There’s a story out there, one that involves people being diagnosed, as they say, with this thing called ALS. “You have ALS,” they are told, a so called incurable disease with no known cause. The only thing is there’s a big problem with this story. There’s no such thing as ALS.
“Hey, but wait.” you might say. “People are getting weaker, and what about the genes that people say cause ALS to run in families? Surely there must be something going on.”
Yup, something is going on. People are getting weaker and genes are doing things. The thing is that ALS is not doing it. ALS cannot do anything. There is no ALS attacking people or striking randomly. There is nothing called ALS that one can find using a microscope. People do not “have” ALS. ALS does not really exist.
Here’s what’s really going on.
People have nerve health problems and those nerve health problems look similar. The people’s nervous systems are deteriorating in a cascading fashion, often rather quickly. So someone came up with a name for those nerve problems that look similar, the name ALS. So that’s all ALS is, a name.
So this ALS, this name, is not causing anything. Rather, people’s nerves are deteriorating for many reasons and each story is a little different.
Some people’s nerves go partly because they never give themselves a break, instead choosing to keep going and going, using caffeine and whatever else to keep up the pace until their systems break down. Lou Gehrig’s case is a good example of this. Others have been exposed to substances or have been eating things that somehow figure into the destruction of their nerves. Maybe that’s why there seems to be a link between smoking and neurodegeneration. Certain types of ideas and mental patterns tend to figure in, people repress emotional stuff to the point where their systems no longer function and relationship issues and other forms of stress tend to be involved as well. Generally, there is some combination of things going on.
So there is not really a fast paced form or slower paced form of ALS. There is no ALS for there to be a form of. The reason some people’s nerves degenerate faster than do others’ is that the factors in and patterns of their lives are making their nerves degenerate faster.
Genes, proteins, mitochondria or other little biological things are not causing ALS. Sure biology is involved whenever something happens to a person’s body. That does not mean that these things are causing it. All that’s going on is that biological things are happening because of the stress and other factors and patterns which truly underlie the neurodegeneration.
While people may be struggling or feel that they are fighting various forces to stay well, they are not exactly fighting ALS. There is not really any such entity to fight. Similarly, while people may be surviving through all kinds of problems, there are not exactly ALS survivors. There is not exactly ALS to survive.
What is really going on is that people so called diagnosed with so called ALS just have nerve health problems that are created by the way they and those around them have been living, and that’s good news.
It’s very good news, because what people can create, they can change, and so people directly or interpersonally experiencing so called ALS can change things for the better. By changing what they do, how they think, what they eat, how they handle emotional issues and in general by changing how they live, they can change things so that they heal.
Healing Chronicles 
mlmj said,
2012/09/25 at 4:21 PM
I have read it. It certainly is well written! You can be convincing – except I do not agree with your conclusions
L
M
Dr. C said,
2012/09/28 at 9:29 PM
While I completely agree with you that there is no such thing as a disease, it is a rather ill-informed conclusion to tell people that there is nothing to fight. All diseases are just an intricate grouping of symptoms that doctors have labeled to try to understand the intricacies of the etiology.
No two people get ill or injured for the same reason. Everyone has the chore of constantly fighting their own wellness “demons”, the deleterious process of aging and the often damaging effects of the environment. This is true for every being.
I do believe that it is each person’s personal responsibility or path to grow, age and adapt in a healthy way. For some the path is more challenging, obvious or in some way “louder” than for others, but regardless of the symptoms, each person is on their own journey.
I think your theory, just to be clear, is quite destructive is several respects. As both a physician and a patient I understand the medical system, as flawed as it is, as a necessary part of most people’s healing process. The deepest responsibility for healing lies within the patient, but very often the doctor is an integral part in instructing the patient on their path to health. Also as many patients heal, they require assistance to do the necessary activities to get well. For me, being diagnosed with ALS has been a surprising and overdue blessing in several ways. First, as you point out it made me aware that healing comes from within and I am responsible. Secondly, it has put me in touch with dozens of amazing people, doctors included, that have helped me continue healing in imaginative ways. The third and most important point, in my perspective, has been the doors that have opened by hearing the actual diagnosis, “You have ALS”. In our current medical system, without a “real diagnosis” I was left without the tools and resources I needed to begin the healing process. In my case, AFO’s, wheel chairs, an adapted car, access to therapists of all kinds and the luxury to be partially on disability was crucial while I reserved energy for healing. The medical system and the “diagnosis” have been indispensable for several reasons. Without a “diagnosis”, the faulty medical system was unwilling to help or pay in any way to allow me the time and resources to supplement my healing journey.
Your concepts are inspired and are shared by many healers, but please be cautious about making sweeping statements that may be presumptuous of each individuals’ healing process.
Marty Murray said,
2012/09/29 at 3:45 PM
I have edited what I said, taking what you said into consideration while making clearer my point which is that there is no entity, ALS, to fight.
While I do not find fighting to be the key to healing, I do see that maybe, while healing, one needs to struggle against or fight damaging forces while one is creating a state of harmony in which such fighting is no longer needed.
Regarding your point about the medical system, healing tends to involve bringing issues to light and then figuring out how to resolve them. This sounds like a case where that type of process is warranted.
In writing this post I was aware that much of our current system for dealing with neurodegeneration is based on the idea that ALS exists and was aware that the ALS idea has become a focus for much activity, including much of what I do.
At the same time, in order to really heal this situation, we do need to see the truth of the matter and deal with it even if the truth does not match our current system which is based on diagnosis and the flawed concept of ALS.
So I guess I took it upon myself to shed some light, and others can chip in by restructuring the system to fit the facts. As a practical matter, I am aware that I am only barely moving the needle anyway with anything I say at this point.
In any case, your comments are helpful and much appreciated.
randy said,
2012/09/30 at 1:58 PM
very nice approach this will help alot of people. there is nothing to fight at all. in fact if you fight things they tend to get more agressive due to emotional draining. but there are alot of things people can do. and i believe that neurological degeneration’s is reversible, especially as you are younger at onset. alot of distress has obviously got us in the state for our body to degrade at that rate, however we can change, our brain is plastic, new stem cells are produced in the hypocampus, we are in a connected universe and we have done alot of harm within that relm. there is hope there are peope that have reversed this so called disease. and there will be more.
Strawberry Sunshine said,
2018/03/21 at 5:05 PM
Love you Randy and your comment . You completely are right . You have such a clear understanding of true health and wellness
Joe said,
2013/02/06 at 12:11 PM
This is the largest and most ill informed collection of assumptions that I have ever had the pleasure of criticizing.
Marty Murray said,
2013/02/06 at 1:52 PM
That is the most ill informed comment I have had the pleasure of reading. Let me see, the years studying the literature, the decades studying healing, the years of working with dozens of people diagnosed with als, and that’s just the start of where I get my information, Joe.
djhuz@hotmail.com said,
2013/02/09 at 1:53 PM
i hold the same views as you marty exactly. you said you have worked with people with als and this has shaped your opinions. who have you worked with that has shown considerable improvement and why havnt you used them as an example. i’m sure any one who has shown regeneration would be happy to become known and inspire people. thanks andy
Marty Murray said,
2013/02/09 at 2:06 PM
I have been reluctant to use people working with me as examples because I prefer to have people work with me and use holistic methods because they see the logic of doing so, rather than blindly doing it because someone else seems to have benefited from it.
For my own part, when I said that I have become informed through working with people diagnosed with als, much of what I meant was that through closely observing what is going on in their lives, I have seen the logic of the creation of their health problems and what it will take to solve them, before even seeing them heal.
Also, pretty much anyone can get testimonials, whether or not what they have going on is of much value.
Perhaps I have not been balanced in choosing this approach given that, while seeing the logic may be the optimal reason for taking a course of action, many people are not accustomed to making choices in that way. So as they miss the truth, all are losing out.
While I still resist the idea of using examples and have not assembled materials or gotten authorizations that would set me up to give you a long list of people who have seen success working with me and using these types of methods, I can say that the following two people have done so and have both given me the go ahead to say so.
This video of Craig Oster was filmed while he was working with me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1ds1p_bYs8
This is how things looked to friends of Mark Kully, diagnosed with motor neuron disease, as we were working together. http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=340364&highlight=kully
Bob Moulas said,
2013/03/14 at 3:07 PM
Great article, that makes alot of sense. I will be back….
Mary said,
2014/05/14 at 6:45 AM
Thank you. This is what I want to believe in.
I’m 49 year young women and live in Sweden.
I’m convinced that my so called diagnose (ALS) is a result of a long time of stress and worrying over our yongest daughter who almost died because of eating problems last year.
I have always been a “good girl”, mother , project leader at my job, god wife etc. What I mean is that I have hardly ever been thinking of myself. But wanted everybody else to feel good and doing my best to make averybody like me. One year ago, the kinesiologist that I go to, discovered that I’m poisoned by mercury from my teeth.
My nervous system broke down, as my daughter got worse. Thank god she is healthy today. We finally got help for her. Just in time. But now I’m struggeling with my symptoms. My tounge doesn’t work properly so I can’t speak or sing, witch is horrible. But I can eat as long as it’s not to chewy.
My leg is weak but I can walk. Slow though. And I miss running and walking fast so much.
I’m fighting with my own thoughts about weather I will make this or not. I’m so scared of getting weaker.
It’s very difficult because I feel very lonely. Of course I have a family pho supports me. And colleges. But I’m mostly home alone during the days and my thinking is going crazy of fear sometimes.
I don’t want to have contact with the doctors if not necessary. They only give me bad feelings.
The kinesiologist gives me hope and so does the “healing codes” if you’re familiar with that. And now that I read about other survives it gave me som more hope.
I know I have to change my way of thinking and acting. Be more positive and believe in myself for example.
It’s hard.
I also believe in God. And feel bad about myself thinking why he let this happen to me.
God bless you all.
Alex said,
2014/08/11 at 7:12 PM
Mary,
Know it’s difficult, but God is not the one who brought the disease upon you. In the Bible, we see that his desire is to heal according to the faith. I’ve been reading books like “The healer” (Bosworth). In there, it is possible to get more faith to believe for healing. Search for the story of major Ron White. Pray about it and believe. Don’t quit. Read Mark 11:23,24 and let those words penetrate your heart.
May God bless you tremendously, my sister. He’s with you all the time.