Vol. 4 No. 1 January, 2000
MERIDIAN INSTITUTE NEWS
Dietary and Herbal Treatment of Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease, with a variety of symptoms, most commonly reddened skin patches and inflamed, swollen skin lesions covered with silver-white scales. It is very common (about 3 million Americans affected), but the cause is not known, and there is no generally recognized cure.
The Edgar Cayce readings say that, although it appears to be a skin disease, most cases of psoriasis are caused by toxins from the digestive system. There is a thinning of the walls of the small intestine, and this thinning allows toxins to leak from the intestinal tract into the circulation. These eventually find their way to the superficial circulation, and trigger an immune response in the skin.
In the past several years, medical research has provided some evidence supporting the Cayce perspective, but the only person to have systematically applied the Cayce recommendations for treatment is Dr. John Pagano, a New Jersey chiropractor who wrote the book Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative. Dr. Pagano has many well-documented cases of complete healing of severe psoriasis.
Meridian Institute has conducted two projects confirming Pagano’s approach, and exploring the role of intestinal permeability or “leaky gut.” Four years ago, in our first major research project, we brought Dr. Pagano in as an advisor, and taught 10 people the elements of the Cayce therapeutic approach. Within six months, most had experienced some healing of their psoriasis, some with major clearing of the skin lesions.
This past year, we repeated and improved the psoriasis project, with five participants. In May they attended an initial conference, in which they learned how to apply the Cayce treatments at home. At the conference they underwent an initial cleansing including fume baths, massages, and colonic irrigations. They attended lectures on the importance of mental and spiritual attunement during the healing process and were encouraged to meditate and develop an ideal attitude toward healing.
The home treatment approach included a diet consisting primarily of fresh fruits and vegetables, no fried food, and no red meat. The diet was supplemented with herbal preparations: saffron tea and slippery elm bark water. Their intestinal permeability was assessed using a simple test involving drinking a sugar solution. Two of the five people had abnormally high permeability.
After six months following the protocol, the participants returned to Virginia Beach for an assessment of their psoriasis symptoms. All had substantial improvement. In addition, the intestinal permeability of all five people had decreased. Here are comments from some of the participants:
“I’ve cleared up. I actually just have a couple places on my back, my lower back, which is nothing. And my head has not cleared. But other than that, I’ve cleared everywhere else. So I’m thrilled with that.”
“My skin has improved quite a bit.. There’s still some red spots, but it’s not as thick and itchy as it used to be. I’d say it’s improved in the sense that I don’t feel like I’m leaving little bits of skin all over the place anymore. The bed isn’t all full of white skin when I get up. It’s pretty clean. Percentage-wise, I’d say between 70 and 75% probably.”
“For the first time in 40 years, my scalp had actually cleared up and stayed pretty clear for about a month or so. Other parts of the body that had been pretty stubborn, have faded out to the point of almost not being existent anymore. You could just barely see them. I felt a lot more energy, a lot brighter overall outlook because I was using a very natural approach, instead of all those steroids and other things that the traditional dermatologists tend to give us. I’m really happy with the results that I’ve seen.”
“It’s been very, very good for my health, in addition to my psoriasis much, much improving. My hands are clear. The psoriasis cleared up on my hands within one month, and it has never resurfaced. The psoriasis cleared up on my elbows within about two months of starting the diet protocol. Also my feet are 60% better.”
Clearly the Cayce approach can be an effective treatment for psoriasis. The most difficult part for most participants was consistency in following the diet. When, for various reasons including travel, they slipped in their adherence to the diet, the psoriasis symptoms partially returned, confirming the importance of this aspect of the Cayce treatment approach.
A complete report on psoriasis is available on the Meridian Institute web site, and the treatment protocol is available from the Health and Rejuvenation Research Center (HRRC).
Healing Alzheimer’s Disease
Edgar Cayce’s consistent assertion that the nervous system is capable of regeneration is one of the most extraordinary claims in all of the Cayce health information. Meridian Institute has been engaged in projects to explore these concepts in neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease [1] and multiple sclerosis (MS)[2] in small group pilot studies. In addition to our residential programs, a number of individuals have been following the Cayce approach on their own for other neuromuscular conditions including muscular dystrophy [3,4], Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome [5], motorneuon disease [6], and MS [7].
Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic, degenerative neurological illness that afflicts the elderly causing cognitive impairment (such as short-term memory loss) and other functional deficits. In such cases, Edgar Cayce typically recommended treatment via electrotherapy with one of several appliances in conjunction with gold or silver. The readings stated that these metals acted to stimulate the glandular system to rejuvenate the nervous system. In one reading, Cayce actually provided a formula for “rebuilding the brain.”[8] This formula included gold and silver delivered vibratorily (wet cell battery or radial appliance), osteopathic manipulations, suggestion, and patience.
For several years we have been applying Cayce’s formula with individuals who have sought help for this devastating illness. The following letter written on February 9, 1999 by the wife of an eighty-two-year old man with third-generation, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
“In 1994 Woody was diagnosed with Alzheimers at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. We were not surprised as the symptoms had started probably twenty years before. My reaction was, ‘Now we know what we are dealing with, so lets find some holistic type of treatment.’ True to the way God works I acknowledged the need and the need was immediately filled.
“I learned of David McMillin and the book he had ready for the publisher regarding the Edgar Cayce readings and their application as a treatment for Alzheimers [9] — mainly the use of the ‘Wet Cell’. Although I have a whole regime that we follow, the Wet Cell is the backbone of the treatment that we’ve used. In June, 1999 we will have used the Wet Cell for five years.
“Cayce suggested daily treatments for three months and then a month’s rest. We tried this but I felt that there was slippage so we take a few days off every few months if we wish to take a short trip and of course every so often there is a day when it just won’t work with our schedule but generally speaking Woody’s daily Wet Cell treatment and the prescribed massage following it is a part of our daily life.
“We chose mid-afternoon as the time for his treatment. Regularity and consistency are very important factors. Woody likes a nap after his treatment and so I rest too, and then we prepare dinner together. It does not feel like a chore but is simply an accepted part of our lives.
“Our quality of life on a scale of one to ten would certainly be 9+ which I consider excellent and we together lead a very busy active life. Woody loves golf and tries to play once a week. While he does this I usually play bridge. We both play bridge with other couples at least once a week.
“Prayer is a very important aspect of the Wet Cell treatment and I truly feel our lives are an expression of prayer. It is important to mention that Woody does as much or more for me as I do for him so this whole thing does not feel sacrificial in any way. We love Life and Life is totally generous to us.
“The Edgar Cayce ‘Wet Cell’ treatment and massage following it on a daily basis is the absolute backbone of our regime. It is the entire system working together that I feel has been very successful for us.”
A Meridian Institute member has conducted home visits each month for the past five years to change the wet cell battery chemicals and provide emotional and technical support. Since the letter was written, Woody has continued to maintain a remarkably high quality of life. A few months ago, he and his wife won second place in a local bridge club round robin tournament, a feat requiring considerable short-term memory. Bravo!!!
References
1. Meridian Institute News, 1998, Vol.2, No. 1.
2. Meridian Institute News, 1997, Vol.1, No. 3.
3. Meridian Institute News, 1998, Vol 2, No. 2.
4. Venture Inward, Jan/Feb, 2000.
5. Venture Inward, May/June, 1991.
6. Atkinson, D. (1998). Hope Springs Eternal. Virginia Beach, VA: A.R.E. Press, 1998.
7. Delaney, D. (1996). The Edgar Cayce Way of Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis: Vibratory Medicine. Hampton, VA: Meridian Publications.
8. McMillin, D. (1995). Principles and Techniques of Nerve Regeneration. Virginia Beach, VA: A.R.E. Press.
9. McMillin, D. (1994). Alzheimer’s Disease and the Dementias: An Alternative Perspective. Virginia Beach, VA: A.R.E. Press.
More on Castor Oil for the Eyes
In the last issue we reported on a letter to the editor of the Journal of Ophthalmology, Louis J. Girard, M.D., of Houston, Texas, describing the use of a well-known Cayce remedy – castor oil. Dr. Girard had been using sterile castor oil for the treatment of corneal dry spots and mild keratitis sicca for 40 years. Since we cited this report, we have received the following letter describing the use of castor oil for eye problems:
“I just read the most recent issue of Meridian Institute News and it was great as always. I read with interest your article on Castor Oil for the eyes and I would like to tell you of my experience here.
“About 12 years ago I began to get lots of irritation in my eyes which felt like I had sand in them. My eyes were red, they burned and they teared often. I left the problem alone in hopes that it would return the favor but this was not to happen. After some months I developed 4 cysts in one eye lid and 3 cysts in the other. My doctor wanted to perform surgery to remove the cysts but the prospect was certainly not an appealing one. I began a castor oil regimen. I placed heated (cold pressed) castor oil packs (wool flannel) on my eyes for half an hour in the morning and for half an hour before bed in the evening. I also put one drop of castor oil in each eye before I went to sleep for the night. I did this for 4 days on followed by 3 days off each week. Within 2 weeks the irritation began to subside and in a month it was gone. In about 6 to 7 months the cysts were completely dissolved and have never returned. One more thing. For 7 months I drank 10 ounces of carrot juice a day with a whole green pepper chopped in to it.
“I wanted to tell you about it because now, whenever I get an eye irritation I put a drop of castor oil in my eyes before bed time. As Tony the Tiger said, ‘ITS GREAT!'”