Re: I think I finally figured it out.

Bifidus, I am very happy that you are making progress in getting to the bottom of your symptoms but I strongly suspect that you have only moved a step closer to the more important underlying factor, heavy metals, especially mercury.

I strongly suggest that you do a search on the net of the following:
DPP IV + autism + soy cassein gluten

There is a digestive enzyme, DPP IV, that is involved in the break down of soy, cassein and gluten. If this is a digestive enzyme problem, you'll likely get gains from reducing consumption of all of them. You might also find it helpful to take a digestive enzyme that includes DPP IV. I think Houston enzymes has one, as does everythingspectrum.com, a site that caters to autistic kids who often have this problem.

Mercury interferes with many enzymes. One of the mechanisms is by displacing zinc in the enzymes. Mercury and zinc are somewhat similar--notice their locations in the periodic chart--cf Andrew Cutler

Mercury (Hg) also causes us to fail to hold onto magnesium, so we need to take it several times per day--cf Andrew Cutler People with an Hg problem often have some depression, anxiety, muscle problems and constipation, all of which involve the use of Magnesium.

Mercury really fouls up the endocrine systems. Boyd Haley, former chair of the chem dept at the U of KY, explains that there is a hormone receptor related to the stress response system (ACTH, FSH, etc) that holds onto Hg about as well as anything can. Cutler indicates that Hg also fouls up the way the brain (pituitary & hypothalamus) responds to stress. Much more could be said!!!

Please don't think I am disrespecting you at this joyful time. I was sick for 15+ years with a list of symptoms somewhat like yours. My 6 doctors over that time did little for me. Some suggested that I see a psychiatrist which I did. While they helped with some of the symptoms, they did not get to the underlying problem.

Finally I broke my leg without contact while playing badminton with a few little nieces! It snapped like a piece of chalk. This led me to discovering that I had a bone density problem at age 43 that my endocrinologist had no explanation for after running a long list of tests. My bones did not improve while on his medicine and supplements for 1.5 yrs.

I came across Dr Mark Hyman on PBS who in his book writes that he went to 10 other doctors before someone finally figured out he had a mercury problem. He had CFS, lost his formerly great memory, etc.

After 1.5 yrs of chelation to remove the lead, cadmium, mercury, etc, the bone density of my lower back improved an impressive 8%. I was off one psych medicine by then and my doctor was weaning me off of my last medicine, Adderall for ADD. I also had less impressive gains in memory, mood, food sensitivities and overall sense of well-being.

I'm not saying that everyone has a heavy metal problem, but if you've been sick for a while and doctors have made little progress at getting to the root cause and the symptoms can be caused by heavy metals, doesn't it make sense to consider them?!

I've found it much more helpful to learn from the guys with PhDs in chemistry than MDs. MDs have too many pressures from insurance companies, lawyers, medical boards, financial pressures. The guys with PhDs in chemistry are usually freer to just tell you what they think. They are probably better trained to understand the underlying body chemistry as it relates to heavy metals.

You can check out this from Cutler and Haley (they are not associates in any business ventures)
Haley on effects of silver Amalgam fillings (50% mercury)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnfBhdT7uU0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WM1c7VSP70


Cutler and Dr Dan Pompa on their own mercury related illnesses and how they finally got diagnosed and treated
http://www.healthcentersofthefuture.com/DrCutler/


Hg's effects on the brain (from the U of Calgary)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDnfeIwd0wI

Haley explains what is happening in greater depth here.
http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/7383821


Some people start with a particular type of hair test where they are looking for the *effects* of Hg on essential elements, etc. (Hg is usually low in hair of sickly people since they cannot move it very well) 600+ along with symptom lists here.
http://livingnetwork.co.za/chelationnetwork/hairtest/hairtest3/


There is more discussion of this in the chelation groups here and at yahoo groups, for example.
20-something male
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/frequent-dose-chelation/message/85106

40-something female
http://whatidontknow.net/blog/how-do-you-tell-your-story/

Teen who mistakenly used cilantro.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/frequent-dose-chelation/message/64260


Good luck in your recovery & God bless.

Joe

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