Conventional Medicine Fails 14-Year-Old
- WOLFHAGEN, Germany (AP) — A 14-year-old girl from Vienna, Austria, once confined to a wheelchair, is now walking and exploring after the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute identified and addressed...
- Edith S., the girl's mother, expressed immense relief, describing her daughter Lilien's recovery as "like a miracle." For years, conventional medicine offered no solutions, with Edith S.
- Lilien's health problems began in 2021 with a frightening episode of rapid heartbeat at school, according to her mother.
Wolfhagen Institute Helps Teen Overcome Debilitating Illness
Table of Contents
- Wolfhagen Institute Helps Teen Overcome Debilitating Illness
- Wolfhagen Institute: Helping a Teen Overcome a Debilitating Illness – Q&A
- what happened to Lilien, the 14-year-old girl from Vienna?
- what were Lilien’s initial symptoms?
- What was the initial diagnosis for Lilien’s illness?
- What treatments did Lilien receive before seeking help from the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute?
- Why was Lilien’s condition attributed to mental illness?
- What did the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute identify as the root causes of Lilien’s illness?
- What is mitochondrial dysfunction?
- How did the Environmental Institute treat Lilien?
- What was the outcome of the treatment at the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute?
- What is the difference between Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)?
- Are there other food allergies that can also cause health issues?
- How are food allergies diagnosed?
- Summary of Lilien’s Recovery
WOLFHAGEN, Germany (AP) — A 14-year-old girl from Vienna, Austria, once confined to a wheelchair, is now walking and exploring after the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute identified and addressed the root causes of her mysterious illness.
Edith S., the girl’s mother, expressed immense relief, describing her daughter Lilien’s recovery as “like a miracle.” For years, conventional medicine offered no solutions, with Edith S. stating that “13 doctors of different disciplines where puzzled” by Lilien’s condition.
Onset of Symptoms and Initial Misdiagnosis
Lilien’s health problems began in 2021 with a frightening episode of rapid heartbeat at school, according to her mother. Prior to this, Lilien had been generally healthy. A year later, she suffered a severe flu. By 2023, weakness, shortness of breath, and fatigue prevented her from participating in physical education. Doctors initially suspected long-COVID.
Despite physiotherapy, water treatments, and other therapies, Lilien’s muscle tone continued to decline. Her school provided adapted lessons and a relaxation room to accommodate her deteriorating condition.

Dismissed as Mental Illness
In early 2024, Lilien was hospitalized with fever and gait disturbances.”There was simply no cause, the MRI did not bring any results,” Edith S. said. By mid-2024, Lilien was using a wheelchair. While grateful for her friends’ support,Lilien said it was “very stressful” that doctors began to attribute her suffering to mental illness.
Desperate, Edith S. contacted Dr. Klaus Runow at the Environmental Institute in Wolfhagen.Runow, initially skeptical, requested saliva and urine samples. The tests revealed extreme food intolerances to gluten and milk, as well as important mitochondrial dysfunction.
Environmental Institute Pinpoints the Problem
“The intestine was permeable and the mitochondria was broken,” Runow explained. Mitochondria, the cell’s power plants, are crucial for overall health. When they malfunction, it impacts various bodily systems. The food intolerances further weakened Lilien’s body by triggering widespread inflammation.
treatment began swiftly. Lilien’s diet was modified to eliminate wheat and milk. She underwent intestinal rehabilitation and received nutritional supplements to support mitochondrial function. Within three months, according to her mother, Lilien’s condition improved dramatically. She was able to stop using the wheelchair, and her gait disorders gradually resolved.
Lilien is now back at the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute, overjoyed with her progress. She can walk normally and is eager to explore Kassel with her mother. While she is not yet participating in physical education,she is optimistic that consistent muscle building will allow her to resume a normal life.
Dr. Gero Moog, a gastroenterologist from Kassel, noted that mitochondrial myopathy, a genetically triggered disease, can cause severe muscle atrophy.
Understanding Food Intolerances
Regarding food intolerances, especially gluten, Moog distinguished between celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Celiac disease is a well-defined condition where gluten triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine, impairing nutrient absorption. “The disease is quite common,” Moog said, “the genetic predisposition is around 100 people.”
NCGS describes individuals who experience adverse reactions to gluten without the intestinal damage associated with celiac disease. moog explained that various factors could contribute to NCGS, including hypersensitivity to wheat proteins or additives in grain.
Moog also noted the prevalence of cow’s milk protein allergies and other food allergies, such as those to nuts, peanuts, soy, shellfish, eggs, and wheat. He added that diagnosing these allergies can be challenging, as standard tests are not always reliable. “We have been using the technology of so-called confocal laser endoscopy (Fast Food Allergy Sensitivity Test) for years - a procedure that currently offers the highest specificity and sensitivity,” Moog said.
Wolfhagen Institute: Helping a Teen Overcome a Debilitating Illness – Q&A
what happened to Lilien, the 14-year-old girl from Vienna?
According to the provided article, Lilien was once confined to a wheelchair, but is now walking and exploring after receiving treatment at the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute. Her mother, Edith S., describes her recovery as “like a miracle.”
what were Lilien’s initial symptoms?
Lilien’s health problems began in 2021 with a rapid heartbeat at school. She then experienced a severe flu a year later. By 2023, she was experiencing weakness, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
What was the initial diagnosis for Lilien’s illness?
Initially,doctors suspected long-COVID due to the timing of her illness.
What treatments did Lilien receive before seeking help from the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute?
Despite physiotherapy, water treatments, and other therapies, Lilien’s muscle tone continued to decline.
Why was Lilien’s condition attributed to mental illness?
By mid-2024, Lilien was using a wheelchair and doctors began to attribute her suffering to mental illness.
What did the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute identify as the root causes of Lilien’s illness?
Dr. Klaus Runow at the Environmental Institute identified extreme food intolerances to gluten and milk, and also mitochondrial dysfunction, as the root causes of Lilien’s illness.
What is mitochondrial dysfunction?
Mitochondria are the cell’s power plants,crucial for overall health. When they malfunction, it impacts various bodily systems.
How did the Environmental Institute treat Lilien?
Lilien’s diet was modified to eliminate wheat and milk. She underwent intestinal rehabilitation and received nutritional supplements to support mitochondrial function.
What was the outcome of the treatment at the Wolfhagen Environmental Institute?
Within three months, Lilien’s condition improved dramatically. She was able to stop using the wheelchair, and her gait disorders gradually resolved. She is now walking normally and is eager to explore Kassel with her mother.
What is the difference between Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)?
Dr. Gero Moog, a gastroenterologist, explains the difference:
Celiac Disease: Gluten triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine, impairing nutrient absorption. The genetic predisposition is around 100 people.
Non-Celiac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS): Individuals experience adverse reactions to gluten without the intestinal damage associated with celiac disease. Various factors can contribute to NCGS, including hypersensitivity to wheat proteins or additives in grain.
Are there other food allergies that can also cause health issues?
Yes, Dr.Moog noted the prevalence of cow’s milk protein allergies and other food allergies, such as those to nuts, peanuts, soy, shellfish, eggs, and wheat.
How are food allergies diagnosed?
Diagnosing food allergies can be challenging as standard tests are not always reliable. Dr. Moog mentions the use of “confocal laser endoscopy (Fast Food Allergy Sensitivity test)” as a procedure that offers high specificity and sensitivity.
Summary of Lilien’s Recovery
| Aspect of the Illness | description |
| :———————— | :————————————————————————————————————— |
| initial Symptoms | Rapid heartbeat,flu,weakness,shortness of breath,fatigue,gait disturbances |
| Initial Diagnosis | Long-COVID |
| Root Cause | Food intolerances (gluten and milk),mitochondrial dysfunction |
| Treatment | Diet modification,intestinal rehabilitation,nutritional supplements |
| Outcome | Significant betterment: stopped wheelchair use,gait disorders resolved,able to walk normally |
| Key Medical Professionals Involved | Dr. Klaus Runow (Wolfhagen Environmental Institute), Dr. gero Moog (Gastroenterologist from Kassel) |
