A Special Note from Stephen Levine, Ph.D.
Two Fresh Approaches to Chronic Illness and Inflammation

In this special issue we present landmark work by Martin Pall, Ph.D., and by Michael Ash, B.S.c. (Hons) D.O. N.D. F.Dip ION, who offer unique approaches to chronic inflammation. Their specific interventions are distinctly different and yet very complementary.

Both researchers understand that inflammation is at the core of illness.  Both are tweaking the exact same immune and cytokine molecules and mediators. Both researchers address highly inflammatory regulatory immune molecules like NFKappaB and TNFα. What Dr. Pall has done is identify the key oxidative player that triggers many common “mystery illnesses”, from fibromyalgia to CFS to Gulf War Syndrome. What Dr. Ash has done is bring a profound new understanding to the role of gastrointestinal stress and offer novel approaches to treatment. These researchers have applied fundamental biological truths in unique ways to help us all.

Dr. Ash favors probiotics (with an emphasis on the two most widely researched and effective probiotics) to restore harmony and immune tolerance to the entire gut mucosal system, and thus reduce systemic inflammation. Dr. Pall uses specially formulated antioxidant food supplements to address excess levels of nitric oxide and its damaging metabolite, peroxynitrite. Yes, their approaches appear different, but their underlying models are consistent and harmonic. Not surprisingly, clinical evidence shows that both approaches yield impressive results. I see no reason not to apply both together.

For many years I’ve talked about chronic inflammation. Oxidative stress, which is ultimately electron imbalance leading to free radical damage; is the underpinning of much chronic inflammation. No matter the cause—environmental, physical or emotional trauma, infections, ionizing radiation, chemicals—all stress leads to chronic inflammation, and compromised immune function. This is a profound epiphany that I myself had over twenty-five years ago when I coauthored Antioxidant Adaptation with Parris Kidd, Ph.D.