​SET-DB™ is very effective and efficacious at removing sensitivities to foods, nutrients, inhalants, substances found in the environment, as well as many other things one might develop a sensitivity to. If the Clearing Procedure is done correctly and the four-hour avoidance period is properly observed one clearing is typically all that’s needed. 

The Practitioners Manual mentions a couple of patients who needed multiple clearings to various substances over the years. One had fairly severe chemical sensitivities when she first came to see me and the other had multiple sclerosis that had gone into a remission of sorts after many treatments from a homeopathic MD in Reno, Nevada. Almost no one else needed a clearing repeated..

Then I had an interesting case early this month. A 53-year-old woman had been experiencing rashes and itching; rashes on her legs (left worse than right), itching in her armpits and on her arms, occasionally on her chest. She’s had various clearings over the years so a complete program wasn’t warranted. When we reviewed her diet nothing jumped out. There also weren’t any environmentals that jumped out.

Not exactly a needle-in-the-haystack problem as we can pin our detective badge on and ask some pointed questions.

She has had reactions to supplements many times in the past so I turned to them. I ignored asking about medications because I knew she takes none. Her reactions were typically headaches. She had been taking a supplement called Iodoral for a few weeks. Iodoral supplies iodine in the form of iodine and potassium iodide. As I was only going to check her for Iodoral I chose to do it via leg length. It did not make her leg go short, but I felt she should be cleared for it anyway so I performed the clearing. 

She became dizzy upon getting off the table then experienced blurry vision, nausea, increased heart rate (77 to 107 after walking a few steps), and widespread itchiness. Then her chest felt “on fire” and she had strong itching in the left leg. And finally, minor tightening of the throat. 

With her and others who experienced unusual sensations while holding a clearing vial or something they brought in, I typically wait until the sensations subside before having them release the vial/item. She requested to let go of it when the timer went off. Within 10 minutes most, but not all, of the symptoms resolved. Only itching on her legs where the rashes were remained. 

I did some research into iodine and learned that since bromine had replaced iodine in bread (back in the 1970s?), and bromine had become so prevalent in modern society, it was replacing iodine in the body. Where iodine might be found and be part of normal function, bromine was there instead, mucking things up.

The interesting thing is, I learned that when iodine replaces bromine, after taking a supplement like Iodoral, the body will detox the bromine by eliminating it through the kidneys. When the body detoxes something it often suffers detox symptoms like rashes and itching, among many other things. 

The following day I checked some things on the ZYTO and ended up clearing Ioderal, which had a dR of 59, iodine, and bromine. I know you’re thinking: “But you just cleared her for Ioderal the day before!” Yes I did, but remember I don’t recommend rechecking anything on the ZYTO for 30 days. This time she had no symptom-responses after the clearing.

The leg rashes have improved significantly, but haven’t disappeared. She’ll be almost rash-free only to flare up one morning. It doesn’t seem related to taking the Iodoral but could certainly still be indicative of bromine detox.

I’ll talk more about iodine in the next post but want to discuss a little more her exaggerated response to the clearing. While it’s likely impossible to know for sure why this happens with her except to say that everyone responds different to the energy of a clearing, but none as different as this patient.

Let me review a few other experiences from the past:

• A self-declared “energy aware” woman could feel energy flowing through her arm while being tested.
• Several have felt “energy swirling” from the hand holding the clearing vial, often up the arm to some random place in their body. Most often it stays in the hand and arm.
• I mention in the manual how several patients reported significant improvement twenty minutes to four hours after a clearing. This is different from the patient in this post as she experienced the reactions while holding the clearing vial, not after.

One final comment. I cleared for Iodorol even though it didn't make her leg go short. If I was muscle testing the muscle would have stayed strong. Why clear then? I wrote I "felt" it should be cleared anyway.

​Most practitioners of some kind of "energy work" have learned to be sensitive to impressions. If I had done the research on iodine before and remembered rashes and itching were possible detox symptoms I could say it was an educated guess. But the research came after. Call it a professional hunch if you like.

A call for case histories

As I'm not in active practice right now, and my memory's not getting better, I'd like to ask for cases from your files to share with others. Please pick one case you found interesting, for any reason, write it up and send it to me in an email. If I have questions I'll get back to you. Please leave names out, of course, and add a short statement that you approve of me sharing the case on this site. Thanks.

SET-DB™ practitioners know from reading the Practitioner Manual and from practice that people can be sensitive, perhaps even allergic, to seemingly bizarre things that most people would think impossible. 

There are three main types of allergy/sensitivity patients: 1) Those who present with a good idea about what bothers them, usually because symptoms occur immediately after exposure. 2) Those who have a good idea about what they’re sensitive to, but aren’t sure. 3) Those who know their symptoms well enough but are clueless about the cause(s). 

Clearing sensitivities for the first group should be relative straight forward; there’s rarely a need for searching and digging. The second group will need some thorough questioning and probing with your ZYTO. The last group will need your best detective work if they’re to find relief.

When working with patients from groups 2 and 3, you might want to keep in mind the following examples of “odd” sensitivities:

Cellphones

When cellphones started becoming popular, at least in my realm, in the mid-1990s, I thought they were dumb and swore I would never get one. There were times I wanted to be out of reach, of everyone, and couldn’t abide the thought that anyone with my number could call at any time. I finally gave in in 1998 and got a Nokia.

These days 42% of kids have a cellphone by age 10. By age 12 that number grows to 71%. By 14, 91%. (I will not attempt to comment on the wisdom of giving things like smartphones with access to the internet to young children, but instead will only discuss how it relates to allergies and sensitivities.)

Electronics like cellphones and tablets contain metals, like nickel, that often cause problems, typically rashes (contact dermatitis). Symptoms of contact dermatitis usually occur at or near the point of contact: the hand, wrist, or arm. Also consider anatomical areas where the device might be housed like the buttocks (back pocket) and hip (front pocket).

In addition to clearing for nickel or other metals, you may need to clear for the device itself. Be sure to have the patient observe the 4-hour avoidance period even though they might protest they can’t live without the device that long.

Pancakes

Obviously one can be sensitive to one or more of the ingredients in pancake mix, either commercial or home-made, but what if you’ve cleared those categories and your patient continues to complain of symptoms when/after having some pancakes?

As odd as it sounds foods with dry, powdery ingredients, including pancake mix, can become contaminated with dust mites. Well, and of course also dust mite fecal matter. (If that’s not enough to get you to make your own pancakes out of fresh ingredients, I don’t know what will.)

Because sensitivities to grains and their components, like gluten, gliadin, peptides, and enzymes involved in their digestion, have become such a big problem in the last 20 or so years, the Grains, Gluten, and Wheat Digestion BioSurveys should be done first in these cases.

If the sensitivity reaction isn’t remedied, be sure to ask (if you haven’t already) about the mix. Specifically how long has it be open in the cupboard or pantry? Then check dust mites; you might as well run the BioSurvey and check all dust samples. (It’s likely “dust mites” sample include mite skin and fecal samples, but is not know for sure.)

Semen

While semen sensitivity is considered rare, you’ll be someone’s personal hero if you’re savvy enough to recognize and clear it. You could just save a marriage or relationship. 

In most cases symptoms of semen sensitivity are localized to the area of contact, a sort of contact dermatitis. Most women with vaginal symptoms will likely think they have a yeast infection, which should be rule out, of course. But if it keeps happening, perhaps a semen sensitivity should be considered.

ZYTO’s software contains one semen sample: “NT - Semen (Environmental Test Kits)”. The “NT” virtual items come from the NAET library included with ZYTO’s software. I would clear this first.

If clearing the NT sample doesn’t get rid of the problem, an actual sample would need to be collected and brought in for testing with your Elite. (Selects can’t do this.) If necessary, the clearing should be done on that visit, while the actual sample is available. Hopefully the sample was brought in in a discrete package. If not, consider having them spend their 15-minute avoidance time somewhere private.

We’ll go over some more odd sensitivities next time.

SET-DB™ practitioners you’ve no doubt cleared patients for sensitivities to items in the Meat and Poultry BioSurvey. Some of those clearings may have led to “miraculous” results, but most likely results were more subtle. 

But, did you know there actually is something called “red meat allergy” or Alpha-Gal-Syndrome (AGS)? I didn’t until a few months ago.

We’re planning to move to northwest Arkansas (as soon as our house sells) so we thought we would check out a Facebook page hosted for the town we’re looking to move to. It’s at the southwest part of the Ozarks, so it’s woody, hilly, and there are a lot of lakes. 

And a lot of ticks.

When anyone on the page asks for tips about controlling ticks on their property, someone invariably warns them about red meat allergy. And they always feel like they need to add “It’s a real thing!” Then, I guess to drive the point home, they’d go on to describe what happens when their family member (the sufferer has never posted anything themselves) eats some of the forbidden food. 

AGS is believed to be caused by a tick bite, specifically the lone star tick, which is found from the northeast U.S. down into most of Arkansas and eastern Texas.

What is AGS?

AGS is an allergy to a sugar called galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, found mostly in red meats like pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, goat, buffalo, and venison. It’s also found in gelatin and cow’s milk. 

But that's not all; it’s also found in some personal care and household products containing animal-derived ingredients and in the caner drug cetuximab. And, some vaccines contain alpha-gal.

It’s a true allergy, meaning antibodies are involved. Here’s the odd thing, up to 46% of Americans have the alpha-gal antibody yet only a tiny fraction of those are allergic to meat.
The CDC (if you can believe anything they say) reports around 34,000 cases in the U.S. between 2010 and 2018, so almost 4,000 cases per year. Given the population of the U.S., about 320 million, less than 1 in 100,000 will get AGS per year. 

However, healthcare systems don’t have to report AGS to the CDC so the real incidence is undoubtable higher.

It’s spreading throughout the U.S. and many other countries, wherever there are ticks. 

Symptoms

Mild symptoms include hives or an itchy rash, indigestion and diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting. (Frankly, those don’t sound “mild” to me.) Serious reactions can involve breathing, a large drop in blood pressure, and swelling of the lips or tongue. 

A potential life-threatening reaction is anaphylaxis that begins as long as 6–10 hours after exposure to alpha-gal.

Not everyone with AGS will react to every food or substance containing alpha-gal, but the safest meats are said to be chicken and fish. And of course grains, veggies, and fruits.

In allopathic medicine, AGS has no treatment other than strict avoidance.

Cause

It seems the lone star tick is the main, but not the only, transmission vector for AGS. Other ticks are able to transmit it. Ticks are kind of nasty disease spreaders, aren't they? The lone star tick can transmit several rare bacterial and viral infections besides AGS, like tularemia, Bourbon virus disease, and ehrlichiosis. 

After latching onto your leg, a tick may stay embedded for several days. As they want to continue feeding on you as long as possible, they keep injecting saliva into you to prevent coagulation. If the tick’s saliva contains viruses or bacteria, you may get sick.

Unlike Lyme disease, AGS isn’t caused by a microbe, it’s caused by trace amounts of alpha-gal found in the tick’s saliva. Alpha-gal is a known human irritant that induces the allergic reactions characteristic of AGS.

It's seem to wonder if one can get AGS from exposure to all the other foods and products containing alpha-gal, like that cancer drug or vaccines. Turns out, no. The sensitization only occurs when alpha-gal is attached to proteins in the tick's saliva. At least that's the current belief, and it makes sense. Otherwise, it would seem millions and millions would have AGS, but they don't.

Definition

CDC defines AGS as the presence of:

“One or more of the [listed] allergic and/or gastrointestinal symptoms that occur 2–10 hours after ingestion of pork, beef, lamb, any other mammalian meat, or any mammalian-derived product (e.g. gelatin), OR within two hours after intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous administration of alpha-gal-containing vaccination or medication.”

Plainly speaking, if you get sick 2–10 hours after eating meat, or within 2 hours after getting injected, you may have AGS.

Diagnosis

Most practitioners who know about AGS will likely diagnose it from symptoms, especially if the patient lives or was in lone star tick territory, or was known to have suffered a tick bite. I’ve never been bitten by a tick but it seems you will definitely know when you have.

You’d think most people would quickly remove foods from their diet that cause such symptoms, but as you might know it’s not always easy to ID those foods, especially if the reaction is delayed up to 8 hours or so.

Tests for alpha-gal antibodies (IgE) will be run to see if the person has been exposed to alpha-gal, but a positive test doesn’t mean they have AGS. Remember, many, many people will have the antibody but not develop the disease.

The kicker is suspected to be the activation of basophils after a tick bite from a tick with alpha-gal. Activate basophils and you will likely get AGS.

AGS and SET-DB™ 

What to do about AGS if you’re a SET-DB™ practitioner? 

It should be obvious, if the allergy/sensitivity is to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, you need to clear galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t in ZYTO’s library. So I added it to mine. My library has been republished, which pushed the change out to you. The next time you sync your library it will show up in the SET-DB™ Library. (Everything in the SET-DB™ Library can also be found in the Thyroid and Fibromyalgia Libraries.) 

How to clear galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose

Since it isn’t in a BioSurvey, you’ll have to clear it manually. Only Elite owners are able to do this; Select owners will need to wait until galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose is in a BioSurvey.

You should know how to do a manual clearing. In case you don't, open a new Session, search for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, and add it to the Stressor Table. Run the scan and evaluate the resulting dR.

If the patient knows they have AGS, or you highly suspect it, I would clear for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose regardless of the dR. But make note of it so you can report back to me.

Move it down to the Balance Table and Output it to a clearing vial. Perform the clearing.

Let’s get going on this to see if it’s effective. It should be, right? But we won’t know until we start using it. 

Please report back to me with any results, even if the patient still seems sensitive to meat. And report the dR.

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/rapid-spread-red-meat-allergy-alpha-gal-sydrome-vaccines/ (Also see the 2nd two posts in this series.)

See this post for more info from a less-medical point of view. She also has advice for a homeopathic remedy.
​https://deeprootsathome.com/alpha-gal-syndrome-what-is-it-and-a-simple-treatment-for-it/

​After a so-so vacation in Florida in June ("so-so" because of an algae bloom in the Gulf and nearby construction noise) my wife and had a 3-hour layover in San Francisco before flying to Salt Lake City. It’s only about an hour flight, but time in the plane is about two hours due to taxiing and waiting to take off. The plane was a smaller one; only two seats on each side of the aisle. Great for us as we didn’t have to sit by someone we didn’t know. 

Across from us and one row in front sat a man I immediately thought looked ill. (I’m sure you know where I’m going with this.) He kept wiping his brow and looked miserable. I would guess he lifted his mask and coughed down into the open space at his feet about 15 times, maybe more. I told my wife, “That man has COVID.”

I'm pretty sure I was right.

My wife started having symptoms later that week and tested positive the following week, both with tests she brought home from work and at InstaCare. I tested positive about a week after her so it may be she got it from the guy on the plane and I got it from her. No way of knowing for sure.

We were masked, of course. My wife wears cloth masks that snuggly cover her nose while I use disposable masks. I can't breathe well in a mask so I pull mine down off my nose quite often; my wife doesn't at all.

I think it's safe to say we have (further) proved that masks don't protect you from contracting SARS-CoV-2, or likely any other highly contagious infectant. And, you're at the mercy of others, like the man who sat across from us, hoping they'll use proper protocol when coughing or sneezing. He didn't. And to put a finer point on it, he shouldn't have been on the plane in the first place. Everyone has to digitally agree not to board a plane if they have symptoms of COVID-19.

I wasn’t nervous or concerned about me getting real sick, I was more worried about my wife who has had longstanding respiratory issues, including a bout of “walking pneumonia" and frequent bronchitis. However, I had her taking what I would call a preventative dose of an herbal lung formula throughout the pandemic and aside from a few days of mildly difficult breathing, she did better than I did. At least she didn’t have a week of on-and-off low-grade fever like I did. I haven’t had the flu in at least 13-15 years and when I did I felt far worse than I did with COVID-19 (though COVID-19 lasted longer).

When the fever stopped I was left with sinus symptoms: constant mucus dripping down the back of my throat that stimulated a coughing reflex. I spent almost a week of miserable nights hacking away before I remembered an herbal sinus formula stashed in the back of the supplement cabinet. Two squirts in the back of the mouth effectively stopped the mucus production for up to twelve hours; I was finally able to sleep through the night. If I had remembered it earlier I would have saved myself a week of unnecessary coughing and lost sleep.

Our experience with COVID-19 is fairly typical for what we hear people around us say now. Most say it was like a mild cold. Others, mostly ones with comorbidities, aren't so fortunate.

As for the supplements we used, my wife has done very well over the years with Emergen-C and AirBorne, and they seemed to help her quite a bit with her COVID-19 symptoms. Me, not so much. I tried them for a few days before going back to taking 1,000 mg vitamin C tablets throughout the day. Still, I can’t say anything I took really did much for me except the sinus spray called S-Clear™ from Natura. It was remarkably effective at drying up my sinuses without the nasty side effects OTC sprays have, like leaving you addicted to them.

Everyone is different, of course.

Some might say I should have taken my wife to the ER when she had restricted breathing. I thought of it at the time and was ready to go if it looked like her breathing was getting worse. As I wrote, it was very mild and did not get worse. Also, when we went to InstaCare early on, she wrote on her intake form about the restricted breathing and not only did the doctor who saw us not exam her, he didn’t even ask her about it.

We have not had any COVID-19 vaccine. We thought we got the virus in March, 2020, (but now think we got something else) and so think we didn't need one. I suppose it’s possible we contracted it a second time, but I seriously doubt it. That doesn't happen as often as the media would like us to think it does. My wife has reacted poorly to several medications so it’s unlikely she’ll ever get one of the shots. 

As for me, now that I’ve had the virus I feel I’m better protected from it than I would be if I had been only vaccinated. The CDC might disagree, but there’s more evidence I’m right than there is backing up the CDC’s claim that people who have had the virus should get the shots anyway.

Which brings me to the topic of my next post:

Is natural immunity from having contracted SARS-CoV-2 and survived better, the same, or worse than the immunity granted by the various COVID-19 vaccinations in use?

I’ve run into some good information I’d like to share.

Animals that don’t want to be eaten can run away, or fight back if they’re able, when threatened. Plants on the other hand are rooted to the ground and so must have other strategies if they wish to avoid being something’s lunch or dinner.

Let’s look at potato, as an example.

Potatoes are tubers that grow underground, where they’re fairly safe from animal predators. Well, at least the tuber part is. The potato leaves and vines grow above ground and are easy pickings for predators of all types.

To discourage creatures from eating the plant, the potato produces its own pesticides. One is a glycoalkaloid called solanine. (Solanine is also found in abundance in eggplant.) Solanine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, meaning it inhibits the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

So what, you say? Acetylcholine is released at neuromuscular junctions to activate motor neurons, which stimulate skeletal muscles to contract. If you have too much acetylcholine around the synapses of motor neurons, perhaps because you’ve got too much solanine in your body, you’ll likely feel stiff when you wake up in the morning or sit for extended periods of time because of prolonged muscle contractions.

If you’re a small animal or a bug, assuming you survived, you’d likely feel bad enough that you would look elsewhere for a meal next time. Which is the potato’s wish.

If the exposure is sufficient, solanine is poisonous. Symptoms of solanine poisoning are primarily gastrointestinal and neurological in nature: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, burning of the throat, cardiac dysrhythmia, headache, and dizziness. More severe cases may include hallucinations, loss of sensation, paralysis, fever, jaundice, dilated pupils, and hypothermia.

When the tuber is exposed to sunlight, it thinks it’s exposed to predators so it goes into overdrive producing solanine in and close to the skin. Any animal that eats the tuber and gets sick will pass on the tuber next time. Potatoes used to be kept in sacks to keep them away from light. Now they’re stored in mostly clear plastic bags and may be exposed to a lot of light. If a potato looks green or has begun to sprout, toss it out.

Animal studies show solanine causes cell membrane disruption in the digestive tract. This exacerbates irritable bowel disorders in mice and destroys GI tissue in hamsters. In humans it’s been shown to affect gene expression of the intestinal cell lining and inhibit proteolytic enzyme activity (decreases protein digestion). 

These effects are likely dose-dependent. They may also, in my opinion, be dependent on whether one is “sensitive” to potato or solanine or not. A toxic substance is a toxic substance, but negative effects from being exposed to it may be more prominent in sensitive individuals.

Tomatoes

Solanine is also found in tomatoes, as is the glycoalkaloid tomatine, also a “natural” pesticide produced by the tomato plant to discourage animals from eating it. Like potato, tomatine is found in more abundance in the stems and leaves, and in the fruit when it’s still green. Levels of tomatine are very high in green tomatoes but drop dramatically when the fruit ripens. Artificially-ripened tomatoes (sprayed with ethylene gas) likely have higher levels than vine-ripened. 

Tomato glycoalkaloids are about twenty times less toxic than in potato. (Still not a good idea to eat green tomatoes [not to be confused with tomatillos].) As with potato plants, humans shouldn’t eat tomato leaves or stems. They can also be toxic to dogs.

Calcitriol

All nightshades contain calcitriol, the most active form of vitamin D (do not confuse it with D3). Calcitriol may be the most powerful hormone in the body and is responsible for telling the intestines to absorb more calcium. This is necessary when more calcium is needed, but harmful when it isn’t but occurs because someone is eating foods that contain calcitriol. Or possibly have a kidney problem as the kidney regulates the amount of D3 that gets converted into calcitriol.

The body doesn’t like having extra calcium in the blood because it can affect the heart, among other things, so it wants it out of the blood ASAP. The easiest and quickest way to get it out of the blood is to deposit it in soft tissue. If it occurs in the joints it results in osteoarthritis. If it occurs in the walls of the arteries it results in coronary artery disease. 

Nicotine in nightshades

All nightshades contain some nicotine, but there is very little in the nightshades we eat. About 2–7 micrograms per kg of food. Some say it has no consequence, others say it does and may explain why some people claim to be addicted to nightshade foods. It is obviously quite high in the tobacco plant.

Nightshades we eat

There are many members of the nightshade family, but only a few we eat:

• Bell peppers (i.e.; sweet peppers)
• Tomato
• Eggplant
• Goji berries
• Hot peppers (chilis like jalapeños, habaneros, etc.)
• Pimentos
• Tomatillos
• Potatoes (but not sweet potatoes)

Abhwagandha is also a nightshade, but most people don’t eat it. They might take it in supplement form, though.

Common symptoms related to nightshades

• Joint pain, including popping and grinding sounds in the joints
• Inflammation
• Fatigue
• Migraines
• Skin flares
• Digestive distress
• Flares to any preexisting condition

Remember, it can take up to 72 hours for symptoms to appear.

My Experience

I’ve been concerned about my knees for about five years now. I sprained the right knee pretty bad twice, once in the mid-80s playing basketball (which I did return to) and once in 1999 jumping over a chainlink fence (which I will never do again, unless it’s necessary to save my life, or the life of a loved one). Surgery wasn’t needed either time.

I never hurt my left knee (that I can recall), yet it’s now makes snap-crackle-pop noises when I go up a flight of stairs (but not down).
​
Both knees can get infrequent, sudden, sharp pain that almost causes them to buckle. Typically caused by going up stairs or some activity where the knee is bent, such as stooping to pick a weed out of the lawn. Other than that, there isn’t much pain, but I feel they’re getting worse.

I’ve also developed progressive inflammation in the metacarpal-phalangeal joint of my right thumb and a bit in the distal joint of my left index finger. And, I got gout in my left big toe last year. I only had one gout flare-up after the initial occurrence that I handled by keeping the joint slathered with aloe vera gel. But, the toe seems to be heading toward being arthritic now. When I realized the thumb was getting worse, and I considered the downside of having an arthritic toe, how it would affect my mobility, I decided I had to find a fix.

I’ve tried different things the past few years, including clearing myself for cartilage and other specific parts of the knee, which I don’t believe did anything. I started taking an herbal formula for the joints last November and feel it’s led my thumb to feel about 75% better. Capsaicin creams did nothing and it’s too early to judge whether the glucosamine/chondroitin supplements I started in January will help. I don’t think these things have helped the toe or knees.

I came upon an article on the Weston Price site that got me thinking about nightshades. I love spicy food and have been ramping up my tolerance. I roast Serrano peppers over our gas range and can eat four or five a meal, plus the habanero pepper sauce I make. I love the heat, but had likely been giving myself an increasingly greater dosage of nightshades.

After reading the article and pondering, I went (almost) completely off nightshades for two weeks. Then I created and ran the Nightshades BioSurvey on myself and did the clearing. (I found it interesting [but not all that important] that capsaicin had the highest dR, considering how many peppers I was eating.) That was a little over a week ago. It seems things have improved. My knees feel less inflamed (the left one still crackles and pops) and even the gouty toe feels a little better. But, it’s still early. Time will tell.

Recommendations

Are nightshades a problem or not? The likely answer is, it depends. Some people can eat them without apparent detriment to the their health while others seem to suffer greatly and do so until they stop eating nightshades (or have them cleared?). 

There doesn’t seem to be much research on nightshades causing health problems, but there are tons of anecdotal stories. Many thousands, actually. Is someone making all those stories up? Unlikely.

I think it’s worth looking into nightshades as a possible cause chronic problems or as something that aggravates a condition. 

What I’m curious about is, will clearing nightshades be enough, meaning will the clearing allow someone debilitated by nightshades to not only get better but also eat them safely? A toxin is a toxin is a toxin. But, we eat small amounts of toxins all the time without suffering debilitating health (unless we’re sensitive to the toxin?) Lastly, the possibility exists that intolerance to nightshades may depend on one’s epigenetics, or how nightshades interact with one’s genes.

The first thing that needs to be done is, SET-DB™ practitioners need to start using the Nightshades BioSurvey and start clearing nightshades sensitivities. We can then go from there.

Avoidance

For those who wish to go the avoidance route to see if nightshades are bothering them, try the following:

• Remove all nightshades from your diet for six-to-eight weeks. 
• See how you feel. If you notice a big difference you likely have your answer.
• If the difference is less noticeable, have a “nightshade party day.” Eat as much nightshades as you can all day, some with each meal. 
• See how you feel the next few days. If you feel noticeably worse, you likely have your answer.

​The Nightshade BioSurvey has been in your software since last week. Start using it and report back any experiences. Together we can figure this out.

Nightshades Collection

• Calcitriol
• Capsaicin
• Cayenne Pepper
• Chaconine
• Chili Pepper
• Dehydrotomatine
• Goji Berries
• Habaneros
• NT - Pepper, Banana (NT samples are NAET samples)
• NT - Pepper, Bell
• NT - Pepper, Green & Red
• NT - Pepper, Jalapeno
• NT - Red Pepper
• Nicotine
• Paprika
• Pepper - Green Red Orange & Yellow Potato
• Red Potato
• Solamargine
• Solasonine
• Tomatillos
• Tomatine
• Tomato
• White Potato

Other links:
www.thepaleomom.com/what-are-nightshades/
healthproadvice.com/pain/Is-There-a-Connection-Between-Nightshade-Vegetables-and-Joint-Pain
www.noarthritis.com

Here's another excerpt from the new Education Modules.​ It begins the discussion of what are called signaling molecules. They are very important to the immune system, and to people who suffer from allergies and sensitivities.

When immune cells are excited by antigens, they release signaling molecules that do things important to immune function. Unfortunately, they also cause local target organ dysfunction and systemic symptoms. In modern parlance we might think of this as “collateral damage.”  Each SM produces its own signature of symptoms. We’ll discuss the symptoms as well as why immune cells release them.

Histamine is a big one and responsible for two main effects in an inflammatory response: dilating blood vessels and making them more permeable to allow more fluid to pass from the bloodstream into the tissues. This allows for reinforcements to arrive but also results in localized swelling, edema, and redness. Recall that I said symptoms related to allergy and sensitivity responses are caused by chemicals released by cells of the immune system, not by the allergen itself.

Systemic histamine release causes the following symptoms:

Headache. A pulsating, whole-head pain, often with a sense of great pressure or a feeling of bursting within the head

Fast pulse, low blood pressure, irregular heart beat

Itching or burning followed by flushing and an unpleasant heat

Increased stomach acid release with crampy abdominal pain

An asthma attack may be provoked

Anxiety and agitation with a diffuse, odd body sensation sometimes colorfully described as “my bones are on fire”, “I feel weird all over”, “a deep pricking, crawling sensation.”

I heard descriptions like these often in practice. Especially the “I feel weird all over” and “a deep pricking, crawling sensation” when there was nothing visibly wrong with the skin.

Heparin is an anti-clotting SM that inhibits thrombin, which aids in blood coagulation. This allows more blood to flow to the inflamed site. It’s typically released with histamine and is made inside mast cells. When heparin is released, it causes the formation of bradykinin, which we’ll discuss in a minute. 

Serotonin plays a role in sensitivity responses, especially with foods. It makes the gut contract, moving food through the intestines. When irritants are present, more serotonin is produced to make the gut move faster, to get rid of the irritants quicker. We call this diarrhea. If too much serotonin is released into the bloodstream, it will stimulate vomiting. Most people think of serotonin only as a neurotransmitter that affects mood, but I bet you didn’t know that 95% of serotonin is produced and found in the GI tract.

Leukotrienes are found in cell membranes and play a key role in asthma in three ways: they cause inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and mucus production. They also contribute to skin inflammation in psoriasis, inflammatory bowel diseases, and the inflammation in nasal passages that occurs in allergic rhinitis.

Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that regulate cell function throughout the body. There are a number of them, some with positive effects, some with negative. Symptoms they produce include flushing, pain, shortness of breath, fast heart rate, constricted or dilated blood vessels, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.

Bradykinin is released when mast cells and basophils split open, and, as we learned is stimulated by heparin release. It causes pain by stimulating nerve endings and causes the blood pressure to drop by dilating peripheral arteries. Bradykinin can cause angioedema, which, if it occurs in the tongue or larynx can cause death by asphyxiation.

* Some of this information came from "Food Allergy," a PDF ebook by Stephen J. Gislason MD. It's a highly recommended reading, though Dr. Gislason doesn't think much of sensitivity elimination therapies. The site instead advices a dietary clean-up and sells products to support that. (The website appears to need some modernizing.)

Here is an excerpt from Module 1 of the new Education Modules. One can purchase Modules 1–3 for general education about the immune system, food allergies and sensitivities, and inhalant allergies and sensitivities. The complete set includes two Modules that show one how to implement SET-DB™ and so are for SET-DB™ practitioners only. One can become a Certified SET-DB™ Practitioner by scoring 70+ on each of the Module quizzes. (The quizzes are not mandatory; one can go through the Modules for education purposes only.)

The immune system doesn’t have one central regulating organ like the heart for the circulatory system and the lungs for the respiratory system. Instead, the immune system is dispersed throughout the body. Its functional units are immune cells and their supporting tissues. Its primary function is to recognize invaders and other cells and substances that aren’t “self” and get rid of them. Once a potential enemy has been identified, a complex immune response kicks in to neutralize it and prepare it to be removed from the body.

Let’s review the immune system’s components.

The lymphatic system is the body’s filtration system. It helps sample incoming substances, filter out waste products from cells, regulate fluid homeostasis, and prime the immune system for action when a threat is located. Central to the system is the transportation of lymph, a clear fluid that stores and transports white blood cells, proteins, salts, glucose, bacteria, and certain waste products.

 Lymphatic vessels  perform a little like blood vessels, carrying lymph to virtually all areas of the body, other than bone marrow. Unlike blood vessels, however, a series of valves force lymph to travel in just one direction, always toward the neck where it re-enters the venous circulatory system. New lymph is formed when specialized lymphatic capillaries allow soluble materials and cells to work their way back into lymphatic vessels.

The lymph fluid, along with lymphatic vessels and nodes, comprise one-sixth of the weight of the body. The major lymphatic vessels generally run parallel to blood vessels.

Lymphatic vessels are connected to lymph organs, which we’ll talk about. Lymph is filtered and lymphocytes are created in these organs.

Lymph nodes dot lymph vessels throughout the body, but namely in the armpits, groin, throat, at the base of the lungs, and in the abdomen. They filter lymph and act as traps for pathogens, preventing them from entering the bloodstream and allowing mature lymphocytes, primarily macrophages, to attack. They also contain antibody-producing cells called B-lymphocytes, or B-cells. 


Tonsils and adenoids, at the back of the throat, act as barriers to infectious organisms we inhale or ingest.

Thymus gland, the master gland of immunity, is the principle activator of the immune system. It’s composed of two gray lobes located at the base of the neck under the sternum, at about the 2nd rib. Its primary function is the maturation of T-lymphocytes, which can directly attack antigens without producing antibodies. As these lymphocytes get older, they’re sent into the lymphatic vessels to hunt down and attack infected or cancerous cells. 

The thymus also releases hormones that regulate the immune system. These include thymosin, thymopoietin, and serum thymic factor. Lastly, it initiates the differentiation of white blood cells into different types, as needed.

The spleen, weighing in at seven ounces, is the largest lymphoid organ. It lies in the upper left abdomen, behind the lower ribs. It’s functions include producing white blood cells that can engulf and destroy bacteria and cellular debris; destroying worn-out blood cells and platelets; and acting as a blood reservoir. Like the thymus, the spleen releases many potent substances that enhance immune function.

The small intestines are only nine feet long, but the absorptive surface is 600 times longer because the inner lining is highly folded. Peyer’s patches, in the lining of the small intestines, contain both T- and B-cell lymphocytes. It’s one of the largest and most important interfaces between you and your environment. We’ll be discussing it at length in the food allergy module.

Bone marrow is the production site for two types of white blood cells: antibody-secreting B-cells and foreign cell-devouring neutrophils.

Skin is considered part of the immune system because it’s a barrier against potential invaders.

The mucus membrane contains immune cells that produce chemicals, like histamine, during an allergy reaction and secrete mucous that engulfs microorganisms and moves them along for elimination.

The appendix has long been thought to be vestigial, that humans evolved in a manner that made it obsolete. However, recently it’s been proposed that the appendix serves as a haven to useful bacteria when illness flushes the bacteria from the rest of the intestines. A “safe house” or “back-up” system, so to speak that serves to repopulate the gut flora when needed.

And finally, the liver. During an immune response, it’s stimulated to release large numbers of protein molecules known as acute phase proteins. They exert an important influence on tissue repair, immune cell functions, and the inflammatory process. It’s also involved in ongoing detoxification, which takes a load off the immune system by breaking down immune complexes, which you’ll learn about soon.

SET-DB™ “Side Effects”

If you’re short on time, here’s the Crib Notes version: there are no side effects from a SET-DB™ clearing.

There may be soreness resulting from the New-Stim stimulation, but that’s not a “side effect” of the SET-DB™ procedure. It’s a potential, but extremely unlikely, outcome of a small physical force being applied to a sensitive area. Infants aren't fond of it and some elderly might end up with a dull headache for a few hours.

I’ve had a number of practitioners contact me over the years to say one of their patients or clients had an “adverse reaction” to a SET-DB™ clearing. After a little digging, it’s never shown to be true. Just because someone has symptoms after a SET-DB™ session doesn’t mean the two are related to it. It's a case of association not being related to causation.

I never had one negative reaction to a SET-DB™ session and I did thousands of them.

Let’s get into it. (Some of this is a repeat of what I’ve written before in posts and in the manuals. Also, this is essentially an exercise in theory, not fact. I’m stating my opinion based on my experience and research.)

I got started in sensitivity elimination treatment when a patient asked me to learn NAET. I investigated NAET before I went to a seminar by calling several NAET practitioners to learn what they liked and didn’t like about the protocol.

I recall speaking with one practitioner whose practice was largely NAET. He liked that it worked, usually, but disliked that so many treatments had to be repeated. Some had to be repeated soon, some months or years later, and some several times. I never liked this as I think it reflects poorly on the protocol. 

I was worried the 25-hour avoidance period would interfere with the lives of busy people, which most people these days are. He said that it did but there was nothing you could do about it. He also told me people occasionally fainted in his reception area while holding the treatment vial, some even falling out of their chair. I didn’t care too much for the sound of this, either.

I also looked into Ellen Cutler’s BioSET and attended several of her seminars. She was a big NAET practitioner until she wanted to add enzyme therapy to the protocol. Nambudripad has you sign an agreement that says if you don’t practice NAET as she teaches it, you can’t say you do NAET. So Cutler had to make changes to the treatment stimulation so that it wasn’t the same as NAET. It is essentially the same thing, though, and so doesn’t need its own discussion.

I also looked into Dr. Lawrence Newsome’s Bio-Kinetics protocol. Dr. Newsome taught that all manner of allergies could be eliminated in one treatment session. When I did the treatment as he instructed, it didn’t work. When I used his treatment stimulation to clear individual or groups of like items, it worked.

I started with a 24-hour avoidance period but eventually it became clear 24 hours was excessive. I knew this because I had patients who left my office and ate something I had just cleared them for minutes later and yet their clearings held. 

It seems obvious to me there are major differences in how NAET and SET-DB™ clear sensitivities. And as the adage goes, the devil is often found hiding in the details. 

What would cause people to faint after an NAET clearing and why would a clearing need to be repeated (meaning it failed)? To understand this we need to look into the way the protocol works, or put another way, what happens after an NAET clearing. 

According to Dr. Nambudripad in her first book, her procedure frees a blockage in one of 12 acupuncture meridians caused by an allergy (her words). She further writes (I’m paraphrasing) that it takes 24 hours for the blockage to completely clear because “the energy” of the clearing has to pass through all 12 meridians. Each meridian is active for 2 hours every 24-hour period, thus her 25-hour avoidance period (I guess an extra hour to be sure?)

The treatment itself is done by using an Activator Adjusting Instrument (or its equivalent) on specific points adjacent to the spine. Cutler’s treatment is done the same way, or is sometimes done via acupressure. If you’re familiar with anatomy you know peripheral afferent nerves pass through relay stations as they enter and go up the spinal cord to the brainstem (and eventually to the thalamus).

Let’s assume this statement is true: NAET can change how a person’s body reacts to a substance by removing a blockage to the substance in a meridian or meridians and the “news” of the cleared blockage travels through all 12 meridians over a 24-hour period.

In contrast, Dr. Newsome’s stimulation (used in SET-DB™) goes directly into the brainstem, then to the thalamus. The thalamus receives information from all senses, except smell, and routes it to the appropriate area of the cortex. Some call it the master “switching station.” The clearing stimulation therefore does not rely on movement through acupuncture meridians.

SET-DB™ effects a clearing when it disassociates a substance or substances with a negative association in the central nervous system of the individual receiving the clearing. To put it more simply, if one’s brain has come to think avocados are bad for them, a SET-DB™ clearing will remove that negative association, meaning it will no longer think avocados are bad. The effect of the clearing is immediate in most individuals*. No one faints after a SET-DB™ clearing and SET-DB™ clearings rarely have to be repeated**.

One (NAET) relies on energy moving through 12 meridians over a 24-hour period, causes stress to some patients (fainting), and some clearings have to be repeated. The other (SET-DB™) relies on an impulse that goes directly into the brainstem, then to the thalamus, does not stress patients, and almost no clearings need to be repeated.

It’s my opinion the manner in now SET-DB™ clears sensitivities is “cleaner” and more powerful than the manner in which NAET clears sensitivities. If it wasn’t it would suffer the same shortcomings as NAET: undue patient stress after a clearing and the need for multiple clearing sessions in some cases.

By “cleaner” I mean the stimulation that leads to a clearing does not have to pass through multiple nerve relays, with the attending possibility that the impulse may be altered/weakened, and does not rely on the movement of chi through meridians.

This reminds me of when I was taught how to do auriculotherapy, which is like ear acupuncture except with micro current stimulation instead of needling. We were told the practitioner can do no harm to a patient with auriculotherapy. It’s the same with SET-DB™: you can’t harm a patient.

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​I hope my explanation has been clear and convincing enough that everyone can move forward with confidence and help more people enjoy better health. If not, please email me your questions and I’ll try my best to answer them.


*Recall the patients who ate substances I’d just cleared them for within minutes of the clearing, yet the clearing still held.

**Recall me writing in the SET-DB™ Practitioners Manual that I had 2 patients who had to have many items cleared 2 or more times. One had severe chemical sensitivities when she started treatment at my office and the other had multiple sclerosis. None of the other 100s of patients had to have things cleared more than once, except for the rare patient whom I saw many years after they completed their treatment program.