BY GAURAV GOSWAMI, MD, AND KERRY JOHNSON, PHD

The entire human body is a collection of cells. We all start our journey as a single cell. The cells that make growth, repair, and renewal possible are called “stem cells.”

Stem cells are an integral part of all our organ systems. The application of stem cells in the treatment of disease and injury is called “stem cell therapy.”

Just as your phone screen’s resolution depends on the health of its pixels, your daily life depends on how well your cells function. Unless there is healing at the cellular level, you are unlikely to feel better.

Each specialized organ has its own stem cells that help regenerate and repair local cells. We are still learning about the different populations of stem cells and their functions.

The main categories are your own stem cells (autologous) versus those from another individual (allogeneic). As an adult, your own body carries stem cells in all your organ systems. These stem cells can be harvested from your own body

Current stem cell therapies have their strongest application in sports-related injuries, joint pain, and back pain. When it comes to stem cell therapies, “one type does not fit all.” Many conditions will require their own types of stem cells and their own treatment protocols.

Your own stem cells carry the least risk. Any manipulation of stem cells in a laboratory or a foreign source of stem cells can carry the risk of infection, disease transmission, rejection, and tumor formation.

Viability matters: how many stem cells are alive at the time of your treatment? You can have a high total cell count, but if a significant number of stem cells are dead, you may not see results.

Another important aspect is the quality of the stem cells. Testing can determine their quality. The count, quality, and structure of stem cells are all important criteria in minimizing risks and predicting a desired outcome.

No single treatment of any kind is effective in all patients with the same condition. We already know that there is a small group of patients who do not respond to stem cell therapy, no matter what.

If all other factors remain the same, outcomes from any procedure depend on three factors:

• Your general health, both physical and mental
• Your environment
• Your genetic makeup

While we don’t have much control over the latter, we can do a lot to benefit the first two. Our body’s capacity to heal from most conditions is dependent on how healthy we are. With similar conditions, two patients undergoing the same procedure can have very different outcomes.

Medical therapies aid your body in healing. But ultimate healing takes place from within. No treatment can work unless your body and mind have the ability to heal.

Research has shown that a healthy lifestyle can help maintain the potency of your own stem cells. Studies also show that we can slow the aging process by exercising regularly and managing stress.

Having healthy habits strengthens your own stem cells. This will help if you ever need them. For those who do need them, the field has been quietly maturing.

Using fresh stem cells from your own body is a procedure that has been around for more than a decade. It has primarily gained popularity in Europe and Japan. Stem cell treatment is now being performed in some shape or form all over the world.

A significant amount of published data has supported many of these therapies. But due to a lack of standardized protocols, these treatment methods have not yet been approved by the FDA and are not currently covered by health insurance.

With so many different therapies under the “stem cell” umbrella, it has become difficult to formulate any regulation. Governments, providers, and commercial suppliers are equally to blame. There is a lack of understanding of stem cell science, especially the power of your own stem cells.

Some providers manipulate desperate patients. Commercial suppliers are hungry for profits. Many patients are getting fake stem cell therapies or are denied a stem cell therapy that could have greatly helped. Either way, many patients end up paying a price. Ignorance and greed often overtake science.

We firmly believe that stem cells will be a major treatment tool in the near future. Our goal here is to help separate fact from fiction.

How Stem Cells Support Repair

A stem cell is capable of self-renewal and of forming other cell types. We all start our journey as a stem cell, but as you mature, your stem cells can grow only into the cells they are surrounded by. Different tissues also have different regenerative capacities. A stem cell that heals your knee will not cure your diabetes. So when the cartilage in your joint is worn out, you need stem cells that can help regenerate cartilage.

One of the biggest reasons this repair process slows is chronic inflammation.

In the past, healing has been largely dominated by chemicals that suppress the symptoms of pain. Anti-inflammatories such as NSAIDs and steroids have been commonly used.

But drugs designed to suppress inflammation end up suppressing the function of the very cells that are in need of healing, causing further harm. Symptoms may resolve in the short run, but these medications can be toxic. They interfere with cell function rather than promote regeneration and repair.

The presence of inflammation takes away the ability of your cells to multiply, replace themselves, and perform meaningful repair. That is why inflammation is the basis of most conditions that take root in your body.

Common conditions such as joint pain, tendinitis, asthma, arterial blockage, and hepatitis are all examples of chronic inflammation. Uncontrolled inflammation is the root cause of many conditions that afflict us.

Your Body Is Built to Heal

Your body naturally heals itself. When you sprain an ankle or suffer a minor injury, you heal. But when the injury is more profound or recurrent, local cells are unable to repair or regenerate. Without allowing the body part to rest, inflammation persists and can become chronic.

Regenerative treatment aims to jump-start your body’s own cells to help repair cellular damage. Stem cells are one of the most important tools in the regenerative therapy toolbox. The single most important property of stem cells is their ability to exert a strong anti-inflammatory effect.

Stem cells can clean up inflammation at the cellular level without the side effects of conventional anti-inflammatory drugs. They aid healing not only by growing new cells but also by secreting specific growth factors that promote a healthy local environment at the site of injury. That allows new cells to form and start functioning normally.

This is how regeneration and repair happen, and how you ultimately heal.

5 Ways Stem Cells Aid Healing

Together, these mechanisms create a healthy local environment, one more conducive to repair and regeneration. Often, stem cells are imagined as something that will grow a whole new joint, organ, or even a duplicate copy of your body.

Someday we may get there. For now, their most important job is improving the environment at the site of injury or disease, so your local cells can function again.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

When it comes to stem cell therapy, one size does not fit all. A stem cell treatment that can alleviate your joint pain will not cure your blindness, your child’s autism, or your grandfather’s Alzheimer’s.

It is appalling how commercial clinics oversell the ability of stem cells to be a cure for a myriad of conditions. Unfortunately, this creates public mistrust and brings on the wrath of regulatory agencies.

Beware of the snake oil salesman. Plenty of clinics advertise and claim they have stem cell therapies for various conditions, but there is no proof that the therapies work.

It is understandable why patients and their families feel a desperate need to ease the suffering of their loved ones. We are often tempted to buy into the hype. Unfortunately, this only takes away valuable resources that could be used to improve the patient’s quality of life.

Merely putting fat back into the joint is not stem cell therapy. Your own stem cells will be isolated and then injected into your joint. Are the cells getting into the joint space? Are they getting to the area of inflammation?

Some clinics give intravenous (IV) injections of stem cells. But don’t expect an intravenous injection of stem cells to heal your knee joint.

Similarly, cells for conditions affecting the brain may have to be implanted directly into the damaged part of the brain. Delivery routes and methods for different clinical conditions will vary and have to be clearly established. Until then, we may not be able to predict outcomes or compare results. There is no apples-to-apples comparison among stem cell therapies yet!

Understanding Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune disease happens when your body turns against its own cells. Some of the most common autoimmune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (or SLE), scleroderma, Graves’ disease, type 1 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Autoimmune conditions can be hard to diagnose, depending on which organ system is affected. No matter how much you rest, you still feel tired. Muscle pain, hair loss, skin rashes, and sores can also occur.

As their condition progresses, inflammation of the kidneys, lungs, and other organs can occur. Symptoms may go on for several years before a diagnosis is made. What causes your body to turn against itself is unknown. If you have a family history of autoimmune disorders, your risk goes up.

There is currently no known way to prevent autoimmune disease. Once established, the condition is typically lifelong, though, as we’ll see, that does not mean nothing can be done.

For many families, these challenges are not theoretical. They are deeply personal.

Case Study: Isabella’s Turning Point

Isabella was 16 when she started feeling unusually fatigued. She visited the family doctor and was told to rest. Yet the pain worsened, and she had trouble walking upstairs. Her mother took her to the local children’s hospital, where she underwent blood tests and evaluation by a rheumatologist. The results pointed to lupus.

Little did she know her nightmare was just beginning. A course of steroids brought some relief, but the pain continued, and the side effects took a heavy toll.

The news devastated her. This once-active, bubbly teenager now faced the prospect of having her hips replaced with metal joints.

She was frustrated and depressed. Her parents couldn’t bear her depression and decided to learn about other therapies.

Her parents saw a TV interview with a young woman also diagnosed with lupus. The girl had adult stem cell therapy and was now leading a near-normal life. They brought this to the attention of Isabella’s doctors at the children’s hospital.

The family was discouraged and told the treatment would risk Isabella’s life. Her doctors at the time said these types of alternative therapies had no proven scientific basis.

Isabella’s parents decided to visit the stem cell specialist. After a thorough evaluation of Isabella’s case, the doctor explained the science behind stem cells. The first goal was to get some relief from disabling hip pain. The physician was honest and said stem cell therapies were in the early stages for lupus.

There was evidence that her own stem cells, combined with platelet-rich plasma, might calm the joint inflammation and potentially repair the damage in her hips. Lupus is also a systemic problem, the underlying disease still has to be controlled, but relieving her hip pain was within reach.

Isabella received targeted injections into both her hip joints using cells derived from her own bone marrow and blood. Six weeks later, Isabella felt no need to take ibuprofen, as she no longer had pain.

She was able to walk around high school without support. Four months later, Isabella underwent another round of treatment. She was swimming, bicycling, and doing most of the things teenagers her age did. More importantly, the procedure boosted Isabella’s self-esteem. It improved her ability to fight a disease she will have to live with for the rest of her life.

Practical Steps Forward

When you are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, you will need treatment for the rest of your life. It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed, confused, angry, and even guilty. But there are things you can do to control it.

Educate yourself about your diagnosis. Engage with the local foundation or association that advocates on behalf of your condition. Follow your doctor’s advice, but do your own research; the information you have now will prepare you to ask the right questions and not be taken in by false promises.

Knowledge is the best way to keep your condition under control.

If you do explore stem cell therapy, look specifically at protocols designed for your condition, and have a realistic expectation of the outcome.

Whether treatment is conventional, regenerative, or supportive, one principle remains the same: the body heals best when the whole person is supported.

Healing from Within

Two patients can undergo the same procedure with entirely opposite outcomes. Even when our physiology and anatomy are optimal, the state of one’s mind adds another dimension. Healing is tied to the optimal functioning of both body and mind.

Several research studies have shown that aging is sped up by inflammation and stress. Both wear your cells and cause premature cell death.

The same studies have shown that restricting caloric intake and engaging in exercise can counter, or at least slow down the aging process in your cells. Even though your genetic makeup influences your health, there is also a lot you can still control.

Because some factors are beyond your control, it is all the more important to stay focused on what you can influence, your general health and well-being. Even the best treatments may not get optimal results without this foundation.

Daily Habits That Support Healing

When your cells are healthy and energized, your body will optimize its healing power. Nothing works in a week or two. For long-term results, you have to develop the following daily healthy habits:

Hydration

Your body is 70 percent water. Hydration is essential to cellular functions. Many studies have shown the benefits of hydration. Most impactful has been research on patients with lower back problems.

Low back pain sufferers were divided into two groups.

Group 1 was instructed to drink up to one gallon of water throughout the day. Group 2 had no such intervention and was told only to continue their basic lifestyle. After six weeks, low back pain scores decreased by 50 percent in the well-hydrated group.

Low back pain can be tricky to manage. No surgery or therapy can guarantee a 50 percent reduction in back pain. As the cells that make up your spine become hydrated, the regenerative process speeds up. Healthy, well-hydrated disks provide the cushion necessary to support the spine.

Hydration also helps cells function well. A well-hydrated body eliminates toxins more easily. Our environment, food, and inflammatory processes from injury and disease all produce toxins that cause pain and other symptoms. Hydration is an easy way of flushing them out.

Sugar Intake

The real answer to weight loss is decreasing sugar intake. Excess sugar circulating in the body gets converted to fat. This leads to weight gain. Sugar triggers the release of insulin, a hormone that can cause significant inflammation.

As you know, inflammation can make the whole body feel more painful. When undergoing a procedure, patients with diabetes or high blood sugar tend to experience much more pain and discomfort compared with patients with normal sugar levels. This is due to a generalized state of inflammation in their bodies.

Sugar is an immediate source of energy for the body that is useful when exercising at the gym or playing sports. It gets burned off with intense physical activity. But most of us are busy with work and lead sedentary lifestyles. This leads to sugar accumulating in the body, forming fat, and causing inflammation.

The more unused sugar there is, the more the body packs it into fat. Think of sugar as a checking account and fat as savings. When you move extra money from your checking account to savings, your body converts unused sugar into fat. To reverse the cycle, fat needs to be broken down—and that only happens when you stop consuming extra sugar.

Heat

Heat versus cold is the eternal debate. Both feel good at the skin level. Cold ice packs are common among athletes to reduce swelling and inflammation. Ice works in the short term by reducing blood flow, which is why it’s recommended immediately after injury or surgery to minimize bleeding. If there is bleeding at the site of a fresh injury, the inflammatory response can be more pronounced.

However, twenty-four to forty-eight hours after an acute injury, heat therapy is preferable because it causes blood vessels to dilate, improving blood flow to the area. Improved blood flow brings in more nutrition and helps wash out toxins released by damaged cells.

Generally speaking, heat therapy is good once the acute phase is over. Heat therapy is better at promoting regeneration and repair as well as alleviating chronic pain. One of us (Kerry) experienced pain at the thoracic 11 level of his midback for years.

Before stem cell therapy, the only relief was ice—a habit he shared with half of his tennis club buddies, who iced some part of their body immediately after leaving the court. But pain often returned within hours.

Heat relaxes the local muscles, improves blood flow, and washes away local toxins, promoting repair. Heat makes a huge difference when pain is more severe and chronic.

Movement, Breath, and Routine

Move and exercise daily. Breathe deeply in a quiet area. Power-walk. Go to the gym. All have been shown to be beneficial. But you have to make a commitment.

Taking slow, deep breaths has significant benefits and serves as the first step in any yoga practice. Deep breathing maximizes the oxygen supply to your body.

It is also important to support your body’s physical structure, especially the alignment of the spine. Focusing on one’s breathing is one of the easiest ways to meditate.

It truly does not matter what type of exercise you do, as long as you feel the positive flow of energy. Find any physical activity you like, and just do it. The most important thing is having a daily routine.

When it comes to any form of physical activity or exercise routine you adopt, remember consistency is more important than intensity. It should take no more than 20 to 30 minutes. But do it daily.

The Body Follows the Mind

Even stem cell therapies cannot work unless your mind is focused. Your mind controls the body. Thoughts become actions, and our actions in turn determine our lives. Everything that makes up the environment we live in, from the air we breathe to the people who surround us, affects our ability to heal. Those who lower stress and stay positive often see better outcomes.

With so much emphasis on physical appearance, we have forgotten a fundamental truth: healing is not a single event. It is a daily practice. When you take action, your body becomes its own pharmacy. It heals itself naturally and becomes your own temple, your own retreat of joy and happiness.

That is what we call true healing.

In a world of constant distraction, your mind can be your strongest advocate—or your greatest enemy. Stay focused on what matters most, and keep moving toward health.

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Gaurav Goswami, MD, MS, DABIR, is a surgeon and minimally invasive specialist practicing in Newport Beach. He has spent the last decade developing advanced regenerative treatment protocols focused on tissue preservation and helping patients use their own cells to support healing in conditions related to overuse of muscles and joints. Dr. Goswami is the founder of the Goswami Clinic, where the emphasis is on restoring function, mobility, and quality of life. He is also involved in training and research and serves as an Assistant Professor at Western University of Health Sciences. He can be reached at TheGoswamiClinic.com.

Kerry Johnson, MBA, PhD, is an international speaker and bestselling author. He is an adjunct professor and has written twelve books, including Mastering the Game, Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes with Their Money, and New Mindset, New Results. In the 1970s, he played professional tennis on the International Grand Prix Tennis Tour. To hear Kerry speak live, visit www.KerryJohnson.com.

Well Being Journal adapted the above excerpt from The Stem Cell Cure by Gaurav Goswami, MD, and Kerry Johnson, PhD. Copyright © 2020 by Humanix Books. Printed with permission from Humanix Publishing, LLC.