Medical opinion by John Ruhland, ND

Do you have health-related questions for Dr. John, the Naturopathic Doctor? Send them to the Free Press, PMB #178, 1463 E Republican ST, Seattle 98112, attn: Nature Doc, or email to WAfreepress@gmail.com. Please keep questions short. The opinions expressed below are on general issues of health. They should not be construed as personal medical advice. Readers should seek a variety of information about any health concern before deciding on a treatment from a personal physician.

Dear Dr. John,

I heard you have treated people with Gulf War Syndrome. My cousin has this syndrome. What should he do?

Dr. John: Gulf War Veterans had numerous and varied exposures to many disease-causing agents. These include an incredible array of factors, such as unusual vaccinations (e.g. for anthrax, among others), drugs, chemicals, pesticides, fumes from oil fires, exposure to "depleted" uranium (DU), and tremendous stress, as well as feelings of guilt or shame. Military sources confirm that nearly every weapon in the U.S. arsenal was used in the war. This is known to include nerve toxins and chemical and biological agents. When studies are conducted to test effects of one of these agents on human health, it is isolated from other agents. When you combine more than one, you often have synergistic effects. Radiation alone can destroy the immune system. Tank armor was made of DU. According to a publication by the U.S. Army Environmental Policy Institute, U.S. tank drivers received radiation exposure exceeding the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's standard for exposure to man-made sources of radiation. They were not monitored for radiation exposure during the Gulf War. According to Dan Fahey, Director of the National Depleted Uranium Citizens' Network of the Military Toxics Project, there are roughly 300 tons of uranium from spent rounds of DU shells and missiles scattered across Iraq and Kuwait. This DU still has 60 percent of the radioactivity of non-depleted uranium, and has a half-life of 4.5 billion years. The U.S. was the first to introduce and use this new type of nuclear weapons.

To treat people with Gulf War Syndrome, I would attempt to determine all exposures, and then treat based on that. Part of the treatment plan is a cleansing diet, and moderate amounts of exercise if they are able to exercise. The damage done by the vaccinations can best be treated with homeopathic medicines or acupuncture. To treat the various chemical exposures, I would recommend a detox program. Counseling is also important for anyone who has been through military conditioning and war.

Dear Dr. John,

You mentioned that silver amalgam fillings are damaging to our health. Please explain why, and what we should do if we have them.

Dr. John: Amalgam fillings are made primarily of mercury. Mercury is the most toxic of the heavy metals. Oral mercury levels dramatically increase when the fillings heat up while eating or drinking hot food, and when the person chews food or gum. Some dentists measure the electrical charge of the fillings. Fillings with high current readings should be promptly removed. Other dentists have a mercury "sniffer" which measures the level of mercury vapor in the mouth.

An effective way to treat mercury toxicity is first to have the fillings replaced with mercury-free alternatives. It is important to begin a chelation program for a month prior to filling removal, and then to continue afterwards as well. Chelation is a treatment that binds heavy metals in the body in order to allow their excretion.

The dentist chosen to remove the mercury should be one specializing in mercury-free dentistry, rather than a dentist who uses the toxic mercury fillings. Dentists should use four safety procedures. First, they should use a dental dam to decrease your exposure. Second, they should administer oxygen during removal. Third, they should have a positive air flow in the office for both your and their own protection. Fourth, they should use an ionizing t-bar, which decreases mercury vapor in the air. It is important that you be tested for biocompatability with the materials they use to replace the mercury. Most dentists do not test for biocompatibility themselves, but refer their patients to one of several holistic physicians to do this.

I recommend that people have their mercury removed, especially if you are mercury-sensitive. Also, join the international movement to ban mercury fillings. I have seen too many people with cancer for whom mercury fillings was probably a major contributing factor. Knowing what we do about mercury, I think it is unconscionable for dentists to use it. It is already illegal to place mercury in teeth in Sweden and in Germany.

The answers presented above should not be construed as medical advice, but as one physician's opinion. Readers should seek a variety of health information and consult with their personal physicians before choosing a plan of treatment.