January 10, 2003    Kidneys

GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS from Arnold's Way!

Within the illusion of time,
Stark realities of darkness and light cross paths
Choices of truth - choices of no one knows why
A glimmer of hope
The scalpel awaits its first cut
Glaring light - white sheets - everyone supposedly cares
An instant of repent draws closer to one's self
A choice is made to follow the love of God - the love of self
A choice for truth rings out loud

It's a Tuesday morning but it could have been any other day. The outcome of this newsletter would still be the same. This week's topic is one of great pain, one of great joy. It's one of those topics on what was supposed to be becoming, exactly that, what it was suppose to be. I speak quiet gratitude of Matt who was given choices, choices that were not easy to make. Who in his quiet way went with a deeper knowledge, a deeper commitment, a deeper respect of who he is from where his roots are to what are the possibilities.

Matt's story is that of choices, up until three months ago when he dealt with getting one of his kidney's removed. The medical community gave him his options - NONE. He was diagnosed as incurable. It is on that note that we delve deeper into his story, deeper into the miraculous operation of what our kidneys do. What are the implications when two, so-called medical experts quietly inform you that one of your kidneys is no longer functioning and as quoted, "it has to come out". These are the words I first heard when I met Matt. So, I sit in quiet reflection admiring my inner strength for I know what to do. I sit in quiet respect, for we as a people as a human life have the innate knowing, and the innate instinct to take a proactive movement when we hear such dreaded language. My friends there are no accidents that happen within our human body. I frantically search for the right words, the right reference that would give Matt the due justice of doing the right thing, right, not only for himself but as a inspiration to thousands of others when they to are told by expert medical opinion, "there is no hope - it has to come out".

According to Dr. George H. Malkamus, in "Why people get sick", "This physical body temple we each dwell in is a living organism designed by God to be nourished with living food. The genesis 1:29 diet given to mankind by God at creation was a 100% raw and vegetable diet". It is on this basis we have health; it is on this basis we have disease. It is on this basis that the tests and diagnosis by the medical establishment should be heard with caution rather than acceptance. According to Robert S. Mendelsohn M.D., "Confession of a Medical Heretic". He quotes, "The diagnostic tests themselves are dangerous. The stethoscope is nothing but the priestly doctor's religious badge. As a tool it does more harm than good". These are the words I am reading on the first page. As we scan more sentences as quoted, "I don't advise anyone who has no symptoms to go to the doctor for physical examination. For people with symptoms, it's not such a good idea. These are words that Matt did not know. He trusted his doctors, he trusted the tests, and he would have done anything they said, almost to the point of giving up his kidney.

Matt's story goes back five years prior when he began having stomach pain. This pain not only got progressively worse, his stomach area began protruding almost an inch. Matt had to do the only thing he knew to do - visit his local doctor.

I'm writing Matt's story and I'm drinking water......lots of H20. As much water as my body can hold. The reason is my body is 70% water-not an accident. It has to be at 70% water, for my body requires that much daily. The book by Dr. Batmanghelidji, "The Body's Many Cries for Water" states, coffee, tea, or soda all contain caffeine. Caffeine is a dehydrating agent. It gets your kidneys to flush more water out. It has a direct effect on the renal tubes. It tells them to get rid of water.

I wonder if Matt knew that, I wonder if his doctor knew that. I asked Matt what were his dietary habits. The first question I always ask. His local doctor never asked. Was Matt drinking plenty of water? Was Matt on a high protein diet? Was Matt taking supplements to increase his weight lifting? Was Matt eating food that was water deficient? Were all these things happening so the body had no choice in the matter but to inflame itself? Did his local doctor have an alternative option, an alternative solution that would supersede Matt's biological genetic need for more pure H20 and more raw food? Yes, in his opinion food did not matter-water did not matter-the only thing that mattered was a CAT scan. It costs $6,000 per test! What would Dr. Robert Mendelsohn M.D. say to that? What would Dr. Batmanghelidji say? What would Dr. George H. Malkamus say? It doesn't matter. Matt only knew of the standard medical procedure, which advocates diagnostic tests, x-rays, and medication. These are the options. So.......Matt took the test. In less than an hour his wife was called of his grave situation. He was told they needed another CAT scan at the rate of $6,000 per test. Matt's problem as quoted, "Hydro-Nethrosis", a bladder urethra blockage-cannot drain. What were his options? Water......maybe drinking 8-10 glasses per day as a treatment. How about getting rid of all those foods that cause a kidney blockage? Could that be an option?

Matt was referred to a urologist who looked at his test, who looked at the CAT scan, looked at the results with his many years of experience in the medical field. He quotes, "This is pretty serious, the kidney stone which is caused by some unknown reason has left your kidney not functioning". The urologist further stated the kidney had to come out right away and that he would do the operation. My estimate, an operation of this nature would cost around 30-50 thousand dollars.

A kidney removal is not life threatening. Matt could continue having a life, supposedly. Once again never even breathe of other possibilities other than what he was diligently trained for. Matt also never asked about different options. He was also led to believe that the doctors were working in his best interest.

So.....what do we do? Do we continue the story or take a suspended animation break. Do we talk about the kidney, talk about inflammation, talk about how the by-products of a high protein diet can cause this blockage?

The kidneys are only 4-5 inches long, weighing approximately 6 ounces. Unbelievable based on their size, based on their weight, what they do and their importance. It can only be called a miracle, and we have two of them!

The kidneys are the body's filtering system. According to "World Medicine" by Tom Monte as quoted, "they identify everything that is in the blood and then decide what to do with it". That simple; everything that circulates through our blood is recognized, separated into what is needed and what is not. The kidneys operate continually, flawlessly and in perfect harmony-there are no mistakes.

In Matt's case, what would cause them to swell? Based on the expert opinion of the urologist as quoted, "no known cause". Matt's dietary choices were never an issue.

According to "World Medicine" as quoted, "the primary waste products that the kidneys filter are those resulting from protein metabolism, such as nitrogen and ammonia". The fact that Matt was on a high protein diet, the fact that Matt took protein supplements, the fact that Matt ate maybe too many protein bars, perhaps made Matt's kidneys a little over protective. In defining inflammation by Dr. Herbert Shelton as quoted, " a local response to toxemia on a cellular level characterized by capillary dilation, leukocytic infiltration and or pain as a mechanism to start the elimination of the noxious agents".

At this point I don't claim to be a doctor but Matt was in seriously bad shape. His primary urologist's consensus was for removal of the kidney. Matt, his wife, and his family were searching for a better way. Maybe a 2nd opinion, maybe God, maybe the internal wisdom that allows us as human beings to exist. Matt chose the 2nd opinion. This time a top notch specialist from a major hospital in Philly; the same opinion, the same option. All the tests, the CAT scan, the renal scan that determines flow and function can't be wrong, or could they? Does the responsibility of who we are make us responsible for ourselves? Does Matt who is crazed beyond belief allow the medical field to remove his kidney?

Besides removing the waste products, this little 5-inch dynamo also regulates electrolyte balance as quoted in "World Medicine", (I love that book) "retaining those minerals that the body needs". The kidney also converts vitamin "D" into a usable state. Should I go on? It also controls our blood pressure. Matt was beginning to realize all this. He studied, he prayed to God, somehow, someone, looking for the right answer-he had 5 weeks. The clock was ticking but Matt's frantic search came to an end. What had happened by chance became his answer. The fact that the bad kidney was only working according to all medical procedures at 21% made no difference. The fact that two urologists after careful exam, extensive testing gave Matt no hope made no difference. Matt called upon a higher source. His answer had come; what to do, what to eat, how to be. As what started as a tiny little incident became major insight to Matt and the possibilities. For whatever reason, Matt placed a "For Sale" ad in the local newspaper. For whatever reason, as these entire test results came crashing into Matt's supposedly safe world, his thoughts turned to juicing. He went into his basement and saw a champion juicer that had been sitting there for years. What does one have to do with the other? What does picking up the local newspaper; checking for your ad and seeing the front page of a man using a champion juicer have to do with each other? To some people nothing-but not to Matt. This was, in his opinion, an act of divine intervention. He read the article about me, Arnold, about my store, Arnold's Way, about my wife, who when diagnosed with fibroid tumors all over her body, about her having a mild mini-stroke. Her choice of treatment became lifestyle changes, focusing on switching from a mostly cooked food to mostly raw food diet. Matt read the article and saw the results in the picture. He came to the store and presto, like a dark magic bullet did not get it! Surprise! Matt was not fully convinced. He saw the correlation of disease and diet choice, he did his research, and he heard the words of God banging into his saneness. In spite of all these realities, there were the other realities of the impending operation. Matt looked, Matt thought, and the words of you have nothing to lose by changing your diet came roaring into his consciousness. Like white knights that beg for mercy or flames of untold fortune, Matt's decision of what to do became very simple. After leaving Arnold's Way, after much deliberating thought, Matt went on a mostly raw diet and decided to do just that for four weeks. As soon as these thought processes became clear, all desire for cooked food vanished. Matt had no desire to eat the chicken, the spaghetti, and the steak. Nada. His internal wisdom became his internal doctor. His request for God became his heartbeat of joy and life. His breath ran strong as a guiding missile seeking a better way, a healthier way and a way to restore without internal intervention.

The days began to unfold, salad was king and juicing became like hot wings with every sip. Matt felt the difference immediately. As quoted, "right away, more energy, more alert". By the third week the bulge in Matt's stomach that became his major concern was no longer. What did this mean to Matt? What does this mean to the millions of people who are diagnosed with the same prognosis of no hope other than removal? Quite clearly, it meant victory! To say that Matt was overjoyed was an understatement. To say that Matt's strong belief in God became stronger would also be an understatement. To say Matt had to reevaluate his medical condition with only two weeks before surgery, before his kidney removal, was also true. Matt requested another CAT scan with his local urologist. These tests are not cheap, the test, if one could believe the words of God, if such a possibility exists, are miniscule to the making of our existence. Nevertheless, the test indicated that the kidney inflammation was reduced from 17-1/2 cm to 10 cm. The kidney that was almost stagnant, almost non-functioning was for some unknown reason actually working, doing all these unbelievable tasks that it normally does. The primary urologist who recommended the operation was taken back! The urologist from his standpoint could not medically accept the fact of the turnaround. In his understanding diet plays no significant role on kidney failure. In his opinion the once imminent removal of his kidney may not be necessary. He told Matt that if he still wanted his kidney removed he would perform the operation.

Matt left the urologist office totally disappointed. There was an inkling of hope that the other urologist from the big city hospital would find these results miraculous. In his mind the medical profession should do no harm and always work for the patient's benefit. These were the facts; this is what TV is all about. We as a benefactor of TV influence are addicted to the fact that knowledge, wisdom, and years of education and experience are taught, not imbedded in the sanctity of our human cells. The simple fact is that a man or woman who goes 8 years to medical school should know way beyond our internal intelligence of what healing is and what proper medications are needed in order for this to occur.

Matt sought out the second urologist with pride, with glory, with victory, as a conquering war hero. Little did he know that the urologist did not want to hear the healing possibilities of food, the healing possibilities of Matt's belief in God. Nor did he want to hear the destructiveness and consequence of what can happen when eating a high protein diet. The expert urologist hearing Matt's results, seeing the second CAT scan was also taken back, not by the results, not by reduced swelling but of the audacity in trying an alternative option! With all his schooling, with all his experience, the fact that the kidney was returning to its original size, its original function was only a slight aberration. These things just don't happen, and by changing one's diet certainly will not cause these changes. He offered Matt further invasive tests, further evaluation, and further medical diagnosis. Matt felt betrayed realizing the medical practice was not open to hearing an alternative possibility for healing. Matt politely said, no thank you and quietly walked away. That was the story as I heard it, as I wrote it, as I relayed it to you, the reader.

In summary, Matt did not have to choose an alternative approach but he did. Matt did not have to go then and still continue on a mostly raw diet, but he did and is. I feel honored to be a part of Matt's story.

Thank you for your time,

Arnold

References:

World Medicine - Tom Monte and the Editors of East-West Natural Health

The Body's Many Cries for Water - Dr. Batmanghelidji

Why People Get Sick - Dr. George H. Malkamus

Confessions of a Medical Heretic - Robert S. Mendelsohn M.D.

Natural Hygiene - Dr. Herbert Shelton

Interview - Matt C.

Upcoming Events:

Friday, January 17th
Howard Irwin, guest speaker on Raw Food lifestyle changes, overcoming liver disease and other health issues.
Dinner - 6 pm - 4 courses prepared by our raw food chef, Ben Rachunas
Lecture - 7:15 pm
Cost $15.00 -- Pre-registration required

Friday, January 24th
Ben Rachunas will host a gourmet Raw Food dinner lecture.
Demonstration - 6 pm Dinner - 7 pm
Cost $20.00 -- Pre-registration required

Saturday, January 25th - 8:15 am - 9:45 am
Arnold will have his Raw Food prep class - learn soups, salads, pies, nut milk, etc.
Cost $10.00 -- Pre-registration required

Saturday, January 25th - 10:30 am - 12 noon
Matt Goodman conquers MS and will share his secrets on how he did it by making a major lifestyle change. Cost $8.00 -- Refreshments included

For class pre-registration call 215-361-0116.
Arnold will be going on a 14 day fasting retreat and will not be giving his normal classes.