I turned on the radio this morning and heard this fascinating interview about a number of Dr's in the UK using hookworms to cure diseases like MS, Crohns, Asthma, IBS, and Allergies. Their theory is that we are too clean and actually should be infecting ourselves with microbes to regulate the immune system. This actually makes alot of sense.
DR Oz talked about that last week. Pretty creepy!
Posted by glm1111 (Member # 16556) on :
Hookworm can cause blood loss and anemia. Personaly find this not a good idea, given the havoc parasites can cause to the body.
What about all the eggs and larva these worms lay? These are the some of the same docs that don't know how to treat Lyme disease.
Gael
[ 04-25-2011, 08:10 AM: Message edited by: glm1111 ]
Posted by Myco (Member # 9536) on :
This is very much like the cure that was talked about a while back where Dr's abroad would infect Lyme Disease patients with another bacteria, which would regulate the immune system.
I think these researchers are on to something: they propose that we are "too hygienic" and that tribes in Latin America, Africa, etc...are constantly exposed to biting insects that cause disease, but are not affected. They believe microbes and parasites have been living in symbiosis with us since the beginning and to try to rid the completely rid the body of these pathogens is not the answer. They are looking into regulating the immune systems hypereaction to the microbes.
Yes, we must take antibiotics and lighten the bacterial load, but then there must be a way to regulate the immune system and keep it in balance.
If you google you will find some very good studies on this.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
I personally believe this is barbaric and disgusting. The worms are sterile, so they can't reproduce, so that means the person has to ingest the worm eggs periodically.
Also, the Hygiene Hypothesis has a few holes... Autoimmune Disease have been around a lot longer than these researchers would have you believe...there are cases of IBD going back prior to the invention of antibiotics and before doctors washed their hands. So I personally think nutrition (our food today is very depleted of nutrition compared to 100 years ago), genetics, genetic engineering of infectious organisms (biowarfare), all the toxic chemicals in the environment, and the stress of our modern lifestyle play a much more significant role in the development of autoimmunity, allergies, etc., than these Hygiene Hypothesis proponents would have you believe...
I think Homeopathic treatment that achieves a healthy internal environment, whatever the mix of bugs one has, is the optimum way to go...but this can take years (just like many other Lyme tx options) to fully achieve, and requires expert guidance from a very experienced and talented Homeopathic physician. Notice I didn't say Naturopath...this is because Homeopathy is a highly specialized field, and is only one such field briefly studed by Naturopaths...some Naturopaths choose to specialize in Homeopathy, but most do not have sufficient training for truely Constitutional homeopathic prescribing.
Just my $.02...
Posted by jmb (Member # 18338) on :
I heard a piece on NPR a year or so back. Seems like a last resort. (Just after poo transplants.) Sounds insane. But so does the list of meds and sups I take now.
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
If it would cure me, I'd swallow a worm! Oh and then about 10 Xanax pills to calm my nerves due to what I just did. lol.
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
It was also shown on one of the episodes of Monsters Inside Me.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Oh and then about 10 Xanax pills to calm my nerves due to what I just did. lol.