What Is Hydrogen Peroxide Therapy?
There have been claims that natural foods, chemicals, plants, and even more obscure substances such as salt from the Dead Sea, can cure or alleviate a multitude of ailments. This ideology has been most prevalent in the West since the early nineteenth century. In 1818, hydrogen peroxide was discovered and shortly thereafter, began being used by dentists to prevent gingivitis as well as to whiten teeth. Even more recently, the chemical compound has dedicated consumers who believe that ingesting small amounts of hydrogen peroxide can cure even the deadliest of diseases.
Hydrogen peroxide is believed to work through oxidation. According to Dr. David Edwards, who leads the Bio Health Center in Reno, Nevada, the body uses oxygen to combat bacteria, viruses, and other invasive illnesses. Edwards claims that by treating the body with oxygen, a process known as Bio-Oxidative Therapy, health can be dramatically improved. Hydrogen peroxide, when it decomposes, rapidly produces oxygen. When introduced to the body either through ingestion or intravenously, hydrogen peroxide will flood the tissues with oxygen.
Dr. David G. Williams, one of the most notable proponents of hydrogen peroxide and bio-oxidative therapies, believes that injecting small amounts of food grade (35 percent) hydrogen peroxide can bring incredible relief to many people suffering from chronic conditions. According to Williams, because of toxins in the air and the foods we eat, as well as the diminishing rain forests and treescapes around the world, our tissues and blood are becoming less saturated with oxygen. Adding more oxygen to the body, Williams argues, can cure or alleviate allergies, headaches, bacterial infections, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and other illnesses.
Sufferers of emphysema may also find hydrogen peroxide a promising helper. According to Williams, hydrogen peroxide has the power to clear the lining of the lungs, helping the patient to take air into the lungs. Also, the peroxide is believed to fight bacterial infections, which can restore the patient’s breathing ability. Because emphysema can be life threatening, the promise of a natural treatment with few, if any, side effects is tremendous.
Similarly, hydrogen peroxide has been used to treat some forms of cancer. Although the American Cancer Society and the Food and Drug Administration strongly suggest not using the chemical as a cancer treatment, the Independent Cancer Research Foundation, Inc. believes hydrogen peroxide can be helpful in getting rid of some early forms of cancer. Though the foundation is adamant that the treatment is only used after studying and understanding its limitations and with the guidance of a highly trained professional, it is thought that the metastasis of cancer cells is greatly reduced when high levels of oxygen surround the cells. If hydrogen peroxide can be delivered to the cancer cells, the cancer will be unable to spread.
Though practitioners of alternative medicine believe that hydrogen peroxide can be used in these ways, a doctor should be consulted before starting any type of treatment. Because hydrogen peroxide is a highly reactive chemical, though environmentally safe, it can be damaging to the body. There are even reports of deaths from the medicinal use of hydrogen peroxide. The Food and Drug Administration states that it considers food grade hydrogen peroxide to be “dangerous, even if handled according to the manufacturer’s directions” and finds it to be highly corrosive.
While hydrogen peroxide is primarily promoted by alternative medicine practitioners, the bodily benefits of oxidization are readily acknowledged. Hydrogen peroxide therapy has already led to some promising treatment opportunities. But, a medical professional should be consulted before employing this form of therapy.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this hub is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements.
