This is the third in a series of articles about a subject that enriched my life. My hope is that a better understanding of health issues will lead to your life enrichment as well.

To recap, we have learned that stem cells are required for the growth and development of all cells in the body. We learned that Embryonic Stem cells (ES) are derived from fertilized eggs; and Embryonic Germ cells (EG) are naturally derived from the germ layer of tissue. A third type of stem cell derived from mesenchymal tissue is known as induced Pluripotent Stem cell (iPS). These Adult Stem Cells have shown amazing ability to correct many debilitating, often chronic diseases.

Many questions arise when the topic of stem cells is discussed.\r
What is the procedure for stem cell treatments?\r
Are there any complications to stem cell treatments?\r
How are stem cells able to seek out and repair the damage?\r
How long does it take for stem cells to work?\r
Are there things I should know about that would either enhance or negate this therapy? \r
Where can I obtain stem cell therapy?\r
What can I expect post-treatment with stem cells?

Perhaps a way to answer all these questions is by giving you some case studies. While they may be anecdotal in nature, and not scientifically designed double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover studies as scientists prefer, nevertheless they represent actual cases performed at recognized medical centers around the world. Keep in mind as you read this, the goal of stem cell therapy is to provide a better Quality of Life.

Autism\r
A nine year-old girl and a teen-age boy, both from Florida, had been diagnosed at an early age with Autism. They shared similar traits: speech deficit, lack of desire to associate with other people, unresponsive to certain stimuli, at times lashing out to caregivers. After nine treatments with stem cells taken from her own body, the little girl spoke to her mom for the first time, and is now attending regular school classes. After several treatments with iPS cells the teen-age boy is now communicating, playing sports, attending school, and is actively seeking out friends for the first time in his life.

Cerebral Palsy\r
Imagine a male infant that cries all the time–only stopping to catch a breath. After much testing the infant was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. At eighteen months the child only showed the development of an eight-month old. Having banked the child’s umbilical cord was the best thing that could have happened. After just five treatments with the child’s own cord cells he spoke his first word: “momma”. Three months after the treatments the little boy was walking all over his home using a walker. The best part of this story is the fact that the fits of crying and screaming have been replaced with laughter.

Cardiomyopathy and Congestive Heart Failure\r
Patients do not always respond so quickly to stem cells as this next patient had. Before treatment this male patient exhibited all the signs of imminent heart failure: elevated blood pressure, shortness of breath so severe that he had to sleep sitting up in a chair, dizziness, anger over the inability to walk any distance, or work at his chosen vocation and hobbies. His laboratory findings corroborated all the outward signs: a previous heart attack with damage to the left ventricle, an enlarged heart, three main coronary arteries blocked, and a mitral valve that was minimally functioning. After receiving two treatments with stem cells taken from his own body along with cells harvested from umbilical cord from a healthy mother, the patient could walk again some distance without getting dizzy or winded!

After three more treatments this patient went home to work on a project that had sat for four years; he re-lumbered a 24 foot by 24 foot deck. The latest of tests confirmed that the heart parameters had returned to near normal.

Organ Transplantation\r
As reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, five patients have received bone marrow cells (mesenchymal tissue) along with kidney transplants, and at least four of the patients has not required anti-rejection drugs for a period of five years.

Advanced Kidney Cancer\r
A specific type of stem cell therapy has led to the shrinking of a patient’s metastatic renal cell carcinoma (has gone beyond the original kidney tumor). The researchers found that donor (allogeneic) T cells (from lymph) target specific tumor cells. This is groundbreaking research. We can only hope that such studies will ultimately lead to the eradication of all cancers.

The cases reported above are admittedly dramatic examples of the benefit that stem cell therapy brought to those patients. Not all cases respond as they have, as each of us is unique, and brings their own genetics, illness, body chemistry, and biases.

I would like to give you some advice on how to gain the ultimate experience from stem cell therapy. Following these simple do s’ and don’t s’ before attempting treatment with stem cells will help you to obtain the best Quality of Life possible:

Avoid alcoholic beverages (including flavored pre-mixes);\r
Limit or abstain from smoking as nicotine interferes with stem cells;\r
Do take vitamins and minerals, but limit the amount of Zinc as this mineral interferes with many lab tests;\r
If at all possible, avoid Bismuth compounds (Pepto-Bismol), antiseptics for the urinary tract (AZO), Sulfa drugs and other antibiotics at least ten days prior to stem cell therapy;\r
Avoid certain herbal teas such as Gentian, Ginseng, or Kava Kava as these may interfere with any laboratory findings;

Do bring a positive attitude to your treatment sessions. It really helps.

There will be more on this topic in Part 4 of our series. We’ll cover those items that may actually enhance the activity of the stem cells. We’ll also take you through an actual stem cell treatment.

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