October 2011-- During the next six months, The Canary Report will be dedicated solely to me sharing my experiences while on the Gupta Amygdala Retraining program for MCS. If you'd like to be notified by email when blog entries are made, please subscribe in the right hand column below. During the entire six months, this blog will remain online but Our Canary Report network and forum will be offline and inaccessible to our members. Thank you for all your support! Aloha, Susie

Gupta Programme Session 2: Explanation of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

 Posted by Susie
Oct 262011
 

This post is the third in a series about my experience doing Ashok Gupta’s “Advanced Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Recovery Programme,” which I started on September 30 and will last for at least six months.

I watched Session 2 on Saturday, October 1. I watched this whole session on the DVD but I’m going to refer you back to the first post in my blog series about my doing the program, because this actual Session 2 on the DVD is geared to ME/CFS, not MCS.

Basically, you can read about Gupta’s basic hypothesis on his website (his peer reviewed and published hypothesis was originally developed for his own case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and has now been expanded to include other related illnesses such as MCS). Then you can read about his hypothesis in relation to MCS. It’s dense reading but I highly recommend you make an effort to read it, that is if you really want to understand what the program is addressing.

A summary of key points in Session 2 on the DVD include this (quotation from the transcript):

  • we have a conscious mind and a subconscious mind
  • inside the subconscious mind there is a brain structure called the amygdala (small almond shaped structure in what is called the limbic system of the brain, and in fact there are two of them)
  • the amygdala’s role is to decide if something threatens us, and to release an appropriate response to protect us, often involving the fight or flight response
  • the fight or flight response is also known as the stress response, or stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system
  • we can sometimes unknowingly train the amygdala to be concerned or even fearful of things that we don’t want to be afraid of (emphasis added)
  • through our conscious mind, we can always retrain the amygdala

I know that list poked a few of you with a stick– I know! I felt poked, too! Some of you are thinking, “Is he saying it’s all in my mind??” No, he’s not. Don’t miss the key word in the list above: “unknowingly.” Gupta’s hypothesis does NOT hold that MCS is a psychological disorder. Gupta states emphatically that “MCS is a real physical disorder with real physical symptoms, and is not psychological in nature.” So my best advice at this stage in the game is, at least for the moment, to suspend any disbelief you may have, let go of any cynicism, try to do the “homework” I suggested, and just come along with me for the ride, keep me company on my journey. And don’t lose sight of that last bullet point: “through our conscious mind, we can always retrain the amygdala”– because, ultimately, THAT is where we are going!

As I blogged in my first post in the series, Gupta recently released a video about his hypothesis in relation to MCS. Be sure to take the time to watch this, it’s important! Here’s the blurb and video:

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities can be explained by a new hypothesis implicating the limbic system of the brain, specifically the amygdala. The brain structure called the insula is also involved. The Gupta Programme, or Gupta Amygdala Retraining is a brand new treatment for MCS, ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia which retrains the brain to stop it reacting to chemicals and electrical stimuli. This video is part of a coaching programme on the treatment specifically dealing with MCS.

More soon!

Gupta Girl

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Gupta Programme Session 1: Introduction and How to Use The Recovery Programme

 Posted by Susie
Oct 252011
 

This post is the second in a series about my experience doing the Gupta Amygdala Retraining program, which I started on September 30 and will last for at least six months.

The Gupta Amygdala Retraining packet contains a12-DVD set of Gupta's lessons with the retraining techniques and supporting exercises. There is a book that's basically the transcript of the lessons on the DVDs (at left). The packet also contains audio CDs with supplemental exercises. In addition, the packet contains the "Mind Map," the large poster you see folded up with the copyright symbol. The Mind Map is a colorfully bold graphic of the seven steps of the main retraining technique. You lay it on the floor, it reminds me of the game Twister. It's is the most ingenious teaching tool for showing you how to engage your body, mind, and voice in the very specialized main brain retraining technique!

The Gupta Amygdala Retraining packet arrived from Ashok Gupta’s clinic in London on September 30 and I was excited to get started! I’d been inspired to give the program a try by testimonials from members of Our Canary Report Community: Debbie (Part One and Part Two) and Erik (first post and second post on his progress). Recently, Els, who lives in Denmark and wrote a book about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity a couple of years ago, published her testimonial– it’s so well done that Gupta has added a link to it on his own website. These are three people that I have communicated with over the past three years and have found each one to be thoughtful, intelligent, and up-to-date on current research about MCS. I know each of them to have a good head on their shoulders and keen analytic skills, so my ears perked up when I started to see consistency between their stories of recovery from MCS through Gupta’s treatment.

But when choosing medical treatments or procedures, testimonials are never enough for me no matter the source. I need to see strong credentials from the people I choose as part of my health team. Though not a medical doctor, Ashok Gupta brings some heft to his hypothesis and treatment:

  • Gupta had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome himself as a student at Cambridge over 10 years ago and completely healed himself through experimenting with the techniques he’s now honed into his amygdala retraining program. (Please note that current peer-reviewed research shows that CFS/ME, MCS, Fibromyalgia, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are all part of the same family of illnesses; see the published work of biochemist Martin Pall.)
  • Gupta has worked successfully with CFS patients for seven years at his clinic in London.
  • His hypothesis is published in a peer reviewed medical journal.
  • He has conducted an audit on the success rate of his treatment, also peer reviewed and published.
  • He has strong working knowledge and experience in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (a basic component of the main retraining technique in the Gupta treatment).
  • He’s done his own research into recent advances in brain neurology, notably the work of Joseph Ledoux.
  • He understands Martin Pall’s theory about CFS/ME, MCS, Fibromyalgia and PTSD, and has worked Pall’s findings into his own hypothesis and model; if you look at Gupta’s graphic about his hypothesis (scroll down to the dark blue graphic titled “The Amygdala Hypothesis”), you’ll see “nitric oxide increase” as a secondary illness cycle– the NO/ONOO- theory is Pall’s contribution to the current literature on MCS. This inclusion of Pall’s findings into Gupta’s model made a great impression on me because it showed me Gupta is not only knowledgeable about current MCS research, but he incorporated and improved upon that research through his own hypothesis and model.

I was very excited when the packet arrived! September 30 was a Friday, and as soon as I finished my work for my day job at about 4:30p, I opened up the packet and reviewed the contents. The packet contains the main 12-DVD set of Gupta’s lessons with tons of background information and the retraining techniques and supporting exercises. There is a book that’s basically the transcript of the lessons on the DVDs (I curl up on the couch with a cuppa and that book a lot!). The packet also contains a couple of audio CDs with supplemental exercises.

In addition, the packet contains the “Mind Map,” a large, colorfully bold graphic of the seven steps of the main retraining technique. You lay it on the floor, it reminds me of the game Twister.  It’s is the most ingenious teaching tool for showing you how to engage your body, mind, and voice in the very specialized main brain retraining technique! I can’t wait to tell you about learning the main retraining technique in a future post (Session 4).

Gupta has made the first session available on YouTube, so you can watch the whole thing below! In my journal, my main takeaways from this session are:

  • Gupta believes MCS is a real physical condition with real physical symptoms in the body.
  • The body’s ability to heal is very much based on the state of mind during healing. (This comes into play when learning the main retraining technique and supplemental exercises.)
  • Make a commitment to do the program for six months. Done!
  • Ups and downs are expected, just focus on the long term goal of health.
  • Laugh out loud as much as possible!
  • Get out of the house as much as possible, take long walks in nature, get as much daylight and fresh air as possible.
  • Do only one session a day.

So here you go, Session 1 of Gupta’s Amygdala Retraining program (all you have to do is replace “CFS” with “MCS” and you are good to go for applying the lessons to MCS):

Session 1, Part 1:

Session 1, Part 2:

Session 1, Part 3:

Session 1, Part 4:

Session 1, Part 5:

Session 1, Part 6:

More Soon!

Gupta Girl

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First dispatch from the field: Let’s get started with Gupta 101

 Posted by Susie
Oct 192011
 

This post is the first in a series about my experience doing the Gupta Amygdala Retraining program, which I started on September 30 and will last for at least six months.

Ashok Gupta

I’m going to cut to the chase because I know the question you are all asking: Is the Gupta Amygdala Retraining program working for me? Even though I started the program less than three weeks ago, I can already answer that question with a resounding YES! On the very day that I learned how to do the main brain retraining technique (Session 4 of the 12-DVD program), I experienced a dramatic improvement in my Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and in my overall health. It was, and continues to be, nothing short of an astonishing experience and I look forward to sharing it with you.

I’m going to post dispatches here about the experience of going through the program, but first, for those of you who have not yet explored the Gupta Programme, here is some homework for you so you understand what I’m doing.

First, it’s important that you understand Ashok Gupta’s hypothesis about the cause of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and related illnesses like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromylagia. You can read about his basic hypothesis, which was originally developed for Gupta’s own case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and has now been expanded to include other related illnesses such as MCS. Then you can read about his hypothesis in relation to MCS.

Here’s a video about Gupta’s hypothesis in relation to MCS (by the way he was originally going to charge for this video, and then just decided to put it up on YouTube for everyone’s access). Here’s the vid’s blurb:

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities can be explained by a new hypothesis implicating the limbic system of the brain, specifically the amygdala. The brain structure called the insula is also involved. The Gupta Programme, or Gupta Amygdala Retraining is a brand new treatment for MCS, ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia which retrains the brain to stop it reacting to chemicals and electrical stimuli. This video is part of a coaching programme on the treatment specifically dealing with MCS.

Couple notes I just want to mention. It’s as important to understand what the treatment IS NOT as it is to understand what it IS:

  • The main brain retraining techniques are NOT meditation or creative visualization or positive thinking, they are highly specialized, repetitive techniques you do yourself with both your body and your brain that literally retrain your brain so you can recover from the illness.
  • The main brain retraining techniques are NOT treatments for a psychological disorder, they are treatments for a physical illness. Gupta states over and over and over again that “MCS is a real physical disorder with real physical symptoms, and is not psychological in nature.” The main brain retraining techniques are addressing that physical disorder.

More soon!

Gupta Girl

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Guest Blog: Working to change policy about the use of toxic chemicals at my son’s daycare facility

 Posted by Guest Blogger
Sep 252011
 

Following a presentation about toxic cleaning products I made to the board of the daycare, they decided to adopt the Toronto District School Board’s Scented Products Awareness Program. But there is still more change needed to make the facility a truly nontoxic and safe place.

By guest blogger Nancy in Toronto.

When my family toured my son’s new daycare at the end of the summer 2010, I spied dryer sheets in the laundry room attached to the preschool room. At the time, I figured that if the daycare stopped using the dryer sheets, I would be comfortable sending my child to the program.

But after the dryer sheets were taken out of the classroom, my son still came home with so much chemical fragrance in his hair and on his clothes that it literally made me sick to have him sit on my lap. I was worried about what the health risks were for him being in that environment all day.

After some mostly promising and then progressively colder back-and-forth emails, the president of the board of the daycare asked me to speak to the board about my concerns about chemical cleaning products and personal care products in the classroom.

I decided to do a presentation and in my research, I learned that the science was already there identifying the risks that chemicals pose to children (including cancer, learning problems and aggression problems). As well, it was a surprise to learn that 100% plant-based products designed for the commercial/institutional setting are already available and that they cost less locally than the products currently in use at the daycare.

There was no quorum at the board meeting where I was asked to speak, but I spoke informally to the people that were there. I was not provided with the date of the board meeting where the matter was finally discussed, however, as a result of my presentation, I was informed that the daycare board made the decision to, as they phrased it, “go green.” They tasked the daycare director to choose a brand for the first four target products and, within a few months, an order was placed for Ecomax Laundry Wash and Hand Cleanser.

Despite the changes, my son was still on occasion coming home with fragrance in his hair and on his clothes, and on some days the classroom still had a heavy smell. Sure enough, one day I asked about it and let my nose sniff around and it turned out that one of the teachers was wearing perfume. The conversation deteriorated quickly and soon enough I got a nasty email. I replied by drawing their attention to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Scented Products Awareness Program, the Environmental Working Group’s 50- page report on perfume and toxicity , and a one hour lecture on childhood cancer:

In response, the daycare decided to adopt the TDSB’s Scented Products Awareness Program. This program promotes voluntary compliance with scent reduction, including avoiding scented products and scented laundry products. The board members told me very clearly, however, that this may not be the daycare for my family. I was also aggressively told at the same meeting that for this board, “green” means the adoption of the products I focused on in my presentation, and that they would not be doing anything more. I proposed they make use of an environmental health checklist put out by a reputable group based in Toronto and they said very quickly “no” without putting the matter to a vote.

The board also advised me they would not be spending any time on the matter, would not form a committee to look at environmental health issues (which I’ve been asking for since my first communication and offered to lead), and would not make the landslide of decisions that would be necessary on the “green” path, simply because it would involve a lot of work. They stated flat out that for the most part people don’t care (they said most certainly people don’t care about preventing cancer or learning problems). They said that this is not “that kind” of daycare, and that I am the only parent who has ever expressed any concern like this.

The daycare has elected a new board and I have now asked them to reduce the chemicals in the daycare menu:

  • Step one: eliminate food colouring.
  • Step two: eliminate other additives.
  • Step three: reduce pesticides by avoiding the Dirty Dozen  and taking advantage of resources such as purchasing organic food in bulk from the Ontario Natural Food Coop and Foodshare.

This time I did as much research as possible in finding economical alternatives before raising the topic and I have received an enthusiastic response from the very person who seemed least supportive last time around. I am sure this wave of change will take several months, but I feel good about lessening my own child’s risk of developing disorders like Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder and diseases like cancer and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Click here to view a PDF of my presentation to the daycare board about cleaning products.

Nancy in Toronto

Photo by Kirsten Jennings.

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Letter: Fundraising campaign launched for documentary film about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and housing

 Posted by Guest Blogger
Sep 122011
 

The film Homesick, now in post-production, is the first documentation of  the long-term impact of healthier housing on people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Letter to the Editor by Susan Abod, filmmaker.

Susan Abod

I’m excited to report that I’ve launched a campaign on Indegogo to fund the post production for my documentary film on MCS and housing “Homesick”– many years in the making.

Please visit my campaign at:

http://www.indiegogo.com/Homesick-2

Susan Abod

~~~

Info from Susan Abod’s website:

To film Homesick, Susan hit the road with her camerawoman, learning how people around the country who live with MCS find safe housing. She interviewed people from all walks of life; their living quarters ranged from a house on stilts to tents and a teepee. Filmed over a period of ten years, the film now includes follow-up interviews with the original subjects. The trailer has been screened at the Santa Fe Film Center and at the Santa Fe Center For Contemporary Art’s Megabytes 4 Festival, and has been viewed over 200,000 times on the Homesick website. Homesick is currently in post-production, with a 64-minute rough cut. We’re almost there, but we need $6,000 to record the soundtrack and complete the post-production for the film. We need your help for Susan to complete her epic journey!

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Homesick gives a human face to a growing environmental peril, and it is the first documentation of  the long-term impact of healthier housing on people with MCS. Safe, healthy housing is the primary health-care need of people living with MCS. It’s almost inevitable that anyone with significant chemical sensitivities will be either homeless or live in substandard housing at some point. Many people become homeless while searching for safe housing, and more than a few commit suicide as a direct result of not having access to safe housing. Finding or creating a safe home environment is extremely challenging, since most people with MCS have had to stop working and have limited financial resources. The impact of this film is not limited to those who suffer from MCS, because unhealthy housing affects us all. Lives may be lost if we do not finish this film.

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Melva Gail Smith dances her way through several Multiple Chemical Sensitivity awareness campaigns

 Posted by Susie
Aug 142011
 

Melva Gail Smith is given the unique opportunity to participate in a Multiple Chemical Sensitivity awareness campaign that spans across the globe.

Melva Gail Smith

Melva Gail Smith, a member of Our Canary Report community, reports at The Scavenger about making multiple chemical sensitivity a household word. Melva writes about how her love of dancing was short circuited when she was diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and about how she turned her energy toward educating others in the dancing world and the general public about MCS. This activism led her back into the dancing community in ways she never imagined.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that there were other dancers [at Dancin' Nuts, a local line dance group] who had the same disability and had found it to be a somewhat more MCS friendly environment. What I didn’t know at the time was that there was going to be a silver lining to my story, as I was about to be given the unique opportunity to participate in a MCS awareness campaign that would span across the globe.

When I heard dance choreographer Ira Weisburd was collecting videos from around the world for The Flash Mob Project and would be splicing them together into one large documentary film, I wanted to participate. I had never been in a flash mob before and it sounded like a lot of fun.

A group called The Nuts and Honey’s Dance Club, that also produces a TV show by the same name on Insight Channel 98; was going to record the Kentucky segment. They were asking for dancers from the Louisville and Southern Indiana area to meet at a festival to perform Ira Weisburds line dance “Shuffle Boogie Soul,” to the song “Honky Tonk,” by Preston Shannon. Everyone was learning the steps, and it was a really exciting time for me.

Getting to the film site was a challenge in itself, as it was filmed near one of Louisville’s more polluted industrial areas. This fact almost kept me from going, but I managed to get to the site and through the dance despite having both immediate and delayed reactions that went unnoticed by others. [Video of dance below.]

After the video was submitted, Ira asked dancers to share any special stories they had associated with the project, and these were posted on a website next to the videos. When my story posted next to the Kentucky video, so many e-mails were received from around the world inquiring about the condition; that Ira created the Breathe Freely Campaign to create an awareness about MCS and perhaps promote a more breathe freely attitude.

Here’s the video of the flash mob dance; Melva is in the center back in the brown skirt, sparkle shirt and striped hat (you go girl!):

Read more about The Flash Mob Project and the Breathe Freely Campaign.

Melva also started a petition asking the Olympic committee to make the Olympics and their affiliated organizations scent-free. This should include ballroom dancing and open up classrooms for many who find scented products a disability barrier. Sign the petition here.

Visit Melva’s website.

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Documentary film: Toxic Clouds of 9/11

 Posted by Susie
Aug 102011
 

The Toxic Clouds of 9/11: A Looming Health Disaster (2006) 

18-minute excerpt just released on YouTube:

Produced and Directed by Alison Johnson
A Johnson/Startzman Film
Post-Production CineVision Productions
2006 60 minutes

Many First Responders, cleanup workers, and Lower Manhattan residents have developed multiple chemical sensitivity following their exposure to the toxic smoke and dust of the WTC attack.

Click here for description of and to order The Toxic Clouds of 9/11: A Looming Health Disaster

Click here for full transcript of The Toxic Clouds of 9/11: A Looming Health Disaster

Ordering by mail

To order this DVD by mail, send a check for $20.00 plus $3 for standard shipping and handling or $5 for priority shipping and handling to:

MCS Information Exchange
4 Wren Drive
Topsham, ME 04086

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Happy Birthday to The Story of Cosmetics video, one year educating the public!

 Posted by Susie
Jul 212011
 

Please watch the video and share with everyone you know!

 The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reports that the video The Story of Cosmetics has been circulating around the internet for one year, educating the public about the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products, from lipstick to baby shampoo. Produced by Free Range Studios and hosted by Annie Leonard, the 7-minute film reveals the implications for consumer and worker health and the environment, and outlines ways we can move the industry away from hazardous chemicals and towards safer alternatives. The film concludes with a call for viewers to support legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of cosmetics and personal care products.

Annie Leonard hosts The Story of Cosmetics.

Can you believe that it’s been one year to the day since the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released The Story of Cosmetics with our friends at The Story of Stuff Project?

Since then, more than 775,000 people have watched the hard-hitting short video explaining that under our current broken regulatory system, it’s perfectly legal to use toxic chemicals in personal care products (like baby shampoo and lipstick) and in salon products (like nail and hair-straightening products).

The Story of Cosmetics outlines the solution to this problem, too: We need responsible companies to make truly safe products, and legislation that will empower the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate the $50 billion cosmetics industry. Can we get there? Totally – we’re well on the way!

We’re thrilled to also announce the re-introduction of the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 – a very smart piece of legislation that will eliminate the most harmful chemicals from cosmetics (as Europe and other countries are already doing!), and ensure that personal care products are reviewed for safety, while at the same time protecting and enhancing small businesses opportunities. The Campaign is working with true leaders in the beauty industry, including cosmetics companies, retailers, salons, makeup artists and others committed to protecting consumers, workers and the environment from unnecessary exposure to toxics. How about that!

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has so much to be proud of, and since you’re a part of this Campaign, so do you.  Please celebrate with us by encouraging everyone you know to watch The Story of Cosmetics, and to in turn share it with their communities by hosting viewing parties, sending it to friends or posting it on their Facebook pages (see below for a sample status update!).

Thanks for all you do!

Be well,

Mia, Stacy, Lisa, Janet, Marisa and all of us at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

P.S. Here is a sample Facebook update you can simply copy and paste to your Facebook page: “The Story of Cosmetics is one year old! Please watch this surprising 8-minute video and share it with everyone you know! Together, we’ll make sure cosmetics are safe for everyone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfq000AF1i8”

P.P.S. And here’s a tweet! “Happy Birthday, Story of Cosmetics! Pls watch the video & share w/ everyone you know! #SafeCosmetics http://bit.ly/aFSPwJ“

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Video: Sherri’s journey, from living life to fighting for it

 Posted by Susie
Jul 172011
 

Another video from Sherri, this one showing the arc of her life from active youngster to inspirational advocate for people with chronic illness. Be inspired!

Sherri on the cover of The Canary Report last Sept, featured in her video posted above (at 4:39)

Another inspirational video from Sherri, this one showing the arc of her life from active youngster to advocate for people with chronic illness. Keep up the good work, Sherri!

Sherri used to sing and dance in musicals, act in commercials, model in fashion shows, work multiple jobs cheer-lead, ride her horse, lift weights and she obtained 3 college degrees. She was a very goal-oriented young lady with huge hopes and dreams.

However, just as she set out to complete her Master’s Degree, she was stopped in her tracks by Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and Late-Chronic Lyme Disease.

Although she was determined not to allow these illnesses stand in her way, she was unable to return to work or even care for her own daily needs. Once an extremely active, unbreakable person, Sherri now struggles just to do her therapies, go to doctor appointments or shower. In addition to MS and Lyme, she also now lives with Chemical Sensitivities and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Sherri’s husband, Wayne, shared her story with friends and family through the internet, but was shocked to suddenly hear from people all over the world. Wayne quickly found out that Sherri was not alone in her battles with illness, losses and challenges with loved ones understanding. Inspired by Sherri’s life and the desire to help others, Wayne founded the Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) which reaches around the globe to people like Sherri. IDA provides encouragement, education and support through pamphlets, booklets, videos, radio, seminars, events and an online social network.

Visit the Invisible Disabilities Association at: http://www.InvisibleDisabilities.org

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Resources and information about the peer-reviewed Multiple Chemical Sensitivity research of biochemist Martin Pall, PhD.

 Posted by Susie
Jul 152011
 

Resources and information about the peer-reviewed MCS research of biochemist Martin Pall, PhD.

Profile photo of Martin Pall

MCS researcher Martin Pall, PhD

Martin Pall’s research, a review of more than 1,500 references to scientific literature, shows a common causal (etiologic) mechanism for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Fibromyalgia and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The chronic nature of MCS and also related multisystem illnesses is thought to be produced by a biochemical vicious cycle mechanism, the NO/ONOO- cycle, which is initiated by various stressors that increase nitric oxide and peroxynitrite levels (with some but not others acting via NMDA stimulation).

Click here for a one-page description of Pall’s theory as presented in his book Explaining ‘Unexplained Illnesses’: Disease Paradigm for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Fibromyalgia, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Gulf War Syndrome and Others (2007).

Contact info:
Martin L. Pall, professor emeritus of biochemistry and basic medical sciences, Washington State University.
Research director, Tenth Paradigm Research Group.
Website: www.thetenthparadigm.org
martin_pall@wsu.edu
503.232.3883

Martin Pall explaining elevated nitric oxide and oxidative stress in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and related illnesses (three-part video, posted 2010):

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

ABSTRACT on Pall’s MCS research, published as chapter 92 in the prestigious reference work for professional toxicologists,  General and Applied Toxicology, 3rd Edition (2009, John Wiley & Sons):

Cases of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) are reported to be initiated by seven classes of chemicals. Each of the seven acts along a specific pathway, indirectly producing increases in NMDA activity in the mammalian body. Members of each of these seven classes have their toxicant responses lowered by NMDA antagonists, showing that the NMDA response is important for the toxic actions of these chemicals. The role of these chemicals acting as toxicants, in initiating cases of MCS has been confirmed by genetic evidence showing that six genes that influence the metabolism of these chemicals, all influence susceptibility to MCS. It is likely that chemicals act along these same pathways, leading to increased NMDA activity when they trigger sensitivity responses in MCS patients.

The chronic nature of MCS and also related multisystem illnesses is thought to be produced by a biochemical vicious cycle mechanism, the NO/ONOO- cycle, which is initiated by various stressors that increase nitric oxide and peroxynitrite levels (with some but not others acting via NMDA stimulation). The NO/ONOO- cycle is based on well documented individual mechanisms. The interaction of this cycle with previously documented MCS mechanisms, notably neural sensitization and neurogenic inflammation, explains many of the previously unexplained properties of MCS. This overall mechanism is also supported by physiological correlates found in MCS and related multisystem illnesses, objectively measurable responses to low level chemical exposure in MCS patients, many studies of apparent animal models of MCS and also evidence from therapeutic trials of MCS-related illnesses. Some have argued that MCS is a psychogenic illness, but this view is completely inconsistent with this diverse data on MCS and related illnesses and the literature claiming psychogenesis of MCS is deeply flawed. In addition, two rare predictions that can be used to test psychogenesis both lead to rejection of the psychogenic hypothesis. While the NO/ONOO- cycle mechanism for MCS is supported by many different observations, there are also multiple areas where further study is needed.

To learn more, see this article by Martin Pall in the Townsend Letter: How Can We Cure NO/ONOO− Cycle Diseases? Approaches to Curing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Gulf War Syndrome and Possibly Many Others (2010). ABSTRACT:

The NO/ONOO− cycle is a biochemical vicious cycle that is thought to cause such diseases as chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), fibromyalgia (FM), and possibly a large number of other chronic inflammatory diseases. The chemistry/biochemistry of the cycle predicts that the primary mechanism is local such the depending on where it is localized in the body, it may cause a variety of different diseases. Previous studies have shown that agents that lower such cycle elements as oxidative stress, nitric oxide, inflammatory responses, mitochondrial dysfunction, tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) depletion and NMDA activity produce clinical improvements in CFS/ME and FM patients, consistent with the predictions of the cycle mechanism. Multiagent protocols lowering several aspects of the cycle appear to be the most promising approaches to therapy. These include an entirely over-the-counter nutritional support protocol developed by the author in conjunction with the Allergy Research Group. However, such mulitagent protocols to date have not produced any substantial numbers of cures of these presumed NO/ONOO− cycle disease. Why is that? This paper argues that what is called the central couplet of the cycle, the reciprocal relation between peroxynitrite elevation and BH4 depletion, is not being adequately downregulated by these multiagent protocols. Ten agents/classes of agents are available, each of which downregulates one or the other end of this central couplet. It is suggested, then, that treatments that simultaneously effectively downregulate both ends to the central couplet, when used along with multiagent protocols lowering other aspects of the cycle and avoidance of stressors that otherwise upregulate the cycle, will lead to substantial numbers of cures of these chronic diseases.

Interview: A conversation with MCS researcher Martin Pall, PhD (2005) by Linda Powers, CBS Interactive Business Network.

Article on Martin Pall, PhD: The NO/ONOO- Oxidative-Inflammatory Disease Model (2007).

An informational flyer about Pall Protocol Antioxidant Suggestions. You can find the supplements at the Allergy Research Group, but most of them are less expensive at ProHealth. (The Canary Report/Susie has no financial interest in either company.)

Articles and interviews with Martin Pall at ProHealth.com:

Radio interview with Martin Pall on WOR Willner Window (2009).

More posts at The Canary Report about Martin Pall’s research.

The above links are posted for informational purposes only. The Canary Report is not responsible for the content of external websites, and the listing does not infer endorsement. Please note that Martin Pall is not a medical doctor and is clear in his writings that MCS symptoms and remedies differ from patient to patient because the tissues impacted differ from one patient to another; he emphasizes that none of his writings are to be taken as medical advice. Check with your doctor before making any change in your supplement regime.

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