Page 7 - Fall2010

Letters

Over the past couple of decades I Dr. Williams is the author of Radi- wealth of information, none of it familiar
have witnessed that many of my col- cal Medicine and has been a popular to me.
leagues’ well-meaning exuberance in speaker at Wise Traditions. Visit her We were referred by a friend to Ka-
helping their patients get well has often website at www.marinnaturopathic- sha from Kennedy’s Health Food Store
resulted in the extraction of all of their medicine.com. in Falls Church, Virginia, where I met
patients’ root canal teeth. However, even the most wonderful and knowledgeable
when these teeth are appropriately cavi- EASY MONEY owner. Not knowing her or the store,
tated by a well-trained biological dentist, “Easy money” was the nickname I walked in a total stranger, but when
in too many cases I have not seen these given to Erik by his babysitter. “Good Kasha asked me why I was there, I told
patients’ health significantly change. disposition,” said a friend of the fam- her my son had been diagnosed with
Of course, it is a different mat- ily during his first year of life. Things ADHD. I still vividly remember her
ter when patients are suffering from changed after age eighteen months response: “Sit down.”
ALS, MS, cancer or other degenerative (about the time of his first immunization After telling her the whole story,
disease. In these cases, the removal shot). What we thought was just the ter- she immediately asked me about his
of these and other “obstacles to cure” rible twos was in fact the beginning of a diet. She told me to scrap any and all
is imperative in potentially healing five-year ordeal during which time our junk food (“there is no fruit in Fruit
these weakened and very ill patients. son developed such bad behavior ten- Roll-Ups!”), start him on supplements
Thus, as soon as they are functioning dencies as trying to jump off a balcony, including cod liver oil and a children’s
well enough to excrete these bacterial jump out of a moving car, and threaten probiotic. She also gave me the number
poisons adequately (liver detoxification his mom with a kitchen knife—I still of a nutritionist in California named
pathways, kidney clearance, etc.) to remember the look of a cold blooded Theresa Vernon, who wanted to set up
undergo appropriate cavitation surgery, killer in his eyes. He was five. a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA)
this population of patients is referred to Finally, when he was suspended for Erik.
a holistic dentist or dental surgeon with from kindergarten (the school would Selling my wife on the option of
appropriate pre- and post-op support. not let him return without a doctor’s alternative treatment was no easy chore,
However, for those individuals who are note) we took him to Children’s Hos- but after she spoke on the phone with
not significantly ill, removal of a root pital where he stayed in the children’s Theresa for almost one hour, she em-
canal tooth may not be necessary. psychiatric unit for twelve days. phatically said, “We’re in!”
This decision, of course, should be Erik was diagnosed with ADHD The HTMA results showed a high
made on a case-by-case basis, and the and a “mood disorder not otherwise copper content for Erik. A vitamin-
patient and the root canal teeth should specified.” While in Children’s Hospital mineral routine was established as
be monitored over the years. If at any the doctors first tried giving him the well as glutamine plus phenylalanine
time symptoms and signs (including drug Concerta, which turned our bright amino acid supplements first thing in
energetic testing) indicate that a root child into a zombie. Adderall ended up the morning after which eggs were to
canal tooth is no longer dormant and being the “answer.” He was admitted be the mainstay for breakfast instead of
quarantining toxins adequately, the back into school with the prescription cereal.
tooth then needs to be sacrificed at that and an IEP (Individualized Education We noticed a difference the first
point for the health of the patient. Plan). Although Erik did hold it together day. Things just got better and better
Louisa L. Williams, MS, DC, ND pretty well that following school year, after that. We eliminated Gatorade (we
San Rafael, California the anger issues and mood swings were felt the red #40 was contributing to his
still a problem. I Googled “Alternatives outbursts) and Fruit Roll-Ups (again,
to ADHD medication” and found a artificial colors). Cashews were given

FALL 2010 Wise Traditions 7