So far as HP goes, it mutates so fast that slow and easy may just breed a stronger bug.

But HP has such an effect on PD that I don't want to ignore it either.

I'm not going to advise anybody of anything right now. Quite frankly, I'm a little shook. The toxin was that impressive. And the thought that a mistake on something as simple as a spice could get my friends into serious trouble is sobering.

But I will share what my thoughts are right now about how I am going to proceed. It may change completely.

First of all, ignoring HP is not a luxury that I can afford. It can lead to ulcers and cancer in normal folks. PWP have the added burden of a sensitivity to it in many cases that makes a little go a long way. It has been shown recently to interfere with ldopa absorption as well. From what I experienced over the last couple of weeks I suspect it of being the source of a large percentage of my symptoms over the last year or two. In short, it is not in my interests to look the other way.

At the same time, I don't know that complete eradication is possible or even desireable. It lives nowhere else but in the human stomach. Is it parasitic? Or is it symbiotic? Is it an invader or a colonist that has overgrown its place? If I eradicate it with antibiotics I have to sacrifice my other microflora and try to rebuild them. Do I need the stress of that while dealing with the toxins as well?

So at present I think I will try to drastically prune it back rather than eliminate it and then hold it in check. This means no antibiotics destroying the other bacteria for starters. I already know that turmeric kills HP but doesn't seem to attack the other bacteria. The trick is to move the dead bugs out as quickly as possible. So I have to have my GI system up and going first thing. Liver support as well. And lots of green tea that purportedly counters the toxin.

Once that is in place, I swallow hard and bathe my stomach with powdered turmeric for several days. Then I will switch to another botanical with anti-HP properties for a few days. Then maybe a third one. Then cycle through again and assess the situation. Once satisfied with this "pruning" I will incorporate anti-HP dietary changes to keep the survivors in check.

That's the way I'm thinking now. But first I continue to detox and come back to normal.

If I was just wanting turmeric and didn't want to deal with the HP, there is the option of using tablets that break down slowly and so most of it gets past the stomach where the HP lives.

Those are the thoughts whirling around in my head. This week.

-Rick