| Many doctors have refused to accept that both | | | | salicylates are a potent allergen, affecting |
| arthritis and rheumatism, are either caused, | | | | many people. Could this not then be a case of |
| or at the very least seriously affected, by | | | | masking the disease with the very substance |
| diet. Most people over the age of thirty, | | | | which is causing it? |
| will notice a twinge or an ache somewhere, if | | | | |
| they persist in eating something that is bad | | | | There is virtually no part of the body which |
| for them. In actual fact, both rheumatism and | | | | may not be affected, either directly or |
| arthritis are classic examples of masked food | | | | indirectly, by an allergic reaction - |
| allergies at their rampaging worst. There is | | | | particularly with respect to food and |
| a mass of evidence throughout the world to | | | | chemical intolerances. It is important to |
| support this fact. | | | | understand that the effects of an ongoing |
| | | | allergic condition, on the body, can |
| One example, in many, is research done during | | | | ultimately be catastrophic, by virtue of the |
| a three and a half year clinical trial, | | | | cumulative effects over months or years. |
| conducted by Dr D.M. Carroll of North | | | | These effects certainly go much further than |
| Carolina. In 300 patients suffering from | | | | the general, discomforting symptoms discussed |
| rheumatoid arthritis, 98 per cent were found | | | | in previous chapters and can lead to serious |
| to be severly allergic to different foods, | | | | degeneration and disease in major organs if |
| and some to several foods. The analysis | | | | allowed to persist undetected. |
| showed 37 per cent allergic to wheat, 27 per | | | | |
| cent to corn, 23 per cent to milk, 19 per | | | | Unfortunately, few doctors understand that |
| cent to eggs and 12 per cent to tomatoes. | | | | allergy illness affects the body as a whole. |
| Once the offending foods were removed from | | | | This problem is well described in a passage |
| their diets, they all showed marked | | | | from the Complete Book of Homeopathy by |
| improvement. That is very conclusive evidence | | | | Michael Weiner and Kathleen Goss. |
| in one study. | | | | |
| | | | Yet perhaps the most destructive effect of |
| The influence of arthritis on our society is | | | | modern orthodox medicine lies in the changes |
| significant. In 1981, according to the Bureau | | | | that have taken place between physician and |
| of Statistics, it was responsible for 25 per | | | | patient... The general practitioner (in the |
| cent more lost work time than industrial | | | | traditional sense) is almost a thing of the |
| disputes. It is known to affect 1,250,000 | | | | past, and each specialist treats only that |
| Australians, many of them children. Common | | | | organ system that comes within his area of |
| sense must eventually dictate that the diet | | | | expertise. No wonder we feel that our doctors |
| and environment of these people, should be | | | | are not really looking at us as whole beings. |
| thoroughly examined for food and chemical | | | | Common sense tells us that many symptoms |
| intolerances. | | | | appearing in different organs systems may be |
| | | | related - that they at least constitute a |
| At present the most widespread medical | | | | whole picture of our state of health. Yet our |
| treatment for arthritis is the administration | | | | trips to the doctor's office must often |
| of large daily doses of aspirin, over a | | | | result in a sense of frustration when we feel |
| prolonged period. Aspirin is made up of | | | | that the specific organ-directed treatment we |
| acetylsalicylic acid which is a salicylate | | | | receive is not based upon the doctor's |
| derivative. It is well documented that | | | | assessment of our entire symptom picture. |