Positive Health Online

Welcome to the Dance… is written by Ruth Whalen MLT and forward by Abram Hoffer MD PhD FRCP. The book is about Ruth's 27-year journey from a host of physical symptoms, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to health.

Her illness started in her teens after taking a powerful methylated alkaloid 1-3-7- trimethylxanthine, a nerve poison and pesticide known as 'coffee' and 'cola'. She experienced anaphylaxis and heightened adrenal response and, an emergency doctor, misdiagnosing her problem accurately, gave her adrenaline causing acute psychosis. She continued to drink coffee and cola and developed an allergy to caffeine and suffered ongoing psychosis and physical symptoms to the extent that she was committed to a psychiatric ward.

Whilst in hospital Ruth, a medical laboratory technician, learnt of her abnormal laboratory results, which she knew were due to systemic poisoning. She did not know at that time that an allergic response to caffeine resembles amphetamine and alcohol poisoning as well as theophylene toxicity. Her results were, however, interpreted by the medical profession as personality disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Ruth suffered endless emotional, mental and physical symptoms until she discovered 25 years later that coffee was the problem. 21/2 years after eliminating caffeine she is mentally and physically well. She firmly believes that caffeine "cremated her dreams and goals", which is re-inforced in the book by testimonials from others who have suffered from, and recovered from caffeine poisoning.

In her research into coffee she learnt that ongoing caffeine anaphylaxis and resultant heightened adrenal response causes a combined poisoning of exogenous (entering from outside) chemicals and endogenous (produced in the body) chemicals generating progressive mental and physical conditions. Mental conditions include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder, olfactory reference syndrome, depression, mania, schizophrenia as well as bipolar and personality disorders. Physical conditions include rapid pulse, photophobia premenstrual syndrome, respiratory disturbances, low immunity and hypoglycaemia

Ruth's book provides three areas of interest and teaching even though it is at times difficult to read, repetitive and over-emotional. Firstly, she presents her own account of living with psychosis, which is valuable in teaching others what it is like to be psychotic. Secondly, she has referenced an enormous number of publications and provides excellent biochemical information that should be of interest to all health professionals. Thirdly, she is sending her warning about the dangers of coffee to every caffeine user unknowingly poisoned and unethically diagnosed with a mental disorder.

At this time, when the medical profession are undecided whether recreational drugs such as cannabis, a well known mind altering drug, can cause schizophrenia in genetically susceptible people, I think that it will find it difficult to believe that coffee, a well known central nervous system stimulant can have a similar effect. However, Ruth has paved the way for changes to be made and maybe she could now convey her message directly to sufferers of mental health in a simple version of the book. I wish her the best of luck.

Further Information

This title may be purchased from Trafford Publishing: www.trafford.comUK: £19.12: Tel: 0845 230 9601; orders.uk@trafford.comUS and international: $33.95: Tel: 001 250-383-6864. orders@trafford.com