The Hidden Cause Of Aging + Chronic Disease

THEHIDDEN CAUSEOFAGING+ CHRONICDISEASE

Isaac Eliaz, MD

INTEGRATIVE PHYSICIAN | BEST-SELLING AUTHOR

Isaac Eliaz, MD, MS, LAc is a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine with more than 30 years of experience as a physician and researcher. He has partnered with some of the nation’s leading research institutes, including Harvard and Columbia Universities. As an internationally recognized expert in the treatment of cancer and other complex diseases, Dr. Eliaz embraces a whole-person approach to healing. He is the author of The Survival Paradox, as well as the owner and formulator of EcoNugenics, a line of science-backed supplements. He is also the founder and medical director of Amitabha Medical Clinic & Healing Center in Santa Rosa, Calif.

“I’ve learned to let go of our current medical system’s dogmatic paradigms, both conventional and alternative. People often say I think ‘outside the box,’ to which I reply, there was never a box to begin with.”

— Isaac Eliaz, MD, MS, LAc Thise-bookisChaptersCH1+2+9

PART ONE HOW THE SURVIVAL RESPONSE AFFECTS OUR HEALTH

CHAPTER

ONE

WHAT IS THE SURVIVAL PARADOX?

RebeccafirstcametoseemeatAmitabhaMedicalClinicin2011.Shewas seventy,withstage4lungcancerthathadmetastasizedtoherbones.Shehadno familyandlivedalone;hercompanionthatdaywasastone-facedchauffeur waitinginacaroutsidetheclinic.Withtearsinhereyes,shetoldmeshehad justbeendiagnosed.Handsshaking,sheshowedmethePETscanreport highlightingthemultipletumorsthroughoutherbody.Basedonwhatthe oncologistsaid,sheunderstoodthatherlifecouldcometoanendverysoon.

“Idon’twanttodie,”shesaid.“I’mnotreadytogo.”Everycellinherbody wasreelingwithanxietyandfear.Herrestlessnesswaspalpableintheair.

Asanintegrativephysicianwhotreatscancer,I’dhadthisconversationmany times.Ihandedheratissueandshewipedhertears.“IwilldoanythingIcanto overcomethiscancer,”shesaidfirmly.Iacknowledgedherfiercedetermination, herresolve.Afterall,determinationiswhat’sneededfirstandforemostto overcomeadeadlydisease,right?

Withheranxietysopalpable,Iwonderedhowthisfearmustbeaffectingher. Notjustonthelevelofheremotionsorqualityoflife;Iwonderedhowitwas affectingthecancercells.Willthisfear-baseddeterminationnottodiehelpher overcomeherdisease?Orwillitcausehertobecomesickerandshortenherlife? Heranxietywassoprominentthatitinfusedhersurroundings,affectingher abilitytotakeadeepbreath.Itwasconstantsuffering,anditwasclearshewas in“survivalmode.”

Beinginsurvivalmodemeantthathersympatheticnervoussystem hormones,thedriversofherinnatebiochemicalresponsepatterns,weredialed allthewayup.Heradrenaline,noradrenaline,andcortisolwereelevated,and herinsulinwasspiking.Herimmuneresponsewasbeingsuppressed,andher metabolic function was altered. Ultimately, it meant that many of the compoundssheexcretedinanefforttosurvivewouldverylikelynourishher cancerandallowittogrowandsurviveaswell.

Survivalmodeisoftenastateofstressandpanic.Thebodyfeelsrushedand doesn’tslowdown,andallcells,whethernormalorcancerous,fightharderto survive.Thus,Rebecca’sanxietyandfearofdyingcould“feed”thecancerous cells.Herbestchanceatbeatingthecancerandlivingalongerlifewastoshift awayfromsurvivalmodeandmoveintoastateofgreaterrelaxation,withless reactivityonthecellular,emotional,andpsychologicallevels.

Basedonresearchandmyyearsofworkwithpatients,onethinghasbecome clear: when facing a life-threatening or debilitating illness, the natural biochemicalstressresponse,ourinnatefight-or-flightmechanismsthatare drivenbyourinstincttosurvivearefundamentallyatoddswithourabilityto healandthrive.Thissurvivaldrive,rootedinoursympatheticnervoussystem andexpressedbyourbiochemicalalertsystem,isnotgoingtosaveus.Infact,it canharmus.

Howdoesthisphysiologicalresponsesystemturnagainstussodramatically, fuelingdiseaseprocessesandprematureaging?Andmoreimportantly,whatcan wedoaboutit?

Thegoodnewsis,wecandoalot.Andwecandoitinawaythatisactually simplerthananyonefacingacomplexhealthcondition—patientorprovider— mighthaveimagined.

We’llcontinuetodiscussthedetailsofRebecca’streatmentandoutcomesin thenextchapter.Iwitnessedsomethingincredibleinhercase,aswellasin manyothers.SomethingthatBruceLipton,DeepakChopra,andmanyothers havewrittenabout,andwhattheyogisandmysticshavebeensayingfor millennia: the mind can influence the body to heal spontaneously and completely.Themindcandeliverthebodyfromthebrinkofdeathanddisease tovitalityandlongevity.

THE CATCH-22 OF “POSITIVE THINKING”

Publishedevidenceonthemind-bodyconnectionissignificantandgrowing rapidly,andbasedonmypersonalandclinicalexperience,theresultscanbe exponential.Itspoweriswithinusallthetime,andit’sabsolutelyavailablefor ustouse.

So,

whydoesn’titalwayswork?

Ifmind-bodymedicineistheclinicallystudiedgoldstandard“alternative” deemedthesafestandmostbeneficialtreatmentandincreasinglyadoptedand appliedinclinicalsettingsaroundtheworld,itstandstoreasonthatmanymore peoplewouldbeabletomeditateor“positivelythink”theirdiseaseinto remission.

It’stheultimatecatch-22:whensomeoneisfacingalife-threateningdisease, askingthemtorelax,changetheirthoughtpatterns,andfocusonhappy, healingenergyismucheasiersaidthandone.It’slikeaskingsomeonewhose houseisonfiretostaycalm,thinkpositively,anddeeplyinhalethesmokefrom theirburninghome.

We’rebuiltforsurvival.Wedon’tjustwantbutintrinsicallyneedto overcomediseaseandtoheal.I’vecometofind,basedonextensivepublished researchandyearsofclinicalobservation,thatthissurvivaldriveistheone majorblockagestandinginthewayofwould-besuccesses.

Inanerawhenwetendtolookforquickfixesandsymptomsuppressors, we’rereallyjustsuppressingourhealingcapacity.Wedon’ttakethetimeto stop,slowdown,andlookwithin.Theideathatwedon’thavetime—thatwe must rush, and must compete with everyone, including ourselves—is detrimentaltoourhealthandwell-being.

WhatRebeccaneededaboveallelsewastoslowthissympatheticnervous systemresponse,butshecouldn’t.Herhousewasburningdown,and shecouldn’ttakeadeepbreathinthemidstofwhatappearedtobealifethreateningsituation.

Whenweexperienceasenseofrestlessness,notfeelingsafe,ornottrusting ourenvironmentandcommunity,itcantranslateallthewaydowntothe cellularlevel.Whenwefeelunsafeandbelieveweneedtosurviveonourown, itchangesthemetabolismandfunctionofourcells—theyreceivesignalsfrom theirenvironmentthatthereisalackofoxygen.Theformaltermforlackof oxygenishypoxia,andthehypoxiccellcan’tbreatheornaturallyrelax.(In cancerhowever,thecellsbehavethiswayeveninthepresenceofoxygen, whichwe’lldiscussindetaillaterinthebook.)

Tobeginthehealingprocess,weneedtomoveahypoxiccelltoaplace whereitfeelsitcanbreathe,createanormalmetabolism,andreturntonormal mitochondrialfunction.Todothis,thecellandthepersonmustshiftawayfrom astateofsurvivaltowardastateofrelaxation.Toachievesuchachange,the personasawholemustexperiencesafetyandbalanceallthewaytothecellular level.Thesurvivalalarmhastobeturnedoff!

So,howdidRebeccaandIbeginaddressinghercancer?Howwassheableto takeadeepbreath?Weworkeddirectlyonherbiochemistry.Wedidn’tjust circumventherfearandanxiety—wetransformedit.Weusedcertainnatural compoundstoquietthealarmsystem,normalizethecell,andfightthecancer.

Wecombinedthosecompoundswithmeditation,breathingexercises,regular acupuncture,andhealingsessionswithdifferentmodalities,includinghands-on osteopathic,craniosacral,sound,andvisualizationtherapies.Mostimportantly, we surrounded her with unconditional love and affection, a sense of community,andanenvironmentthatheldherwithoutjudgment—wecreateda worldwhereshefeltsafeandloved.

A DEEPER HEART-BODY CONNECTION

Themind-bodyconnectionisamazing,andit’snotaone-waystreet.Emotions, thoughts, and subconscious responses clearly affect our biochemistry, our physiology,andoursubjectiveandobjectiveexperiencesofhealthanddisease. Atthesametime,ourbiochemistrysharplyaffectsouremotionsandour thoughts.Itaffectswhoweareatthecore.

Meditationandothermind-bodypracticescanundoubtedlygiveusthe quantumedgeinhealing.Theyworknotonlybecausetheycancalmour anxiety,reduceinflammation,andreverseourbiochemicaldiseaseprocesses— theyalsoworkbecausetheymeltourrigidityandrelaxourfixations.They dissolvetheliteralboundariesbetweenthepersonandthedisease,allowingthe person to reach and engage the tumor, the atherosclerotic plaque, the burrowingLymespirochete,oranyotheropportunisticinfection.

However,mind-bodymethodslikemeditationcanonlyunleashourinnate healingpotentialwhenwefigureouthowtotrulyengageourhearts.Inthis regard,amoreaccuratetermforthistypeofhealingis“heart-bodymedicine” ratherthan“mind-bodymedicine.”Itisheartfulnessratherthanmindfulness.I callthis“openheartmedicine.”

Thebasicphysiologyofourheartandthefundamentalmechanicsofthisvital organfunctioninawaythatactuallyallowsandsupports“miracle”healing—an unexpectedpositiveoutcomethatdefiesprobability.

Ultimately,wehavetogetthroughthethinveneerof“positivethinking”and penetratethedeeperlayersofourdefenses.Ourinstinctualfearsandanxieties, whilepartofourinnatesurvivaldrive,obstructourhealingcapacityby triggeringbiochemicalchangesinourbodythatcreateliteralphysicalbarriers. Thesebarriersaremadeofdifferentcomponentsthatneedtobetreated.For example,therecanbehyperviscosity,whichisthicknessofthebloodthat hamperscirculationandtheabilitytodeliveroxygentothetissue;fibrosis, whichisthescarringorhardeningoftissuesandorgans;biofilmstructures, whichformprotectiveshieldsaroundtumorsandpathogens;andmore.Andall ofthiswilltranslateintochangesincommunicationsbetweenthecellandits environment.Thiscauseschangesinsidethecellsandaffectstheirfunction.

So,whatisthekeytoshiftingusfromsurvivaltoharmony?Fromdiseaseto longevity?Whatisthismetabolicsurvivalalarmthatmustbeturnedoff?

Researchershaveidentifiedonemasterproteinproducedbythebody,which isattheheadwatersofourbiochemicalalarmsystem.Thisproteindictatesour biochemicalandphysiologicalresponsetostress,illness,andinjury.

Themorestresswe’reunder,themoreourbodieswillviewlifeasabattle, leadingtoongoingconflictandfrictionwithin.Productionofthissurvival proteinwillrampupinanefforttoresolvetheconflictingdialoguebetweenthe bodyandtheoutsideworldandbetweendifferentsystemsandcellswithinthe body.Hereiswherewecanseetheparadoxofthissurvivalproteininaction.

Themolecularendresultofthisreactivedefensestrategyiscontraction, isolation,andoftendisease.Thesearesurvivalresponses,whicharedrivenby self-preservationbutunfortunatelyleadtoinflammationandfibrosis.These responsesalsoleadtodegenerationatthecellularlevel,organsystemlevel,and atthelevelofourwell-beingandlongevity.Theyhaltthecooperationbetween ourtrillionsofcellsthatwouldotherwiseseamlesslycommunicatewitheach otherinthemiracleoflife.Thebodyhasaninnatecapacitytohealitself—when thesurvivalresponsedoesn’tstandinitsway.

CHAPTER TWO THE ARCHITECT OF THE SURVIVAL RESPONSE: GALECTIN-3

Nowthatyouknowwhatthesurvivalparadoxis,let’smeetitsmolecular architect.

Ifyou’veneverheardofgalectin-3,youaren’talone.Despitethefactthat therearethousandsofpaperspublishedaboutitsroleindrivingeverythingfrom cancertoheartandkidneyfailureandmuchmore,thevastmajorityofpeople— includingmosthealthcarepractitioners—haveneverheardofiteither!But you’reabouttohearalotaboutit.

Therearedifferenttypesofgalectins,butthemoststudied(yetlittle-known) one is galectin-3, a fascinating carbohydrate-binding protein. On close examination,itplaysanimportantroleinthebalancebetweenhealthand disease. It is the core component and initiator of our self-preservation mechanism.Icallit“thesurvivalprotein.”Let’sdefineexactlywhatitisand whatitdoesinsidethehumanbody.

THE OPERATION OF GALECTIN-3

Wheninjury,illness,orotherstressorsoccur,ourinnatesurvivalresponse triggerstheproductionandactivityofgalectin-3.Intheseinstances,galectin-3 initiatesacascadeofprocessesthatarenecessaryforinjuryrepair.Howeverif thealarmfailstoturnoffafterthethreatsubsides,galectin-3getsoutofcontrol and can seriously harm us.

Whengalectin-3activitycontinuesuncontrollably,iteffectively“goes rogue,”drivinginflammationandfibrosisratherthanhealing.This,inturn,can leadtonumerousdiseaseprocesses.What’smore,pathogenssuchasdifferent infectiousagentsandtumorscanhijackgalectin-3anduseitfortheirown survival.Thisisakeyissuethatcanbetreatedstrategically,andwe’llfurther explorethisconceptthroughoutthenextchapters.

Galectin-3isproducedor expressed indifferenttypesofcells.Inparticular, galectin-3isexpressedinimmunecells,inepithelialcells(theonesthatcoat certaintissuessuchasthoseoftheintestinesandlungs),inendothelialcells(the inner-liningcellsofthebloodvessels),andinsensoryneurons,amongothers.

Weunderstandthatgalectin-3canbebeneficialorharmful,buthowcanone proteinharmandbenefitusatthesametime?Togainabetterinsightintothis paradox—oursurvivalparadox—let’stakeajourneytogetherintothestructure ofthisprotein.

Galectin-3hasachimerastructure,meaningthat different structures from various sources come togethertocreateit(achimericcharacteryoumight befamiliarwithisFrankenstein:hewascreatedfrom manydifferentparts).Whengalectin-3isactivated, itcanbindtoothergalectin-3proteinsandother carbohydratestoformcomplexstructures.Uptofive individual galectin-3 proteins can stick together, creatingfive-sidedstructurescalled pentamers.

Whengalectin-3formspentamers,thesecanattachtoothergalectin-3 pentamers,toothercarbohydrates(sugars),andtocell-surfacereceptors,where thesestructurescanthenmediatecellreactionsandcontroltheinteraction betweenthecellandtheenvironment.Soundscomplicated?Itisabit.Butdon’t worry,we’llbreakitdown.

Oursurvivalprotein,galectin-3,isactivatedwhenweexperienceasudden threat,beitphysical,emotional,mental,orpsychological.It’salsoactivatedin casesofinjury,infection,cancer,orotherillnesses.Whengalectin-3isactivated, itturnsonmultiplepathwaysthatinitiateinflammationandtheprocessof fibrosis,andsuchscartissuebuild-upcanleadtohardeninganddysfunctionof tissuesandorgansystems.Furthermore,itcanalsooverexpressitselfinspecific areasofthebody,forexample,inthejoints,cardiovascularsystem,orthebrain. Andwhatistrulyamazingisthatitcanexertverydifferenteffectsatdifferent sitesbasedonwhatit’sboundto.

GALECTIN-3 EXPRESSION

IN MODERN LIFE

Tobetterunderstandthecomplexityofgalectin-3,let’srelateittothebigger picture:ourmodern-dayexistence.Weliveinaworldwherepeoplecontinue tobecomemoreisolated.Whenpeoplearelessconnectedtoeachotherandto theearth,allbecomeweaker.Weexploitandabuseournaturalresources,and weseetheeffectsofrapidclimatechange.Globalwarmingisaninflammatory processontheplanetarylevel.

Atthehumanlevel,ourinternalandexternalsenseofpeaceisdwindling,and ourattentionspansareridiculouslyshort.Wecannolongerwaitforweeks, days,orevenhourstogiveorreceivearesponse—wecanonlytoleratewaiting formilliseconds,andwefeeltheneedtoreactimmediatelytoeverystimulus.

Mostofuslivehigh-stresslifestylesinundatedwithelectronicandotherforms ofstimulation.Idon’tthinkit’sanexaggerationtosaythatourmodernsociety isinastateofoverwhelm.

Thecontinualbarrageofstimulifromeverydirection,theonslaughtof environmentaltoxins,theongoingmental,physical,andemotionalstresswe’ve grownaccustomedto—thesedisturbancesthrowusintosurvivalmodewhere oursystemsareonconstanthighalert,likeanalarmthatneverturnsoff.

Theresult?Unhealthygalectin-3expression,andwithit,progressivedamage tovitalorgansandsystemsoverthelong-term.This,inturn,fuelsmore galectin-3production,formingaperpetuallyclosedloopsystemthatisproving tobeperhapsthesinglegreatestthreattoourhealthandlongevity.

Theconditionofouralarmsystemanditsresponsetostressorsofdifferent originsdependsupontheconditionofmultipleothersystems.It’sinfluencedby theneurological,circulatory,andmetabolicsystems,aswellasmitochondrial function(ourenergyproductionsystem).Ourdietandlifestyleaffectittoo. Regardlessofthenature,origin,orlocationofthestressor,theresponse— galectin-3—hasanextraordinaryinfluenceonourbody’salertsystemand, subsequently,ourentirespectrumofhealthandlongevity.

Forouralarmsystemtoworkcorrectly,ourinflammatory,immune,and otherbiochemicalresponsesmustbecarefullyregulated.Whenthealarmsystem isworkingwell,itcanresolveslow-comingissueslikecancer,aging,orjoint pain.Itcanalsorampupquicklyandaddressimmediatethreatslikecuts, infections,bruises,emotionalstress,andotherdangers.Thenitcanwinddown

justasrapidlyaftertheproblemhaspassed.

Let’scompareahealthyinflammatoryresponsetoanunhealthyoneby thinkingaboutwhathappenswhenweturnonlights.Turningonasingle switchdoesn’ttakemuchenergy.Inthiscase,“turningononelight”alertsthe bodyofanissue,illuminatingtheneedforrepair.Whenthishappenswithinthe body,it’sanentirelynormal,acuteinflammatoryresponse,andwhenthe problemisgone,thelightturnsoff.

However,thetroublebeginswhenaswitchisturnedonandcan’tbeturned off.It’sasthoughacircuithasmalfunctioned.Whentheswitchstayson,it triggersacascade,causingmultiplelightstoswitchon.Thisisthestartof chronicinflammation,andthebodygoesintocrisismode.Atthatpoint,the bodyhasachoice:resolvetheproblemorkeepturningonmorelights.Ifthe bodychoosestokeepswitchingonlights,thiswilleventuallyleadtoamuch biggercrisis.

Anotherproblemwiththeselightsisthattheycanbeturnedoninisolation, awayfromthebody’sradar,meaningthebodywillbeunawarethattheselights areevenon.Justliketheselights,galectin-3canbeactivatedinanisolated microenvironmentwhereitgraduallycausesdamage.Insomecases,bythetime thedamageisdetected,itmaybetoolatetohealorreverseit.Apersonmay wakeuponedaytodiscover“sudden”kidneyfailure,wheninfact,thedamage occurredslowlyovertime—theywerejustunawareofit.

The Risks of Isolation Formations

Isolationisafundamentalsurvivalstrategy.Itisinitiatedanddrivenbygalectin3.Aswediscussedearlier,galectin-3usesmultiplepentamersboundtoeach otherindifferentwaystocreatelatticeformations(orcoatingsorbiofilms). Theseformationscreatepocketsofisolationaroundareasofdamage,infection, andtoxicbuild-up,amongothers.Withinthesemicroenvironmentscreatedby galectin-3,diseasescandevelopundetectedandremainprotectedfromdrug treatmentsandothertherapeuticagents.

Frequentharmfulvisitorswithinthebody—likebacteria,viruses,fungi, parasites,otherinfectiousagents,andcancercells—haveasimilarisolation strategy.Theycanhijackgalectin-3tocreateashieldaroundthemselves(a latticeformation)sotheyareundetectedbytheimmunesystemandcaneven evadetherapeuticagents.Galectin-3canalsoisolatevariousthreatsthataretoo difficultforthebodytodealwith,suchastoxinsandheavymetals.

Youcanimaginethatonapsychologicallevel,wegothroughasimilar process,buryingemotionsandtraumasthataretoodifficultforustodealwith. Evenifthesetraumasarenotatthesurfaceofourawarenessorconsciousness, theycanstillhaveapsychologicalandphysiologicaleffectonus.Youmight havehadanexperiencewhilegoingthroughadetoxprocesswhereanemotion ormemorysurfacesallofasudden.Wherewasthisemotionallthistime?Itwas likelyburiedinamicroenvironmentthatwasnotaccessibletous.Asweopen orrevealourphysiologicalmicroenvironmentsandreleasetoxins,wecanalso openpsychologicalmicroenvironmentsreleasingburiedemotions.

Evenifanisolatedareaisnotspecificallycreatedinordertohidean infectiousagentorcancercell,themicroenvironmentscreatedbythegalectin-3 latticeformationsarestillwalledofffromourcirculation,andthesealtered environmentscanoftenbecomeveryinflamedandhypoxicduetoalackof oxygen.

Hypoxia also shifts our cellular energy production pathway fromnormal mitochondrialfunctionto anaerobic glycolysis,whichisahighlyinefficientway toproduceenergy;itresultsinthebuildupoflacticacidandotherinflammatory metabolicby-products.Thiscanleadtofurtherhypoxia,whichproduces additionalinflammationandgalectin-3expression,causingthehardeningor dysfunctionoftissues,organs,andbloodvessels.

THE PROS AND CONS OF GALECTIN-3

Despitethepotentialharmitcando,galectin-3servesafewimportantpurposes withinthebody.Ithelpsintranuclearcelldevelopmentandextracellularinjury repairandsurvival.However,whenthebodyisincrisisandthereisan upregulationofgalectin-3production,itcanhavedetrimentalconsequences.

Duetocomplexbiochemicalstructuresandgenetictendencieswithineach person,thereisnostandard,predictableresponsewhenitcomestogalectin-3. Thisproteincanbeatdifferentlevelsindifferentpeopleandtriggerdifferent responses,eveniftheyhavethesamecondition.Forexample,somepeople’s bodiesare“hypervigilant,”alwaysonthealert,andtheyrespondtoastimulusor triggerwithoverinflammation.Otherpeoplemaynothaveagood“survival sense,”andtheylacktheabilitytofightandcreatetheproperinflammation. Instead,theyhaveatendencytoshutdownandendupwithsuppressed immunityoranincreaseinfibrosis.

Furthermore,thereisanadaptiveresponsewithgalectin-3,meaningthe reactionisamplifiedduetopreviousphysical,emotional,orpsychological trauma.Inanadaptiveresponse,oursystemhasbeenconditionedtorespondto specifictriggersinaparticularway.Inotherwords,itrepeatsthepatternsitis accustomedto,allthewaytothelevelofourcellularmemory.

Healing without Consequence

Forourbodiestohealproperly,weoftenneedtoremovethestimulantsthat causetheinflammatoryprocesstoperpetuallycontinue.It’snosecretthataswe getolder,ittakesmoreandmoreefforttodothingsthatoncetooknoeffortat all.Whenweareyoungandagile,ourbodiesaremoreefficientandlesstoxic; theyareflexibleandhaveahighcapacityforchange,growth,andrepair.We canmountarobustinflammatoryresponsetoshutaproblemdownwithout consequence.Likethemetaphorofabirdflyingintheskywithoutleavingany trace,orlikewritingonwater,wecanoftensolveaproblemwithoutleavinga trace.

However,asweage,ourbodieslosethatagility,andwearemoreapttocarry ourissueswithus.Forexample,ifaninjuryoccurstotheskininutero,the woundcanhealwithoutatrace,butasweage,thewoundhealingprocessslows andcausesincreasedscarring.Aswetraveltheroadoflife,ourbodiesdisplay theevidenceofourphysical,emotional,psychological,andspiritualtraumas— theynolongerhealwithease.

Themetaphorsforabirdflyingwithoutleavingatraceandwritingonwater comefromBuddhistphilosophy.Theyservetoillustratethenatureofthoughts andexperiencesasarisingandvanishing—anexampleofimpermanence.Thisis whatinflammationshouldbe:itshouldbeanacuteresponsethatoccursand thendisappears.Itshouldturnoffwithoutatraceandwithoutlingering consequences.Thisiswhathappenswhenwehavearobustimmunesystemand whengalectin-3worksappropriately.Andwhenitdoesn’t,thedamagebegins.

The Solution: Blocking Unhealthy Expression of Galectin-3

I’dliketotakeamomenttoemphasizeacriticalpointandtheprimaryreasonI wrotethisbook:wecanabsolutelyinterruptthiscycleofdestructionandhalt— orevenreverse—thesefundamentaldiseaseprocesses.How?Bydeactivating unhealthygalectin-3.

Whenweblockgalectin-3frombinding,wecanbreakuplatticeformations and reach the isolated pockets and areas of the body, including tumor microenvironments.Abnormaltissuesandcells,eventumorouscancercells,can becomenormalonceagain,which,needlesstosay,hastremendousimplications for our health and longevity. By blocking unhealthy galectin-3, we can dismantle its harmful effects and render it inactive, decreasing unhealthy inflammationintheprocess.Thismakesblockinggalectin-3oneofthemost importanttherapeuticstrategiesfortreatingavastarrayofconditions.

REBECCA’S STORY (CONTINUED)

Let’srevisitRebecca’sstorysinceithelpsillustratehowgalectin-3candirectly influencesurvival,health,anddisease.

WhenRebeccacametoseemein2011,itwasthefirstyearwewereableto testgalectin-3levelsintheblood.Thankstoasimplenewserumassaythatwas recentlyapprovedbytheFDAandisnowreadilyavailable,shewasoneofthe veryfirstpatientsinmypracticetohavegalectin-3levelstested.

Rebecca’sinitiallevelswereskyhigh,andtheby-productsofhersympathetic nervous system response to her crisis were elevated, as well as other proinflammatory,procancerousmarkers.Akeystrategyinhertreatmentplan wastotargetgalectin-3usingvariousprovenmethods.Weusedherlevelsasa markertogaugeherprogressthroughout.

Theresultswereunmistakable:whenRebeccawasdoingwell,hergalectin-3 levelswerelower,andwhenshewasinacrisis,herlevelswerehigher.For Rebecca,thismarkerservedasanimportantindicatorastowhenthecancerwas aggressiveandwhenitwas“quiet.”

Thishelpedusfine-tunehertreatmentsandstayonestepaheadofthecancer. (Note,however,thatduetoitscomplexbiochemistry,galectin-3cancause damageevenatlowlevels.Itisthereforeimportanttoaddressgalectin-3 regardlessofitslevels.MoreinformationcanbefoundinAppendixA.)

Rebeccataughtussomethingveryimportant:sheexemplifiedtheintimate connectionbetweenouremotionsandourhealth.WhenRebecca’sanxiety increased,hercancergotworse.Herpresentationwassopronouncedand immediatethatitwaseasytoseewhenheranxietywasworsening.Butwhen shewasabletorelax,quiettheanxiety,andbemorespacious,hersymptomsgot better. The way Rebecca responded as a person was the way her body responded as well. When her survival crisis decreased, and she became comfortablethinkingaboutlife,death,andimpermanence,itaffectedtheway thecancerfunctioned.Thecancerfeltlessthreatenedanddecreaseditsown survivalresponse.

Doesitsoundnew-ageyandfluffywhenItalkaboutchangesinthebehavior ofcancer?Really,it’snot.I’mreferringtochangesinthelevelsofgrowth factorsthatdrivetheaggressivenessofcancer,factorslikedownstreamproteins thatareregulatedbyoursurvivalprotein,galectin-3.Suchdownstreamproteins areimpactedbysignalingmolecules—whichthemselvesareimpactedbyour emotionalstate.

Rebeccawasabletocalmhersystemthroughregularmeditation,deep breathing,acupuncture,participationinmymeditationandhealingretreatsand workshops,andthroughtheuseofgalectin-3blockers.Thesehelpedtomitigate the initial survival process and significantly reduce the growth and aggressivenessofhercancer.

Rebecca’scancerdidnotcompletelyrespondtochemoandradiation,butit subsidedthroughthesehealingmethods.Herscansbecamenormal,indicating thathercancerhadgoneintoremission.ButRebeccadidmorethanjust incorporatethesehealingmethodsintohertreatment—she alsodeveloped communityandfriendshipswithotherpatientsinourcenter. 5

Thesefriendscheeredheronthroughoutherjourney,andthestoicdriverwho broughthertoherfirstappointmentwasnolongerneeded,asshebegan participatinginlivelycarpoolstotheclinic.Shewentfrombeinghighlycritical ofnonconventionalapproachesandbitteraboutherdiagnosisandfateto embracingherprocessandwelcominghertreatments.

Rebecca’stransformationsprofoundlyaffectedherphysiologyandallowed hertooutliveherprognosisconsiderably.Oneday,herlaughrangthroughthe clinicfromtheIVroom,remindingmeofthehealingpowerofjoy.Hercancer eventuallyreturned,butevenwithresiduallungcancer,shelivedsevenmore yearswithabetterqualityoflifethanshehadexperiencedindecades.Shesaid, “Isaac,Ifeelalivelikeneverbefore.”Shediedpeacefullyinherhome,ina meditativestate,surroundedbyfriends.Herlifewascelebratedbythemany peoplewhoweredeeplytouchedandinspiredbyherjourney.

CHAPTER NINE

LIVER AND LUNG DISEASES

AncientChinesemedicineoffersusanopportunitytodevelopadeeperinsight intothefunctionoforgansby,forexample,exploringhowwefunctionin spaceandtime;howdifferentorgansareaffectedbythepast,present,and future;andhowthepaceofmovementandchangeinourlivesaffectsour healthandwell-being.Fromthisperspective,youcanunderstandhowfixed, predeterminedtreatmentprotocolsarelimitingbynature.

Spaceandtimeareinterdependentphenomena.Whenwespeakof“distance,” wearereallyreferringtothemeasurementofspacefromonepointtoanother. Distanceiscalculatedbythespeedtraveledfromthestartingpointtotheend point,multipliedbytheamountoftimeittooktogobetweenthesetwopoints (Distance=Speed×Time).Ourexperienceofspaceordistancerelatestohow fastthingsaremovingwithinaparticulartimeframe.

Speedingupwithinaconfinedspaceinevitablyproducesheat.Thisisoneof themostbasicprinciplesinphysics.Nowthinkaboutwhathappensinthe body,aconfinedspace.Sympatheticresponsessuchasrisingheartrates, increasedbloodpressure,andfasterbreathingareallexamplesofhigh-speed movement.Theyallexpressthemselvesasheat thisresultsininflammation.

This high-speed movement, which inevitably produces heat, impacts us mentally,emotionally,andphysically.Itcanimpairhealthyflow.Thinkabout theoilinacar:ifthecarheatsup,yougetstickyoilsthatdryoutandinhibit motion.Whenthingsdon’tmove,wegetstuck.Becomingstuckcreates stagnation,andstagnationcreatesfibrosis. Thischapterpresentstheliverandthelungs.Bothoftheseorgansareinvolved indetoxificationandtheprocessoflettinggo,whichreducesstagnation.As such,theyalsohaveaninterestingrelationshiptospaceandtime.

THE LIVER

Toapproachcaringfortheliverfromaholisticperspective,let’slookathowthe organfunctions,itstendencytogetstuckandfibrotic,andhowit’saffectedby galectin-3.Asour“pastandfuture”organ,theliverisresponsibleforcountless enzymaticandchemicalprocesses.Ithelpsusprocesstoxinsfromthepastby promotingandregulatingthedetoxificationprocess,andhelpsprepareusfor functioninginthefuturebyproducingdifferentlipids,hormones,andenzymes. Whentheliverproducesnewproteinsandenzymes,itaffectsourfuture physiology.Atthesametime,theliverhelpstoclearourpastbybreakingdown andgettingridofby-productsfrompastreactions.Assuch,theliverisalsoour bigdetoxifier.

Thinkaboutit.Theliverdealswiththebody’spastandfuture,simultaneously takingcareofbothinthepresent.So,iftheliverisnotfunctioningsmoothly,if itgets“stuck,”thenwewillhaveaproblemdealingwiththepastandhaving clarityaboutthefuture bothphysicallyandpsychologically.Wewillbecome toxic. This naturally leads to frustration and anger, which, according to multipleancientmedicalsystems,arethedominantemotionsassociatedwith theliver.Weallhaveexperiencedmomentsofangerandfrustration,andoften whentheseemotionsdissipate,weexperienceabettersenseofclarity.Thisis whytheliverisconsideredtobethegreatstrategistandplannerinChinese medicine.

Themultidimensionalandmultifacetedfunctionoftheliveralsomakesita greatandvitalcommunicator.Itisresponsibleforendlessreactionsand physiologicalactivities,connectingtheminamasterfulway,andfunctioning asacentralhub.Imaginewhatwouldhappeninamajorintersectionifthe lightssuddenlyturnedoffandeverythinggotstuck?Thisiswhathappensin thebodywhenthelivergetsstuck,meaningthattheliverisunableto detoxifyproperlyorproduceessentialenzymesandhormonesnecessaryfor optimalfunction.Generally,theliverhelpstokeepeverythingmoving.As such, it is supported by movement of all kinds: physical movement, emotionalmovement,andcreativeexpression.Suppressingouremotionswill adverselyaffecttheliver.

It’snosurprisethattheisolatinglatticeformationpropertiesofgalectin -3canbehighlydetrimentaltotheliver.Iftheliverbecomesisolatedandcan no longer function effectively as a central hub, this will have grave consequences.Inmanyways,it’saphysiologicalreflectionofthechangein modern times wherein we no longer live in an expanded family and communityenvironment.Wheneachpersonlivesaloneandcommunication happensincreasinglyoverdigitalplatforms,wesharelesswithothers.A healthyliversharesmorecommunication,notless.

Unfortunately,theliverisalsogravelyaffectedbygalectin-3.Multiplestudies havefoundthemasterproteintobeinvolvedintheprogressionofliverfibrosis. Thismakesgalectin-3asensitiveliverbiomarker—whenlevelsincreaseitcan indicateaworseningofthelivercondition.Galectin-3alsocontributesto immunedysregulation,progressionofinflammation,andanimbalanceofthe microbiome(thecommunityofmicrobeslivingsymbioticallyinsidethehuman gut).Anyofthesecanleadtocirrhosis(fibrosisoftheliver),withahighriskof liverfailureandcancer.41

The Risks of Isolation Formations

We’reallwellawarethatexcessive,long-termconsumptionofalcoholcancause liverdamage,inflammation,andfibrosis.However,wearenotasawareof nonalcoholic fibrosis with fatty liver disease (NAFLD),whichcandevelopinto

42 nonalcoholic steatohepatitis disease (NASH).Theseconditionsarequiteprevalent, affectingabout25percentofthepopulation,buttheydon’tgetthesame attentionaswell-knownconditionslikehepatitisC,forinstance,eventhough theoutcomesofNAFLDandNASHaredevastating.

Togiveyouanideaofhowseriousanepidemictheseconditionsare,NAFLD affectsaboutonebillionpeopleworldwideandbetween80to100million individualsintheUnitedStates.Twenty-fivepercentofthemprogressto NASH,andmanypeoplediefromNASH.Blockinggalectin-3,thedriverof theseconditions,isoneofthebesttherapeuticoptionsfortreatingthem.43

NAFLDisdrivenbygenetic,epigenetic,andenvironmentalfactors.It’salso causedbyinsulinresistance,obesity,insulinaccumulationintheliver,increased intestinalpermeability,andsystemicinflammationofthegut.Theliveristhen predisposedtosecondarycausesofNAFLDbecauseofoxidativestress, infection,mitochondrialdysfunction,proinflammatorycytokines,etc.These secondaryfactorsareenvironmentalinnatureandrelatetoourlifestylechoices. Theyleadtoinflammation,necrosis,anddamagetotheliverinNAFLD.

So,canliverdamageandfibrosisbereversed?Theanswerisyes!Nowthatwe understandthemechanismofdamage,wecanstopandreverseit.Whilemany fattyliverdiseases(alcoholicandnonalcoholic)donotrespondtoconventional anti-inflammatorytherapies,theseconditionswillimproveifweblockgalectin3.Infact,studieshavedemonstratedthatMCPcanactuallystoptheprogression ofliverfibrosis.44

THE LUNGS

Nowthatwehaveexploredtheliver,let’stakeamomenttolookatthelungs fromaholisticperspective.Throughourbreath,thelungsestablishour ongoingconnectionwiththeoutsideworldandourenvironment,andina greatersense,withtheuniverse.Thenaturaltendencyofthelungsisto contract,exhale,andletgo.Thehealthofourlungsdetermineshowwell connectedwearetotheoutsideworld,andthisconnectionhasadirect influenceonourhealth.

Chinesemedicinerecognizestheconnectionbetweenourorgansandour emotions.Whiletheliverexpressesanger,resentment,andfrustration,the lungsexpressgriefandsadness.Whenthelungsfunctionwellandareable toletgo,wecanmoreeasilyreleasesadnessandgrief.Whenthelungsare unabletodotheirjob,wecangetconsumedbysadnessandgrief,andshift ourmentalstatetolivinginthepast.Thisoftencausesdeepandlong-term exhaustionthatcanmanifestaschronicfatigueandfibromyalgia.

Treating Pulmonary Issues

Infectionsofdifferentkinds,chemicalinsultsfromcigarettesmoke,pollution, asbestos,certainpharmaceuticalagents,andotherfactorscanaffectthehealth ofthelungs.However,oneofthedeadliestconditionsofthelungsis idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF),with idiopathic meaning“ofunknown cause.”Currently,therearenogoodtreatmentsforIPF,butthereisa growingfocusinthepharmaceuticalindustryontargetinggalectin-3asthe fibrosis-drivingproteininthiscondition.

Thereareseveralinterventionsthatcanhelpwiththehealthofourlungs,and theprotocolswillvaryslightlybasedonthespecificdisease.Wewanttoeatan anti-inflammatory, low glycemic, Mediterranean-style diet that is low in fructoseandglucose,andhighinfiber.Wecanalsoshutdownmetabolically induceddamagebypracticingintermittentfasting.

Caringforthecolonandthemicrobiomeisanimportantcomponentoflung health,asthecoloniscloselyrelatedtothelungsinChinesemedicine.We needtosupportandfacilitatecirculationthroughexerciseanddeepbreathing, andsupportthemicrobiomethroughtheuseofprebiotics(nondigestiblefiber thatfermentsandfeedsgutbacteria)andprobiotics(livebeneficialbacteria). (Onthistopic,MCPisalsoanestablishedprebiotic,withanumberofscientific papershavingbeenpublishedonitsbenefitsinthatrole.45)Anditdoesn’t makemeageniustotellyouthat,naturally,smokersneedtoquitsmoking.

Therearedifferentbotanicalsthatcanhelpwithpulmonaryhealth.Manyare quitesimilartotheonesusedforhearthealth.Alsoimportantareadaptogenic herbs,suchasginseng,aswellasherbsthatmoveandclearphlegm,suchas pinelliaandlicorice.Specificmushroomsforlunghealthare Cordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma lucidum, and Tremella fuciformis.

Honokiol,purifiedfromMagnoliabark,isespeciallyimportantforthelungs. Ithasaspecificaffinitytothelungs,meaningthatwhenitisabsorbedbythe body,thehighestconcentrationwillbefoundinthelungs.

CYTOKINE STORMS, COVID-19, AND GALECTIN-3

With COVID-19, we ’ ve heard a lot about the hyperinflammatory immune response called a cytokine storm. A cytokine storm is the complicating factor in severe COVID-19 cases forcing people into the ICU and onto ventilators. Specifically, it’s the cytokine storm, not the virus itself, that can be so dangerous and deadly.

The cytokine storm begins when infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19, triggers the body to produce more galectin3 In turn, galectin-3 stimulates an inflammatory immune response in the form of a cytokine cascade. The release of massive amounts of inflammatory cytokines overwhelms the cardiorespiratory system

Interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and other inflammatory cytokines surge into affected areas like the lungs. In many people, they then start attacking healthy tissue and organs, creating a cytokine storm a hyperactive immune system response that can lead to organ damage, fibrosis, and in many cases, death

Because galectin-3 is at the headwaters of the cytokine cascade, it’s emerging as an important therapeutic target in the treatment of COVID- 19 Researchers suggest that addressing galectin-3 can help regulate and rein in the deadly cytokine storm.

There’s another important reason galectin-3 blockade is emerging as a possible strategy against COVID-19: the potential to prevent viral infection in healthy cells The SARS-CoV-2 virus enters and infects healthy cells by using a unique spike protein that attaches to healthy cell receptors Researchers discovered that the shape of the SARSCoV-2 spike protein is nearly identical to the galectin-3 binding terminal making the case that galectin-3 blockers could also block the virus from entering and infecting healthy cells.

ELIZABETH’S STORY

Manyyearsago,ItreatedElizabeth,arenownedpsychotherapistwhowas nearlysixtyyearsold.Shehadchronicfatigueandfibromyalgia.Shewas dealingwithunresolvedissuesshehadwithherfather,whohadalreadypassed away.Itwasdrainingherenergyandresultedindeepfatigue,widespreadpains, insomnia,andweakenedlungs. ItreatedElizabeth’stendencytobeoccupiedwiththepastthroughtheuseof acupuncture.Acupuncturehasspecificpointsthatrelatetotheperceptionof timeandcanthereforetreatpatternsandtendenciestoholdtothepast, present,andfuture itaddressesmentalfixationsthataffectourhealthand well-being.Forexample,therearespecificacupuncturepointsthatcantreat griefandstrengthenthelungs,underscoringtheinterdependencebetweenour mental,emotional,andphysicalstate.

WhenElizabethreturnedforhernextvisit,shetoldmethattheissuesshe couldn’tclearthroughyearsoftherapyhadbeenresolved,andshewasnow readytomoveontotheissuesshehadwithhermother.Asyoucan imagine,Iwashappyabouthersuccessfulshift,andwithabigsmileonmy face,Iadvisedhertoskipthisstageandjustletgo.Andonceshedid,she finallywasabletoliveinthepresentandexperiencedmoreenergyand vitality.Shewasabletobreatheeasilyoncemore.

THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE HEART, KIDNEYS, LIVER, AND LUNGS

Iwouldliketoconcludethecurrentandpreviouschaptersbyrevisiting theholisticandmultidimensionalrelationshipsbetweenthefourorgans thatwediscussed:theheart,kidneys,liver,andlungs.Eachofthesefour organshavetheirownsurvivalresponsibilities,andtherelationshipand interactionsbetweenthemcaninfluenceusonthephysical,emotional,and psychologicallevels.

Wediscussedhowtheheartisthebeginningofthecirculatorysystem,the placewherenourishmentfromtheoutsideisdistributedthroughoutthe body,whilethekidneysarethelaststopofthearterialbloodflow,beforethe venousbloodmakesitswaybacktotheheart.Thesetwoorganshaveother vitalrelationshipsthatmakethemakeyaxis.Thekidneysholdourgenetic potential,orwhatwecanthinkofasour“inherentcapacity.”

Thehearthasthepotentialtousethecapacityprovidedbythekidneysfor bothphysiologicalandpersonaltransformation.Whilethephysiological processoftransformingdirtyvenousbloodintocleanarterialbloodis automatic,themanifestationofpersonalgrowthandtransformationrequires intentionaleffort.Ourheartallowsustofindmeaninginourlives.When theheartandkidneysareworkinginconsort,ourinherentcapacityallows fortheopeningoftheheart,resultinginspiritualmaturationasweage.This helpsusdevelopanall-inclusivemotivationtoloveandhelpallliving beings,includingourselves.

AccordingtoChinesemedicine,whenapersonhasstrongkidneysbutaweak heart,thekidneys’capacityandpotentialwilllacktheloving,all-inclusive qualityoftheheart.Thislackisexpressedasextremepersonaldriveandegodrivenambition,togetherwithaneedtoalwayswinatanycost.Toadd anotherlayerofholisticunderstanding,askilleddoctorofChinesemedicine willtreatsuchadisharmonywhentheyaddressthewell-beingofapatient.

Thelungs,placedatthetopofourtorso,aretheclosestorgansystemtothe outsideworld theyarethefirsttoexhaleairandthefirsttoreceiveair throughinhalation.Assuch,theyareourgatewayandinitialconnectionto theoutsideworld.Thelungsareourfirstsurvivaltool:althoughwemaynot beabletostopourheartbeat,weareabletoholdourbreath—wecanbreathe ornotbreathe.Breathinghaspower.Itisan active power.Ourlungsare therefore related to our activity and, more specifically, our immediate activity.

Thekidneysareatthedeepestlevelofourcirculation,wheretheoxygen reacheslast.Therefore,theyholdour capacity.Therelationshipbetween the kidneys and the lungs is one of capacity and activity. When the relationshipisbalanced,oneturnscapacityintoaction,andactioninturn feedsone’scapacityinacontinuouscycleofreciprocity.

However,whenthekidneysarestrongerthanthelungs,onecanhavea certaincapacitybutnotreallydoanythingwithit.Weallknowpeople whoseactivitiesdon’texpresstheirfullpotential theydon’texhaletheir fullpotential.Itisofgreaterconcernwhenthesituationisreversed,when onehasstronglungsandweakkidneys.Thiscanleadanindividualto engageinactivitiesbeyondtheirpotentialandcapacity,andattemptto achievethingsofwhichtheyarenotcapable.Itisofspecialconcernwhen suchpeopleareleadersorpoliticians.

Muchofthisconnectionispredeterminedbygenetics,butwecanworkto increase our capacity via deep breathing exercises, lifestyle changes, supplementsandherbs,andbygenerallyworkingtoslowdownandtakein ourworld toliterallydigestit.

Now,Iwanttodiscussmoreofthekeyroleoftheliverasthebigjunction, thecentralhub.Theliverdetoxificationprocessclearsthingsfromthepast andhelpsusreleasethemthroughthelungs.AsIwaswritingthisparagraph, adearpatientreachedouttoshareherhealingexperiencewithme.While receivinganapheresistreatmentwithaspecificfocusondetoxifyingthe liver,shefoundherselfcryingallofasudden.Herfatherhadpassedawaythe previousyear,and

despitetheircloserelationship,shenevercriedandwasunabletoprocess hispassing.“Icouldfeelmyfatherbeingclearedoutofmyblood,”shetold me.Forthefirsttime,shewasabletogenuinelyprocesshispassingandlet go.

Theliveralsoproducesbuildingblocksthathelpthekidneysmanifesttheir potential,andiftheliverisnotfunctioningwell,wewon’tbeabletoexpress ourfullpotential.Theliverconstantlyservesthefunctionoftheorgansthat relatetothepastandthefuture.Ifitiswellharmonizedwiththeheart,itwill helptheheartguideourlifeinatransformativedirection.Andifinstead,itis moreconnectedtothelungsandskipsitsroleinnourishingtheheart,there canbeatendencytowardshort-termsurvivalmodethatlackstransformative qualities.

Thismultifacetedrelationshipbetweentheorganshasaprofoundeffecton ourhealthandwell-being.Thekeyorganthatcanharmonizeitallisthe heart.Itiswhythehearthasaninfinitehealingpotential.Butinorderto heal,theheartneedsthesupportofthethreeotherorgans.Together,they shiftusfromsurvivingtothriving.

INTERESTED IN THE SURVIVAL PARADOX? CLICK