What autoimmune hyperinflammation looks like – LongCovid/FLCCC Conference.

Excerpt from The Epoch Times gives another warning to be cautious of psychiatric referrals. Autoimmune patients are used to being called hypochondriacs & sent to talk therapy. Now more are at risk.

  • Via COVID-19 Vaccine Injury, Syndrome Not a Disease: FLCCC Conference Shares How to Treat It, by Marina Zhang, Oct 17, 2022, The Epoch Times, (Zhang/theepochtimes):

[Dr. Ryan Cole] “Cole presented biopsies that showed spike protein presence and inflammation in small blood vessels, muscles, heart muscles, brain tissue, lungs, spleen, and many more.

Most of the biopsies presented damaged cells that expressed only spike protein, rather than other SARS-CoV-2 proteins. This suggests spike injuries are caused by vaccination and not natural infection, because in infection other SARS-CoV-2 proteins including nucleocapsid proteins [the base subunit S2 is connected to Nucleocapsid subunits] are present in addition to the spike protein.

[Dr. Paul Marik, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC),]

Cole’s findings fed into Marik’s lecture on symptoms and treatment options for long COVID and post-vaccine injury syndrome.” (Zhang/theepochtimes)

  • React19 is a science-based non-profit offering financial, physical, and emotional support for those suffering from longterm Covid-19 vaccine adverse events globally. (react19.org/about

“Evaluating React19 survey data from people suspecting vaccine injuries, Marik found the most common symptoms of spike protein-induced diseases.” (Zhang/theepochtimes)

Ten most commonly reported symptoms of people surveyed about suspected CoV vaccine injury.

“This included fatigue, exercise intolerance, brain fog, heart palpitations, muscle weakness, tingling, dizziness, muscle aches, sleep disturbances, and joint pain.” (Zhang/theepochtimes)

Epoch Times Photo
Dr. Paul Marik’s slides presented at the FLCCC Conference in Orlando Florida (Courtesy of the FLCCC) (Zhang/theepochtimes)

““Believe it or not … the average number of symptoms reported is 23,” said Marik.

However, because most patients complain of an extensive list of symptoms not found in any disease, “[patients] will go to the doctor with all these complaints … and the doctor will say it’s all in your head,” said Marik.

Marik said that many patients are thus referred to psychiatric specialties rather than physicians who understand and can treat their disease.

The vaccine-injured are vast,” said Kory, “the numbers are massive … they are underserved and their needs are not being met.”” (Zhang/theepochtimes)

Brain fog experienced by 71.5% of people who suspect they were CoV vak injured. (Zhang/theepochtimes)

Substack: Pomegranate Peel Prep.
Ways Pomegranate protects against spike, (transcendingsquare.com)

Wormwood and artemisinin have also been part of my self-care arsenal. The pomegranate peel helps a lot but when I had post CoV infection fatigue and any flair ups since, artemisinin and then Wormwood tea more recently has helped fairly quickly. The artemisinin got more expensive, so I switched when I ran out of the 6 bottles I had bought online in 2020 when my symptoms felt like anemia of chronic inflammation/infection. It worked, I used it am and pm, 200 mg, for a few months and then once a day for the next year. The Wormwood tea is harsh on the gut, and I use it for flair-ups, any worsening of cold symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, achy body pain, or night sweats (a sign of worse autoimmune/inflammation/cancer).

Addition: Sweet Wormwood leaves is what I should have bought. Wormwood has thujone and is used in absinthe. Too much is a GABA disruptor and can cause seizures. Neither is recommended during pregnancy or child-bearing years. Artemisia afra is used I believe as an anti-malarial preventive in endemic regions of Africa. Artemisia afra does not have the same phytonutrients as the other Artemisia/wormwoods (and mugworts), but trials have had positive results. (du Toit and van der Kooy, 2019)

I used an old browser url to open my transcendingsquare.site and it was synchronicity – pertinent: Neuropathy can be a cause of extreme tiredness, 8/Dec/2016, with a helpful list of possible things to try. (transcendingsquare.com)

What I wanted was this post, I wrote about it more and of my use for my extreme fatigue: Artemisinin, arteannuin-B, sgp130Fc and COVID-19, 25/June/2020. The extreme fatigue needs an iron chelator to help the body recover balance after an infection causes a shift of iron from hemoglobin into storage as free iron or ferritin. If too much is free the storage becomes an issue and if it leaks to extracellular tissue, it causes oxidative damage and more inflammation.

The protein sgp130Fc may also be helpful but I have not seen much followed up on that topic.

  • SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: Is interleukin-6 (IL-6) the ‘culprit lesion’ of ARDS onset? What is there besides Tocilizumab? SGP130Fc. (Magro, 2020)

This article is mostly about the medications but mentions the sgp130Fc, a normal protein that would be protective, but during inflammation/infection we would need five times more. My post includes more description in a later section. Artemisinin, arteannuin-B, sgp130Fc and COVID-19

There has been increased interest in employing the inhibitory agents tocilizumab, siltuximab and sarilumab in COVID-19 patients, with a series of clinical trials being registered and launched in different countries. In addition, the use of anti-IL-6 drugs is associated with an increased risk of some adverse reactions [8]. The use of metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) or soluble glycoprotein 130 fused chimera (sgp130Fc) to specifically inhibit pathological IL-6 trans-signaling in patients with severe COVID-19 promises to be a more effective and safer strategy to ameliorate disease states.” (Du, et al, 2021)

When I talk about membrane damage, realize that also means nerve membranes – myelination which makes our nerve signaling more rapid and accurate. (effectivecare.info/G12. Demyelination) I never got back to finish that page – a very revealing trend that I meant to move onto next was general malnutrition seems to be a big risk for demyelination. If the body gets hungry enough it starts using muscle tissue for protein and likely breaks down myelin for fatty acids.

My fingers get more pins and needles numb when I forget my methyl B12 too often or go too long between Epsom salt soaks. CoQ10 is on my Don’t forget list, and I have been.

Seeking help from people that dismiss your long list of aches and pains as hypochondria or psychosomatic is a bad idea. Complaining about it/their treatment, to them, may be a worse idea, as it may lead to a psychiatric commitment against your will and psychiatric medications that are likely to speed up the chronic degeneration and worsen the neurological damage.

This is serious. The powers in charge are forcing this through (CoV vak and other mRNA vak-to-be or other treatments) and ignoring all evidence of the harm of the mRNA process and the LNPs. Banging your head against a locked door (metaphorically) is not sensible . . . asking or demanding help from the people who are harming and denying harm and threatening mental illness diagnosis for people talking negatively about the causal substance . . . is not sensible.

A social media acquaintance literally escaped from a lock facility after their family had them committed for apparent craziness about Covid and posting too much online (late 2021). The person was put on medications that made the escape more difficult and surreal – a family member got a doctor to prescribe something and then swapped it for an antibiotic that was needed (so combined surreal issues from pain and an untreated infection). Psychiatric medications are dangerous, to many people at least, and we aren’t supposed to talk about that. Family members who are all “concerned” about you can also be very dangerous as they have sway with medical or legal officials.

Seek help from more reliable sources like the FLCCC or the World Health Council, or people who have lived it and survived to tell the tale (of life as an autoimmune patient), like me, and try to find a functional practitioner for local/individual support which is also a need.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes. 

Reference List

(Du, et al, 2021) Du P, Geng J, Wang F, Chen X, Huang Z, Wang Y. Role of IL-6 inhibitor in treatment of COVID-19-related cytokine release syndrome. Int J Med Sci 2021; 18(6):1356-1362. doi:10.7150/ijms.53564. https://www.medsci.org/v18p1356.htm

(du Toit and van der Kooy, 2019) du Toit A, van der Kooy F. Artemisia afra, a controversial herbal remedy or a treasure trove of new drugs? J Ethnopharmacol. 2019 Nov 15;244:112127. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112127. Epub 2019 Jul 31. PMID: 31376515. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31376515/

(Magro, 2020) Magro G. SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: Is interleukin-6 (IL-6) the ‘culprit lesion’ of ARDS onset? What is there besides Tocilizumab? SGP130Fc. Cytokine X. 2020 Jun;2(2):100029. doi: 10.1016/j.cytox.2020.100029. Epub 2020 May 14. PMID: 32421092; PMCID: PMC7224649. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7224649/

(Zhang/theepochtimes) Zhang, M., COVID-19 Vaccine Injury, Syndrome Not a Disease: FLCCC Conference Shares How to Treat It, Oct 17, 2022, The Epoch Times https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/covid-19-vaccine-injury-syndrome-not-a-disease-flccc-conference-shares-how-to-treat-it_4802240.html?utm_source=ccpvnoe&src_src=ccpvnoe&utm_campaign=2022-10-22&src_cmp=2022-10-22&utm_medium=email&est=h3HkAlm43%2BDIe%2B07H1ta0iH8VBZ7KkUK%2Bxcm5tGy%2B55oYn%2BV1pE3L%2BhsfYtQXE7lup4bXoNAsiiz%2FnY%3D

Vak Spike vs Viral Spike and Exosomes

#EarlyTreatmentWorks – prevention regularly is best bet as early means first 3-5-7 days of first symptoms ~a cold, not let it get a week later & you went to work throughout. Increasing dosing frequency rather than megadosing at once->24/7 protection ~ 3-4 x~8 hrs or 6 hrs apart

Basic treatment info and dosing guidance here: Short List Dosing Details ranges with selfcare guidance. Also on jenniferdepew.com, page Nutrients and page Cofactors.

Questions I was asked: How Bad Is The Sp!ke? – (@_nikolakii_)

How bad is the actual virus vs how bad is the vaccine?

  1. The actual virus is not that bad except for the chimeric spike added to it. Those who get infected and are unvaccinated without comorbidities have an approximately 99 percent recovery rate. 
    • However the lingering LongCovid rate is more significant and frequently disabling. People have had difficulty getting help or answers.
    • Autoimmune antibodies against receptors that spike was lodged in may have been formed leading to self destruction of whatever protein or receptor type it was when antibodies against it were created by the person’s immune cells.
    • Allergy like or other excess histamine symptoms might result from overactive mast cells. Over production of retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin A, might also lead to symptoms of mast cell overactivity. The dietary solutions can help a lot but are big changes – avoid all vitamin A foods and rich carotenoid sources of fruits and vegetables – seriously, but can help prevent long term liver and kidney damage and neurologic symptoms. Histamine producing or containing foods also need to be avoided, again, it can help a lot though.
    • Fatigue from anemia of chronic inflammation is likely, and elevated ferritin levels with fairly normal to low hemoglobin level might be lab results. Iron chelator herbs can help fairly quickly, then continue. Artemisinin is the one I used, am and pm for a few months and then once a day for a year or more.
      1. Now I have been using Wormwood in tea with some better tasting medicinal herbs & (small piece or a couple) pomegranate and (can be several larger pieces, is mild and fruity) mango peel. Sweet Wormwood is less bitter and no thujone which can be a seizure risk if too much is consumed. I add thyme to balance the GABA effects from the Wormwood/thujone, fennel seed adds flavor, and dandelion leaf & root for anti-prion help.
    • Nerve tingling or pain in fingers and toes or pain, turning to reddening and swollen is a hypoxia of the tissue problem. Gentle exercise helps keep circulation going.
      1. Epsom salt soaks help with a well absorbed form of magnesium and sulfate, both beneficial for cardiovascular and tissue health.
      2. An imbalance of cannabinoids is present due to the inflammation, so CBD alone would make the imbalance worse. THC products would help provide the type that is needed, and it helps reduce the hypoxia.
      3. Thiamine, B1, is also needed in amounts greater than available in food when there is inflammation and it can help hypoxia at the higher doses, 300 mg or more, seek guidance for larger amounts. Other Bs should also be taken in to provide balance – Bs are a team, work together within the mitochondria and in other functions. Niacin and other info in this: Spike Summary Spreadsheet, Telomerase, Circadian Cycle and Nrf2, (and niacin, also a link at the end to a post focused on niacin & melatonin).
      4. Malnutrition in general is a risk factor for demyelination nerve damaging conditions. Low CoQ10 is also a risk factor. G12. Demyelination.
  2. The vaccines are worse in a variety of ways with the most basic being that the spike used in all the brands of injections was modified, supposedly to be better, but it has worse health effects as it is on the surface of the human cells – it would not be there in an infection, only on the virus, or within a cell being formed to make virus with. Virus hijack the cell machinery for replication of it instead of normal functions. See last post: Adaptive Immunity, ADE, and Antibodies.
    1. The modified spike is a worse nicotinic acetyl choline receptor blocker – the gene sequence has a section like snake venom toxin which causes paralytic effects by inhibiting cholinergic messaging (acetylcholine is a brain neurotransmitter it also activates choline receptors). Blocking nAChR receptors – would lead to the hearing and vision problems, excessive menstrual bleeding, colitis, miscarriage, myocarditis. The cholinergic blocking #nAChRs can cause sperm motility issues and the excessive menstrual symptoms may indicate risk of female infertility/early menopause.
      • Nicotine activates function and would protect-block- the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors from spike protein. Choline might work too, but for me, I needed nicotine to resolve my colitis-like symptoms.
    2. Exhaled breathe or sweat from vaccinated people may contain free S1 subunit of spike proteins and can spread passively to non-vaccinated people. Exosomes, membrane packets with spike on the surface, may also carry the genetic directions within.
      • Exosomes are similar to pheromones and act as messengers within the body from one part to another but also can be exuded to share with the outer world too. There has to be a matching surface marker for another person’s cells to accept the exosome or pheromone, or on a cell within a person if it was acting as a messenger between different areas of the body.
    3. The spike affects ACE2 in a way that leads to pneumonia-like edema of lung tissue
      • Citrus peel or pomegranate peel can help. The Citrus Peel is more effective for clearing congestion and opening airways. The Pomegranate peel helps protect ACE2 receptors. G13. Pomegranate. G14. Citrus Peel.
    4. The vaccines increases the risk of fungal infections, other viral infections or flare up of Herpes or shingles, and cancer risk.
      • Dectin-1 receptors protect against fungal infections and spike blocks them, eating mushrooms or Nutritional Yeast Flakes would activate them instead, lodging and protecting them from being available to spike protein. *this is spike specific and to prevent fungal infections, rather than being a standard treatment for fungal infections – which might include a recommendation to avoid eating mushrooms.
      • CD8+ T killer cells are reduced in number and lymphocyte count might be low on a lab test. CD8 cells help fight virus and cancer cells.
    5. Cancer risk is also increased by inhibition of the Toll Like Receptors. (2)
      • Magnesium and methyl donor B vitamins, Nrf2 promoting phytonutrients, pomegranate and citrus peel, and most of the other things mentioned, also would be protective against cancer risks.
      • Reducing sugar and total carbohydrates helps Covid infection or cancer risk.
      • Reducing glutamate seasonings would also reduce cancer risk. Those are also usually histamine problem foods – may need to kick them out of the diet anyway – headaches may be a symptom if that is a problem.
    6. The vaccines contain prion like sections, so misfolding protein conditions may be a risk Parkinson’s disease ( clumps called Lewy Bodies, 1), Alzheimer’s & CJD/Mad Cow Disease.
      • Delphinidin (black beans, black sesame seeds or rice, Blue Lotus or Blue Butterfly Pea flowers) and pomegranate peel, dandelion leaf or root and/or pine needle tea may reduce this risk.
      • Avoiding organophosphate pesticide and glyphosate herbicide residue may also help reduce risk.
    7. The jab increases toxicity of bacteria endotoxin LPS & SEB. Spike has a SEB like endotoxin sequence. Both endotoxins increase inflammation.
    8. Rapid aging –  damage repair of DNA is inhibited, affecting immune cell differentiation in addition to increased risk for cancer and mitochondrial disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease.
      • Methyl donor B vitamins, folate and hydroxy or methyl B12 and choline may help.
      • Nrf2 promoting foods and phytonutrients may help. (G10. Nrf2 Promoting Foods)
    9. Inflammation is increased in many ways by the spike destruction of tissue, changes to receptor function, the bacterial endotoxin SEB and LPS from negative species of the microbiome. 
      • Nrf2 promotors would help reduce inflammation; vitamin C and alpha lipoic acid, other mitochondria support and high dose niacin/melatonin protocol could also.
    10. SARS-CoV-2 can infect bacteria, so again, a healthy microbiome is critical in a number of ways. Beneficial, zinc fed, species also help colon health and reduce infection risk with butyrate production. Butyrate can activate the niacin receptor and can also help reduce inflammation and increase removal of cellular crud, like free spike protein, by white blood cells with endolysomes, see earlier link for an image. Spike Summary Spreadsheet, Telomerase, Circadian Cycle and Nrf2
      • Vegetables and high fiber grains, beans, nuts, seeds, can help the microbiome flourish along with zinc and iron – though avoiding iron rich foods is helpful for other inflammatory issues mentioned in the first section in the discussion of LongCovid.
    11. TRP channel disruption – at the ankyrin repeat domains.
      •  Risk to hair cells in hearing and the vestibular system (sense of balance and steady tracking of vision – following the bird in the sky).
      • Epsom salt soaks, for a well absorbed topical source is needed as TRP channels in the GI tract are needed to absorb magnesium ions and spike disrupts them.
    12. Others – this document has an earlier version and other sections, including one on exosomes topic, references for that are included: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tnhDPY59_NXG5dcCHVsIicgR5W_hDCSoJ9j9QIlwtrY/edit?usp=sharing 

The increased risk of autoimmune antibodies forming against receptors the spike is lodged in on the cells means that there can be a life long autoimmune attack on those receptors afterwards. If anti-phospholipid antibodies formed, then the person’s own immune cells would be led to attack and remove endocannabinoids, – phospholipid molecules. And symptoms of the numb fingers and toes may involve endocannabinoid disruption during LongCovid. See: Cannabinoids & blood vessels – and LongCovid. Anti-phospholipid antibodies could by breaking down even more endocannabinoids than the inflammation had caused.

See Membranes & Inflammation for more about tissue damage in inflammation and what may help.

Boosters every 3-six months may keep the person in an autoimmune-like flair up all of the time practically as the vaccine spike is formed on human cells, so immune cells may be attacking the person’s own cells and causing massive dysfunction and tissue damage which might be seen as skin rash or bruising. See the last post: Adaptive Immunity, ADE, and Antibodies.

More treatment info and dosing guidance here: Short List Dosing Details ranges with selfcare guidance. Also on jenniferdepew.com, page Nutrients and page Cofactors.

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

Reference List

  1. Tracking the spread of Parkinson’s proteins from gut to brain. July 23, 2019, nih.gov, https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/tracking-spread-parkinsons-proteins-gut-brain
  2. Manik, M, Singh, RK. Role of toll-like receptors in modulation of cytokine storm signaling in SARS-CoV-2-induced COVID-19. J Med Virol. 2021; 1- 9. doi:10.1002/jmv.27405 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmv.27405

Reference list needs a little help. – this has quite a bit of background info and reference list: Spike protein risks & aids – summary page

https://ijvtpr.com/index.php/IJVTPR/article/view/23

Individual Nutrition assessment – an example chart note

What is health care? What is included in an individualized health care appointment?

The answer varies with the type of specialist you are seeing – and what they are allowed to do within their facilities’, or the individual’s insurance plans protocols.

My nutrition counseling experience was in prenatal/early childhood, and residential (nursing home) facilities.

Chart notes would be written for high risk clients when working in either role. Occasionally the nutrition assessment and recommendations note would be sent to the physician directly if very high risk.

As a preventive health focused prenatal/early childhood counselor, or for residential facility chart review (nutrition assessments of all nursing home residents considered high risk nutritionally, occasionally would include an in person visit with the resident to visually observe and ask further questions about their health and diet symptoms.

Patients typically do not see a chart note. They might be given the ‘Problem’ and ‘Assessment’ sections as an action list of recommendations on a simpler handout. The medical chart has a Care Plan section where recommendations for a daily change in care might be added – such as adding a high protein snack in the evening.

I would typically spend a half hour to an hour per client and writing a good note might take an additional 15 minutes. Current insurance standards have been set which limit physicians to 15 minutes per patient appointment – and only scheduling/discussing one symptom per appointment. That would make a differential diagnosis fairly impossible.

  • The entirety of a person’s symptoms – and what makes the problems worse, and what seems to improve things – is what provides clues to the underlying issues that may have led to the increased inflammation and/or decreased function.
  • Health is a balance of not too much inflammatory response -> autoimmune or allergies – or too little -> rampant infection and catching every cold.
  • Health is also a balance of enough nutrients and not too many toxins to cope with, whether from air, water, food, or touch, or from internal production of stress chemicals caused by emotional or physical stress.

Autoimmune issues are particularly challenging because many odd symptoms can occur, and more than one type of autoimmune antibody may be involved – not just one ‘autoimmune disease’ – several. Low vitamin D makes autoimmune issues more likely to occur, and low magnesium can make low vitamin D more likely – even with supplements of vitamin D.

Low magnesium also increases inflammation symptoms, pain, and anxiety, depression or anger and irritability.

A physician might look at my example note (below) and think: ‘but this is not my field‘ — exactly — please refer to the specialist – a registered dietitian or clinically trained nutritionist. Caution, there are many ‘nutrition certification’ programs online which are not equivalent to a college education, internship, and the equivalent of a lawyer’s Board Exam.

The client gave permission to share the write-up for educational purposes or maybe to help someone. Patients know that pain hurts, and that health is better. Too often I hear from physicians something like ~ ‘we don’t know what is causing this, … so the patient will probably die‘ – but it is regarding symptoms that likely involve nutrient deficiency.

Even sick patients need to eat or be fed and their nutrient needs are likely increased, or decreased, due to the illness, for a few specific nutrients affecting or being used in excess by the underlying issue. Telling a patient there is no hope is providing a nocebo – a negative expectation. Saying “I don’t know,” – when that is the true situation – would at least not be setting up a roadblock for the patient to seek further information or a second opinion.

If in reading my example chart note*, as a physician, you think, ‘but this is not my field‘ — exactly — you are correct – but it is the patient’s whole health that matters, not just symptoms that may be temporarily controllable by medications.

SOAPE note

The SOAPE chart note* below, is an extended version compared to what would be likely to be written in a patient chart. SOAPE note: Subjective, what the client said; Objective, what the clinician observed; Assessment; what the clinician believes may be underlying issues; Problem/Plan, recommendations being made by the clinician; Evaluation – an opinion statement about the likelihood of positive change, based on the overall attitude or motivation the client is presenting and social factors that may impact the client positively or negatively.

I included extra information that might be in a report to the client, with the education they might need to understand the reasoning for the recommendation, or how to proceed. Complex strategies can take several weeks of a class like setting possibly with cooking and tasting demonstrations. My web pages and posts try to provide self care guidance so a motivated learner could just try things and see if they help.

I added some additional info links for the version in this post, to pages or posts that provide some next step guidance, Gluten Free diet? what is that? The products on the market are not ideal suppliers of nutrients in my personal and professional opinion and learning how to bake gluten free can be healthier and less expensive for the nutrient value. My websites are my file cabinet of patient handouts, some of it.

While working as a public health nutrition counselor I did occasionally write a very thorough note for someone with a complicated case, and send it to the client’s physician on their or their child’s behalf.

Nutrient deficiencies can lead to death (niacin/pellagra example) – and can turn around dramatically very shortly after the nutrients and any cofactors are provided (nutrients are a team – refeed gradually and in balance).

Sometimes nutrition care is a life or death situation. Continue the nutrient deficiencies and deterioration can be rapid, and death can be the result. Niacin deficiency, pellagra, has a nickname for symptoms – the four D’s: “Pellagra defines systemic disease as resulting from a marked cellular deficiency of niacin. It is characterized by 4 “D’s”: diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and death.” (1) If there is severe lower leg rash and edema – suspect a B vitamin deficiency.


Nutrition assessment

Subjective:

  1. CoV like symptoms, mild, ~ early outbreak mid 2020, left a new problem, 2. swollen throat, reflux like pain/not quite reflux though, flair up of CoV symptoms again later when family had it 2021, again not too bad. 
  2. Swollen throat symptoms – has had labs showing autoimmune thyroid condition.
  3. Thyroid symptoms had improved a year or so earlier after stopping use of wheat/gluten and dairy. Recently started using ginger tea for the throat problem and it sooths. Hasn’t used long term, recent addition. 
  4. Reading about eosinophilic esophagitis did not sound like the problem. 
  5. Reading about histamine/MCAS symptoms did sound like it might be a problem. Tomato/salsa particularly, chicken causes congestion. Likes to drink orange juice.

Objective:

  1. Pale complection, may suggest magnesium deficiency/low vitamin D, low level anemia of chronic inflammation possibly.
  2. Throat visibly enlarged in pattern of enlarged thyroid gland 

Assessment: 

  1. CoV, even with mild symptoms, may have increased autoimmune antibodies, or created new types. Pale complection may suggest magnesium deficiency/low vitamin D, low level anemia of chronic inflammation possibly.
  2. Enlarged thyroid gland would be likely to cause difficulty swallowing at times, particularly if a food flair of the underlying autoimmune antibody sensitivity. (The thyroid gland presses inwards also and can narrow the throat significantly – *personal experience from also being an autoimmune thyroid patient, swallowing a large supplement can be very painful, and may feel stuck even.)
    1. Eosinophilic esophagitis might also be adding to swallowing symptoms if early stages, wouldn’t be causing as severe reflux symptoms as a more advanced case which is more likely to be what is described in articles about the problem. Food sensitivities are the most frequent cause and include gluten, dairy, eggs, and other common food sensitivity foods.
  3. Autoimmune thyroiditis can be a gluten molecular mimicry problem – the thyroid hormone chemically is similar to the gluten molecule. 
  4. Autoimmune antibodies to other food chemicals might also flair up an underlying autoimmune overactive eosinophile problem, white blood cells. Ginger contains a chemical similar to albumin and an egg sensitivity might be triggered by a sudden increase in use of ginger – or chicken – or eggs, or any animal product containing albumin. *also learned from personal experience – this can be a significant problem – I developed sensitivity to eggs and gradually realized I needed to exclude all sources of albumin or my symptoms would flair up again (non healing rash, not quite eczema – more wounds, lack of skin regrowth).
    1. An apparent ‘wheat/gluten’ sensitivity might be an albumin sensitivity, see one of my early posts with the information about plant albumin in wheat and ginger: Wheat is rich in albumin – so are ginger and egg whites.
  5. Histamine sensitivity seems a problem worth working on by decreasing trigger foods. Orange juice could be an additive problem food. The total load is part of the problem but even small amounts can set off the allergy cells that increase inflammatory cytokines and pain/inflammation signals – swollen, itchy, sore throat, dry eyes, but it can also effect mood when a more severe problem – extreme anxiety and fear, or out of control, hyper-excitable.

Problem:

  1. Elevated iron and symptoms of anemia of chronic inflammation may be a lingering CoV effect or of autoimmune conditions – it can be common to have several types of autoimmune antibodies also, and there has been cases of LongCovid where autoimmune antibodies were found. The spike lodges in a receptor and antibodies are made against the receptor, instead of against spike.. 
    1. Iron chelators may help mitigate chronic inflammation damage, restore energy level if that is a problem. The quercetin is one, continue regularly, opposite the niacin protocol if following that., or eat more of the good plant sources of a few, EGCG, pomegranate peel, green tea, oregano, olive leaf extract, there are many see the Iron chelator section of this Resources & Iron Chelators list
    2. Epsom salt soaks for a topical source of magnesium, help immune function, energy level, fluid balance. Continue if already using or start 1-3 times a week.
    3. Sunshine or Full spectrum light 20-30 minutes per day and or a moderate dose vitamin D3 ~ 600-1000 IU. 
    4. Avoid glyphosate residue. Consider supplementing with DMG, dimethylglycine, bulk powder, 1/2 spoonful once or twice a day in water or with a little juice and water. (too much juice is not really good for us).
  2. Thyroid problems in the modern world are likely related to excess fluoride and bromide and too little iodine. Cautiously increasing iodine and 200 mcg selenium may be helpful. Higher dose for one month can help the body to dump fluoride, bromide and chloride. When there is a lack of iodine the body will build molecules with the other halides, but then the thyroid hormone or other chemical won’t work right. Lab tests may show ‘normal’ levels of thyroid hormone but symptoms of hypothyroidism may still be present.
    1. In autoimmune conditions, when possible, it is essential to identify the trigger foods and strictly avoid them. It can take 6 months for antibodies to fade away, at which point symptoms should improve, but memory B cells still exist so even little tastes of the problem foods can set off a new 6 month batch of autoimmune antibodies that will attack the thyroid gland, or esophagus, or wherever else the problem point is located. 
    2. In this case eggs/chicken/ animal products/ ginger/ albumin /*hemp kernels too then/, may be part of the problem foods – 
    3. Elimination type diets that start with the least risky foods and gradually reintroduce things one at a time can be the best way to individualize what is the problem for you the individual. 
  3. Gluten was definitely identified as a part of the thyroid problem by removing, it already had helped to stop that. Dairy has a variety of allergens, and also would have albumin. Removing food triggers strictly, can help a swollen thyroid gland reduce in size – versus get more swollen when trigger foods are eaten.
    1. Gluten free baking recipes and tips for converting recipes: effectivecare.info – G8. Cookies & Bean Soup. -> and it mentions that increasing corn or corn flour instead, is not ideal either. Corn or gluten can increase zonulin which also increases leaky membranes in the gut or blood brain barrier, and more open membranes can increase risk of allergens entering undigested from the diet. See: What is Zonulin? (2)
    2. A quick mix recipe that can be used for pancakes or muffins, a post: Pancakes in a Jiffy – Quick Bread Mix.
  4. Eosinophilic esophagitis may be related to food sensitivities, so as food elimination is attempted it would also be helpful to pay attention to the swallowing symptoms to see if change occurs other than the swollen pressure feeling of the enlarged thyroid gland.
    1. Research shows a strong connection between food allergies and eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE). These six foods are most commonly associated with this allergic response: dairy, wheat, soy, eggs, nuts, and seafood/shellfish. Unfortunately, there is no accurate test to identify food allergies* connected with EOE.” (3
    2. *The food sensitivity is not the same type as tested for people who get hives to peanut butter or eggs or are allergic to bee stings. It is food sensitivity that activates white blood cells though, called eosinophils. 
    3. During normal function eosinophils fight parasites for us. So …. Maybe they are doing something in ‘autoimmune disease’ that involves their normal function too fighting an unidentified parasite – or they are responding to chemicals of the six foods listed above in an allergy-like way. 
    4. Asthma and allergies involve increased eosinophil activity, which can lead to inflammation symptoms and tissue damage: “Eosinophils can consume foreign substances. For example, they fight substances related to parasitic infection that have been flagged for destruction by your immune system. Regulating inflammation. Eosinophils help promote inflammation, which plays a beneficial role in isolating and controlling a disease site.” […] “…eosinophils play a key role in the symptoms of asthma and allergies, such as hay fever. Other immune system disorders also can contribute to ongoing (chronic) inflammation.” (4
  5. Eliminating common histamine problem foods may help anxiety and inflammatory symptoms. Orange juice, tomatoes, fermented foods, or older leftovers, cranberries, others, it is a lengthy list but can make a huge difference *personal issue for me also.
    1. More info on page MCAS/Histamine, jenniferdepew.com: MCAS/HIstamine.
    2. Summary of foods to avoid, or a few helpful in an over-reaction: Histamine Food Lists. it is a document (6)

Evaluation:

Client seems motivated and capable of making positive changes for improving health, cheerful and confident amid a complex set of problems, and has support of family.


So does my disclaimer make more sense now?

  • Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

My professional and personal expectations of individualized health care guidance does not include a 15 minute appointment limited to discussing one symptom. In seeking a health care provider I recommend searching for ‘functional health’ or possibly holistic but that is less precisely used than ‘functional’. The orthomolecular approach is also whole body and restoring function oriented.

*am I taking clients? I am working in that direction but I am still in initial stages of having a system set up.


Change is easiest by just practicing the desired habit and the more often it is remembered, practiced, then the more that brain pathway will be strengthened and the old one is gradually deactivated, becomes harder for the nerve cells to fire instead of being an automatic habit like happens without even thinking consciously – to change that ingrained of a habit takes substituting a new pattern rather than trying to ‘attack’ with ‘will power’. Work with nature and it will work with you. Attack and it tends to have an undesired ripple effect.

Pain hurts, health is better.

We all die, the question is quality of life while living – and enjoying that life while living.

Namaste – the soul in me, sees the soul in you.

We are all children, under the care of Mother Nature and Father Sun.

Where there is light there is life, and there is hope.

Reference List

  1. Hegyi J, Schwartz RA, Hegyi V. Pellagra: dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea. Int J Dermatol. 2004 Jan;43(1):1-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.01959.x. PMID: 14693013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14693013/
  2. What is Zonulin? https://www.creative-diagnostics.com/blog/index.php/what-is-zonulin/
  3. 6 Food Elimination Eosinophilic Esophagitis, oregonclinic.com, https://www.oregonclinic.com/6-Food-Elimination-Eosinophilic-Esophagitis-EOE 
  4. Eosinophilia, symptoms, mayoclinic.com, https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/eosinophilia/basics/causes/sym-20050752

Documents, Posts & Pages

  1. Wheat is rich in albumin – so are ginger and egg whites, post transcendingsquare.com
  2. Resources & Iron Chelators list, document https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XiwJBPoFUnUTQKcRAW_8NMriQMt8b31zjeTY4zV0wJo/edit?usp=sharing
  3. effectivecare.info – G8. Cookies & Bean Soup, webpage
  4. Pancakes in a Jiffy – Quick Bread Mix. post transcendingsquare.com
  5. MCAS/Histamine. webpage, jenniferdepew.com
  6. Histamine Food Lists. document, https://docs.google.com/document/d/17iz9lsJyGqIUUjF0p-totXp4R2GhgRi2Na4gYueisTM/edit?usp=sharing

Histamine excess may affect long Covid sufferers.

Histamine may be a familiar word for seasonal allergy sufferers. Anti-histamine medications may be used during pollen season for those with a itchiness and a runny nose. Others may have a year long sensitivity as the problem can also be genetic, due to less of the enzyme that is needed to breakdown histamine. The diamine oxidase enzyme, (DOE), is available as a supplement that can be taken with meals. (1)

We make our own histamine in response to allergy type sensitivities. Mast cells are part of the immune system that might become overactive and produce more histamine than we want during pollen season – or possibly after having experienced an infection such as COVID19. People experiencing odd symptoms months after seeming to recover from the worst of the respiratory and other symptoms of COVID19 may be experiencing excess histamine and mast cell overactivity. See this video for more information: Nicola Haseler interviewing Dr. Tina Peers regarding histamine and overactive mast cells after COVID19 recovery (LongCovid). (7)

Dr. Bruce Hoffman discusses Mast Cell Activation Syndrome – overactivity of the immune Mast cells in more detail. Lab tests for histamine, or other chemicals involved in the inflammatory response are not necessarily reliable and may require a refrigerated centrifuge, which may not be standard lab equipment. The problem may involve genetic susceptibility but not necessarily, anyone might develop symptoms given a combination of stressors. Emotional or physical stress, lack of sleep, and the foods we eat may over activate mast cells throughout our body or within the mucosal lining of the Gastrointestinal tract (from the mouth, already the way through). Someone with recent bowel illness, may have a short term reduction in the diamine oxidase enzyme needed to break down histamines in food. The enzyme is produced in the lining of the intestinal tract.

…we’re inundated, so to speak, with multiple stresses far more than our capacity to withstand them. Our immune system, it just gets triggered because of multiple stressors. And there are many triggers for mast cell activation. Poor sleep. Stress is one of the biggest triggers. Food, I mean, food is incredible in its ability to trigger the mast cells…” […] “So education is first. Second is to try and identify the triggers that trigger their mast cell activation. And this is one of the greatest challenges because there are many triggers from, you know, hot, too much heat, too much cold, stress, poor sleep, as mentioned. And then we get into the more obvious triggers, chemicals, heavy metals, dietary antigens, and then infections or inflammatory triggers like mold.” – Dr. Bruce Hoffman (8)

Family history may also be a factor, trauma for the person may have left them with an identity of illness; or trauma earlier in the family’s history may have left epigenetic changes. Changing diet and lifestyle, and pursuing health can be a lot of work, and which may even be resisted as the patient improves, (psychoneuroimmunology). Misdiagnosis of the physical problem as a somatization disorder (“it is all in your head”) may also be a problem according to Dr. Hoffman. (8)

The itchiness is not in my head – it is all over my body.

How do you even be a healthy person if you have never known health, nor has your family? What do people do all day? Go for a walk, without sneezing – cook delicious food that doesn’t leave you with a mystery headache later on – so many choices, but change can be difficult.

We also get some from foods that contain histamine naturally. Other foods may have increased content as it ages – fresh is best for people with histamine excess. (4) Freezing a larger batch of food in meal size portions might be a sensible way to prepare fresh foods (that don’t have food additives or seasonings that you need to avoid). Fermented foods such as yogurt, saurkraut and kombucha are popular currently, for the goal of improving intestinal health and the microbiome, (the balance of beneficial bacteria and other microbes within the GI tract). However they may make someone with overactive mast cells worse instead of better. Vitamin C may help. (8)

Avoiding foods that contain histamine or may increase our tendency to make more can help allergy sufferers or the people with the genetic difficulty breaking down the excess. Symptoms can include headaches as well as itchiness and runny nose. Fatigue may also be a problem as well as other odd symptoms or chronic pain. Anxiety and schizophrenia symptoms may worsen with excess histamine. (1, 3, 4)

There is plenty of information on the topic available so I will link to it rather than try to replicate it here. Several of the articles make the point that the problem is additive and histamine is not something you can avoid all together. Small amounts or a taste may be okay, but several foods or beverages over the course of the day may lead to an uncomfortable headache that evening. (3)

  • Amy Myers, MD, provides an overview of the food lists of foods to avoid, or consider eliminating and then adding back to check tolerance, a list of lower histamine foods, symptoms that may be linked to excess histamine, and a list of medications that may be increasing histamine, amymyersmd.com. (1)
  • People with histamine food sensitivities may also be sensitive to lectins, oxalates, and pesticides. Foods more likely to be low or high in histamines are also labeled with a code for lectin (L), oxalate (O), or pesticide residue ![food] on a website by Beth O’Hara, a Functional Naturopath, mastcell360.com. This includes the most extensive food list and includes seasonings and food additives to avoid, or which might be less of a concern to use. (2)
  • Brief list of symptoms that may occur, along with foods to avoid, and a sample day’s menu of lower histamine foods. (3)
  • Extensive list of symptoms or physical traits that may be associated with people with a lifelong sensitivity to histamine is included in this article about histamine. Mood problems of increased anxiety are not uncommon for people with histamine intolerance problems. Sleep problems may also be a concern. (4)
  • Tracking your symptoms and daily food is recommended by this site, histamineintolerance.org.uk; Food List: (5), the Food Diary is a downloadable link from this page: (6).
  • Medications, lab tests for diagnosis, and nutrients or phytonutrients that may help if the individual is not overly sensitive to them already are discussed in detail in the interview with Dr. Hoffman, audio or the transcript or available on Dr. Hedberg’s website: (8) . Dr. Hoffman also makes the very important point that an apparent ‘drug’ sensitivity might really be a reaction to other components of the tablet or capsule, or even contaminants, which is also something to look at on labels for other supplements and over-the-counter medications. Psychoneuroimmunology and the effects of trauma on the brain, and possible cognitive therapy approaches are also discussed in more detail.

Writing down your daily foods, beverages, and symptoms can be a good way to watch for patterns in what seems to make you feel better or worse. Food sensitivities can also vary with how much stress you are experiencing and whether you slept well, or drank enough water. Once you are more familiar with your patterns and know which foods and habits are helpful then recording your daily foods and symptoms may no longer be necessary.

Health is worth it. Happy dining, and good sleep to you!

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

Reference List

  1. Amy Myers, MD, Histamine Intolerance: What You Need to Know, amymyersmd.com, https://www.amymyersmd.com/article/histamine-intolerance/
  2. Beth O’Hara, Low-histamine diet: How it can benefit you and what to eat, Low and High Histamine Foods Lists mastcell360.com https://mastcell360.com/low-histamine-foods-list/
  3. How to follow a low-histamine diet. Nov 13, 2018, houseofwellness.com.au, https://www.houseofwellness.com.au/health/conditions/follow-low-histamine-diet
  4. Histamine, histamine-sensitivity.com, https://www.histamine-sensitivity.com/histamine.html
  5. The Food List, histamineintolerance.org.uk, https://www.histamineintolerance.org.uk/about/the-food-diary/the-food-list/
  6. The Food Diary, histamineintolerance.org.uk, https://www.histamineintolerance.org.uk/about/the-food-diary/
  7. Long Covid + Histamine / MCAS – Dr Tina Peers in conversation with journalist Nicola Haseler. Oct. 16, 2020,
    nicola haseler, youtube.com https://youtu.be/vr2bb0b4X14
  8. Mast Cell Activation Syndrome with Dr. Bruce Hoffman, interview by Dr. Nikolas Hedberg, https://drhedberg.com/mast-cell-activation-syndrome-dr-bruce-hoffman/