IMPORTANT HEALTH INFORMATION Special edition 2 - 04/2017
NEW APPROACHES AGAINST LYME DISEASE Advantages of natural products over antibiotics confirmed Every year tens of thousands of people in Europe and the USA are newly infected with Lyme disease. Officially reliable figures are scarce, since this malicious disease rarely shows a uniform pattern and its diagnosis is restricted. As a result, it can be assumed that the number of unknown cases is high. Once Lyme disease has established and consequently led to later stages of disease, misdiagnosis is very common. As a result, treatment may sometimes be incorrect and affected persons may suffer from more severe symptoms. The typical therapy for a freshly diagnosed Lyme disease infection is the use of antibiotics. Recognized early enough, a corresponding treatment can have some success.
However, the possibilities of a guideline-based antibiotic therapy are limited: in advanced (latent) Lyme disease, antibiotics hardly have any beneficial longterm effects. This is aggravated by the fact that many patients suffer relapses after the conclusion of an antibiotic therapy, since the disease cannot be completely eradicated. This proves that the conventional therapy for the treatment of borreliosis is only partially effective. In contrast, nature provides powerful nutrients. Thanks to innovative naturopathic research, it has been shown that various plant substances and micronutrients can be effective both in the early stages of a borreliosis infection as well as in advanced stages of the disease. This once again proves the superiority of natural products against numerous pharmaceutical preparations. In this special edition of TRUE we show you important details about Lyme disease: from the initial infection to the establishment of disease, and from the effect of a typical antibiotic therapy to the effectiveness of scientifically tested natural substances.
++ + ! s r o t doc r i e h t d ts an n e i t a p for n o i t a m for n i t n a t r o +++ Imp RESULTS OF OUR RESEARCH
Important information for patients and their doctors!
Basic information on Lyme disease, also called Borreliosis or Lyme borreliosis, is a bacterial infection mainly transmitted by ticks. It can cause severe symptoms.
Spread Lyme disease has been reported on all continents, but especially in the northern countries. In Europe, currently around 65,000100,000 Lyme disease cases are officially reported each year. It occurs especially in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other central European countries. The actual number, however, is much higher. The reason is that Lyme disease infection displays various symptoms that cannot easily be classified. The fact is that Lyme disease is one of the most common unrecognized or misdiagnosed infectious diseases in Europe and USA.
Infection The causative pathogen of Lyme disease is a bacterium of genus Borrelia, which belongs to the spirochetes family. Spirochetes are spindle-shaped, actively moving bacteria. They have effective methods to hide from the immune system of the body. As a result, it is possible that subsequent symptoms of the disease develop without being recognized as such. The main transmitter of Borrelia is the tick, but other blood sucking insects (mosquitoes, horseflies, lice and fleas) can also transfer the disease. It is estimated that 5-35% of ticks are infected with Borrelia. Ticks carry the pathogens in their digestive tract. The pathogens multiply in the intestine area and migrate from there into the salivary glands. In the case of tick bites, they flow into the blood-
Tick
stream of the host (human or animal) and can thus enter the joints as well as various organs, including the skin, heart, brain and bladder. Because of their high mobility, Borrelia can move well within the body. They release nerve-damaging substances.
Course of Lyme disease Lyme disease is manifested as an inflammatory disease that can affect many organs in the body. In its early (localized) stage it affects mainly the skin (Figure 1). In later stages, the inflammation spreads to the joints, nervous system and also to the heart, muscles and other organs. Since conventional therapies with antibiotics only have a limited effect in the late stages of the disease, Lyme disease can develop or flare up, although the patient initially shows no symptoms.
Pathogens
Red Rash (Erythema migrans)
Transmission
Infection in the Body Does not necessarily occur!
Figure 1: ticks transmit Borrelia pathogens, which can trigger an infection in the body.
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Lyme disease
Eggs
In nature, ticks go through several stages of development. They hatch as larvae from the egg, become a nymph after moulting and finally a mature tick. The tick can transmit the borreliosis bacteria in any stage of development. The nymphs are the most dangerous, especially as they are particularly numerous in spring and summer and measure around of 1-2 mm, making them difficult to detect.
Larva
Adult Tick Nymph
Figure 2: stages of development of a tick True – Health is a matter of trust
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Important information for patients and their doctors!
Stages of Lyme
Stages of Ly The four stages of Lyme disease
The course of Lyme borreliosis can be divided into four stages. They can be distinguished from each other by severity, but are not clearly differentiated. Both the appearance and the severity of symptoms can vary widely from patient to patient. Not all patients suffering from borreliosis suffer from all known symptoms. Some borreliosis disorders can be symptom-free.
Stage I
Stage II
(3-30 days after tick bite)
(days to weeks after tick bite)
If there is a Borrelia infection in humans, skin lesions will often occur at the bite site, followed by reddening and inflammation of the surrounding skin area (Erythema migrans), which can expand. This is a clear sign of Lyme disease, but it only occurs in a max. 50% of borreliosis cases. Frequently, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headaches, and pain in the limbs, muscles and joints, swollen lymph nodes, nausea and fatigue also occur. Since these are nonspecific symptoms the diagnosis is often wrong if a red rash is not present. Also, the laboratory values for a borreliosis infection are not clear. Incorrect diagnoses lead to incorrect treatments with drugs, which further weaken the immune system and thus further deteriorate the health condition of the person concerned.
The borreliosis pathogens spread throughout the host body. There may be chronic skin infections at various body sites, especially in the area of the extremities. In addition, the following symptoms may occur: • mood swings, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders • consciousness disorders, violent headache • pain and swelling of the joints • facial paralysis with loss of the muscle tone of one or both face halves • racing heart with dizziness due to changes in heart rate
Paral Joint Pains Change in Vitamin D
Cardiac Arrhythm Muscular Pains Neurol
Sensitivity Disorder
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disease
yme disease Stage III
Stage IV
(months to years after tick bite)
In the third stage, which can take place several months to years after the tick bite, the Borrelia settles in certain organs. In 5% of patients with untreated borreliosis, neurological disorders occur, which are characterized by pain, weakness, or itching of the hands and/or feet, disturbed shortterm memory, impairment of the muscles and severe exhaustion.
lysis Metabolism
(chronic stage)
Also, heart problems as well as inflammation of the eyes and liver can occur. In addition, the joint pain and swelling can increase, i.e. we are talking about Lyme arthritis. Around 60% of patients with untreated borreliosis suffer from Lyme arthritis.
The fourth stage is the chronic form of borreliosis, which includes, among other things, muscle and joint pain, consciousness disorders, neurological abnormalities, sleep disorders and fatigue as well as heart problems. In 10 to 20% of the patients, the symptoms persist for many years and can lead to severe tissue damage or organ failure. In addition, micronutrient deficiency can develop and metabolic processes can change. This is referred to as the so-called borreliosis syndrome.
Fatigue
Inflammation of Joints
mia logical Disorder
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Important information for patients and their doctors!
Different Forms of Borrelia Borrelia are able to change their shape within our body. In this way, they can hide from the cells of our immune system and are also resistant to antibiotics (figure 3).
SPIROCHETES (ACTIVE FORM) At this stage, after an infection, the Borrelia bacteria are in their original form, the spindleshaped spirochete. In this active form the Borrelia are able to move quickly, to survive even in visceral substances (blood), to penetrate tissue or cells and thus trigger intracellular infections.
ROUNDED FORM (latent Form) At this stage, the spirochetes can quickly contract to a spherical shape. This is a latent form, a “dormant“ form of the Borrelia, which often develops as a protective form when the environ-
mental conditions change and the bacteria feel threatened. This may occur, for example, in an antibiotic treatment. This form is “invisible“ to the immune system and develops a high antibiotic resistance, which can be the cause of a disease relapse. This is especially dramatic since the effect of the conventional antibiotic therapy method remains limited at this stage due to the high antibiotic resistance. Reconversion to the active form of spirochetes is possible as soon as the external conditions have improved for the reproduction and growth of the bacteria.
Biofilm (LATENT, COMPLEX FORM) Another form is the so-called biofilm, which is a complex combination of all Borrelia forms. The biofilm is a kind of nest that adheres to natural surfaces and se-
cretes a slimy, glue-like substance from complex carbohydrates and many other molecules (e.g. toxins). This form serves as a very effective protective mechanism against immune cells and other components, e.g. antibiotics for killing the bacteria. The biofilm is often embedded in muscle and joint structures, but can also attack any other organ. In this way, Borrelia can remain in the human or animal body for years, even decades, and cause numerous damages. The different forms which the borreliosis bacteria can adopt reflect the different stages of disease and its persistence.
Biofilm
(active form)
(latent form)
(latent, complex form)
High
istance to es
Figure 3: Antibiotic treatment through critical eyes: There are many patients who remain ill after treatment and who suffer from numerous symptoms. Reason: Antibiotics are not effective, and are only slightly effective against the Borrelia forms developed in advanced stages.
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tibiotic an s
tibiotic an s
High
istance to es
r
Rounded Form
r
Spirochetes
New approaches against lyme disease
Restricted efficacy potential shows limitations of pharmaceutical medicine In case of a bacterial infection, most people are looking towards drug therapies, especially antibiotics. Thus, this is the conventional treatment of borreliosis, which means the oral or intravenous administration of antibiotics. The antibiotics doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxim-axetil are usually prescribed in the early phase of the disease, over a period of 14 28 days.
If recognized early and treated with the appropriate medication, a certain success rate can be expected. However, with antibiotic treatment, the success is limited in the early phase of the disease. For example, symptoms of Lyme borreliosis persist for several months or years in 10 to 20% of patients after completion of antibiotic therapy. Although long-term antibiotics are not recommended, they are often administered as first-choice therapies.
There is no evidence of sustained efficacy in the advanced stages of the disease. Obviously, an ongoing antibiotic therapy means great stress for the human organism. Even after short-term antibiotic therapy, it takes months until the endogenous colonization with bacteria (as they are necessary in the intestine, for example) is re-established.
Naturopathic research in cellular medicine reveals alternatives for borreliosis therapy In the search for natural alternatives to antibiotic therapy, little effort has been made in recent years. Therefore, the possibilities for using effective natural therapies are correspondingly low. Because of a research project by the Dr. Rath Research Institute for Cellular Medicine in California, which was explicitly devoted to borreliosis, it has now been pos-
sible to demonstrate the possibilities of natural products - especially in combined form - in the fight against this infectious disease. The research work has been published on one of the world‘s largest internet portals for scientific work (PubMed), which is freely accessible to everyone. The results of the study show that in the early phase of the infection,
selected plant substances show effects comparable to antibiotics. In addition, they are able to exert an effective influence on the borreliosis pathogen even in later stages of the disease, where antibiotics reach their limits. The following is an overview of the essential facts of the study.
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Important information for patients and their doctors!
The antibacterial effect of selected plant substances is of fundamental importance. It was also necessary to increase their potential by combining several plant components. The different forms of Borrelia were also considered (active form/spirochetes, round form, biofilm).
Figure 4 shows that the plant substances used have a similar anti-spirochetal effect to antibiotics after an application period of three to seven days. Up to 75% of the spirochetes could be eliminated in this series of experiments. In the second series of experiments, the same combination of plant substances and the same antibiotic were tested for their efficacy in killing the round form of Borrelia. It was shown that the plant substances
Remaining spirochetes [% of Control]
50 25 0
Figure 5:
0
1
2
Time (days)
studied are significantly more effective than doxycycline. As shown in Figure 5, doxycycline is hardly effective at the round-shaped stage and the proportion of killed bacteria is low (black line) under the influence of the antibiotic. In contrast, around 50% of the Borrelia in the round form (red line) died after seven days under the influence of the selected plant substance. In the third series, the efficacy of the selected plant substances was investigated for the dissolution
Doxycycline
50 25
Figure 4:
0
1
2
Zeit [Tage]
3
7
After an intake period of seven days, micronutrients have a similar effect to the antibiotic doxycycline in the killing of the spirochetes.
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3
7
Plant substances are much more effective than the antibiotic doxycycline against the round form.
75
0
Doxycycline
75
Micronutrients
100
8
Micronutrients
100
Living Round Forms [% of Control]
In the first series of experiments, the defined combined plant substances were investigated for their effectiveness in killing spirochetes. This effect was compared with the effect of doxycycline, a common antibiotic used as a therapy against borreliosis.
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of existing Borrelia biofilm nests. Again, it turned out that plant substances are significantly more effective in killing the Borrelia cultures than antibiotics. They reduce the percentage of Borrelia biofilm to half (see Figure 6).
Conclusion The studies of the Dr. Rath Research Institute prove that plant substances can be used as an effective remedy against Borrelia species that trigger Lyme disease. This is even more remarkable because plant substances can combat both active and latent bacterial forms. The selected plant substances are particularly effective when they are used in a synergistic combination and can maximise outcomes with higher efficacy.
New approaches against lyme disease
Micronutrients
Doxycycline
For more detailed information, we recommend the complete study documentation at:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed/26457476
0
25
50
75
100
Remaining biofilm form [% of Control] Figure 6:
Micronutrients are more effective than the antibiotic Doxycycline in eliminating existing biofilm forms of Borrelia.
Application monitoring confirms results of the Dr. Rath Research Institute In order to further document the usefulness of combined plant substances in borreliosis, the Dr. Rath Research Institute has carried out a pilot project with a private medical institution. Important question: What impact do plant substances have on people with chronic borreliosis? The observation period of the pilot study was six months. Participants were 17 patients with diagnosed post-Lyme disease (chronic borreliosis, advanced stages) and varying manifesta-
tions of borreliosis symptoms. With all patients, a guidelinebased antibiotic therapy was conducted and completed.
the total period of six months without further accompanying therapy, until the completion of the application monitoring.
As a basic therapy of the private medical facility, a so-called insulin-potentiated therapy (IPT) was carried out on two days per week, with a total of ten treatments. At the same time the participants received a selected plant substance combination on the IPTfree days. The use of the plant substance combination was continued from the sixth week over
Various informative methods were used to survey the health status of the participants. The Lyme diagnosis was based on a detailed general anamnesis (including the recording of the psychological status), and a thorough Borrelia anamnesis for the observation of special symptoms of the Lyme disease with a standardized questionnaire.
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Important information for patients and their doctors!
showed, at the beginning of the application monitoring, partially severe health restrictions and the enormous stress associated with borreliosis infection.
to deal with the stress caused by the bacterial infection.
The main symptoms as well as the secondary and neurological symptoms of the participants
It is therefore all the more important to develop suitable natural measures, which are especially effective in later stages, in order
The following table summarizes the results of the questionnaire in total. It reflects, in an impressive way, the possibilities
MAIN SYMPTOMS
SECONDARY SYMPTOMS
FURTHER SYMPTOMS
For the documentation of the experiences a detailed anamnesis was carried out after three and six months. The relevant data are the focus of the following reporting.
Summary of the results
100 80 60
35,3 29,4 29,4
29,4
35,3 23,5
+++
5,9
5,9
5,9
++
+
-
11,8
5,9 +++
Severity Level Figure 7: Characterization of main symptoms in borreliosis patients
40
++
+
-
+++
++
+
-
20 0
Severity Level
Severity Level
Figure 8: Characterization of secondary symptoms in borreliosis patients
Figure 9: Characterization of neurological symptoms in borreliosis patients
Legende: +++ severe symptoms, unable to work; ++ lighter symptoms, restricted workability; + recurring slight discomfort; - no complaints
Three groups of symptoms were considered: • MAIN SYMPTOMS: loss of energy, fatigue, exhaustion, faintness, muscular, joint and bone pain, forgetfulness and concentration disorders
Figure 7 shows that the majority (82.4%) of patients suffered severely from the main symptoms of borreliosis.
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• SECONDARY SYMPTOMS: dizziness, blurred vision and cardiac arrhythmia
Figure 8 shows the spreading of the expression of the aforementioned secondary symptoms.
• FURTHER SYMPTOMS: psychological and extraordinary symptoms, such as depression, irritability, panic attacks, aggression, neuropathy and paralysis
Figure 9 summarizes the results of the anamnesis of these symptoms.
PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS [%]
82,4
New approaches against lyme disease
of micronutrients within a sixmonth application period (see also figure 10).
The results of these two groups are summarized in column 1 (64.7%) (Figure 10).
• Eight out of 17 of the affected participants showed a significant improvement in their health condition after six months use of micronutrients. In order to become completely free of
• Two out of 17 participants experienced a mild improvement in the symptoms (column 2, 11.8%). Four out of 17 showed no apparent improvement (column 3, 23.5%). The intake
Conclusion Despite the strong expression of disease symptoms in all participants at the beginning of the study, about two thirds (64.7%) reported an enormous improvement in health status after six months of micronutrient application. For this reason, the thera-
IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH CONDITION PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS [%]
100 80 60
64,7 %
40
11,8 %
23,5 %
20 0
significant
slight
no
IMPROVEMENT Figure 10: Development of health condition after six months intake of cellular nutrients
symptoms, a continuation of the synergistic support with the selected plant substance combination and other micronutrients is recommended. • Three of the affected participants reported a complete absence of symptoms after a six-month period of use, both physically and mentally, with a very good energy status. Working ability was restored.
of micronutrients has been suspended prematurely. This might be due to the symptoms of a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, which is a reaction of the human body to products released by the destruction and decay of bacteria with temporary borreliosis-like symptoms.
pists in the private practice concluded that the synergistic use of plant substances and micronutrients should be integrated in the future as a long-term-therapy in any approach against borreliosis.
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Personal experiences document improvements in general condition In addition to scientific research, the documentation of personal experiences is of great importance. In parallel to the applica-
PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS
RESULTS OF THE SURVEY AFTER THREE MONTHS PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS (%) 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
RESULTS OF THE SURVEY AFTER SIX MONTHS GENERAL CONDITION 12
14
10
9
8
8
6
5
5
slightly better
unaffected
4
1 general condition improved
general condition unaffected
temporary discomfort
Figure 11: Development of the general condition after three months intake of cellular nutrients
tion monitoring described above, a survey of long-term use of selected plant substances and micronutrients was therefore recorded and evaluated. The main reason for this assessment was the general condition of the affected persons. The evaluation included 23 informative reply forms. The first survey on the recording of experiences was conducted after a three-month micronutrient intake period, the second survey after six months.
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three months. At the time of the question, 8 participants indicated that they had not yet noticed any changes. One person reported a
Survey participants suffered to some extent from some of the following symptoms of borreliosis, which often occurred in phas-
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2 0
better
GENERAL CONDITION Figure 12: Development of the general condition after six months intake of cellular nutrients in comparison to the status before starting the intake
es: red rash, fever, headache and limb pain, tingling in hands/feet, numbness/sensory disturbances in the legs, racing heart, feeling of soreness in the cardiac region, heart and weakness attacks, poor concentration, fatigue, sleep disorders, muscle weakness, joint problems, swollen feet and neurological disorders.
Interim report shows initial success 14 out of 23 of the interviewees reported an improvement in their general health after only
temporary malaise after cellular nutrient intake (Figure 11).
Second recording after six months shows further improvements The second recording took place after an application period of six months. At the time of this evaluation, 19 out of 23 participants had completed this application period. The extent to which the health status had changed, compared to that before the beginning of the cellular nutrient intake, was examined.
New approaches against lyme disease
Nine out of the 19 respondents said that their personal state of health was much better than before starting the intake of cellular nutrients.
Five respondents reported that their health status was slightly better and only one participant did not recognize any changes (figure 12).
Results suggest long-term use The results of the survey show that long-term use of plant sub-
tion of people with severe symptoms. This is an enormous success in the fight against borreliosis and its severe secondary diseases and comorbidities.
stances and micronutrients against borreliosis is recommended. There was also a significant improvement in the general condi-
The following list shows some developments that have become apparent in the participants after the intake of a special combination of cellular nutrients: • Red area and other skin changes declined
• Attacks decreased and pain alleviated
• General condition and energy status improved
• Numbness, heat, headaches and joint pain disappeared
• Weakness, racing heart and shortness of breath became less frequent • Weight normalized
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Important information for patients and their doctors!
Summary and outlook The symptoms of Lyme disease can often be alleviated by antibiotics, and the pathogens can be eliminated to a large extent. This is especially true in the early stages of the disease, when administered promptly after infection. However, this method of treatment often leads to a resurgence of the disease, since the pathogens can escape the antibiotics by various mechanisms. The problem is that the patient initially feels better, but the Borrelia can actually spread invisibly in the body and cause massive damage. In addition, the symptoms that appear in later stages of disease are often misdiagnosed. The reason is that the symptoms do not fit to any particular disease. The result is a faulty treatment, which can aggravate the symptoms by weakening the immune system.
On the one hand, the effect is based on the strengthening of the immune system. On the other hand, the cellular nutrients directly attack all three Borrelia forms (spirochetes, round form and biofilm), thus contributing to their destruction. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that plant substances and micronutrient synergies, in contrast to antibiotics, are highly beneficial even in advanced stages of Lyme disease. This proves once again the superiority of natural products against conventional antibiotics in the fight against borreliosis, especially in later stages. For this reason, the use of micronutrient synergies should be incorporated as a long-term therapy in the treatment of borreliosis, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The work at the Dr. Rath Research Institute and further documentation show that plant substances and micronutrients can be successfully used to support the fight against borreliosis even in advanced disease stages.
References In vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of phytochemicals and micronutrients against Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia garinii, A. Goc, A. Niedzwiecki and M. Rath, 2015, Journal of Applied Microbiology, 119(6):1561-1572
The anti-borreliae efficacy of phytochemicals and micronutrients: an update, A. Goc and M. Rath, 2016, Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease, 3(3-4):75-82
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IMPORTANT HEALTH INFORMATION Special edition 2 - 04/2017
A Project Conducted by the Dr. Rath Research Institute This information is provided to you courtesy of the Dr. Rath Research Institute. Led by two former colleagues of two-time Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling († 1994) this Institute has become a leader in the breakthrough of natural health research in the field of cancer, cardiovascular disease and other common diseases. The Institute is a 100% subsidiary of the nonprofit Dr. Rath Foundation.
that over the years the drug lobby has attacked Dr. Rath and his research team in an attempt to silence this message, to no avail. During this battle, Dr. Rath has become an internationally renowned advocate for natural health.
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He states: “Never in the history of medicine have researchers been so ferociously attacked for their discoveries. It reminds us that health is not given to us voluntarily, but we need to fight for it.”
Dr. Matthias Rath, M.D., founder of Cellular Medicine
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The groundbreaking nature of this research poses a threat to the multibillion dollar pharmaceutical “business with disease.” It is no surprise
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Further research into scientifically based natural therapies, along with education on natural health, are sup-
Dr. Aleksandra Niedzwiecki and Dr. M. Waheed Roomi
ported by the Dr. Rath Health Alliance. Shaped by thousands of members, including people who have been perso-
nally affected by various health issues, it is committed to creating a new prevention-oriented health care system.
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