the infection process.  One can appreciate the impact which emotions have on endocrine function, such as that of the thyroid gland which oversees the utilization of calcium.  Suppressed emotions depress hormonal function.   Sugar consumption may increase as a lift for blood sugar where hypoglycemia and/or diabetes has set in with the increase of blood alcohol that turns to sugar.   Hormonal balance is thrown into disarray as glands fail to function harmoniously and the liver cannot release stored hormones and glycogen.  Zypan (Betaine Hydrochloride) helps support the utilization of calcium, as well as destroy ingested parasites and carcinogens,  and Cataplex G  helps with circulation by relaxing nerves in the blood vessels . Vitamin G (a B Vitamin) acts as a vaso-dialator to increase the flow of blood throughout the body, which helps bring down high blood pressure but is contraindicated in cases of low blood pressure.  Vitamin G also contains the lipotrophic factors, Choline and Inositol, that metabolize fat needed to repair nerves and skin, so it helps with liver function and skin health.

LivCo, which has a plentiful amount of Milk Thistle,  is especially effective as an herbal support for the liver and serves to  aid in the elimination of toxins and cleanse the liver, support healthy liver function and tissue integrity, protect liver tissue by supporting normal cellular defenses, provide antioxidant protection, support and maintain cellular health, stimulate the biosynthesis of protein and liver glycogen, support digestive health, and ease the effects of everyday tension and stress *

Direct and indirect nutritional support to the skin itself is provided by a long-term protocol, which includes products such as Dermatrophin to support tissue repair and renewal; Lactic Acid Yeast for support to the intestinal flora which destroys pathogenic microbes, such as fungi, and manufacture Vitamin B12; DermCo and LivTon to support skin renewal and integrity, digestion, blood uric acid levels, and elimination of toxins in the liver and intestinal tract, and Black Current Seed Oil,  “an excellent source of omega-6 fatty acids. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) converts to a hormone-like substance called prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). PGE1 helps maintain blood flow, fat metabolism, and fluid balance.”* Fat is what the brain and nervous system, including the skin, are largely composed of.  Aloe (also by Medi Herb) can be used topically to balance the pH of the skin, soften and nurture the skin and to keep it hydrated and alkalized, addressing the inflammation.  The herb Rehmannia can help with toxin elimination, adrenal and liver health, as well as immune system support.*

Finally, modulation of the immune response is the most important help one could render to the body in overcoming immune-driven diseases.  Modulation means balancing (as opposed to “stimulating”), and it is best achieved with the help of the herb Echinacea.  I recommend Echinacea Premium by Medi Herb, who brings us the purest and most potent herbals and botanicals from Australia, now made available here in the USA by Standard Process Labs  www.standardprocess.com .

As you can see, much can be done naturally to address both the physical and emotional aspects of psoriasis. For professional coaching  and personal consultation, along with product ordering and drop-shipping, please feel free to contact me by email: tpal70@gmail.com.  Thank you for staying in there for the entire article.  I think you will agree that it was well worth the read.

Light upon your path to health and wellness,

Dr. Tony Palombo

Chiropractor and Applied Clinical Nutritionist

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. None of the products listed in this article are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.