The Hidden Plague

Publisher: Primal Nutrition, Inc.

Have you been plagued with boils, cysts, ingrown hairs, and acne-like bumps that take months to resolve, leave embarrassing scars, and cause considerable pain? Have you been to the doctor, only to leave with a prescription for antibiotics, few answers, and little to no hope? Hidradenitis supprativa (HS) is a poorly understood skin condition that is believed to affect nearly twelve million people in the United States alone. Only a small fraction of those affected have been properly diagnosed, leaving many others to suffer in silence or pursue ill-advised conventional treatment methods that fail to address the cause of this painful condition.

Tara Grant, a twenty-year sufferer of HS, has become an underground legend to her Internet community of HS victims by presenting a methodical, self-tested action plan to heal naturally. The centerpiece of her holistic approach rests on the understanding that HS is an autoimmune disorder caused by leaky gut syndrome. With a few simple dietary changes that eliminate certain “trigger” foods, you can heal your gut, restore your skin, reclaim your health, and rid yourself of HS symptoms forever. That’s it—no antibiotics, no experimental surgeries, and no more pain, suffering, or confusion.

Q&A with Tara

1. What was it about the subject you chose to write about in your book that made you feel so passionate about spreading the word and getting your book published?

My motivation for writing this book was the overwhelming response I received from people on the Internet when I originally posted about it in March of 2012. It turns out it’s a pretty common condition, but many people (and doctors) don’t know what it is. It’s pretty standard to visit various doctors, and be told that you have “acne,” or to be subjected to butchering surgeries. There is no treatment for HS, according to the doctors. People with it suffer immensely—in fact, HS is acknowledged to be one of most painful conditions in the world. I’ve even received letters from doctors and nurses who suffer from HS, thanking me for telling them what it is that they have—and for offering them hope.

The primary motivating factor for writing this book, however, was an email I received from a 12-year old girl, who said she was going to kill herself because of the pain she was in. I immediately wrote her back, but I never heard back from her. I am desperate to know that she’s okay. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did as a teenager—I myself thought about suicide on more than one occasion. I’ve had many letters from people who say they want to kill themselves since.

2. HS is hard to diagnose, and many doctors aren’t even aware of its existence. How did you get a diagnosis?

I’ve had HS since I was thirteen years old, but wasn’t diagnosed until I was in my mid-30s. Up until then, I saw over forty doctors from four different countries - none of whom could tell me what was wrong with me. I eventually found the name “Hidradenitis suppurativa” in a book about PCOS (also known as polycystic ovarian syndrome, which I also had) and could finally put a name to the horrible condition I had suffered from for so long. I took that information to a dermatologist. That’s when I finally got a diagnosis—over twenty years later. At that time, I had already changed to a Primal diet and my HS was drastically better, so I declined the antibiotics and Accutane the doctor prescribed. I also refused to believe what she said: “You have to live with this for the rest of your life.” I knew, as a longtime sufferer of HS, that the doctors I had seen had no clue what they were talking about.

My journey was extremely frustrating, and I went through it completely alone. Over the years, I was told I had “adult acne,” and also told that they didn’t know what was wrong with me. I was also told that I was overreacting, not keeping clean enough, and told to lose weight. Not a single doctor showed any compassion, or was willing to look into the matter further. I eventually stopped going to the doctors, and didn’t return until I had already made changes and knew I was on the right track. I knew that if I wanted answers, I had to do the research and experimentation myself. I wasn't interested in how I reacted to different drug, I was interested in healing myself naturally. 

I knew that I was on the right track with diet, so I started investigating Robb Wolf’s Autoimmune Paleo Protocol, and made specific tweaks for skin conditions. Results I had seen from others (Dr. Terry Wahls, for example) who had healed themselves from crippling autoimmune conditions were the only motivation I needed. When I started treating HS like an autoimmune condition, it went into remission. There are literally thousands of cases of this happening with different autoimmune conditions all over the world. I was also able to induce flare-ups with specific experimentation. This completely checks with autoimmunity. There isn’t a cure—you will always have the predisposition for autoimmunity—but you CAN go into remission. 

3. Do you have any relatives or close friends that became diagnosed after you? 

There is no one else in my family with this condition. There is a mistaken belief that HS is hereditary. It is not. However, some families have more than one member affected by it. The reason for this is that HS is autoimmune. In order to get an autoimmune condition, you need to have the gene for autoimmunity. The fact that the autoimmune gene manifests as HS in more than one family member is complete coincidence. If you’re suffering from HS, you more than likely have other autoimmune conditions - and so does your family. Family trees littered with Crohn’s, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, diabetes, Lupus, endometriosis, eczema, psoriasis, HS, and more—all of which are autoimmune—are very common. If you have HS, you have the autoimmune gene, which you did inherit. If your gut becomes leaky, then you will eventually develop an autoimmune condition.

4. Do you have advice for anyone seeking medical help for this condition?

Read my book first. The Western medical community is still under the mistaken belief that HS is caused by bacteria, hence the prescriptions for antibiotics. They will not be able to help you, and will suggest butchering surgeries and heavy hitting drugs, which often make matters worse. You can’t “cut HS out,” like you do with a cancerous tumor. When you remove an organ or tissue that is being ravaged by an autoimmune response, you open up all your other organs and tissues to attack. That’s why there’s over an 80% chance of reoccurrence of HS after surgery, and people will often start flaring-up in areas that had been clear before. Sometimes, they even develop brand new autoimmune conditions. Luckily, you actually hold the key to healing in your hands. You can heal yourself. If you can avoid infection, then you don’t need doctors—or drugs— to help you go into remission.

5. What is the one thing you would stress most to anyone unable to get a copy of your book at this time?

Many people with HS are on disability and don’t have a lot of disposable income, or they have been taken advantage of in the past. If this is you, go to your local library and ask them to carry the book. Then, you can borrow it for free.

How much does a 1-oz jar of EmuAid cost? Turmeric capsules? Surgery? Doctor visits and prescriptions? We’ve all fallen for so much. I bet if you sat down and tallied up how much you’ve spent on Band-Aids alone for your HS over the years, $26 would be a drop in the bucket.

The great thing about this book is that if you are not satisfied, you can request your money back. If you get this 300-page manual and find that there is nothing in it that is of any help, you can ask for a refund from the publisher. Try asking for a refund for EmuAid when it doesn’t work. That being said, I would challenge anyone with HS to read this book and find nothing in it that’s helpful.

6. Your book is a very important first step in making the public aware of this illness. Besides the book, how do you plan to raise awareness of HS?

My goal is to get on the Dr. Oz show. I figure that will give us the biggest bang for the buck. Many people have HS, but are unaware of what it’s called. They’re too embarrassed to go to the doctor about it. I would encourage all of you to write to the Dr. Oz show and ask them to feature me, and ask your local library to carry the book. The only way we’re going to raise awareness is to GO BIG.

About Tara Grant of Phoenix., AZ

Tara Grant is a featured success story on MarksDailyApple.com (Tons of Doctors and No Solution) and in the Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation. She has transformed from 235 pounds to 159 pounds since going Primal in 2009. Tara suffered a litany of serious health problems related to the Standard American Diet and repeated failures of western medicine to cure her. Empowered by the reclaiming of her health, Tara has made it her mission to inform and inspire others about Primal living. Her motto, Empower. Enlighten. Evolve, has been put into play in numerous ways! Her book, The Hidden Plague -- A Comprehensive Guide to Surviving Hidradenitis Supprativa -- details her struggle with this debilitating skin condition, and how sufferers can take matters into the own hands and heal naturally. Tara is a veteran presenter of numerous PrimalCons, where she holds court detailing her Primal transformation from health to wellness. Tara is also a contributing writer for the Primal Blueprint Expert Certification program and is working with Carrie Sisson on her upcoming Primal Womanbook. A dynamic speaker, Tara presents the Primal Transformation Seminar in numerous cities, and counsels individuals as a certified CHEK Holistic Life Coach. Tara holds a degree in Journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and blogs regularly. She currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband Derek and their twin boys, Taylor and Gibson.

detail

Binding EAN ISBN-10 Pub Date PAGES Language Size Price
E-Book 9781939563026 193956302X 2013-12-01 250 English 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.00 in $34.95
Paperback 9781939563538 1939563534 0000-00-00 320 0.00 x 6.69 x 9.61 in $29.95

Publicity

Connect

Multimedia

Contributor Platforms

Recent Press

Promo Quotes

Events

Book Signings and Tour Cities

Phoenix, AZ

The Gut Healing Protocol

The Gut Healing Protocol

by Brock, Kale

Heal Your Gut HolisticallyMounting scientific evidence is confirming what Hippocrates said some 2,400 years ago, that, "all disease begins in the gut." Nurturing and maintaining a healthy intestinal microbiome has become a topic of great interest to both mainstream medicine and progressive health enthusiasts...

read more
The Bordeaux Kitchen

The Bordeaux Kitchen

by Teschke, Tania

More than a cookbook, this is a comprehensive cultural and culinary journey into the world of traditional French cuisine and French wine (adapted for paleo enthusiasts), and tips for ancestral living...

read more
The Paleo Primer (A Second Helping)

The Paleo Primer (A Second Helping)

by Marsden, Keris

The Paleo Primer: A Second Helping leverages the runaway success of The Paleo Primer, the 2013 release from British authors and health experts Keris Marsden and Matt Whitmore. The Paleo Primer: A Second Helping brings you more quick, healthy meals that require minimal ingredients, logistics or preparation time, yet taste awesome...

read more
The New Primal Blueprint

The New Primal Blueprint

by Sisson, Mark

Mark Sisson’s 2009 release of The Primal Blueprint was the catalyst for the primal/paleo/ancestral health movement to gain mainstream awareness and acceptance. Both the hardcover and paperback editions enjoyed a seven-year run at the top of the primal/paleo charts and selling hundreds of thousands of copies. Sisson, publisher of the acclaimed MarksDailyApple...

read more
Good Fat, Bad Fat

Good Fat, Bad Fat

by Dollé, Romy

The headlines are everywhere—fat is healthy! But this is a different message than you’ve heard your entire life, so some resistance is understandable...

read more
Primal Blueprint Day-to-Day 2017 Desk Calendar

Primal Blueprint Day-to-Day 2017 Desk Calendar

by Sisson, Mark

The Primal Blueprint Day-to-Day 2017 Desk Calendar is a handy desktop calendar with daily messages about primal eating, exercising, and living. Peel a day off the pad and save your favorites, and enjoy a creative and informative new message each day of the year...

read more
The Paleo Thyroid Solution

The Paleo Thyroid Solution

by Russ, Elle

The Paleo Thyroid Solution dispels outdated, conventional thyroid wisdom still practiced by uninformed doctors, and provides the in-depth guidance necessary to solve hypothyroidism, achieve vibrant health, and optimize thyroid fat-burning hormone metabolism...

read more
Kitchen Intuition

Kitchen Intuition

by Sisson, Devyn

At times, even with a stack of great cookbooks and a folder of magazine clippings on the shelf, it’s hard to get your creative juices flowing in the kitchen. Here, for the first time, is a book dedicated to awakening your inner master chef and helping you become adventurous, creative, and empowered in the kitchen: Kitchen Intuition...

read more
Fruit Belly

Fruit Belly

by Dollé, Romy

The title of Swiss author Romy Dollé's, Fruit Belly, refers to abdominal bloat often accompanied by digestive distress; a common result of some basic dietary misconceptions in many fast-track, low-fat, weight loss plans...

read more
The Primal Prescription

The Primal Prescription

by McGuff, Doug

It’s no secret that the U.S. health care system is in a state of disrepair, but the rabbit hole goes deeper than even the staunchest critics may realize. In Primal Prescription, authors Doug McGuff, MD and Robert P. Murphy, PhD, combine their expertise in economics and medicine to offer a shocking, disturbing, and ultimately enlightening view into America’s health care system...

read more
Primal Endurance

Primal Endurance

by Sisson, Mark

Primal Endurance shakes up the status quo and challenges the overly stressful, ineffective conventional approach to endurance training.  While marathons and triathlons are wildly popular and bring much gratification and camaraderie to the participants, the majority of athletes are too slow, continually tired, and carry too much body fat respective to the time they devote to training...

read more
The South Asian Health Solution

The South Asian Health Solution

by Sinha MD, Ronesh

The South Asian Health Solution is the first book to provide an ancestral health-based wellness plan culturally tailored for those of South Asian ancestry living in India, the United States and across the world – a population identified as being at the highest risk for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and related conditions. Dr...

read more
The Paleo Primer

The Paleo Primer

by Marsden, Keris

How amazing would it be if eating great tasting food helped you to lose fat, boost your energy levels and made you look awesome? Thanks to The Paleo Primer, this is now possible and–more to the point–sustainable. The Paleo Primer is a great resource to help readers get quickly acquainted with the principles of Primal/paleo/evolutionary health living and eating...

read more
The Hidden Plague

The Hidden Plague

by Grant, Tara

Have you been plagued with boils, cysts, ingrown hairs, and acne-like bumps that take months to resolve, leave embarrassing scars, and cause considerable pain? Have you been to the doctor, only to leave with a prescription for antibiotics, few answers, and little to no hope? Hidradenitis supprativa (HS) is a poorly understood skin condition that is believed to affect nearly twelve million people...

read more
Rich Food Poor Food

Rich Food Poor Food

by Calton, Mira

Do you get confused while poring over labels at the grocery store, trying to determine the healthiest options? What makes one box of cereal better for you than another, and how are we supposed to decipher the extensive lists of mysterious ingredients on every package, and then determine whether they are safe or toxic to your family's health? With nearly 40,000 items populating the average...

read more
The Primal Blueprint 90-Day Journal

The Primal Blueprint 90-Day Journal

by Sisson, Mark

The Primal Blueprint 90-Day Journal -- A Personal Experiment is a comprehensive diet, exercise, and lifestyle logbook/journal to help you stay focused, accountable, and motivated to live Primally...

read more
Death by Food Pyramid

Death by Food Pyramid

by Minger, Denise

Warning: Shock and outrage will grip you as you dive into this one-of-a-kind exposé. Shoddy science, sketchy politics and shady special interests have shaped American Dietary recommendations—and destroyed our nation’s health—over recent decades...

read more
The Primal Connection

The Primal Connection

by Sisson, Mark

Mark Sisson, the leading voice in the Evolutionary Health movement and author of the bestseller The Primal Blueprint, extends the primal theme beyond the diet and exercise basics in this much anticipated sequel...

read more
The Primal Blueprint

The Primal Blueprint

by Sisson, Mark

0017703970Stunaan8419472114.0Mark Sisson’s 2009 release of The Primal Blueprint was the catalyst for the primal/paleo/ancestral health movement to gain mainstream awareness and acceptance. Both the hardcover and paperback editions enjoyed a seven-year run at the top of the primal/paleo charts and selling hundreds of thousands of copies...

read more
The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation

by Sisson, Mark

Primal Blueprint author Mark Sisson presents a fun, easy-to-follow, practical guidebook to help you "get Primal" in only 21 days. First, you'll learn eight Key Concepts that represent the most important day-to-day elements living Primally, then tackle five Action Items that will enable you to literally reprogram your genes toward a long, healthy, and energetic life...

read more

Similar Titles

  • The Bordeaux Kitchen
  • The Paleo Primer (A Second Helping)
  • The New Primal Blueprint
  • Good Fat, Bad Fat
  • Primal Blueprint Day-to-Day 2017 Desk Calendar
  • The Paleo Thyroid Solution
  • Kitchen Intuition
  • Fruit Belly
  • The Primal Prescription
  • Primal Endurance
  • The South Asian Health Solution
  • The Paleo Primer
  • The Hidden Plague
  • Rich Food Poor Food
  • The Primal Blueprint 90-Day Journal
  • Death by Food Pyramid
  • The Primal Connection
  • The Primal Blueprint
  • The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation
  • The Gut Healing Protocol