♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> VEGETARIANS MAY NOT CARE, BUT IF YOU ARE A MAMMALIAN MEAT EATER, ALPHA-GAL IS YOUR POISON IVY.

STAY WITH US AS WE TALK WITH DOCTORS BERNAL AND HUECKER ABOUT THE RED MEAT ALLERGY NEXT ON KENTUCKY HEALTH.

>> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.

>> WE CAN LIVE A GOOD LIFE AND YES THERE ARE SOME WILL GO SO FAR AS TO SAY A BETTER LIFE IF WE DIDN'T EAT MEAT.

HOWEVER THERE ARE MANY OF US WHO ENJOY HAVING BEEF, LAMB AND PORK AS PART OF OUR DIET.

UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THESE FOLKS CAN'T BECAUSE OF A TICK-BORNE DISEASE CALLED ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME.

RATHER THAN ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS CONDITION, LET'S HEAR FROM Mr. JUSTIN ALLEN, SOMEONE EXPERIENCING THE EFFECTS OF ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME.

JUSTIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>> HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAD DEVELOPED THIS ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME?

>> WELL, I STARTED GETTING SICK, SICK TO MY STOMACH MAINLY.

AND A FRIEND OF MINE ACTUALLY GOT DIAGNOSED WITH ALPHA-GAL ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE I DID.

AND I JUST HAD A REGULAR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT THAT I WAS GOING TO TO HAVE REGULAR STUFF LOOKED AT ANYWAY.

AND I HAD BEEN HAVING SOME SYMPTOMS THAT WERE SIMILAR ENOUGH TO MY FRIEND'S THAT I SAID WHY DON'T YOU CHECK ME FOR ALPHA-GAL AND AT THE TIME I ALSO DID ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER AND ANY OF THE OTHER TICK BORN ILLNESSES BECAUSE I'M IN THE WOODS A LOT.

I SPEND A LOT OF TIME THERE AND I GET BITTEN BY TICKS FROM TIME TO TIME.

AND I HAVE A VERY DISTINCT MEMORY OF A YEAR AGO IN MARCH, MARCH OF 2024, I REMEMBER GETTING A TICK BITE.

I WAS OUT IN THE WOODS.

>> HOW DO YOU KNOW?

THEY'RE TINY THINGS?

>> I FOUND IT ON MY CHEST AND IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS.

AND THAT WAS EVEN AFTER I HAD PROTECTED MYSELF WITH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPRAY THAT YOU PUT ON YOUR CLOTHES.

I HAD TICK LOTION ON.

AND STILL GOT A TICK AND THAT WAS AFTER I HAD EVEN TAKEN A SHOWER AND FOUND IT THE NEXT DAY.

SO YOU KNOW, THEY'RE INSIDIOUS AND THEY LIKE TO-- >> WHAT KIND OF SYMPTOMS WERE YOU HAVING?

>> SO THE SYMPTOMS VARY FOR ALPHA-GAL A GOT.

I WAS IN, A WAY, THAT I ONLY HAD G.I.

SYMPTOMS.

SOME PEOPLE GET HIVES.

YOU CAN HAVE ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK FROM IT.

BUT MINE WERE ISOLATED TO G.I.

STUFF.

SO IT WOULD MAKE ME REALLY GNAWS NAUSEOUS.

IT WOULD CAUSE INTENSE SCRATCHING, DIARRHEA, ALL OF THAT STUFF AND REALLY FATIGUED.

I WOULD HAVE ALL OF THAT STUFF ALL TOGETHER AND IT WOULD HAPPEN FOUR TO SIX HOUR AFTER I WOULD HAVE ANY TYPE OF MA MAILIAN MEAT MAMMALIAN MEAT, BEEF, PORK, LAMB OR ANY OF THAT STUFF.

THOSE SYMPTOMS FOR ME WOULD BE VERY INTENSE FOR THE FIRST DAY AND THEN WOULD KIND OF CONTINUE FOR A COUPLE MORE DAYS.

JUST ONE INSTANCE OF EATING MEAT AND I WOULD BE SICK FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS.

>> YOU MENTIONED ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK AND THAT IS A SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION.

HAVE YOU HAD TO TAKE TAKE CAUTIONS BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET A SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION?

>> THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS I HAVE HAD TO DO TO CHANGE MY LIFESTYLE.

FOR THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY, I'VE GOT ANEN AN EPIPEN.

THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT VERSION OF IT.

>> EPINEPHRINE.

>> AND IT IS.

AND IT IS IN CASE I HAVE BREATHING TROUBLE CAUSED BY ALPHA-GAL OR ANY OF THOSE.

>> WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU HAVE HAD TO DO IN YOUR LIFE.

>> CHANGE MY DIET COMPLETELY.

BEFORE ALPHA-GAL I WAS ON A CORN VOR DIET.

I WAS EATING MEAT EXCLUSIVELY BUT NOW I'VE FIGURED OUT A THOUSAND AND ONE WAYS TO EAT CHICKEN.

AND SEAFOOD WHICH IS IN A WAY GOOD, I ENJOY SEAFOOD AND THAT'S GREAT BUT THE MAIN THING IT HAS DONE FOR ME IS TO HAVE TO CHANGE MY DIET COMPLETELY AND BE REALLY, REALLY AWARE OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT YOU CAN GET OF MEAT.

SO I'M LOOKING ON THE BACKS OF BOXES OF CEREAL TO LOOK FOR THINGS LIKE NATURAL FLAVORS.

WHAT ARE NATURAL FLAVORS?

NONE OF US ACTUALLY KNOW.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT CAN BE, HOWEVER, IS MEAT BYPRODUCTS SO I HAVE TO REALLY, REALLY WATCH ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

IT MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO GO OUT TO EAT, JUST TO EAT AT A REGULAR FAST FOOD RESTAURANT IS PRETTY MUCH NON-EXISTENT FOR ME BECAUSE THERE IS POSSIBILITY OF CROSS CONTAMINATION IS BIG, TOO.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU COOK A PIECE OF CHICKEN ON THE SAME GRILL THAT YOU COOKED A PEACE OF MEAT 10 MINUTES AGO.

>> IT CAN CAUSE YOU PROBLEMS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, HOW RESPONSIVE DID YOU FIND THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO YOUR COMPLAINTS?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I HAVE A GREAT PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN WHO LISTENS TO ME AND, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I HAD A FRIEND WHO HAD THIS AND I WENT INTO THIS MEETING WITH MY DOCTOR, KNOWING THAT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME.

HE WAS VERY RESPONSIVE.

AGREED TO THAT NO PROBLEM AT ALL.

THE ONE PROBLEM I HAVE SEEN IN HEALTHCARE FOR SURE IS THERE IS NO MEDICALLY RECOGNIZED TREATMENT REALLY.

SO MY DOCTOR, YOU KNOW, MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN SENT ME TO AN ALLERGIST.

THAT ALLERGIST BASICALLY SAID YEAH, YOU HAVE ALPHA-GAL AND IT'S FAIRLY SEVERE.

THERE ARE NUMBERS THEY LOOK AT FOR THAT.

AND THE ONLY COURSE OF TREATMENT WE HAVE FOR YOU IS AVOIDANCE.

SO STAY AWAY FROM MEAT.

THERE IS NOT REALLY ANYTHING ELSE ON THE MARKET FOR THAT.

>> BUT FROM TIME OF ONSET OF SYMPTOMS TO DIAGNOSIS, HOW LONG WAS IT?

>> FOR ME IT WAS PRETTY SHORT.

I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT TAKES A LOT LONGER.

BUT FOR ME IT WAS ONLY ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.

AND EVEN STILL, EVEN AFTER MY DIAGNOSIS BEING SUPER CAREFUL OF WHAT I'M EATING, I STILL GET STICK FROM TIME TO TIME.

AND SOME OF THE TIMES I CAN POINT TO, MAYBE IT WAS THIS, OR THAT REASON IT HAPPENED.

AND SOMETIMES I STILL DON'T KNOW.

>> JUSTIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.

I PROMISE YOU I WILL NOT GO INTO THE WOODS WITH YOU.

YOU ARE BAD LUCK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I HOPE THINGS GET BETTER.

>> HAPPY TO HELP.

THANKS.

>> TODAY WE HAVE TWO GUESTS WHO WILL EXPLAIN THE DIAGNOSIS, SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME.

FIRST LET ME INTRODUCE Dr. MATTEO BERNAL, MASTERS ACUPUNCTURE AND ORIENTAL MEDICINE, DOCTORATE IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE AND GRADUATE OF THE NEUROACUPUNCTURE INSTITUTE PRACTICES WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORTED ACUPUNCTURE HERE IN LOUISVILLE.

OUR SECOND GUEST IS Dr. MARTIN HEUCKER.

Dr. HEUCKER IS A PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE AT U OF L HEALTH AND SEPARATE HOLISTIC PRACTICE.

HE IS CO-EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL WELLNESS AND PUBLISHES A WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWSLETTER CALLED THE PRACTICE OF WELLNESS.

GUYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL I CAN THINK IS ABOUT THE OLD MOVIE, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE AND THEY'RE SEEING SINGING BUFFALO GAL WON'T YOU COME OUT TONIGHT YOU ARE PROBABLY TOO YOUNG TO REMEMBER THAT MOVIE.

>> I REMEMBER THAT MOVIE.

>> WHAT IS ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME?

DELIGHTS IT'S AN ALLERGY TO CAN'T CARBOHYDRATE YOU ARE USUALLY ALLERGIC TO A PROTEIN, ENVIRONMENTAL ALLERGEN BUT THIS IS THE CARBOHYDRATE OF SUGAR AND IT CAN CAUSE ANY NUMBER OF ALLERGIC SYMPTOMS IN THE PATIENT AND ONE OF THE WEIRD THINGS ABOUT IT IS THEY CAN BE QUITE DELAYED.

SO THAT'S WHAT TRIPS UP A LOT OF DIAGNOSIS PROCESSES IS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT EAT STEAK AND SIX HOURS LATER THROW UP OR HAVE A RASH AND SO THEY DON'T EVEN THINK IT'S RELATED TO THE MEAL.

SO IT CAN BE A PRETTY TRICKY ALLERGY TO DIG NOSE DIAGNOSE.

>> ARE THE SYMPTOMS SPECIFIC ENOUGH TO SAY THIS IS ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME OR ARE THEY NEBULOUS THAT IT WILL THROW MOST PHYSICIANS OFF TRACK?

>> IF YOU ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT IT, YEAH, YOU WON'T DIAGNOSE IT BECAUSE THE HUGE SPECTRUM OF SYMPTOMS CAN FOOL US.

>> WHAT IS THE TIME LIMIT FROM THE TIME OF INFECTION TO THE TIME OF PRESENTATION?

>> SO FROM THE TICK TRACING BACK TO THE TICK BITE?

I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN BE DAYS TO WEEKS?

>> I'VE SEEN THREE WEEKS IS THE MOST COMMON ONSET OF SYMPTOMS IS THREE WEEKS AFTER A TICK BITE.

>> NOW, YOU KEEP SAYING TICK BITE.

SO WHAT TICK AND WHAT DOES THE TICK LOOK LIKE?

>> IT'S A LONE STAR TICK.

>> IT IS THE LONE STAR TICK.

>> BECAUSE IT COMES OUT OF TEXAS?

>> I THINK THEY CALL IT THE LONE STAR TICK BECAUSE IT HAS A WHITE DOT ON ITS BACK.

I DON'T THINK IT'S FROM TEXAS.

IT'S MORE PROMINENT IN THE SOUTHEAST AND NEW ENGLAND AREA ACTUALLY.

>> ARE THERE OTHER, YOU KNOW, INSECTS THAT CAN NOW GIVE US THIS KIND OF DISEASE PRESENTATION?

>> THERE ARE SOME STUDIES THAT SUGGEST CHIGGERS MIGHT TRANSMIT ALPHA-GAL AS WELL.

>> IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO STAY OUT OF THE WOODS.

I'M GOING TO STAY IN CONCRETE PLAZAS.

TO THAT END, WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT US FROM GETTING INFECTED?

IS THERE ANYTHING?

>> I TELL EVERYONE FOR A LOT OF REASONS, LYME DISEASE AND VARIOUS TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES, TO BE CAREFUL IN THE WOODS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.

TALL GRASS IS REALLY A CLASSIC PLACE WHERE YOU WILL PICK THEM UP.

WATCH YOUR ANIMALS.

MAYBE TREAT YOUR ANIMALS.

BUT THEY HAVE SOCKS AND OTHER CLOTHING THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO REPEL TICKS BUT I MEAN THEY'RE TRICKY.

THEY CAN CLIMB ON ANYTHING AND SO, YEAH, JUST PREVENTION IN THAT RESPECT IS PROBABLY THE BEST APPROACH.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK Dr. BERNAL, ARE YOU AN OUTDOORS PERSON?

>> OH YEAH.

>> WHAT DO DO YOU?

>> SO AS A HOLISTIC MEDICINE PRACTITIONER, I USED TO ADVISE MORE NATURAL SORT OF, YOU KNOW, REPELLANTS, CITRONELLA OR SOME CLOVE OILS, DIFFERENT ESSENTIAL OILS THAT SOME PEOPLE PREFER.

EYE I WILL BE HONEST.

AT THIS POINT, GIVEN THE COST BENEFIT OF USING A STRONGER PRODUCT, I KIND OF ERR ON THE SIDE OF USING A STRONGER PRODUCT TO AVOID THE POTENTIAL DOWNSIDES EVER TICK EXPOSURE.

>> SO FOR SOME OF THE OTHER SIMPLE THINGS, WHEN I SAY SIMPLE BUT MOSQUITOES, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU MAY GO WITH THE CLOVE AND OTHER... >> THOSE ARE INCONVENIENT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET MOSQUITO BITES, BUT SOME OF THE TICK-BORNE CO-INFECTIONS CAN BE PRETTY PROBLEMATIC FOR OFTEN A VERY LONG TIME.

>> ALL RIGHT.

I KNOW YOU ARE INTO HOLISTIC MEDICINE ALSO SO YOU TWO ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.

BUT IF YOU WILL, PERSON COMES IN, YOU'VE GOT THE DIAGNOSIS OF ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME, WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> WELL, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ALLERGISTS AND IMMUNOLOGISTS BUT FROM WHAT I READ, THERE IS NO TREATMENT, NO FDA APPROVED TREATMENT.

WE WOULD BASICALLY TELL A PATIENT TO AVOID MAMMALIAN PRODUCTS.

GELATIN AND DARE AGREE YOU MEAN LIKE IN JELLO OR WHAT OUR PILLS COME IN?

>> BOTH.

A LOT OF IT COMES FROM BEEF.

AND SO, YEAH, LIKE BASICALLY, THE TREATMENT IS AVOID IT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE LIKE NATURAL FLAVORS, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS, THEY WILL SNEAK A LITTLE BIT OF BEEF COMPONENT IN THERE.

SO IT'S TOUGH TREATMENT APPROACH.

>> BEFORE WE GET INTO YOUR ROLE WITH ACUPUNCTURE, WHAT IS-- WHAT-- WHEN PATIENTS COME TO SEE YOU, WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN DOING?

WHAT IS THE LITANY BECAUSE I IMAGINE YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST STOP BUT YOU ARE THE CABOOSE HERE.

I'M GUESSING.

SO WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN THROUGH WHEN THEY COME TO YOU?

>> NO, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

I'M NOT THE PRIMARY CARE.

MOST PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TO SOME SORT OF URGENT CARE OR OFTEN IT'S AN ACUTE, YOU KNOW, VERY NEW SYMPTOM THAT IS WORRISOME TO THE PATIENT, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING FROM LARGE RASHES, LIPS OR TONGUES SWELLING.

YOU KNOW, AND PRETTY SIGNIFICANT GI DISTRESS.

TAKE THEM TO THE URGENT CARE OR THE E.R.

WHERE THEY GET EVALUATED AND IF THERE IS NO QUICK TEST FOR ALPHA-GAL SO TYPICALLY THEY JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT WAS MUST HAVE BEEN AN ALLERGY AND DISCHARGED.

AND IF THEY'RE LUCKY TO SORT OF HAVE IT ON THEIR RADAR, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT MEAT WAS A CULPRIT.

AND BEGIN TO AVOID MA'AMAL PRODUCTS BUT MOST OF MY PATIENTS ARE NOT FOR A WHILE.

THEY GO SOMETIMES A LONG TIME INGESTING MA'AM MAMMAL AND THEY ARE SEE G.I.

SPECIALIST AND DERMATOLOGISTS AND ALLERGISTS AND A NUMBER OF PROCEDURES, YOU KNOW, FROM EACH OF THOSE SPECIALTIES.

>> JUSTIN MENTIONED HE HAD TO CARRY AROUND AN EPINEPHRINE PEN TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE.

YOU SAID ABOUT A TEST.

IS THERE A TEST MARTIN FOR ALPHA-GAL?

>> YES, SO NOW WE ARE USING IT A LOT MORE.

YOU CAN ORDER AN I.G.E.

OR FULL IMMUNE GOBLIN PANEL AND IT SPLITS IT INTO BEEF, LAMB, PORK, EGG, YOU CAN ORDER ANY NUMBER OF THEM.

BUT IT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE A STANDARD ALPHA-GAL PANEL LAB CORPS AND SOME OTHER PLACES OFFER NOW.

>> WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT ALPHA-GAL BUT WE HAVE AVOIDED SAYING THE NAME.

WHO WANTS TO TAKE A CRACK AT WHAT ALPHA-GAL STANDS FOR?

I'M NOT GOING TO DO IT.

GO AHEAD.

>> THAT WASN'T FAIR.

IT IS ALPHA-GAL BECAUSE OF THE GLACTOSE WHICH IS THE SUGAR.

>> I'M NOT TOUCHING THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU HAVE TEEN A PERSON WHO HAS ALPHA-GAL, THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH A CONSTELLATION OF STUFF AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT TO YOU DO.

NOTHING HAS WORKED.

I'M GOING TO SEND YOU TO AN ACUPUNCTURIVITY.

WHAT DO THE PEOPLE SAY WHEN YOU SAY THAT TO THEM?

>> THERE IS SCEPTICISM.

I WOULD START BY SAYING LIKE MAYBE A COUPLE YEARS AGO OR A FEW YEARS AGO I WOULD SEND THEM TO AN AL ALLERGIST FIRST BUT KNOWING THERE IS NO APPROVED TREATMENT, MY FIRST LINE NOW IS MATEO, GO TO HIM.

BUT THEY ARE A LITTLE SKEPTICAL.

WHY WOULD EAR ACUPUNCTURE FIX AN ALLERGY?

AND I TRY TO EXPLAIN THE BEST I CAN AND SHOW THEM OUR PAPER AND -- BUT SOME PEOPLE SHOW UP TO THE OFFICE WITH THE PAPER AND SAY I FOUND THIS.

I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING.

I HAVE SPENT MONTHS TO YEARS WITH THIS ILLNESS.

>> THE PAPER YOU ARE REFERRING TO IS THE STUDY THAT YOU GUYS DID LOOKING AT THE ROLE OF ACUPUNCTURE IN TREATING THIS?

>> YES.

>> I HAVE THIS FEELING THERE IS A MATADOR IN THE RING WITH THE BULL AND PEOPLE ARE THROWING THE NEEDLES INTO THE BULL.

THAT'S ACUPUNCTURE.

>> BASICALLY.

>> SO NOW TELL ME.

IF YOU CAN BREAK DOWN YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, CENTURIES OF KNOWLEDGE, WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE ALL ABOUT?

>> REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

I'M GLAD I HAVE MORE THAN 20 SECONDS TO ANSWER THIS IF THAT'S OKAY.

>> PLEASE SIR.

>> I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO RECOGNIZE THAT ACUPUNCTURE IS ONE MODALITY USED IN A MEDICAL PARADIGM OF CHINESE MEDICINE.

SO IT'S ONE TOOL THAT WE USE IN CHINESE MEDICINE.

AND YOU NOW YOU KNOW, IF YOU CONSIDER WHAT IS HEALTH?

DYNAMIC BALANCE OF PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, MENTAL WELL-BEING, THAT, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH RELIES ON THE CAPACITY OF A PERSON TO ADAPT TO THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

IN CHINESE MEDICINE, WE USE A TERM OFTEN CALLED HARMONY TO DESCRIBE A STATE OF-- A POSITIVE STATE OF HEALTH.

HARMONY BECAUSE IT IMPLIES INTEGRATION.

IT IMPLIES COOPERATION AND AGREEMENT.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT, FOR A MOMENT, THE INNUMERABLE PROCESSES HAPPENING IN THE BODY EVERY SINGLE MOMENT IN ORDER TO ALLOW US TO LIVE, IT'S REALLY QUITE ASTONISHING THAT WE DON'T JUST FALL APART.

HOW DOES IT ALL WORK, YOU KNOW, AND HOW DOES IT ALL WORK SEAMLESSLY FOR THE MOST PART?

AND YOU KNOW, EVERY CELL IN THE BODY MUST KNOW ITS ROLE.

IT KNOWS WHEN WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO RELATIVE TO EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND SO FOR IN ORDER FOR THIS COORDINATED HIGHLY ORGANIZED SYSTEM TO OPERATE IN HARMONY, THERE HAS TO BE COMMUNICATION.

AND THE CHINESE WERE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION.

LIKE HOW DOES-- HOW DO CELLS AND ORGANS COMMUNICATE, YOU KNOW, WITH ONE ANOTHER TO, YOU KNOW, ADOPT FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT?

AND THE CHINESE USE THE SYSTEM CALLED MERIDIAN SYSTEMS.

MAYBE WE CAN GET A PICTURE OF THAT UP, ACUPUNCTURE MER LIDDIANS.

BUT-- MERIDIANS.

WE GET A LOT OF INSIGHTS TO WHAT THE MERIDIANS ARE BY LOOKING AT EMBRIOLOGY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EMBRYO FROM A MODERN PERSPECTIVE.

AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE EXQUISITE MINUTIA OF EMBRIOLOGY, THE NUTSHELL IS IF YOU THINK ABOUT ONE CELL, WE START AS ONE CELL, DIVIDE TO TWO AND THEN FOUR AND THEN EIGHT AND SO ON UNTIL WE ARE A TRILLIONS OF CELLS ORGANISM AND IN THIS PROCESS OF DIVISION AND GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS AN INNATE WISDOM THAT GUIDES THIS GROWTH THAT ALLOWS IT TO, YOU KNOW, CARRY OUT AND, YOU KNOW, GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH AND DEVELOP INTO A HEALTHY, YOU KNOW, FORKED HUMAN ORGANISM.

AND IN THIS PROCESS OF DIVISION AND GROWTH, THERE ARE THESE VERY SPECIAL PLACES CALLED ORGANIZING CENTERS THAT ARE SORT OF NODES OF COMMUNICATION, WHERE INFORMATION IS EXCHANGED IN THIS EMBREY LOGICAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT THIS PLACE IN DEVELOPMENT RELATIVE TO EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND THIS INNATE WISDOM THAT GUIDES GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, THE CHINESE CALLED CHI.

YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THIS TERP, CHI.

AND WHEN WE USE OUR ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES AND STIMULATE THE POINTS, THEY OVERLAP WITH THE ORGANIZING CENTERS.

SO ESSENTIALLY WHEN WE ARE STIMULATING AN ACUPUNCTURE POINT, WE ARE PROMPTING THE BODY TO REMEMBER WHAT THE STATE OF HEALTH IS FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM CONCEPTION ESSENTIALLY.

>> OBVIOUSLY IN THE TRAINING, YOU LEARN WHERE TO GO, BUT I STILL MUST ASK, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THIS SPOT WILL CORRESPOND TO WHATEVER GIVEN EFFECT THAT YOU DESIRE TO ACHIEVE?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THERE ARE SEVERAL PARTS OFF THE BODY THAT ARE CONSIDERED EMPIRICAL.

THIS IS A POINT ON THE HAND THAT IS COMMONLY USED FOR HEADACHES AND ON THE ARM TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE.

WE SEE THIS OVER TIME THAT THIS WORKS BUT MOST ACUPUNCTURISTS DON'T SELECT POINTS BASED ON SYMPTOMS.

SO IF SOMEONE COMES IN WITH A HEADACHE, NAUSEA, AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, WE MIGHT CHOOSE THOSE THREE POINTS, BUT THERE IS A PROCESS OF A DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS THAT WE GO THROUGH TO HELP SELECT THE APPROPRIATE POINTS FOR THAT PERSON.

AND THAT'S ALL BASED ON THE MERIDIAN SYSTEM AS WELL.

SO... >> ALL RIGHT, NOW, IF I CAN FOR A MOMENT, I WANT TO GET TO THE NEW YORK CITY GRITTY OF PUTTING-- NITTY GRITTY OF PUTTING IN A NEEDLE.

THE PICTURE I HAVE ARE NEEDLES IN AN EAR, BUT I HAVE IT GROSSLY WRONG HERE.

YOU ARE NOT USING A NEEDLE THIS BIG ARE YOU?

>> NO, I'M USING A TINY TWO MILLIMETER NEEDLE THAT IS PLACED JUST BELOW THE STIN IN THE EAR.

>> WOULD YOU PUT THAT AGAINST YOUR FINGER?

>> IT'S THE SMALLEST NEEDLE FABRICATED FOR ACUPUNCTURE.

MOST COMMONLY IN TRADITIONAL ACUPUNCTURE WE USE NEEDLES THAT ARE ONE TO THREE INCHES LONG.

THEY'RE PLACED AT THE ACUPUNCTURE POINTS ON THE BODY.

AND THEY'RE TYPICALLY LEFT IN PLACE FOR 25 TO 30 MINUTES.

>> MINIMUM-- >> MINIMALLY INVASIVE AS YOU CAN GET.

>> YOU HAVE SENT A PATIENT OFF TO SEE MATEO.

HE IS GOING THROUGH THAT LONG SPIEL THAT HE JUST WENT THROUGH WITH US.

WE ARE ALL FEELING GOOD, WARM AND TOASTY.

THAT SORT OF THING.

I SAY NAH, COME ON.

TELL ME YOUR INDEPENDENT RESULT.

YOU ARE NOT THERE WITH HIM PUTTING THE NEEDLE IN.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING BACK FROM THE PATIENT?

>> THAT IT WORKS.

I WAS HEARING FROM PATIENTS AND FROM HIM HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, PATIENTS WERE BASICALLY CURED OF A CONDITION, A DISEASE THAT WAS INCURABLE AND I SAID MATEO, WE NEED TO PUBLISH THIS, YOU KNOW, AND HE IS JUST DOING HIS THING, TRYING DO GOOD FOR HUMANITY.

LIKE THAT WILL HELP SPREAD THE WORD.

LET'S DISSEMINATE THE KNOWLEDGE.

>> I HAVE TO ADMIT IT CAUGHT ME, JUST FASCINATES THE DEVIL OUT OF ME.

SO HOW-- IS IT INSTANTANEOUS RESPONSE THAT WE ARE SEEING?

OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT, OVER TYPE, YOU ARE MOVING THE BODY BACK INTO A STATE OF HARMONY?

>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

THE TREATMENT THAT WE DO INVOLVES PLACING THAT TINY NEEDLE IN THE EAR AND THEN IT REMAINS IN THE EAR FOR THREE WEEKS.

AND WE SEE THAT THE... >> YOU PUT A BAND-AID ON THERE?

>> A PIECE OF BANDAGE TO KEEP IT IN PLACE AND WE INSTRUCT THE PATIENT ON NOT GETTING IT WET, TRY NOT TO SLEEP ON IT.

DON'T SCRATCH IT OUT, YOU KNOW.

THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

NO SWIMMING.

BUT, YEAH, THE POINT IS THERE FOR THREE WEEKS AND WE KNOW THAT THE TREATMENT IS VERY EFFECTIVE IF THAT PIN CAN STAY RIGHT WHERE I PUT IT FOR THE THREE-WEEK PERIOD.

NOW SOMETIMES I HAVE PATIENTS WHO, YOU KNOW, COME BACK IN AFTER A WEEK AND THEY SAY, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS.

I WAS IN THE CAR AND I SCRATCHED IT OUT AND HAVE I TO COME BACK IN BUT THEY'RE ALREADY BETTER.

WE KNOW IT TAKES UP TO THREE WEEKS BUT IT'S THAT VARIES FROM PERSON TO PERSON.

>> FROM THE TIME THAT YOU GET RESOLUTION OF THE SYNDROME COMPLAINTS, AND YOU STOP TREATMENT, ARE THEY CURED?

CAN YOU USE THE WORD CURE OR MANAGED?

>> WE TALK ABOUT BEING IN REMISSION.

ALTHOUGH WE WILL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH MANY OF MY PATIENTS, WITH ON THE MILDER END OF THE, YOU KNOW, SPECTRUM OF SYMPTOMS, WHO DON'T HAVE LIFE THREATENING REACTIONS, THEY REINTRODUCE THE FOOD AFTER THREE WEEKS AND THEY BEGIN EATING SYMPTOM-FREE.

MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE DON'T DO FOLLOW-UP BLOOD WORK.

SO WE DON'T KNOW THE DATA ON IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, ANTIBODIES ARE RETURNING TO A NORMAL LEVEL OR NOT.

SOME OF THEM ARE AND THEY COME BACK AND SHOW ME THEIR LABS AND IT'S ZERO AND THAT'S GREAT.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DATA ON THAT.

>> MARTIN, I GUESS THE REAL QUESTION IS, CAN THEY EAT A HAMBURGER?

>> THEY DO.

THEY CAN AND THEY DO.

>> THE ANTIBODY LEVEL SHOWS IF I'M GOOD... >> SOME PATIENTS, ANTIBODY LEVELS WILL COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT FIND THEY CAN EAT MEAT AGAIN.

ANTIBODY LEVELS DON'T SEEM TO CORRELATE PERFECTLY WITH SYMPTOMS BUT HE HAD ONE PATIENT WHO I THINK WAS USING AN EPI PEN, I DON'T WANT TO STEAL YOUR THUNDER BUT WENT TO A BUFFET, RIGHT AND HE TRIED LIKE FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT MEATS, JUST WANT TO TOWN AFTER A WEEK OR THREE WEEKS BEFORE HE WAS USING AN EPI PEN IF HE WAS AROUND MEAT AND THIS GUY JUST CHOWED DOWN AT A BUFFET AND PRETTY AMAZING.

>> WELL, I HAVE TO SAY, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING OUT HERE AND TALKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE CLEARLY OUR WORLD NEEDS TO BE BROADEN.

A LOT OF TIMES WE LIMIT WHAT WE WANT TO USE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT AWARE OF IT.

THERE ARE ONLY TWO DIAGNOSIS YOU DON'T MAKE.

THE ONE YOU DON'T KNOW AND THE ONE YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT.

IN A CASE LIKE THIS, THIS IS A NEW TREATMENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH MARTIN, MATEO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY AND TALKING ABOUT THIS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

I HOPE HAVE YOU A BETTER APPRECIATION FOR THE NEED FOR PROTECTION WHEN VENTURING OUTSIDE AND FOR THE SYMPTOMS AND NOVEL TREATMENTS FOR ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME.

IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME AND THE TREATMENTS TALKED ABOUT TODAY, PLEASE TALK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.

IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THIS THOUGH AGAIN GO TO ket.org/HEALTH.

IF HAVE YOU A QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THIS OR OTHER SHOWS, WE CAN BE REACHED AT KYHEALTH AT ket.org AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE NEXT "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

I RECOMMEND GO ONLINE AND LOOK AT THE PAPER OF USING ACUPUNCTURE TO TREAT ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME AND I'M SURE MATEO WON'T MIND YOU CALLING HIM UP ASKING HOW TO GET WITH HIM.

THANK YOU AGAIN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.