An Old Disease in Modern Times…?

As humans we clout about all the modern day advancements we have made, while never looking back at what we might have gotten wrong! Arrogance and the illusion of power will do that to man. “I am so important, I don’t admit to what I got wrong.” I mean how many husbands does this quote possibly fit? Here in fact I lay awake in bed at a ripe 4:45 AM writing this idea that we are not paying attention to what has obviously been overlooked and labeled as new disease to protect the arrogance of human error. Let us revisit an old concept with an old title with old symptoms, because remember an arrogant man holds no room for mercy in their faults. They can only hold their arrogance in the pride held within their greatest asset, the ego.

What is this old disease resurfacing in theory? Let us first get into the history of its regions. Long before this disease was named it was known well in Chinese medicine in the 5th-3rd BC writings from the Huangdi Neijing as, “Kakkè” known for the extreme muscle weakness it was later coined as, “Beriberi” the meaning translated to a simple, “I cannot, I cannot.” The disease would become more apparent in the industrialization era when convenience started to take over. The idea that production superseded old processes and machines were the better way. It is said during the revolution of modern industrial machines that approximately 250,000 people were affected by rice being stripped from its nutrient outer pericarp aka the bran layer. This enevably removed vital nutrients essential for the body called thiamine or B1. It is said that out of this large group affected that nearly 27,000 died in the early 1900’s. Instead of the labor intensive pounding of the grain in its full nutrient rich form, let’s use machines! Despite old Chinese writing warning against this muscle wasting disease, let’s move forward industrializing. The solution would not be recognized until 1926 and put into practice until 1936. Barend Jansen and Willem Donath get credit for isolating thiamine from rice polishing, while Robert R. Williams gets credit for the fortification of thiamine back into the grain. It seems industry stripped the perfectly created grain God gave us in its natural form for consumption to then figure out a way to put back what nature had already provided. In the early 1800’s Christiaan Eijkman an Dutch physician, performed his own chicken experiment using polished white rice and unpolished brown rice. Eijkman observed when the chickens were fed the polished white rice the chickens developed nerve paralysis. Meanwhile, when the chickens were given the unpolished brown rice symptoms vanished closely resembling human termed, “Beriberi.” Eijkman along with Fredrick Hopkins would later share the Nobel Prize in Physiology of Medicine. Note Beriberi affected numerous areas widespread over different time periods. What is being ignored today in 2026 is the question to ponder on. Are we seeing the same disease pop up over 100’s of years later with autoimmune type disease on a incline like never before. Often noted current symptoms from individuals mimicking those once brought on by the careless industry that created the problem effecting over a quarter of a million individuals recorded. Let us get into synthetic fortified vitamins: A solution or a modern curse?

The question is, “Are synthetic fortified anything, a natural process for humans?” Or is it the poor man’s porridge everyone has bought into as being healthy? Let us discuss this unpopular topic that affects approximately 30-50% of the current population based on current statics, which we know can be off. Is that number higher, probably!

Genetic variations that are expressed can greatly effect the bodies ability to even convert synthetic fortified nutrients into the proper form needed to provide the proper nutrients. Many have heard the term MTHFR by now, it is a gene that produces an enzyme that helps the body break down folate and in those without the mutation folic acid the synthetic form of folate. The most common mutations of MTHFR are C677T and A1298C; however, variant C677T seems to be more susceptible to the ability to convert folic acid into the active form (5-MTHF). This seems to be highly debated amongst professionals, which I hesitate to add due to how ridiculous that statement seems to be. Just ask any of us that carry these gene mutations how are bodies respond to synthetic fortification! Simple blood tests do not show true conversion nor actual nutrient absorption that is why cellular CMA tests exist. What are you actually converting or utilizing will show up in the cells health. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which is interesting how many symptoms of Beriberi prove to overlap the lesion described demylinating disease. You might be surprised that this gene is not the only gene associated with reduced intake of folate from synthetic fortification.

DHFR is another contributor to an incefficent conversion of the synthetic folic acid. DHFR is an enzyme that helps convert folic acid into tetrahydrofolate. The people that naturally have a lower activity in this enzyme causes synthetic folic acid to be processed slower than usual. TCN2 is another gene that can be affected by synthetic folic acid through the vitamin B12 transport. B12 and folate metabolism work together. Any problems in either pathway can make issues in the other pathways more pronounced. SLC19A1 gene for example influences folate transport into cells. FUT2 gene can alter absorption in some variants; these variants are associated with lower B12 status due to altered absorption.

Lastly, HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 genes also known as the Celiac genes, are associated with Celiac disease increasing ones susceptibility. While these don’t affect fortification itself but increase susceptibility to celiac disease, where gluten-containing grains trigger an immune response.

While other foods produce a good source of thiamine to prevent issues are we eating them in the proper quantity to avoid symptoms? Pork is one of the richest sources of thiamine yet I am religious avoiding pork due to the bible stating it is unclean. Other sources of thiamine include, fish, eggs, sunflower seeds, nuts, legumes, potatoes, peas, and asparagus. Since I avoid most lectin containing foods this further eliminates sources of thiamine in my diet. Here are some of the listed symptoms that occur when thiamine is low:

What is known as Wet Beriberi effecting the heart and circulation with symptoms including: Shortness of breath during activity, fast heartbeat, and swollen lower legs/feet.

Next is what is known as Dry Beriberi effecting the nervous system with symptoms including: Trouble walking with loss of balance, numbness and tingling in hands/feet, muscle weakness or paralysis in the lower legs, and mental confusion and/or trouble speaking.

Causes of low thiamine are as listed, number one the diet, eating unfortified processed grain such as white rice. Number two is excessive alcohol use which causes the body to stop holding onto thiamine. Number three is medical issues such as kidney disease, weight loss surgery such as the gastric bypass, and/or prolonged diarrhea. Four I would argue genetics effecting absorption by eating the wrong diet for the individual.

While on the topic of defeciencies, let’s talk Scurvy since poor medical advice is still given to individuals diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis to avoid Vitamin C! This one baffles me truly. “ “Avoid boosting your immune system” is what is spouted out. I was told the same thing? I questioned it immediately and chose to do my own research into the topic of what I was sure to be poor health advice on a topic the doctor was not qualified to even speak on. How many hours of nutrition does your credential's hold?

This can be deadly, fatal advice to follow. Yes, in today’s world we consume vitamin C in many forms and have access to it in supplementation; however, if one is being told to avoid it all together what outcome does that leave an already vulnerable body? Symptoms include being swollen, bleeding gums, swollen gums, loose teeth, a condition called, “petechiae”, which are small red or blue spots on the skin from bleeding underneath, easy bruising, dry brittle hair that curls, wounds that do not heal within a normal timeframe, fatigue feeling weak and tired, loss of appetite, weight loss, irritability, low mood or depression, aching muscles, sore joints in the legs and arms. Many of these diagnosis’s such as Multiple Sclerosis get all the blame, but are some of these old often always ignored diseases simply the new modern lack of adequate nutrition? Some groups of people will be based on the convenience of life’s drive through obsession left with a lack of adequate nutrition. Some groups of people with unknown gene mutations that prevent the absorption of synthetic fortified grains starving internally from the lack of again adequate nutrition. Some groups of people believed the extremely poor advice of the supposed medical specialist that knows best to avoid entirely needed vitamin groups leaving these people in fear of the nutrients their body demands. I have found these parallel's to be intersting and of value. Are symptoms really from the placement of a randomly placed lesion? When asked, the doctors have zero answers as to what they are or why they exist, but they know it is causing symptoms, hmmm? I question that authority of nonsense and ask all of you reading this to think more critically. Test your own bodies levels of nutrional needs with a CMA test. Test your own body for the numerous gene mutations linked to a struggling nutrient balanced body. Test your own body by adding in the missing nutrients in the correct form, does it change symptoms? My body did not get better by blindly accepting gibberish that when put into a calculated equation did not equate. My mind thinks outside of formula we are all given as truth. I ask again, is it possible that deficiencies are creating the endless stacking list of symptoms we all seem to have when diagnosed with autoimmunity? Old diseases seem ridiculous to any health professional; however, they seem quite reasonable to me. I am not in fear of the fear driven neurology department with their highly unprofessional statements, “You don’t take my drugs and you’ll be in a wheelchair in five years.” So they know when I’ll be rolling around in a broken down state, but do not understand what a lesion even is? Odd isn’t it? Well here I am almost seven years later after diagnosis running on treadmills, lifting twenty pound smash balls, hiking, kayaking, jumping off the bow of a boat into the lake’s crisp waters, enduring the heat I am suppose to be intolerant of. Here is the reality I wish you take from this blog, if I believed in the script I was given I more than likely would be rolling around in a state of depression. Personally, I am grateful for the mind that thought outside of the norms I was told to blindly believe, the mind that saved me.