Glasser Massage & Lymphedema Services, LLC

  Therapeutic Massage & Lymphedema Treatment Center

NLN Newsletter                                                                April-June 1997

Natural Health News 

Please note that the following article discusses holistic approaches and/or alternative nutritional/herbal supplementation that may be useful in supporting a patient's daily regime of self-care. This is not an endorsement by the NLN, nor do we promise results from the use of any of these items listed below. We are committed, and at request of our members, to presenting all avenues of possibility for improvement of the condition and quality of life for all lymphedema patients. Any and all claims or opinions expressed in this article are solely of the author. Ed. 

"Every tissue in the body is fed by the blood, which is supplied by the intestines. When the intestines are dirty, the blood is dirty and so are the organs and tissues. It is the intestinal system that must be cared for first before any effective healing can take place," according to Dr. Bernard Jensen, D.C., Ph.D. This thought was echoed by Joseph D. Beasley, M.D. and Jerry Swift, M.A. authors of the 1989 Kellogg Report, "In today's conditions, most adult patients have to be detoxified and nutritionally restored before specific diagnosis can be formulated" 1. 

Today's conditions refer to the amount of external and internal toxins bombarding us every day. External toxins were quantified in 1989 by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Toxic Substances 2 to be the following: 

*   551,034,696 pounds of industrial chemicals 
    were dumped into public sewage storage. 

*   1,180,831,181 pounds of chemicals were 
    released into the ground, threatening our natural aquifers. 

*   188,953,884 pounds of chemicals were 
     discharged into surface waters. 

*   The total amount of air emissions pumped 
     into the atmosphere was 2,427,061,906 pounds. 

*  A grand total of 5,705,670,380 pounds of 
   chemical pollutants were released into the environment in 1989. 

Toxic chemicals easily find their way into our body through the air we breath, the food we eat and the water we drink. Obviously these toxins must be eliminated before they can disrupt normal metabolic systems and processes. Yet, although the body is designed to eliminate toxins, it cannot always handle the overload present in today's environment. In addition to external toxins, our own bodies produce internal toxins through normal metabolic processes such as digestion, muscle movement and cellular activity. 

Consequently, annual and bi-annual detoxification is routinely recommended by many health care professionals regardless of health status. However, healthy detoxification takes on an even more important role in a disease, lymphedema, characterized by a breakdown in the detoxification mechanism itself.

Lymphedema  is characterized by edema and blockage of the lymphatic system. The lymphatics have three very important functions, according to Dr. Gerald M. Lemole, Chief of the Department of Thoratic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Deborah Heart and Lung Center, Browns Mills, New Jersey:

"First of all, the lymphatics return protein to the bloodstream. As much as 50 percent of our serum protein can leak out of our bloodstream during a 24-hour period, and it is the job of lymphatics to return this protein to the blood. Second, the lymphatics clear the spaces between our cells and carry away toxins and foreign particles such as bacteria, large proteins, cholesterol, and viruses. We were taught that the liver and kidneys clear away toxins, but it is actually the lymphatics that clear away the fluid that bathes each cell of our body. Third, the lymphatics are an integral part of our immune system. The white cells, called lymphocytes, circulate in and out of the lymphatics and help destroy foreign particles like bacteria, viruses and parasites.

"The trouble begins when the lymphatic system becomes blocked or the flow of lymph slows down appreciably. It's like the kitchen sink: if the drain is clogged but you leave the water running, the water will eventually run all over the floor." Not only is the lymphatic fluid blocked, but so are all the toxins, bacteria and viruses that the lymphatic fluid normally drains from the body. It is no surprise that lymphedema patients suffer from other varied health ailments. The stagnant lymph fluid is a breeding ground for bacteria, parasites and viruses; and a cesspool of toxic waste.

Peter Glasser, MLDT, LMT, ICMT of Ultimate Health Center, Asheville, N.C. uses herbal cleanses as an integral part of his treatment for lymphedema. The results show improvement, not only in the lymphedema, but also in the overall health and well being of the patient. Peter has also found that when an herbal cleanse is initiated before treatment begins, treatment time itself is shortened and results improved. His typical treatment period is between two to four weeks, with 90% of his patients requiring only two weeks of one treatment per day.

It is critical to undertake an herbal cleanse under the care and scrutiny of a qualified health care practitioner. Each individual may react different to the cleansing process itself, and to the herbs contained within the cleanse. A cleansing program needs to be established for the circumstances and needs of the individual patient, and closely monitored for any adverse reactions.

The herbal cleanses remove some of the toxins in the blocked lymphatic fluid and start the process of lymphatic drainage. Patients have reported a decrease in swelling of affected limbs and a softening of hardened tissue before treatment even begins. Some patients chose to use an herbal cleanse after their CDP treatments, and still noticed improvements in their lymphedema and overall health.

The herbal cleanses preferred by Mr. Glasser include both a commercial tablet and a specially prepared liquid formula. The commercial tablet is available in most health food stores as Nature's Secret A.M./P.M. Multi-Cleanse. The liquid formula is specifically created for Mr. Glasser by Herbalist and Alchemist of New Jersey and GAIA herbs.

The A.M./P.M. herbal cleanse contains: alfalfa leaf, black cohosh root, burdock root, cayenne fruit, cascara sagdrada bark, chickweed herb, dandelion root, echinacea angustifolia leaf extract, fennel seed, fenugreek seed, ginger root, guar gum, hawthorn berries, horsetail herb, marshmallow root, milk thistle extract, mullien leaf, papaya leaf, peppermint leaf, plantain root, psyllium seed, red clover leaf, safflower oil, slippery elm bark, yarrow flower and yellow dock root 4. The herbal cleanse works by cleansing the body , blood and lymphatics. Waste is eliminated by stimulating additional bowel movements. The amount and type of bowel movements needs to be monitored so that they do not exceed two to three per day, and do not become too watery. Additionally, because toxins and bacteria are being mobilized, some symptoms of detoxification should be expected . They include: flu like symptoms, fatigue, flatulence and in some cases, a slight rash.

Mr. Glasser normally recommends going very slowly with the cleanse, monitoring progress and including what is considered a "natural antibiotic," such as colloidal silver, in the regime. The "natural antibiotic" is to ensure that as the bacteria are mobilized from the system, they are destroyed before they can multiply. Also, included in the regime is a good multi-vitamin, pycnogenol and dandelion root/leaf. The multi-vitamin provides necessary vitamins and minerals to strengthen and revitalize the body, pycnogenol combats free radical production in the blood and lymph system, and dandelion helps the liver and kidneys deal with the elimination of toxins while also aiding in edema reduction.

The custom liquid formula contains herbs historically used to cleanse the lymphatic system 3: echinacea, cleavers, golden seal and poke root. This formula is taken three times a day with the usual starting dose of between 10 to 30 drops. To date, no side effects have been reported using the liquid formula.

Either one or both of the herbal cleanses is and excellent way to start the process of lymphatic drainage. The benefits obtained can shorten the treatment time and help the patient achieve a greater level of overall health and well being. 

REFERENCES 

1. Beasley JD, Swift JJ. The Kellogg Report. Institute of Health Policy and Practice, The Bard College Center. 1989;Ch 4:171. 

2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1991. Toxics in the Community: National and Local Perspectives. The 1989 Toxics Release Inventory National Report. Office of Toxic Substances, Washington, D.C. 

3. Hoffman, David. The Holistic Herbal. Element Books, Inc. Rockport, 1995; 32.  

4. Herbal Research Publications. Naturopathics Handbook of Herbal Formulas. Herbal Research Publications, Inc.,  Ayer, Massachusetts. 1996; 133-15