For a decade or more now a number of therapies variously referred to as brain retraining programs, limbic system therapy or limbic system techniques, have become very popular in the treatment of environmental illness and invisible illnesses from multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Yet often little is explained on program websites about what exactly is involved.    

Thankfully, in the case of the Gupta Program (formerly known as The Amygdala Retraining Programme) a number of members here at The Environmental Illness Resource (EiR) who have been helped, or even recovered, by using Ashok Gupta's techniques have been kind enough to share point by point descriptions of the program in our forums. 

The program comes in the form of a DVD series available for shipping worldwide, although Ashok also conducts seminars and personal one-on-one sessions to help patients through the program. 

In our forums you will find accounts from a number of individuals who've been through the program; one of whom ultimately made a full recovery from MCS after suffering for years with this debilitating and misunderstood illness.   

It should be noted here that the Gupta Program may be used not just for those illnesses mentioned above but also for unexplained pain syndromes aside from fibromyalgia and also for anxiety. The other major brain retraining program, Annie Hopper's Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) goes even further and is suggested on its website retrainingthebrain.com as a successful therapy for a list of invisible illnesses (and not-so-invisible illnesses) that extends to some 20+ conditions. The list can easily be found on the DNRS website and will be covered in a future blog post.

Back to the topic at hand. Our kind members in the forum thread in question take us step-by-step through the DVDs and provide among other details:

• Some background of Ashok himself who won his own battle with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) before devloping his program
• DVD running lengths for each DVD
• Techniques covered on each DVD and explanations of these
• Background to why these are used in terms of tackling invisible illnesses (a dysfunctional / hypervigilant limbic system)
• How long one is expected to spend on these techniques (most often a daily practice)
• How long one should expect to spend overall on the program
• The length of time one can expect before seeing results (some are immediate and others come with time and practice)
• Cost of the program

​It should also be noted that along with being a therapy for invisible illnesses the Gupta Program, and indeed DNRS, offer benefits much like meditation and yoga which if practiced indefinitely can have benefits beyond illness and offer a means of living a happier and healthier life with improved general well-being long after the initial illness has hopefully been overcome.

So here is the link to the forum post in question titled: A Write-Up on Gupta Retraining

I'm certain this great post will answer a lot of questions that many people have yet few have offered answers to in an easy to understand format.

Also, incase some of you are wondering; the Gupta Program is based in scientific theory - and since its inception - a huge amount of research suggesting that invisible illness patients, no matter which form this takes, show undeniable signs of a limbic system that has become stuck in a hypervigilant loop due to various causes from viral infection to pesticide exposure. This is often referred to as central sensitization or limbic kindling. This is not new to medical science as it is a well known process in seizures and epilepsy; it's significance in invisible illnesses however has only recently come to the fore in medical research. 

I intend to write a dedicated post on this phenomena in future. I first became aware of it when I myself was battling multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and searching for answers in the early 2000s, stumbling upon the excellent book Chemical Exposures: Low Levels, High Stakes by Nicholas Ashford & Claudia Miller - scientists who are pioneers in their fields. In this book, limbic kindling is proposed to be at the heart of MCS etiology; and so it has turned out, and then some!

Finally, I'll leave you with some testimonials from the Gupta Program website with the number of those helped growing by the day:

I am 100% Better
"I spent thousands of dollars and over 31 years trying to shift my health and attitude. The Gupta Program has worked for me better than anything I have ever tried" - Grace, USA

I Wake Up Feeling Refreshed
"...for the first time in 18 years! We all deserve the gift of GOOD health, so please start your healing process by beginning the Amygdala Retraining Technique." - Jyoti, UK

I Have Completely Recovered From ME/CFS
"The Amygdala Retraining Programme has once again been successful for which I am extremely grateful." - Catherine, UK

It Helped Me Get My Life Back!
"I can now enjoy things I was no longer able to do like reading, hiking, working and enjoying friendships."

Thanks To You Ashok
"It's great to be in control on my own journey... not to have to worry about anything, knowing that I can do it... at my pace :)" - Simon, Australia

Once again here is the link to our very informative forum post - here. And to the Gupta Program website for more information and updates - here.

I sincerely hope the forum post answers many of the questions you may have and whether you decide to use the Gupta Program or not, wish you all the best of health and a swift recovery from what are some of the worst illnesses one could ever experience.

Best of Health,

Matthew Hogg (Maff)
EiR Founder | Editor