Amy Denman, CTN, with Dr. Devi Nambudripad, Developer of NAET
The protocol that our office follows is the prescribed NAET protocol of treating the “15 basics” first and then treating other allergies. The basics consist of some of the most commonly eaten foods and the most important nutrients associated with them.
The reason these are treated first is that all of these nutrients are important to a properly functioning immune system. In NAET theory, if one is allergic to a nutrient or a food that contains it, then one’s body is not able to properly absorb and utilize that nutrient. As a result, even with adequate intake one could end up deficient in that nutrient. And a deficiency in any necessary nutrient can have serious health consequences, including a malfunctioning immune system. So it is important to treat the basics first so the immune system will be strong enough to fully clear other allergens.
It should be noted that a patient is not necessarily treated for all of these. Only the ones that are found to be an allergen are treated. In some cases, people to be treated for all of them.
Now preceding the basics might be a treatment for “Brain Body Balance Formula” (BBF). This is an item that Dr. Nambudripad came out with in 2001. It prepares the body for the other treatments to come. Moreover, BBF can often be added to other treatments to help them more completely clear.
Treatment Method
What follows is a description of actual treatment method that our Naturopath utilizes when she performs the NAET treatments on her clients.
Before testing for anything, our Naturopath has you lie down on a treatment table and first checks for “overcharged meridians.” If a personal is unable to lie flat, sitting up is appropriate. (Note: a meridian is an energy pathway in the body). The meridians can get overcharged, due to emotional stress, if one is doing too many treatments a week, or for other reasons. Then to be sure, she does a slightly different test for “under-charged meridians.”
Over-charged meridians mean it is not okay to treat at that time but an under-charged meridian means that it is okay to treat. It is frustrating to drive all the way to a practitioner’s office and not be able to do a treatment, but it is better to not do a treatment when the body is not ready for one, then to try and have the treatment fail anyways.
Then she will check to see that all the “meridians” are appropriately balanced. She will do this by appropriately touching various points of the body corresponding to different vital organs while testing the strength of the client’s outstretched arm (professionally called the “Indicator Muscle”). If any vital organs are weak she will charge up that area and test it again until it tests “strong.”
She then will test the client with a vial to see if they are allergic to the item(s) it contains. (Note: a “vial” is what a NAET practitioner uses when treating for an allergy. Basically it looks like a small test tube. Contained in it is a small sample of the items to be treated for.)
When she finds a vial that the client is allergic to and that needs to be treated that day, she will ask “the client”, “Does any other item or element need to be added to this item?” For instance, some clients will require adding the BBF vial to the treatment. When treating for vitamin A, she may also add the fish and shellfish mixes. So the client will be able to clear all of these items at once rather than each being a separate treatment.
Once our Naturopath has the full number of items to treat, she will then check the three “levels.” This is done by holding in order each of the first three fingers against the thumb. Each of the fingers represents a different level. Dr. Devi Nambudripad explains what these are, “Allergens can block a meridian at three levels: Structural, (a.k.a. physical) Nutritional (a.k.a. chemical, biochemical, or physiological) and Emotional (a.k.a. psychological, mental, or spiritual)” (Say Goodbye to Illness, pp. 141, 142).
It is important to know what levels the allergen is blocking as it makes a difference when it comes time to treat the gates (Note: “Gates” are trigger points on the hands, arms, legs and feet). There is an extra “gate” point to treat if the allergy includes the emotional realm.
Once the level(s) of the allergen were determined it would be time to stimulate the spinal points. For this the client will turn over in a prone position. If clients are unable to lie down, they can sit up, and our Naturopath will stand behind them to begin the NAET treatment. To stimulate the 36 nerve bundles or spinal points, she uses a device called an “activator.” Basically it is a small hand-held device that when she presses it the middle part pops out. This is used to perform acupressure along the spinal points. But it is also possible for the practitioner to use an electric instrument or her thumbs, depending on each client.
The spinal points for the first three passes are the bony projections on either side of the spinal column, located just outside of the “indent” along the middle of the back. For the final pass, the spinal projections a little further out are stimulated.
For the first pass, she will tell you to breathe in deeply and then hold your breath. She then stimulates the spinal points along one side of the spine. Then she will tell you to breathe normally for a couple of seconds, then to hold your breathe again while she will stimulate the points along the other side.
For the second pass, she will have you breathe in deeply then exhale all of your air, then hold the air out while she stimulates the spinal points. For the third pass she will have you pant. Then for the final pass she would have you breathe normally.
So the pattern will be: first with oxygen, second without oxygen, third while panting, fourth while breathing normally. This breathing pattern helps the allergens to fully clear.
Then she will stimulate the “gate” points on the arms and hands. She will perform this by using a small acupressure device. The first gate is located in the “webbing” between the right thumb and index finger. The second point is the “emotional gate” and is only stimulated if the testing shows there is an emotional level to the allergen(s) being treated. It is located on the outside of the right wrist.
The third point is located on a point outside of the elbow. The fourth, fifth and sixth points are the same points on the left arm. The seventh point is located to the inside of the left shin. The eighth point is located in the “webbing” between the big toe and the next toe. The ninth and tenth points are the same points on the right leg. Then the first point on the right hand is stimulated a second time.
These are the only “gate” points that will be stimulated during the NAET treatment.
After treating the back points and gates, our Naturopath will then retest to be sure the client is now testing strong and thus clear of the allergen. She will also ask, “Is there 100% clearance of this combination?” And she will retest each of the organs and levels as described above. If anyone of these did not test strong then will retreat as needed.
Then the client will hold the vials they are being treated for, for the 15-20 minutes. This is done in a private treatment room and you are left alone. A timer is set and once the time is up, a staff member/Naturopathic assistant will come and recheck everything again. Then you will hand her the vial(s) treated with and rub your hands together for about 30 seconds. This “disperses” the energy built up during the treatment. If you feel you need to wash your hands you may do so but with water only. The avoidance period then begins at this point.
At you next appointment our Naturopath will do all of the testing again to be sure everything has cleared completely. And if she used more than one vial, she will test each individually as well as in combination with the others.
Importance of this Protocol
The above all sounds rather strange and complicated to people who are unfamiliar with NAET, but it is necessary to be this thorough to be sure that an allergen has cleared all in all respects. If just one of the organs or levels is not completely cleared then you could still react when eating or coming in contact with an allergen. It is also possible for someone to “lose” a treatment if things are not done correctly in the first place.
Allergies: Causes & Benefits of NAET
By Amy C. Denman, CTN
Kinesiology, is commonly referred to as muscle- testing and is an unconventional but frequently effective way to identify unknown allergies.
What are Allergies?
When the body's immune system “mistakes” a common substance such as pollen or cat dander as a “foreigner,” it can overreact and mount an often violent response to expel the “threatening invader,” or allergen. An allergic reaction occurs when a specific antibody, IgE, links the allergen to a specialized white blood cell called a mast cell. When this happens, histamine is released into circulation, resulting in the commonly recognized symptoms of allergies: sneezing, a runny nose, itchy and watery eyes. Allergic reactions can also manifest as an asthma attack, violent abdominal cramping or an immediate, severe skin reaction (hives). The most severe type of allergic reaction, anaphylaxis, can result in loss of consciousness and even death.
Another more insidious type of allergic reaction occurs when the body's immune system “sees” its own tissues as foreign, attacking and destroying itself. This is an autoimmune reaction, and this condition can lead to the destruction of the body's own organs and joints. Examples of autoimmune diseases are Hashimoto's disease (thyroiditis), rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Allergies are now the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in America, 1 costing U.S. companies more than $250 million every year due to increased absenteeism and reduced on the job productivity. Incidences of allergies, (a hypersensitivity to a specific substance or condition) that in similar amounts are harmless to most people, are on the rise. 2 Eliminating the causes and discovering new treatments is the key to bringing this epidemic under control.
Why Are Allergies Increasing & The Little-Known Causes
Researchers have identified many substances that can induce the production of IgE antibodies. The preservatives found in vaccinations are one little-known cause. Mercury, 3 aluminum 4 and gelatin 5 have all been reported in medical literature to increase IgE concentrations, playing a potential role in the onset of allergies. Children are initially exposed to these substances beginning with the routine vaccinations that take place at the age of two months. Because a newborn's immune system is not fully developed, infancy is a high-risk period for allergic sensitization. 6 Events that occur early in life, such as vaccination, have the potential for inducing allergies and asthma later in life. Vaccinations shouldn't hurt a child but often they do. Before your child takes the risk, find out what it is:
All states allow a medical exemption and some states allow philosophical and/or religious exemptions. Here you can find the current laws for your state.
In the muscle- testing process, a vial containing a suspected or known allergen is held in one hand while the practitioner applies gentle pressure to the opposite arm determining if there is a strength or weakness of the muscle. If the muscle tests weak, sensitivity to that substance has been accurately identified.
Exposure to antibiotics has also been linked to allergies. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Allergy 7 documents that children given antibiotics during the first year of life are more than four times more likely to develop asthma than children who have never taken antibiotics. When the statistics are adjusted for factors such as gender, ethnicity, family size, family history of asthma and parents' smoking habits, the risk of developing asthma is six times greater in those who have received antibiotics early in life than in children who have never taken them.
Common Health Problems: Think Allergies
Allergies are often the underlying cause of a variety of seemingly unrelated health problems. Most people do not realize that symptoms such as body aches, chronic fatigue, indigestion, headaches, gas, constipation, ear infections, irritability, hyperactivity and learning disabilitiescan all be symptoms of overlooked food and environmental allergies. My studies have revealed the following facts:
Chronic ear infections can often be caused by food allergies, according to the results of a study involving 104 children with chronic ear infections. Seventy-eight percent showed allergic reactions to certain foods. Once the offending foods were eliminated from their diets, 86% showed a significant lessening of symptoms. The most common allergenic foods were cow's milk (38%), wheat (33%), egg white (25%), peanut (20%) and soy (17%). 8
An Italian study involving 204 babies found that approximately 45% had stomach discomfort caused by cow's milk. 9 Constipation in adulthood can also be caused by drinking cow’s milk.
Children with inflammatory bowel disease are symptom-free for prolonged periods of time when grains, dairy products and yeast are eliminated from the diet. 10
In the Journal of Pediatrics Professor John Egger reported that epileptics who also have headaches, stomach aches or ADHD, (all symptoms of food sensitivities and allergies) may have seizures triggered by food additives. 11
In addition, parents often don't realize that hyperactivity, distractibility and aggressive behavior associated with ADD and ADHD can be triggered by food intolerances. These concepts are nothing new and have been around for many years and have been fully discussed in books by two medical physicians and researchers, Dr. Doris Rapp, author of Is This Your Child and Dr. Ben Feingold, author of Why Your Child is Hyperactive. Dr. Rapp documented in her book that 67% of children diagnosed with ADHD were actually reacting to unrecognized food and environmental allergies.
There are several techniques incorporating the use of kinesiology in order to eliminate and relieve symptoms of allergies. The most widely known method is called NAET; Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique which is used by Amy C. Denman, CTN.
Conventional Allergy Testing
Methods for diagnosing allergies include scratch-testing, patch-testing and RAST-testing. The scratch, or pinprick, test is the most commonly used. This method involves placing a small amount of an allergen on the skin of the forearm or the back and then scratching or “pricking” it. Signs of a reaction are noted, such as swelling, itching or redness. Several suspected allergens can be tested simultaneously and results are usually obtained within about 20 minutes.
Intradermal allergy testing, called patch-testing, is another method of determining a sensitivity involving the skin. A small amount of an allergen is injected beneath the surface of the skin. A positive reaction looks like a small hive with swelling, redness and itching. Intradermal testing provides more consistent results.
A RAST test ( radio allergo sorbent test) is a blood test to determine the amount IgE antibody available to react with a specific allergen. The more IgE present, the stronger the allergic response is to the allergen. A similar type of blood test is called the ALCAT test ( antigen leukocyte cellular antibody test). The ALCAT test involves exposing blood serum to a variety of allergy extracts followed by a computer analysis. Specific types of changes suggest the presence of an allergy.
Conventional Treatment of Allergies
Once identified, allergies are generally treated with medications such as antihistamines, decongestants and corticosteroids. Unfortunately, most of these medications have unpleasant side effects, and as unusual as it may seem, some patients can even be allergic to the medication they are taking to treat the allergy!
Antihistamines are given to relieve the commonly recognized symptoms of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and other environmental allergies. Decongestants are used to reduce nasal congestion by shrinking blood vessels in the nasal passages. Both substances can cause side effects such as dry mouth and drowsiness. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation and mucus production in the lungs but risk potentially serious side effects that range from stunted growth in children to menstrual irregularities and osteoporosis in adults.
The potential for side effects from drugs can be far worse than generally stated by physicians. One example, Serevent, is an inhaled drug commonly prescribed to treat asthma. Vioxx whistle-blower Dr. David Graham, in a testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on November 18, 2004, revealed that “there is a statistically significant increase in serious asthma complications in Serevent-treated patients.” Graham, the Office of Drug Safety Associate Director for Science at the FDA, went on to say that Serevent has an unfortunate property: it can increase the risk of an asthmatic dying from their asthma. 12 Serevent is on the list of drugs currently undergoing intense scrutiny by the FDA. Naturopathic or Alternative Treatments for Allergies
When patients find that their prescription drugs are either not helpful or have risky side effects, they often seek relief through alternative medicine. Many non-pharmaceutical methods are available that have a good track record for being gentle and quite effective. The first step in a drug-free regime includes a diet that eliminates the offending foods coupled with a variety of supplements such as vitamins, herbal combinations and homeopathic remedies.
Individual herbs reported to be effective for eliminating allergy symptoms include bitter orange, stinging nettles and country mallow. These compounds are frequently combined in allergy preparations and are available at Alternative Chiropractic: A Creating Wellness Center.
An allergy to peanuts is becoming very common, and unfortunately can be quite severe. Much research is being done to find protection for those suffering from this allergy and good news is on its way. Mount Sinai and Johns Hopkins University researchers are investigating the effects of a Chinese herbal formula called FAHF-1 on peanut anaphylactic (the most severe) reactions. Researchers have concluded that FAHF-1 protected mice from anaphylactic reactions and significantly reversed the symptoms of IgE-mediated peanut allergy. 13
Food allergies are often associated with a disruption of the protective mucosal lining in the intestinal tract. Two common bacteria found in a healthy gut are Lactobacillus and Acidophilus. These living organisms are destroyed through the use of antibiotics, steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs. Replacing these two bacteria is instrumental in healing the mucosal lining and reducing allergies. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, supplementing good bacteria may be beneficial for gut maturation and may protect an infant from developing eczema. 14 One product, Lactozyme, has been scientifically proven to replenish the “friendly” bacteria commonly referred to as “the flora.” Lactozyme can be helpful for children with milk allergies and adults suffering from chronic yeast infections. These statements have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. This product is not claimed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Homeopathic formulas containing diluted plant and animal extracts have also been used to help with allergy elimination. Frequently our Naturopath will create custom remedies for the clients that are under her care.
Homeopathic formulas containing diluted plant and animal extracts have also been used to help with allergies. Homeopathy works by a principle referred to as “like cures like.” For example, a substance that produces allergy symptoms in large quantities can eliminate the symptoms if given in minute quantities. Homeopathy is non-toxic, non habit forming, without side effects and available in our office.
Interesting reports have been written about hypnotherapy to uncover the root cause of an allergy – and then treat it using subconscious suggestions to address the emotional or psychological associations with the reaction. Louise Hay's book, You Can Heal Your Life, suggests that allergies are associated with giving up personal power or with the belief that the world is unsafe. Hay's non-traditional, but often successful, approach to health suggests that when the thought or belief system that is holding the allergy in place is changed, the symptoms disappear.
Another unconventional but frequently effective way to identify and treat allergies is through the use of kinesiology, commonly referred to as muscle testing. With this method, the patient holds a vial containing a suspected allergen in his hand while the practitioner applies gentle pressure to the opposite arm to determine the strength or weakness of the muscle. If the muscle tests weak, sensitivity to the substance has been accurately identified.
There are several techniques incorporating the use of kinesiology to relieve allergies. Perhaps the most widely known is a method called NAET, Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique, named after its founder, Dr. Devi Nambudripad. This technique involves the combined use of kinesiology, homeopathy and acupressure/ acupuncture, and is categorized as forms of energy medicine. Amy C. Denman, a Doctor of Naturopathy/Certified Traditional Naturopath has been personally trained by Dr. Nambudripad.
Energy medicine works to re-pattern the immune system so that it no longer reacts to a harmless allergen as if it were a threatening invader. What makes this form of allergy elimination so remarkable is that a successful treatment means you no longer need to avoid the allergen. In a study published in 2001 in Alternative Medicine Review 15, 87.2% of the study's 90 participants rated the efficacy of the technique as “good to excellent” after eliminating their allergies using this approach.
The acceptance of alternative treatments for allergies is gradually coming to the forefront. Unfortunately, until these methods are fully embraced by conventional medicine, most will not be covered by standard health insurance. However, if getting well and eliminating allergies is the goal, many allergy sufferers will choose to find a way to incorporate the costs into the family budget. By following a nutrient dense diet and including vitamins, herbs and energy medicine techniques like NAET into a well-rounded detoxification program, restoring your health can and will be accomplished. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 1 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The Allergy Report: Science Based Findings on the Diagnosis & Treatment of Allergic Disorders, 1996-2001. 2 Hewitt Associates LLC. The Effects of Allergies in the Workplace. 1998. 3 B. Häggqvist. Cl & Exp. Immunology. Vol. 134, Issue 2, pg 202. Nov. 2003. 4 Fiejka M. Aluminum as an adjuvant in vaccines and post-vaccine reactions. PMID: 8235346. 5 Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2000 Mar; 84(3):341-4. 6 Karol, MH. Respiratory allergy: what are the uncertainties? Toxicology. 2002 Dec 27; 181- 182:305-10. 7 Nsouli TM, Nsouli SM, Linde RE, et al. Role of food allergy in serous otitis media. Ann Allerg 1994; 73: 2159. 8 Wickens K, Pearce N, Crane J, Beasley R. Antibiotic use in early childhood and the development of asthma. Clin Exp Allergy 1999; 29:766-771 9 R. Ceriani et al. Lactose Malabsorption and Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Italian Children. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 1988;7(6):852-7, p. 852. 10 Hunter JO: Nutritional factors in inflammatory bowel disease. Eu J of Gastro & Hep 1998; 10: 235-237. 11 Journal of Pediatrics, Vol 114, p51-8, 1989. 12 Senate Finance Committee Hearing transcript, Nov. 18, 2004. 13Li XM, Zhang TF, Huang CK, Srivastava K, Teper AA, Zhang L, et al. Food allergy herbal formula-1 (FAHF-1) blocks peanut-induced anaphylaxis in a murine model. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001; 108: 639-46. 14J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003; 111:389-95. 15 Altern Med Rev 2001;6(2):188-202.
Amy C. Denman, CTN is the Managing Director of Alternative Chiropractic: A Creating Wellness Center, a Wellness Clinic in Mooresville, North Carolina. She assists clients in naturopathic detoxification, individualized vitamin and mineral assessment, naturopathic protocols, and lifestyle management. A graduate of Trinity College of Natural Health, Amy Denman is a Board Certified Naturopath by the American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board, Inc. She is a Certified Traditional Naturopath, a Certified Natural Health Professional, and has earned a Master Herbology Degree.
Alternative Chiropractic: A Creating Wellness Center’s practitioners have over 20 years experience using chiropractic, detoxification therapies, nutritional protocols, acupuncture and NAET, (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique). More than 50% of our clients come to Alternative Chiropractic: A Creating Wellness Center specifically for this allergy treatment.
New Clients are invited to a FREE HealthMatters Lecture the first Monday night of each month from 6:30-8:00pm. Call ahead to reserve your seat. For more information about Designed Clinical Nutrition, Allergy Elimination, Colon hydrotherapy, or our other health building protocols see more of our website and call Alternative Chiropractic: A Creating Wellness Center for an appointment (704) 799-0939.
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