Dear ones,

These "starting blocks" are based on my own personal research and the great input from friends here at Curezone. None of these steps have been proven to cure muscular dystrophy, yet I feel that by doing these things, those of us who fight MD will be that much closer to total health.

1. If there was only one thing an MD patient could do, my suggestion would be to get a home water distiller and start drinking 100% distilled water. A home distiller costs $100 and up. www.sears.com and www.nutriteam.com sell these at reasonable prices. You need to drink half your body weight in distilled water every day. You can mix this water with the juices and teas you will be taking, but you need this water in your body every day. There is a great book called Your Body's Many Cries For Water, by Dr. "Batman," which details the many diseases that can be cured by just this one step.

We will also stop drinking all commercial beverages. This means soda pop, coffee, black tea, Koolaid, Gatoraide, canned and bottled juice, frozen juice concentrate, Snapple, milk, chocolate milk, and adult beverages.

2. You need to make the plunge to go "all raw." Honestly, I have been "tippy-toeing" around this fact myself. I have read Gerson, Christopher, Schulze, Barron, Arlin, and most recently a great little book called Dying to Get Well by Shelly Keck (which you can download for free at www.rawandjuicy.com). I've also heard from countless people here on Curezone. Food must become our medicine, and we can't get the medicine we need from our food if it's been cooked out.

If protein is the issue that is keeping you from going all vegetarian or all raw, I can assure you that all of our protein needs, even with MD, can be met in the plant kingdom. I used to be a heavy meat eater. However, I've only eaten beef and ham once each since last June. I'm learning how to listen to my body, and now chicken and eggs are no longer "calling" me. I've been dairy free for years due to milk allergies, but now cheese seems "gummy." The only meat that still sounds interesting to me is fish. It is interesting, though, that on some days I "just can't get enough" raw walnuts!

I really think that as we get cleaner, our bodies tell us what we need. It's fascinating!

You don't have to jump to a raw food diet overnight, but the sooner you do, the sooner your body can become healthy. I've got several cookbooks to suggest with really good recipes to help you transition, but you're eventually going all raw. Look at Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book, Eat To Live, for a very healthy, but not vegetarian, diet.

Some people may decide not to try these suggestions because they do not want to change their diet to all raw permanently. There may be some concern that an all raw diet over a long period of time may do more harm than good for an MD patient. If you have any concerns at all, just go all raw for a period of a few months to detoxify your body, and then start adding back one food at a time and see how you feel.

3. Clean the house of all toxins. There is a book by Dr. Hulda Clark called The Cure For All Diseases which has a very thorough list of household toxins. Since we don't really know which toxin might be the offending poison, or it might be a combination of several, we need to throw all of them out. We will replace our cleaning chemicals with non-toxic versions. We will throw out old cans of paint in a responsible manner. We will toss our hairsprays and antiperspirants and lipsticks, replacing them with safe alternatives. We also need to stop using all soaps. Many people on Curezone use Dr. Bronner's instead.

I found a great list of resources for safe home and beauty products in the back of The Maker's Diet, by Jordan Rubin.

4. If muscular dystrophy runs in the family and you plan to have more children, do not vaccinate your babies! I am beginning to suspect that reaction to vaccines may play a part in developing MD. There have been no studies done, but I am willing to "lay the vaccination card on the table" and play it if we need it.

I don't think there's a way to "de-vaccinate" someone. Those of us who were vaccinated as children must live with what we were given. I vaccinated all of my children, as "good mothers" are supposed to do. Live and learn.

5. Cleanse you body using natural foods and herbs. All of your internal organs should be cleansed, including your colon, liver, kidneys, heart, and bloodstream. You should also do a parasite cleanse, followed by a pro-biotic. Read anything by Dr. John Christopher or Dr. Richard Schulze . Try to get a set of the old "Save Your Life" videos by Sam Bizer (documents Dr. Schulze )or purchase any of Schulze's videos and tapes, available at www.800herbdoc.com.

Dr. Hulda Clark also has proven methods of cleansing. There is a great forum here on Curezone for people interested in doing her cleanses.

6. Find a reputable chiropractor or body worker or both. Make monthly visits for adjustments. Also consider physical therapy as a part of your exercise routine three days a week.

7. Take organic, plant-based supplements and nutrients. I will be developing a list of recommended supplements and their ordering information within the coming weeks.

8. Get lots of fresh air and sunshine every day. Expose as much skin to the sun as you feel comfortable doing, taking care not to burn. Don't wear sunscreen!

9. Get plenty of rest. Seven to eight hours of sleep a night is recommended for an adult, and ten or more hours a night is recommended for a child. Take rest breaks or naps during the day, and don't forget to get some mental rest, too! Also take times of sanctuary and rest to settle your spirit and hear the Holy Spirit.

10. Think positive! Don't watch the news! Who needs all that depressing junk to worry about on top of everything else?

There are no incurable diseases. Let's do the above ten steps for starters, and then see what advanced measures we can add to actually cure muscular dystrophy.

Many blessings,
-Donna