Question from JD
Hi Debra,
Let me start off by saying, I think you have done an amazing job in spreading the word and educating people on the dangers of toxicity. You have a wealth of information that can help others to understand and begin to live a toxic-free life. Thank you for that. 🙂
In all your research, have you ever come across Annie Hopper, founder of Dynamic Neural Retraining System and former MCS Sufferer? Annie’s program involves retraining your brain from being stuck in a trauma loop within one’s limbic system.
When Annie was suffering from MCS, she was on a mission to cure herself. The missing link, she found, was the study of the brain. She began to study about brains and references a book called, “The Brain That Changes Itself,” by Dr. Norman Doidge, in her program. She also includes a video clip of this doctor where he explains neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity: From Med.net – It is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment.
Two weeks ago, I began her program. As I began to educate myself on the limbic system and take part in the cognitive therapy portion of her program, the chronic “fight or flight” piece (the feeling of panic when breathing in toxic products or when foretelling and getting stuck in the “what ifs” before entering a public place), my anxieties decreased significantly.
I’ve struggled with MCS since the mid-90’s, and for the first time in almost 20 years, I am hopeful that I can fully recover. Don’t get me wrong, I’m 100% in agreement with organic food, toxic-free products, zeolite, and exercise, and know they have prevented me from getting really bad.
While I learned a lot about neuroplasticity, what fascinates me the most is the brain’s ability to get stuck in a rut and releasing send false messages to my body, such as heart palpitations, fatigue, swollen glands, going hoarse, headaches, digestive problems, puffy eyes, coughing, the list goes on. Moreover, the brain’s ability to retrain itself, thus leading to a healthier life, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
I admit, I thought Annie’s program might be hype, so I researched it thoroughly. What I found is that her vision is to facilitate global healing while also promoting environmental awareness that precipitates big changes in how we live on this planet.
Annie was a keynote speaker at a national Brain Injury Conference in June 2009, and delivered ground breaking research on “Acquired Toxic Brain Injuries and Neuroplasticity.” She was also a guest speaker at the American Academy of Environmental Medicine in 2013, held in Phoenix, Arizona.
There is also a doctor (I believe in her hometown) who refers all patients with MCS symptoms to Annie, because he got, and is getting, great results from patients that have tried or are trying her program.
Anyway, I’m sold on her program, and I thought you might be interested as another possible resource, should you agree with her program.
Thanks for all you do,
Julie Possee
Debra’s Answer
I don’t have any experience with this method so can’t comment on it, but I would like to take this opportunity to say that simply avoiding toxic chemicals is not enough to build health. There are many other factors, including other things that may be wrong with the body or mind, lack of nutrition, etc.
What elimination of toxic chemicals does is remove a continuous source of harm to your body, allowing your body to do other things that can contribute to healing. It’s like trying to empty a bathtub with the water running. If you continue to be exposed to toxic chemicals and try to do something else to heal your body, it’s likely not to work because toxic chemicals are continuing to pull your body down while you’re trying to make it heal.
But once you eliminate incoming toxic exposures and removing toxic chemicals stored in your body, there are any number of other things that can be done, and may need to be done to restore health.
This may be one of them for some people.
While I’m all for whatever works for some people. this seems to me like yet another attempt to tell people that they control everything their body does – in other words we can change it. I say baloney – we cannot change how our body responds to the toxins any more than we can simply wish our way to greater height, lower weight, or breathe deep in order to contain a reaction. Perhaps if someone lived in a very small place, with a limited realm to explore – but my gut response here is that yet another person is out there telling folks that they can control it, cure it, and I find it ludicrous. Adaptations have to be made to the world around us – not just another case of ‘suck it up’.
I disagree.
There is a large body of evidence which demonstrates that we CAN change our bodies. Just look at biodeedback, for example.
Each one of us are controlling our bodies all the time. Try this. Lift your hand. Now, did YOU lift your hand? If you can lift your hand you are controlling your body. And the only difference between lifting your hand and controlling blood flow, for example, is knowing you can do it. Both are physical things. It’s just a matter of degree.
Adaptations have to be made to the world around us? Hmmmm…everyday I am adapting the world around me to be toxic free…