Fran Ross’ AF cure through science

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Fran’s posts begin October 4, 2003 on the Third Forum, but obviously many earlier posts in the missing First and Second Forums. Even without the missing posts it is possible to piece together clues to what must have been her principal science sources, namely EXCITOTOXINS - The Taste That Kills by neurosurgeon Russell L. Blaylock MD (1996) [www.amazon.com] and The Healing Nutrients Within by Eric R. Braverman MD and Carl C. Pfeiffer MD PhD (1987) (et al 1997, 2003) [www.amazon.com]
Both texts are 'most important' science resources to this day.

Briefly summarizing what clearly was at least a major part of Fran’s AF/ seizures cure, through brain power and diligent studying she arrived at understanding the function of the NMDA cell membrane receptor/channel protein in regulating cell influx of ‘excitatory’ ions such as Ca++, the channel’s opening triggered by glutamate and inhibited by magnesium. More at [en.wikipedia.org] plus 50 referenced science articles.

By the way, Fran emphasizes her cure was via whole food nutrients only, no nutrient supplements.

Echoing Peggy's rant,

Sounds like Fran had many other health issues, maybe she really didn't have AF, we don't know. But, the thing is whatever her issues, her change of diet cured her.

L

Elizabeth wrote: ". . . maybe she really didn't have AF, we don't know."

on October 05, 2003 Fran wrote:

". . . I wrote then I had had AF for 15 years -but it was 20. I hadn't tied the heart beat issues prior to having seizures at this point as I was still a diagnosed epileptic . . . and although I suspected/knew the two were connected was told emphatically that they were not. In fact they used to get quite pissed off with me when I kept saying that I knew they were connected as they felt the same."

Mork

I had read that, but Fran says she had seizures, I have never read on this board anyone say they had seizures with AF.

I had been going over some early postings and saw this one from Dean, I wonder if he is the same Dean from Australia who takes natto for his AF. The following is what a poster named Dean posted:

Hi Earling,
Wow, you sure have some info on Magnesium. Thanks for the detailed reply.
However, I do have some issues with Mg supplementation. At my last visit to my EP in October 2003 I mentioned that I was now taking 500mg of Mg glycinate. He was quite shocked about this an said to cut it down to 250mg a day. He then gave me quite a lecture about Mg toxicity to the kidneys. I then took only 250mg a day and have been doing so daily until last Saturday when I ran out of tablets. For the last six months my blood pressure has been creeping up and for the last month I had a pounding sort of heartbeat that kept me awake at night.
Last Saturday, for an experiment I stopped taking Mg. To my amazement the strong pounding beat of my heart stopped. It has now been six days since I stopped the Mg and my heart feels really great. No pounding, pac;s or palitations. This can only be because of the discontinuation of the Mg.

So Mg supplementation can have side effects!!!!!! It is not the "safe, wonderful cure all" that you, Jackie and others claim it to be. For health professionals to give a warning and my on EP strongly cautioning against overdosing there has to be some well documented inherent dangers here.

I think to say that Mg is totally "safe"and can be taken in large doses is quite misleading. It should be taken with caution.
Cheers
Dean

What Dean has posted is happening to me, since I quit taking Mag. supplements everyday, my BP is lower, I too would have a pounding heart when I went to bed, (I always took a mag. supplement before going to bed), another poster Ron said mag. gives him AF. So, what gives Mork, there are several of us with this problem with mag.

Liz

LIZ writes:

"Fran had many other health issues, maybe she really didn't have AF, we don't know."

Interesting critical analysis, but that's like saying that we never went to the Moon!

Fran had many posts on this site, and for her not to have had AF, would have also meant that all of the stuff she wrote about being on AAM, and being treated by Cardiologists would have all been a grand fabrication. The Dr's wouldn't have put her on Anti-arrythmics, unless they had done some EKG's. Now you were here during the whole time she was posting, and many of us new-comers were not. Is there some other discrepancy with her Posts/Story that you can share with us, to enlighten us?

God Bless Fran Ross

I was here during the later part of Fran's tenure here. She also had many posts in the missing 4th forum. Fran is a very smart woman. She lives in the UK and if you read her story, sounds like she had some very high rate afib - misdiagnosed as epilepsy. I'm sure very frustrating for her! As you can see from the quote below, she was finally diagnosed with afib using a Holter.

Quote
Fran
I got AF at 22 years of age. It came out the blue after the birth of my first son. Unfortunately, sometimes when it happened I would pass out. Witnesses said I convulsed. So the diagnosis came as epilepsy. I was put on anticonvulsants. They never worked. In the beginning my AF was maybe twice or three times a week. Always at rest. It was short-lived, well the really fast racing part was short lived. Maybe 2 to 4 hours (in the end it could go on for days then became permanent). Every so often I would go to my GP and complain about it, but he told me it was just palpitations and I was being over anxious. So I decided they must be panic attacks and gave up with the doctors.

Nine years later, when I was having a prenatal for child number 3 I went into AF sitting in the doctor's waiting room for two hours. I could not think why I was having a panic attack. Nothing was scaring me. But there was a Calor gas heater on and I thought that must be taking the oxygen out of the atmosphere. I have always needed lots of fresh air, especially in AF as I was prone to passing out. When I got to see the doctor he started with blood pressure. He told me something was wrong with my heart (helloooah!!!). Silly me said, oh I'm just having a panic attack. He said that's not a panic attack it's coming from your heart. Was I frightened?! I told him that I had asked him about it before, but they said it was normal and I was just being anxious, so I decided it must be panic attacks. He told me he thought it was AF, but as I had had it such a long time and was pregnant there was nothing they could do until after the baby was born.

After the baby was born I was sent to the cardio. Got the Holter and a few tests. It was AF and they put me on digoxin. Then I got on with my life.

CR61



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2015 01:41PM by GeorgeN.

Yes - God Bless Fran Ross... She was so very supportive for me when I joined the forum in late 2002 ?.... we corresponded privately in addition to that posted on the forum.

Following are some of the clips I saved from the forum discussions...and Fran's comments and observations....in case these are among the missing lost archives.

Jackie



Re: Newbies
Author: Fran (---.)
Date: 12-17-03 13:54

Sarah and Glen

There are nutritional things that can alleviate AF. OR in my case has completely eliminated it after having AF for 20 years.

My number 1 problem as far as AF went was free glutamate. Free glutamate is found in ALL processed food from boxed cereal, bread, biscuits to yogurt, ready meals, deli meats, sausages, bacon, tins and cartons of soup, sauces, fizzy juice, you name it its there - and is also found in gelatine and many of the other binders and fillers that make up supplements and meds.

Free glutamate is formed when bound glutamate (a protein) is broken down during many cooking and fermenting processes. So what I did was eat only whole foods that I cooked carefully myself. I also eat a lot of veg, fruit etc raw. This was enough to revert me to sinus rhythm for the first time in 2 years. But I still got runs of ectopics.

I then discovered that grains (all including rice rye etc) and potatoes were causing me to have reactive hypoglycemia so I decided to cut them out and went on the paleo diet. This is a diet which means that you don't eat anything that needs to be cooked to make it edible. These foods have enzyme inhibitors and lectins so that things like a grain of wheat will survive a thousand years and still be able to sprout. Cooking them kills some of these, but not all and many people get very ill with a life time of grains. They are known as anti nutrients and stop you from absorbing the vital nutrients needed from the food. So whilst these foods contain goodness and give you quick energy the goodness from them is not absorbed into the body and long term can cause subclinical forms of malnutrition if grains have been the major part of your diet for a life time.

The paleo diet ensures a highly nutritious diet which is readily absorbed by the body and will in time rectify any bad ratios and rebalance the body. You will know within a day or two of following it just how much good it does you.

I have now been AF free for 2 years on the 28 Dec. That was after 20 years of AF - the last two were chronic, meds, side effects, no quality of life and me thinking my life was over.

I now have a new lease of life and know that others can achieve this too. All it takes is a want to do it.

Hope that helps you both

Fran

Author: Fran (---.)
Date: 10-29-03 13:29

but glutamate sensitivity seems also to link to fragrance sensitivity.

I have this too. Free glutamate is present in many soaps, shampoos, antipersperants and would you believe it toothpaste too!! I can't wear perfume either, but for special occasions I have found that a wee dab of ylang ylang essential oil is lovely - and no-one else wears it!!

I now only use baking soda to wash my teeth and buy hand made soaps and bars of shampoo made with organic essential oils and herbs and spices. They also do lovley bars of antipersperants too made with baking sodas and oils. They really work - but not as long as the 24 hour intensives. My husband always used to have sneezing fits after having a bath or shower. Now we all use these products he no longer sneezes.

There is something really decadent about washing with 'food'. I think it must be nourishing too through the pores...

Fran



Author: Fran (--)
Date: 01-31-04 11:18

Hi Lynn

1. I stopped eating whole grains after I eliminated free glutamate from my diet. The reason I stopped was because although the AF had stopped I started having very bad hypoglycemic reactions. The HG did not put me back in AF but it did give me long runs of ectopics. You will notice that I posted in the conference room that I had discovered there was a strong possibility that the casomorphin and gliadomorphin found in dairy and gluten bearing grains respectively also work on the NMDA receptor. So whilst I knew about milk I had not up until recently discovered that grains will affect you. Here is the extract:

[www.autisme-montreal.com]

More recent investigations have suggested that casomorphin and gliadomorphin may be active at another type of receptor, the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor. This hypothesis is supported by the similarities between the symptoms of NMDA receptor blockade and the behaviors seen in autism."

Consider too that most dairy products today are not just pasteurised but homogenized too. What this is doing to the glutamate I don't know but I don't want to find out.

On the msgmyth.com site many MSG sensitive people have stopped eating grains due to reactions of an MSG nature. One of the more scientifically based posters who used to work for the FDA posted some obscure link (which I can't find) saying that MSG is often created with gluten. So probably best to avoid grains till you make some headway and then reintroduce them at a later date to see what happens. I found that by following a paleolithic diet (supported by a weight of scientific research) that I made my journey back to health complete. I have brown basmatti rice on the odd occasion and only in very small amounts - but it always leaves me feeling a bit foggy and dough headed. So although I have tried to introduce grains at varying times I always give up on them.

2. If the gluten in wheat is found to definitely react with NMDA receptor then it would probably be best to give even sourdough bread a miss.

3. Miso is a source of free glutamate.

4. I'm not sure about sauerkraut, but being that it is fermented you would need to check the glutamate make up of cabbage - because if it is high it may give a reaction as it breaks down into free glutamate during the fermentation. Its something I would love to try - but I also get reactions with vinegar - though organic additive free cider vinegar on the odd occasion has been OK. I rather suspect that most commercial vinegars are made from grains. Lemon would be a good substitute.

5. If the canned sardines are only in oil then they should be fine. I've not reacted to them that I know, but I tend to eat my fish fresh. Not the sardines in tomato sauce though.

6. I squeeze oranges most mornings and am fine with them - despite the sugar content.

7. You are right about whey protein.

8. Your cottage cheese is no good. Carageenan for a start is made from seaweed which is very high in glutamate and the method used to make the extract just frees the glutamate completely. Beans again are a high source of glutamate so the locust bean gum will have denatured the glutamate and made it free. I don't know what tricalcium phosphate is apart from three calcium molecules with a phosphate one (I think). But why do they need to add it to cottage cheese. A chemical that in my mind the body does not need as it is not in its whole food form (if it even comes in a whole form). I mean original cottage cheese is just rancid milk (with the cream skimmed off to make butter) that has clotted.

9. I think most fruits are fine. The best I find are berries and stonefruits like plums and apricots - though I eat apples, pears on occasion, bananas on occasion. The only fruits I tend not to eat are grapes - but I am not that keen on them. I love getting my hands on exotic fruits from time to time too.

10 All veggies are great. I don't eat potatoes myself as I am following a paleo diet. The rule of thumb here is that if the food needs to be cooked to be made edible then you don't eat it. That would also include yams, beans and green beans - but sweet potatoes are ok. Beans are very high in glutamate and the long cooking process frees it. Mushrooms are another veg or fungi that should not be cooked for long periods as they form free glutamate and peas as you already found out. Sugar snap peas etc are fine if eaten raw or lightly cooked. But to be healthy it is best to eat a larger proportion of your veggies raw - include some meat too if you can bear it (not recommending pork or fowl).

I hope that helps. This will be so exciting if you can stop your AF too.

Fran

Author: Jackie (---.)
Date: 01-31-04 12:21

Lynn - As I recall about Sadja - she found that emptying the capsules and taking supplements that way eliminated the glutamate found from the protein in the gelatin capsules.

Jackie

Author: Fran (---.)
Date: 02-02-04 10:40

Hi Richard

There does seem to be two types of people sensitive to MSG. Some can take natural free glutamate - but those who are more sensitive cannot. On the MSG boards it is just put down to degrees of sensitivity. Some people who were very sensitive and could not eat cooked tomato for instance and followed a very strict free glutamate diet have been able to start eating them again in moderation. Maybe it is down to degrees of sensitivity but maybe it is down to different causes.

I know early on in my AF career that I would not have known MSG was a trigger as it only happened now and then. But as time wore on - and twenty years is not overnight - I got more and more sensitive. So maybe I just blasted myself and you have not reached that stage and hopefully are unlikely too. MSG in its chemical form gives such a strong reaction and free glutamate not so strong. So have you considered whether or not the episodes you still get might not be caused by a build up of free glutamate? That would mean that you could maybe eat a few free glutamate laden meals and not get a reaction - hence you think it is fine - then on the last one BAM! Parmasan is not only got free glutamate it also has natural sulphites - and both could contribute to build up.

I don't know, but that was how MSG and free glutamate worked for me.

Fran

Author: Fran (---)
Date: 02-01-04 10:20

Lynn

I was just catching up with whats being going on on the msgmyth site and found a reply to what is essentially your question. This is from Debbie Angelsey the girl who founded the site and author of the no msg cookbook.

"Forget supplements for awhile since most contain fillers, coatings, and binders that are sources of glutamate...also gelcaps contain glutamate (hydrolzyed animal parts or vegetables). Some people here take a few supplemets that are mostly in the pure powder form....CoQ10, calcium carbonate, magnesium orotate, taurine powder...these can be ordered through www.beyondacentury.com. The best way to get good nutrition is by eating whole foods. Many people who first come here have felt so sick for so long, that they have turned to supplements as a last resort, not aware that many of them just add to the problem. Green drinks, such as those produced from algae, seaweed and grasses are also high in glutamte. If you are now avoiding MSG, that means that you are now eating better than you think, even though it feels like a challenge sometimes".

Fran

Author: Fran (---)
Date: 01-30-04 14:48

Hi again Lynn

So basically it foods which contain free glutamate I avoid. To avoid free glutamate means understanding how it is formed. For instance meat and tomatoes are high in glutamate. Over cook them and free glutamate will be formed. A reaction will occur. So rare to medium meat, or at least not stewed or casseroled so that the meat tenderises. That puts out eating the tougher cuts of meat unless you want to chew on rubber. If you want to eat tomatos eat them in their whole form or only just liquidised (within half an hour) from a hard just ripe tomato. You can heat them slightly but not till the tomato starts to break down.

I have found home made soups are out - despite using the best ingredients. The stock is naturally high in free glutamate and the long cooking process with the veggies hydrolise them giving the excess flavour. You may have noted that a hidden name for MSG is hydrolysed vegetable protein. Making soup is a way to do it. Keep on going till all the water evaporates and you will end up with something looking like vegimite or marmite - very high in free glutamate.

Cheese because it is matured has a lot of free glutamate in it. So does skimmed milk because they add milk protien (milk has to have a certain protein count and by removing the fat they loose some of the protein). So low fat anything also has hidden MSG. Milk protein like vegetable protein or pea protein are all high in free glutamate.

So if your health food gluten free bread has milk protein added - you also have a source of free glutamate. Bread - again has sources of free glutamate. And the L cysteine that is added is also excitotoxic (have to see if this works on the NMDA receptor). Anyway I could go on and on about sources of free glutamate - take gelatine for example even the stuff that covers you supplements?? ....

So what do I eat? I eat good meat (lots of it) but not over cooked. Organic or free range at the least from a good butcher or local sources. I also a eat a lot of fish (cold water small fish eg herring mackerel and haddock, whiting etc. I don't eat deli or supermarket meat as that has hidden MSG in it. I eat good eggs and have started eating ducks and quail eggs too. I try to eat as much organic veg and fruit as poss to avoid pesticides. I eat a variety of nuts and seeds and dried fruits too - so long as they have been sun dried and not used sulphites - sulphites excite the NMDA receptors too. I use raw honey and 100% pure maple syrup for sweetening the odd thing but not very often.

I have learnt to cook things for treats like almond cookies, arrow root crackers, almond and arrow root bread and stodgy dough balls from arrow root and ground almonds. So I don't feel that my diet is too stringent. BEcause cooking is done to the minimum I can prepare and cook a meal in 15minutes - which completely surprised my mother in law who thought you needed to cook all afternoon for meal!! which looses all the nutrients.

ITs not something that happened overnight. I have been working with this for about 3 years now. Now it is second nature and I think nothing of it.

Hope that helps
Fran


Author: Fran (---.)
Date: 02-20-04 14:05

Jon

Sorry it took me so long to answer. I miss one day on the internet and I play catch up for two.

In answer to your question about the order I think is most important:

Absolutely no processed foods. Fresh protein and fat and veggies with every meal. MSG is added to nearly every can, jar, box packet, bottle of food. Also the food quality used in these foods is substandard and not fresh - I mean the best would go on sale fresh - more money for the suppliers. Not to mention the preservatives, and colour enhancers, the things to emulsify etc etc. If poss go organic in every way you can. Pesticides which include OP's lurk on loads of fresh veg and fruit (also in processed foods). Non organic meat has probably been treated every day of its life with growth hormones and antibiotics, and fed on a diet not natural, which changes the fat make up to unhealthy. The animals are only meant to have a short life and if they were allowed to live beyond this they wouldn't make it. They are very sick animals. As for supermarket chickens - they are only 6 weeks old - even the 3 and 4 pounders!! Also try eating organ meat (liver, kidneys, heart etc) absolutely abounding in the vital amines and minerals not found in other foods. Really makes a difference to my well being.

I also learnt how not to hydrolyse bound glutamate in the cooking process so as not to make free glutamate. So short cooking processes and a lot raw. No cooking of tomatoes and only a light cooking for mushrooms.

Initially this is what it took to stop my AF. To stop the runs of ectopics I had to give up all starchy foods that had to be cooked to make them edible. First I cut out bread and potatoes, milk came second, other grains came next, cheese last. I never had to give up beans because they never agreed with me.

I personally am not worried about what I might be missing out from grains and dairy as the rest of my diet is so varied. On the odd occasion I will eat a small amount of oats or millet - usually after a hard day in the open air doing field work.

The question you asked Richard about MSG being absorbed through the eosophagus - MSG first reacts in the mouth. This is my understanding of the process from years of reading. It works like a drug and changes the way the body percieves taste. MSG or free glutamate is what the body breaks glutamate down to. Its job once broken down is as a neurotransmitter. But the brain didn't give it instructions so it is floating around the whole body creating havoc and causing excitation through various glutamate receptors in the body (theres more than the NMDA). It will cause cells in the body to be flooded with calcium and salt and potassium and Mg will not find a way in. MSG will be absorbed through everything it touches on the way down and will enter the blood stream and go striaght to the brain via the hypothalamus and in the case of hypoglycemics (many with AF) straight through the blood brain barrier which becomes compromised with low blood sugar. It will also increase blood sugar crashes - hence its addicitve quality keeping you going back for more in an attempt to increase blood sugar. And is highly acidic. So this might aggravate the problem in the eosophagus.

Believe me MSG is what I see as the major problem, and what we need to get over this is high protein so the body can start repairing itself with lots of fresh veggies and some fruits. Also needed are essential fatty acids so include oily fish and some saturated fat (especially if you give up all grains, sugar, starches as your body will not be able to make any saturated fat). You will also need this fat as the fuel for your body to burn. Grains etc have lectins and antinutrients in them which are NOT all neutralised in the cooking process (not to mention the high levels of pesticide residues on non organic grains). The lectins will bind to Mg, and other nutrients in the food and you will not absorb them. High grain societies end up with various sorts of malnutrition - think beri beri etc (vit B deficiency). So to give your body a kick start in high nutrients paleo is the best way to go - and it does wonders for reactive hypoglycemia.

I don't obsess over every morsel I put in my mouth. I just know whats good for me and whats bad. I really don't think I can be the only one.

Best of luck.
Fran


Author: Richard (---.)
Date: 02-19-04 10:10

Dean,

Even though your question was to Fran, I feel the need to reply, as well. As you have probably read, I've drawn a definite conclusion to the effects of MSG on my arrhythmias, as have several others here. I eat it, I go out of rhythm. I'm not so sure free glutamate or sulfites bother me, however, but common sense, not obsession, tells me to watch these possible culprits, especially sulfites. When anyone decides to change their diet, I believe that is an excellent idea. Feeding the body with fresh, chemical free foods lessens the burdens on the body. Instead of using precious nutrients and energy to remove toxins, the body will then have the energy and nutrients to restore itself. If you get back to basics, and do that for a period, then you might try reintroduction of, say, dairy, and see how you feel. Angus found the simple elimination of dairy to be his culprit, and has been AF free for one year, but it took him awhile to figure this out. (Read the last now retired conf. room topic on NMDA).

Once I really started researching and understanding just what excess glutamate does at the synaptic cleft, I then became very aware of why I should avoid it as much as possible. Excess glutamate and the NMDA receptors are being connected to many diseases. It causes Ca to influx into the cells, uncontrollably, hence exciting the cells to death.

I do NOT feel that I am obsessed about every morsel I put into my mouth, but I do want to get better, so I let my common sense lead me and pay particular attention to what my body tells me, when eating certain foods. If it contains chemicals or MSG, I completely avoid it. My family is now avoiding anything with MSG, as well, since they now know what devastating effects it can have. We are shipping back all of our Campbells soup and anything else with glutamate in its hidden forms, back to the manufacturers.

Best of luck in your endeavors, Dean.

Richard


Author: Jackie (---.)
Date: 02-15-04 08:03

I'd like to congratulate and thank Fran for her dedication to this BB, as evidenced by the success story Lynn has just posted regarding her success observing the glutamate free diet.

I have total admiration for Fran who tirelessly hammers away at what has been the source of her success in curing her own afib. It now looks as if another person, who took the time and patience to understand and follow Fran's lead, has enjoyed demonstratable success. That's very encouraging.

People like Fran, make this forum the success it is. Helping others find solutions is a very gratifying experience. We are all the richer for her endeavors.

Thanks Fran. Bless you.

I have the utmost respect for you and your efforts.

(And of course, thanks to Hans for providing the medium for this exchange)

Sincerely, Jackie


Author: Richard (-)
Date: 02-15-04 14:14

Fran,

I for one never tire of your stories and scientific research on the glutamate issue. So many times, I'll be researching on a particular topic, and then get sidetracked to another. My brain can only handle so many details at a time. Then here will come another post from Fran, that will not only remind me of the glutamate, but many times tie into what I'm researching. Free glutamate/MSG/aspartame have far reaching effects. Maybe we're all a bit different in how we arrive at having arrhythmias, but one thing is for sure; MSG and aspartame are deadly, destructive additives that must be taken out of our food supply, and avoided at all cost. It is a travesty. Whether anyone believes MSG/aspartame to be a trigger, when you read the research and know the many different diseases that are being connected to these neurotoxins, then one who does not eliminate MSG and aspartame, deep down, doesn't really want to get well.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Fran, for making us all aware of this very important issue.

Richard


Author: Lynn (---.7)
Date: 02-14-04 10:02

Hi Fran,
Would cheese (not aged cheese) made from unpasteurized milk (i.e., raw milk) produced by cows who graze on grass likely to be low in free glutamate? Dr. Mercola sells such cheese.

My news is good on Fran's diet. On my new free glutamate diet, I have managed to eliminate the beta blocker and continue to have a resting pulse of about 60-70 but am still in afib. I reasoned that since my pulse rate was 102 with the beta blocker (atenolol) when I consumed free glutamate, that the atenolol wasn't helping and so eliminated it gradually. Even more interestingly, my blood pressure has dropped to 100/65 instead of rising when I eliminated the beta blocker. This makes me think that for some of us a diet with minimal free glutamate might be a cure for hypertension.

I am scheduled for a Natale ablation on February 20 and plan to keep the appointment but am genuinely sorry not to have another few months on the new diet. I feel that I have to have the ablation since my last echo revealed deteriorating valves. I need to be in NSR!

By the by, like Fran, I do better thus far without all supplements including magnesium taurate even though I did empty the capsules into applesauce and eat it slowly. I looked at my diet on fitday.com that Fran had recommended and was surprised to find that my dietary Mg intake is about 1 gram a day. However, since I am taking coumadin and cannot eat enough greens, my calcium levels are not adequate. Hence this missive to Fran, my guradian angel.
Lynn

Author: Fran (---.)
Date: 02-14-04 11:15

Hi Lynn

I'm over the moon that you are having such good sucess with eliminating free glutamate. In a way I wish you had more time before your abaltion just to see how far this would take you. But the timing is wrong. Interesting about your blood pressure. Glutamate must be responsible for normalising BP in some hidden way - maybe though it is because your heart rate is now more controlled - do you notice whether the force of each beat is more similar now - or does it blip and thud still? From memory it is the differing forces of each heart beat and how quick and slowly it beats that indicates what pressure the blood is forced through the body. So it is quite normal to have a high pressure reading one minute and a low one the next. So to me this would indicate that your heart beat is much steadier - despite still having AF.

As to your cheese question. We now know the opoid peptides in dairy react on the NMDA receptor due to Angus research. Angus is AF free to avoiding dairy. I know that milk is high in bound glutamate so that aged cheese creates free glutamate. However farmers cheese (not aged) is managed by some people with MSG sensitivity.

I really think you have to trial and error this one. I know I get away with a bit of raw cheese now and then when I cheat - but it phelgms my throat up something awful and I spend the next day clearing my throat everytime I want to speak. I wish I could help more.

As for calcium. What about nuts and sunflower seeds. They have a good calcium content with good ratio of magnesium. And would you not consider changing your coumadin dose to suit your need for green veggies. I know that coumadin doses are usually worked out round diet so you have to be quite steady from week to week - but if you wanted to eat tons of greens could you not play around with coumadin again like when you were first put on it?

(signed) Fran a bit naive when it comes to coumadin as I was not considered at risk for stroke.


Author: Fran (---)
Date: 02-06-04 04:10

Hi everyone

I've been away for a few days so have not kept up with this thread (was staying in a posh hotel with my hubby who was on a course for his work). Adrian I think you will find that your rosacea will disappear like Lynns if you stop the free glutamate. It really is connected according to many other testimonials.

Lynn I was chronic for 2 years and it took 1 year of MSG free diet before I clicked back into sinus (and stopping meds and supplements). So I would be surprised if you clicked back any quicker than that - of course I wish you would. I wouldn't worry about the calorie content of the nuts. I eat tons of them. The free glutamate diet seems to change metabolism and induce weight loss even without stopping grains. More and more now they are saying it is not calorie content of diet that puts on weight. If you eat to little your body is more likely to go into famine mode and start storing fat etc to get you through the lean times. Where as if you eat highly nutritious food all the time your body will not store it, but burn it as it expects to get more later. So long as what you eat is not resulting in high insulin levels and you limit grains then your body will switch to burning fat for energy. This is my experience too.

Fran


Author: Fran (---)
Date: 02-09-04 10:26

Unfortunately most of the powders and protein powders available - even the most healthy processed foods have hidden free glutamate in them. Its a natural by product of heating to dehydrate or cook anything for the periods that it takes. The best way to get nutrients is through plain old fashioned food. I know it makes life harder - but boy you can't beat good old food.

Fran


Author: Lynn
Date: 02-02-04 10:32

Hello all,
First, I want to report that since eliminating all sources of free glutamate, my pulse rate has gone from 102 bpm to about 63 bpm but that I am still in afib. The heart rate difference is so large and so pronounced that I won't even bother you with the statistical tests I undertook with the help of the heart math monitor. As per one of my old lectures, the best effects are the ones that do not require statistics to be obvious.

Why might the reduction of free glutamate have worked for Fran and me? What do we have in common? It is possible that each of us have absorbed too much pesticide (i.e. pesticides are lipophilic and lodge in the fat cells- nearly permanently). Of course, this is a very weak argument unless there is an underlying model. Within the context of Pall's model, we may both be reacting to exposures to organophosphates which result in excess NMDA activity. Because MSG and free glutamate exicte the NMDA receptors, Pall has a list of supplements which should decrease NMDA activity (see conference room) which some of you might try ( but check to see if they are in capsules with lots of free glutamate)

Why didn't I pay attention to Fran nearly a year ago when I joined this group? First, I didn't know that Fran had dipped sheep in OPs and therefore that there was a link with my putative cause. Second, I had no idea that NMDA hyperactivity might be result of OP exposure and that NMDA activity is linked to free glutamate.

Fran is one smart woman and now that there are two of us (and maybe 3 if I recollect rightly that Sadja also was sensitive to free glutamate) with the same etiology, it is probably time for more of you to consider this origin of your afib. Remember that pesticides are ubiquitous and it is hard to know when one has been exposed to them so good detective work is necessary.

I am off to Natale's OR on February 20 because I judge that it is too late for me to control my afib with diet. I have chronic afib and my valves are failing- although with a slower heart rate things might improve. However, it is too great a chance to take.

LynnwhoshouldhavelistenedtoFransooner



Author: Lynn (---.)
Date: 02-02-04 16:03

Hi Fran and Jackie,
Nope, Fran, no Gerd for me either, but before this group I did not have the SAD. I ate mainly macrobiotically (i.e., grains, lots of greens, fish twice a week, only a few pieces of fruit and -gasp-soy, shoyu, and other fermented items filled with free glutamate).

I also do have doctor-labeled "rosacea" which I now think is actually facial flushing due to glutamate.

And Fran, I do believe that you are right that I might cardiovert if eating "correctly" for a long time. I have had afib 24/7 for nearly 3 years now. But I am not sure that I will have the time to wait for the diet to cure me before the valves fail. However, I will definitely eat whatever is involoved in a low glutamate diet henceforth.

By the by, I have found a very informative site about MSG :
[www.priorityonevitamins.com]

Basically this site reviews what Fran has told us and a bit more as well.

Thanks so much for your support Fran and also many thanks to Jackie for being the wonderful and caring and friend that she has become.
Lynn

Author: Lynn (-)
Date: 02-03-04 09:44

Hi Adrian,
MSG can cause facial flushing and that means the free glutamate might too. Check out the msgmyth.com for information on msg and free glutamate.

Here is my personal testimonial for whatever it is worth. I NEVER had "rosacea" before my pesticide exposure and have no real hereditary tendancy for it. It is referred to as the "Celtic" curse and usually afflicts fair skinnned folks with blonde hair and blue eyes. Nevertheless, I had a bad case of "rosacea", so bad in fact that the burning in my face often woke me up at night. After trying doxycycline, noritate etc., I had laser treatments for it (at $750 a very painful try). Five treatments are supposed to be enough but had no real effect on my face. Since I have eliminated the free glutamate I find that my face is no longer very red. In fact, my hubby commented this morning, "you look normal". Actually, I look as if I have a mild sun exposure but my face is not red and does not burn. So maybe I am on the right trail here too.
I hope that this helps you, Adrain.
Lynn


=====

Jarda T. Wroblewski

Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Ph.D., Med. Research Centre of the
Polish Acad. of Sciences, Warsaw, 1979
(202) 687-1566 - wroblewj@georgetown.edu

The neurotransmitter glutamate activates in the central nervous system several subtypes of excitatory amino acid receptors that play a key role in the phenomena of learning and memory. These receptors are likewise implicated in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. My research goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms of intracellular signal transduction associated with the particular subtypes of excitatory amino acid receptors, and to establish their functional significance.

One project uses the techniques of fluorescent imaging to study the role of ionotropic glutamate receptors in controlling the intracellular concentrations of calcium and sodium ions, and their significance in the mechanisms of glutamate-induced neurotoxicity and in the generation of different cascades of second messengers.

A second project focuses on the study of G protein-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptors. They are coupled either to the activation of the hydrolysis of membrane inositol phospholipids or to the inhibition of adenylate cyclase, but their physiological significance remains obscure. Using primary cultures of neuronal and glial cells, this project aims to identify the functional differences between metabotropic glutamate receptors, their pharmacological profiles, and the developmental patterns of receptor expression.

Since the neurotransmitter glutamate activates all subtypes of glutamate receptors, the logistics of its action involve interactions between these receptors at the level of their ionotropic and metabotropic signal transduction mechanisms. Indeed, the studies of these interactions may be especially fruitful if performed at the single cell level. Therefore, one of the major goals of my laboratory, projecting into future research, is the development of fluorescent imaging techniques allowing such measurements.
=====


Author: Fran (---.
Date: 10-28-03 12:22

For everyone who eats free glutamate

I just found this article by James South. I have admired his article on excotoxins for a long time now and feel that he may have MSG intolerant peoples best interests at heart. HE seems to really know his stuff. I know he is also selling these drugs and is therefore in it for more than just curing people - however we all have to make a living.

The supplement in question is Idebenone.

[www.smart-drugs.com]

Idebenone – The free radical quencher

"Idebenone is a powerful antioxidant, more so than CoQ10, and in some studies is 30 to 100 times more effective, than vitamin E or vinpocetine as a free radical quencher within the brain cells.

Idebenone lessens the free radical induced mtDNA damage that accumulates acceleratingly over a lifetime, slowing organ damage and aging.

Glutamic acid and aspartic acid are the two chief excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters in the human brain. Without them we would be "mental vegetables."

Yet under certain conditions, e.g. stroke or traumatic brain injury- excessive amounts of excitatory amino acids accumulate in the fluid surrounding brain cells, causing damage and even death to nerve and glial cells through free radical mechanisms.

Excitatory amino acid toxicity is at least partly responsible for the neurotoxicity of the recreational drug "Ecstasy or MDMA." Studies over the past 30 years have also shown that excessive dietary intake of excitatory amino acids may also damage brain structure/ function, especially in children or excitatory amino acid sensitive adults.

In studies with various types of nerve cell, as well as oligodendroglial cells (which make up the protective myelin sheaths surrounding many nerves, the so-called "white matter" of the brain). Idebenone has shown dramatic protective effects against glutamate toxicity.

Fran

Author: PC (---.)
Date: 10-28-03 20:41

Fran and Richard,

Clearly glutamate is quite damaging from the standpoint of its excitotoxic properties.

However, I believe that dietary MSG and free glutamate cause me problems because they enhance vagal tone. Glutamate is the neurotransmitter for vagal tone. Although the blood brain barrier is impermeable to glutamate, glutamate can diffuse into the hypothalamus and more importantly into the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in the medulla oblongata. This latter structure is circumventricular and is easily accessed by glutamate from the cerebrospinal fluid.

Please see figure 5 at
[webteach.mccs.uky.edu]
for an actual photo demonstrating how close the NTS is to the fourth ventricle.

The NTS is responsible for initiating signals to the nucleus ambiguus (NA) that control HR. This usually operates through stretch receptors in the lung (respiratory sinus arrhythmia), but dietary glutamate should, at least theoretically, be able to stimulate these same vagal motor nerves (NA) to the heart through the NTS.

Whenever I eat seaweed, e.g., sushi, my odds of triggering AF a few hours later are GREATLY increased. My PACs become markedly increased, my HRV increases, and HR decreases. This time frame fits very nicely with the time required for the glutamate to diffuse from the blood into the CSF and into the fourth ventricle and from there to the NTS.

Richard,

Don't apologize for your long post. I'd forgotten about James South's wonderful article on glutamate. I certainly agree with Fran that he appears to know his stuff, even if he may stand to benefit from the sale of idebenone. Also wrt glutamate you might enjoy visiting
[www.bioscience.org]

PC v54

Reply To This Message


Author: Fran (---)
Date: 10-05-03 05:44

"Author: kestra (---.nwaft.com)
Date: 10-04-03 21:07

Fran,
Is there a list of foods with free glutamate in them? Is all free glutamate MSG or vice versa? I've been to the "nomsg" website and printed out the list there of commercial canned and packaged foods, which I never eat anymore. What about other foods? What is the source of free glutamate in cheese? Lactose? Casein?

Richard, I eat salads and tons of vegetables all the time. What I don't eat is grains, and I'm getting constipated a lot. I was putting some raw rolled oats on my fruit/coconut milk in the morning, and that helped regularize me but that's when my stool starting turning yellow and I think I react to something in the oats, maybe the gluten. I need some kind of fiber that I won't react to? Has anyone had success with psillium husk?

I'm also wondering if anyone has tried parasite cleanses, a la Hulda Clark. Even conventional doctors know that bacteria from gum disease can go into the heart and cause problems. It's why they want you to take antibiotics before they do a peridontal cleaning that might cause a lot of bleeding. I had this problem for years and wouldn't doubt if there were parasites in my heart even still."

Kestra

Most foods contain glutamate. Milk is a particulary high source of it. But in fresh raw milk it is bound - eg the glutamate has not been freed from its enzyme chain. To free the glutamate high heat (UHT treatment, fermentation - eg making cheese, hydrolisis etc) will break down the enzymes and free the monosodium glutamate or single salt glutamate molecule. The longer the cheese is matured the more free glutamate will be available.

Lactose is the milk sugar and is a different problem to casein which is a protein. I am also casein intolerant. I am not sure if there is a connection between casein and free glutamate - but they are both proteins. Either way I avoid it for both these reasons.

Other ways of inadvertantly making MSG or free glutamate is from long time stewing, casseroling and making soups. I have never been able to reintroduce home made soup, no matter how careful I have been in the making. It comes down to the hydrolosis caused by the water. I can however, have the odd stew, curry or casserole, so long as I use tender cuts of meat, add NO WATER, cook on low heat and get all the moisture from my veggies and fat for no more than about half an hour to 40 minutes. Tomatoes and mushrooms are a high free glutamate food so these are a no no in long cooking processes. I quite often add them in the last five - ten minutes of cooking for extra flavour, but not so the tomato disintegrates. You will not get the very rich flavour associated with stews and casseroles this way, so you have to add your own - eg garlic, chilli, spices, green herbs, mustard etc. But the rich flavours are what have been caused by glutamate breakdown. This is how I avoid it.

Have you tried chewing flax seed (linseed in UK) for extra fibre. These should be safe if it is lectins and antinutrients in grains you are reacting too. Also add some fruit if you can tolerate, this will loosen you up a bit.

Hope that helps a bit.

Fran

Jackie:

Looks like Fran had many health issues plus AF, very strange that her doctors couldn't diagnose it. Your posting of so many of her posts is overkill, sometimes your posts are very long and I don't read them.

Liz

LIZ:

Yes long indeed, but these long posts are from the long lost missing Forums! Nobody would have gotten a chance to see then otherwise, and unlike the other marvelous posts from the past, we can't go back and learn from the missing posts, if not for having the fortunate experence of having one of our diligent responders save them for us.

Of course you can go back and get posts from past years except for a couple of years apparently, I just did, Jackie has as evidenced by her long post about Fran. You can thank Hans for all of these past forums.

Liz



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2015 08:58PM by Elizabeth.

Anti Fib

The problem with some of these old posts that you are talking about is that things change, new medical info. happens, they are interesting to read however.

Even Jackie says things change as evidenced by her recent post:


ackie [ PM ]
Re: no cardioversion possible for 14 days after ablation? new
July 22, 2015 09:39AM Registered: 3 years ago
Posts: 2,763

Yes, things have changed. That was from 2003

Liz

For knowing more about Fran Ross, and about this forum, I've been spending time reading through the '930 search results' at the beginning of this topic (a recommended adventure!). Here is a 2003 dialogue initiated by Peggy Merrill asking How typical are the respondents to this board? [www.afibbers.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2015 06:56PM by Moerk.

Mørk,

That is a representative sample from back then. Peggy, of course, still posts regularly. Mike F does also, though I think he changed his "handle" when we had to register a few years ago. Pam (if it is the right one) is a cardiac nurse who ended up with a tamponade and a ripped valve by a "name" EP at a name facility in the east (nobody we suggest here). The damage was done by a fellow while the name "EP" was out of the room. Hence it always pays to make sure who will have their hands on the controls (for any procedure - not just ablation).

George

Liz,
That post to Erling from me is the same Dean (me) from Australia with the natto. When I read it you sent my blood pressure soaring through the roof. That year, 2003, was very stressful for me.

Several months before that post I went for what was suppose to be a “simple” ablation for LAF but the EP didn’t ablate as the heart pacing revelled many more errant and complicated circuits than the EP predicted. I ended up on the operating table with the fastest and strongest AF I ever felt and the EP quickly knocked me out and cardioverted me back to normal rhythm and ended the operation without any ablation taking place. He basically said with my burden of LAF and SVT I would be better off on heart meds rather than a complicated ablation. Australian EP’s at that time were behind the USA in experience.

I was basically left in limbo so I then went down the supplement path with the Mg, K, taurine etc. None of which did any good and in fact made me feel worse.

That year I hanged on every word Fran and Jackie posted but in all reality how could any of us stick to Fran’s extremely Spartan and strict diet? As we all live in the real world Fran’s diet is just not practical.

Dean

Hi Dean,

Are you still consuming natto food? How is that going?

Cheers,

George

Dean writes ". . . in all reality how could any of us stick to Fran’s extremely Spartan and strict diet? As we all live in the real world Fran’s diet is just not practical.".

Please read carefully. The title of this topic, Fran Ross’ AF cure through science, strictly avoids the word "diet" for obvious reason. The topic was put up to demonstrate and encourage the use of science and knowledge in finding a personal AF cure, as Fran did. Fran Ross is an example of such, not a diet recipe.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2015 01:51AM by Moerk.

Dean:

Oh my gosh, I didn't mean to send your BP soaring, sorry. I was just surprised to see that a few posters have an adverse effect to mag, what you wrote about a hard heartbeat when lying down was happening to me, I didn't think it was the mag., I was having cramping (that I assumed was the Mag.) but thought that Mag is so good for you that a little cramping was ok. Since I quit taking the Mag. everyday, my hard heartbeat and BP are so much better. So, thank you for the post even though it is a few years ago.

Liz

Hi Dean - Good to know you are still reading here.

Remember that the focus of Fran's success was eliminating the excitotoxic neurotransmitters that affected her brain and heart....... so the "diet" term as we typically think of what that means is not appropriate or an accurate description... but it does help convey that determining the biochemical imbalance lies at the core of the problem.

Excitotoxic metabolic elements are known to be be Afib triggers in many, but not everyone, who will, perhaps instead... will manifest with dementia and Alzheimer's or Parkinson's as a result of continual exposure.


Liz - you are clearly unable to metabolize magnesium as that does happen in a small number of people. It's good that you have recognized that so you don't continue to stimulate the arrhythmia... but your magnesium deficiency manifestations or symptoms ie, migraines and osteopenia as a precursor to osteoporosis remain, so it's important for you to have your doctor figure out how to circumvent those.

Jackie

Jackie:

Diet, protocol, just a play on words:

Diet: Manner of living, the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person for a special reason. This is taken from my dictionary, looks like it fits Fran's agenda. So, diet does fit Fran, and Dean is right no one would want to be on that diet.

I am seeing Dr. Brownstein in a couple of weeks-----I got the Aura Migraines from taking DHEA, cant take that, also from Co-Q10, I havn't been getting any Aura Migraines lately, and I have cut down on my Mag. I have been taking a supplement from Brownstein, a buffered Vit. C product, it contains Vit. C, 350 mg. of Cal. and 350 mg. of mag., I have taken this every other day and I am ok. The Mag. is from Mag. Carbonate and Ascorbic acid, this does not give me cramps, I was taking Mag. Glycanate, that did give me cramps and other problems.

Liz

Elizabeth -

I might agree that "Diet, protocol, just a play on words", but reading through Fran's numerous posts reveals that what could be called 'diet' is essentially strict avoidance of excitotoxic substances while focusing on whole, natural, unprocessed foods. You say "Dean is right no one would want to be on that diet." Really? How can that be?


Fran: (November 19, 2003)

I have to say that I don't know any people on the board who are anti medical establishment. In a lot of cases the medical establishment do a lot of good. However, when Dr's are treating conditions they know little about they often get it very wrong and at most can only help mask symptoms - or as my GP put it - change one set of symptoms for another - the side effects.

The fact that the medical establishment knows so little about nutrition (which should be a basic for everyone and should be taught from the cradle to the grave) is really at odds with good health. And I think what the people who might come across as anti-medical establishment are really advocating is to do your own research and find a way to treat yourself through good nutrition. Also to learn and understand how the drugs work on your body and take measures to counteract any harm they may cause long term.

I personally know your fear of taking supplements. I tried them and they made me worse. The more I read on them the more I learned that even increasing one mineral or vitamin in isolation can play havoc with the rest of the minerals and vitamins in your body. I admire Richard for what he is doing with his amino acids, but to take them I would have to have a very full understanding of how they worked in the body - and I do believe that as far as aminos go - and minerals and vitamins - they have only scratched the surface. I don't know if I would even trust Dr Gershen (sp) as my body, as is his, and yours, is unique. That is why I chose to go the route of nutrition through food - high quality nutrient rich food. Worked out so I knew I was getting good Mg and mineral sources, good vitamin sources, and good aminos. With whole food the vitamins etc come with all the co-factors needed to break them down and be utilised by the body. Something that does not happen with supplements - and even if you took all the known co-factors, there are still bits in the make up of food that have not been isolated yet. Too much of a risk for me. Food is the best way in my opinion.

Fran



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2015 06:40PM by Moerk.

A brief history of Fran Ross’ AF gleaned from her many forum posts. Thank you, GeorgeN and Jackie for your historic contributions above, and PeggyM for ‘CR 61‘:

-- Age 22, Fran’s 20 year AF history begins, initially mis-diagnosed as epilepsy. (1971 ?)
-- age 31, AF properly diagnosed via ECG / Holter.
-- age 42, last AF event, cured nutritionally by diligent study of its nutritional cause.
-- age 44, 2 years free of AF on 28 Dec 2003.
-- age 48, 6 years free of AF. Source: CR 61 and: LAFS-14 Survey (November 2007), see [www.afibbers.org]

-- Projected: age 66, 14 years free of AF this coming 28 Dec 2015.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2015 01:52PM by Moerk.

She referred to her own diagnosis as "Panic Attacks", this is an important distinction, because probably a much larger group of people such as myself didn't have epilepsy, but still got the "panic attack" misdiagnosis

Also, you are missing her relapse in 2008
[www.afibbers.org]

Puzzling, why she says "My first AFIB" this post was from 2010, and refers to this episode 2 years earlier.
Also somewhat puzzling why this would send her to the Hospital, if she was an old AFIB Pro.


apparently this was from Gerd and forgetting to take her PPI
[www.afibbers.org]

Also the last line is wrong her age is not 66, it was in the low 50's by my count, and your addition is off by 10 Mork.

This is from one of the last posts we heard from dear old Fran.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2015 10:26AM by The Anti-Fib.

AF,

I'm very sure the 2008 person is a different Fran.

I believe this is prior to the latest version of the Phorum software. The prior version did not require registration so you could easily have multiple people with the same name.

George

Comment on Panic Attacks:... Very often those are driven by hypoglycemia and that whole scenario can trigger AF.
My personal experience confirms that fact.

Jackie

Earlier GeorgeN provided the first portion of Fran Ross' '61' account. Here is its final portion, an example of the body's 'innate healing system', functioning as it must function when provided the nutrients it needs while eliminating anti-nutrients (anti-metabolytes), including excitotoxins:

On Dec 28, 2001 I stopped taking my meds. I had been additive-free for about a year. About a week later I was cooking in the kitchen and I realised how happy I was. I was not dizzy or feeling faint. Then I realised my heart was beating normally. Only twice since then have I had AF. Once after eating chicken with MSG by mistake and the other time after taking Mg citrate (go figure).


I will not touch supplements or any pills now. Sometimes I wonder if it is the supplements that keep everyone in AF. Loads of people try diet, but everyone seems to rely on supplements (apart from Erling who is AF free but does take a couple of supplements).

I eventually got my sleep study through last April after stopping meds and getting rid of my AF and side effects. Guess
what? No, I didn't have narcolepsy either (although I do have the genetic HLA DR7 typing code on two accounts).

If I come across as anti-doctor it is because of my experience. But I would rather not see one again if I can help it.
I don't know the real reason why. All I know is that, after 20 years of AF, I am free. And this is not the usual story. This
is how I did it. Since then I have played more with diet as after curing my AF I became aware of reactive hypoglycemia. And have now got this out of the way too. But of course I have to stick to my diet. But I prefer it this way as all my health is back. I have cured more than just AF and don't have fibromyalgia or burning spots, no headaches, no tremors, no startle reaction, no seizures, no fainting. The only thing I have not cured is low blood pressure, but I can live with that.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2015 03:33PM by Moerk.

Mork,

How do you know Fran is AF free through 2015? I thought no one had heard from her for quite some time.

"High quality nutrient rich food"... I imagine there are a million different versions of what this means.

Thanks,
Mike Erickson

Mike - from all that I remember Fran saying back then about how she grew her own food and was so particular about cooking methods, along with the fact that most likely, where she lives in Scotland, the soil is not depleted from commercial farming as it is here in the US, a "high quality nutrient rich food" means eating homegrown food without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc.

Her discussions on eliminating the free glutamates that resulted from cooking various foods was illuminating.

Jackie

Mike E, you ask an important question that I will attempt to answer:

The principal attributes that Fran brought to her struggle against death - literally - were love of life and unshakable confidence that health would return given time and right knowledge.

At the time of PeggyM‘s 2007 'session 61', Fran had been completely free of AF for 6 years: SOURCE: LAFS-14 Survey (November 2007), see [www.afibbers.org]

I absolutely agree with, and share Fran’s complete confidence in the body’s “innate healing" capacity, given the right things take place to support healing. Fran’s vast archived forum posts convince that the right things for her healing had been taking place for years resulting in complete freedom from AF beginning 20 years after first onset .

That Fran has remained AF free for the 8 years following 2007 until today is, for me, an unavoidable conclusion, as is my assumption that she will remain free until later this year and beyond.

Your comment: "High quality nutrient rich food"... I imagine there are a million different versions of what this means does not hold up. Any thinking person knows the difference between say an apple and a bag of chips Extend that simple comparison to all the foods taken in and one easily knows “high quality, nutrient rich food” has just one meaning.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2015 02:52PM by Moerk.

Mork,

So your claim that Fran is afib free to this day [8 years from last report from Fran] is based on your "unavoidable conclusion", and your "complete confidence in the body's 'innate healing' capacity"... And comparing an apple to a bag of chips one easily knows "high quality, nutrient rich food" has just one meaning. This appears purely subjective. I learned nothing except the fact that you draw absolute conclusions with little evidence.

Regarding the body's healing abilities I am in awe of the complexity of the human body and its ability to self repair. But there are limits and exceptions, genetics combined with a person's personal history [all different, virtual infinite combinations]. Systems can be knocked out of whack and simply cease to function or not be able to get back on track. One "diet" is not going to effect two people exactly the same way. Wishful thinking will not change that. Given most of us who experience AFIB are somewhat older, 50 and above, it's likely the personal experimentation to find exactly the right combination of factors would take a prohibitively long time, you have to become your own scientist, design experiments, carry them out on yourself, record the data and analyse it over months, make a change and start over. Meanwhile the continual expression of AFIB in your life, in my case, causes panic attacks and anxiety that makes it extremely difficult to remain objective in your self experimentation. I know this, having gone through it for several years before opting for an ablation. And in the end, you remain an experiment of one, a discardable lone data point, a "testimonial".

Best wishes,
Mike Erickson

Jackie,

Thank you. I'll look up the part about eliminating free glutamates.

Best regards,
Mike

Mork,

A UK afib website with a page of personal stories: http://www.atrialfibrillation.org.uk/files/file/Case_Studies/

Perhaps some of these folks know Fran though I couldn't find her story in this list.

-Mike E

Mike:

According to Fran, free glutamates are in almost everything, she avoids tomatoes, Eggplant (nightshade plants), she says she doesn't eat soups (because of the long cooking which produces glutamate). She says if you have to cook it, don't eat it, but she says she eats meat and organ meat, she says she lightly cooks it. She is on a Paleo diet (and Morek Fran herself calls this a diet), I bet those people don't live any longer or better than people, say, eating beans, whole wheat, veggies, fruits and good protein, making soups etc.

Fran had a lot of health problems not just AF, what she proposed
and followed isn't for most that come to the AF board, I have paroxysmal AF and don't want or follow her regiment.

By the way, I grow my own vegetables, berries, and fruit, I have compost spread my garden, I don't spray most things except for cabbage, in its early growth, because bugs would eat it all. I havn't had my soil tested but it should be high in minerals with all the compost, I roto-till all spent plants in the fall.

Liz

Liz,
Thanks. I'm beginning to study glutamates:

"Glutamate is toxic, not in spite of its importance, but because of it...
... glutamate is both essential and highly toxic at the same time."

"What Foods are Glutamate-Rich?"

I like Dr. Rhonda Patrick: Foundmyfitness.com

But I couldn't find a single reference to glutamate or msg on her website. Plenty of articles and videos about magnesium and the importance of.

google glutamate calcium channels for over 900 thousand results such as: [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov] (Abstract -- follow links to full-text PDF)

J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1998 Apr;285(1):178-85.
Role of glutamate receptors and voltage-dependent calcium and sodium channels in the extracellular glutamate/aspartate accumulation and subsequent neuronal injury induced by oxygen/glucose deprivation in cultured hippocampal neurons.
Kimura M1, Sawada K, Miyagawa T, Kuwada M, Katayama K, Nishizawa Y.
Eisai Tsukuba Research Laboratories, 5-1-3 Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan

Mike E -

"nutrient rich food" yields >300,000 google results.