Category : Travel

[This is a blog on my experiences travelling to and at American BioDental, a Mexican dental clinic specializing in holistic dentistry and alternative treatments for cancer, such as IV Vitamin C.]

While researching on treatment tactics for the breast lesion I was dealing with in 2012 and 2013, I found dental revision being recommended over and over as a foundation-level plank in the overall platform for beating cancer. Many self-directed cancer treatment sites even go so far as to say it may be enough in itself to clean up the dental environment to see big improvements, so my search was on!

Who knew this would be my view when I got there?

When looking around for a dentist to clean up the remaining mercury mess in my mouth, I sought four things:

After much research and talking to various people, I chose American BioDental Clinic, located in Tijuana, Mexico. They hit favorable notes for all four of my requirements – whenever I called them, they happily explained everything and answered all my questions, including border-crossing options and then some. They specialize in holistic dentistry, including the removal of mercury, and I’d been in touch with several fellow survivors who’d gone there and reported success.

When I visited their website, I saw very reasonable pricing, and even more importantly, transparent and right out there for all to see. No having to call around and hear about payment plans that would have me in hock for years to come in the Great American Transfer of Wealth for what should be reasonably priced healthcare.

When I got to the Clinic, I saw that yes, their facilities were top-notch and yes, they used the best materials on the market for their patients – even encouraging them to get a biocompatibility test if they were dealing with cancer (my results).

After the initial intake and panoramic x-ray, I was told I had 23 teeth that needed work, including new fillings, replacement fillings, several inlays and a surgical mercury tattoo removal. Not being too much of a glutton for punishment, I arranged the work to be done in two parts – later that day, the right side of my mouth, top and bottom. Several weeks later, the left side. And then a third, very short visit for a quick follow-up on one problem tooth the dentists at the clinic saved with their excellent work, but told me to keep an eye on.

While under the drill, I also had Vitamin C IV drips – 50 grams each time – well-known to be extremely helpful for the immune system and a great treatment for cancer. Additionally, IV Vitamin C has the benefit of keeping re-exposure to heavy metals to a minimum while dental work is being done.

In my case, there were a lot of mercury tattoos left from half-assed amalgam removals not done safely or completely (but very expensively!) in the US back in 2008. After those, I’d thought – I’d hoped – that my problems were over. But they weren’t, as evidenced by ongoing cancerous lesions on my skin and left breast. Since there was still mercury residue in the form of grey-colored areas on my teeth and gums, along with loose fillings and cracks, the effects were still playing out in my system to my detriment.

Dental work and detoxes were in order, as soon as possible and within a reasonable budget, because it seems patients in the US are out of luck in getting mercury-related dental revisions paid for by the system that visited them upon us all. It would be akin to an admission that there was a problem, which I can only guess is a real no-no. It was only fitting that I took my business elsewhere.

So, on to the nitty gritty details about my trip(s) down under the USA’s southern border…

Crossing the Mexican border. I park and walk across, and for this, I take the 805 south to San Ysidro – the “LAST US EXIT” – the signs are very clear and say just that. At the end of the off-ramp, hang a right, go down the little hill, and what I usually do at the first intersection is make a right, then another quick right straight into a pay-as-you-go parking lot (cost, as of this writing: $7 per day). Park, and then you can either walk to the border crossing, or pay for one of the many rickshaws, etc., that come around looking to help out (plenty). I just walk it, it is not that far, and I don’t usually have more than a backpack.

Walking out of the parking lot toward the Mexican flag…which is right under the American flag in my pic…

Once out of the lot, cross the street and hang a left to the intersection (pictured below), where you’ll cross the street using the crosswalk (shown below). After crossing, go straight…

You’ll come to the pedestrian bridge that takes you back over the 805. You’ll see other people going where you want to go, so just follow them over the highway 🙂

You’ll come to a set of stairs, and at the bottom, go to the right and walk toward the train station area:

You’ll also see busses and lots of people, taxis and the like. The walkway to Mexico goes in between two buildings, then behind them and to the right. There’ll be plenty of others walking this route, and you’ll see this:

…and then you’ll see this…

…and you’ll realize that all the jokes are true: There really is a revolving door between Mexico and the US, lol! Two, in fact…

The revolving doors are the way to the “customs” area – and I put this in quotes, because it’s pretty basic – it is just a couple of revolving doors under the “MEXICO” sign (see the image above) that lead you into a small room where (sometimes) your bags are checked and (most of the time) you will see a member or two of the Mexican military standing guard as you exit.

After you exit customs, you’ll cross over the same highway in the other direction – and be warned, the path is just as circuitous as on the American side – to the taxi cab area. Per my previous advice, follow the crowd, they will lead you well. And note one of the first things you see on the Mexican side is a big pharmacy. Supply and demand. Go figure.

The taxi ride to the Grand Hotel Tijuana, where I usually stay when I have an appointment at American BioDental, is around $7 – 10, and takes around 10 minutes.

At the Grand Hotel Tijuana. This is a veeeerrrry niiiiiice hotel! You’ll pay the same for a shithole in LA, and with that, you’ll start to learn why over a million Americans call Mexico home, probably many of them “illegally.” The rooms are very nice and clean, have great bathrooms, and if you’re on one of the upper floors, you’ll have a fantastic view to boot. They have a very nutritious morning buffet, with complete proteins like eggs, chicken, beef, etc. You will not starve.

The water. Okay, had to get to this, and I’ll say this first: I drank the water freely on my first visit, and a few days later, had the most thorough and inexpensive full-body detox I’ve ever had. Otherwise known as Montezuma’s Revenge. Not very pleasant, but all-inclusive to a fault. The next few times I went, I was more careful, and I took a strong probiotic called Primal Defense with me. I think Saccharomyces Boullardi would also work well, just make sure to take enough of it. There is filtered water in the rooms, as pictured below:

But…you know how it goes: Somehow, something always goes awry. The tea water isn’t quite boiled long enough to kill everything. Or, you brush your teeth and forget to use the filtered water. So I’m careful, and at restaurants, I usually order a mineral water called Ciel – it is canned and entirely (…uhhh, at least as far as canned drinks go) safe:

Going back to the US (do we have to?). One of the Alessandros, aka either American BioDental’s head doctor or his son, usually drives me and a few others back across the border. They usually leave once or twice per day, and this is VERY preferable to walking back across, as they have frequent crosser permits and it’s usually pretty painless. Take my word for it: Crossing into Mexico is a piece of cake. Crossing back into the US is an overblown exercise in paranoia. Go, and you’ll see for yourself.

Yours in Good Health,

Alison

One of my favorite hangouts of all time, where I hike and share freeze-dried and canned goods with local and visiting friends, is the gorgeous Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, just outside Las Vegas, Nevada.

The drive takes not more than 10 – 15 minutes, and is truly a national treasure next door – and a treasure for photography aficionados from all over…

This is a great place to breathe (and bring your hiking shoes as the rocky paths can be challenging). And don’t forget your camera and a smile, as you never know what you’ll see along the way…or who you’ll meet. You’d be surprised!

There’s a big loop with various trail heads, where you can drive or bike and park…and hike around and take photos to your heart’s content. One of my favorite photographic themes is the contrast and juxtaposition of the human-made with the natural…

…as well as the many stunning rock formations and strata…

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…both in the open and in the crevasses…

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…and even some balancing rocks that looked like they could just roll right over:

Walking along, you also see that the desert lives!

Even the lizards can attest to that…

…and the plants dance in the wind, like this Apache Plume…

Yes, there is water in the desert, though you might have to work a bit to get to it…

The views in Red Rock Canyon are breathtaking, riveting and intriguing…and even a bit scary, depending upon your vantage point:

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Enjoy!

Click the caption image to the left to see the slideshow with my captions, or click the   at the top right of this page to see the naked slideshow…enjoy!

One of the items on my long, winding Bucket List was swimming in the Great Salt Lake, located in the state of Utah in the Southwestern US. I’ve always had more than a bit of trouble floating easily in pools (and normal oceans) because I don’t have a lot of body fat. The Salt Lake is unique among Earthly bodies of water in that it has much higher salt and mineral content – and thus is much easier for skinny asses like mine to float in.

To swim in the Great Salt Lake requires driving across a causeway to Antelope Island State Park, just outside of Salt Lake City. It is a stunning drive where the scenery is very calming. On the way, I noted a number of biker-hikers, riding at top speeds down the causeway to the Island where great hiking, food and swimming awaits.

The air here is filled with the smelly stink of an ancient, inland sea – the kind of stink that you know for sure to be healthy and nutritious, as it is about 10x on the smell of the ocean and then some. All I know is my skin absolutely loved it. This is a curative place, quite peaceful for the most part.

And then, there are the flies.

The first pic, above, you notice something about the shoreline of The Great Salt Lake. It’s dark grey…and, dammit, it seems to be moving…just a bit. The second pic you see more movement, and the third, there’s no mistaking it. There are salt flies lining the entire shoreline, and yes, they are moving in waves. It is fascinating to watch:

The hiking here is pristine, and you can see some truly unique scenes that you won’t see anywhere else. Sometimes, the lake is as smooth as glass, but other times, it has a gentle ripple to it…

…and the contrast of the built environment against nature’s backdrop always stuns:

On some of my hikes here, I’ve found some real treasures, like this daisy, with its petals flowing with the wind…

…and this beautiful scene where I came upon a half-broken, quite lonely bench as I rounded a small hilly area, backdropped by the Salt Lake in the distance:

Just stunning! And don’t forget to take a dip, you’ll be happy you did!

Click the caption image to the left to see the slideshow with my captions, or click the   at the top right of this page to see the pic behind this content. You’ll see the loneliest bench on the planet. And you will sit there. And meditate. And dream…

When other canyons dream, perhaps they dream they are the Grand Canyon, located in the state of Arizona in the Southwestern US. From the first peer over the South Rim from the Rim Trail, it felt like my breath left my body. The depth perspective you get from staring into this new world changes one forever.

Let me just say this: Pictures don’t do this place justice. This is one of those places on Planet Earth that you just must visit in person to experience it.

That said, do you see the (looks like it’s) tiny house in the next picture, below? This house was the size of a typical small single family home when standing next to it, so that should give at least some perspective about the vastness of this place…

Hiking here is filled with stunning vistas and crisp, fresh air – the kind that’s very rare on planet Earth these days. And yes, the brochures are correct – you’ll need to hydrate and salt often, eat healthy carbs (fruit is good for the electrolytes and sea-salty rice crackers seal the deal), and stay aware of the thin air with its decreased levels of oxygen as compared with lower elevations.

And you’ll also want to mind the edge…in some spots it’s a long way down, but if you need to look, there are safe lookout spots along the trails:

Driving to the Canyon from the south takes one over a desert area so flat that you’d never know a place like this even existed. Soon, you come into a wooded area where the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park is and pay your $25 entry fee (good for seven days as of this writing in May of 2014). Then, the Canyon and all its treasures is your oyster. There are maps…

…along with a bus that circles between various points around the Canyon…

…and cabins right near the rim to sleep in…

You’ll see some critters along the way, big and small…

…and you’ll see some beautiful things where you least expect them, like this golden-charred wood left over from a forest fire:

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There are so many spectacular vistas that I could spend days over days posting them, but in all honesty, I’d rather be there.

Enjoy!

Click the caption image to the left to see the slideshow with my captions, or click the  at the top right of this page to see what’s behind this content…can you see the tiny house in the pic? It’s about the size of an average little house, which shows you how vast this place is…

At the top of the list of my favorite places to just simply be is Half Moon Bay, California. A rugged, windy beach with cool breezes mixed with warm sunshine makes for great napping in the sand, falling asleep to the rustling of the waves.

Not sure why I get better sleep outside at the edge of the Pacific than in any indoor environment (and in a tsunami and earthquake zone, no less :-)), but I’ll take it.

The cliffs that line parts of this area are gorgeous…they remind me of the southern coast of Australia, very much:

Wandering the beach here brings all sorts of images, colors and passers-by, given the variety of weather patterns (and people) in Northern California.

I was surprised at just how peaceful and striking an all-grey sea, sky and distant shore can be…

…or how blue the ocean and sky can be…

Kinda makes me want to get to work on that Great American Novel!

Click the caption image to the left to see the slideshow with my captions, and, as always, click the  at the top right of this page to see the pic behind this content! Enjoy!

Ahhhh, Australia.

I was invited to Oz in 2000 on a music project and jumped at the chance! It was approximately 20 hours in the plane from Philadelphia to Melbourne, where I first landed, and after that moving on to other spots, including Sydney (about which I can only say: if you’re ever lonely, get your ass to Sydney. You will not be disappointed!).

I traveled around a bit in between project work and learning some audio production tricks I still use to this day, and what can I say but they don’t call Australia “The Lucky Country” for nothing. Great scenery and food (and even better company). If you like the outdoors and water sports, this is the place.

Very laid back and undercrowded…about 30 million people in a land mass the same size as the Lower 48 in the US…which has over 300 million to give some perspective.

I was invited as the (paying) guest of a music producer who had worked with a great Aussie band, The Church, who were 100% responsible for that beautiful song, Under the Milky Way. This is one of those songs I fell in love with at first listen…and they made it easy. The narcotic voice of Steve Kilbey that carries so well those searching lyrics, talking of wishing to know what one is looking for…under the milky way tonight. That wonderful instrumental break where you hear the sound of bagpipes (and which I was told was actually a synclavier…please correct me if I’m wrong).

The producer I worked with, in three words: A real character. He was all at once everything I despised about the music business, and everything I loved about it…and he sported just about every stereotypical ego-driven male behavior I could do without. It was a challenge to stick around as long as I did, but the good stuff eventually rose up to the surface. He taught me how to use CoolEdit Pro, which became the excellent Adobe Audition…and which I continue to use with pleasure today as it is one of the best sound editors I’ve ever used, especially for post-production and cleaning up files I once though were lost causes.

Australia turned out to be a very Star Trek country, and a lot of the cool people I met on the Melbourne beachwalk, including a fellow X-Files fan into all the big, universal questions didn’t disappoint. It also turned out to be as tokenist and racist as the US.

Like most Aussies I met, Producer Man from Down Under hated how his country treated aboriginals, and he talked often about it…in between his white male control issues regarding females, which on one occasion had him admonishing me that “maybe it was time to have kids.” It painted a picture of the congruence between already-occupied countries that had been “discovered” by traveling/conquering/enslaving people…including the United States, Canada and Mexico…and made it perfectly clear that no one can claim any moral high ground at all.

A pleasant surprise was that in Australia I saw a much greater commitment to the healthcare of its people as taxpayer return on investment. When I picked up an infection of some sort, I was able to see a doctor, get a gram -/gram + test and other tests while I waited, and a prescription, all for AU$35, which was around $20 American at the time I was there. No lines, no bullshit, and I wasn’t even on their national insurance. There’s certainly some very strange medical math going on in the States, and it is well past time for us to get over it.

As well, the supermarkets were light years ahead of those in the US for people needing to avoid gluten. Lots of Irish and Irish-descended people had a tendency toward celiac, and Australia was home to many of Irish lineage. So, while my host kept telling me he simply “couldn’t understand my food problems,” it was good to see that the supermarkets and other merchants did.

I didn’t get to spend nearly the time I wanted to there 🙂 …but I have a book that is partly based in the areas where I stayed – including Port Melbourne in the area where the beachwalk is – so I anticipate returning sometime in the near future to make sure I’m still able to describe the place.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Click the caption image to the left to see the slideshow with my captions, and, as always, click the  at the top right of this page to see the pic behind this content! Enjoy!