Does The Appendix Have Any Use?

Did God Make a Mistake?

by Dr. Lynn Tan, N.D.

Some call an appendix a “mystery organ.” It does not seem to do anything – except get infected, swell up, hurt, and cause a lot of troubles if it erupts. This nasty sequence of events is called appendicitis. Many do not know the cause of appendicitis. Generally, there is no satisfactory way of predicting to whom, when, and under what circumstances appendicitis may develop. Of the various surgical emergencies, appendicitis occurs most frequently.

Many years ago, one of my aunties was widowed when she was pregnant with her first child. Her husband died of an appendicitis operation. When I was a child, often I would hear my parents mentioning this uncle and also the cursed appendix. I used to ponder over the common “knowledge” that an appendix did not serve any purpose. In my young mind, I was wondering why God put the appendix in our body when it did not serve any purpose. Could He have made a mistake? And as a result of this mistake, many people have suffered when their appendix would become inflamed, necessitating surgery.

Later, through my studies and research on nutrition and naturopathy, I came across a truth that caused me to jump for joy. God did not make a mistake in putting the appendix where it is found! It is man who often misunderstands. Sometime ago, in the Doctor’s Comer Column published in one of our local newspapers, Daily Express, there was an enquiry concerning appendicitis and the following was part of the reply from a doctor:

“…appendicitis is due to the inflammation of the appendix which is a small worm-like structure attached to the terminal ileum. It does not serve any useful purpose in the body. However, it can be life-threatening once the inflamed appendix ruptures…”

Appendix

The appendix is a small, dead-end tube, about the diameter of a pencil and about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in length. It is attached to the first portion of the large intestine called the cecum. It is a gland whose entire centre is a channel surrounded by an infinite number of small glands which lead right into the cecum.

These glands secrete a powerful germicidal fluid which is automatically injected into the cecum only when the waste matter coming from the small intestine through the ileo-cecal valve is potentially harmful to the body. In short, the function of the appendix is similar to that of the tonsils – to sample the kind of germs (noxious substances) that pass through and to stimulate the body’s protective mechanism.

God took the trouble to place the appendix right at the particular spot where the residue from the digestion of food leaves the small intestine and enters the colon (large intestine). If the food is not compatible with the body, the food residue would naturally be incompatible and toxic to the body and thus, require neutralization by the germicidal fluid secreted by the appendix.

By ingesting the wrong kind of food and beverages, which happens to most people who are led by their appetite and taste buds, the toxic residue moving out from the small intestine will cause the appendix to work overtime.

Likewise, if the waste matter is not moving out regularly due to too much unnatural and refined foods, the residue is likely to remain in the cecum and fermentation and putrefaction will take place.

This condition further requires the appendix to work overtime, causing it to become sick and overworked, resulting in a state of inflammation which is labeled as appendicitis. Once it is over-inflamed, it bursts (ruptures).

Appendicitis

The first symptom of acute appendicitis is usually pain, although there may be tenderness or pressure over the lower abdomen on the right. The pain quickly becomes severe. In many cases, the pain is not felt in the region of the appendix at first, but is distributed over the entire abdomen. Later, as the inflammation continues, the pain and tenderness tend to localise in the lower right side of the abdomen.

Pain alone is not enough to confirm the diagnosis of appendicitis, but when rigidity of the muscles on the lower right portion of the abdomen, as well as tenderness in this area occur together, appendicitis is the probable cause. Fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting are likely symptoms.

The symptoms of appendicitis are so easily confused with those of other conditions affecting the organs in the abdomen that surgeons hesitate to perform surgeries until they have arranged for a blood count. In the case of true appendicitis, the number of white blood cells will increase significantly. (Caution: In cases ofprolonged pain, seek medical diagnosis. Do not attempt to self-diagnose.)

Dr. Dennis P. Burkitt. M.D., a British scientist, maintained that acute appendicitis was a rarity until the introduction of refined, fiber-deficient food. According to Dr. Burkitt, the appendix is often first blocked by a small, hard lump of fecal matter about the size of a pea… This exists only in the presence of the firmer feces that are associated with a fiber-depleted diet. Once blocked, the appendix becomes infected. (Taken from Prevention New Encyclopedia of Common Diseases.)

Appendicitis, no doubt, has its origin in a sluggish colon. Therefore, keeping the colon clean is the only safe-guard against the development of the disorder. Sufficient fiber in the diet is essential. Anyone who lives sensibly and keeps his bowel working well will generally be able to keep his appendix healthy throughout life without danger of inflammation.

So, as we have seen, God did not make a mistake, men did. We have moved too far away from natural living. Civilization has brought along with it its own set of diseases. Doctors who worked in the deep jungles of Africa found that appendicitis was non-existent until the “white men’s” food was introduced.

Myth

By looking at the figure that shows the location of the appendix, you can clearly understand that it is a myth when some parents tell their children that if they jump right after a meal, a grain of rice may drop into the appendix and cause appendicitis.

Go Back To Nature

An unclean bowel is the root of much of our trouble. A toxic intestine throws out its toxins into the blood stream, thus poisoning other parts of the body.

Poor intestinal health is directly due to:

• Denatured, refined, and processed food.
• Poisoned food and water.
• Faulty living habits, e.g. tea and coffee drinking, tobacco, smoking, alcohol drinking, a highly pressured lifestyle, lack of rest and exercise, etc.
• Negative mental attitudes.

To be healthy, let us go back to nature. Eat only wholesome, natural, unprocessed and poison-free food. Replace white rice with unpolished rice in your diet, along with wholemeal bread rather than white bread.

Most diets do not contain enough fibre. Oat bran, rolled oats and brown rice provide valuable soluble fibre that not only helps to provide bulk to stimulate the colon, but they also lower cholesterol and slow down absorption of glucose, thus helping in diabetes control. The cleansing action of the fibre assists in the prevention of cancer, premature aging, and other degenerative diseases.

Avoid white sugar and its products. White sugar is more damaging to your body than you can imagine.

Replace the use of white sugar with raw honey if you crave something sweet.

Eat as much raw- food (vegetables & fruits) as possible. Drink fresh raw vegetable and fruit juices; the only form of water we should drink is steamed distilled water, which is equivalent to rain water when the atmosphere is not polluted.

A healthy colon requires the presence of friendly bacteria. Unfriendly and disease producing bacteria begin to grow in the colon when fermentation of carbohydrates and putrefaction of proteins takes place in the intestinal tract. The use of antibiotics destroys friendly bacteria.

Yogurt or Probiotic culture is the best possible neutralizer of putrefaction in the colon. It helps to clean out the unfriendly bacteria. It is recommended that we take yogurt or Probiotic daily. Yogurt is considered an important item in dairy stores in Switzerland and other parts of Northern Europe. It is easy and simple to make yogurt at home. Homemade yogurt tastes much better and costs much less than commercial ones. Learn to make your own yogurt.

While tending to your physical health, do not forget your emotional and spiritual health. They are more important than all the health foods you can find.

If you have been living on refined food, a spring cleaning of the colon is necessary. Try taking the natural herb product Herbal Klenz. You will be amazed by the amount of junk that will be expelled from your body. It will help you have a clean start to your healthy living. Never neglect giving attention to your colon.

Do not part with or lose your appendix unnecessarily. It is a very important organ which God has placed in your body for your benefit. It is one of your important health protectors. There are some surgeons who would routinely remove a healthy appendix merely because the abdomen has been opened for another operation. Beware of such surgeons. I once visited a close relative in a hospital. She underwent an operation that was related to her ovaries. She proudly displayed her appendix in a bottle beside her bedside. The surgeon had “done her a favour by removing her appendix.” My righteous anger rose within me, but I did not say anything. It was bad enough for the poor woman to lose her appendix out of ignorance. I did not want to make her feel worse. If your appendix has already been removed, you should watch your diet and maintain the cleanliness of your colon even more meticulously.

Treatment of Appendicitis:

Following are the only two alternatives possible when suffering from appendicitis:

Surgical – Highly developed surgical techniques are available these days to enable the safe and simple removal of the appendix when inflamed. It is generally advisable to have the appendix removed when it becomes inflamed rather than run the risk of an eruption and infection.

However, be aware that every surgical scar carries with it a possibility of subsequent irritations and disturbances. Furthermore, it has been discovered that once the appendix has been removed, the bowel becomes more sensitive. This alone indicates that any operation should be resorted to only when really necessary.

Non-surgical treatment – Appendicitis can also be treated by a non-surgical method. If confirmed or suspected, stop all solid food and begin Dr. Lynn Tan’s Detoxification and Rejuvenation Program (DRP). This program grants the appendix a well needed rest while it cleans up the toxic environment that suixounds it. The appendix, being a lymphatic gland, will quickly heal and bounce back to health.