It’s that time of year where many of us will see an increase of patients coming in with colds and the flu. Below is a write up of a procedure we developed for helping the liver detoxify from the cytokine activity that is elevated during an immune response.

Did you ever have the flu or some other acute infection and experience unusual perceptions or thoughts, or bizarre or weird dreams which disrupted your sleep patterns? Cytokines such as interleukins and tumor necrosis factors affect the central nervous system and have neurotransmitter-like effects. Elevated levels of these cytokines during the immune response to an infection can explain many of the unusual mental and emotional experiences which usually disappear when the infection is conquered and the cytokines return to normal levels.

Cytokines, like all other substances in our bodies, are detoxified in the liver. As with other toxins, cytokines are sometimes not detoxified as rapidly as the body makes them allowing a build up which can create secondary symptoms.

A number of years ago, confronted with patients who presented with the complaint of “weird dreams ever since I had that infection” and armed with the above knowledge, we developed a procedure (see below) for challenging the liver for cytokine detoxification. We observed generally excellent responses from a one-time application of this procedure with patients reporting that their dreams and sleep patterns had returned to normal
and stayed normal following treatment.

More recently, we have checked for this pattern on every patient and have been surprised at how often it appears. Patients’ symptoms may be many and varied, and the symptoms may be far removed from the liver. The most common substance needed to block the cytokines’ effects is the amino acid, glycine.

THE “THYMUS THUMP” CHALLENGE

There are two challenge procedures that we have used for cytokine activity. One or both will create a bilateral PMS inhibition in susceptible patients. The first is the “thymus thump” originally developed by ICAK Charter Diplomate, John Diamond, MD about 30 years ago. Dr. Diamond recommends having a person “thump” over his or her sternum with the closed fist to activate the thymus. It appears that this procedure does activate the thymus and its production of cytokines, with beneficial effects for many people. However, these cytokines can stress the liver in susceptible patients.

The second procedure is an oral challenge with the Standard Process, Inc. product Thymex or with homeopathic cytokines. Thymex has clinical effects which appear to support cytokine activity by the immune system. We have used it for years in acute infections. However, in patients for whom cytokine detoxification is a problem, this substance may induce bilateral PMS inhibition.
So we can challenge with the thymus thump, oral Thymex, or cytokines and test both PMS muscles to screen for this cytokine detoxification problem. The thymus thump will always be positive in these patients whereas oral Thymex will be positive in only 80-90% of this group. We take the trouble to test for Thymex so that if it is positive, we may use the oral stimulation with the substance to further reinforce the challenge during treatment procedures.

CYTOKINES DETOX PROCEDURE

1. 1.) Both PMS strong in the clear. Some other muscle is weak. (Often a recurrent weakness.)
2. 2.) Rubbing the liver visceral referred pain (VRP) area strengthens this other weak muscle.
3. 3.) Test both PMS with thymus thump or Thymex (SP), or various homeopathic cytokines from          Metabolics’ Cytokines test kit. In susceptible patients, one or more of these will cause weakness of both PMS (Types 1, 2, & 3.)
4. a.Thymus Thump, oral Thymex, or oral cytokines will cause a positive TL to liver Chapman’s reflex when testing any strong muscle.
5. 4.) Test glycine (GLY) and its cofactors (or other liver detoxification nutrients) against the weak-in-the-clear muscles. Positive nutrient(s) will negate the thymus thump – PMS challenge also.
6. 5.) Treat by rubbing the liver Chapman’s reflex coincident with the thymus thump and while the patient holds the Thymex and/or cytokine in the mouth.
7. 6.) Rechallenge both PMS with thymus thump or Thymex (SP), or homeopathic cytokines in the mouth to verify the correction.

CHECK FOR CYTOKINE DETOXIFICATION in patients with chronic pain, chronic allergies, any mental or emotional symptoms, any autoimmune disease, and infection symptoms which will not go away such as chronic sinus congestion and chronic cough.
Cytokines are produced in any inflammatory reaction, whether from injury, allergies, or GI tract dysbiosis. In fact, check both PMS muscles with the thymus thump in any chronic patient.