Archive for the Autoimmune Disease Category

Coriolus Versicolor – The Story Of One

By on February 3, 2011
This entry is filed under Autoimmune Disease, Fibromyalgia, inforce immune builder.

Here is one very personal story.

I was born with Scoliosis, Pediatric Fibromyalgia and a weakened auto-immune system. What that means is from infancy, until the age of 11 years old, I woke up in the morning to start my day, unable to open my eyes.

They were glued shut from an excess accumulation of mucus overnight, which would harden and interlock my eye-lashes thus, by dawn my eyes were sealed shut. My mother’s daily routine was to place hot, wet towels over my eyes to loosen the mucus and remove it without removing my eye-lashes as well. Once that was done and I could open my eyes to see, my mother would drive me to my doctors office, where I would have to sit at a machine, equivalent to a vacuum cleaner sucking excess mucus from each nostril. It was a painful, childhood experience which I will never forget.

Because of scoliosis, I had to wear a full metal brace from my neck to my tail bone with special shoes which forced me to walk on the heels of my feet.

Because of my weakened auto-immune system and multiple allergies, I had numerous weekly shots. Every year, as the seasons mildly changed, in Los Angeles, CA, from summer to fall I would become sick with a cold, flu and/or bronchitis throughout winter until the following year’s spring season.

For over 40 years, I suffered the flu, bronchitis and asthma during the fall and winter seasons. In spite of my health problems; since I was a hyperactive creative child, I participated in competitive and non-competitive sports, art, music and dance. I have had a full life of activity and the idea I might someday suffer from illness, disease and disorders never entered my conscious mind. That was until the day I lost my health and wellness. For me, I did not recognize and appreciate how fortunate I was until I lost what I had, something more important than any money or material one could buy. I lost my health and wellness.

For over 20 years in young adulthood, my body rapidly declined with illnesses, which generally do not occur until old adulthood. In my 30’s suddenly I was faced with severe illnesses which included adult fibromyalgia, scoliosis, osteoporosis, arthritis, degenerative disc disease and an auto-immune deficiency. These illnesses caused further disorders and diseases to my endocrine, nutritional, metabolic systems, blood and blood-forming organs (acute anemia, liver, kidney and gall bladder), nervous system and sense organs, circulatory and respiratory systems (asthma, bronchitis and acute pneumonia), digestive and genitourinary system (stomach, intestines and bladder), gynecological (infertility and early menopause), musculoskeletal systems and connective tissue (muscle spasms and atrophy, fractures, torn ligaments and tendons). My auto-immune system deficiency was so severe, I could not walk into a room with any ill-health individuals without contracting a cold, virus, flu or other ailments and would take months, often entire seasons to recover.

In 1990 at 28 years old, I lost the use of both arms and was in chronic pain 24/7 365 days of the year. All I could do was sit in the corner of a room and cry. After dozens upon dozens of doctor visits, the medical profession had no idea what was wrong with my body, nor how or what to do to restore my health. I was told this was how I would be for the rest of my life, there was NO CURE, and “the sooner I would be able to accept my lot in life the better.”

What was my response? To their surprise and disappointment, I responded, “NO WAY! I refuse to accept this as my lot in life. I will do and did anything necessary to find a way to improve my health and wellness! I refuse to give up inLife!”

Long-term chronic pain and illness not only affected my body physiologically, but also affected my mind – my memory, cognitive abilities, and sleep patterns suffered tremendously as well. In the end, as it is darkest before the dawn, I had become isolated, only venturing outside for doctor appointments, treatment(s) and physical therapy.

It has been a long journey, filled with challenges and tragedy, which I have learned to overcome with adversity. After 20 years of ill health, the last 10 of which were filled with chronic pain 24/7/365 days, I have survived 29 surgeries and almost died, to the best of my recollection, at least 15 times. Of the 29 surgeries, 27 were not to improve my health and wellness from illness, disease and disorders. Rather, they were emergency surgeries to repair the damage done to my body as a direct result of allergies and side-effects to pharmacological medications. These medications were given to me by numerous, well-intentioned, highly educated medical practitioners.

I met my inLife mentor, teacher and role-model, Brian B Bush, just a few months before my 29th surgery in December 2009. Barely able to walk, let alone function, Brian introduced me to the electronic cigarette, which I immediately purchased and utilized in preparation for surgery.

In March 2010, I underwent an anterior cervical discectomy. Just one hour following surgery, for the first time in 10 years, I awoke in recovery with NO continuous electrical current running down my spine radiating down both arms and legs. It was gone! Thanks to one of the top neurological surgeons in our country, I was pain free at last and given a new lease on life! I was ecstatic. I enjoyed my positive smoking alternative, the electronic cigarette, in the hospital with glee!

I was so elated to have my health restored, I had forgotten about my weakened auto-immune system and immediately began attending conferences and events to make up for lost time personally, professionally and financially. Within one week, I had attended two events with over 400 people in attendance. At some point, I had come into contact with someone who had ill health and immediately suffered the consequences. For 6 weeks I had a temperature of 103 and had to go to the emergency room on two occasions because I could not breathe. For 6 weeks, I was given strong antibiotics and large quantities of Ibuprophen, but could not break my fever. The hospital ran a full blood panel, which told them that my white blood count, auto-immune system and more, were significantly below normal. Hepatitis C, from blood transfusions over 20 years earlier had returned, my liver, kidney, intestines, stomach and other organs ceased to function properly and were shutting down.

That was when inLife introduced the nutritional supplement inForce™ Immune Builder with PSK (Polysaccharide Krestin) and PSP (Polysaccharide Peptide) from the Coriolus Versicolor mushroom. What is Coriolus Versicolor? It is a mushroom, which has been documented and utilized in Eastern Medicine, since the Ming Dynasty in the 1300s. Within 24 hours of taking inForce, my fever broke and I was able to breathe, get out of bed, bathe and eat! On the 8th day using inForce the hospital ran my blood levels again. My numbers went from significantly below normal to above normal. After using inForce for 30 days, the hospital ran my blood levels again. My numbers went from above normal to significantly above normal.

For the first time in 10 years, not only was I able to breathe, eat and bathe, but I was also able to sleep, regain memory and improve my cognitive abilities. I could walk without falling and fracturing bones. I could eat meat, vegetables and carbs in the same meal, without spending two days in bed rolling around in excruciating pain. I began applying to, and interviewing for, employment in my field of practice.

During this process, I have learned through experience something crucial to achieving optimal health and wellness. One of the problems involved when people have issues with health and wellness is that they stop doing what they did to restore their health and wellness. Through no intention of my own, I miscalculated my inForce intake and ran out of inForce for one week. In just 7 days, a dormant infection rapidly worsened and I had to undergo an emergency root canal. My neck suddenly looked like I had a golf ball on the inside of my throat, and my entire face swelled. The day of my emergency root canal my inForce shipment arrived. Within 24 hours back on inForce, the swelling and infection were gone, not dormant, but gone! Because of this, I continue to maintain a higher dosage of inForce on a daily regimen and make sure I order enough to not run out, EVER. It has now been 4 months since I began taking inForce.

For the first time in my life, at 48 years old, when summer turned to fall, I did not get sick. For the first time in my life, I am working with people who have illnesses of one kind or another, and I am not getting sick.

I have more energy and feel better than I have ever felt before. After years of chronic pain, fatigue and hopelessness, I did not think it would ever be possible to feel well again. Today, I have more joy, health, and wellness and hope than I ever imagined possible.

Because of my story, I have met hundreds, thousands possibly, of sick people with all kinds of health problems, many of which are life-threatening diseases, with no hope for a cure, no hope for the future, their children and grand-children.

Today, I get to work in the fields of medical and mental health. On a daily basis, I work on educating, teaching and role-modeling a life of fulfillment, health and wellness, a meaningful purpose – heart, mind, body, and soul. If my story can save just one person from suffering physically, psychologically, emotionally, and/or spiritually, then everything I have experienced has been well worth it. Through my experience, strength and hope, today, I get to spend my days helping people to improve their health and wellness, their families, their friends and community – to empower people to heal, find their meaningful purpose in life, and achieve their dreams and desires. Everything is about personal, professional, and financial freedom – so everyone can spend their days, their lives with their families, friends and community.

Today, I get to be a member of a special group of people, who believe as do I, in the infinite universe of abundance, the laws of attraction, to pay it forward. We are all connected – heart, mind, body, and soul – in an incredible world where we live and love inLife!

I invite you to stop working to live. Rather live and love to work inLife to help one another to achieve our fullest potential, meaningful purpose, personal, professional, and financial freedom … to do what we all wish to do more than anything else on earth – to live, love and spend TIME with our families, friends and loved ones. Join us – to be people helping people.

God bless you and welcome to becoming changed, to live and love inLife!

Your global friend,

Debórah Anne Kaufman

(Source: http://www.mushroomstudies.com/testimonials)

Hartford Hospital, Conneticut & Coriolus Vericolor PSK/PSP

By on July 27, 2010
This entry is filed under Autoimmune Disease, Lung Cancer, Preventative, Properties, PSK, PSP and tagged , , .

What Hartford Hospital in Conneticut has to say about Coriolus Versicolor

“Currently, extracts of Coriolus versicolor called polysaccharide-K (PSK) and polysaccharopeptide (PSP) are under study as immune stimulants for use alongside chemotherapy  in the treatment of cancer. These two related substances, made from slightly different strains of the fungus, are thought to act as “biological response modifiers,” meaning that they affect the body’s response to cancer.

According to most but not all reported trials, most of which were performed in Asia, both PSK and PSP can enhance the effects of various forms of standard cancer treatment.  For example, in a 28-day double-blind  , placebo-controlled study of 34 people with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer, use of Coriolus extracts along with conventional treatment significantly slowed the progression of the disease.

It is thought that Coriolus extracts work by stimulating the body’s own cancer-fighting cells. PSK and PSP may also have cancer-preventive  effects.
In addition, very weak evidence hints that extracts of Coriolus versicolor might be helpful for HIV infection.”

(Source: www.hartfordhospital.org)

Coriolus Versicolor – The Miracle Mushroom

By on May 23, 2010
This entry is filed under Autoimmune Disease, Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, HPV, Leukemia, Liver Cancer, Lung Cancer, Medical Studies, Preventative, Prostate Cancer, Treatments and tagged , , , , , , .

This extract taken from quantumhealing.co.za details various trials and treatments of Coriolus Versicolor.

It shrank his liver tumor by 90%––after his doctor gave up on him.

A man describes his oncologist as “the most negative man I ever met.” The doctor treated Mr. G. for liver cancer for six years, then gave him up as untreatable. “After the chemo failed, he threw up his hands, shrugged his shoulders, wished me good luck, and said there was nothing else he could do,” according to Mr. G. “And surgery couldn’t be performed either, because the consulting surgeon saw that the tumor was wrapped around my vena cava blood vessel.”

Mr G. told his oncologist, “I totally reject what you are telling me. I do not accept that nothing can be done to affect the outcome of this disease.” The doctor said, “Well, I know what I’m talking about when it comes to cancer. I’m a scientist.”

Mr G. shot back, “Yes, but you’re not God!” Four years later the patient was healthy again after using the type of therapies known as CAIM (complementary/ alternative/integrative medicine), especially including capsules containing the powdered extract of a mushroom, Coriolus versicolor. Mr G. learned about the remedy on the Internet and he can tell you all about it, having downloaded nearly 400 studies.

Amazingly, Mr. G.’s liver cancer reduced to less than ten percent of its original size. His CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) cancer marker fell more than two-thirds from 296 to 97.9.

What is Coriolus Versicolor?

Like all mushrooms, Coriolus versicolor is a fungus, one of more than a half million varieties worldwide. Many of them have been known for thousands of years to have medicinal properties. And as you may know, gourmets the world over prize both wild and commercially grown mushrooms. Some European cookbooks even call them “flowers of the fall.” Whatever you call them, certain mushrooms are a perfect food for staying trim and healthy. They have little or no fat and some species, like Coriolusversicolor, boast valuable therapeutic and nutritional benefits. But a few fungi are poisonous and we do not recommend that nonexperts attempt to harvest their own. Coriolus versicolor goes by a number of botanical names, including Trametes versicolor and Boletus versicolor.

“Versicolor” refers to the mushroom’s various colors. In North America, the common name is “turkey tail,” while in Japan it is called by a name meaning “mushroom by the river bank” and in China its name indicates it’s a cloud fungus that grows best in the rain.

Over 400 clinical studies have shown that a purified extract derived from the mushroom Coriolus versicolor offers strong benefits for the immune system. Clinical studies indicate the extract’s ingredients are especially effective against stomach, uterine, colon and lung cancer.

Anecdotal evidence and clinical experience suggest it also works well against prostate, breast, liver and colorectal  cancer. Studies of rats and mice show that this mushroom is effective against many experimental animal cancers such as sarcoma and hepatoma.

Martha I.’s lung cancers disappear

“Of course,” says Dr. Bailey, “some cancer patients take Coriolus versicolor even while they engage in radiation treatment or chemotherapy. Or the patients don’t submit to chemotherapy or radiotherapy at all but rely, instead, exclusively on nutritional therapies with the medicinal mushroom as the main treatment ingredient.

“For example, one of my patients, Martha I., a 34-year-old woman working in the health field, consulted me with a cancer spreading at two sites in her lungs. Orthodox treatment had been tried but no longer was effective. She discontinued her smoking of two cigarette packs a day and embarked on nutritional therapies.

The nutrients included Martha’s completing six months of taking Coriolus versicolor. After this halfyear, radiological examination showed that all of her lung tumors had disappeared. Seeing her current progress, orthodox medicine probably would declare this patient to be cured.”

Blood tests show how the mushroom boosts immunity

I spoke with a doctor who measures natural killer cell (NK) counts and considers them a valuable cancer

marker. Kenneth Bock, M.D., is the medical director of two holistic medical clinics, one in Rhinebeck, New York and the other in Albany. “Because it increases natural killer (NK) cell activity, I think of using Coriolus versicolor mainly when I’m confronted with a patient suffering from cancer or a viral infection,” he says. “This mushroom is one of the main medicinal compounds I use to boost a diminished blood reading which records NK activity. The mushroom’s active biological response modifier produces a marked improvement in NK cell function and number, something I monitor by blood testing. If the blood reading is low, my patient takes greater amounts of PSK capsules. And, although it’s an expensive and sophisticated assay, I repeat my NK cell testing inside of a month or two. In a number of patients, I’ve seen some nice blood test improvement.”

Dr. Bock finds that a few patients with advanced metastatic cancer see their NK counts jump from 2 or 3 to a normal 20 to 50.

Patient’s immune system recovers

“I can illustrate what I’m saying by providing a before-and-after case history plus the literature that backs my claim,” Dr. Bock states. His patient was a white, married computer consultant named Marty E., sixty years old and suffering from high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis when he was also found to have polyps on his larynx. These were removed, with radiation therapy as a follow-up. But then Marty E. was also found to have prostate cancer.

“His blood test showed diminished natural killer cell activity at the level of 6 m/u,” Dr. Bock states. “Still, Marty wanted no conventional therapy for prostate cancer. So I started him on alternative medical therapies for prostate cancer and to improve his deficient NK cell activity. Coriolus versicolor was a definite part of his treatment regimen.

“Within two months, the patient’s NK cell activity elevated to 18 m/u. And two months after that his NK cell activity increased to a normal 31 m/u. Now the man is doing well physically, and he tells me he feels great! I would say this type of response to the  PSK therapy is usual; the patient’s quality of life does improve dramatically and he or she feels asense of well-being,” according to Dr. Bock.

A naturpathic doctor named Tori Hudson told of her clinical experience using PSK for breast cancer patients during and after chemotherapy. “My impression is that patients taking Coriolus versicolor are experiencing less side effects from chemotherapy such as diminished fatigue, less nausea (but not less hair loss), and more stable white blood cell counts. I have not measured natural killer cell counts,” she states.

Animal studies confirm what patients see for themselves

Animal studies show PSK is effective against a long list of cancers including melanoma, sarcoma, mammary cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer. Studies also show it inhibits metastasis to other sites. The studies indicate PSK enhances the immune system and battles cancer cells. It’s been shown to prolong the survival time and stimulate the production of cancer antibodies in mice with cancer.

PSK is also a potent antiviral remedy that may hold new hope for HIV-AIDS. It even lowers cholesterol in animals and speeds up recovery from burns in rabbits when used in combination with the herb Astragalus membranaceus.

Can be used in combination with conventional treatments

Human patients who have decided to stick with conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy need to know that PSK renders these toxic treatments much more effective, as shown by a number of clinical studies.

A Japanese study looked at the effectiveness of 200 phytochemicals (plant substances) when used in combination with chemotherapy and radiation. Coriolus versicolor was found to be the best of the bunch. The researchers suggest that this medicinal mushroom seems to protect the immune system from being suppressed by prolonged use of chemotherapy drugsand by the cancer itself.

Further investigations indicate a marked improvement in the survival rates of chemo and radiationpatients taking the mushroom therapy when compared with those who did not. For patients with Stage I lung cancer observed over ten years, the tumor shrinkage and survival rate was 39 percent for those taking PSK compared to only 16 percent for patients receiving the toxic therapies without the mushroom extract. That’s a huge difference––more than twice as many survived and/or improved with the help of PSK.

Those lung cancer patients with more serious Stage II cancer experienced a 22 percent tumor shrinkage and survival rate over ten years when they took Coriolus versicolor orally while being treated with chemo or radiation. Among the people who didn’t take the herbal remedy the figure was a mere five percent.

From this study of 185 lung cancer patients it appears the mushroom extract can make the toxic therapies anywhere from two to four times more effective.

A Japanese study of 262 gastric cancer patients tested the mushroom’s efficacy following surgery. During a follow-up period ranging from five to seven years, the half who received the mushroom extract survived at substantially higher rates. The researchers concluded that PSK was a useful adjunctive therapy to surgery and chemo.

A Japanese study of breast cancer patients found similar results: Those who received PSK along with chemotherapy had better outcomes than those who did not. And a study of 28 patients suffering from acute leukemia––all on chemotherapy––showed an average survival time of 21 months for those who took the mushroom extract and 12 months for those who did not.

Coriolus & Autoimmune Diseases

By on May 19, 2010
This entry is filed under Autoimmune Disease, Properties and tagged , .

Coriolus versicolor modulates autoimmune diseases

Extract from article

T cells belong to a group of while blood cells known as lymphocytes, and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity. The activation of T helper (Th) cell subsets also plays an important role in immunity. Uncontrolled Th responses lead to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The identification of agents that modulate these helper cells is essential for controlling autoimmune diseases. A study from the November, 2008 Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, reported that polysaccharopeptide (PSP) from Coriolus versicolor exhibited the ability to control aberrant T lymphocyte activation through ciclosporin-like activity. PSP alone suppress production of activated T cells.

Coriolus – The Cancer Fighter

By on May 19, 2010
This entry is filed under Autoimmune Disease, Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, HPV, Lung Cancer, Preventative, Properties, Treatments and tagged , , , , .

The more research that we do about the Coriolus Versicolor mushroom, the more staggered we become about the wide ranging information about this ‘little known’ cancer fighter. From colon cancer, lung cancer, HPV, stomach cancer…the list is endless. The immune system boosting properties of the extract are simply astonishing.

Here is another article from pskmushroom.info about the cancer fighter

Read article – Click Here

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