Customer Reviews

Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Infection Connection {Targeting and Treating the Cause of Chronic Illness}

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This is a book written in a fever with the enthusiasm of a born-again true believer so that the mass of information and associations come streaming out like water from a fire hose. The effect on the reader is somewhat marvelous since it is obvious that Dr. Poehlmann, a systems engineer who has a PhD in Health Science, is onto something important.

The key idea in this enormously detailed and intensely researched volume, updated and revised from her doctoral dissertation, is that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other chronic diseases of unclear etiology are actually caused by microorganisms. In particular mycoplasmas and/or L-shaped bacteria, stealthy pathogens only a little larger than viruses, are to blame.

This is a revolution in medical thought. RA, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, Gulf War Illness, etc., have long been thought to be autoimmune diseases, that is, diseases caused by the body's immune system attacking the body itself. What Poehlmann is saying is that mycoplasmas cause these diseases and make them chronic because these minute pathogens are able to hide from the immune system within the body's tissues. They are able to strategically slow down their growth and to lie dormant for months or even years only to erupt when conditions suit them, typically when the body is weakened by fatigue, stress or another illness. By stopping their growth temporary the pathogens are able to dodge antibiotics. By changing their shapes, especially by going without an outer cell wall (the immune system identifies pathogens by their surfaces), they are able to fool the immune system. Consequently they are extraordinarily difficult to pin down, or to even identify, and of course even more difficult to get rid of. Incidentally, routine blood tests apparently do NOT test for mycoplasmas. (p. 171)

The medical establishment, as Poehlmann points out, has been slow to embrace this theory for a number of reasons, not the least of which is simply an inability to accept new ideas that go against the conventional wisdom. The germ theory of disease was thought some decades ago to have nearly exhausted its potential as medical theorists looked to the environment and a malfunctioning immune system as causing chronic illnesses. But the germ theory of disease is back stronger than ever, and a revolution in the way we think about chronic disease is taking hold.

It was in an article in the February, 1999 edition of The Atlantic Monthly, written by Judith Hooper, that I first heard about the possibility that chronic diseases were caused by pathogens and not by genetic defects or environmental stresses. Not only heartburn--known to have been caused by bacteria since the forties (but, amazingly enough, forgotten for decades by the medical establishment!)--but also heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and even schizophrenia, are now thought to be caused or triggered by pathogens. Poehlmann credits Dr. Thomas McPherson Brown as first proposing in the 1940s the theory that the primary cause of RA was bacterial infection. (p.xxvii) One of the people responsible for igniting the current revolution is evolutionary biologist Paul W. Ewald, author of Plague Time: How Stealth Infections Cause Cancers, Heart Disease, and other Deadly Ailments (2000) which I recommend as a companion to this book.

Ewald's argument is that "Genetic traits" unfavorable "to an organism's survival or reproduction do not persist in the gene pool for very long. Natural selection, by its very definition, weeds them out in short order." Furthermore, as Hooper notes in her article, if an environmental cause cannot be found, "then we must look elsewhere for the explanation." Poehlmann's research shows that microbes are the best suspects because it is these organisms that have lived in, on and around us since long before we were human, even long before we were mammals. These parasitic creatures have formed a relationship with larger organisms through what is referred to as the "evolutionary arms race" of pathogen and host. This is the so-called Red Queen hypothesis (from Alice in Wonderland), in which both host and pathogen stay in the same place relative to one another by running as fast as they can.

What Poehlmann adds to the literature is a demonstration of the interconnectedness of chronic complaints through a focus on rheumatoid arthritis from which she has personally suffered and from which she is now free of debilitating symptoms. She is also trying to show that the differing illnesses can be caused by the same pathogens, pathogens that may have changed form (going one up on the immune system in the evolutionary arms race). Again and again she makes the telling suggestion to the medical establishment that more research is needed.

In Chapter 5, "Infections other than Mycoplasma," Poehlmann gives us an in-depth look at a number of other chronic diseases, especially Lyme Disease and how it is transmitted and how it may be related to RA. She also looks at HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculous, Dengue Fever, amoebic infections, hepatitis, etc., and shows what they have in common. Included is an examination of household molds and how they can bring about RA-type symptoms and what can be done about them.

There is so much more here that warrants comment, but I am running out of space. In another review I hope to concentrate on the treatments and lifestyle modifications that Poehlmann recommends especially in Chapter 7, "Natural Methods to Revitalize the Immune System," a chapter that contains some of the best nutritional and lifestyle information that I have ever read anywhere. By itself, it is worth the price of the book.

In short, Poehlmann's exciting book is a tsunami in a rising tide of information that is beginning to swamp the old ideas. It is hoped that Poehlmann's call for the medical establishment to wake up will be heard and that there will be a major shift in research toward identifying the microbial basis of chronic disease so that we can work toward cures instead of just treating symptoms.

For anyone who is going through RA, this book is something to treasure. When this surprising and debilitating disease started dragging me down, I became overwhelmed by the power of it to change my life and that of my family. I made a choice early on that I did not want to take the litany of drugs that was prescribed to me by the Rheumatoid Arthritis specialist. I read many books on the subject, but none of them were as comprehensive or full of eye-opening facts as this one. I was already on a tetracycline regimen by the time I read this book but it confirmed much of what I was already doing and clearly explained why I was making progress. With much effort including dietary changes, antibiotics, exercises and a few other therapies I have made it back from nearly wheel-chair bound to almost symptom free. The information that Dr. Poehlmann has given us in the book is important and can give anyone who suffers from RA hope that it can be overcome. I wish that everyone that has this disease would read it. I wish also that the medical establishment would read this book with an open mind and start to offer their patients something other than the toxic drugs that they are now prescribing.

SOME BOOKS CHANGE LIVES. THIS IS ONE OF THEM! SOME BOOKS SAVE LIVES. THIS IS ONE OF THEM! DR. POEHLMANN'S BOOK IS LIKE A LIFE JACKET OFFERED TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, THE MILLIONS WHO FEEL LIKE WE ARE DROWNING IN A SEA OF SICKNESS, MISUNDERSTANDING, MISDIAGNOSIS, INEFFECTIVE TREATMENT AND UNNECESSARY PROGRESSION TOWARD DISABILITY.

RA-THE INFECTION CONNECTION IS A PROFOUND, TIMELY BOOK OF HOPE AND UNDERSTANDING, A PRACTICAL AND PROMISING HEALTHY GUIDE FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND OTHER AFFLICTIONS WHICH DISABLE AND CAN KILL.

THE TITLE SAYS IT ALL, EXPLAINS IT ALL. NOW, IT IS A MATTER OF LISTENING, OF CARRYING THROUGH WITH THE HEALING PLAN OF ACTION.
IT'S TOUGH TO TACKLE AND PROMOTE A CONTROVERSIAL HEALTHCARE PLAN, YET DR. POEHLMANN TOOK THE RISK. CHANGING TIMES, CHANGING ATTITUDES, ADVOCATION FOR TREATING THE CAUSE OF RA, NOT MERELY THE SYMPTOMS-INDEED, THIS IS THE BOOK TO GET THE JOB DONE, TO HELP RHEUMATOID SUFFERERS FIGHT THEIR HORRENDOUS BATTLES, TO WIN THEIR WAR AGAINST DISEASE.

DR. POEHLMANN IS A TRUE WARRIOR FOR WELLNESS. THANK GOD FOR BRAVE SOLDIERS WHO NEVER SURRENDER!

ETERNAL THANKS DOC,
GG, AN RA SURVIVOR

I have encountered very few authors who possess Dr. Poehlmann's ability to take such a broad and complex subject as this and present it in an understandable and readable fashion. Her well-researched investigation into the causes behind the symptoms, the wealth of practical treatment methods she supplies, and the extensive supplemental information contained in the appendices make this book an invaluable resource for those who suffer from a chronic illness. This book offers real hope for becoming symptom-free!

I thought I was doomed to a life of pain and disability. The information in this book was a real eye-opener! I was not aware that serious scientific research had been done in the 1940s that would lead to a cure for my RA. I have bought several copies for friends with Fibromyalgia and Lupus, giving them the gift of health. As Dr. Mercola says, "This therapy works!" I'm living proof of that. Thank you, Dr. Poehlmann, for writing this wonderful book.

I'm not used to reading highly technical books, but Dr. Poehlmann has provided a list of definitions that help me understand the unfamiliar scientific terms. Dr. Mercola's suggested Eating Program in Appendix 5 is difficult to follow, but it makes sense and I'm trying it as far as I am able. The book covers a lot more than Rheumatoid Arthritis. I learned a lot about allergies and keeping cartilage and bones healthy. I found surprising facts (all well documented), for example, that people can have both RA and Osteoarthritis, or why milk is not good for you, or what is the real cause of ulcers (and what to do about it). Mold and mildew are in the headlines right now, and this topic is covered in the book, so I know the text contains the latest research. So much information for such a small price!

Well-written, well-researched, thought-provoking look at the link between infection and arthritis. Dr. Poehlmann's careful study of the subject is a breakthrough in the research of the causes and treatments of arthritis and other chronic diseases. The work is a good resource both for suffers of the disease and for those who care for them, especially in cases when a diagnosis has proved elusive. The detailed appendices provide important information on herbal treatments, the use of antibiotics, dietary guidelines, and a lengthy list of health-oriented websites. Highly recommended for sufferers of chronic illness who wish to learn more about its origin and the treatments available.

Anyone who deals with Rhumatoid Arthritis can benefit from reading this wonderful book. As an English teacher, I can tell you RA - The Infection Connection is well-written. As an arthritis sufferer, I can tell you that it makes sense. Dr. Poehlmann offers suggestions and encouragement I have not been able to find elsewhere.

Many of us just knew we ached. Now we know why we ache and that there is something we can do. It is notable that the suggested therapies and treatments are "do-able" by the lay person. Simply reading the book made me feel better.

Informatiom on not just the disease, but what causes it. Answers questions most doctors won't or can't answer.
Gives alternatives to prescription dependency. A real help for me!

Six years ago I was told that I was suffering from the "sudden onset of acute, aggressive, raging rheumatoid arthritis, that I had an army marching in my body and if I did not go onto conventional treatment would end up in a wheelchair within a year"(to quote one of the leading rheumatologists in Cape Town)

I believe in the intelligence of the body. I do not believe in the existence of auto-immune disease. Katherine Poehlman confirms this for me. To my knowledge the body ends up attacking itself in its attempt to rid itself of invading bacteria, viruses and/or parasites. For me, The Infection Connection is, indeed, the missing link pulling together 6 years of research into trying to cure myself. It has definitely fast-forwarded my cure.

I have taken the wealth of knowledge from the book and, being a homoeopath myself, have made homoeopathic remedies of the invading organisms which I have been taking for the last two months. My swelling has gone down by 90% and I am successively becoming more mobile. I cannot thank Katherine Poehlman enough for the wonderful, generous, user friendly presentation of her knowledge.

I hope, in the future, to be to help many people suffering from so-called auto-immune diseases, many of them not having access to proper medical care anyway, (I live in a third world country) which will end up being their blessing as my refusal to go on conventional medication was mine. Once again, thank you, Katherine.