At 542 pages and referencing over 1200 academic articles, this book is the longest and most thorough resource on mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) to date. Allergies and anaphylaxis are on the rise, alongside gastrointestinal problems, skin issues, fatigue, orthopedic pain, neurological symptoms, and just about everything in between. Patients are coming out of the woodwork with chronic, debilitating, often invisible illness. Recent research estimates that 14%-17% of the population may have mast cell activation disease. Much of the medical community has never heard of the condition, and existing mainstream treatment tends to focus predominantly on pharmacological management. However, once a patient has reached a stable baseline, there are a number of other individualized approaches that can guide patients to successfully address the underlying root issues. This book includes: 1) an in-depth overview of mast cell activation disease, with a focus on mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS); 2) a patient story describing life with MCAS; 3) a detailed literature review and current hypotheses for disease origins; 4) a practical guide of clinical considerations for diagnosis; 5) a chapter devoted to comorbid conditions, including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, POTS, Lyme disease and much more; 6) several chapters devoted to mainstream and natural treatment options, dietary considerations, and strategies for holistic healing; 7) content from dozens of interviews with prominent MCAS experts, including specialists in allergy/immunology, hematology, functional medicine, naturopathy, psychology, nutrition, gastroenterology, physical therapy, clinical research, and more! Whether a patient, medical practitioner, or family member/friend, this book empowers readers and provides patients with concrete steps to move forward in the diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of mast cell activation syndrome.

Follow Pam through an intriguing tale of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. At the age of 40 she developed many allergies to foods, medications and even her husband! She became salicylate sensitive and histamine intolerant overnight. Suddenly, she found herself unable to live in her home, and unable to eat most foods. Pam had severe reactions to many foods and medications and yet every allergy test came back negative. Mast cell disorder - the rare disorder that never follows the rules. She has created this guide for the patient by organizing and consolidating the relevant information that is scattered about the web. She has also created this guide for the family and friends of the patient, to help them to understand the bizarre symptoms and what they can do to help. It is a humorous look into the lives of the people who are the exception to the rule.

"The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he breaks, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt." Exactly who first uttered this phrase is somewhat in dispute. It has been attributed to a number of the founding fathers of the United States. This phrase has more relevance today than at any time in the history of the United States or in the history of Mankind. Not only do we need to guard our liberty from the abuse of the power and authority that we have granted to our government, we also need to guard against the abuse of power garnered by multinational corporations. This story chronicles the development of Constant Vigilance in an ordinary guy who by happenstance finds himself in the cross hairs of powerful forces determined to control and prevent the spread of information that may harm their interest. The circumstances he stumbles into threaten his safety and his way of life. His path to understanding tests his beliefs and relationships. In the final analysis, the road less traveled may be the only option left.

In 2008 Dr. Afrin started coming to understand that a newly recognized type of mast cell disease, now called mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), was the underlying diagnosis in many patients he was seeing who were each suffering large assortments -- quite different from one patient to the next -- of chronic multisystem inflammatory illnesses of unclear cause. Dr. Afrin soon gained experience that MCAS is far more prevalent than the only mast cell disease previously known to medicine (the rare disease of mastocytosis) and that most MCAS patients, once accurately diagnosed, can eventually find significantly helpful medications targeted at the disease. The frequency and magnitude of the improvements Dr. Afrin has seen -- even the relief that comes from finally having a unifying diagnosis other than "psychosomatism" -- have spurred him to focus in this area, not only tending to the needs of his patients but also pursuing research to advance our understanding of the disease and helping to educate other professionals who in turn can help even more of the many people who have long been suffering not only the symptoms of the disease but also the natural concern of not understanding why one would be so "unlucky" to have acquired so many medical problems. As it turns out, such patients are not so unlucky and truly have just one root issue (and a very common one at that), which has the biological capability to develop, directly or indirectly, into most or all of their previously diagnosed problems. There is a great deal yet to learn about this, but even with just the present very limited understanding, the opportunity to diagnose and help patients with MCAS seems to be enormous and Dr. Afrin felt a description of the disease, written for the general public, might help lead some MCAS patients on a journey to diagnosis and improvement sooner rather than later. Dr. Afrin hopes this book will help people who might have, or do have, MCAS. A portion of the proceeds of purchases of this book will go to support research and education in this area.

Millions of people are suffering from chronic illnesses that, unbeknownst to them, are the result of exposure to environmental toxins and infectious agents such as mold and Borrelia, which causes Lyme disease. Millions. Because the symptoms of these illnesses are so varied and unusual, many of these individuals have sought medical care only to be dismissed, as if what they are experiencing is “in their head.” Many (if not most) have tried to tough it out and continue to function without hope of improvement. Unfortunately, their illnesses are very real. Toxic is a book of hope for these individuals, their loved ones, and the physicians who provide their care. Over many years of helping thousands of patients recover their health (even after their previous doctors had given up on them), Dr. Neil Nathan has come to understand some of the most common causes for these debilitating illnesses, which allows for the utilization of more precise and effective forms of treatment. The goal of this book is to shed light on these complex illnesses so that suffering patients and their families can get the help they so desperately need. Inside, you will find: • Information about how extreme sensitivity and toxicity develop in the body, how sensitivity and toxicity differ, and how they often overlap • Detailed descriptions of each of the five major causes of extreme sensitivity and toxicity: mold, Bartonella (a co-infection of Lyme disease), mast cell activation, porphyria, and carbon monoxide poisoning • An outline of the cell danger response, a revolutionary model developed by Dr. Robert Naviaux that explains how the body essentially gets “stuck” fighting a threat even after the danger has passed • A system-by-system plan for “rebooting” the body to break the cycle of illness and allow healing to begin • Information about coping with stress and embracing an emotional and/or spiritual awakening on the path to wellness

Learn how to take control of your health—and decrease susceptibility to infectious viral disease before it strikes. There will almost certainly be more pandemics in our future. Yet, during the coronavirus crisis, not a single major public health official took the simple step of telling Americans what we all need to hear: Robust good health—healthy immunity, low inflammation, low toxic burden, and freedom from stealth infection and chronic disease—is our best defense against infectious viral disease. Of course, it’s not that simple. The way our bodies interact with infectious disease is complicated—both a function of the “germ” and the “terrain”—the virus and the host. In The Virus and the Host, Dr. Chlebowski succinctly describes emerging science on the virome and how toxic exposure, chronic inflammation, infections, and chronic diseases interact and predispose us to poor outcomes from acute viral infection. He then clearly outlines the tools needed for better health, including: How to eat like your life depends on it The best nutrients to supercharge your immunity How to harness the power of botanical medicine How to detoxify simply and safely at home Valuable information on simple treatment and recommended diagnostic tests for given conditions As we move forward from the tragedy of COVID-19, it is essential that we come together to learn from our mistakes, and work hard—and work together—to prevent a similar crisis in the future. When the next pandemic hits, we need to be better prepared. Now is the time to do something, and it is the best investment we can make so that when—not if—the next “big one” hits we can keep our loved ones and ourselves safe and healthy. "A gem of a book at a timely moment in history."—Stephanie Seneff, author of Toxic Legacy "This book left me feeling optimistic and empowered, and gave me greater knowledge about the history of viruses, as well as their future.”—Erin Elizabeth, author; public speaker; founder, Health Nut News

Symptomatic: The Symptom-Based Handbook for Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders offers a novel approach structured around the panoply of 75 symptoms with which a person with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) may present to a clinician. The content is arranged intuitively from head to feet, with each chapter integrating clinical case studies with a concise discussion and two important diagnostic tools: a simplified algorithm for diagnosing and treating each symptom and differential diagnoses and alternative explanations for their symptoms. This is a handbook that combines the expertise of some 70 leading clinicians, representing more than 30 specialties. This book is suited for clinicians who need a concise and straight-forward presentation of the various and complex symptoms they confront in their clinical practice. It brings forth a field of knowledge emerging from interdisciplinary collaboration despite the pressures of specialization that bridges gaps in understanding between the several dozen disciplines implicated in EDS and HSD. • A comprehensive compendium of the symptoms of EDS and HSD to aid clinicians and patients• Symptom-based chapters for ease of making a diagnosis• A case report, differential diagnosis, discussion, and diagnostic and treatment algorithm for each symptom