April 2002 Newsletter
Dear Friends and Patients:
Last month I had the unique opportunity of spending an evening with a group of scientists and physicians involved in medical research of heart disease. They have pioneered a treatment that will revolutionize the therapy for hardening of the arteries, as well as a therapy for other degenerative diseases. One of these persons was Dr. Gary Mezo, founder and director of NanobacLabs. Another person I spent several hours with was Dr. Neva Ciftcioglu, a beautiful and brilliant research scientist who received a nomination for the Nobel peace prize. She had previously been living in Finland, but is currently living in Houston, Texas where she is working for NASA (National Aeronautic and Space Administration). NASA has been interested in finding out if there is life on other planets, and what forms this life might take. Primitive life forms might be a bacteria or virus of some sort.
While doing research in Finland, Dr. Ciftcioglu and her associate, Dr. Kajander, “accidently” found a new bacteria that is unique to science. Their research project using blood cultures kept failing because the cells mysteriously kept dying. They could find no reason until they left the dead cells alone and later found a “scum” had formed on top of the culture. Analyzing the “scum” they found a bacteria new to medical science that is unique in size and characteristics, that was the cause of the death of their cultures. This bacteria was 1,000 times smaller than a regular bacteria and was named Nanobacteria sanguineum (nano refers to 1 billionth of a meter, and sanguineum is Latin referring to blood). It can only be seen by an electron or atomic microscope and it had eluded detection for decades. It was found to have the unique ability to create or form minerals.
What Do Astronauts, Heart Disease, Kidney stones, and Dental Plaque Have in Common?
NASA is very interested in this bacteria because it grows at a very rapid rate in a weight-less environment, and explains why astronauts have increased kidney stones, coronary artery calcifications, arthritis and other disorders involving pathological calcification. This genus of bacteria is found in mineral deposits on earth and also in some of the rocks brought back from Mars. Nanobacteria sanguineum is unique to humans and mammals.
What Can Nanobacter Do In Humans?
Once researchers found out about this bacteria, they started looking for it in humans. Much to their surprise, they found not only does it exist in humans, it causes pathological calcification by excreting a biofilm that has calcium in it. These calcium shells can be cast off and left in tissue in the coronary arteries, carotid arteries, kidneys, gallbladder, muscle and joints, or virtually any other area of the body. Because this bacteria is very slow to grow, doubling in numbers every three days, it takes decades for the calcification to become apparent in humans. No human tissue is resistant to Nanobacteria, even crossing the blood-brain barrier to cause brain calcifications. According to the people at Nanobac Labs, very high numbers of Nanobacteria have also been found in patients with autoimmune diseases such as lupus, psoriasis, scleroderma or similar disorders. All of these diseases have one thing in common – inflammation of tissues. It is not known whether the association with Nanobacter is causally related or not. These findings are so new they are yet to be studied.
Our bodies do not recognize calcified Nanobacteria as a foreign substance, but as common “calcium.” So our body’s defenses do not attack this bacteria with the immune system when it is protected in its “calcium condominiums.” The biofilm of calcium, however, keeps our immune systems on hyperalert, causing chronic inflammation in our tissues common to most human degenerative diseases.
Is There a Treatment that is Effective?
To date, there are no known natural substances that can kill these Nanobacteria. Additionally, Nanobacterium sanguineum cannot be killed by Penicillin, Cephalosporins, Macrolides, most other antibiotics, heat under 196 degrees F., freezing, dehydration, gamma radiation under 150 MegaRads, other bacteria or viruses, alcohol, peroxides, garlic, colloidal silver, IP6, MGN3, lactoferrin, frequency generators, immune boosters, colostrum, transfer factors, immunoglobulins or herbals. They are the most highly resistant of all bacteria to destruction.
Preliminary research has shown there is an effective treatment for nanobacter. This research is from the Western IRB Monitored NanobacTX-ACES Cardiology II Study done by board-certified cardiologists. It involves first dissolving the calcium deposits with a prescription compounded medication called EDTA in rectal suppository form in combination with a special patented oral powder to enhance it’s effect. At the same time the bacteria are killed with the antibiotic Tetracycline, to which they are susceptible. The antibiotic by itself will not work if the bacteria has its protective calcium coat. This is a once a day treatment and can take anywhere from three to eight months to complete, depending upon the individual’s response and severity of disease.
Patient’s were evaluated with pre and post therapy using Ultrafast CAT scan technology to measure coronary artery calcification. Antibody/antigen testing was also done to measure the amount of bacterial infection. Coronary calcifications were reduced an average of 58.5% after 3 months as measured by Ultrafast CAT Scan, with 19% of patients having zero calcification left. All patients showed marked improvement in heart disease symptoms. All this was done without the risk of surgery.
This information will be published in some of the major medical journals in the next few months. We have this treatment available through the Preventive Medicine Center by prescription, and are participating with the research team in the NanobacTx-ACES Research Trial. It is the only proven treatment for nanobacterial infection, and the only prescription treatment ever shown to reverse coronary artery calcification. With heart disease being the number one cause of death in this country, this is a dramatic and life-saving breakthrough!!
How Can You Find Out if You are Infected?
There is a very specialized blood test that will show the presence of Nanobacter that is not available through most laboratories. One of the unfortunate discoveries made by Drs. Ciftcioglu and Kajander, is that nanobacter is a contaminant in IPV polio vaccines that we give to our children. They suspect that all human biologicals developed in fetal bovine serum are contaminated, as cows are one of the known vectors of Nanobacteria. So this infection may be widespread throughout the world. We do not know if human to human contact, such as in kissing or sex, will spread this bacteria, but we do know the bacteria exist in the mouth in dental plaque that is calcified and in the prostate in prostate stones. The good news is there is effective treatment for infection.
Who Should Get Tested?
If you have heart disease or atherosclerosis involving the coronary arteries or other blood vessels, angina, by-pass surgery or stents, kidney stones, cataracts, joint calcifications, prostate stones, calcified dental plaque (tartar), or any abnormal calcification in your body tissues, I would urge you to have the blood test. If you have received a vaccine, even as a child, that was produced in fetal bovine serum, you should have your antibody levels checked. Since we do not know enough about human to human contact and the spread of Nanobacter, if there has been exposure by oral or sexual contact with someone who has Nanobacter, just like with any other bacteria, you may want to consider a screening test. And finally, if you have an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, psoriasis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, or severe musculoskeletal pain and inflammation (including a diagnosis of “fibromyalgia”), you may wish to consider having a test run.
To have your antibody levels checked, please call the center at 352-331-5138 during regular business hours. We will place an order for the test kit using your check or credit card. The cost of the lab test kit is $195, payable directly to NanobacTest. To find out if this test is reimbursable by your insurance company you should contact your insurance company or agent directly. The actual testing is performed by AmScot Laboratories in Cincinnati, OH. The test kit can be shipped to you or our office. This is a blood test. We charge a $30 fee to cover the costs of drawing blood, processing the specimen, and shipping to the reference lab. You will need to make an appointment with Dr. Erickson to discuss the results as the lab does not interpret results for you. It takes us around 10 days to receive them. If there is infection present, we will then discuss prescribing the recommended treatment and follow up. Treatment is by prescription only.
For further information on this topic go on line to .
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EDTA CHELATION and Circulatory Conditions
We are often asked about EDTA intravenous chelation therapy for treatment of atherosclerosis. Although the NanobacTX-ACES study did not use I.V. chelation therapy, it did use EDTA to “dissolve” atherosclerotic plaque hiding the Nanobacteria. EDTA (ethyl-diamine-tetra-acetic acid) is a chemical substance that was first developed in Germany in the late 1930′s and used in industry. It was latter used medically to treat sailors who became lead toxic from painting ships with lead-based paints during the war. By the mid 1950′s EDTA was widely used for removing lead from adults and children, and is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for this purpose today. It is also widely used as an additive to foods. While treating patients with lead poisoning it was observed that adults with circulatory ailments, coronary artery disease, and cerebrovascular disease often found improvement in their circulatory conditions. This lead to the investigation and use of EDTA to treat hardening of the arteries, even though this is not an approved use by the FDA.
No one knows for sure how EDTA chelation works in atherosclerosis. We do know that this chemical binds to heavy metals and removes minerals such as zinc and calcium from the body. It does not remove calcium from the bones, however, and has been shown to improve bone density. We do know in heart disease called cardiomyopathy, there are large depositions of heavy metals such as zinc or mercury in the heart muscle itself. We do not know why these deposits occur. NIH (the National Institute of Health) plans to fund a 30 million dollar study to document the effectiveness of I.V. EDTA chelation therapy. This is an area of controversy between conventional medicine and alternative medicine. Controversy is not new to medical science. We do know that EDTA is generally very safe and that for many people with circulatory disease who have undergone treatments, they feel better symptomatically.
Just like any other medication, precautions need to be taken. The dosage is determined on an individual basis, and pre-existing conditions such as liver, kidney, and heart disease, and disorders such as diabetes that can effect excretion of toxins are taken into consideration. Intravenous EDTA chelation is given over a 1 – 3 hour period and the frequency is usually weekly to twice weekly over twenty to thirty treatments. Maintenance therapy is given on an individual basis. After every five treatments, a nutritional IV is given to replace lost trace minerals and nutrients.
Side effects that may be experienced include nausea, muscle cramps, hypotension (low blood pressure), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), pain at the I.V. site, and allergic reactions (rare). Side effects are minimized by administering the I.V. at a slow rate, eating a nutritious meal before treatments and by taking the proper supplements during the detoxification process.
Both Dr. Erickson and his nursing staff have been trained by the International College of Integrative Medicine in the proper administration of EDTA therapy. Dr. Erickson has also passed the written Board Exam given the American Board of Chelation Therapy.
EDTA chelation provides an alternative to rectal suppositories, or for those patient’s who do not wish to take a prolonged course of antibiotic therapy. It does not eliminate Nanobacter infection. We have EDTA chelation available at the Center.
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What’s New At The Center?
• High cholesterol? We are now carrying Cholarest™ which is a natural supplement to help lower cholesterol, promote healthy lipid levels, and increase HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”). This product also prevents lipid peroxidation of low density lipoproteins or LDL (“bad cholesterol”) so they do not stick to arterial walls. This is an all-natural product that has been extensively studied in humans and animals and is equal in effectiveness to prescription cholesterol lowering statin drugs but without their side-effects or liver problems. The usual dose is one a day, and the cost is $28 for a bottle of 30.
• Phone messages. Some of our patients call in on their cellular phones. Sometimes the message on our end is garbled or words are missing, and we do not know who is calling or what number to call. If you do not hear back from us in a reasonable period of time, please call back on a land line.
• Aloe Plus. Dr. Bruce Walton was a professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Shands Teaching Hospital. He is now retired but he has developed a nutritional product that is of exceptional quality and he is marketing this internationally. This product has Venezuelan whole leaf aloe vera as it’s primary component which comes from volcanic soil. There are a lot of Aloe products available, but we feel this one is the best. It also has other important phytonutrients such as Grapeseed Extract, Green Tea Extract, Wild Yam Extract and other powerful antioxidants. Our experience has been that most patients who consistently take this product over a 60 – 90 day period of time have an improved sense of well being and energy. You may want to give it a try if you are not already taking it.
• Success Stories. We appreciate our patients taking the time to write a brief “Success Story” of how they were able to overcome their medical challenges. These are placed in a booklet in the waiting area where other patients and potential patients can read. You do not need to put your full name on these. We’d love to hear your story.