LIFE EXTENSION
March 2005
PETER GLASSER
Developing a Successful Treatment for
Lymphedema
"lymphedema causes massive swelling, usually in the arms and
legs.
left untreated, it can lead to hypertension and
stroke."
Millions of Americans suffer from lymphedema, a debilitating
condition in which lymphatic fluid accumulates
in the interstitial
tissues. Lymphedema causes massive swelling, usually in the arms and legs. Left
untreated, it
can lead to hypertension and stroke.
Lymphedema
sufferers are often sent home and told to apply bandages and compression
garments to the
extremities. Although this helps to squeeze fluids
out and reduce the swelling, it is a temporary fix at best.
Fortunately, a
holistic treatment pioneered by Peter Glasser, a North Carolina-based massage
therapist, is
proving successful with lymphedema patients from
across the continent. The treatment involves the
administration of
supplements and herbs, most notably horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), in
combination with a specific massage technique called manual lymph
drainage.
An Accidental Discovery
In 1995, Glasser moved to
Asheville, NC, where he opened a practice called the Ultimate Health Center
(www.uhealth.net) with his wife, Diana Brady, a holistic nutritionist. A
New Jersey native, Glasser learned
about lymphedema while studying
massage, and became intrigued by the lack of information about the
condition.
"I saw a news broadcast one evening on lymphedema and they
mentioned massage as part of the treatment
program. It's called
manual lymph drainage and it piqued my interest," Glasser recalls. "I called
and asked
what lymphedema was and what they knew about it. I went
for an interview and then for two weeks of
training to be certified
in the treatment of lymphedema." Glasser, a licensed massage therapist, has
established himself as something of an authority on lymphedema, which
has a variety of origins. It can be
caused by a genetic condition,
though some people develop secondary lymphedema because of surgery,
radiation treatment, or injury. In many cases, it is directly related
to cancer surgery.
A lot of women get it when they have breast cancer and
their lymph nodes are removed," Glasser explains.
"With radiation
treatment, there's more stress on your lymphatic system. You see it with
hysterectomies,
which can cause lymphedema in the legs. In men,
prostate surgery can cause it in the legs. These are the
main
causes of secondary lymphedema." While treatment centers have.
sprung up
around the country in recent years, Glasser believes his is the only facility
that specializes in the
holistic treatment of lymphedema. He
criticizes the mainstream medical establishment for failing, through
either
ignorance or complacency, to warn patients that surgery might cause the
condition.
"It's a case of the lesser of two evils." Glasser says. "Many
patients complain that their doctors never tell
them there is a
possibility they will develop lymphedema. When they come back and complain to
their
doctors, they're told, 'you're still alive, aren't you?' "The
doctors should be up front and tell patients that
there is that
possibility, but a lot of doctors don't know much about lymphedema. There is
very little training
on the lymphatic system in medical school, so
a lot of doctors don't know what to do for the swelling.
People will go
out and get a pump or get compression garments, and they're told to wait and it
will get
better." As Glasser's hands-on experience in treating
lymphedema has grown, so has his practice. In addition
to his wife,
the Ultimate Health Center now employs several other massage therapists, a
physiotherapist, a
physician's assistant, and a medical doctor who
doubles as the center's medical director. "I was always
interested
in finding a better way for patients," Glasser recalls. "I would hear a lot of
complaints from patients
on the amount of bandaging they had to do
every night on their arms and legs. They didn't want to do it for
the rest of their lives.
"I started reading more about herbs and
came across an article in The Lancet about horse chestnut being
used in Germany and Austria for varicose veins and hemorrhoids. I
thought that if it could improve blood
vessels, then it could help
lymphatic vessels. So I started experimenting with horse chestnut extract,
which
was then still hard to find in this country.
Soon I
found that my patients' conditions were improving." Life Extension products
figure prominently in
Glasser's practice.
He recommends that his
patients take two capsules of Venotone (horse chestnut) with a quarter teaspoon
of
Life Extension's Rutin Powder twice a day. This strengthens
their lymphatic vessels and helps reduce the
edema.
Life
Extension products figure prominently in Glasser’s practice. He recommends that
his patients take two
capsules of Venotone (horse chestnut) with a
quarter teaspoon of Life Extension’s Rutin Powder twice a
day. This
strengthens their lymphatic vessels and helps reduce the edema.
"We also
recommend Life Extension's two-per-day multi-vitamin and Super Digestive
Enzymes, which help
reduce fibrotic tissue and edema," says
Glasser.
Patients'Lives Transformed
The Ultimate Health
Center's reputation has spread quickly throughout the US. Although most of the
center's patients are from North Carolina and bordering states,
Glasser has treated lymphedema sufferers
from as far away as
California and Canada.
"I had lymphedema for almost 20 years, but the
doctors couldn't tell what it was," says 52-year-old Susan
Philips,
one of the center's long-time patients. "Finally in 1999, I went to a major
teaching hospital in
Winston-Salem, NC. They started working on me
and could get the liquids squeezed out of my legs, but my
legs
would fill right back up. I had gotten to the point where I could hardly walk.
My calves were larger than
my waist." Philips was referred to the
hospital's occupational therapy department, whose staff was well
aware
of Glasser and his treatment protocol. But getting an appointment at the
Ultimate Health Center
proved difficult, as Glasser was taking on
more patients.
"He had a long waiting list, so I originally saw him in July
1999 but didn't start manual lymph drainage
treatment until that
October," says Philips. "I did begin taking horse chestnut in July. I had
already lost inches
of swelling off my legs by the time I saw him
in October, just from taking the supplements." Like many of his
other patients, Philips is now on what Glasser calls a maintenance
program, which involves taking horse
chestnut daily. She also
applies it to her skin each day. While she originally took treatments at the
center six
times a week, those have been scaled back to twice a
month.
Over the years, Philips has lost most about 150 pounds. Glasser
believes from that this has extended her life.
Philips says that while her
legs have returned to normal size, they are still deformed from enduring 20
years
of lymphedema. Doctors now almost believe her condition is
hereditary, since her younger brother and sister
also suffer from
lymphedema.
Another long-time patient, 69, year-old Vicki Stokes, developed
lymphedema after a radical hysterectomy.
Doctors discovered she had
cervical cancer, thus necessitating the surgery. According to Stokes, however,
the doctors went too far.
"My oncologist was not familiar with
the lymphatic system at all," Stokes explains. "I diagnosed myself. He
removed an unreasonable amount of lymph nodes from each side, saying
that he was trying to prevent a
recurrence.
"So I got on the
Internet and found out about lymphedema.
I belong to an online support group
with people from Israel, India, South America, and all over the world.
That's where we share information. The doctors remove lymph nodes. Mine
were all healthy. That causes
lymphedema." Twice a year, she makes
the journey to Asheville from her home in San Diego for a weeklong
maintenance treatment, and she showers praise on Glasser and his
team.
Despite his success to date, Glasser continually seeks ways to improve
his treatments. Although he tells
patients to follow his protocol
for six months to a year, he often sees them improve much more quickly. He
ascribes that rapid improvement to the quality of the horse chestnut
and other supplements he prescribes.
"I started using Rutin Powder along
with the horse chestnut," Glasser explains. "Rutin is a bioflavonoid that
works well in combination with horse chestnut.
When I first started,
horse chestnut was an extract. I would tell patients to take 30 drops with a
little bit of
water, twice a day. Then it started coming in
capsules, so I started advising patients to take one capsule,
twice
a day, and I found that it works better." Because horse chestnut is a powerful
herb that can cause
nausea and other gastrointestinal problems,
Glasser advises his patients to take it with meals.
Glasser recommends
that patients who are already on blood thinners to forego horse chestnut. He
also
advises pregnant women not to use horse chestnut.
As
Glasser and his staff continue to treat lymphedema patients, they are learning
more about its prognosis
and adjusting their treatment protocols
accordingly.
Glasser believes there are millions of people with lymphedema
who can be treated with horse chestnut and
relieved of this
crippling condition. While his patients have Glasser to thank for regaining
their health, he is
quick to share the credit.
"The way my wife
and I see it, Life Extension is the leader in the philosophy that aging and
disease can be
prevented or corrected," Glasser says. "That's a
philosophy that I happen to share."
March 2005 LIFE
EXTENSION
http://www.uhealth.net/article6.htm
March 2005
PETER GLASSER
Developing a Successful Treatment for
Lymphedema
"lymphedema causes massive swelling, usually in the arms and
legs.
left untreated, it can lead to hypertension and
stroke."
Millions of Americans suffer from lymphedema, a debilitating
condition in which lymphatic fluid accumulates
in the interstitial
tissues. Lymphedema causes massive swelling, usually in the arms and legs. Left
untreated, it
can lead to hypertension and stroke.
Lymphedema
sufferers are often sent home and told to apply bandages and compression
garments to the
extremities. Although this helps to squeeze fluids
out and reduce the swelling, it is a temporary fix at best.
Fortunately, a
holistic treatment pioneered by Peter Glasser, a North Carolina-based massage
therapist, is
proving successful with lymphedema patients from
across the continent. The treatment involves the
administration of
supplements and herbs, most notably horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), in
combination with a specific massage technique called manual lymph
drainage.
An Accidental Discovery
In 1995, Glasser moved to
Asheville, NC, where he opened a practice called the Ultimate Health Center
(www.uhealth.net) with his wife, Diana Brady, a holistic nutritionist. A
New Jersey native, Glasser learned
about lymphedema while studying
massage, and became intrigued by the lack of information about the
condition.
"I saw a news broadcast one evening on lymphedema and they
mentioned massage as part of the treatment
program. It's called
manual lymph drainage and it piqued my interest," Glasser recalls. "I called
and asked
what lymphedema was and what they knew about it. I went
for an interview and then for two weeks of
training to be certified
in the treatment of lymphedema." Glasser, a licensed massage therapist, has
established himself as something of an authority on lymphedema, which
has a variety of origins. It can be
caused by a genetic condition,
though some people develop secondary lymphedema because of surgery,
radiation treatment, or injury. In many cases, it is directly related
to cancer surgery.
A lot of women get it when they have breast cancer and
their lymph nodes are removed," Glasser explains.
"With radiation
treatment, there's more stress on your lymphatic system. You see it with
hysterectomies,
which can cause lymphedema in the legs. In men,
prostate surgery can cause it in the legs. These are the
main
causes of secondary lymphedema." While treatment centers have.
sprung up
around the country in recent years, Glasser believes his is the only facility
that specializes in the
holistic treatment of lymphedema. He
criticizes the mainstream medical establishment for failing, through
either
ignorance or complacency, to warn patients that surgery might cause the
condition.
"It's a case of the lesser of two evils." Glasser says. "Many
patients complain that their doctors never tell
them there is a
possibility they will develop lymphedema. When they come back and complain to
their
doctors, they're told, 'you're still alive, aren't you?' "The
doctors should be up front and tell patients that
there is that
possibility, but a lot of doctors don't know much about lymphedema. There is
very little training
on the lymphatic system in medical school, so
a lot of doctors don't know what to do for the swelling.
People will go
out and get a pump or get compression garments, and they're told to wait and it
will get
better." As Glasser's hands-on experience in treating
lymphedema has grown, so has his practice. In addition
to his wife,
the Ultimate Health Center now employs several other massage therapists, a
physiotherapist, a
physician's assistant, and a medical doctor who
doubles as the center's medical director. "I was always
interested
in finding a better way for patients," Glasser recalls. "I would hear a lot of
complaints from patients
on the amount of bandaging they had to do
every night on their arms and legs. They didn't want to do it for
the rest of their lives.
"I started reading more about herbs and
came across an article in The Lancet about horse chestnut being
used in Germany and Austria for varicose veins and hemorrhoids. I
thought that if it could improve blood
vessels, then it could help
lymphatic vessels. So I started experimenting with horse chestnut extract,
which
was then still hard to find in this country.
Soon I
found that my patients' conditions were improving." Life Extension products
figure prominently in
Glasser's practice.
He recommends that his
patients take two capsules of Venotone (horse chestnut) with a quarter teaspoon
of
Life Extension's Rutin Powder twice a day. This strengthens
their lymphatic vessels and helps reduce the
edema.
Life
Extension products figure prominently in Glasser’s practice. He recommends that
his patients take two
capsules of Venotone (horse chestnut) with a
quarter teaspoon of Life Extension’s Rutin Powder twice a
day. This
strengthens their lymphatic vessels and helps reduce the edema.
"We also
recommend Life Extension's two-per-day multi-vitamin and Super Digestive
Enzymes, which help
reduce fibrotic tissue and edema," says
Glasser.
Patients'Lives Transformed
The Ultimate Health
Center's reputation has spread quickly throughout the US. Although most of the
center's patients are from North Carolina and bordering states,
Glasser has treated lymphedema sufferers
from as far away as
California and Canada.
"I had lymphedema for almost 20 years, but the
doctors couldn't tell what it was," says 52-year-old Susan
Philips,
one of the center's long-time patients. "Finally in 1999, I went to a major
teaching hospital in
Winston-Salem, NC. They started working on me
and could get the liquids squeezed out of my legs, but my
legs
would fill right back up. I had gotten to the point where I could hardly walk.
My calves were larger than
my waist." Philips was referred to the
hospital's occupational therapy department, whose staff was well
aware
of Glasser and his treatment protocol. But getting an appointment at the
Ultimate Health Center
proved difficult, as Glasser was taking on
more patients.
"He had a long waiting list, so I originally saw him in July
1999 but didn't start manual lymph drainage
treatment until that
October," says Philips. "I did begin taking horse chestnut in July. I had
already lost inches
of swelling off my legs by the time I saw him
in October, just from taking the supplements." Like many of his
other patients, Philips is now on what Glasser calls a maintenance
program, which involves taking horse
chestnut daily. She also
applies it to her skin each day. While she originally took treatments at the
center six
times a week, those have been scaled back to twice a
month.
Over the years, Philips has lost most about 150 pounds. Glasser
believes from that this has extended her life.
Philips says that while her
legs have returned to normal size, they are still deformed from enduring 20
years
of lymphedema. Doctors now almost believe her condition is
hereditary, since her younger brother and sister
also suffer from
lymphedema.
Another long-time patient, 69, year-old Vicki Stokes, developed
lymphedema after a radical hysterectomy.
Doctors discovered she had
cervical cancer, thus necessitating the surgery. According to Stokes, however,
the doctors went too far.
"My oncologist was not familiar with
the lymphatic system at all," Stokes explains. "I diagnosed myself. He
removed an unreasonable amount of lymph nodes from each side, saying
that he was trying to prevent a
recurrence.
"So I got on the
Internet and found out about lymphedema.
I belong to an online support group
with people from Israel, India, South America, and all over the world.
That's where we share information. The doctors remove lymph nodes. Mine
were all healthy. That causes
lymphedema." Twice a year, she makes
the journey to Asheville from her home in San Diego for a weeklong
maintenance treatment, and she showers praise on Glasser and his
team.
Despite his success to date, Glasser continually seeks ways to improve
his treatments. Although he tells
patients to follow his protocol
for six months to a year, he often sees them improve much more quickly. He
ascribes that rapid improvement to the quality of the horse chestnut
and other supplements he prescribes.
"I started using Rutin Powder along
with the horse chestnut," Glasser explains. "Rutin is a bioflavonoid that
works well in combination with horse chestnut.
When I first started,
horse chestnut was an extract. I would tell patients to take 30 drops with a
little bit of
water, twice a day. Then it started coming in
capsules, so I started advising patients to take one capsule,
twice
a day, and I found that it works better." Because horse chestnut is a powerful
herb that can cause
nausea and other gastrointestinal problems,
Glasser advises his patients to take it with meals.
Glasser recommends
that patients who are already on blood thinners to forego horse chestnut. He
also
advises pregnant women not to use horse chestnut.
As
Glasser and his staff continue to treat lymphedema patients, they are learning
more about its prognosis
and adjusting their treatment protocols
accordingly.
Glasser believes there are millions of people with lymphedema
who can be treated with horse chestnut and
relieved of this
crippling condition. While his patients have Glasser to thank for regaining
their health, he is
quick to share the credit.
"The way my wife
and I see it, Life Extension is the leader in the philosophy that aging and
disease can be
prevented or corrected," Glasser says. "That's a
philosophy that I happen to share."
March 2005 LIFE
EXTENSION
http://www.uhealth.net/article6.htm
