![](../images/for_pdf/0519-02901.jpg) | | Christine Garvey in her Lafayette office Photo Sophie Braccini | | | | | | Since she was two years old, Dr. Christine Garvey has suffered from eczema. In high school, she developed irritable bowel syndrome. At one point, the young woman weighed only 90 pounds; she searched for a way to curtail the allergies that were poisoning her life. She says she found that miracle cure three years ago in the Pleasanton office of Dr. James Stalker, who practiced Advanced Allergy Therapeutics (AAT). Garvey was so impressed with the results that she decided to add this specialty to her chiropractic practice. The Orinda resident moved her office from San Francisco to Lafayette a few weeks ago and now operates out of Heritage Square.
The method is completely non-invasive, somewhat repetitive when a lot of components have to be tested, but it claims to cure allergies very quickly and for life. Sherri Glazer had episodes of eczema before, but nothing like the major allergic reaction she experienced which manifested in an itchy red rash on her back that spread to her whole body. "For a month or two, I tried everything," she said, "24 hours after Christine treated me, the irritation was gone and the rash cleared completely within three weeks."
The principal under which AAT operates is that most environmental allergies are due to the brain having associated one element of a harmless substance with a negative effect, and every time it encounters that element, it sends chemical signals to organs that overact in an effort to get rid of it. The cure consists of retraining the brain to have a positive association with the substance: while the unique binary code of the substance is sent through a chip fastened to the wrist, stimulation of the nervous system along the spine is applied sending the brain a positive signal.
The first part of AAT treatment is diagnostic. "When someone is allergic to dust, we first need to find out what component of dust is involved, then we can go down to the molecular level and treat appropriately." According to Garvey, sometimes people's own elements can trigger an allergic symptom.
Sheeba Love did not think she had any allergies, but she is a friend of Garvey and she decided to be tested, just in case. "I had been diagnosed with low thyroid and was taking the artificial hormone at a high dose," remembers Love, "when Christine tested me, she found that I was allergic to T4 (one of the hormones produced by the thyroid gland). After she treated me, my doctor reduced my artificial hormone dosage by half and I lost 30 pounds in 3 months!"
Demitirios Sotiropoulos saw Dr. Garvey in 2009 in San Francisco for a dog allergy. "I would break out in hives where my dog had touched me when we played," he said, "and one time after a bath I almost had an asthmatic attack." Sotiropoulos testifies that after Garvey treated him the reaction disappeared and never came back. Sotiropoulos' improvement was almost immediate; for others it can take up to eight weeks for complete remission, according to Garvey.
"One of my favorite memories is of a one and a half year old baby who came here with severe eczema on his legs," recalls Garvey, "I tested him and all that came out was coffee. I was really puzzled, this must have been a mistake; he was not breastfed and obviously not ingesting coffee." When she started testing for the different elements of coffee, what came out as a trigger for this child was the aroma of coffee, "he was around when his parents were brewing their coffee," she said. The child was successfully treated.
AAT claims a success rate of 89%. The cost of the treatment is not negligible and is not supported by insurance companies. Some negative comments about the method along with many positive ones came be found on the internet. On its web site, AAT warns potential patients: "AAT does not cure allergies. AAT is a highly effective treatment that provides long-term relief from symptoms associated with allergies or sensitivities. AAT does not treat cases of anaphylaxis or life threatening symptoms. Strict avoidance is always advised in such cases."
Allergy Breakthrough Center, 936 Dewing Ave., Suite B, Lafayette; (925) 314-5959. www.allergybreakthroughcenter.com/allergybreakthroughcenter/Lafayette_AAT.html.
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