The Stem Cell Cure. Kerry Johnson MBA PhD
do not necessarily address the root cause of what’s happening at the cellular level. Even when effective, they cause negative side effects and collateral damage. Surgery along with subsequent immobilization can induce more inflammation.
CASE STUDY: PHILIP
Philip is a 50-year-old who has been an insurance company administrator for 25 years. Over the last 12 months, both his knees have been hurting. When he wakes up in the morning, his joints stiffen up. He feels stiffness and pain even when rising from his desk. Some days the pain can be pretty severe. Philip has resorted to over-the-counter pain medications.
Philip decided to go see his doctor to find out what led to his knee pain. There has been no recent injury or trauma. He has led a pretty regular life. His wife has worked at an administrative job at a local hospital for the past 20 years. They have a son now 22, just out of college. Philip is moderately built with a body mass index of about 27. He doesn’t remember ever having a problem with his knees before. Both Philip’s parents have age-related aches and pains consistent with osteoarthritis.
So why do our joints hurt as we age? Especially when there have been no specific injuries? We have always thought that joint pain was due to wear and tear. But research has recently shown that there might be more happening inside the joint contributing to pain. It is more than simply wear and tear.
We are starting to understand what happens at the cellular level. It could be a combination of things. A sedentary lifestyle, aging, and a genetic predisposition (a family history) can all contribute to joint pain and the early onset of osteoarthritis. As we age, the cells within cartilage go into a state of inflammation, altering their ability to heal. The inflammation also alters the ability of joints to handle weight and pressure. A genetic predisposition to osteoarthritis can speed up this process. Even during youth, declining activity and a sedentary lifestyle cause muscles to go weak. The muscles are unable to support the joint. These events together set up a chain reaction. One thing leads to another, and soon pain starts to become part of our life. The good news is that we can slow down this process.
Since injury or disease disturbs our cells, all repair and healing also has to occur at the level of our cells. Stem cell treatments are based on the concept of replacing these damaged cells with new cells, leading to tissue growth. The new cells help repair diseased or injured tissues. As well, stem cells are known to have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. In certain scenarios stem cells can help fight inflammation at the cellular level and preserve natural tissue without much downside. As stem cell treatments develop, they will have to be tailored to the particular tissues or cell types they are attempting to regenerate. They can also alter our immune environment. This further helps to clean up the toxic inflammatory environment and thus promote healing. Preliminary research is showing promise, and the hope is that a cure for many conditions is in the near future.
Factors That Impact Healing
No matter what the treatment, there are certain elements within our environment and body that can actually interfere with the healing process. Your goal should be to minimize the impact on your body’s ability to heal. Factors both inside you and outside in your environment may have to be controlled for optimal healing.
One important thing to do after any procedure or treatment is to reduce local pressure or force. It is important to rest the part that has been treated. As tissue regeneration and repair takes place, you should prevent the healing cells from pulling apart or becoming disrupted. You want the healing cells to line up. A lack of rest can only lead to distortion and suboptimal healing.
Next it is important that your nutrition is good. A deficiency of certain proteins, vitamins, and minerals (especially vitamin C) can interfere with cell multiplication and regeneration. This can delay the healing process and/or result in the development of weaker tissues.
Both infection and diabetes can compromise the regenerative capacity of your cells and interfere with healing. And not only can they result in improper healing, but diabetes and infection can create severe complications affecting the whole body.
Maintaining good circulation and blood flow where the healing is taking place is critically important for tissues to heal. If you do not have good circulation, even good nutrition may not reach the body part where help is needed. Staying well hydrated is a simple way of making sure you have good circulation. Obviously, watching what you eat and keeping your cholesterol under control can only improve blood flow. Your cells (including stem cells) need to stay in a state of good hydration for important cellular functions to take place.
Managing Stress
Mental stress, self-doubt, and negative thinking all suppress the natural ability of our bodies to fight disease. This is the X factor that is generally not addressed in mainstream medicine. Patients don’t acknowledge it, and most physicians are not equipped to handle it. The mind is a powerful tool. When used correctly, it can help us fight great odds. When not used well, it can create havoc. The body follows the mind.
The above factors impact our ability to heal no matter what treatment we undergo. This is true with medications, surgeries, and even stem cell treatments. If you are really looking for results, pay attention to fundamentals.
CASE STUDY: RON
Ron was proud of his 20 years as a special-needs teacher. Now 48, he was in the same school district he started in. Ron had several opportunities to move up the administrative ranks. But he loved the kids. He always enjoyed a good joke, and his students loved him for it. Special education can be high stress. But Ron had a positive outlook. Ron was brought up in a family with plenty of love and abundance. Helping those in need brought him great pleasure.
Ron was hooked on sodas and Twinkies. He would have a Big Gulp cup in his hand as he walked through the corridors. Life progressed, and his habits stayed the same. One evening Ron started having persistent chest pains. He had to be hospitalized. After angiography, a blockage in one of his arteries was identified. A metal stent was placed to open up his artery. Ron had a body mass index of 38 and was diagnosed with obesity. But the additional and more severe diagnosis was type 2 diabetes. Inflammatory markers in his blood work were elevated. Ron also had suffered from severe constipation for several years. Ron was started on a long list of medications. He was disappointed in himself for not taking care of his health. When Ron got out of the hospital, he was determined to change his life and be an example for the students.
Obesity and inflammation are two sides of the same coin. Obesity can lead to inflammation, and inflammation can lead to obesity. We now understand more about what happens to the cells in diabetic patients. Inflammation due to diabetes is widespread throughout the body. It can affect many organs at the same time. Inflammation unfortunately interferes with stem cells and their ability to regenerate and repair. Inflammation then starts affecting the function of normal cells. Left unchecked, inflammation can cause strokes, renal failure, and nonhealing wounds.
What starts inflammation in the first place is unclear. While a genetic predisposition to obesity is known, not much can be done about it. Several other theories exist, especially one involving the gut microbes, the bacteria in your bowel. As mentioned above, Ron had been severely constipated for several years. It could be a combination of factors. Poor diet and lack of exercise are prime examples. It is extremely important that diabetics follow a regimen of weight loss, caloric restriction, and regular exercise to keep their diabetes under control. Staying hydrated every day and eating pomegranates can help reduce inflammation of the cells in diabetes.
We hope that by now you have a better understanding of what happens when you are not feeling well. Think about what your cells are undergoing and how inflammation affects them. Address the root cause and not just the symptoms. Do everything in your power to make your cells healthy again. Only then is your healing complete. Next we will look at how stem cells may help you in your efforts to heal naturally.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. Disease and injury lead to inflammation.
2. Inflammation of the cells stops regeneration and repair.
3.