Take a peek in your make-up bag, at the lotion in your bathroom cupboard, or the bottle of shampoo in your shower. Chances are, if you scroll through the list of ingredients, you’ll likely find the abbreviation “PEG” somewhere on that list.
PEG stands for polyethylene glycol and is a compound you can find lurking in more places than you might think. But just how safe is polyethylene glycol?
Today we’re going to explore not only some of the known and well-documented side effects of this compound – but we’re also going to look at some of the emerging and speculated side effects that may have a significant impact on its future use. Let’s dive in.
What Is Polyethylene Glycol?
Polyethylene glycol, or PEG for short, is a type of compound that’s derived from the by-products produced during the refinement of petroleum, natural gas, or coal.1 Polyethylene glycol is not a single chemical entity in and of itself. Rather it’s a category of compounds in which polyethylene and glycol have been bonded together.
Different forms of polyethylene glycol are usually delineated by placing a number after the abbreviation “PEG,” such as PEG-100, PEG-3350, and so on. This number represents the molecular weight of that specific compound.
Polyethylene glycol compounds are what’s known as hydrophilic – meaning they dissolve in water and tend to attract water.2 Because of its hydrophilic properties, polyethylene glycol has been utilized in many day-to-day products. Let’s explore some of the common uses for polyethylene glycol.
Polyethylene Glycol Uses
So what exactly is polyethylene glycol used for? Polyethylene glycol can be highly useful and is found in a wide range of products such as:
Osmotic Laxatives:
One of the most widespread uses of PEG is in a class of medications known as osmotic laxatives, which are used to treat constipation. Because of PEG’s hydrophilic nature, it can draw fluid into the intestines and help hydrate stool. This allows for easier passage during bowel movements.
When used as a laxative, polyethylene glycol is typically taken in powder form mixed with water or juice and can be found under various names including:3
- ClearLax
- GaviLAX
- Gialax
- GlycoLax
- HealthyLax
- MiraLax
- PEG3350
- Sunmark ClearLax
But polyethylene glycol can also be found in more inconspicuous places.
Personal Care Products:
Because of their affinity for dissolving in and attracting water, PEGs are regularly utilized in cosmetics as:4,5
- Emollients: Which help lubricate and soften skin or hair
- Emulsifiers: Which act as an agent to help water-based and oil-based ingredients combine properly
- Depth enhancers: Serving as a vehicle to help other ingredients penetrate into deeper levels of the skin or hair
Polyethylene glycol’s hydrophilic properties make it a highly practical compound in countless cosmetic and personal care products – from make-up to hair shampoo, and from anti-aging creams to baby wipes.
In topical application, I do not believe there is a concern about use of PEG. In fact I use my own clean beauty products, like the Dr. Jill Biopeptide Beauty cream that contains trace PEG daily.
Pharmaceuticals:
PEG is also widely used in the production of pharmaceutical products, including:6
- As bases for ointments and creams
- As vehicles within drug capsules
- Binders in tablets and pills
- Suppositories
- Suspension aids in liquid prescriptions
- As cell-penetrating enhancers in vaccines
While found extensively in personal use products like prescriptions, cosmetics, and soaps, PEG can also be found in other places.
Industrial Uses:
PEG can be found in a variety of industrial processes and products, such as:7
- Wood preservation
- Printing
- Chemical mixtures
- Textiles
- Leather processing
- Plastics
- Resins
- Paper
- Ceramics
- Glass
- Rubber
There’s no denying that polyethylene glycol is incredibly useful, but it has also been stirring up some controversy – having been linked to some undesirable effects with frequent ingestion or from contamination… read more below.
So, Is Polyethylene Glycol Toxic to Humans?
The answer to this question is – it’s complicated. You see, polyethylene glycol derivatives in and of themselves are not necessarily toxic or dangerous. The real concern surrounding polyethylene glycol is three-fold:
- Pollution: The process to produce polyethylene glycol requires a chemical reaction known as ethoxylation and the use of compounds known as ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane – two chemicals that have well-documented toxic effects on humans.
- Contamination: PEGs are widely utilized for their ability to enhance penetration and absorption. But this also means that prolonged use or high doses of PEG can significantly enhance your body’s absorption of other toxins and harmful compounds that are found alongside PEGs or within the environment.
- Lack of studies: Because polyethylene glycol has numerous derivatives and molecular weights, extensive studies have only been conducted on a handful of different PEG compounds. There is limited information on the real impact of PEGs as a whole and more PEG toxicity research is needed to truly understand this compound's effects on the human body.
Despite a lack of studies or a clear picture of the exact impact PEG compounds have on our bodies, we do know that this compound can have some negative side effects.
Polyethylene Glycol Side Effects
Some of the confirmed and documented side effects of polyethylene glycol include:8,9
- Polyethylene glycol allergy: Although not commonly seen, there have been documented cases of an allergy to PEG. Some cases have even resulted in anaphylaxis – a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Due to the risk of exposure to polyethylene glycol, the FDA has issued a warning to anyone with a known or suspected PEG allergy to communicate clearly with healthcare professionals as PEGs can be found lurking in medications, vaccines, contrast agents, and more.
- Digestive issues: If taken orally, polyethylene glycol can cause stomach upset such as diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, etc.
- Electrolyte imbalances: Because of its ability to disrupt the flow of water, PEG can also cause electrolyte imbalances. This may involve a decrease or increase in crucial electrolytes like calcium, sodium, potassium, and phosphate. It has also been linked to an increased risk of metabolic acidosis, which is a build-up of acid and toxins in the body.
While these side effects are well-documented, there are growing concerns about other possible polyethylene glycol toxicity symptoms.
Polyethylene Glycol Toxicity Symptoms
While it’s well-known among the medical community that PEG can trigger an allergy, cause digestive upset, or lead to electrolyte imbalances, there have been more and more reports of neurological symptoms associated with polyethylene glycol. Because of this reported increase in neuropsychiatric side effects, parents and pediatric practitioners are becoming increasingly wary of administering polyethylene glycol to adolescents.
A recent study found that a large percentage of parents, caregivers, and practitioners described an explosion of neurological side effects seemingly correlated to polyethylene glycol administration. Those side effects include:10
- Abnormal behavior
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Seizures
- Sensory disturbances
Exactly how and why polyethylene glycol is triggering these neurological symptoms is still not entirely clear. And whether or not these side effects also extend to adults and geriatric patients will require further studies as well.
So, How Worried Should I Be About Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)?
Exactly how dangerous PEG truly is, is yet to be determined. But I’m a firm believer in being proactive and protective when it comes to your health. It’s not only impossible but also unnecessary to attempt to avoid PEG altogether. However, there are some simple yet powerful steps you can take to protect yourself against polyethylene glycol and other harmful toxins.
Here’s what I suggest:
- Prioritize clean supplements: You can find top quality professional supplements at Dr. Jill Health. I also recommend checking out my “products we love” page to browse through my tried-and-true non-toxic recommendations of some of my favorite things!
- Keep your gut happy and healthy: If you’re struggling with constipation, it’s likely a sign that your tummy could use some love. Instead of taking an over-the-counter laxative, I suggest addressing underlying issues and showing your gut some love. Click here to learn exactly how you can best heal and support your gut.
- Enhance your detox pathways: Coming into contact with PEGs and other toxins is inevitable. But minimizing your toxic burden and enhancing your body’s natural detoxification capabilities goes a long way in preventing a build-up of toxins. Some of my favorite ways to boost detoxification include PEMF therapy, infrared saunas, and coffee enemas.
While there’s certainly no need to be alarmed when it comes to exposure to polyethylene glycol, being mindful and proactive can go a long way in protecting yourself and your loved ones from its potentially toxic effects.
When It Comes to Your Health, You’re in the Driver’s Seat
The truth is, we live in an increasingly toxic world. But when it comes to protecting and optimizing your health, you are in the driver’s seat. The choices you make on a day-to-day basis are the foundation of your well-being.
That’s why I’m dedicated to bringing you easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement tips – to take the confusion out of healthy living. So if you enjoyed this article and are looking for even more ways to take control of your and your family’s health, I encourage you to head over and browse through my blog. It’s chock-full of hundreds of articles to help you make your health a priority – without the overwhelm.
And if you want to learn even more and be the first to get updates and exclusive resources, you can sign up for my weekly newsletter by entering your name and email address in the form below.
Now it’s time to hear from you. Were you surprised to learn about all the places polyethylene glycol is used? Have you or anyone you’ve known experienced any negative side effects linked to PEG? Leave your questions and thoughts in the comments below!
References:
- #ChemicalCallout: Polyethylene Glycol Compounds (PEGs) (madesafe.org)
- Polyethylene Glycol – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- Polyethylene glycol 3350 Uses, Side Effects & Warnings – Drugs.com
- Polyethylene Glycol – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- The Dirty Dozen: PEG Compounds and their contaminants – David Suzuki Foundation
- Safety Evaluation of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Compounds for Cosmetic Use (nih.gov)
- Safety Evaluation of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Compounds for Cosmetic Use (nih.gov)
- Polyethylene Glycol-Induced Systemic Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis) – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Common and Rare Side Effects for polyethylene glycol 3350 oral (webmd.com)
- Probable neuropsychiatric toxicity of polyethylene glycol: roles of media, internet and the caregivers – Hussain – 2019 – GastroHep – Wiley Online Library
![204: Resiliency Radio with Dr. Jill: Can our Minds Spontaneously Transform our Health? Bruce Lipton Dr. Jill 00:00 Hey guys, I am so excited to announce that the movie that you've been waiting for, the documentary Doctor/Patient, is now available for rent or purchase at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Check out the trailer here. 00:13 Dr. Jill: When I really knew something was wrong, was when I started having trouble walking up the stairs. I was supposed to be grateful and happy and healing and well and thriving, but I did not feel that way. I was so sick. Like always, I wanted to find an answer, and I had to figure it out. And I had to figure it out to save my own life. So I dove in. 00:38 James Maskell: Jill is the leading voice in biotoxin illness and chronic conditions that are driven by toxicity. 00:43 Bree Argetsinger: Oh my gosh, you're dealing with mold? You have to work with Dr. Jill Carnahan. 00:47 Patient 1: Dr. Jill is the first person that actually began to shed some light on the problem. 00:53 Dr. Jill: What I do is listen to the patient, and we together talk about what else is possible. 00:59 Patient 2: I don't know why I'm crying. 01:02 Patient 3: She saved my life. 01:06 Dr. Jill: The deepest lessons and most profound insights come in the suffering, come in the dark moments. Self-compassion is the healing transition that shifts something inside of us. It's actually the thing that we need most in order to heal. 01:26 Narrator: Doctor/Patient—available now at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Dr. Jill 01:36 Hey, welcome to Resiliency Radio, your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights in functional and integrative medicine. I'm your host, Dr. Jill. In each episode, we dive into the heart of healing and personal transformation. Join us as we connect with renowned experts, thought leaders, and innovators who are at the forefront of medical research, empowering you with knowledge and wisdom to overcome illness in your journey to optimal health. Dr. Jill 02:02 Hey guys, if you don't already know, if you've been around me at all, you know my movie, Doctor/Patient is now out. You can view it, share it, gift it, or rent it at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Be sure to check it out and then I would love to hear your feedback after you've had a chance to watch it. Dr. Jill 02:19 Today, I am deeply honored to have guest Bruce Lipton here with me. He's a PhD, a cell biologist, a lecturer, and an internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. We were just talking before we came on about how he has been a leader [for] decades before a lot of us in functional/integrative medicine came along. And I am so excited! If you're a doctor listening—and I know I have a lot of audience there—you are in for a treat. If you're a patient, you're also in for a treat. Stay tuned. Dr. Jill 02:47 Bruce was on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and later performed groundbreaking stem cell research at Stanford University. He's a best-selling author of The Biology of Belief—if you haven't read that book, it's a classic now—The Honeymoon Effect, and the co-author with Steve Bhaerman of Spontaneous Evolution. Bruce received his prestigious 2009 Goi Peace Award from Japan in honor of his scientific contribution to world harmony. Bruce, it is a true honor and delight to have you here! Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 03:17 Jill, I am a happy person to be here because this audience that I get a chance to talk to, to me, is a very important audience. These are the cultural creatives that are paving the way for the future that we need to get into very soon because we're facing an evolutionary upheaval at this very moment. Whether you watch the news, surf the web, or even look out your window, the whole planet has experienced chaos at every level of it. People are focusing on the little chaos, like focusing on the trees, without pulling back to see the biggest thing that's happening and nobody's saying the words. NASA—Let me just say NASA's words. NASA has recognized that within the next 20 years, civilization is facing—and this is my emphasis here—an irreversible collapse. The reason is so mathematically simple. Let me give the math. Dr. Jill 04:16 Sure. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 04:17 Science has recognized that to continue living just the way we're living—just say, let's every day live the way we're living today on this planet—it takes 1.6 planet Earths to provide the resources for today's civilization. The simple math is this: There's one Earth subtracted from 1.6, and we're recognizing: "Where the hell are we getting the extra points?" Dr. Jill 04:39 We're in a deficit. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 04:40 And that deficit is leading to the destruction of the web of life. We have to also recognize this: Even though the Bible is giving us some fanciful story that nature was created and then humans were added on top of nature—no, we evolved from nature. We are nature. If nature goes down, humans go down, because we are part of this web of life. Our separation in our consciousness [that causes us to believe] that we can dominate nature, I say, "How's that working?" I say, "We're facing an extinction." That's a biological reality at this moment. It's called a mass extinction. It happened five times in the history of this planet: Life was thriving, [then] mass extinction. It knocked it all out and then it started again. We are there because of our behavior. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 05:33 And I say, "Our behavior is based on our consciousness." I go: "Okay, wait a second. Is that New Age?" I go: "No, let's stop. No New Age here at this moment." [In] 1927—day one, quantum physics—Max Planck, the founding father of quantum physics, states: "The mind is the creator of our life experiences." Quantum physics—the most valid of all the sciences today in the sense of its predictions and accuracy. Quantum physics. And it's still the belief in quantum physics: Consciousness is controlling this. And I go: "So if consciousness is controlling this, then why are we in such a mess?" The answer is: We have been programmed, and the programming has disempowered us all. It has disempowered us as patients. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 06:28 I go: "I'll give you a program that disempowers you right now." I say, "What is it?" "It's called genetic determinism." That was what I was teaching in medical school: Genes control the character of life. I go: "Did we pick the genes as far as we know? No. But if we don't like the characters we have, can we change the genes? No, can't do that." And then let's just add a little tidbit: Genes turn on and off by themselves. And I say: "You put those together and what have you done? You have told the patients that their lives are not in their control, they're controlled by their heredity, and that they're victims of heredity. Which is victims of what? Genetics. And what does a person know about genetics? Nothing. Who does know something? The doctor. Aha! The program is: When it comes to health, people do not trust themselves." They say: "I need an expert opinion. I'm not knowledgeable." They accept the truth from somebody else. Dr. Jill 07:28 I so love the direction that you're going here because, as a physician, one of the most important things I can do is empower the patient and make sure that they don't think that I am the end-all-be-all. [I want them to know] that we are collaborating and that I listen to them, and I say: "How do you feel about this treatment plan? Where do you want to go?" Granted, if I have wisdom, I can give them that information, but they still get to make that decision. But so many patients are outsourcing that wisdom to someone. Or, at least paternalistically and historically, that has been the way. And what we need to do is take control of our own health. Dr. Jill 08:00 How many patients have gone through a loved one with breast cancer—I'm a breast cancer survivor, so I can speak on this—and they're told, "You have the BRCA gene and you need to have a bilateral mastectomy"? I'm going to be strong about this because I disagree. That's an action out of fear. To each his own, so if you've been out there and have done something based on your genetics, there's no judgment here. But what we're saying is that you actually have control over the expression of those genes. So why don't you go into epigenetics for those who don't know what that means and tell us a little primer on epigenetics and why we have more control than we think? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 08:34 Okay. The most important thing—and this is all scientific, so this is not any new age BS here, folks, this is science—I say: "What is it?" The belief that genes turn on and off is a completely false statement because a gene is a blueprint to make a protein. The proteins are the building blocks. Proteins wear out; you have to replace them. So you have to have a blueprint. It's called a gene. I go, "It's a blueprint!" I go, "Why is that relevant?" I say: "Go to an architect's office. She's working on a blueprint. You ask her, 'Hey, is your blueprint on or off?' She would look at you like, 'What are you talking about? There's no on and off to a blueprint.'" I go: "Aha! Aha! A gene is a blueprint. What you want to find out is: Who's the architect who reads the blueprint? The blueprint does not read itself. There's an architect." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 09:24 I saw this in my research in 1967. None of you were probably old enough to know what I'm talking about—1967! But I was cloning stem cells. Let's give the real name of a stem cell: An embryonic cell. It's an embryo's cell. It replaces things that are broken and gets a new one. I go: "So what? I clone the stem cell." I say, "What's that?" I say: "You put one stem cell in the culture dish. And then what? It divides every 10 or 12 hours." So first there's one, then there's 2, then there's 4, 8, and 16. A week later, [there are] 30,000 cells in the petri dish. What's the most important fact? They all came from one parent. I have 30,000 genetically identical cells. I split them into three petri dishes—one, two, three. Each dish has 10,000, 10,000, 10,000, all genetically the same. We grow cells in a culture medium. Ah, this is going to be the tricky part, for when you get this, the world changes. I'm going to come back to it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 10:27 I say: "A culture medium is what the cells grow in in the lab. And I make it up by putting the chemistry or culture medium. Since I'm creating it, I can change some of the constituents. So I make three different versions of culture medium, A, B, and C." So I say, "So what?" Each one represents a different environment because the cells live in a culture medium. So I say: "Okay, dish one, environment A—the cells form muscle. Dish two, environment B—the cells form bone. Dish three, environment C—the cells form fat cells." I'm doing this experiment. I'm teaching genetic determinism, and I'm watching the cells and going— Dr. Jill 11:10 Wait a second. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 11:11 —"Wait a second, who controlled the activity?" They were all genetically the same. What was different? The environment. The chemistry of the environment selected the genes. The genes did not select themselves. Then, all of a sudden, I said, "Why is this important?" It's a revolution! I'll tell you why. Genetic determinism: Victim. The new science, epigenetics, which I'll explain: Master. Why? Because you control the environment. It's the environment that controls the cells. It's called epigenetics. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 11:48 [There's a] simple reason why the name [is what it is]. What do we call skin? Epidermis. Why? What's under the skin? A layer called dermis. What's the skin above the dermis? Epidermis. Epi: Above. Epigenetics: Control above the genes. I go, "Whoa, the control is not in the genes." I said: "No, it's to control the environment that the genes live in." I go, "Well, wait, I control the environment." Aha! If you control the environment, then you control the genetics. And that's all of a sudden where the new science comes in. The genetic determinism: Victim. Epigenetics: Master. You control your genes. So basically, what I saw back in 1967 was, "The genes didn't make this decision." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 12:48 Now let's just jump ahead a second here because that's a basic science. And then I'm going to give you this, which you're totally aware of: You are a skin-covered petri dish. You have 50 trillion cells under your skin and you have the original culture medium. What is a culture medium? I didn't say it before, but I'll tell you where it is: A laboratory version of blood. When I grow human cells, I concoct a culture medium based on the constituents of human blood or mouse blood, depending on which cells I'm growing. What's the point? You are a skin-covered culture dish with what? The original culture medium. You have the blood. The blood carries the chemistry, which activates the genes. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 13:34 So the first point: Scientifically, it doesn't make a difference if the cell is in a plastic dish or a skin dish? I said, "No, it's the environment." And I say the environment in your body is the blood for the cells. Then come two questions that blow the game into a new evolution. Question number one: What controls the chemistry of the blood? The answer is the brain. It's the chemist. The big one—here it is, hold on: What chemistry should the brain put into the blood? You know what it is? Whatever picture you hold in your mind, the brain translates the picture into complimentary chemistry that matches the picture. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 14:25 I say, "So why is this important?" The picture in your head becomes material in your body. You manifest what you're thinking. I go: "Wait a minute. Would I manifest this life? Would I manifest my cancer?" I go, "Yes." I go, "You say that so affirmatively." I go: "Quantum physics—the most valid science principle number one [is that] the mind is the creator of our experience." I go: "Well, epigenetics is the biological component of that physics mechanism." Epigenetics is how the mind adjusts the genetics of the body. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 15:05 And I go, "We're facing a healthcare crisis on this planet." I go, "Yes, we are facing a healthcare crisis." And I go, "What's responsible?" We put all the money into science. You know what we're looking for? We're looking for the gene—the gene that controls that problem. Guess what? Less than 1% of all diseases on this planet have any connection with genes. Wait, then that means only less than 1% of what we diagnose as disease is connected with genes. I go, "Yes, that's a fact." Then what is really contributing to the worldwide crisis in healthcare? The answer is: Stress is 90% the cause of disease, minimum. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 15:54 I go: "Okay, come on! How could that do that?" Let's give the biology because it's not New Age again. You're ready? When you're in stress, you're in threat. When you're in threat, you engage a protection response. I say, "What is a protection response?" The protection response is: When you perceive stress, you will release stress hormones, adrenal hormones. I go, "Yes, so what?" Well, what do you think the adrenal hormones do? They prepare the body for fight or flight. I go, "So what?" I say: "First of all, there are three stages to take a body from health, happiness, joy—I'm in the garden, I love my life—to 'Ah! A sabertooth tiger's chasing me!'" I say, "So I have to switch from growth, boom, into protection." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 16:41 How does that happen? Three steps. Number one, stress hormones cause the blood vessels in the gut to constrict. Why? Because most of the blood is in the gut. I say, "Who cares?" I say: "Ah, but the blood is a source of energy. So if you need energy, you need blood." So I say, "So what's the point?" I say: "Most of the blood is in the gut, taking care of the body, cleaning, fixing, repairing, nourishing, and doing all those things. But the moment stress hormones come in, the blood vessels squeeze shut. People feel it in the body." "It's queasy. I feel very queasy when I'm in fear like this." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 17:16 I say: "But some people say butterflies in the stomach. Why?" The fluttering of the blood vessels shutting down—you can feel it. And it's a fluttering. And what's happening? The blood is being pushed to the arms and legs, and that's where I need to run away from that damn tiger. So number one, redistribute the blood. Where do I take it from? [From] growth and maintenance to protection. So I'm not funding growth and maintenance when I'm running from the tiger. I go, "No, you're not." Number two, the immune system is to protect me on the inside. If I'm being chased by a saber-toothed tiger, then what's the value of the immune system? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 17:55 I'll give you a scenario. Come on, doctors, listen to this. The patient's got a bacterial infection. They're going to have a real bad case of diarrhea coming up here and they're being chased by a saber-toothed tiger. How would you split the energy of the body? How much to support the immune system and how much of that energy to run away from the saber-toothed tiger? I'll give you a second. Okay, thank you. The answer is, of course, who cares about the immune system? If the tiger chased you, the bacteria are not your problem anymore, that's for sure. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 18:26 Listen, stress hormones shut down the immune system to conserve energy. And you know damn well that when people are sick, sometimes they don't even have the energy to get out of bed because the immune system uses a hell of a lot of energy. If you're being chased by a tiger: I can't support the immune system because if the tiger gets me, who cares about what's happening in the interior?—it's not mine anymore. It's so important—in fact, therapeutic—that when they transplant an organ from person A into person B and they don't want immunological rejection, they give the recipient stress hormones before the operation. That restricts the function of the immune system so it doesn't immediately reject the foreign graft. Ah, so stress hormones are used therapeutically to shut off the immune system. So I say, "Yes, what do you think stress does automatically?" That's number two. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 19:21 Number three, conscious processing is slow compared to reflex behavior. Conscious [processing] is like, "Oh, let me think." Reflex is boom! Boom! Like that. The point is, if you're running from a saber-toothed tiger, conscious processing is going to delay your nervous system because you'll be thinking. When that tiger is coming, guess what? Remember the role of the stress hormone—to squeeze the blood vessels here? They squeeze the blood vessels in the forebrain. I say, "Why?" Because it stops the blood flow from going to the conscious mind. Where's it going? The hindbrain—reflex behavior. Result: We become less intelligent in the fear process. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 20:11 So I say: "Let's put these all together. I shut down growth, I shut down the immune system, and I shut off conscious awareness." I go: "When was that system formed?" "Oh, a couple hundred thousand years ago." I say: "What was it responding to?" "The saber-toothed tiger?" I go: "So what was important?" "If you escape that tiger for five minutes or ten minutes, there's no more saber-toothed tiger, no more stress." So it was used for five to ten minutes. Shut it down [for] five to ten minutes; we'll come back later. In today's world—you know the whole thing—every day, every minute, we're in stress. The system was never designed for chronic stress. It shuts down the vitality, health, and maintenance of the body. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 21:01 The stresses of this world are responsible for over 90% of healthcare crises. This is recognized by the American Psychological Society: 95% of visits to doctors' offices [are] stress-related. I was a programmer. And I'm not proud now because, when I programmed, people used to believe in genetic determinism. I go: "No, no. I was wrong. Epigenetics, okay?" But we've been programmed to be victims. Dr. Jill 21:32 Yes. First of all, I think doctors are starting, at least in my realm of functional/integrative—we're talking epigenetics; we're using this. And I just want to share a personal example to bring home what you just shared. It's so important. Many of my listeners know that at 25, I had breast cancer, then Crohn's disease, and then autoimmunity. I'm the poster child. What I remember very clearly is that in my 30s, I got mold-related toxicity. My immune system was terribly trashed and overactive and I was under high stress. I remember one day walking along and realizing: "This stress that is in my body is actually killing me." I had the mentality [of] "beating cancer," "fighting cancer," "fighting this," "fighting that"—fighting, fighting, fighting—which is your saber-toothed tiger [description]. I was in fight or flight. Dr. Jill 22:16 The day I realized that was the day I realized I could also reprogram my immune system through my thoughts. That day I started thinking [up] a new paradigm, thinking about these little yellow minions being my immune system. They were helping escort mold toxicity out of my body without this fight because, [in] fight or flight, there's no healing. And now, today, I'm healed from that and from mold-related illness and all of this. But it's really that moment when I realized I could change my thought process, change the function of my immune system, recover from Crohn's, cancer, and toxic mold, and no longer fight. Dr. Jill 22:53 And the most important message, as you brought home, is that when I'm sitting with a patient, if they're in fear, if they are in fight or flight, and if they are feeling unsafe in their body, there is no amount of pills, supplements, IVs, nutrition, or even good advice that I can give them… Unless they go to that place of unsafeness, that place of fear, that place where they're still somatically running from the tiger. We have to change that, and it starts with this. Dr. Jill 23:22 So I love, love, love that you framed this. And I just want to give you credit because you've been doing this work for decades before anyone else was talking about it. And now we're seeing it. And finally, doctors in my field are starting to acknowledge and talk about it. But even in my field, functional medicine is a lot about supplements, diet, and lifestyle. That's all great. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 23:40 Well, that's environment! Dr. Jill 23:41 Right? Right. Actually, that's the thing I was going to mention too. My specialty is environmental toxicity, so I know the petri dish of how it affects our bodies. But I do believe, as you're saying, that this reprogramming of our mind… Do you have any stories or examples, maybe from your book, of a patient, client, or somebody who has read your book who really took this and changed from there? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 24:03 I've got hundreds and hundreds of letters from people who've written. There were two things about this. Let me express it even in my personal life. I understood this from a scientific point of view. Man, it was in my laboratory, my research. It was repeatable; I could do this all the time. It took 23 years before science caught up with that observation. I [inaudible] a lot of other things in between to conform. And the reality is that our own understanding about our frailty—it's an understanding. And then I give an understanding of, "No, we're very powerful." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 24:42 I was so happy to go and find an audience of doctors and people: "Let me explain how to create the most wonderful life. Here's the science!" And then they'd come to my lecture and they'd look at me and go: "Lipton, your life doesn't look that good for a guy who says you know this." Oh my God, I was caught. You know what it was? Talking the talk, not walking the talk. I knew the science. It was in my head. Did I make it part of my life? No! I say: "So what was the point? I don't care how smart you are; if you don't make a part of your life, it's irrelevant." Totally! Then all of a sudden, when I caught myself going, "Oh, do as I say, not as I do," it's like, "I can't do that!" So I had to say: "Stop lecturing. Start living your life with the principles you are telling other people. Live this now." How long did it take me to change my life? Oh, within a month, my life was completely on a whole different spectrum. And it was like, "Now, of course, I start talking about it again," because it was real. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 25:47 Let me just give a simple understanding, a scientific understanding, and that is this: The mind is not one thing. "Oh, the mind." I go: "No, not the mind. There are two minds. And they're interdependent, but they have different functions." The conscious mind, the latest evolution: The prefrontal cortex, right behind your forehead, [is] the seat of the conscious mind. What's that? The conscious mind is your source, your personal identity, your spiritual place. What else is it? It's creative! That's what makes humans different than all the other animals. We can take ideas, boom, build them, and create in the conscious mind. What about the subconscious mind? Oh, the original one? Hard drive, programs, habits, stored behavior. Thinking? Uh-uh. Just behavior—program. Dr. Jill 26:38 The subconscious has no way to differentiate truth, right? It does whatever you tell it to do. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 26:44 No, well, the subconscious doesn't do what you tell it to do; it does what it tells it to do. The subconscious is the autopilot. I say, yes, the mind works, but you have to understand that when I'm in the conscious mind, that is the creative side. That's the side with wishes, desires, and aspirations. What do you want? Conscious mind. Subconscious mind: Program. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 27:09 I say, "So what's the issue with our life when it comes down to it?" The monkey wrench that blows the whole thing out is that when the conscious mind is thinking, it's not paying attention to the outer world. A thought is inside. When you're present, your conscious mind is looking at the world and engaging the world. Right now, in front of it, I'm engaging it. But if I'm thinking, my conscious mind is no longer looking out; it's looking in because a thought is on the inside. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 27:38 So I say, "Wait, what if I'm driving the car and I have a thought?" And I've got to tell you, in fact: Then you're not driving the car. "What do you mean? No accident or nothing." I say: "Driving is a program. You don't have to think about driving." In fact, most of the time, if you've been driving for a long time, you never think about the details of driving. It's an automatic behavioral program. It plays when you're not paying attention. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 28:02 I go: "Aha! When the conscious mind is thinking, it's not paying attention to the outer world. Why? It's inside." So I say: Walking, driving, talking, doing your job—hey, those are habits. You've been doing it all—whatever [it is]—for a long period of time. You don't have to re-learn it. It's automatic. Do you even have to think about walking? No, you didn't even have to say: "Oh, I'm going to walk from here to there. I'm going to get that." I say: "Walking is automatic. You don't think about it—program." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 28:37 So then comes the number and this is scientific: Ninety-five percent of the day is the average person's amount of thinking. Then what does that represent? Biologically, only five percent of the day are you creating your life with the conscious mind's wishes and desires. Ninety-five percent of the day your life is coming from programs that you downloaded mainly before age seven. And I go, "Where did I get the programs?" I go: "Before age seven, your brain is not primarily functioning at the level of consciousness, which in EEG terms is alpha, beta, and gamma. When you're under seven, you're operating primarily at theta, which is just below consciousness." Theta—imagination. Hey, the tea party: Pour nothing into the cup. Drink the nothing. "The best tea I ever had in my life!" That's imagination. That's theta. That's what kids do all the time. They can have imaginary friends. They play with them all the time. It's imagination. Theta is hypnosis. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 29:41 I go, "Why is that important?" How many rules does it take to be a member of a family? How many rules does it take to be a member of a community? Now we're talking thousands. I go, "Why is that important?" I said, "Well, teach an infant a thousand rules." I go: "They can't read a book. They can't sit in a classroom. They can't understand a video." I said: "How are they going to learn?" Nature took care of that. Nature gave the first seven years theta, which is hypnosis. You want to know the behavior? Watch your mother, watch your father, watch your community. Watch their behavior; download it. Now it's your behavior! Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 30:19 So the behavior that's in your subconscious mind didn't even come from you, did it? Nope, it came from other people. And did they answer your wishes and desires—what you'd like? Not necessarily. So then, are there programs in there that give you what your wishes and desires are? Not necessarily, no. In fact, I say, "So what about these programs?" Sixty percent of the things you downloaded as a kid—sixty percent of the subconscious programs [are] disempowering, self-sabotaging, and limiting beliefs. And you operate ninety-five percent of the day from them. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 30:53 Ah, but here's the monkey wrench you didn't catch! Why am I using my subconscious programs? Because my conscious mind's not paying attention; it's thinking. Well, then, do you see the programs when they come out? I go: "Nope! You're the only one who doesn't even see the program!" Why? Everybody else around you is responding to your program. You're not even paying attention [to] what the hell is coming out. Sixty percent of it [is] disempowering yourself. So the issue is this: We are not controlling our lives. Our program controls our lives. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 31:28 I say, "Oh, this is a new science." I go: "Scientifically, this is valid. This is understanding theta activity, downloading programs, conscious, subconscious, blah, blah, blah, blah." But the Jesuits knew about programming for 400 years. They would tell their followers, "Give me a child until it is seven, and I will show you the man." Oh my God, that's 100% right! The programming is before age seven, and 95% of the life is the program. They knew it. They created Catholic schools to help the programming go along. And that idea is never lost because if you can watch an infant today, which I've seen carrying an iPad, interacting with a program on a computer, that's far better programming than Jesuits could ever have thought of. Dr. Jill 32:17 Yes, it's clear, isn't it? That's a really good transition because one of the things I see as the biggest crisis in healthcare is environment, but it's environment that is no longer socially interactive or present. We're numbing ourselves out with machines, with iPads, and with phones. They are designed to create an addictive behavior, so they're tapping into some of those subconscious programs, right? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 32:40 And let me just add this to that: It's not just that behavior, but it's also creating disempowering behaviors. So these programs—as you were just going to say, and I'll let you have it back again—were not designed to help us; they were designed to control us. Dr. Jill 33:05 Yes. And sell and control. Yes, so we are pawns in this new world of technology that is neurodynamically designed to be addictive. If you haven't seen The Social Dilemma, that's a great place to start in your education on social media and the impact. I do want to talk about this. One of the things you just got done saying is that before seven, we're programmed. I totally understand and believe that. But the truth is, we have the power to change that programming. Tell us about that. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 33:36 Most everybody out there has changed that programming. I say, "You've already done it." I say: "What, the movie The Matrix, being a documentary, everybody's programmed?" Yes, of course, that's the foundational belief of the movie and the reality. And in the movie, they offered the red pill. And I say: "What was the red pill? You get out of the program!" Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 33:54 I go, "Almost everybody out here right now listening has done that." I say: "What was the consequence? How did it happen?" I'm going to tell you. Falling in love is a red pill. I go, "What do you mean?" Because when you first fall in love, you stop thinking. Biologically, you stay present; you stay in the conscious, creative mind. You've waited for this person your whole life. They're there. What, you want to start thinking and then ignore them? Are you kidding me? You stay up conscious. You stay mindful. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 34:23 I say, "So what happened?" I say: "Your life up to meeting that person: Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You meet them [and] 24 hours later: 'Oh, man, life is beautiful. Life is so wonderful. Hey, the food's really good. That music is even better than I ever thought it was.'" And even the crappy job is not so crappy. I said: "What'd you do?" You made honeymoon. What's honeymoon? Heaven on earth. I said, "What was your heaven on earth?" Whatever you wished and desired. You and a partner coming together when you're both wishing and desiring, you're sharing the same wishes and desires, you manifest a honeymoon. Oops, I dropped something, but okay. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 35:01 Is the honeymoon already there? I go, "The honeymoon's always there." I said, "Then how come you don't have it?" Because when you start thinking, you then go back to subconscious control, the default. And the problem is, why do 50% of marriages end up in divorce? The answer is this: Marriage has started with the relationship of two conscious creative minds sharing together a belief in creating a honeymoon, and it ends when thinking enters into the people and they start playing their regular programs, which are 60% negative. The partner hears these programs. The one saying the thing doesn't hear it; the other one hears it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 35:43 I love the response. When somebody comes out in a relationship and the loving partner hears some kind of BS come out of their other partner, they look at them and go: "Who are you? Where did you come from?" What? It was never part of the behavior. And then, all of a sudden, it shows up. And the more thinking, the more that negativity shows up. There's a point where a partner will say: "That's enough. That's not why I signed up here. I signed up because we had a great honeymoon." After you started thinking, this thing went right down the tube. The point is, that's what reality is about. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 36:18 So the idea then becomes simple, which is the obvious thing: "What if I created all programs that represented my wishes and desires—if I had those programs?" I said: "Oh, you know what? Whether you're consciously creating those wishes and desires or your conscious mind is off in left field, your subconscious will be manifesting the wishes and desires. And guess what? A honeymoon is not a short period. A honeymoon is every day of your life for as long as you live." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 36:46 Does it work? Personally, I had some very bad programming when I was young because my mother and father had a dysfunctional relationship. I downloaded my father's dysfunctional behavior. I played it when I couldn't see it. The result is that I couldn't get relationships off the ground. Then I understood the nature of the programming. Then I understand the nature of reprogramming. Around 50, I met my partner, Margaret. We just celebrated 28 years! And I'm not selling just a relationship; I'm talking honeymoon for 28 years. To wake up every day in my life and go: "Oh my God, I'm still here. Oh my God, I have another day to smell the roses, to have a piece of cake, to enjoy the love, watch the environment, and love my life." I celebrate life. Jill celebrates life. What's the result? Where's the illness? What illness? Dr. Jill 37:45 Yes! I love that. There are some points that I think are so crucial that you just made, number one, being present with our partners, watching them in real time and observing them. So often we create a program of them, a template, and then we don't expect them to change. Or, we expect them to behave the same. And when we're in real time, present with another person—whether it's a friend, family member, business associate, or lover—we can respond in real time. And that's part of that co-creation that you're talking about. It's crucial. Dr. Jill 38:15 The other thing is that with illness, I find one thing that was—I'm sure this is related to the program, [and] I'd love your comments—I never identified with the cancer. I never became the cancer. I never made that part of who I was. Even now, I'm like, "Oh yes, 20 years ago, I had cancer." And of course, it's real, but it's almost foreign because it was never part of me. And I really believe that's a huge part of why I overcame a very, very aggressive cancer at the age of 25—because it never was my identity. Do you want to talk about that a little bit? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 38:44 Yes, let's just talk about this. The first thing is that I'm going to give a fact of science [to] which [a person might say], "He really said that?" And I'm going to say, yes, I'm going to say this. There's not one gene that causes cancer. There's not a gene [where], "You have this gene, you get cancer." The one scary one for women, of course, [is] the breast cancer gene. I go, "So what?" I go: "Women who carry the breast cancer gene don't necessarily have to have cancer. As a matter of fact, nearly half of them don't get cancer. But they have the gene." So then I say, "Then where did the cancer come from?"—because those who have the cancer with the gene and those who are healthy with the gene have the same gene. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 39:20 What's the difference? The answer is this: Cancer is correlated with a gene, not caused by a gene. Cancer is caused by disharmony in the system. Disharmony is the source of disease. Harmony is the source of health. Disharmony means your programming wasn't really good, and you're responding to things in a negative way that is going to cause a breakdown of the system. That's where the stress comes into it. So the concept is this: The image—even if once you tell a woman, "Yes, you have the breast cancer gene," what the hell image do you think is going to be in her head? The answer is: Cancer. I go: "Yes, but isn't the function of the mind to take the image of the head and turn it into reality?" I go, "Absolutely! What's the consequence?" Ninety percent of cancer has no genetic linkage at all. Dr. Jill 40:14 Yes. That was the biggest question I got as a 25-year-old. Every single person, to a T: "Oh, did you have genes?" No, I didn't have genes. I had a dysfunctional system when I was in my 20s. That goes into a whole other lecture that I could give, but I was not living consciously. And there were some things, stress-wise, that were contributing. And it was the environmental toxic load. So all of these things are the petri dish. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 40:38 And more than that, there must have been the two programs. Eighty to ninety percent of all people will not test positive for two beliefs. Number one, and I think the most important, is the belief, "I love myself." Eighty percent of people will not test positive for that belief. Number two, and this is the one where the healthcare crisis comes from: "I am safe." When you have a picture of fear, then the chemistry of fear is to manifest the fear. When they say "This is it" and [show you] a picture of the tumor and everything, then you make the chemistry of the tumor. Then the idea is that we have to own quantum physics. Consciousness is the source of our life experiences. We have to understand the nature of epigenetics. Consciousness is the source of what controls our genes. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 41:07 The third thing that I think is part of the Renaissance that we really must emphasize at some point is Newtonian physics, which separates physical from non-physical, matter versus energy. It's an illusion. It's not real. But it programs us in a very bad way because the program says: "Whatever is made out of matter can only be affected by matter. Whatever is made out of energy can only be affected by energy." And I say, "So what's the consequence?" I say: "The body is matter. And what do you think the whole foundation of the pharmaceutical company is? The body is matter and we make the matter to fix the matter." Dr. Jill 42:16 Yes. What's the matter with that? [laughs] Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 42:18 Three hundred thousand people die in the US every year from prescription drugs, that's what's the matter with it, when less than 50,000—I think 30,000—people die from illegal drugs. We have a war on illegal drugs, and 300,000 people dying from pharmaceutical drugs is called the cost of doing medicine. I go: "That's damn expensive! We don't need that." Simple law of science: If a drug works, it only works because you already had a receptor for that drug on you. Do you think nature put receptors on cells, waiting for the pharmaceutical company to make a drug? No, come on, man! If you have a receptor for a drug, it's because you have a receptor for a drug that you make. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 43:01 I go, "I can make any drug." Of course, because any drug works because you have a receptor to connect it. If you have a receptor, then you obviously have a signal that will bind to that receptor. Then you say, "Well, it's not working." And that's where everything gets screwed up because that system isn't working and then you go right away: "Oh, the body is defective. The genes aren't working right. There's an interference with the physical." I go, "Yes, there was an interference because it didn't start down here; it started up here." And once you start to understand this, yes, treat the body if there's an immediate need to treat the body, but the process of treating the patient is treating this part. Knowledge is power. They do not have the knowledge of who they are. They're programmed [to think]: "I'm a victim of my genes and I have no power." I go, "Well, there's your problem." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 43:54 And the issue about it is that you guys are in the front of the evolution that says: Okay, I can treat the patient, but I've really got to treat the consciousness of the patient. Why? Because, as quantum physics says, consciousness is the source of this creativity, and as epigenetics says, consciousness is the source of this expression. You cannot leave that out. Dr. Jill 44:18 You just talked about two beliefs that I think are critical and it's a great place to kind of wrap up. The first one is: Do we love ourselves? Do we really, really, truly love and accept ourselves? I have written a book and done a movie on that message. The heart of healing is: How do we show self-compassion and love? Because that is the only way that our cells will respond in health. Dr. Jill 44:41 The second thing was so crucial too, and that is the fear and the unsafety. This is where a physician in the office can make all the difference, because if they add to that fear message, guess what? That's just adding to that patient's unhealth. So one thing we are obligated to do as physicians is create a safe environment and teach that patient how to start to feel safe in their body. With those two beliefs, maybe in the last couple of minutes here, could you maybe give us some practical advice for somebody who's like: "How do I start doing that, Bruce? How do I feel safe in my body? And how do I love myself?" Because that, I couldn't agree more with you, is really the core message here. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 45:19 I'll tell you, let's get right to the root of why people do not love themselves. The answer is: Because parents act like coaches on a sports team. I go, "What does that mean?" A player isn't doing well. What does the coach say? "Oh, do better." No! The coach says: "That's not good enough. Who do you think you are? You don't deserve to be on this team." Well, a player is older than seven. They're in consciousness. They understand that the coach is saying, "You better do better!" Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 45:47 Now let's say the parent is the coach and the kid is under seven. There's no consciousness operating. What's operating? Hypnosis, programming. So when the father says, "That's not good enough, you don't deserve this, you're not lovable, you don't belong," blah, blah, blah—acting like the coach who says, "This is going to make them do better"—if the kid is under seven, you just programmed them to self-sabotage because the subconscious is going to create 95% of their life. And if I get a program "I do not deserve," when I'm thinking 95% of the day, what the hell program is running? "I do not deserve." So I could say something so stupid in my corporate structure or something, and somebody says, "That guy doesn't deserve to be here." And then, all of a sudden, I'm kicked out of the structure. Why? Because I myself made behavior to conform to "not good enough" and to not love myself. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 46:41 This is why that one's so important—because if you can't love yourself, I'm going to be honest, you can't accept love from somebody else. I go, "Why?" Because they say they love you, but in your mind, you're going: "Well, they don't know me, man. I know I'm not lovable." And you'll push them away. And then you'll find yourself with nobody around. And guess what you'll say? "You see?! I'm not lovable!" [inaudible] You just did that. And when it comes to "Do I have any power?" the answer is: No, it has been systematically deprived of them. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 46:59 I've got a minute; I've got to say this because this is really cool. There's a power struggle in the world. It's always been this way. There are three levels of power. Number one, caveman. Who's the biggest badass with the biggest club? Whatever they say, do it. They've got the power. Evolution came along. There are people then who control the resources that you need. And all of a sudden they say, "If you want those resources, you've got to give me something for this." And you know what? The ones who had the resources paid the caveman to hit you over the head if you didn't pay for the resources. Dr. Jill 47:53 A personal hitman. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 47:55 That's the king who owns the resources with an army of cavemen. Then I say, "But the last of the power struggles came down to 'knowledge is power.'" And it was recognized that, yes, that is the supreme power of everything. Knowledge is power. The first thing the church of Rome did was acknowledge: "We are the source of infallible knowledge. We are the source of truth. We say it; it's true." Well, you say, "I don't care." The point about it was that people gave up their power to the belief. And I say it here very quickly: There's a code behind the power brokers. I call it the powermongers' credo. I say, "What is it?" Are you ready? Give them the fear for free and then sell them the antidote. Dr. Jill (pre-recording) 48:46 Hey, everybody. I just stopped by to let you know that my new book, Unexpected: Finding Resilience through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith, is now available for order wherever you purchase books. In this book, I share my own journey of overcoming a life-threatening illness and the tools, tips, tricks, hope, and resilience I found along the way. This book includes practical advice for things like cancer and Crohn's disease and other autoimmune conditions, infections like Lyme or Epstein-Barr, and mold- and biotoxin-related illnesses. What I really hope is that as you read this book, you find transformational wisdom for health and healing. If you want to get your own copy, stop by ReadUnexpected.com. There, you can also collect your free bonuses. So grab your copy today and begin your own transformational journey through functional medicine and finding resilience. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 50:59 "What do you want me to do? Put a mask on? Sure. I'll mask on. I can't visit my mom, who's dying in a nursing home?" "No, you have to give that up because you can't do that." "Really?" Dr. Jill 51:09 Yes. If you're controlled, then fear created the biology of illness. It really, really is a great analogy. Bruce, this has been so fun to dive deep. I love talking to you. I love your enthusiasm. I love your wisdom. And I love most of all that you were so far ahead of the curve because people are kind of coming along to this belief. But the truth is, you were one of the very first ones writing and talking about this. And I'm just grateful that way back in the day, in the lab, you saw this and started writing about it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 51:44 I can't be any happier than I am for myself! I have a different life! I have a different life than before that discovery. Dr. Jill 51:53 Yes. And it transforms us all, too. I have many stories, the same thing, of me continuing to transform because of this knowledge. Thank you for the work that you do. Thank you for spending your time with us today!](https://www.jillcarnahan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bruce-Lipton-Biology-of-Belief-Can-Your-Mind-Spontaneously-Transform-Your-Health_-WEB-1.jpg)
35 Comments
Thank you for this important article, Dr. Jill. I think there are enough reports of neurological effects in children for doctors to be more cautious about prescribing it. On a related note, I believe Sodium Benzoate is another ingredient that we need to be cautious about. It is a preservative, and “generally recognized as safe”. However, in certain circumstances, it can be transformed to benzene. I think it is likely that in the deodorants that were recently recalled because they were found to contain benzene, it was due to the sodium benzoate they contained. Benzene, as I am sure you know, is a dangerous carcinogen.
What a great article. Thank you so much, I was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s and I’m trying to reduce my toxic load and I was just looking into PEG as it’s in my favorite shampoo and conditioner! Now I know it’s got to go!
The Wiley 2019 study referenced attributes this association (PEG + neuropsychiatric symptoms) to media hype? Are there any actual studies that explore the neuropsychiatric effects of PEG? Since PEG is used routinely for colonoscopies, it shouldn’t be too difficult to study?
Hi Dr. Jill, what do you recommend for colonoscopy prep? Thanks for the article and info. Angela
Hello Angela,
My doctor said to use Miralax for colonoscopy prep. The procedure showed no GI problems, but ever since I have had headaches, bloating, and brain fog of an unknown origin. I will never use Miralax again.
Hello – I’ve been working with a functional medicine doctor since 2012 to “heal my gut” and have done everything under the sun to do so. The best thing I’ve found is the Carnivore Diet and removing almost all fiber. When I go back to eating more fiber, I cannot live without Miralax… otherwise I’d be doing an enema every other day. (Yep, I’ve been there too.) I agree about the chemicals and toxicity… but when I’ve tried everything else and have spent thousands of dollars on Stool analysis testing, along with every probiotic, and prebiotic and gut supplements galore… I truly don’t know what else to do. I try to stay low fiber so that I don’t have to use Miralax every day. But for some of us, (note, I have Celiac along with 2 decades of chronic antibiotic use and several abdominal surgeries that have likely caused some intestinal adhesions)… my gut has taken a toll. I either have to be super strict and Carnivore or stay on Miralax when I’m not, in order to have healthy bowel movements. It’s miserable when pooping (or lack of pooping) takes over your life. It’s also not good to leave things in there and be constipated… as we reabsorb medications and hormones too, and those become toxic to our bodies as well. Sometimes, I have to choose, do I want the Miralax or do I want the toxicity of what’s recycled and poisons being released from being constipated for days and days. So far… I have less toxicity with the Miralax, than being constipated all of the time. The constipation REALLY messed up my health and hormones.
You might try SUPREP instead
Hi MJ,
I hear you when you say pooping…or the lack of it… can take over your life. I have had constipation problems for the past year. I’ve never had so much difficulty having daily BMs!. I’m still trying to sort it out.
One natural remedy that did work great for me us pure celery juice first thing in the morning. I juice a whole stalk of celery and then drink it. It works within 2 hours. Just stick real close to the toilet! I’ve also tried Vegan diet. Meat , dairy products are slow to digest. I was told to cook my vegetables real well. And I turn my fruit and raw veggies into a smoothie so my stomach has less work to digest the food. For me it’s either celery juice or senekot so far. Hope all gets sorted out for you.
Several years ago I was given a GI prep containing PEG and had an anaphylactic reaction. A few months later I broke out in hives from skin care products containing PEG. I’m very aware of PEG reactions. That is part of the reason I haven’t had the mRNA vaccine.
Hello Dr. Jill,
THANK YOU for your articles !!
We do not know if we or someone we know has been affected. But, we are on a mission to find and use clean products, more and more.
Please let us know…
We found “Propylene Glycol” in a hydrating hair oil mist.
Is “Propylene Glycol” the same (or just as toxic) as “Polyethylene Glycol” ??
And, if so, what ALTERNATIVE substance(s) might we look for instead.
Thank you much,
Susan
(We’re also interested in the answer to Angela’s question above, re colonoscopy prep !!)
Propylene Glycol is similar but very different to Polyethylene Glycol (PEG). If allergic to one, you are unlikely to be allergic to the other. They are both used like a carrier or preservative.
I am unable to have both mRNA injections due to PEG. Unable to have many opioids, some antibiotics, some eye drops, all processed foods, most skin creams due to PEG causing anaphylaxis reactions. I was recently diagnosed via bowel/gut biopsies check to now be Disaccharide Intolerant.
Personally, I think it all related. Any anaphylaxis reaction is no fun but many of mine cause whole body analphilaxis. Pain meds are easier to find alternatives today than when I was young. Whole foods & high protein diets work best but Disaccharide intolerance means some vegetables can not be digested well which has decreased my options in foods further. I dread my 5 year Colonoscopy checks due to the preparation required prior to the procedure.
Not sure if I am allergic to PG but will watch for rxn when I prep for colonoscopy. Kaiser prescribed other meds with corn that I am allergic to and do not care. I told them I will have gas rather than anaphylaxis. My oxaloacetate has stopped working since infected with Covid and CFS returned. Any new ideas? I did try increasing dose to 1000/day. 700 was great for energy and brain symptoms. Now DIZZY and fall over if I shut my eyes when showering if I do not hold on. Thank you for all you do. Cindy
I am a Canary – super-sensitive to many things and stay away from food additives, sprays, perfumes and chemicals and live as organic a lifestyle as possible. In prep for colonoscopy I took almost two doses of Restoralax (PEG 3350). Although it was supposed to be tasteless in water it seemed rather plasticy to me. I shuddered with each gulp. Dose two I added some cherry juice, then more cherry juice. I didn’t like the idea of drinking something made with petrochemicals in the first place and tried to ignore my thoughts. I took a few gulps and set it on the side table while I watched a movie. About half way through the glass me ears started to rumble and heart palpitate.
Butterflies or rumbling in my ears is the first signal I’ve eaten something wrong and a migraine may be on the way. Ten or so minutes later I took another big gulp. Within minutes the rumbling got louder and my eyes started bouncing around. Then came erratic heart beat. Fortunately it didn’t last long but came on a few short stints during the evening. My balance was off when I stood up. I TOOK NO MORE! I felt on the edge of a migraine and drank a bunch of water as dehydration can make migraines worse.
In the morning I still felt off. I phoned the doctor’s office. In the meantime I’d found a few places online saying migraines and arrhythmia were rare but usually found in women 60+. (Me) I told the office of my experience and they claimed migraine, headache or heart issues were NOT in the list of side effects but I had a dispute. They suggested alternates to two of the 3 preps. I looked up the ingredients and they were the same thing. I refused to take anymore. “Oh, but you have to”. “No mam, I do not HAVE to!”. So, the procedure has been cancelled.
That 2nd day I felt off in the head all morning and but impending migraine feeling passed. However, what was odd was, as someone who frequently needs to pee, and fast, each time I peed all that came was a tiny trickle. All that moisture that’s supposed to go to the bowel must have been pulled from my bladder.
The Canary in me loudly chirps “Stay away from PEG!”.
I was wondering exactly what you experienced. Where does the PEG get the water from in our bodies? It was suggested I take Restoralax today by a RPN.
I am taking 3 senekot a day for daily BMs and she was concerned my bowels will get lazy. Well, I’m a canary as well. ( on a side note…..are you HSP…highly sensitive person…this is a nervous system trait that is normal and inherited…about 20 % of population is HSP).
One of the many sensitivities that HSP people have is to medication, OTC.
I’m not planning on taking the Restoralax. Think I already tried it and it either didn’t work or I researched and found out from petroleum.
Hi Dr. Jill
Thank you for this important article. After seeing 13 doctors (I’m on your waitlist), the best conclusion I can come to is that I have sensory & neurological issues kicked off by a combo of the shingles and covid vaccines. In my research & discussion with others with similar symptoms, I’ve discovered that both vaccines contain polyethylene glycol. If you’re seeing others with vaccine reactions and have any theories, I’d sure love to hear. I know this is a hot topic when it comes to vaccines but there is a lot of people I’m meeting in a similar situation to mine that are suffering with post-vaccine reactions. We need help! Thank you for all you do!
Yes, I understand completely Frances I am sorry you are struggling so – since the pandemic we are seeing massive rise in autoimmunity and neurological injury so you are not alone. I am closely following the science…
Very interesting. .neurological injury…sounds like exactly what my 3rd covid vaccine caused in my arm. I’ve had intense fluctuating pain in the injection site where I had my 3rd covid vaccine. I have had this pain for A YEAR. Prior, I had pain from both 1st and 2nd covid vaccines that lasted up to 6 months. I was referred to orthopedic doctor today for the pain in my arm. I have a depression diagnosis along with anxiety, panic. I’ve been communicating my pain to a variety of health care professionals for almost a year and the registered nurse practitioner ( I live in Canada) whom I saw today is the first person to take me seriously. Sometimes I wonder if this is because of my being on antidepressants. I’m well educated so I take the assumption that ‘it’s all in my head’ as an insult. I hope orthopedic Dr can help.
I have a severe reaction to PEG. The first time I took it for a colonoscopy, I couldn’t walk to the bathroom. I was home alone and drugged my self on the floor to the bathroom. The second time I was in the hospital and within 8 oz of drinking the PEG prep, I couldn’t walk again. The nurse had to stay with me continuously for the next 4 hours.
The third time, I found it in my NP Thyroid. I called Switzerland and talked to the pharmacist that make it. It was not listed on the ingredients.
The fourth time I had an ultrasound for a biopsy on my kidneys. I reacted the same way – couldn’t move, but this time I had full body shaking. I was in the recovery area of the hospital and they wanted to admit me, but it resolved in 2 hours. Muscles would tighten for a second, then release.
The last time was this week and it was the worse reaction ever! I was taking sodium bicarbonate pills 675 mg for acid buildup in my blood. I had taken 3 pills, one Tuesday night, One Wednesday morning and Wednesday night. By Wednesday evening, the pain in my ankle was awful, it felt like I had broken my ankle. Around midnight I hobbled to the bathroom, I thought I might have a blood clot as I am getting over Covid from August 30th. I did have the monclonal antibodies without PEG but it did have polysorbate in the infusion. By 3:30am Thursday I am screaming in pain like a shard of glass is in my heel, I can no longer move or feel my left leg. It is as heavy as lead. i AM SHAKING ALL OVER! I knew then I was in a reaction to PEG. The allergy is on all my medical records, and I looked at the new prescription, and PEG is not listed as an ingredient.
Thursday AM, I called my PC dr. They saw me immediately. They did an ultrasound on my left leg looking for a blood clot, an xray to rule out a broken ankle. Nothing found. By 2pm Thursday afternoon , I can begin to walk on my leg. I am still shaking all over. By Friday morning, I am walking, no pain, but occasionally shaking in my hands and feeling jumpy. By Friday afternoon – everything has resolved. I did have the ultrasound gel washed off immediately after the test with soap and water. I came home and took a shower immediately.
I order all my soaps, toothpaste, shampoos without PEG or Polysorbate or any derivatives of petroleum products.
I would like to know what is actually happening in my body when I accidently ingest PEG. I avoid all food dyes, I don’t have a gasoline car, EV for me! No carpets or drapes in my house. My mattress is organic cotton.
Wow! Sounds like what I went through from 6 different meds for insomnia. A couple of times I wanted to die. Ended up in ER 7 times over 6 months. I’m going to get a Medic Alert bracelet. May I suggest the same for you?
I’ve even been prescribed an anti-inflammatory that has serious contraindications ( like internal bleeding) with a medication I take! I returned the anti-inflammatory to pharmacy for refund. Don’t think their red flag alert system was working on their computers that day. Hope you are better.
I have suffered with a PEG allergy for 40 years that has got worse with the use of PEG in just about everything.For me covid was a life saver I started reading about the effects of PEG and the products and medications that it was in and it was a light bulb moment. When I eat or take products that contain PEG my stomach swells and spasms, my anus blisters and the whole area goes red. It also affects me internally I have been treated for irritable bowel ,ulcerative colitis ect. I get tired ,dry mouth, and rashes and I wont go into the colonoscopy drama. I now use a citric acid based product for colonoscopy. If I use creams that contain peg I wake in the night with headaches that feel like I am being scalped and my blood pressure goes above 180 my normal blood pressure around 95.This is a small list of the problems this product has caused me . I believe that many people with gut problems who are being prescribed medications are being made sicker as the cause of the problem is PEG. It is a silent killer and it should be banned.
Hi Rae, I agree with you it is a killer I nearly died after the Pfizer vaccine as it contains Peg, I am sure this is the cause of the excess deaths across the world, but the pharmaceutical and Governments around the world have too much money invested in it to do anything about it.
I have adverse neurological reactions to breathing petrochemicals in ambient air. Unfortunately, the more powerful laundry products used by neighbors are spreading heavy loads of toxicity. I looked up info on a brand that claims odor lasts 12 weeks. Ingredient Polyethylene Glycol was listed as a Perfume Dispersant.
Killing me not softly!
Hello Jill,
Thank you for your article. I came across this article when researching for information on the PEG ingredient in my colon prep prescription. I was shocked to see PEG listed as the first ingredient as I am a label reader and have been investigating ingredients for the last five years or so. It was too late for me at that point to change my preparation plan for my routine colonoscopy. I would like to know if you have knowledge about safe swap/alternative in stead of PEG3350. I’d like to choose a safer option for the future.
You might try Suprep?
For probably 2 decades I have struggled with reactions to menstrual pads (inflammation of the mucous membranes that mimicked UTI symptoms), and kept trying to find brands that were organic, all natural, etc, only to still have problems. As “medical devices” manufacturers of these products are not required to disclose ingredients/materials. Finally two years ago after having yet another reaction, I looked at the packaging and saw PEG. I looked it up and lo and behold it was in medications that I’ve had strange and concerning reactions to. One of the most alarming for me is that injectable medication seems to impact my eyesight, making it very difficult for my eyes to focus.
If you ever update this article, please consider mentioning the use of PEG on menstrual products as I searched for years in vain to figure out what I was reacting to. And while I respect that you may not want to get embroiled in vaccine debates, even a little wording of “including in mRNA varieties” next to your mention of vaccines could better help the public decide what vaccines are or are not safe for them specifically. I consider myself extremely fortunate that my eureka moment with the menstrual pads happened just as I was signing up for vaccines.
Last year my colonoscopy prep was a total fail, even though I did exactly what they said to do. (I had been constipated for a very long time.) My GI said to take Miralax and psyllium husk every day and then try again three months later. I did that, and all was well. He said I have a “tortuous” colon and that I should continue to take Miralax every day to avoid getting constipated. (My diet and gut health are good!) He said some people take it for the rest of their lives, and it’s completely fine to do so. So I have continued to take it every night, and my bowels move regularly and gloriously! I have no adverse effects from the Miralax that I can tell.
Do you think it’s fine to continue with Miralax under these circumstances?
While I don’t think miralax is completely toxic, there are much more natural alternatives to avoid constipation like SuperMag, buffered C powder or Essential Fiber
I laughed to read your “constipation story”, Roni! I know exactly how you feel! I also was diagnosed with a “tortuous” and long colon (at age 78). Now I’m 80 years old, and I was troubled with constipation my whole life, I never experienced a regular, daily bowel movement. (I was told that as an infant, I was a severely colicky baby for my whole first year–my poor mother!). When I was 78 years old, (and as usual, I mentioned to Dr. that I had chronic constipation) my gastroenterologist suggested I take one 400mg tablet of Magnesium Oxide in the morning with 2 glasses of water. THEN take one dose of Miralax as directed on the bottle. I had to do this for 2-3 days before I experienced a bowel movement. I continued with this regimen every morning for almost a year with very normal bowel movements (according to The Bristol Scale a #4) every morning. My reaction to this improvement? “WOW, so this is how it works for the rest of the world–how NICE!!!” Now, I am so happy to say that I can go several days, almost a week, without needing to take “my regimen” first. I must say that I am retired, so I don’t need to rush out to go to work. I have a slow morning, and can relax and read the newspaper with breakfast–I do this because I then I can FEEL my body tell me that I need to “go”! I still pay very close attention if I miss a morning BM. If I miss two mornings, I’ll take the regimen again, because that means “it’s not gonna happen” without help! I don’t know why I sporadically need the regimen–maybe I’m too active that morning, maybe I’m rushing around too much and don’t feel the “urge to go” reflex, maybe it’s something I ate the day before? I have never had an “accident”, or diarrhea in all these 2 years, but if I have a very soft BM, I will skip the regimen the next day or two (common sense here) until the movement returns to be a #4. I wrote this long paragraph about this very personal problem because I sincerely hope it might help someone else. I’m unaware of having any “weird” side effects from using Miralax or other “off brands” that are less expensive. And–I highly recommend that you look up the Bristol Stool Chart, it will help you understand a little more about your body.
Recent research
“Among those who reported using only one type of laxative, only those using osmotic laxatives had a statistically significant higher risk of all-cause dementia (aHR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.20 – 2.24) and vascular dementia (aHR, 1.97; 95% CI 1.04 – 3.75).”
First published February 22, 2023, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207081
Hi, I would like to know if PEG is harmful in beauty products..
And , which is the best remedy for constipation..
yes, PEG harmful in anything that comes in contact with skin or mucous membranes. You might try magnesium citrate for constipation.
Dr. Jill,
Thanks you for this article on Polyethelene Glycol. I have celiac disease and my gastroenterologist prescribed PEG to help with absorption. I have been taking this product for at least ten years. Here are three symptoms of PEG toxicity that have manifested over the last few years. Atrial flutter; benign essential tremors in my arms and hands, and extremely acidic saliva, which is damaging my teeth. I am weaning myself of PEG and am substituting prune juice and prunes as a start. Any suggestions you would have in terms of a safe and effective alternative would be appreciated. Thanks again, Dave
You might try Magnesium Citrate and Buffered C powder to start
I think this has caused my daughters 24/7 headaches
Pots syndrome how do I detox her she was on osmolax from a baby
Thank you for the interesting article. I am one of a growing number of people with severe allergic reactions to any exposure to PEGs & Polysorbates. After several ER visits due to anaphylactic reaction, and a knowledgeable allergist I am learning a lot about this compound and increasingly shocked at how hard it is to avoid it. The issue is compounded by non-standardized nomenclature for the compound (there are hundreds of names) and limited knowledge with physicians and pharmacists.
In general, the only advice I’ve been able to receive is ‘try to avoid it’, which is impossible. Your article is the first time I’ve seen anyone mention detoxification as a potential aid in coping with this toxic chemical compound. I don’t see anything related to that in your references. Do you have any other information or studies that show positive results through detoxification efforts?
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