Dear Stephen,
I saw another’s question to you about loss of taste while on the protocol. I have read your book and have been taking the knotweed, andrographis, and cat’s claw. One month after starting the herbs I lost all taste over a period of three days, but I retained some sense of smell. However, I have been feeling so much better after taking the herbs even for this short time that I do not wish to stop any of them. Even objective opinions from others are that I seem much healthier and energetic after having started the protocol, to the extent that people who did not know I was taking anything asked if I had had some type of treatment!

I take no prescription drugs of any kind, I run half an hour every day except Sunday, I eat only fruits and vegetables and fish for protein, no bread or pasta at all (or any processed foods – e.g., pasta, crackers, candy bars). I weight lift 3x week, am 6′ 1″ tall and 190 lbs with a low BMI, and I have no diseases or health issues other than lyme with lyme arthritis, so I think most other factors are out for etiology of the taste issue.

I am willing to trade no taste, even complete lack of it, forever if I keep feeling this much better. My question is: do you feel (and I understand this would be only your opinion, not official medical advice) that there are any serious implications in continuing the herbs based on this one deleterious effect they are having?