Categories
Desperate Healthwise

Red Light Therapy for Macular Degeneration

Robb Wolf: Pretty interesting N=1 story of red light therapy helping with macular degeneration.

Anne Dann: 1/3 of people die with a diagnosis of macular degeneration. 2.5 years ago I was diagnosed with an especially rare genetic version called Stargardt’s Macular Degeneration, late onset, with no treatment and no cure. I was told that I should expect to be legally blind in about a decade.

Within a few months of that horrific diagnosis I changed my language, saying that I’m supposed to go blind… not saying that I will. I was so light sensitive by January 2020 that I could no longer teach. When the doctor dilated my eyes, my vision didn’t get brighter because a dilated level of brightness has become my normal.

The next year, multiple brilliant folks from the Ancestral Health Symposium 2022 (AHS22) suggested that I try red light therapy for my light sensitivity. I was reluctant, given my extreme light sensitivity, but in time I bought the machine and put it in front on my face six minutes a day, with my doctor’s blessing that it wouldn’t hurt me and that there was in fact interesting research going on.

Month by month my light sensitivity very gradually calmed down. I stopped needing to constantly wear extra dark wraparound sunglasses over my darkest possible prescription glasses. With a ballcap just to avoid headaches at home. Now I wear prescription glasses with a moderate tint and only wear the wraparounds for driving. My vision also returned to 20/20.

The machine I gave for six minutes every morning is https://www.walmart.com/ip/Beurer-Infrared-Light-Therapy-IL50-Heating-Lamp-Red-Heat-Device-Portable-Near-IR-Cold-Laser-Muscle-Pain-Relief-Improves-Blood-Circulation-300W-Safety/132199669?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0

Today when the doctor dilated my eyes, I was shocked at how bright the dilation made my vision, because that used to be my normal. NCBI has studies of this modality yet people don’t know about it. I’m making this public in hopes that my story can help others. I was told to only use this particular machine and I use it six minutes every morning with my eyes closed, close enough that I feel the heat of the machine on my face.

Links:
Robb Wolf Facebook Post
Anne Dann Facebook Post
Red Light Therapy Device

Categories
Desperate Healthwise

The Dangers of Psychiatric Medication

Mikhaila Peterson published a recent podcast on the dangers of psychiatric medication and how to deal with withdrawal symptoms. Here are a few notes from the following video featuring Dr. Jim Wright & Dr. David Cohen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSNwibWB0dA

Suggested Websites:
https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/
https://withdrawal.theinnercompass.org/

“[regarding the websites] Amazing advice; Much better than anything that is currently available in any textbook of pharmacology or psychopharmacology.”

Additional:
The Ashton Manual for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal is also available
Medicating Normal (Documentary Film)


Categories
Desperate Healthwise

Pregnenolone Steal Is a Myth

EONutrition claims that “Pregnenolone Steal” is a myth and is based on a decade-old theory. I feel this fact deserves its own post because theory of Pregnenolone Steal has been widely propagated.

Categories
Desperate Healthwise

Vitamin B1 for Many Digestive Issues

In perhaps one of the best presentations I’ve ever seen, EONutrition makes a strong case that many digestive issues such as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) may be caused by a deficiency of Vitamin B1.

A few brief notes I jotted down:

  • 80% of cases of IBS are SIBO
  • SIBO is slowed motility which allows food to be fermented in small intestines
  • Vitamin B1 -> Healthy Vagus Nerve -> Healthy Motility

“In the presentation, I explain why vitamin B1 (thiamine) is absolutely essential for a healthy gut. This deficiency often gets overlooked, and it is likely a LOT more common than many believe.
Thiamine is necessary for the health of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for:
1. Gut motility
2. Stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzyme secretion
3. Preventing/modulating gut permeability A deficiency in this key nutrient can lead to all of the symptoms associated with individual gut-related disorder including IBS and SIBO.”

—EONutrition

Other search terms: Vagus Nerve, Vagal Tone, Thiamine

Categories
Desperate Healthwise

Low Oxalate Diet for Urinary Tract Infection

According to EONutrition, oxalates in the diet may be able to harber the bacteria involved in Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). Therefore a low oxalate diet may be a treatment for UTI and bladder infections.

Categories
Desperate Healthwise

B Vitamins for Excessive Ear Wax

There’s some anecdotal mentions of children with excessive earwax being restored to “normal” after taking methylated B vitamins. It is then further speculated to suppose this has something to do with histamines or allergies. I’m just going to say, given the importance of B Vitamins, one should be taking them anyway, so might as well try it if you have excessive ear wax. Risk vs Reward.

Categories
Desperate Healthwise

Rifaximin for SIBO and Bloating

According to Mark Hyman, MD, SIBO causes bloating and you can test for it via breath and urine. It is treatable using a non-absorbable antibiotic named Rifaximin. This is per a major paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Source: https://youtu.be/z_S8YX6PY6s?t=254

Categories
Desperate Healthwise

SIBO Could Be Adaptive Protection

EONutrition makes and interesting case that Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) could be an adaptation to help cells get the sulfate they need. It may also implicate a molybdenum deficiency.

Categories
Desperate Healthwise

Antihistamines Can Cause Restless Leg Syndrome

Anecdotally I noticed that anti-histamine supplements for sleep cause me to have what I believe is Restless Leg Syndrome. I no longer need antihistamines to sleep. One of the reasons I gave them up was this side effect.

I didn’t think to post it until I saw a group of other people complaining about the exact same problem. There seems to be some truth to it. At this time I do not know the mechanism for action or if a nutritional supplement can counteract it.

Categories
Desperate Healthwise

Ancestral Sleep

UCLA recently led a sleep study where they gave one of the last remaining hunter-gatherer cultures some tracking devices, and learned some interesting things.

  • Participants stayed awake an average of 3 hours and 20 minutes after sunset.
  • Average sleep time was 6 hours and 25 minutes. (6 hours in the summer, 7 in winter)
  • Waking time occured at the lowest temperature of the 24-hour period, even after sunrise
  • Napping is rare
  • Insomnia is extremely rare

Source: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(15)01157-4

Incredibly, it sounds like temperature may be the leading factor in better sleep. I’m thinking maybe it’s time to get a OOLER programmable sleep system.

Boring legal disclaimer: The statements made regarding any products on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products or information has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please discuss any health information with a licensed healthcare professional. Also, this site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and other affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to sites such as amazon.com. This costs you (the user) nothing extra. This site is also supported by donations. Thank you for your support.