Rheumatoid Arthritis

Transcription

1 Rheumatoid Arthritis His MD called it Radical Rheumatoid Arthritis meaning his case was very aggressive and would most likely leave him crippled. In just 3 months- Decreased Inflammation/Pain Increased Energy Off All Prescriptions Including Methotrexate and Enbrel Reduced Joint Stiffness Stopped Smoking Sleeping More Than 6 Hours Per Night Initial Symptoms- Rheumatoid Arthritis Insomnia Recurrent Ear Infections/Colds Joint Stiffness Cramping Legs, Ribs & Hands Overweight Low Energy Chronic Cough With Phlegm After voluntarily stopping all medications and adhering to my regimen designed around the deficiencies/imbalances seen in the testing, this patient was able to climb onto his roof and re-shingle the entire house. Can his doctor call him crippled now? -Dr. Van D. Merkle Patient Profile: The 61-year old patient presented with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) diagnosed 5-years prior, recurring ear infections/colds, weight problems and muscle cramping specifically in the ribs, legs and hands. He also complained of low energy, wheezing, chronic coughs with phlegm, and insomnia. At the time of the initial visit, he weighed 218 lbs at 5 9 and his blood pressure was borderline high at 130/90. He also displayed an elevated heart rate of 90 BPM. Speaking with the patient I immediately noted several unhealthy habits. The patient was a heavy drinker, consuming a 12 pack of beer at least three times per week. He was also a smoker at a current rate of 25 cigarettes per day. This likely contributed heavily to his recurring infections, wheezing and cramping. Also of note was his medication use. After being diagnosed the patient used Ibuprofen to deal with RA pain, however, about three years ago when 2,400mg no longer did any good, he agreed to two RA medications from his MD Enbrel and RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PAGE 1

2 Methotrexate. Both these medications work by blocking the immune system, which then lowers the body s ability to fight off viruses like colds. Also the Methotrexate comes with specific instructions to strictly avoid alcohol while using the medication due to stress on the liver and kidneys. This patient did not heed the warning drinking at least 36 beers per week! Patient s tests results: Initial blood test results revealed several problem areas including high uric acid, triglycerides, ferritin, CRP, and ESR, and a low vitamin D level. Results of Initial Blood Test: Blue = clinically very high or clinically very low Red = clinically high or clinically low Yellow = a little high or a little low; this can be considered a warning sign that the value is not optimal. The lack of toxic elements expelled in the hair was very surprising because we are exposed to toxins and heavy metals daily in our environment. If minimal amounts are flushed out, it is a sign that the body is storing these toxins in the body which can cause major disruptions. There were also low levels of nearly every essential element tested. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PAGE 2

3 Results of Initial Tissue Mineral Analysis: Blue = clinically very high or clinically very low Red = clinically high or clinically low Yellow = a little high or a little low; this can be considered a warning sign that the value is not optimal. Doctor analysis: This man is a heavy smoker, yet three big tobacco ingredients (Arsenic, Nickel and Lead) barely appear in the hair test results. He is inhaling a full stick of these ingredients 25 times a day. These toxins are going into his body but then what? They sure aren t coming out! These are not only dangerous carcinogens, but they also contribute to things like joint stiffness, lowered immune systems, muscle soreness and fatigue. Also without sufficient levels of essential elements, the body will have a very RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PAGE 3

4 difficult time getting rid of these toxins. His bad habits were also likely disrupting the blood tests. Uric Acid is a chemical waste product which significantly contributes to RA symptoms. It is produced as the body breaks down purine, a substance found in beer, wine and meat. Cutting back on his alcohol consumption and eating fresh or frozen cherries daily will likely help bring this number down. Alcohol is also a likely culprit for the high triglycerides. The liver is responsible for processing alcohol and it also must handle the patient s RA medications. The quantity of alcohol and meds consumed by the patient may be causing liver dysfunction which is linked to high triglycerides. An improved diet and exercise along with reducing alcohol/meds will help lower the triglycerides. A low vitamin D level and high CRP and ESR show inflammation from the RA. As these numbers come down, his pain levels should improve. A slight iron overload can be seen with the Ferritin, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit levels. This is an easy fix; donating blood once should bring these levels down. The big recommendations for this patient are: 1. Stop smoking 2. Reduce/stop alcohol consumption 3. Begin supplement regimen based on test results including a chelator to flush out toxins/metals 4. Begin whole foods diet fresh/frozen only, minimal processed foods Patient assessment: At the follow-up evaluation, after just three months under our care, the patient said he felt so good he jumped up on the roof and spent two-weeks re-shingling his home. He has a great example to follow - his 87-year old father was up there with him! February 7, 2009 was a big turning point for this patient he quit smoking, reduced his caffeine intake and cut back to just one alcoholic beverage per week. This shows great determination and strength. He is now off all medications and threw two shots of Enbrel in the trash ($800 worth of drugs). He is feeling much better especially the arthritis pain in his shoulder. Several key things improved in the second blood test the ESR dropped from 22 to 7, the CRP went from 6 to 4.4 and the vitamin D rose from 15.9 to 29. All of these are indicators of reduced inflammation related to the RA. Remember, during his first blood test he was actually taking two medications to help RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PAGE 4

5 with this inflammation. So the fact that these numbers came down even though he stopped all drugs is tremendous. A few things didn t improve like the uric acid, cholesterol and triglycerides. The fact that the triglycerides rose so quickly makes me believe this is due to the elimination of toxic elements from his system. With an improved diet, better stores of nutrients and the help of a chelating agent, all the toxins put into his body by years of smoking are now coming out of the bones and tissues. When this happens, triglyceride levels will rise to protect the heart. I suspect that his next hair test a few months down the road will show significantly higher levels of toxic elements. We will also recheck the cholesterol levels in a few months to make sure they are improving. The uric acid will probably need a little more time to resolve. I suspect it too will be much lower during the next blood test. Results of 2nd Blood Test: Blue = clinically very high or clinically very low Red = clinically high or clinically low Yellow = a little high or a little low; this can be considered a warning sign that the value is not optimal. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PAGE 5

6 Dr. Merkle s Final Thoughts: Throughout our lives, every choice we make has an effect on our future health. This patient made several very unhealthy decisions which led to highly addictive behaviors smoking and consuming large quantities of alcohol. The patient admitted he had been battling alcoholism for years. This behavior becomes especially dangerous when used in combination with prescription medications. The adverse reactions can be as severe as liver failure or death. I did not put this patient on any medications and therefore I did not take him off, however, I did remind him about the dangers printed right on the label of consuming alcohol and smoking while taking most prescriptions. If you have to take a prescription, please read as much information about the product as possible to determine if anything you re doing will counteract with the drug or cause damage to your body. Studies show that smoking is the highest environmental risk factor for developing RA. In fact, it was found that the risk of developing Rheumatoid Arthritis was nearly double for current smokers compared to non-smokers. What you do now will affect your quality of life down the road. Do you want to be healthy? Do you want to avoid the problems which seem to be overtaking the population like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and arthritis? These problems are much easier to prevent than correct. Live a healthy life, and reap the benefits. -Dr. Van D. Merkle This case report showcases a real patient s results using the Science Based Nutrition system of analysis, which takes into account hundreds of numeric data and their roles, combinations and inter-relationships as related to disease diagnosis. This patient is/was under the care of Dr. Van D. Merkle, creator and founder of Science Based Nutrition, Inc. and is meant to serve as an example of results achieved using the Science Based Nutrition report Contact your local health professional and ask him/her to provide you with the Science Based Nutrition report. Results will vary based on patient ability/willingness to follow the recommended nutritional protocols, among many other factors. Any suggested nutritional advice or dietary advice is not intended as a primary treatment and/or therapy for any disease or particular bodily symptom. Nutritional counseling, vitamin recommendations, nutritional advice, and the adjunctive schedule of nutrition is provided solely to upgrade the quality of foods in the patient s diet in order to supply good nutrition supporting the physiological and biomechanical process of the human body. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PAGE 6