Holistic Approach
to a Deadly Condition—IMHA
by Russell Louie
The purpose of this article is not to introduce a “cure” for any one
particular condition but to introduce a new paradigm in holistic pet care.
I have chosen a deadly disease,
Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA)
or Auto-Immune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) as an example. The Morris Animal
Foundation states:
- 50% of dogs diagnosed with this disease die within two weeks of
diagnosis
- IMHA dogs have nearly an 80% mortality rate
I hope no reader has ever had to face this
devastating condition. For simplicity,
henceforth, Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) and Auto-Immune
Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) will be collectively referred to as IMHA. The
holistic principles discussed in this article apply to all symptoms and
any health condition, not just IMHA.
With IMHA, red blood cells are not manufactured at the bone marrow
level, requiring
frequent blood transfusions to keep the dog’s
hematocrit level (HCT) in the normal range (40-45). In addition, the
body’s own immune system is
seemingly attacking itself by destroying the
remaining good red blood cells thus lowering the blood cell count. Prednisone, prednisolone, cyclosporine and azathioprine are the most
commonly prescribed drugs. While these drugs do suppress the body’s
immune system from attacking itself, they do nothing to regenerate the
red blood cells that are being destroyed, resulting in degenerative
anemia.
Typical allopathic research for IMHA focuses on how to stop the body
from destroying its own red blood cells and how to stimulate new red
blood cells at the bone marrow level. While both treatments are needed
to handle the acute symptoms in order to save a dog’s life, is this the
ultimate answer? Do scientists really know all the nutrients, organs,
glands and processes involved in producing red blood cells? Is it really
a foreign invader stopping the body from producing red blood cells? From
my holistic perspective, we don’t need these answers.
Back to Basics
Nature has dictated what nutrients are needed to manufacture red blood
cells. Nature has also given the necessary knowledge to the body’s
glands and organs and encoded this knowledge in their cell’s DNA. So,
why not holistically support the body’s natural process of manufacturing
red blood cells by supplying super nutrition to wake up the brain and
balance all the glands and organs, then let the body’s own natural
ability to heal take over? One can do this, not with supplements that
mostly treat symptoms, specific glands and organs but with whole food
products that nourish the whole body.
The following are based on my research, experiences helping with IMHA
and observations based on 57 years of holistic living experience. This
is not meant to replace or substitute for proper veterinary care.
Bio-Algae Concentrates (BAC)
During the 1970’s in the former U.S.S.R., their chicken, pig, cow and mink
populations (all cash crops) were beset with a cancer epidemic. In 1973,
Dr. Michael Kiriac was tasked by the Moldova Academy of Sciences to
research a nutritional way to prevent cancer in animals. Current
research at that time pointed to the promise of algae, as a nutritional
tool in preventing cancer. Out of the 25,000+ species of algae on Earth,
he chose more than 1,000 different species to research. Bio-algae
concentrates (BAC) is the generic name given to the research algae
mixture that Dr. Michael Kiriac used on mice, rats, chicken, rabbits,
mink, pigs, cow and other livestock. After 20 years of research he discovered
the following BAC benefits:
- 50% of diseased chickens (including Marek disease, a type of cancer)
were put back into production
- Ability to raise disease-free (including cancer) chickens without the
use of antibiotics and hormones
- 20% overall productivity increase in chickens

- 21% increased weight of chickens
- Increased strength of eggshell and larger eggs
- Better tasting eggs and meat
- Prevention of cancer in rabbits
- Shinier and longer fur in rabbits
- Increased survival rate of newborns
- Increased fertility—larger litters
- Calmer moods
- Prevention of viral and bacterial infections—overall healthier
animals
- Dangerously low white blood cell counts (due to leukemia) was
increased
- Regeneration of bone marrow, blood, spinal fluids and liver cells
It is this ability of BAC to regenerate bone marrow and blood cells that
is most relevant to IMHA. Dr. Kiriac found research by Chinese
scientists documenting that phycocyanin stimulates hematopoesis
(creation of blood), emulating the hormone erythropoetin (EPO). EPO is
produced by healthy kidneys and regulates bone marrow stem cell
production of red blood cells. They claim phycocyanin regulated white
blood cell production, even when bone marrow stem cells are damaged by
toxic chemicals or radiation.1
Chlorophyll is sometimes called “green blood” because of its similarity
to the hemoglobin molecule found in human blood cells. In fact, both are
constructed of almost identical molecular structure called pyrrole
rings, and both substances are chemically known as “porphyrin pigments”
by scientists. The difference is that chlorophyll contains a magnesium
ion at its core, while hemoglobin contains an iron molecule. Magnesium
imparts a green color to the chlorophyll molecule and is involved in
synthesis of other materials, while iron gives hemoglobin a red
coloration and changes the function of the porphyrin molecule to
respiration and breakdown of materials. There are many reasons why
cereal grass and other dark green plants can be considered
“blood-building” foods. The vitamins and minerals in cereal grass are
essential to the synthesis and function of the components of healthy
blood. It does appear, however, that small amounts of the digestive
products of chlorophyll may stimulate the synthesis of either heme or
globin or both in animals and humans.2
IMHA Experiences
Since 2003, we have dealt with over 125 cases of IMHA. We used a
whole food product,
bio-algae
concentrates,
containing the same four microalgae in Dr. Kiriac’s bio-algae
concentrates (BAC) formula. One dog, due to have her puppies, fell over
and got very weak for 3 days. The owner took her dog to the vet and she
was diagnosed with anemia. Her blood count (HCT) was only 13 (40-45 is
normal) and she lost her puppies. They gave her a blood transfusion and
took her back a week later for a hysterectomy, because the vet diagnosed
a bad infection. About 10 days after the operation, she fell over again,
her blood count (HCT) was down to 8 and they gave the dog another
transfusion. While the dog was there, they did a bone marrow biopsy and
found no red blood cells were being made. After 4 days, and $7500 later,
the vet diagnosed Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA)—Red Blood Cell
Aplasia. The vet said the blood count was up to 14 but the dog could not
go home and would probably die there. At that point the dog was on 7
different immune suppressants. The dog was bloated and had no strength
or energy. She could not even go down the stairs by herself. The dog was
slowly weaned off all drugs but the Prednisone. She started to act a
little better but they still could not get her blood count above 17. Her
liver was enlarged and her body was full of fluids.
Fortunately, the owner started using a nutritional whole food product,
bio-algae concentrates, along with a natural diet of chicken or beef, rice and
carrots mixed with seaweed, garlic, acidophilus, and flax seed oil. The
dog slowly recovered and is still doing great today: full of energy,
running up and down the Colorado mountains, eating well and her gums are
pinker than ever. It has been 5 years now since her IMHA diagnosis and
Cali is still alive running up our Colorado mountains.
Another dog with IMHA needed CPR because he collapsed and his heart
stopped. They were able to
revive him and gave him his tenth blood
transfusion for IMHA. His lowest HCT was about 8. They gave him
bio-algae concentrates and he responded wonderfully. He began drinking water
almost immediately. His HCT level remained stable at 32, when in the
past it had been no higher than 16, even with blood transfusions. He was
discharged from the hospital after 10 days. The dog’s HCT returned into
the normal range at 45. He is still on the immune suppressants and
steroids but they are working on weaning him off these medications.
IMHA Solution? Out of the
125+ IMHA cases we have dealt with, at least
65% are still alive. I suspect a number of the
remaining cases are still alive but unfortunately, most people treat
whole food products just like supplements, in that they only give them
as long as their pet has symptoms. When the pet totally recovers, they
discontinue the product and never get back with us. To respect the
privacy of the guardians and sensitivity of the subject, we have not
followed up.
How did a nutritional whole food product accomplish all this?—it did not.
Bio-algae concentrates contains four microalgae, that synergistically supplies
super nutrients to the body at the cellular level (microalgae are
one-celled organisms) rather than trying to “fix” the red blood cells,
bone marrow and immune system with a specific drug or a supplement.
Bio-algae concentrates simply supplied the body with the super nutrients of
Vitamin A, B-complex, C, D, E and K, essential fatty acids of Omega 3,
Omega 6, Omega 9, Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA content is similar to early
mother’s milk), Alpha-Linolenic Acids (ALAs), Dihomogamma-Linolenic Acid
(DGLA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and more fatty acids, over 4,000
enzymes, 10 essential amino acids plus 10 more, all known trace minerals
and elements, phytonutrients and thousands of other nutrients so the
body could resume producing red blood cells normally. Bio-algae
concentrates are
not a solution for IMHA but a holistic way to activate the body’s own
natural ability to heal.
New Paradigm in Holistic Pet Care
Bio-algae
concentrates contains superfood ingredients (specifically abundant
antioxidants in the form of mixed carotenoids from its four microalgae)
that can awaken the master gland in the brain, which controls all the
other glands and organs of the body and, of course, red blood cell
production. When the master gland (pituitary), pineal and hypothalamus
in the brain are synergistically working together, the body is
holistically balanced and can return to wellness. Since no one knows
exactly why IMHA occurs, boosting and balancing the whole body, with a
whole food product, is the most holistic approach to regenerate red
blood cells. Bio-algae concentrates did not treat the symptoms or IMHA disease
but activated the animal’s own natural ability to heal.
We have used this same holistic paradigm of feeding super nutrition to
the body (from a whole food product), waking up and balancing the glands
in the brain, to nutritionally help pets with Symmetrical Lupoid
Onychodystrophy (SLO, another auto-immune disease),
seizures,
cancer,
chronic renal failure (CRF),
allergies,
irritable bowel symptoms,
diabetes, lipomas (fatty tumors) and many other imbalances in the body.
When the endocrine and immune systems are holistically balanced,
everything works like it should and symptoms are not needed. Now that is
a new paradigm in holistic pet care!
1 Zhang Cheng-Wu, et. al. Effects of polysaccharide and phycocyanin from
spirulina on peripheral blood and hematopoietic system of bone marrow in
mice. Second Asia-Pacific Conf. Ibid, April, 1994. (Source:
www.themagicisbac.com/page10-01-05.html)
2 All the above research was taken from www.TheMagicisBAC.com
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