Box News

CHAPTER 4

There is a simple, twofold premise on which this alternative i approach to healing psoriasis is based:

1. Clear out the poisons that have accumulated in the body.

2. Prevent further intake of toxic elements. I say, without reservation, that once these two processes are set in motion, regeneration begins, and new skin forms to replace the old.

The Cayce/ Pagano Regimen :

Perhaps my readers will view the prior statement as rather bold, but I can attest to the fact that this is exactly what happens. The previous chapter explained how new cells constantly form in the dermal layer of our skin and migrate to the outer layer to form the epidermis, which then sloughs off. This is an established scientific fact. Therefore, it is not inappropriate to say a “new” skin forms; it happens naturally, every month. The psoriatic’s aim is to ensure that next time, it will be new skin without the addition of toxic elements. How long it will take for an individual to detoxify is impossible to determine. Each person has his or her own built-in time clock. However, the fastest responding severe case that I have ever treated took thirty days to clear, after suffering for thirty years; the longest case took two years after suffering for twenty-eight years. Keep in mind that it is the direction and not the speed that counts in this approach.

To achieve the two basic requirements stated at the beginning of this chapter, the following measures are essential:

1. Internal cleansing

2. A high alkaline— low acidic diet

3. Specific herbal teas

4. Adjustments of the spine

5. External applications

6. Right thinking— a must in the healing of any disease

As we proceed, all of these measures will be dealt with separately.

Since each individual is different, certain measures will have more significance to some people than to others. Here is where the skill and sensitivity of the physician, or the patient’s own personal perceptions, come into play. In this way, the patient is able to determine his or her own strengths and weaknesses and proceed accordingly. It will soon become obvious that this regimen makes you cognizant not only of your skin, but of your body as a whole. All of the organs or systems of the body are dependent on one another. This is why something that benefits one system automatically benefits another, and conversely, something that breaks down one system can break down another. When all of these systems function properly, the body eventually reaches a state of equilibrium, or homeostasis, becoming a full-fledged working unit of energy— the natural state of health.

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (pp. 32-33). Turner Publishing Company. 

Usually, a victim of psoriasis first notices a small sore somewhere on the body, a sore that doesn’t heal. It just seems to get worse and begins to spread. More sores then erupt in different areas. Some of the sores remain small or eventually disappear, but in most instances, they get worse as time goes on, and the patient begins to seek relief. There are occasions when the first signs of the disease appear after an injury or an abrasion of the skin. The damaged area does not heal properly and psoriatic lesions begin to develop along the site of the injury. This is known as the Koebner phenomenon. Vigorous scrubbing, scratching, or picking at the area only makes it worse. Low humidity, systemically administered drugs, and severe emotional stress can also be triggering factors preceding the first outbreak of the disease. Even using a loofah sponge instead of a soft cloth or just your hands while showering can irritate the skin to the point of severe inflammation. There are many cases in which a pregnant woman with psoriasis seemingly improves during the gestation period. However, the disease usually returns after she delivers. The fact is that the body is prone to being psoriatic long before the first signs of the disease appear, because internal pollution, the major causative factor of the disease, first affects the body on the inside.

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (p. 26). Turner Publishing Company.

"Even a slight or mild sunburn can cause irritation of the skin and trigger a psoriasis flare", notes Beto, now the executive president of research for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This is called the Koebner response, which is caused by injury to the skin.

To facilitate understanding of the leaky gut syndrome, I refer to the impressive work of Zoltan P. Rona, MD, MSC, of Toronto, Canada, who gives the following concise description of this now recognized disease:

The Leaky Gut Syndrome is the name given to a very common health disorder in which the basic organic defect (lesion) is an intestinal lining which is more permeable (porous) than normal. The abnormally large spaces present between the cells of the gut wall allow the entry of toxic material into the bloodstream that would, in healthier circumstances, be repelled and eliminated. The gut becomes leaky in the sense that bacteria, fungi, parasites and their toxins, undigested protein, fat and waste, normally not absorbed into the bloodstream in the healthy state, pass through a damaged, hyperpermeable, porous, or leaky gut.

Dr. Rona states that the leaky gut syndrome “is almost always associated with autoimmune disease, and reversing autoimmune disease depends on healing the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.”

He named diseases in this category, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, vertigo, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and diabetes, among others, as being directly related to a hyperpermeable intestinal wall. With leaky gut problems, we become less resistant to viruses, bacteria, parasites, and candida (yeast infections). These are but a few of the many diseases or conditions that are now being closely scrutinized as having their origin in a leaky gut.

I find it interesting that Edgar Cayce was the first to offer this explanation for the cause of psoriasis, over sixty years ago. He described this osmotic process, which takes place in the intestines, as seepage of toxins through thin intestinal walls. Although he did not refer to it specifically as “intestinal permeability” or “leaky gut,” it is quite obvious that he was describing the same phenomenon using the language of his day.

Why the Walls Break Down ?

Dr. Rona lists the following causes associated with the breakdown of the intestinal walls that produces the leaky gut syndrome:

•Antibiotics, because they lead to the overgrowth of abnormal flora in the gastrointestinal tract (bacteria, parasites, candida, fungi)

•Alcohol and caffeine, which are strong gut irritants

•Foods and beverages contaminated by parasites

•Chemicals in fermented and processed foods

•Enzyme deficiencies

•Prescription corticosteroids (Prednisone)

•A diet high in refined carbohydrates (for example, candy bars, cookies, cake, soft drinks, white bread)

•Prescription hormones (birth-control pills)

•Mold and fungal mycotoxins in stored grains, fruit, and refined carbohydrates

I would also add the following, each of which will be dealt with as we proceed:

•Chronic constipation

•Improper elimination

•Insufficient daily intake of water

•Foods high in saturated fat

•The “nightshades,” particularly tomatoes, which carry an enzyme that is powerfully destructive to the psoriatic, eczematous, and arthritic patient

•Smoking

•Negative emotions such as resentment, fear, and anxiety

•Depression

•Spinal misalignments

•Hereditary factors

Rebuilding the Walls :

As you can see, there are many reasons that the intestinal walls break down and become porous.

The good news is that the repair and regeneration of these walls is well within the reach of the average person, for the inner lumen (wall) that forms the barrier that prevents undesirable elements from seeping through is normally renewed and regenerated every six days— provided, of course, that consumption of irritants is halted and other beneficial substances are introduced. The two primary substances taken internally, which I have used successfully, are slippery elm bark powder and American yellow saffron tea. Both are prepared in the form of a tea and are administered with the purpose of healing the internal walls of the intestine and purifying the entire alimentary canal. (These teas may be obtained by calling Baar Products at 1-800-269-2502, online at www.baar.com, or contacting the Heritage Store at 1-800-862-2923, online at www.heritage@ caycecures.com.)

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (pp. 7-8). Turner Publishing Company. 

Doctor, you must help me— I can no longer go on living this way.” These were the first words Mr. A. uttered to me as I greeted him at my door. He was a friendly, pleasant man in his late sixties. Judging by his outward appearance, one would assume there wasn’t a thing wrong with him. But something was indeed wrong— radically wrong. When Mr. A. disrobed, I saw the reason for his torment. He was a victim of one of mankind’s oldest skin diseases: psoriasis. He had been suffering with the disease for thirty years. It had finally reached a point where over 80 percent of his body was covered with thickened, silvery scales that caused pain, bleeding, and intolerable itching. He had heard about me from a local health food store owner, who told him that I had helped several psoriasis sufferers. Mr. A, having exhausted all other available means of fighting the disease, came to me with the expectation that I might solve his problem. His case was so severe that I hesitated to accept him as a patient, for fear of giving him false hope. I had no choice, however, when he pleaded, “Doctor, I have no one else to turn to.” I am happy that he persuaded me to accept him as a patient, for he proved to be totally cooperative. He followed my instructions to the letter, and much to my (and his) surprise, he was totally clear of all lesions in thirty days! This patient was, and still is, the fastest-responding case I have ever witnessed. Most patients take from three to six months to show results. Years later, Mr. A appeared before a group of my patients to verify his successful recovery. He was an inspiration to all who met him. Mr. As success had come about by following a regimen of therapy based on a theory never before recognized or even seriously considered by the scientific community. This theory accounts for his success and the success of many others whom I have had the privilege of treating. My Definition of Psoriasis Since psoriasis has often been described but never really defined, I offer this as a reasonable definition of the disease, based on my many years of clinically dealing with the subject: Psoriasis is the external manifestation of the body’s attempt to “throw off” internal toxins. In other words, to put it more succinctly, the skin is doing what the bowels and the kidneys should be doing. The skin is not ordinarily designed to remove waste matter to any great extent, but, due to the toxic overload produced by a leaky gut, it acts as a backup system and takes on the task of removing toxins— thus the rash, irritation, and lesions.

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (pp. 1-2). Turner Publishing Company.

Since the primary organs of elimination are the bowels and the kidneys, it is important to concentrate on their proper functioning and the measures that will help to purify them. The effectiveness of the diet, teas, adjustments, oils, and so forth will increase a hundredfold if the body is kept internally cleansed.

By doing so, one begins fresh, renewing the body even down to the cellular level. In my opinion, the initial cleansing is the turning point in psoriasis— the point when the disease process begins to reverse itself. As soon as body pollutants are no longer assimilated and a cleansing diet is followed, detoxification begins to take place. As purification takes hold, more and more toxins exit every cell in the body. When this stage is reached, nutritious food elements are assimilated properly, and the rebuilding begins on a cellular level.

It is only a matter of time before complete renewal occurs.

The toxins produced by the body “sludge” are removed primarily by ingesting laxative foods and drinks and by cleansing the large intestine. In addition, perspiration induced by taking a steam bath, coupled with deep-breathing exercises, is also beneficial in removing toxic elements from the skin itself and also from the lung fields. An adequate daily intake of pure water will help to ensure kidney purification. In this way, the body rids itself of accumulated toxins. For greater effectiveness, a colonic irrigation or home enema should be preceded by a cleansing diet, several of which will be discussed later in this chapter.

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (pp. 49-50). Turner Publishing Company. 

Toxins form not only from substances known to be detrimental to the body but from those that may become toxic if overindulged in. Ordinarily, such foods may not have a deleterious effect, but because of an insatiable desire for a particular food, some people have a tendency to gorge themselves.

This causes what I call a “glut” response.

In these cases, a chemical imbalance is bound to occur, and the body will respond by producing skin conditions, allergic reactions, glandular dysfunctions, and myriad other ailments.

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (p. 48). Turner Publishing Company. 

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, man’s life span has doubled. Most of us presume that this is due to advances in medical technology, wonder drugs, surgical procedures, and so forth. Undoubtedly, these have contributed greatly to man’s longevity. Seldom recognized, however, is the role that improved sanitary conditions play, especially the advent of indoor plumbing. A new era of health and longevity began when toilet facilities within the home became common. Today, such accommodations are taken for granted, especially by young people. In years gone by, the outhouse was recognized as the cubicle of privacy.

As it was located at least several yards away from the main house, it involved extra effort to visit, especially in the dead of winter. The tendency was to wait, avoiding evacuation until absolutely necessary.

On occasion, it would be days before a person relieved himself. This naturally caused a backup pressure of fecal matter, which often was allowed to reach a point of autointoxication and unquestionably acted as a precursor of many systemic diseases. Evidence of this is found in comparing our present-day life span of eighty years or so with the average of about forty years at the turn of the twentieth century.

It is no longer necessary to retain all the poisons and waste matter because of uncomfortable, inconvenient toilet facilities, for indoor plumbing provides relief but a few steps away in the comfort of your own home.

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (pp. 47-48). Turner Publishing Company. 

As previously emphasized, clearing the body of accumulated toxins is of the utmost importance.

Just as significant, however, is the maintenance of a healthy mental attitude. Have no doubt about it : negative, destructive thoughts also produce acidic toxins that can do still more harm to an already polluted system. For instance, you cannot have continued feelings of hatred without developing stomach or liver problems. Negative emotions such as uncontrollable anger or jealousy can cause digestive or heart disorders. Animosity and worrying can lead only to further distressful systemic conditions. Thoughts most assuredly affect the internal environment of the body. This is now fully accepted and recognized by the scientific community. You should learn to recognize and appreciate the cheerful aspects of life and avoid negative situations and personalities, referred to colloquially as “real downers.” A sunny, smiling countenance goes a long way, not only for yourself but for those around you. This important subject matter is further discussed in chapters 10 and 11.

To summarize, the goal is to rid the body of toxins that have accumulated over a long period of time and avoid reintroducing more of those same toxic elements to the system. Learn to recognize the pollutants, usually certain foods, and avoid them at all costs. We start the entire process with internal cleansing.

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (pp. 48-49). Turner Publishing Company.

Since toxic buildup is what actually causes psoriasis, it will do no harm for the psoriatic to learn about the meaning of the word toxin. If nothing else, you will at least be able to identify the enemy. To begin with, a toxin is a poisonous substance derived from animal or vegetable cells. When toxins invade the bloodstream, the result is toxemia, a condition in which the blood contains an overabundance of poisons. Toxins are produced by body cells or by the growth of microorganisms, which cause a general infection whereby the blood contains toxins but not bacteria. When the buildup becomes too much for the body’s natural defense mechanism to handle, the patient is considered toxic. Symptoms such as tiredness, malaise, lack of energy, and often halitosis (bad breath) are common signs of toxicity. Why is it important that the psoriatic understand what toxemia is? Francis Pottenger, MD, states that “in all cases of toxemia, and particularly those of acute toxemia, we find a tendency to sluggishness of action in the gastrointestinal tract” (emphasis added). Obviously, when this “sluggishness” occurs, there is a greater tendency for reabsorbing toxic elements through the walls of both the small and the large intestines. It is my contention that this is the major cause of most degenerative, debilitating diseases, as well as various skin conditions, including psoriasis.

Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (p. 47). Turner Publishing Company.

Many theories have been put forward as to the effect internal pollution has on the body, but when it comes to skin and lung disorders, none can compare with the work of Henry G. Bieler, MD, in his excellent book, Food Is Your Best Medicine. I suggest that you carefully read the following passage from his book, for it provides the basic information needed for an understanding of the liver/ skin– kidney/ lung connection:

The liver and the kidneys are important eliminative organs. For the liver, the natural avenue of elimination, of course, is through the bowel; for the kidneys, through the bladder and urethra. However, when the liver is congested and cannot perform its eliminative function, waste matter (toxins) is thrown into the bloodstream. Similarly, when the kidneys are inflamed, toxins are also dammed up in the blood. Toxic blood must discharge its toxins or the person dies, so nature uses vicarious avenues of elimination or substitutes. The lungs, therefore, will take over the task of eliminating some of the wastes that should have gone through the kidneys, or the skin will take over for the liver. It stands to reason that the lungs do not make very good kidneys. From the irritation caused by the elimination of poison through this “vicarious” channel, we can get bronchitis, pneumonia, or tuberculosis, as is determined by the particular chemistry of the poison being eliminated. Thus, we can say that the lungs are acting vicariously for the kidneys or are being called into play, under duress, as substitute kidneys. In the same way, if the bile poisons in the blood come out through the skin, we get the various irritations of the skin, resulting in the many skin diseases, or through the mucous membranes (inside skin) as the various catarrhs, or through the skin as boils, carbuncles, acne, etc. Thus, the skin is substituting for the liver or a vicarious elimination is occurring through the skin.

Clearly, one part of the body cannot be separated from another. All the organs are interconnected.

Polluting one area spills over to pollute another; conversely, by purifying one area, you purify another.

The proper goal for psoriatics is to purify the entire system. When this is accomplished, no matter how long it takes, the inner condition of cleansed body cells will be reflected in the outer appearance of the body’s surface— a healthy-looking skin.

- Pagano, John O. A.. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative (pp. 46-47). Turner Publishing Company.