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Mucoid plaque is a term used in alternative medicine circles describing a purported thick, plaque of mucus that lines the alimentary canal and other hollow organs. The most prominent and original advocates of this concept have been the alternative medicine practitioners Richard Anderson, Robert Gray, Victor Earl Irons, Bernard Jensen, and John R. Christopher. Richard Anderson coined the term mucoid plaque by joining the word mucoid, which means “resembling mucus,” with the word plaque, which means “a film of mucus.” Before him, Robert Gray referred to it as mucoid matter, Victor Earl Irons and Bernard Jensen referred to it as toxic mucous lining or layer, and John R. Christopher referred to it as catarrh or simply mucus.

Pathophysiology

Mucoid plaque is purported to be created when the body produces mucus to protect itself from “potentially toxic” substances and then forms into a plaque. Among the “potentially toxic” substances said to incite this process are certain drugs or chemicals, certain toxin-producing parasitic microorganisms, meat products, dairy products and overly processed foods (Gray; Anderson).

This mucoid plaque is said to be a potential health threat by reducing the absorption of nutrients, impairing digestion, providing a haven for parasitic microorganisms, behaving as a reservoir of toxins which poisons the body, and reducing bowel transit time. It is considered an important factor in the development of various types of cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, skin conditions, allergies, premature-aging, and the highly controversial “yeast syndrome” (Gray; Anderson; Christopher; Jensen).

Treatment

Cleansing programs to remove this mucoid plaque typically include the following components: (a) fasting or adherence to a “mucusless” diet to stop the ongoing production of mucus (b) mucoactive agents such as herbs or other substances to loosen or break up the mucus (c) psyllium and enemas to remove mucus once it has been loosened and (d) supplements such as electrolytes and beneficial bacteria to support the body. Bentonite is sometimes combined with the psyllium to enhance its removing ability (Gray 53-55).

Once eliminated from the body, colon mucoid plaque is said to have a characteristic look. It is described as somewhat shiny and ropey. It may take on the shape and texture of the intestines and thus show striations, smoothness, overlaps, folds, or creases (Anderson 94).

Intestinal mucin

Richard Anderson says that what he calls mucoid plaque is what the conventional scientific literature calls intestinal mucin (Anderson 59). He says that “clinical and anatomical studies from many papers and textbooks have demonstrated that mucoid plaque exists in the alimentary canal” (Anderson 60). He supports this thesis with the following excerpts from conventional medical sources:

• “Intestinal mucins are complex glycoproteins which are secreted from goblet cells, and form a gel-like covering over the mucosal surface. They are assumed to provide lubrication and protection of the underlying epithelium against potentially injurious chemicals, enzymes, bacteria and dietary constituents. Recent advances in our understanding of mucin structure, secretion and functional properties are reviewed in this paper. Implications for diseases such as cystic fibrosis, peptic ulcer, malignancy and inflammatory bowel disease are briefly discussed.” (Forstner)

• “Other bacteria such as E. Coli can also be found completely separated from luminal contents by a layer of mucin.” (Gibson 184)

• “Even the slightest irritation of the mucosa directly stimulates the mucous cells to secrete copious quantities of this thick, viscid mucus. This in turn forms a gastric barrier that prevents the digestion of the gastric wall and also greatly reduces the absorption of substances by the gastric mucosa.” (Guyton 776)

Medical doctors

Richard Anderson says that medical doctors are not trained to recognize this intestinal mucin and typically think that this mucin layer is the same as the mucosal layer. “Until the mucoid plaque begins to mix with fecal matter, its color and texture may appear similar to healthy bowel mucosa,” he says (Anderson 66; 88).

Indeed, Edward Thuman, M.D., a practicing pathologist and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of Texas School of Medicine, has said on the basis of never having seen it in several thousand intestinal biopsies: "This is a complete fabrication with no anatomic basis" (Thuman). Another practicing pathologist, Ed Friedlander, M.D., at Brown University, states, “As a pathologist, I have opened hundreds of colons and never seen anything like ‘toxic bowel settlement’”. Furthermore, in reference to those pictures of mucoid plaque he says, “Sites they have shared include one depicting what I recognize to be a blood clot” (Friedlander). Medical dictionaries define a blood clot as a clot that forms inside of a blood vessel.

References

• Anderson, Richard. Cleanse & Purify Thyself: Book Two. Mt. Shasta, California: Christobe, 2000.

• Christopher, John. Dr. Christopher’s Three-Day Cleansing Program, Mucusless Diet and Herbal Combinations. Springville, Utah: Christopher, 1969.

• Forstner, JF. “Intestinal mucins in health and disease.” Digestion 1978 17(3) 234-63. MEDLINE.

• Friedlander, Ed. “Ed’s Guide to Alternative Therapies.” The Pathology Guy. <http://www.pathguy.com/altermed.htm#colonic>.

• Gibson and Macfarlane. Human Colonic Bacteria, Role in Nutition, Physiology, and Pathology. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1995.

• Gray, Robert. The Colon Health Handbook: New Health Through Colon Rejuvenation. Reno, Nevada: Emerald, 1991.

• Guyton, A.C. Textbook of Medical Physiology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders, 1986.

• Irons, V. Earl. The Destruction of Your Own Natural Protective Mechanism.

• Jensen, Bernard. Dr. Jensen’s Guide To Better Bowel Care: A Complete Program For Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management. Garden City Park, New York: Avery, 1999.

• Thuman, Edward. “Mucoid Plaque.” Quackwatch. <http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/QA/mucoidplaque.html>.

External links

• Pictures of mucoid plaque

• Colon Plaque - Mucoid Plaque by Dr. Richard Anderson

• Colonoscopy pictures of mucoid plaque before removed from the colon

• Pictures of mucoid plaque

• Pictures of mucoid plaque

• Pictures of mucoid plaque

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• Fraud
• Quackery