Am J. Clin Nutr 2010 92:
1023
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 100 medical
journals
Volume 11 ‘ Number 11 ‘ November 2010
EDITOR'S NOTE
Do
you worry about Alzheimer disease, AD? If
you make it past 85 years of age the chances of getting this dreaded disease
are fifty-fifty. Surely you would do anything to prevent it, would you not?
Well, get off refined sugars! I amply documented the research on high sugar
diets increasing the risk of AD in my book LICKING SWEET DEATH (www.amazon.com.) If that is not enough, the Journal
Neurology just published yet another study on how our brain is more inflamed
(plaques) when sugar and insulin are elevated. Instead of making these
facts generally known, the health care system gives you drugs that at best have
marginal benefits and significant side
effects like "walletitis."
Hugo
Rodier, MD
1/3 of people will be diabetics by the year 2050
About
15 years ago I found very good studies warning us of the impending Pre
Diabetes crisis in the USA. Accordingly, I began to screen my patients for it. Sure enough, most of the
ones with circulatory problems and other chronic diseases were pre diabetics,
especially if a family history was involved. The main lab that smoked these
patients out was not (and still is not) the fasting sugar, but the Glycosylated
Hemoglobin (sugar seeping into the Red Blood Cell due to high sugar levels in
the bloodstream) and the 2 hour insulin level after a sugar challenge.
I
began to spend most of my time trying to motivate patients to stop eating
refined foods and supplement antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid from broccoli
(it is a drug in Europe,) resveratrol from grapes (soon a drug
in the USA,) omega oils and vitamin D. If the patient agreed to an even more
aggressive approach, I started Metformin, the only oral diabetic drug that
doesn't have significant side effects (think of Avandia and heart attacks.) In
my opinion Metformin is vastly superior to the others because it is the only
one derived from an herb (Gallega officinalis); it has been used in Europe for
hundreds of years with minimal side effects.
Sadly,
insurance companies refused to cover patients for the lab tests and the
Metformin. They didn't object to the supplements since they didn't cover them.
They argued that "there is no proof that
pre diabetes is a diagnosis and that Metformin should be reserved for outright
diabetics." They also argued that the Glycohemoglobin test was OK even when
it when slightly above the diabetic range, 6.0 at the time; it is 6.5 now. Some
argue that making this test more lenient is a mistake. I am one of them.)
Because
of subpar screening, treatment and people's addiction to refined sugars we are
now in crisis mode. Fortunately, Montana is the first state to adopt a
Pre diabetes screening program; it comprises an aggressive diet, 150 minutes of
exercise per week and Metformin. And what makes one a pre
diabetic? We have known for 15 years that Glycosylated level above 5.7 marks
the beginning of a "Sweet Death.;" so does a 2 hour insulin level above 17
after a sugar challenge. Still, the most practical way to see if you are in
trouble is to measure your waist; any man above 40 inches and any woman above
35 inches is a pre diabetic; this finding predicts a higher risk of
cardiovascular death even when the BMI is normal
Related articles:
"World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome, 2009:
Insulin resistance mechanisms, the brain, and insulin resistance in youth and
in the polycystic ovary syndrome,"
"Environmental Factors Associated with Childhood
Onset Type I Diabetes: an exploration of the hygiene and overload hypotheses,"
"Association Between Fine Particulate Matter and Diabetes
Prevalence in the U.S.,"
"Maternally Transmitted and Food-Derived Glycotoxins: A factor
preconditioning the young to diabetes?"
"Naltrexone, Bupropion Led to More Weight Loss,"
New York may ban sugary drinks from food stamp buys,
"ADHD in Young Adults Linked to Increased Obesity Risk,"
"Long-term Effects of a Lifestyle
Intervention on Weight and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Individuals With Type 2
Diabetes Mellitus: Four-Year Results of the Look AHEAD Trial,"
"Low-Carbohydrate Diets and
All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality;"
a high vegetable protein diet is better than high animal protein/low carb diet.
"Cortisol Is Negatively Associated with Insulin
Sensitivity in Obese Latino Youth,"
"Obesity, Diabetes, and Gut Microbiota: The hygiene hypothesis
expanded?"
"Obesity in Early Adulthood as a Risk Factor for Psoriatic
Arthritis,"
"Drinking caloric beverages increases the risk of
adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in
Young Adults (CARDIA) Study,"
"Bioactives in Blueberries Improve Insulin
Sensitivity in Obese, Insulin-Resistant Men and Women,"
"Components of metabolic syndrome are independent predictors of
mortality in patients with chronic liver disease: a population-based
study,"
Wisdom trumps a high IQ any day
Being smart
is good, as long as it does not lead to arrogance, elitism, excessive narrowing
into a minutiae of details that obfuscates the big picture, and worse, lead to
a detachment from integrative thinking and one's emotions. A great example is
the story portrayed in the Movie "Social Network." Not that I am
particularly smart; suffice it to say I belong to I.A., Intellectual Anonymous.
A good example
of this common problem is the recent article in the October 2010 issue of the
J. Scientific American, a "Revolution Postponed." It tells us that "The Human Genome Project has failed so far
to produce the medical miracles that scientists promised. Biologists are now
divided over what, if anything, went wrong-and what needs to happen next."
Reading between the lines we see what did go wrong: the genome project has not resulted in the cash cow they expected.
The promise of one drug per genetic problem has not materialized as budgeted.
I
I guess the authors of the study didn't get the memo from TIME magazine;
on its January 6th 2010 cover issue TIME highlighted the concept of EPIGENETICS, or the science that shows
that genes may be modulated, altered, tailored, improved or worsened by the
foods and environmental chemicals our genes are exposed to. For that matter,
Scientific American also didn't integrate the fact that the 2009 Nobel Prize in
Medicine was given to doctors who showed that the telomere, the tale of the
chromosome, is longer in people who have less chronic diseases, cancer, heart
attacks and thereby live longer. Subsequent studies herein documented have
shown that food and exercise lengthen
the tail of the chromosome.
So, the genome project didn't make those who financed it incredibly
rich; but it did shed plenty of light on how low-tech little things, like the
food we eat and working out, especially in a clean environment, are the pillars
of health.. and wisdom.
Speaking of Wisdom in Health
Care
Part of wisdom is to know when to shut up; I am just going to quote from
an article, now:
"Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a 3000-year-old holistic system
of medicine combining the use of herbs, acupuncture, dietary therapy, massage,
and therapeutic exercise. TCM is largely based on the philosophical concept
that the human body is a small universe with a set of complete and
sophisticated interconnected systems, and that these systems usually work in
harmony to maintain the healthy functions of the body.
TCM has a unique model of the body. Unlike
the Western model, which divides the physical body into anatomical parts, the
TCM model is more concerned with function. TCM divides the body into functional
parts that happen to have the same names as the Western anatomical parts. For
example, the TCM spleen is not a specific piece of flesh but an aspect of
function related to transformation and transportation within the body and of
the mental functions of thinking and studying.
There is still another major difference
between TCM and Western medicine: TCM deals with the host and Western medicine
deals with the disease. TCM establishes a diagnosis of the individual, rather
than the disease, using a process called syndrome identification, whereby the
practitioner makes a dynamic conceptualization of the individual's situation
and comes up with a pathophysiologic status (the type of disharmony) for the
individual; this status is called zheng,
or syndrome. The therapeutics used to restore the harmony within the host and
between the host and the host's environment are determined by the identified
syndrome. The theory of TCM diagnosis and management has not been elucidated in
Western scientific terms. However, if the TCM syndrome identification process
works, there may be scientific reasons to explain it."
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 100 medical
journals
Volume 11
� Number 10
� October
2010
EDITOR’S NOTE
Last month you read an editorial from a Psychiatrist opining that his field has
become too pharmaceutical. A report appeared in my hometown newspaper shortly
thereafter validating that point: in Utah, 1 out of 5 women are taking
antidepressants, a nation-leading stat.
But, the plot “sickens:” a local Psychiatrist defended the practice of using
antidepressants that much, since “20% of the population is depressed at one
time or another.” While this is true, it doesn’t mean that every one of
those patients needs a drug; many of them would be fine if we listened to their
problems and helped them understand that suffering is part of life. Fish oil
would help, too.
Last week I also reported on statin drugs to lower cholesterol. Yet another
article just came out documenting that they lower cholesterol alright, but not
all-cause mortality.
Try the synergistic effect of soy and fiber to lower cholesterol.
Hugo Rodier, MD
A Rose is a rose is a rose…
The makers of High Fructose Corn Syrup are alarmed that their sales have dropped
by 21%, no doubt as a result of public awareness on how toxic this substance is.
They want to sweeten up their image by changing the name of HFCS to “Corn
Sugar.” Funny, don’t you think? This reminds
me of MSG. Remember that it is still in our food under different names:
|
MSG |
Gelatin |
Calcium Caseinate |
|
Monosodium glutamate |
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) |
Textured Protein |
|
Monopotassium glutamate |
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP) |
Yeast Extract |
|
Glutamate |
Autolyzed Plant Protein |
Yeast food or nutrient |
|
Glutamic Acid |
Sodium Caseinate |
Autolyzed Yeast |
|
Vegetable Protein Extract |
Senomyx (wheat extract labeled as artificial flavor) |
|
Best not to eat food with labels: they lie
The dark side of testosterone
Ironic how I used to wish I didn’t have so much of it when I was young; now, I
wish I had more… but maybe not; an article reports that testosterone
replacement in hypogonadism increases the incidence of heart attacks, high
blood pressure and strokes.
For years we have
been advising men with low testosterone to replace it; the practice has
heretofore been documented to be safe and beneficial: more muscle mass, libido
and less metabolic problems like diabetes. Does the new article mean that we
need to revise our approach? I don’t believe so, at least not yet. In the first
place, one isolated article does not a trend make. Secondly, I believe that the
increase in problems is probably due to the common denominator between
testosterone and circulatory problems, that is, insulin resistance.
I feel it is not the testosterone causing the “heart problems” (other than heart
break and emotional problems), but the insulin resistance. The latter is due to
toxins, stress and bad diets. So, those men who take care of the insulin
resistance and take testosterone are not likely to suffer from heart issues: lay
off refined carbs.
Stay tuned.
On a related
note: if testosterone gets you a little “too bullish,” if you know what I mean,
and you get in over your head (a much younger woman), well, your heart may not
be able to handle it: a faster heart rate, like over 80 bpm, has been associated
with a higher risk of heart disease.
Fatigue
update
In addition to
looking for obscure reasons why we are fatigued, we need to consider the
obvious, the “fuel” we put in our tank.
Poor foods that have very little Information and much Energy in the form of
refined sugars and trans-fats are likely the main reason we are fatigued. Factor
in stress or adrenal issues, which worsen the intestinal dysfunction most people
with fatigue have,
and we have 95+% of the diagnosis.
Unfortunately,
many patients are dismissed when they report fatigue. Worse, too many of them
are diagnosed with depression, which is true in some cases, to be treated with
antidepressants. Others are put through wild goose chases looking for obscure
factors that may lead to quacks that treat even hang nails with hormones like
thyroid and testosterone and stimulants like Dexedrine and Ritalin, claiming to
be following obscure laboratories that point to ADD and hormonal dysregulation.
Patients who succumb to these extreme treatments are likely to benefit from
counseling and education, especially if there is a history of impulsivity and
emotional issues.
Fatigue is often
accompanied by fibromyalgia: try Tai Chi.
Soy and
little girls
You must be tired of this issue; me too! But, the fanatics attacking soy don’t
take a break. Surely you have heard them say that soy is the reason little girls
are getting breasts prematurely. NO! It is the toxins in the environment that
have an estrogen-like effect, which we have amply documented in this newsletter.
Please, read the article “Relation
of isoflavones and fiber intake in childhood to the timing of puberty:”
Soy delays onset of puberty in girls.
Remember that soy is an “adaptogen;”
It acts as an estrogen when the liver senses we need more estrogen; it lowers
estrogen levels when it senses that we have too much estrogen already. Soy has
many other health-promoting effects, like the up-keeping of our circulatory
system.
We need to be better informed about the effects of chemicals in the environment.
They have also been associated with cancers, diabetes, obesity, thyroid
disorders and even neurologic/immune problems. Google “xenoestrogens” or
“endocrine disruptors.”
They have also been associated with endometriosis and menstrual irrgularities.
Eat more cruciferous veggies (high in Indole 3 Carbinol) to eliminate them
better. Correct bowel problems; but, most of all eat organic and avoid plastics
and heavy metals.
Nerve gas
problems in our society
It is not widely
known that we got our pesticides from left over neurotoxic nerve gas from WWII.
Is it any wonder that they have been associated with ADD
and many other problems like cancer of the skin
and high blood pressure?
Many other problems have already been highlighted in past issues of this
newsletter.
Yet, Monsanto and their ilk continue to spray us with misinformation. They also
influence professors at Universities to teach students that there is nothing
wrong with pesticides. While it is true that pesticides have helped with
diseases like malaria, it is also true that once the swamps are drained, there
is a significant drop in infections. Also, organic farms are proving that there
practices are healthier and more sustainable.
Black rice
has more anthocyanin antioxidants than
blueberries,
National Meeting American Chemical Society, Boston 2010
“Blueberries
Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Men with Metabolic Syndrome,”
J. Nutr 2010;140: 1582
“Dietary
Blueberries
Attenuate Atherosclerosis,”
J. Nutr 2010;140: 1628
“Mulberry fruit protects dopaminergic neurons in toxin-induced
Parkinson's disease models,”
British Journal of Nutrition,
Volume 104, July 2010, pp 8
“Resveratrol
regulates human adipocyte number and function
in a Sirt1-dependent manner;” taking this grape antioxidant can help you lose
weight.
American J. Clinical Nutrition 2010;92:5
“Salt
sensitivity is associated with insulin
resistance, sympathetic overactivity,”
Am J Clin Nutr 2010;92:77
“Snacking
is associated with reduced risk of overweight,”
Am J Clin Nutr 2010 92: 428
“Anti-diabetic
effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis),”
British Journal of Nutrition,
Volume 104, July 2010, pp 180
“Food
Combination and Alzheimer’s Risk: a Protection Diet,”
J.
Archives Neurology 2010;67:699
“Association Between Maternal Intimate Partner Violence and Incident
Obesity in Preschool-Aged Children,”
J. Archives of Ped & Adol Med 2010;164:540
“Paternal
Smoking and Childhood Overweight,”
J.
Pediatrics
2010; 126: e46
Artificially
sweetened drinks increase risk of premature deliveries
Am J Clin Nutr 2010 92: 626
“Fish and n-3
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake and Depressive Symptoms: Ryukyus Child
Health Study,”
J. Pediatrics 2010; 126: e623
“Statins and All-cause Mortality in High Risk Primary
Prevention,”
J. Archives Internal Medicine 2010;170:1050
“A1C Between 5.7 and 6.4% as a Marker
for Identifying Pre-Diabetes, Insulin Sensitivity and Secretion, and
Cardiovascular Risk Factors: The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis
Study (IRAS),”
J. Diabetes Care
2010;33:2104
“Cell Dysfunction in
Individuals With Normal Glucose Tolerance: Cross-sectional data from the
Relationship between Insulin Sensitivity and Cardiovascular Risk (RISC)
study,”
J. Diabetes Care
2010;33:2090
“Carbohydrate
nutrition and inflammatory disease mortality in older adults,”
Am J Clin
Nutr 2010 92: 634
“High Heart Rate May Raise Heart Risks,” JAMA 2010;304:949
“A Randomized trial of Tai Chi for Fibromyalgia,” NEJM
2010;363;743
“Exposure to Bisphenol A and Reproductive
and Endocrine Alterations Resembling the Polycystic Ovarian
Syndrome in
Adult Rats,” J. Environ Health Perspect 2010;118:1217
“Environmental causes
of cancer: endocrine disruptors as carcinogens,”
J. National Review of
Endocrinology 2010;6:363
“The Impact of
Endocrine Disruptors on Endocrine Targets,” J. Hormonal Metabolism
Research 2010;42:543
“Neuroendocrine
Targets of Endocrine Disruptors,” J. Hormones 2010;9:16
“Non–Dioxin-Like Polychlorinated Biphenyls
and Risk of Endometriosis,”
J. Environ
Health Perspect 2010;118:1280
“Increased Risk of ADHD Associated
with Early Exposure to Pesticides,” JAMA 2010;304:27
“Use and Cutaneous Melanoma in Pesticide Applicators in the
Agricultural Heath Study,”
J. Environ Health
Perspect 2010;118:812
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 11
‘
Number 9
‘
September 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE
At first blush the cardiologist will
make a lot of people angry. His suggestion that Big Macs should be served with a
statin drug (to lower cholesterol) on the side may be interpreted as a shameless
admission that the pharmaceutical approach trumps good sense and nutrition.1
But, most of us will have to agree with him if we take the time to read the
whole article. It turns out the doc is merely being realistic; he proposes that
the drug on the side, a McStatin, may drive the message home a bit more
forcefully that fast foods are causing significant heart problems. He makes the
analogy that most people would drive more carefully if a sharpened stake were to
be installed protruding out of our steering wheels.
Sadly, the only ones reading his
article and this newsletter are people who already understand the perils of our
SAD diet (Standard American Diet.) Do we stand a chance to stem the tide of
misinformation and addiction to refined sugars, fats and salty food? Only with a
massive public campaign to point out said addiction and the economic/political
forces driving the problem.2
Hugo Rodier, MD
Renaming our defenses
Reading this newsletter you have come
to understand that the immune system should be really referred to as the
Immune-Detoxification system. Whether we are invaded by a bug or a toxic
substance our defense mechanisms are called to the task. It is now clear that
bugs and toxins overburden our defenses in “symbiotic” fashion, that is, one
potentiates the damage caused by the other. For instance, someone exposed to air
pollution will have more pulmonary infections. It seems obvious, but considering
other examples may stretch most people’s credulity; it turns out that toxins
like PCBs enhance or reduce neutrophil activity, depending on the dose.3
As you know, neutrophils are White Blood Cells, a part of the immune system;
they are in charge of fighting infections.
The practical message here is that we
need to raise awareness that environmental toxins are causing significant health
problems, from infections to cancers.4 We must oppose the American
Chemical Association’s persistent denials that their products have any toxic
effects. The most neglected problems in my opinion are heavy metals5
and pesticides.6 You may choose to skip the following citation if you
don’t like technical stuff:
Although environmental
influences on infectious disease are widely accepted, the fields of
environmental health research and infectious disease research have
diverged and are often treated as distinct entities. This has led
to separate research funding tracks and distinct training programs in
schools of public health. Although environmental health research contributes
to understanding key factors relevant to some infectious diseases,
environmental health research and practice predominantly focus on chemical
and physical agents, in spite of the inherent role of the environment in
pathogen dynamics and host response, and the potential for several
major toxicant exposures to cause immunotoxic changes in hosts that
reduce the threshold for infection, increase the persistence of
an infection, increase pathogen shedding, and alter the severity and burden
of infectious disease. Pathogens can also modify inflammatory pathways and
other responses induced by environmental toxicants, and they can modify the
likelihood and severity of chronic disease progression. [The authors] argue
that the study of infectious diseases should be considered explicitly within
the toxicological framework to capture interactions between
pathogens and toxicants that contribute to the etiology of
diseases often assumed to be of either pathogen or toxicant origin. The
authors propose a new model that integrates the toxicology and infectious
disease paradigms to facilitate improved collaboration and communication by
providing a framework for interdisciplinary research. Pathogens should be
included in environmental health research planning and funding allocation,
as well as in applications such as surveillance and policy development.7
Enough to drive you crazy
Toxins in the environment have been
linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinsonism
and Alzheimer’s.8 They are even more likely to occur when we
suffer unrelenting stress like PTSD,9 being married to a spouse who
has Alzheimer’s,10 and eating refined diets high in sugar11
and low in B vitamins; the latter are “used up” by the liver trying to rid the
body of toxins through the process of methylation. It turns out that
subpar methylation of our genes due to low B complex has been linked to more
neurodegerative diseases:
The push to show that
epigenetics can translate early life experiences into lasting changes in
behavior has been accompanied by a parallel surge of interest in how
chemical modifications to DNA can affect cognition. This work sprang from
research in the late 1990s showing that abnormalities in DNA methylation are
involved in developmental disorders that cause intellectual impairment.
Several labs have since found evidence that epigenetic mechanisms play
important roles in learning and memory in adult rodents. One recent study
even suggests that these mechanisms may help explain why memory declines
with age.12
As we have already discussed, we may
lower the risk of getting these diseases by eating a diet high in fruits and
veggies like the Mediterranean diet, learn a new skill, exercise, supplement
omega oils and mitochondrial antioxidants like CoQ10; herbs like Sage, Bacopa
and Huperzine also help. This month I found that “High School Athletics lower
risk of dementia in later life”13 and so does vitamin D.14
But shrinks deal with all this
with drugs only
Modern Psychiatry has gone wrong; it
views every problem as a diagnosis that needs a pharmaceutical product. While
drugs are helpful in many cases of severe illness, they are not the only tool
proven to work well; we have reviewed many foods, herbs, supplements and
behavioral changes that have good evidence; yet, they are dismissed as
“alternatives,” no doubt due to practitioners who stand to lose if the present
drug-driven paradigm were to be exposed for what it is, “A Tragic Tale of
Megalomania and Modern Medicine.”15
Fortunately, there are many doctors who
are openly defying the status quo; the article “The Art of medicine: a
psychiatric revolution”16 outlines the problems we have in
Psychiatry and what we must do to right the ship; we should have listened to
Linus Pauling in the 60s; he said that mental issues are metabolic disorders of
the brain that are amenable to nutritional and behavioral therapy.17
Soy update
Amazingly, there are still some of you
who have fallen prey to misinformation about soy. Modern research continues to
show what a healthy legume it is. Read “A Brief Historical Overview of the
Past Two Decades of Soy and Isoflavone Research.”18 This month I
found two articles on soy worth mentioning; they deal with equol, an
isoflavandiol metabolized from daidzein, a type of isoflavone, by bacterial
flora in the intestines. The type of bacteria we host in the intestines and our
liver determine the action of soy once it is ingested, an ignored fact that
leads to bad science and consequently the demonizing of soy.
“Equol, via Dietary Sources or
Intestinal Production, May Ameliorate Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Bone Loss”19
& “Equol Improves Menopausal Symptoms in Japanese Women.”20
Telegraphed articles
“Statins and Risk of
Incident Diabetes,” J. Lancet 2010;375:735 People taking these drugs have 9%
greater risk of developing Diabetes
“Poor maternal nutrition
leads to alterations in oxidative stress, antioxidant defense capacity, and
markers of fibrosis in rat islets: potential underlying mechanisms for
development of the diabetic phenotype in later life,” FASEB J. 2010;24:2762
“Higher “normal” glycated hemoglobin
levels were associated with increased risk for diabetes, coronary artery
disease, stroke, and mortality in adults;” it’s best to keep the GlycoHb A1C
below 5.7 J. Ann Intern Med July 20, 2010;153:JC1-13
“White Rice, Brown Rice
and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women,” J. Archives of
Internal Medicine 2010;170:961.
“Waist Circumference
and All-Cause Mortality in a Large US Cohort;” risk of death higher when men
have a waist over 40” and women over 35”
J.
Archives of Internal Medicine 2010;170(15):1293
“Neck Circumference as
a Novel Measure of Cardiometabolic Risk: The Framingham Heart Study;” the
numbers are pretty close to the ones for the waist, except in centimeters.
J. Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism 2010;95:3701
“The Product of
Triglycerides and Glucose, a Simple Measure of Insulin Sensitivity.
Comparison with the Euglycemic-Hyperinsulinemic Clamp;” [fasting
triglycerides (mg/dl) x
fasting glucose (mg/dl)] divided by 2. The best value of the TyG index
for diagnosis of insulin resistance was 4.68. J Clinical Endocrinology
Metabolism 2010;95:3347
J. Environmental Health Perspectives 2003;101:430
“Environmental
Factors are Underappreciated as Cancer Risks,”
J. of the American Medical Assoc 2010;303:2456
“A Review of Pesticide Exposure and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural
Health Study Cohort,”
J. Environmental Health Perspectives 2010;118:1117
(Animal toxicity data support the biological
plausibility of relationships observed for alachlor, carbaryl, metolachlor,
pendimethalin, permethrin, and trifluralin.)
“A Niche for Infectious Disease in Environmental Health: Rethinking the
Toxicological Paradigm,”
J. Environmental Health
Perspectives 2010;118:1165
“Exploring the Causes of Parkinson’s Disease,” J. Neurology Reviews July
2009, page 1
“Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder and Risk of Dementia Among US Veterans,” J. Archives of Gen
Psy 2010;67:608
J. American Geriatrics Association May 2010
“RAGE-dependent
signaling in microglia contributes to neuroinflammation, Aβ accumulation, and
impaired
learning/memory in a mouse
model of Alzheimer’s disease,”
FASEB J. 2010;24:1043
“A Role for Epigenetics in Cognition,” J. Science 2 July 2010: 27
“Vitamin
D and Risk of Cognitive Decline in Elderly Persons,” J. Arch
Intern Med. 2010;170(13):1135
Book by Andrew Scull; Yale University Press, 2010
J. Nutrition 2010;140:1386S
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 11
‘
Number 8
‘
August 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE
Recently I
attended a “Cardiology conference” designed to
recruit more business for a local HMO. Sure, there
were enough clinical tips to make the experience
resemble an educational opportunity for doctors
around the area. Predictably, the emphasis was on
surgical intervention for serious cardiac problems;
no doubt it is a valid and life-saving tool in many
cases.
Interestingly, one of their own doctors presented a
less invasive pharmaceutical approach, arguing that
it was just as successful as and much safer and
cheaper than the surgical techniques being
emphasized by his colleagues. He could not hide his
strong convictions, grounded in good scientific
evidence; his contempt for the surgeons was palpable
as he implied that they were over-treating patients
for financial gain, an opinion shared by many.1
After the
conference was over, I approached him to
congratulate him for his beliefs since I agree with
him. I added that I felt the same way he did as I
compared a nutritional, preventive approach to
cardiology against his pharmaceutical approach. I
naively hoped he would see the parallel between him
and me as we dealt with very good scientific
evidence. Predictably, he dismissed my evidence
saying that nutrition does not work: “patients
cannot sustain Spartan diets like you propose.”
And I agree
that patients addicted to refined sugars and
trans-hydrogenated fats cannot overcome said
addictions without intensive help from health care
workers who understand these concepts and live by
them themselves. It turns out my colleague, the
rebellious cardiologist, is grossly overweight.
Hugo
Rodier, MD
Cardiology update
We have
already reviewed several studies that document that
80% of heart disease may be treated and prevented
with lifestyle changes; they improve the health of
the lining cells of our arteries: “Effect of
Intensive Lifestyle Changes on Endothelial Function
and on Inflammatory Markers of Atherosclerosis.”2
Here is a review of the latest articles on nutrition
and the heart:
“Oxidative
Stress Regulates Left Ventricular PDE5 Expression in
the Failing Heart”3 tell us that the
heart loses its ability to pump effectively as we
age; one of the factors involved is Oxidation,
just like any engine that is not maintained well
with frequent tune ups. And how can we maintain our
pump healthy? Consuming foods redolent with
antioxidants, instead of the addicting foods
Americans love; they have too many calories and lack
said antioxidants.
One of the
antioxidants we need the most is the amino acid
arginine, indispensable for the maintenance of
the lining of our arteries: “L-Arginine
supplementation improves exercise capacity after a
heart transplant.”4 We have already
discussed many other references that demonstrate
that arginine helps our heart even before we end up
with a heart transplant. The point of this article
is that even in those so dramatically compromised,
arginine may still help.
We could
lower our chance of ending up with some cadaver’s
heart beating in our chest if we ate a lot of
nuts: “Nut Consumption and Blood Lipid
Levels: A Pooled Analysis of 25 Intervention Trials.”5
Yet, I still hear patients tell me they don’t eat
nuts because it makes them gain weight, never mind
all the twinkies they inhale on a daily basis. If
you are decide to try nuts, focus on pine nuts,
pecans, almonds, macadamias and pistachios;6
and avoid the salted nuts: “Population
Strategies to Decrease Sodium Intake and the Burden
of Cardiovascular Disease: A Cost-Effectiveness
Analysis.”7
Sure, some
of us may be allergic to nuts; other food allergies
or chemical/environmental allergies may
predispose to poor handling of cholesterol which may
lead to arterial injury: “Histamine H1 Receptor
Promotes Atherosclerotic Lesion Formation by
Increasing Vascular Permeability for Low-Density
Lipoproteins.”8 Said allergies
compound the low levels of
B-complex vitamins in our diet, particularly
folic acid: “Low
folate levels may be an atherogenic factor
regardless of homocysteine levels in young healthy
nonsmokers.”9
This is why
supplementing these antioxidants and eating diets
based on whole foods lower the risk of heart
disease: “Evidence That Niacin Inhibits Acute
Vascular Inflammation and Improves Endothelial
Dysfunction Independent of Changes in Plasma Lipids.”10
“Niacin inhibits vascular
inflammation and protects against endothelial
dysfunction independent of
these changes in plasma lipid levels.”
Fear
of fractures as we age
Bone
thinning or osteoporosis strikes fear in the minds
of aging people. Big Pharma stokes the fires to sell
more drugs that claim to reduce the risk of
fractures. These drugs tend to have side effects and
their effectiveness is often exaggerated. Yet,
simpler interventions get short-changed, even though
they are more effective, safer and cheaper. We have
already discussed whole foods as opposed to refines
foods and maintaining good intestinal function to
absorb the minerals our bones need to thrive.
The article
“Effect of High-Dosage Cholecalciferol and
Extended Physiotherapy on Complications After Hip
Fracture: A Randomized Controlled Trial”11
demonstrated that “extended physical therapy was
successful in reducing falls
but not hospital readmissions, whereas
cholecalciferol treatment,
2000 IU/d, was successful in reducing hospital
readmission but not falls.
Thus, the 2 strategies may be useful together
because they address 2
different and important complications after hip
fracture.”
Cellular furnaces; the mitochondria
Everything
about our body and its 50 trillion cells revolves
around using energy to sustain them. Each cell has
hundreds-thousands of smaller cells within, the
mitochondria; they specialize in transforming the
food we eat into ATP through the process of
phosphorylation to fuel every function of the cell
they live in. Modern science has shown that diseases
have a degree of mitochondrial dysfunction,
specifically oxidation. This problem may lead to
insulin resistance,12 which is the
slippery slide leading to practically all diseases
Take for
instance, the hormone thyroid; most people
readily state that thyroid dies practically
everything in the body; well, it powers the
mitochondria of each cell.13 And you may
do the same with diets high in antioxidants. The
foods that fuel the mitochondria the best are
sardines, cruciferous veggies, green tea, and whey.
Supplements include CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid,
N-acetyl cysteine, SAMe. D-ribose and glutathione.
Cancer update
We already
discussed the 2009 Nobel Prize winning research on
the telomere, the tail of the chromosome and how
good diets increase its length and decrease chronic
disease,14 including cancer.15
Here are more articles validating this point
“Dietary vitamin K intake in relation to
cancer incidence and mortality: results from the
differential effects of lycopene consumed in tomato
paste and lycopene in the form of a purified extract
on target genes of cancer prostatic cells”16
tells us that both tomato preparations are
equally effective in prostate cancer; we used to
think that tomato paste was better.
The best
diet for cancer prevention is vegetarian, which is
not easy to do. If you are going to eat meat, make
it lean poultry and fish, not red or
processed meats: “Meat, fish, and ovarian cancer
risk: results from 2 Australian case-control
studies, a systematic review, and meta-analysis low
consumption of processed
meat and higher consumption of poultry and fish may
reduce the risk of ovarian
cancer.”17
If you are
still against soy, despite the hundreds of
articles I have provided for you over the years,
then, this one will not make any difference to you:
“Isoflavones from Phytoestrogens and Gastric
Cancer Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study within the
Korean Multicenter Cancer Cohort” showed less
stomach cancer.18 Fermented soy is even
better; any fermented food is. For example,
fermented wheat germ lowers the risk of cancer19
and arthritis.20
But, still
the most important thing to keep in mind about diet
and cancer is the 1931 Nobel Prize winning research
that showed that high sugar diets depress the
immune system and increase the risk of cancer; I see
studies like “Dietary glycemic index and load in
relation to risk of uterine leiomyomata in the Black
Women's Health Study”21 often; yet,
Americans are not being told about the dire
consequences of their addiction to sugar.
Telegraphed articles:
“Vegetarian
diets and childhood obesity prevention.”22
“Effects
of resveratrol on cerebral
blood flow variables and cognitive performance in
humans: a double-blind, placebo-controlled,
crossover investigation.”23
Resveratrol is an antioxidant form grapes; 250-500
mg/D improve brain blood flow
Oxidative stress makes autism-susceptible
genes more likely to express themselves.24
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 11
‘
Number 7
‘
July 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE
Writing
this edition of my health newsletter aboard an
all-you–can-eat-and-drink cruise ship seems a bit
dissonant, but I was asked to speak about cutting
edge medical concepts to a group onboard; should I
tell them that chocolate makes depression worse,
not better?1 And that limiting
alcoholic drinks to 1-2 a day is best while they try
to enjoy their time on the boat?2 Soda
pop will also be flowing freely, increasing the
passengers’ risk of diabetes and heart disease.3
And the more “fat-free” sweets they eat the higher
their cholesterol will be.4 While on
their vacation, could they be receptive to the
science of the glycemic index, which shows
that the higher the sugar content of foods the
higher the risk of heart disease?
Some of the
passengers will eat well, meditate and maybe do a
little yoga and chi gong on the trip to improve
their mood5 and lower their inflammation
levels to prevent diseases like dementia.6
But, the vast majority will feel justified in
enjoying their vacation by indulging in precisely
the same habits they have grown accustomed to when
they seek to escape the harsh life they are likely
to be toilingwith on Terra Firma. And this is why I
will not to be a party-pooper; I will focus my talk
on a more veiled concept, like the journal Science
finally highlighting the simple concept that most of
the immune system is in the gut; it is there where
diseases and obesity begin.
Hugo
Rodier, MD
“The
Microbes Made Me Eat It”
We
share our bodies with a huge array of
microorganisms. Many of these live in the
intestine and number in the trillions. The
interaction between our immune system and these
gut microbes plays an important role in the
metabolic diseases that plague developed
countries, with profound implications for the
rise in obesity and what can be done about it.7
The concept
that gut microbes may be messing with our metabolism
and “forcing” us to eat the sugar they thrive on is
not new; but when the journal Science speaks,
doctors listen. So, prepare for doctors who read
journals, rather than listen to drug reps, to start
talking about improving your gut environment with
better diets, which they have not done in the past.8
Then, there
is the possibility that the obese may lack a gene in
the intestinal mucosa or lining that not only
protects people from infections but also governs
their metabolism; both of these functions are
found in the gut:
Metabolic syndrome is a group of obesity-related
metabolic abnormalities
that increase an individual’s risk of
developing type 2
diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Mice
genetically deficient in Toll-like
receptor 5 (TLR5), a component
of the innate immune system that is
expressed in the gut mucosa
and that helps defend against
infection, exhibit hyperphagia
and develop hallmark features of
metabolic syndrome, including
hyperlipidemia, hypertension, insulin
resistance, and increased
adiposity. These metabolic changes correlated
with changes in the
composition of the gut microbiota, and transfer
of the gut microbiota
from TLR5-deficient mice to wild-type germ-free
mice conferred many
features of metabolic syndrome to the
recipients. These
results support the emerging
view that the gut microbiota
contributes to metabolic disease
and suggest that malfunction of the
innate immune system may
promote the development of metabolic syndrome.
9
It sounds
complicated, but it is very simple: our immune
system in the gut is driving a lot of diseases in
our body. Perhaps the most common and in the long
run the most devastating, is how the gut determines
how we metabolize our food. If this is not done
properly because we got our gut flora used to
processed foods, we will grow obese and have many
inflammatory diseases.
Gut flora
imbalances begin innocently enough; symptoms like
gas production are often dismissed with veiled
accusations that the patient is too anxious and
swallowing air. But, in reality, the bad bacteria
in our gut are producing the gas, which may also
lead to constipation.10 The latter
problem is also dismissed with a recommendation to
take a laxative, thereby missing an opportunity to
work on nascent gut serotonin problems; if left
untreated, excessive gas, constipation and other
chronic digestive problems will disrupt our
brain-gut connection by messing with our serotonin
system, 90% of which is found in the gut.11
And on a
related note, metabolic problems may also lead to
gall bladder stones.12 Other than
eschewing processed foods we may also try
curcumin/turmeric to treat the stones13
before your surgeon takes out your gall bladder
without telling you what started the problem.
Vitamin
D update
Ironically, we
are sailing into a storm. Hopefully most people on
the boat know about supplementing this pre-hormone.
Here are yet more studies about doing so safely:
“Vitamin D
Insufficiency May Be Linked to Allergies,
Asthma,”
J.
Family Practice News May 1st 2010, page
32
“Vitamin D
deficiency in urban youth with asthma,”
J. Pediatrics 2010;156:A3
“Low Serum
25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels Are Associated with
Increased All-Cause Mortality Risk
in a General Population: the Troms study,”
European J.
Endocrinology 2010;162:935
“Association of A1C Levels With Vitamin D
Status in U.S. Adults: Data from the
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey;”
check vitamin D levels in diabetics.
J.
Diabetes Care 2010;33:1236
“Randomized
Trial of Vitamin D Supplementation to
Prevent Seasonal iInfluenza A in
Schoolchildren,”
American J. Clinical
Nutrition 2010;91:1255
“Vitamin D
and the Magic Mountain: The
Anti-Infectious Role of the Vitamin,”
J. Pediatrics 2010;156:698
The
risk of respiratory infections, including TB,
influenza, pneumonia, and other upper and lower
respiratory tract infections, is much greater in
children with vitamin D deficiency (serum
25(OH)D <10 ng/mL). This inverse relationship
between vitamin D status (low in winter and high
in summer) and infection is what was found when
rickets was epidemic. Recent experiments have
shed light on the immune-enhancing properties of
vitamin D that combat M tuberculosis and other
infectious agents. The concept prevalent in the
late 19th century that infections caused rickets
can now be reversed, because mechanisms exist by
which vitamin D deficiency leads to increased
infections.
So you
want to live longer
Cultivate
loving relationships, exercise, take relaxing
vacations while reading a good book like “Fever
Dream” by Preston and Child14 and eat
good food. More specifically, avoid the 4 behaviors
that, when combined, increase 4 times the risk of
death: tobacco, alcohol, less than 3 fruits and
veggies/day and physical activity less than 3hrs/wk.15
Other than that:
“Glucose
Restriction Can Extend Normal Cell
Lifespan and Impair Precancerous Cell Growth Through
Epigenetic Control of TERT and
p16 Expression;”
epigenetics means that food and chemicals
influence how our genes are copied and tailored.
FASEB J. 2010;24:1442
“High
Glucose Inhibits Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase,
Leading to Increased Oxidative Stress and β-Cell
Apoptosis;” apoptosis is cell death.
FASEB
J. 2010;24:1497
“Insulin
Resistance Predicts Mortality in
Nondiabetic Individuals in the U.S.,”
J.
Diabetes Care 2010;33:1179
“Metabolism
and Cancer in La Jolla;” poor use of energy from
food = cancer = premature death.
J. Cancer
Research 2010;70:3864
“Coffee Consumption and Mortality
Due to All Causes, Cardiovascular Disease, and
Cancer in Japanese Women;” coffee in moderation
reduced mortality.
J.
Nutrition 2010;140:1007
Telegraphed articles
“Whole-Grain,
Cereal Fiber, Bran, and Germ
Intake and the Risks of All-Cause and Cardiovascular
Disease–Specific Mortality Among Women With Type 2
Diabetes Mellitus,”
J. Circulation 2010;121:2162
“Xanthones
from Mangosteen Inhibit
Inflammation in Human Macrophages and in Human
Adipocytes Exposed to Macrophage-Conditioned Media,”
J. Nutrition 2010;140:842
“Chamomile
May Reduce Anxiety, Depression,”
J. Family Practice News April 15th 2010,
page 21
“PSA
Levels Altered by Use of Thiazide
Diuretics, Statins, NSAIDs,”
J. Family Practice News April 15th 2010,
page 1
“Vitamin
K: is micronutrient inadequacy linked to
diseases of aging?”
American
J. Clinical Nutrition 2009;90:889
“Type 2
Diabetes Prevention: an opportunity
for a new discipline,”
J.
Clinical Diabetes 2010;28:49
“Eusinophilic
esophagitis; clue to food
allergies”
J.
of the American Medical Association 2010;303:1245
“Questionable
Antipsychotic Prescribing
Remains Common, Despite Serious Risks,”
J.
of the American Medical Association 2010;303:1582
“Studies
Probe Possible Link Between Bisphosphonates (Fosamax)
and Femoral Fractures,”
J.
of the American Medical Association 2010;303:1795
“Characterization
of the Metabolic and pPhysiologic Response to
Chromium Supplementation in
Subjects with tType 2 Diabetes Mellitus,”
J.
Metabolism; Clinical and Experimental 2010;59:755
“A Diet Based on High-Heat-Treated
Foods Promotes Risk Factors for Diabetes
Mellitus and Cardiovascular Diseases,”
American
J. Clinical Nutrition 2010;91:1220
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 11
‘
Number 6
‘
June 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE
Last month’s issue of the Journal
Pediatrics validated what many doctors have been
saying for years about a higher risk of
ADD with pesticides.
The journal is in for a fight with Monsanto-like
corporations who have hidden the data showing
how toxic pesticides are while attacking anyone
who dares oppose their toxic agenda.
In fact, “CropLife America,” an
organization representing all the corporations
involved with pesticides put out a statement
saying that they are doing business according to
EPA guidelines that have determined pesticides
to be safe. Right; it is a well-known fact that
very few of the chemicals in our environment
have been adequately tested by the EPA before
release. Furthermore, the EPA has punted to
industry to do their own testing; guess what the
results are going to be under those
circumstances.
The Sugar Association of America
has also hidden the truth about ADD; genetically
susceptible individuals are affected refined
sugars, trans-hydrogenated oils, a lack of omega
oils, vitamin D and B, and toxins in the
environment.
Pesticides are derivatives of
leftover nerve gas
from WWI &II; they have been shown to be potent
neurotoxins. The article in Pediatrics is likely
to open up a flood of repressed data against
pesticides. As an environmental physician, I
have been studying the literature for years;
there is no doubt in my mind that pesticides are
also implicated in Alzheimer’s disease and
Parkinsonism. After all, pesticides are
neurotoxins.
Let us become more politically
active to put a stop to indiscriminate use of
pesticides. And try to buy your food grown as
organically and locally as possible.
Hugo Rodier, MD
Herbal update
Forward-thinking doctors are
catching on: we need to take advantage of
“nature’s bounty,” herbs:
“The
search for natural products is currently not an
approach to drug discovery that the larger
pharmaceutical companies are pursuing with
vigor. By ignoring nature’s bounty, these
companies may be missing out.”[1]
“Bitter
Melon
(Momordica
charantia)
Extract Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell
Proliferation by Modulating Cell Cycle
Regulatory Genes and Promotes Apoptosis,”
J. Cancer Research 2010;70:1925
“Chamomile
May Reduce Anxiety, Depression,”
J. Family Practice News April 15th
2010, page 21
“Sclerocarya
birrea
(Anacardiaceae)
stem-bark extract corrects glycaemia in diabetic
rats and acts on β-cells by enhancing
glucose-stimulated insulin secretion,”
J. Endocrinology 2010;205:79
“Thioredoxin
Reductase-1 Mediates
Curcumin-Induced
Radiosensitization of Squamous Carcinoma Cells,
J. Cancer Research 2010;70:1941
“Curcumin
improves sclerosing cholangitis,”
(liver problem)
J. Gut 2010;59:521
Gut/liver update
I will never forget the blowhard
“expert doctor” in Parade magazine badmouthing
naturopaths’ emphasis on intestinal function for
overall health. Now that the latter are being
amply vindicated (never mind that the work of
Metchnikoff demonstrating that most of the
immune system is found in the gut won the 1908
Nobel Prize in Medicine,) I hope that your
doctor does not make the same mistake.
“Constipation
Is Relieved More by Rye Bread Than Wheat Bread
or Laxatives without Increased Adverse
Gastrointestinal Effects,”
J. Nutrition 2010;140:534
“Diarrhea-Predominant
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Is Associated With
Diverticular Disease,”
American J. Gastroenterology
2010;105: 652
“Postinfectious
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Genetic Link
Identified?”
J. Gastroenterology
2010;138:1246
“Case–Control
Study of Overweight, Obesity, and
Colorectal Cancer Risk,
Overall and by Tumor Microsatellite Instability
Status;”
obese people have a higher risk of colorectal
cancer
J. of the National
Cancer Institute 2010 102: 391
“Trunk
fat Tops BMI,
Waistline as Predictor of Elevated ALT;”
marker of liver problems
J. Gastroenterology
2010;138:1346
“Eusinophilic
esophagitis; clue to
food allergies,”
J. of the American
Medical Association 2010;303:1245
Probiotics
lower risk of hospital infections,
J. Pediatrics
2010;125:e1171
… and
decrease mortality, disease rate
J.
Pediatrics April 19th
2010 Online pub
Obesity research
There are many factors “behind”
obesity; focusing on the “calories in = calories
out” dogma is an over-simplification. For
example, some people are obese because of toxins
and others because of their intestines being
colonized by bacteria that alter assimilation of
micronutrients and calorie management. This is
precisely the topic I have been asked to speak
on while cruising down the Mexican Riviera. I
will include the fact that moderate drinking
(Tequila) may help lose weight.[2]
As we saw in the cover issue of
TIME magazine March 4th
2010, our genetic tendencies to any disease,
including obesity, may be slowly modified for
the better; this means that our genes DO change,
but, we have to be patient and stick to a whole
food diet minus processed food for months.[3]
“Physical
Activity and
Prevention of Weight Gain;”
Minimum 60” a day
J. of the American Medical
Association 2010;303:1173
“Food
Price
and Diet and Health Outcomes: 20 Years of the
CARDIA Study,”
J. Archives of Internal Medicine
2010;170:420
“Policies
aimed at altering the price of soda
or away-from-home pizza may be
effective mechanisms to steer
US adults toward a more
healthful diet and help reduce long-term
weight gain or insulin levels
over time.”
Processed meats,
not necessarily red meat linked to heart
disease, diabetes. This is because of
toxins/preservatives, etc; they have been shown
to increase obesity.
J. Circulation, May
17th
2010
Nutrients and inflammation
Most patients come to my clinic
complaining of pain; often, it is not related to
injury; they have been told that they suffer
from fibromyalgia or some form of arthritis. The
only treatment they get is an antidepressant,
anti-inflammatory drugs and now derivatives of
neuro active drugs like gabapentin. None of them
address the root of the inflammation, that is
their poor diet and inability to process food
and detoxify in the intestines. To wit, most of
these patients have intestinal problems.[4]
Research to back up this simple
point continues to mount:
“Nutrient
Modification of the Innate Immune Response: A
Novel Mechanism by Which
Saturated Fatty Acids
Greatly Amplify Monocyte Inflammation.”
The more saturated fat you eat,
the more inflamed your tissues will be. See next
article.
J.
ArteriosclerosisThrombosis Vascular Biology
2010;30:802
“Saturated
Fatty Acids and
Inflammation:
Who Pays the Toll?”
J. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis
Vascular Biology 2010;30:692
“SFAs
have been shown to secrete tumor necrosis
factor-
,
thus establishing a paracrine loop that
aggravates
adipose tissue inflammation.”
“Intake
of Red Wine
Increases the Number and Functional Capacity of
Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells by
Enhancing Nitric Oxide Bioavailability.”
The Nitric Oxide system
in our arterial lining is
responsible for keeping inflammation down. Red
wine facilitates this function.
J. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis
Vascular Biology 2010;30:869
“Specific
Dietary
Polyphenols
Attenuate Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein
E–Knockout Mice by Alleviating Inflammation and
Endothelial Dysfunction.”
Polyphenols = vegetables.
J. Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis
Vascular Biology 2010;30:749
“Orange
juice
neutralizes the proinflammatory effect of a
high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal and prevents
endotoxin increase and Toll-like receptor
expression,”
American J.
Clinical Nutrition 2010;91: 940
“Dietary
Intervention to Reverse Carotid
Atherosclerosis.”
Think of arterial lining inflammation
J. Circulation
2010;121:1200
“Two-year
weight loss diets can induce a significant
regression of measurable
carotid [inflammation]. The effect is similar
in low-fat, Mediterranean, or
low-carbohydrate strategies and
appears to be mediated mainly
by the weight loss–induced
decline in blood pressure.”
Consequences of metabolic
problems
My book LICKING SWEET DEATH is
due out next month. It chronicles the
devastation visited on our cells when we don’t
process energy and information from food well.
We call this “dysmetabolism;”
just about every disease is linked to this
issue. In practical terms, “diabesity”
is like a slow cancer, eating away at your
health, and pocketbook. Study recent research:
“Low
Serum Level of the Endogenous Secretory Receptor
for Advanced Glycation End Products (esRAGE) Is
a Risk Factor for Prevalent
Vertebral Fractures
Independent of Bone Mineral Density in Patients
With Type 2 Diabetes;”
Even when bone density is OK,
diabetics with cell membrane problems triggered
by refined sugars (RAGE receptors,) have a
higher risk for fractures. This is also seen in
pre-diabetics.
J. Diabetes Care 2010;33:e58
“Morning
Cortisol Levels and
Cognitive Abilities
in People With Type 2 Diabetes;”
Adrenal problems are common in people with
metabolic issues. Stress aggravates this
problem, which leads to “brain fog” and memory
issues. In its worst manifestation we see a
higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
J. Diabetes Care 2010 33:714
“Association
Between Iron
Deficiency and
A1C Levels Among Adults Without Diabetes,”
J. Diabetes Care 2010;33:780
“Inflammation
and the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes: The
Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA);”
the inflammation we discussed
above leads to diabetes, too.
J.
Diabetes Care 2010;33:804
“Glycated
Hemoglobin,
Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Risk in Nondiabetic
Adults,”
New England J. of Medicine 2010;
362:800
“Glycated
hemoglobin was similarly associated with a
risk of diabetes and more
strongly associated with risks of
cardiovascular disease and
death from any cause as compared
with fasting glucose.”
“Caloric
Sweetener
Consumption and
Dyslipidemia,;” higher
triglycerides, lower HDL
J. of the American
Medical Association 2010;303:1490
Soda
increases diabetes and heart disease. 130K+ DM
and 14K+ OHD
American Heart
Association, San Francisco 2010
Vitamin D Update
“Once-weekly
dose of 8400 IU vitamin D3
compared with placebo: effects on
neuromuscular
function and tolerability in older adults with
vitamin D insufficiency,”
American J.
Clinical Nutrition 201091: 985
“Higher
Vitamin D Levels Linked to Lower Risk for
Female Pelvic floor
Disorders,”
J. Obstetrics & Gynecology
2010;115:795
“Vitamin
D Insufficiency May Be Linked to Allergies,
Asthma,”
J. Family Practice
News May 1st
2010, page 32
Book of the Month
“Bell
Ami” by Guy de
Maupassant; I loved it, but, you may find the
lead character, Duroy, to be worthy of contempt.
If you prefer a non-fiction book, you may try “Arousal:
the secret logic of sexual fantasies”
by Michael Bader, who writes that fantasies are
perfectly healthy when entertained by mature,
respectful people.
[1]
J. of the American Medical Association 2002;288:3095
[2]
“Alcohol Consumption,
Weight Gain, and Risk of Becoming Overweight in
Middle-aged and Older Women,”
J. Archives of Internal Medicine
2010170:453
[3]
“Differential
Epigenomics and Transcriptomics Responses in
Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Between Low and
High Responders to Caloric
Restriction,” American J.
Clinical Nutrition 2010;91:309
[4]
J. of the American Medical Association 2004;292:852
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 11
‘
Number 4
‘
April 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE
Last month I
reported that “probiotaceuticals”
are likely going to be the next bubble in
pharmaceuticals. Knowing Big Pharma, they will
come up with a name like “buggutexx”
(I should patent it):
“A
poorly appreciated truism is that the
information contained within the mammalian
genome is insufficient for full development of
several organ systems, notably the gut, immune
system, and other sensory organs. The required
information is derived from the environment,
including the microbial environment. This
suggests that the microbiota is a source of
regulatory signals, some of which may be
suitable for exploitation for therapeutic
purposes. Indeed, it could have been deduced
from comparative studies of germ-free and
conventionally colonized animals almost half a
century ago that the gut microbiota influences
the development and maturation of the digestive
and immune systems. In some instances, the
signals involved have recently been defined
molecularly. This opens the possibility of a
“bugs to drugs” program of discovery, in which
the gut ecosystem is explored as a repository
from which bioactives or novel drugs might be
mined and translated to human health care. The
future of drug discovery in gastroenterology is
likely to reside in the lumen!”[1]
It will be interesting to see how
these new drugs’ humble origins, friendly
bacteria, will be “forgotten,” as it has been
the case with drugs developed from herbs and
natural products.[2]
The
journal Nature,
one of the best scientific journals in the
world, has highlighted friendly bacteria on its
cover issue, March 4th
2010. They report that the 1,250+ species that
live in the gut outnumber our body cells 10:1;
they also have 150 times more genetic material
than we do.[3]
This is how they influence practically every
function in our body. I
predict that soon, it will be malpractice not to
look into the ecology of the gut as the root of
most medical problems.
This development is
but one of many examples of a Greening Economy
in the future. We desperately need to boost our
economy, particularly locally. Wal-Mart, of all
businesses,
is beginning to buy its produce
from local farmers. I hope they continue that
trend.[4]
We need more changes like that to
fix our deep-seated economic problems; above
all, we need to stop Big Corporations and
Finance gamblers from “Looting
America.”[5]
Hugo Rodier, MD
Obesity update
Counting calories,
obsessing over weight and micromanaging it, and
restrictive diets are all failed approaches. It
is better to develop “An
integrative view of obesity.”[6]
“Plant-based
diet and the seamless
integration of increased physical activity
and social support to alter
modern diets and lifestyles hold
out the greatest hope for the
solution of the obesity epidemic.
Both public health and medical
nutrition approaches can benefit
from this integrative view of
obesity.” Sounds
familiar?
Here are some new articles that
may help you “integrate:”
“Scientists
Probe Brain’s
Role in Obesity.”[7]
Gene variant results in fewer dopamine
receptors; this leads to more impulsive eating.
Try GABA supplements to promote dopamine
function.
“Alcohol
Consumption,
Weight Gain, and Risk of Becoming Overweight in
Middle-aged and Older Women.”[8]
One drink a day helps lose weight; more than
that adds to the problem.
“Coffee,
Decaffeinated Coffee, and Tea Consumption in
Relation to Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.”[9]
Same as alcohol. Don’t drink more
than one cup a day.
“Effect
of green tea
catechins with or without
caffeine on anthropometric measures: a
systematic review and meta-analysis.”
[10]
It reduces BMI and waist girth.
“Laboratory,
Epidemiological, and Human Intervention Studies
Show That Green Tea (Camellia
sinensis)
May Be Useful in the Prevention of Obesity.”[11]
Don’t fear the caffeine-like micronutrient in
green tea; it’s there to improve function in the
liver.
“Metabolically
healthy but obese individuals: relationship with
hepatic enzymes.”[12]
If the liver enzyme ALT is in upper limits of
normal or above normal, you may consider taking
alpha lipoic acid,
an antioxidant from broccoli that became a drug
in Europe to help with insulin resistance issues
in the liver. By improving liver function, we
regulate blood glucose better. Besides, poorly
detoxified chemicals contribute to insulin
resistance.
“Skeletal
muscle insulin resistance: the interplay of
local lipid excess and
mitochondrial
dysfunction.”[13]
The mitochondria is where we turn food into
energy to fuel our cells. Mitochondrial function
is also improved with alpha lipoic acid, which
has been shown to reduce insulin resistance.
“Factors
related to colonic fermentation of
nondigestible carbohydrates
of a previous evening meal increase tissue
glucose uptake and moderate glucose-associated
inflammation.”[14]
Fiber-rich diets decrease metabolic problems
when consumed before indulging; better to not
indulge, but…
“Many
Americans Have Pre-Diabetes and Should Be
Considered for
Metformin
Therapy.”[15]
Think of obesity as pre diabetes.
Taking Metformin is not such a bad thing. It is
the only oral treatment of diabetes that helps
people lose weight. Why? Because it is the only
one developed from an herb, Galega
officinalis (see above.)
“Day
Napping and
Short Night Sleeping
Are Associated With Higher Risk of Diabetes in
Older Adults .”[16]
The stress from sleep loss is the problem, not
the napping; the latter is more frequent in
people who are not sleeping well at night.
“Dietary
Fiber,
Magnesium, and Glycemic Load
Alter Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in a Multiethnic
Cohort in Hawaii.”[17]
Supplement magnesium, and fill up with foods
high in fiber and low in glycemic content
(fruits and veggies.) Even though the study is
about diabetes, it also applies to obesity. The
common denominator is insulin resistance. Fiber
has been shown to improve the health of
intestinal flora; an imbalance therein has been
related to obesity.
Hawthorne[18]
This herb contains
flavonoids and oligomeric
procyanidins. It has been shown
to be helpful in mild forms of congestive heart
failure; patients taking it see their blood
pressure and heart function improve. It is well
tolerated, but some people may experience
vertigo, and dizziness. An interaction with
cardiac drugs is possible.
“Mutant
Cholesterol Fends Off Dementia”[19]
Demonizing
cholesterol has created other problems. Since
our brain is 80% fat (I know some people whose
brain is 100% fat…) we are seeing a higher risk
of Alzheimer’s disease when lipids are kept too
low. Cholesterol is also indispensable for many
other functions, like the synthesis of sex
hormones. Those who profit from selling
cholesterol-lowering drugs often dismiss any
such concerns as quackery. The journal
Scientific American and the AMA disagree:
“Cholesterol
may conjure up associations of cardiovascular
disease, but growing evidence shows that the
lipid has great importance in the health of the
brain, where one quarter of the body’s
cholesterol resides. A new study has found that
a common alteration to a gene that controls the
size of cholesterol particles slows a person’s
rate of dementia and protects against
Alzheimer’s disease.
“Individuals
with the mutation—a swap of one amino acid
(isoleucine) for another (valine) in the gene
for cholesterol ester transfer protein
(CETP)—had ‘significantly slower memory
decline,’ report researchers in a paper
published online January 12 in the
Journal of the American Medical
Association.
In fact, those who harbored two valine alleles
experienced cognitive decline 51 percent more
slowly than those with isoleucine—and had a 70
percent reduction in their risk for developing
Alzheimer’s.”
OK, a bit
technical; but remember “nutrigenomics,” the
science that has shown that we can modify
genetic tendencies by eating a good diet. Rather
than despair about your genes, resolve to eat
better to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s
disease. For example, lowering insulin levels by
eating whole foods, instead of refined sugars
and fats helps our brain metabolize energy
better. Bad metabolism increases cognitive
problems.[20]
Also, “Concord
grape juice
supplementation improves memory function in
older adults with mild cognitive impairment.”[21]
“Don’t forget” to have your
doctor test you; you might already be developing
signs of early disease.[22]
Environmental update[23]
“Association
of Intrauterine and Early-Life Exposures with
Diagnosis
of
Uterine
Leiomyomata
by 35 Years of Age in the
Sister Study.” This
means that uterine fibroids may be a result of
poor detoxification of estrogen disrupting
chemicals. I have seen many of them regress with
better detox; try indole-3-carbinol, main
micronutrient in cruciferous and “myomin,” a
collection of 4 Chinese herbs. Besides a good
diet, I also recommend lots of fiber,
probiotics, NAC and SAMe.
“An
Assessment of Potential Exposure and Risk from
Estrogens in
Drinking Water.”
It winds up there when we urinate
all the estrogen therapy we prescribe. This
problem has been associated with a higher risk
of endocrine problems, including cancer.
“Association
of Low-Dose Exposure to
Persistent Organic Pollutants
with Global DNA Hypomethylation in Healthy
Koreans.” P.O.P.
disrupt our ability to metabolize b vitamins
(methylation,) which is critical for DNA and
liver function.
“The
Effect of Ambient Air Pollution on
Sperm Quality.”
Sperm cells’ quality and quantity
are declining; at this rate we will be shooting
blanks in 70 years.
“Reduction
in Heart Rate
Variability
with Traffic and Air Pollution in Patients with
Coronary Artery Disease.”
Air pollution harms more than just the lungs.
“Exploring
a Potential Link between
BPA and Heart Disease.”
We have known that BPA in plastics compromises
metabolism and increases the risk of cancer; add
heart problems.
[1]
“Gut
Microbes: From Bugs to Drugs,”
American J. Gastroenterology
2010;105: 275
[2]
J. Science 2009;325:161
[3]
“A Human Gut Microbial Gene
Catalogue Established by Metanogenomic Sequencing,”
J. Nature 2010;464:59
[4]
NPR radio, March 25th
2010
[5]
Book of the Month, “Looting
America: how Wall street’s game of fantasy finance
destroyed our jobs, pensions,
and prosperity,”
Les Leopold; Chelsea Green Publishing; 2009
[6]
American J. Clinical Nutrition 2010;91: 280S
[7]
J. of the American Medical Association 2010;303:19
[8]
J. Archives Internal Medicine
2010;170:453
[9]
J. Archives of Internal Medicine
2009;169:2053
[10]
American J. Clinical Nutrition 2010 91: 73
[11]
J. Nutrition 2010 140: 446
[12]
J. Metabolism; Clinical and Research 2010;59:20
[13]
J. Metabolism; Clinical and Research 2010;59:70
[14]
American J. Clinical Nutrition 2010;91: 90
[15]
J. Diabetes Care
2010;33:49
[16]
J. Diabetes Care
2010;33:78
[17]
J. Nutrition 2010;140: 68
[18]
“Health
Effects of Hawthorne,” J.
American Family Physician 2010;81:465
[19]
J.
Scientific American, March 2010
[20]
“Metabolic
Syndrome Over 10 Years and Cognitive Functioning in
Late Midlife: The Whitehall II study,”
J. Diabetes Care
2010;33:84
[21]
British Journal of Nutrition
2010;103:730
[22]
“Self Administered
Cognitive Screening Test for Detection of
Alzheimer’s Disease,”
British Medical J. 2009;338:b2030
[23]
J. Environmental Health Perspectives,
March issue, 2010, volume 118
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 100
medical journals
Volume 11
‘
Number 3
‘
March 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE
We knew it was coming;
it was only a matter of time. Ever since the New
England J. of Medicine published the article that
finally addressed the true mechanism of how
cholesterol drugs work, I waited for the other shoe
to drop: if
regulators agree, the pool of people in the United
States eligible for cholesterol-lowering drugs could
soon expand dramatically to include as many as 6
million people whose cholesterol levels fall within
a normal range.[1]
Last year, a study
showed that the incidence of strokes,
heart attacks and other circulatory problems
decreased significantly with
statin drugs because they have an
anti-inflammatory action
and not necessarily because they lower cholesterol.[2]
We have known this for
quite some time, now (see blogs and newsletter
archives.) Instead of addressing the source of
inflammation (diet, stress and toxic environments,)
Big Pharma would rather give everyone a drug, rather
than do the right thing: teach doctors and patients
about lifestyle changes.
I get it; it is not their job to do
so. They only want to make money.
It is up to us (it has
always been) to seek health. We can find it in
Mother Nature; cholesterol drugs were extracted from
Red Rice,
used in China for centuries for health problems.[3]
“We hope the
introduction of the first botanical new drug in the
modern era of FDA regulation will simulate more
clinical testing of potentially useful botanical
products and eventually lead to new therapies
derived from complex natural mixtures that will
satisfy unmet medical needs.”[4]
Big Pharma creates
compounds that are synthetic enough to be deemed
“not natural;” then, they can be patented as drugs
that can be sold. Big Pharma also erroneously
believes that it can improve on Mother Nature; for
example, by purifying the main molecule in Red Rice
that lowers cholesterol and inflammation, HMG Co
enzyme reductase, it discarded all the other
micronutrients in Red Rice, thinking that they were
worthless (this reminds me of “junk DNA.”) The
result has been more side effects; statin drugs may
irritate muscles and liver; now we know they can
increase the risk of diabetes by 9%.[5]
Oh, well; we could always take
Avandia... Sorry, I almost forgot it has been linked
to 83,000 heart attacks in the USA from 1999 to
2007.[6]
The “worthless” nutrients in Red Rice
not only mitigate the harshness of the reductase,
but also reduce inflammation. But, there is hope.
Enlightened pharmacology understands that:
“Many
effective drugs act via modulation of multiple
proteins rather than single targets. Advances in
systems biology are revealing a phenotypic
robustness and a network structure that strongly
suggests that exquisitely selective compounds,
compared with multi-target drugs, may exhibit lower
rather than desired clinical efficacy.”[7]
We need to put Humpty Dumpty back
together again. Will the King’s men let us do it?
It looks doubtful. In this age of
“Corporatism,” when our democracy is threatened by
powerful corporations that now have carte blanche to
pour even more money to buy access to government,
the health of the people is not the supreme law of
the land; business is. Some believe like Darwin,
that the strong deserves all the spoils, that
business is the survival of the fittest.
Conveniently, the strong get special regulations to
favor their self interests.
Corporatists believe
that history is on their side; it is, if they focus
on unsustainable governments by rich and despotic
tyrants who have lasted until the next despot
dethrones them. Corporatists are right if they
ignore those democratic and sustainable societies
that most dismiss as primitive, despite their
sustainable ways. Even though they don’t win medals
at the Winter Olympics, more humble “tribes” have
been around a whole lot longer.
Without them, the first waves of
Europeans may not have taken roots in the wilds of
America. Without the influence of Locke and
Rousseau, who were inspired by democratic European
tribes (before feudalism) and the influence of the
Iroquois federation of democratic tribes, our
Founding Fathers may not have framed a constitution
that proclaimed We The
People as the source of
power, not corporations or kingdoms.[8]
Ignoring the ingrained
democratic instincts in our genes[9]
societies degenerate into governments that favor
corporations’ over We The People’s wellbeing. From
Wall Street to every sector of the economy we see
examples of cut throat business practices that
neglect simple,
sustainable and cheaper solutions.
Health care corporations have not been immune.
Hugo Rodier, MD
Cancer prevention update
Let’s start by
refreshing your memory with the landmark article in
the journal Carcinogenesis; it documents that good
nutrition (specific foods listed therein) prevents
2/3 of cancer.[10]
Articles like that appear each week; yet, we hardly
hear about them. Why? I fear the answer is in my
rant above. Here is a list of the latest articles I
found last month:
“Soft
Drinks and Juice
Consumption and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer;”[11]
Two or more servings of juice a week
didn’t do it.
“Caffeine
Intake and Risk of
Adult Glioma in Three Prospective Cohort Studies;”[12]
Caffeine in moderation
primes detoxification pathways in the liver.
“Dietary
Glucosinolate (cruciferous
veggies) Intake,
Polymorphisms in Selected Biotransformation Enzymes,
and Risk of Prostate Cancer;”
Cruciferous raise glutathione levels,
the most potent detoxifying antioxidant. NAC, SAMe,
whey, alpha lipoic acid, milk thistle also raise
glutathione.
“Soy
Consumption and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Humans: A
Meta-Analysis;”[13]
Anybody out there who still believes
that soy is bad for you? It helps detox in the gut.
“Effects of
Supplemental Vitamin
D and Calcium on
Oxidative DNA Damage Marker in Normal Colorectal
Mucosa: A Randomized Clinical Trial;”[14]
Sunlight is not enough
when we live so far north; aim for 2-5,000 IU a day.
“New
Approaches in Immunotherapy;
innate immune system
to get more attention;”[15]
That means that the gut, which is
where 2/3 of our immune system is found, is going to
get more attention. Not a minute too late; this
concept won the Nobel Prize in 1908…
“Gut
Microbes Define
Liver Cancer Risk in Mice Exposed to Chemical and
Viral Transgenic Hepatocarcinogens;”[16]
Our friendly gut organisms, a big
part of our immune-detox system, help us mitigate
the mutagenic effect of toxic chemicals in the
environment. By the way, we are talking about the
very chemicals that for years big corporations have
told us are safe. Read on:
“Associations
of Serum Concentrations of Organochlorine
Pesticides
with Breast Cancer
and Prostate Cancer
in U.S. Adults,”
“Residential
Pesticides and Childhood
Leukemia:
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Critical Confluence”
&
“Gene
Variants,
Insecticide
Exposure May Increase Childhood
Brain Tumor
Risk,”[17]
Just in case it is not clear:
avoiding toxins and eating good food to fuel detox
pathways in the liver and intestines is the best
way to lower our risk of getting cancer.
Menstrual irregularities
The “standard of care”
is to give young women birth control pills whenever
they have any menstrual problem. Fortunately, smart
patients quickly figure out this reflex therapy is
only treating symptoms, not the root of the problem.
Other than too much sugar in their diets,[18]
and estrogen-like toxins in the environment,[19]
a lack of key nutrients is at play.
One of them is
B vitamins.
Their function is closely related to that of the
amino acid Arginine;
both are vital to optimize health; for instance,
they are indispensable to maintain good circulation.
ADMA is an
inflammatory marker that goes up when we lack the
amino acid arginine,
much like homocysteine goes up when we lack
B vitamins.
It turns out that both B vitamins and arginine are
interconnected in the
methylation pathway of
detoxification, neurotransmitter synthesis and DNA
replication. Al these functions are involved in
menstruation.
Consider supplementing
arginine and B vitamins when young women have
menstrual problems.[20]
Of course, maximize absorption of these key
nutrients in the gut, which is compromised when we
eat too much sugar, little fiber, and take
antibiotics, acid-blocking pills and drink
chlorinated water. By making these changes we also
improve detoxification of those xenoestrogens that
mess with hormonal function, as seen in menstrual
irregularities.
Telegraphed articles
“Probiotic-Derived
Factors:
Probiotaceuticals?”[21]
Friendly gut organisms
are about to join the 50% of pharmaceuticals that
are derived
from herbs or
nutrients.[22]
What drug name will they get? I vote for “Bugutexx.”
“The
Probiotic
Lactobacillus Acidophilus
Reduces Cholesterol Absorption
Through the Down-Regulation of Niemann-Pick C1-like
1 in Caco-2 Cells.”[23]
This may be another reason why fiber,
aka “prebiotics,” lower cholesterol; it feeds the
good guys in the gut. Make sure you get at 25-35
grams of fiber a day. Recommendations go down with
age; women need a bit less.
“Fluorocarbons
and Cholesterol: A Sticky Connection.”[24]
Pollution elevates cholesterol;
remember that cholesterol is 90% a liver issue. Yet
another reason for detoxifying with good diets as
often as possible.
“Antidepressant
Drug
Effects
and
Depression
Severity: A Patient-Level Meta-analysis.”[25]
These drugs only work on severe
depression, which fortunately, is not seen that
often. If you have the “blues” (mild-moderate
depression) over some rough patch in your life, an
antidepressant may not help you. Consider folic acid
MTHFR, SAMe, tryptophan, GABA, ginseng, St John’s
wort, and above all, a loving listening ear. This
too shall pass; suffering is how we learn to be more
receptive to the needs of our fellowman.
[1]
“US Panel Favors
Wider Use of Preventive Drug Treatment,”
J. Science 2010: 130-131.
[2]
New England J. of Medicine, November 9th
2008 (10.1056/NEJMoa0807646)
[3]
European J. Cardiovascular Rehabilitation 2007;14:438
[4]
“New Therapies from Old
Medicines,” J. Nature
Biotechnology 2008;26:1077
[5]
“Statins
and Risk of Incident Diabetes: a collaborative
meta-analysis of randomised statin trials,”
J. Lancet February 17th
2010 Online
[6]
Senate hearing, February 22nd
2010
[7]
“Network Pharmacology: the next
paradigm in drug discovery,”
J. Nature Chemical Biology 2008;4:682
[8]
Book of the month: “What Would
Jefferson Do,” Thom Hartmann;
Three Rivers Press, 2004.
It discusses genetic programming favoring
democracy and our country’s foundation resting on old
democratic principles copied from tribes in Europe and
North America. While it discusses We The People very
well, I did not enjoy Hartmann’s partisan overtones and
his attacks on John Adams. Cant’ we focus on the
goodness of both political parties? For a more balanced
approach on John Adams, read McCullough’s excellent
book.
[9]
“Group-Decision Making in
Animals,” J. Nature
2003;421:155 &
“Democracy Beats
Despotism in the Animal World,”
J. New Scientist, January 8th,
2003
[10]
“Apoptosis by Dietary Factors,”
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:233
[11]
J. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers &
Prevention
2010 19:447
[12]
J. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers &
Prevention
2010 19:39
[13]
J. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers &
Prevention
2010;19:148
[14]
J. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers &
Prevention
2010 19:280
[15]
J. Science 15 January 2010, page 249
[16]
J. Gut 2010;59:88
[17]
J. Environmental Health Perspectives
January 2010
[18]
J. of the American Medical Association 2001;286:2421
[19]
“Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals
Probed as Potential Pathways to Illness,”
J. of the American Medial Asoociation
2005;294:291
[20]
“ADMA
Concentration Changes Across the Menstrual Cycle and
During Oral Contraceptive Use:
the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns
Study,”
European J. Endocrinology 2010;162: 259
[21]
J. Nutrition 2010;140: 229
[22]
J. Science 2009;325:161
[23]
British J. of Nutrition
2010;103:473
[24]
J. Environmental Health Perspectives
2010;118:a81-a81
[25]
J. of the American Medical Association 2010; 303: 47
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 100 medical journals
Volume 11 � Number 2 �
February 2010
EDITOR’S NOTE
“Until America has learned to love literature not as
an amusement, not as a mere doggerel to memorize in
college, but for its humanizing and ennobling energy,
she will not have succeeded in that high sense which
alone makes a nation out of people; that which raises it
from a dead name to a living power”.[1]
The United States is engaged in the
process of creating “a more perfect union”. We are not
there yet, as suggested by the United States getting
ranked 37th
in the world on health parameters, despite spending
about double what leading nations spend per patient each
year.[2] We must work on the economic and political
issues that have created this sorry state of affairs;
doctors should assume the leadership our citizens have
entrusted the profession with. Regrettably, some:
“Physicians are falling further into blatant
commercialization and politization of medicine [through]
government policies and health care businesses pursued
in the name of health care.”
“We want to jealously guard our responsibility of
first serving each patient, and not allow ourselves to
become the voices of commerce.”
“It is time to organize ourselves to speak about what
we can do for patients, to let patients speak of what we
do for them, to spell out the conditions that allow us
to practice medicine, rather than become victims of
commercialization in medicine. If we want to be
technicians, we need only allow current conditions to go
unchallenged. If we want to remain doctors, we will have
to act decisively to address the best interest of each
patient”.[3]
We need to humanize health care,[4] and
stop considering it a business. Literature can help us
do that. Hugo Rodier, MD
About
TIME
Eleven years ago I was rebuffed by medical
students in Spain when I tried to share with them the
exciting breakthroughs in nutrition science in general,
and nutrition and genetic function in particular.
Understandably, years of conditioning did not let them
consider the possibility that OUR GENES ARE NOT CAST IN
STONE. I wonder what they may say now that TIME
magazine has made these wonderful and hopeful
concepts available to the general public. Its cover
issue on January 18th
2010 cleverly says it all: our genes are fluid.
The food we
eat and the environment we live in, and even our
emotions influence the way our genes are copied into
functional messengers. In practical terms, this means
that we can change genetic tendencies. If we stop eating
processed food, clean up our environment and live
simpler lives with less emotional drama and better
relationships, we can doge genetic bullets that may hold
us captive in fear.
So, if your
mom has breast cancer, or your dad died of a heart
attack, you have a great chance to change your genetic
script and avoid those problems.
The concepts
of NUTRIGENETICS, NUTRIGENOMICS and EPIGENETICS will
continue to be resisted for a while. Even as more
information comes out on these topics, Big Pharma will
try to persuade you that the answer lays in developing
new and expensive drugs to work on your genes, rather
than the simpler and wiser concepts herein outlined.
This is why I now present you with the raw evidence from
leading journals (I am just a messenger):
Association of Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels With
Telomeric Aging in Patients With Coronary Heart
Disease, JAMA 2010; 303: 250 – 257
Omega oils lengthen the tail of
chromosomes, thereby increasing lifespan and decreasing
the risk of cancer, heart attacks and chronic diseases.
We have already discussed the Nobel Prize in Medicine
research on telomeres and longevity.
Multivitamins, Folate, and Green Vegetables Protect
against Gene Promoter Methylation in the Aerodigestive
Tract of Smokers, J. Cancer Research 2010;70:
568-574.
“Dietary regimens to prevent cancer might be monitored
by gauging the methylation status of tumor suppressor
genes detected in sputum, which includes exfoliated
aerodigestive cells. Logistic regression models were
used to identify associations between methylation
status and 21 dietary variables hypothesized to
affect the acquisition of gene methylation.
Significant protection against methylation was observed
for leafy green vegetables [odds ratio (OR) =
0.83 per 12 monthly servings; 95% confidence
interval (95% CI), 0.74–0.93] and folate (OR,
0.84 per 750 µg/d; 95% CI, 0.72–0.99). Protection
against gene methylation was also seen with current
use of multivitamins (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.40–0.83).
This is the first cohort-based study to identify
dietary factors associated with reduced promoter
methylation in cells exfoliated from the airway
epithelium of smokers. Novel interventions to
prevent lung cancer should be developed based on
the ability of diet and dietary
supplements to affect reprogramming of the
epigenome”.
OK, calm
down. I only wish to give you a flavor of the exciting
research that is being ignored by “mainstream”
practices. That mouthful means that our genes need
plenty of vitamin B to replicate well, especially in
smokers who burn up a lot of antioxidants. Eat your
veggies! Antioxidants in green tea also counteract the
toxic effects of smoking.[5]
Obesity
and Breast Cancer, J. Cancer Research 2010 70: 4-7.
“AMP kinase, a master regulator of cellular energy
metabolism, may provide a key link between
obesity-associated inflammation and increased breast
cancer risk”.
We have known that obesity, pre diabetes
and diabetes increase our risk of cancer since Dr.
Warburg won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1931. He
determined that “obesity and carbohydrate excess
predisposes people to cancer…[This is why] caloric
restriction has been shown to lower 60 % for cancers.”
(“Cancer’s Sweet Tooth: the Janus effect of glucose
metabolism in tumorigenesis.”)[6] Dr. Warburg went
on to say that:
“The prime cause of cancer is the
replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body
cells by a fermentation of sugar. All normal body cells
meet their energy needs by respiration of oxygen,
whereas cancer cells meet their energy needs in great
part by fermentation. All normal body cells are thus
obligate aerobes, whereas cancer cells are partial
anaerobes… Oxygen is dethroned in the cancer cells and
replaced by an energy-yielding reaction of the lowest
living forms, a fermentation of sugar.”[7]
It’s shocking to contemplate that obesity
causes 100K cancers each year.[8]
Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Regulates the Liver
Microenvironment in Obese Mice and Promotes Liver
Metastasis, J. Cancer Research 2010 70: 57-67.
“To facilitate liver metastasis, IGF-1 must act beyond
the tumor cell to support to obesity-associated
inflammatory processes in the tumor microenvironment”.
Translation:
IGF-1, which is much like growth hormone, is
dysfunctional in obesity; this promotes tumor formation
and metastasis.
The
Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase: A
Molecular Link between Metabolism, Inflammation, and
Cancer, J. Cancer Research 2010;70: 8-11.
“NAMPT has properties of a positive biological
modifier of NAD-dependent inflammation and cell growth
that prompt interest in it as a pharmacological target
for cancer treatment”.
Translation: the energy and information
found in whole food lowers the inflammation/oxidation
caused by processed foods, toxins and stress; said
inflammation leads to DNA mutations associated with
cancer.
If we are not mindful of these
DNA-nutrition issues our risk of cancer will be higher.
If we unfortunately develop cancer, we will be offered
chemotherapy. But, “therapies that are less effective
against cancer stem cells may quicken tumor evolution,
increasing tumor heterogeneity and speeding the
development of tumor progression and drug resistance”.[9]
In other words, the surviving cancer cells may be more
aggressive and more resistant to treatment, much like
bacteria when antibiotics are overused or misused.
Another problem with chemotherapy in
particular and pharmaceuticals in general are the steep
prices. They have increased 9.3% in 2009 but inflation
at the same time was down 0.3%. “It is hard to escape
the conclusion that the industry is positioning the
pricing of its products for enactment of the new health
reform legislation”.[10]
Hiroshima revisited
We have been told that radiologic studies
are fairly safe. True, but not when it comes to CT
scans; they have been shown to impart the same risk
of developing cancer that survivors of Hiroshima’s
atomic bomb have shown.[11] A CT may expose you to the
same radiation seen with 30 to 442 chest radiographs,
depending on the settings at a given clinic.[12]
“We estimated that approximately 29, 000 future
cancers could be related to CT scans performed in
the US in 2007. The largest contributions were
from scans of the abdomen, pelvis, chest, and head, as
well as from chest CT angiography. One-third of the
projected cancers were due to scans performed at
the ages of 35 to 54 years compared with 15% due
to scans performed at ages younger than 18 years, and
66% were in females”.[13]
Processed foods lacking the good energy
and information necessary to repair the DNA damage
caused by radiation, (which is totally dependent on our
genetic susceptibility-remember epigenetics?)[18]
stress and toxins in the environment set the stage for
cancer to develop. It doesn’t help that commercially
prepared foods misrepresent the contents of their meals;
fast food restaurants list calories 18% lower than real
content.[14] They probably cheat on the nutritional
content, too.
Coping
with cancer risks
Radiation,
processed foods lacking good energy and information,
stress and toxins in the environment trigger DNA
mutations that set the stage for cancer to develop. It
doesn’t help that commercially prepared foods
misrepresent the contents of their meals; fast food
restaurants list calories 18% lower than real
content.[15] They probably cheat on the nutritional
content, too.
As we have
already documented, we can prevent 2/3 of cancers just
by eating better diets.[16] But, we also need to
maximize the role of our gut in metabolizing the food we
eat. After all, 60% of the immune system is found there,
and that is where we detoxify. It sounds too simple,
doesn’t? But, the Occam’s razor principle dictates that
it be so. It boils down to avoiding toxins, maximizing
the role of bacteria in the gut,[17] and nourishing
relationships; this is how we may even negate the role
of genetics in cancer.
I wish you
better books, better diets and better relationships for
2010.
[1] From the book of the month, “The Dante Club”
by Matthew Pearl.
[2] “Ranking 37th: measuring the performance o
the U.S. health care system”,
New
England J. of Medicine 2010;362:98
[3] “Are We Losing Touch in Medicine?”Utah
Medical Association bulletin, November 2005
[4] “The Medical Humanities, for Lack of a Better
Term,” New England J. of Medicine 2005;353:1009
[5] Chung Shan Medical University, China. Salt Lake
Tribune, January 15th 2010
[6] J. Lancet 2006;367:618
[7] Book “Murder by Infection,” by Mullins;
page 351
[8] American Institute for Cancer Research, November
6th 2009
[9] “Cancer Stem Cell Tumor Model Reveals
Invasive Morphology and Increased Phenotypical
Heterogeneity”,
J.
Cancer Research 2010;70: 46-56.
[10] “Price Hikes Probed”, JAMA 2010;303:125
[11] J. Radiology 2004;232:735
[12] “Cancer Risks and Radiation Exposure From
Computed Tomographic Scans: How Can We Be Sure That
the
Benefits Outweigh the Risks?” J. Archives
of Internal Medicine 2009;169:2049
[13] “Projected Cancer Risks From Computed
Tomographic Scans Performed in the United States in 2007”,
J. Archives of Internal Medicine
2009;169(22):2071
[14] “The
Accuracy of Stated Energy Contents of Reduced-Energy,
Commercially Prepared Foods”,
Journal of the
American Dietetic Association 2010;110:116
[15] “The
Accuracy of Stated Energy Contents of Reduced-Energy,
Commercially Prepared Foods”,
Journal of the
American Dietetic Association 2010;110:116
[16] “Apoptosis by Dietary Factors,” J.
Carcinogenesis 2007;28:233
[17] J. Gut 2010;59:88
[18] J.
of the American College of Radiology February 2010
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 11
�
Number 1
� January 2010
EDITOR’S
NOTE
“The current compendia [of chemotherapy] lack
transparency, cite little current evidence, lack
systematic methods to review and update evidence, and are
replete with conflict-of-interest issues… The findings
would seem to matter. Up to 75% of all uses of cancer
therapies are off label, according to a 2005 estimate
by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network”; J. Nat’l
Cancer Institute.
Could it be that a significant amount of
chemotherapy prescribing, particularly in the last weeks/months
of a dying patient, is not based on solid evidence? Could it be
that money may be a motivating factor?
Corruption in our country’s money sector has most
people I talk to quite upset. Perhaps we are close to “The
End of Money and the Future of Civilization”. This is
the book by Tom Greco, Jr. I have picked as “book of the
month”.
It is by far the best book I have read to understand MONEY.
John Adams said that our main problem is not failing to
understand the Constitution, but failing to understand money.
What is happening to our country is a consequence of allowing
usury and greed to manufacture and control our money supply.
This trick is pretty old; it is the way aristocracies,
plutocracies or the “elite” keep us “peons” from joining the
party. Hugo Rodier, MD
Environmental update
As Chairman of the Utah Medical Associations’
Environmental/Public Health Committee I am regularly scanning
the literature for studies that show what now seems obvious to
almost everyone: a toxic environment affects our health.
Recently, the EPA made it official; this opens the door
for the Federal government to implement regulations to
curve pollution, thereby making Congress unnecessary in this
respect.
In my opinion, it would be better if legislation by
Congress directed the EPA; then, the voice of the people would
count for something. But, can we afford to wait for Congress to
act on our polluted foods, water and air? Don’t hold your
breath, although we may have to with our air quality being what
it is.
BPA (chemical in plastic) exposure before birth may be
associated with behavioral problems in 2 year-olds, especially
girls
J. Environmental Health Perspectives 2009; 117:1945
Asthma worse with phthalates (another chemical in
plastic) in vinyl
J. EHP 2008;116:845
Genetic tendency to asthma worsened by a lack of antioxidants
and pollution
J. EHP
2009; 117:1919
Higher risk of ALS (Lou Gherig’s disease) with paint
strippers; cutting, cooling, or lubricating oils ; antifreeze or
coolants ; mineral or white spirits; dry cleaning agents,
aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, glycols, glycol ethers, and
hexane.
J. EHP 2009;117:1387
“Lower
Serum Testosterone Associated with Elevated
Polychlorinated Biphenyl Concentrations in Native American Men”,
J. EHP 2009;117:1454
“Pesticide
Exposure and Hypertensive Disorders during Pregnancy”,
J. EHP 2009;117:1393
“Drinking-Water
Herbicide [atrazine] Exposure in Indiana and Prevalence
of Small-for-Gestational-Age and Preterm Delivery “,
J. EHP 2009:117;1619
“The
Precautionary Principle in the Context of Mobile Phone
and Base Station Radiofrequency Exposures”; use
speaker phone as much as possible
J. EHP 2009;117:1329
“Association
of Tobacco and Lead
Exposures With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder”,
J.
Pediatrics 2009; 124: e1054
Confused about iodine?
Have you been told that you need iodine by someone,
only to have someone else tell you that it is not good for the
thyroid? We finally have a good study that explains why there
are conflicting reports. It turns out that the
relationship between iodine and the risk for the occurrence of
diffuse goiter shows a U-shaped curve. Nodular goiters
are more prevalent in iodine-deficient areas.
This means that you need iodine for your thyroid IF you live in
areas where the diet doesn’t have adequate amounts;
inland and mountainous regions are the main examples, since
seafood is the main source of iodine.
Also, atomic fallout from testing in the 40s was not
contained in Nevada and Utah; it went all over the United
States. Atomic radiation and excessive X-rays have been shown to
compromise thyroid function; this is made worse by the 500+
chemicals known to be toxic for thyroid function.
Kelp iodine salt and iodaral are good choices for
supplementing iodine. Your doctor may order a urine test to make
sure you are deficient.
Grapes update
The Journal of Nutrition published a series of
articles on the benefit of grapes. The main antioxidant in
grapes, resveratrol, is scheduled to become a
pharmaceutical product this year. It has been shown to have
multiple and diverse benefits, ranging from cancer prevention,
anti-inflammatory, insulin sensitizer, lower blood pressure,
weight loss, etc. The common denominator is that grapes improve
our metabolism.
Here are the main articles in the report:
“Unraveling the
Relationship between Grapes and Health”,
J. Nutr. 2009 139: 1783S
“Grapes and
Cardiovascular Disease”,
J. Nutr. 2009 139: 1788S
“Type 2 Diabetes and Glycemic Response
to Grapes or Grape Products”,
J. Nutr. 2009 139: 1794S
“Grape Consumption
Supports Immunity in
Animals and Humans”,
J. Nutr. 2009 139: 1801S
“Anticancer and Cancer Chemopreventive
Potential of Grape Seed Extract and Other Grape-Based Products”,
J. Nutr. 2009 139: 1806S
“Grape
Products and Oral Health”,
J. Nutr. 2009 139: 1818S
Food for thought
The evidence continues to mount that poor diets
make us more depressed
and fail to optimize brain function.
Yet, we are bombarded by TV ads with smiling, happy people whose
depression is cured by just popping a pill. These ads are
disingenuous and potentially harmful. “[They]
can generate exaggerated
beliefs about drug efficacy and encourage the medicalization of
ordinary experiences”.
But, if you are reading this newsletter you already know
that. While prescription drugs help 45% of those who take it, a
significant number of those patients could avoid drugs with good
nutrition, cleaner environments and smaller egos in our
relationships.
One could supplement antioxidants;
“Green tea
consumption is associated with lower psychological distress”.
We have already talked about tryptophan, omega oils, vitamin D,
DHEA, B vitamins, folic acid MTHFR, SAMe and St John’s wort.
Also, cultivate “food for the soul”. There is nothing
better than companionship. Loneliness is even contagious.
It may lead to depression, sleep problems and other chronic
conditions.
Exercise also helps depression, as much as
antidepressants do.
It is also relaxing and calming, due to its effect on reducing
oxidative stress and generating new neurons.
Gut and nutrition update
“Inflammatory bowel disease (Chron’s,
Ulcerative colitis) results from an inappropriate inflammatory
response to intestinal microbes in a
genetically susceptible host. Genetic studies
highlight the importance of host–microbe interactions
in the pathogenesis of these diseases”. New England J. of
Medicine
Now that the New England J. of
Medicine is writing about it, you can expect your neighborhood
doctor to start paying more attention to your diet and its
effect on the micro-organisms in the intestines. Read other
recent studies on this concept:
“Gut
microbiota fermentation of
prebiotics [fiber] increases satietogenic and incretin gut
peptide production with consequences for appetite sensation and
glucose response after a meal”; this means
that probiotics ferment fiber; this helps you feel full after
eating.
Am J Clin Nutr 2009 90: 1236
“Prescribing an Antibiotic?
Do Not Forget the Probiotic”,
J. Gastroenterology 2009;137:1846
“Products of the
Colonic Microbiota Mediate Effects of Diet on
Colon Cancer Risk”,
J. Nutrition. 2009 139: 2044
“Potential Roles and Clinical
Utility of Prebiotics in Newborns, Infants, and Children”,
J. Pediatrics 2009;155:603
“Linoleic acid (n-6
polyunsaturated fatty acid), and the etiology of ulcerative
colitis”,
J. Gut 2009; 58: 1606
“High-Fat Diet
Determines the Composition of the Murine Gut Microbiome
Independently of Obesity”. Bad diets mess with your
intestinal organisms, even if you are not obese.
J. Gastroenterology 2009;137:1716
“Serotonin Has a Critical Role
in the Pathogenesis of Experimental Colitis”.
I included this study to remind you that
95% of serotonin is found in the intestines; as you heal the gut
your cognitive and emotional issues will improve.
J. Gastroenterology
2009;137:1562
“Soy
Wrong”
That means “I am wrong” in Spanish, kind of.
It also means that soy-haters need to acknowledge
they have been wrong.
The data continue to pile up that soy is beneficial.
The last articles I have read again support its use to lower
cholesterol,
and even recommend it for women WITH breast cancer.
Read my blog on “the religion of soy-haters”. Despite all the
evidence, soy-haters will not accept that soy is an “adaptogen”;
it provides what the body needs at the time, that is, more or
less natural estrogen activity.
“Environmental
Chemicals and Thyroid Function”, European J.
Endocrinology 2006;154:599
“Effect
of Grape Seed Extract on Blood Pressure in Subjects with
the Metabolic Syndrome”,
J.
Metabolism; Clinical and Experimental 2009;58:1743
FASEB J. 2009 23: 4353 & JAMA 2009;302:627
“Does
Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising Do More
Harm Than Good?”
J. Ann Intern Med
2009;151:824
Am
J Clin Nutr 2009 90:1390
J.
of Personality and Social Psychology, December 2009
British J. Sports Medicine 2001;35:114. J. Archives of
Internal Med. 1999;159:2349
NYT magazine Nov 22nd
2009, page16. Annual Meeting Society for Neuroscience,
Chicago 2009
“Inflammatory
Bowel Disease”, NEJM 2009;361:2066
“Targeted
Metabolomics Identifies Glucuronides of Dietary
Phytoestrogens as a Major Class of MRP3 Substrates In
Vivo”, J. Gastroenterology
2009;137:1725 &
“Cosupplementation
of Isoflavones, Prenylflavonoids, and Lignans Alters
Human Exposure to Phytoestrogen-Derived 17β-Estradiol
Equivalents”,
J. Nutrition 2009 139: 2293
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
�
Number 12
�
December 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
When I was a child I taught myself to write with both hands and
kick the soccer ball with both feet (not at the same time; I
would fall on my butt). I did that because I have had an inborn
passion for the integration of all knowledge, or Consilience.
Like most of you, I had to learn my way around computers and the
internet after completing my formal training. Even though I have
enjoyed the benefits these technologies afford us, I have kept a
jaundiced eye on them.
In the past few months I have seen many articles and several
books written by people who share my apprehension. But, none has
been as eloquent as the person who illustrated the problem with
a story, Ulysses and the tempting sirens; their alluring
songs were so powerful that Ulysses had himself tied to the mast
of the ship after he plugged his ears with wax. The sirens sang
about giving him unending knowledge. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Exactly the same promise the internet makes. Yet, those who
succumbed to the temptation died ravaged by madness.
Too much information, too little wisdom; lots of surfing, very
little diving.
Not enough Integration: “The perpetual pursuit of little
thoughts; the net result may be only to prevent us from finding
the big ones.”
Hugo Rodier, MD
Integrating the gut, its microbes and how we process food
therein (metabolism)
This is where the “flubber” meets the road. Even
though I have reported on this concept several times, I feel
compelled to update you, since the medial literature is
exploding with studies on this crucial issue. The epidemic of
Diabesity will not slow down until we face our addiction to
sugar and restore the gut to its central place in health. After
all, this concept won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1908. For
the sake of simplicity, I will give you the article with the
reference, and a small commentary where the title is not crystal
clear.
Obesity causes 100K cancers each year; Am Instit for Cancer
Research, Nov 6th 2009
Why? 1931 Nobel Prize: high sugar diets suppress the immune
system, which is mostly in the gut.
Junk food is like heroine for rats; J. Proceedings Nat
Acad of Science Nov 2009, Epub
Refined sugars attach to the same receptors as narcotics,
valium, endorphins and alcohol. This only partially explains the
addiction to sugar we all suffer with. Here is the rest of the
explanation…
“The
Microbiome and Obesity: is obesity linked to our gut
flora?”
J. Current Gastroenterology Reports 2009;11:307
Yes; we may be colonized by intestinal organisms that mess up
our metabolism (“calories in, calories out” ignores this
fact), and send bad messages to the brain thermostat that
perpetuate the addiction to junk food. And how did those bad
guys get into the gut? We encouraged their growth with the poor
diets we have been eating, excessive antibiotics, acid-blocking
drugs, chlorinated water, etc., etc.
“Individual
Human Phenotypes in Metabolic Space and Time,”
J. Proteome Research 2009;8:4264
Our Metagenome is influenced by gut flora’s. This means
that our genes are strongly influenced by our gut flora’s genes.
Since our gut organisms outnumber our body cells 100:1, it is
fair to say they may be controlling what we “want” to eat.
Really, they crave sugar and they will make a puppet out of you
so that they get their “fix”.
Altered gut flora in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
(Chron’s, Ulcerative Colitis) leads to DNA damage, which
increases our risk of cancer
J. Cancer Research 2009;69:4827
“Targeting the Human Microbiome with
Antibiotics, Probiotics and Prebiotics: gastroenterology
enters the metagenomics era,”
J. Gastroenterology 2009;136:2015
Correcting imbalances of microbiota aggressively
modulates gene funcion in our body, thereby improving
practically all health problems.
“Vitamin
D: the alternative hypothesis”, J. Autoimmune
Review 2009;8;639
Vitamin D is really a hormone that acts much like the thyroid.
In fact, they share nuclear receptors. This hormone has a very
strong influence on the microflota of the gut, thereby exerting
significant influence on our immune system. This is why it
tempers inflammatory reactions caused by flora in the
gut.
“Autoimmune
Disease in the Era of the Metagenome”,
J. Autoimmune Review 2009;8:677
The more we learn about our genes, the more we are directed to
the gut
“Vitamin
D Metabolites as Clinical Markers in Autoimmune Diseases,”
J. Annals of NY Academy of Medicine 2009;1173:384
No wonder MS, an autoimmune disease, is often seen
with a lack of vitamin D
“Dysregulation
of the Vitamin D Nuclear Receptor May Contribute to
the Higher Prevalence of Some Autoimmune Diseases in Women”,
J. Annals of NY Academy of Medicine 2009;1173:252
“Epidemic
Influenza and Vitamin D”, J. Epidemiology Infections
2006;134:1129
As I reported before, take vitamin D to lower your
risk of H1N1 flu.
Higher dose of Vitamin D reduces nonvertebral fractures
risk by 20%
J. Archives of Internal Medicine 2009;169:551
Why? Less inflammation in the gut and better
absorption of minerals therein
Probiotics help gluten allergies
J. Clinical Experimental Immnunology 2008;12:552
Friendly bacteria improve immune system
“Human Gut
Bacterial Communities Are Altered by Addition of
Cruciferous Vegetables to a
Controlled Fruit- and Vegetable-Free Diet”,
J. Nutrition. 2009 139: 1685
Food is the best medicine; heal the gut, heal
practically everything.
“Immunomodulation
by Food: Promising concept for mitigating allergic disease?”
J. Annal Bioannal Chem 2009, May 20 E pub
Prebiotics/fiber help gluten allergies by feeding
friendly bacteria. Remember that 2/3 of the immune system is in
the gut
Increasing fiber reduces weight
J. Nutrition 2009;139:576
Synbiotics= probiotics + prebiotics are more
effective for Ulcerative Colitis
J. Nutrition 2009;25:520
“Effects
of a Gluten Free Diet on Microbiota and Immune Function,”
British J. Nutrition May 18th
2009 Epub
Conversely, eliminating gluten when one is
allergic improves gut flora, which then improves immune system.
Probiotics after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
improve outcome. Better weight loss and higher B12 levels
J. Gastrointestinal Surgery
2009;13:1198
Make sure to take frindly bacteria
if you are having stomach stapling surgery
“Lactobacillus Acidophilus Modulates
Intestinal Pain and Induces Opioids and Cannabinoid
Receptors”,
J. Nature Medicine 2007;13:35
See above about receptors for narcotics. Also,
remember that 90% of neurotransmittors are in the gut, not the
brain.
Improved blood glucose levels in pregnancy with probiotics
J. Nutrition 2008; Nov 19
Probiotics restore bowel flora and improve liver enzymes
in alcoholics with liver injury
J. Alcohol 2008;42:675
“Changes in Gut Microbiota Control
Inflammation in Obese Mice Through a Mechanism Involving GLP-2
Driven Improvement of Gut Permeability,”
J. Gut 2009;58:1091
Bad diets-bad microflora-more inflammation-more
leaky gut-more absorption problems-more disease
“Quercetin Enhances Intestinal
Barrier Function », J. Nutrition 2009 ;139 :965
Despite MANY reports on leaky gut, this problem continues to be
ignored with devastating consequences. Quercetin lowers
inflammation of cells lining the gut, which patches up the
leakiness.
Probiotics in real yogurt lower cholesterol
J. Annals Nutrition and Metabolism 2009;54:22
“Real” does not mean Activia. Make your own yogurt with your own
culture of probiotics; use almond/rice/soy milk instead of
dairy. Avoid preservatives and added sugar. In order for Activia
to give you an adequate amount of probiotics you would need to
eat 1,000 servings a day.
Whence Kidney stones?
I will never forget the abusive
young man who dismissed me with disdain and hatred in his face
when I told him that his SAD diet was causing his kidney stones.
Quoting a Urologist, he spat the words out: “diet has nothing
to do with kidney stones”. I wonder how he is doing today;
has he read the report that a good diet like the DASH diet
reduces the incidence of stones by 45%?
By now he has kids, I hope. But, if they are eating like he was,
and they are also becoming obese like he was, are they getting
kidney stones like daddy? It turns out that the epidemic of
diabesity in our children is affecting how their kidneys
filtrate toxins at an early age. Kids with kidney stones?
Amazing.
More Food for Thought
I have reported on the brain-gut
connection many times. Here is another update:
High CRP markers for inflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease, AD
AD expected to skyrocket;
double every 20 years in the world
AD International, Sep 21st
2009
J. Neurology News Oct 2009, p1
Reduced risk of mild Cognitive Impairment with
Mediterranean diet
J. Archives of Neurology 2009;65:216
Hypoglycemia increases the risk of dementia
JAMA 2009;301:1565
Coffee, tea 3-5 cups/day lower risk of late life dementia
J. Alzheimer’s Disease 2009;16:85
40% lower risk of dementia with moderate
alcohol
2009 International Conference on AD,
Vienna
Moderate alcohol reduces insulin resistance;
Hyperinsulinemia seen in AD
J. Metabolism Clinical and Experimental 2009;58:387
Many patients with insomnia have reduced GABA levels;
take supplements OTC
J. Sleep 2008;31:499 & J. Neurology News Oct 2009,
page 21
69% of children eating candy daily wind
up in jail; only 42% of control group by age 34
British J. Psychaitry 2009;195:366
“Hyperbaric
Treatment for Children With Autism”; it reduces
oxidative stress; more oxidation with less antioxidants.
J. BMC Pediatrics 2009;9(21)
Telegraphed articles
4 hr flight: 3X higher risk of clots;
take omega oils and pycnogenol before you fly
J. Family Practice News, September
2009, page 17
“Dietary
Seaweed Modifies Estrogen and Phytoestrogen
Metabolism in Healthy Postmenopausal Women,”
J. Nutrition 2009;139:933
“New
Pain Guidelines for Older Patients; avoid NSAIDs,
consider opioids”
JAMA 2009;302:19
Tea tree oil is effective against MRSA
Queen’s University; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Reuters Jan 2nd
2009
“Arthroscopic
Surgery for Knee Osteoarthritis? Just say no.”
J. Family Practice March 2009
Vitamin K supplementation decreases coronary artery calcium
in older men and women
AJCN 2009;89:1799
“Stop
Your Search Engines,” NYT magazine, Oct 25th,
2009
J. Am
Soc of Nephrology 2009;20:2253
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
�
Number 11
�
November 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
The 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to 3
American researchers working on the Telomere, the tail
end of chromosomes; it controls gene copying. Their findings are
likely to lead to new pharmaceutical products to lengthen the
telomere, which could treat problems like prostate cancer. While
this is a great accomplishment, I am disappointed, yet, not
surprised, that the findings are automatically directed to the
creation of a symptomatic treatment. The present paradigm
driving our health care industry (yes, money) seems unable or
unwilling to see past their narrow self-interests.
We could focus on a more proactive angle; the
articles “Multivitamin Use and Telomere Length in Women”
and “Leukocyte Telomere Length: the telomere tale continues”
tell us that the longer the telomere the longer we live;
antioxidants keep the telomere from getting oxidized, or
shortened. This means that a diet high in antioxidants
and cleaner environments that don’t require as many antioxidants
to detoxify, increase longevity by preserving the length of the
telomere. In other words, our environment affects genetic
expression.
The same may be said about emotional-spiritual
stress, which also burns up antioxidants. The article “A
Complex Relationship: psychosocial stress, pollution, and health”
tells us that psychosocial stress may exacerbate our
susceptibility to adverse effects of pollutants such as lead,
polychlorinated biphenyls, and combustion emissions.
If we could educate people about these simple
concepts they may assume more responsibility for their health;
we would then see longer lives and less atherosclerotic
diseases. Dr. Ornish would agree; in the article “Increased
Telomere Activity and Comprehensive Lifestyle Changes”
he showed that a longer telomere is associated with less
prostate cancer. In another study, “Clinical Events in
Prostate Cancer Lifestyle Trial: results from 2 years follow up,”
Ornish proved that lifestyle changes for 2 years may be able to
avoid or delay conventional prostate cancer treatment.
After all, conservative treatment of prostate cancer has better
survival.
Will we pay attention to these articles as we
continue to argue about financing our broken health care system?
(See related blog, “Why We Hurt.”) Will we start looking
at our health as a holistic concept that involves our entire
communities?
Hugo Rodier, MD
Heart to Heart on Sugar
“The American Heart Association
is finally taking aim at our nation's sweet tooth, urging
consumers to significantly cut back on the amount of sugar they
get from such foods as soft drinks, cookies and ice cream. The
AHA says most women should limit their sugar intake to 100
calories, or about six teaspoons, a day; for men, the
recommendation is 150 calories, or nine teaspoons. The
recommendations are likely to prove challenging for many
consumers to meet. Just one 12-ounce can of cola has about 130
calories, or eight teaspoons of sugar. Data gathered during a
national nutrition survey between 2001 and 2004 suggest that
Americans consume on average 355 calories, or more than 22
teaspoons, of sugar a day.”
And why would it be hard to comply
with the AHA’s suggestions? Our national addiction to refined
sugars, which is made worse by stress, the Farm Bill, Big
Food’s processing of food for profits and social contagion.
“Therapeutic
Uses of Magnesium”
-
75% of
Americans don’t get RDA. Poor nutrition, alcohol in
excess and diuretics contribute to low levels and need for
supplementation.
-
Magnesium is
needed for 300+ metabolic reactions in the body: protein
synthesis, cellular energy production and storage, cell
growth and reproduction, DNA/RNA synthesis, stabilization
of mitochondrial membranes, bone metabolism, nerve
transmission, cardiac excitability, neuromuscular
conduction, vasomotor tone, blood pressure and insulin
metabolism
-
Early signs of
low magnesium: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting,
fatigue, weakness; then, numbness, tingling, muscle
contractions, crams, seizures, personality changes, abnormal
heart beats and coronary spasms.
-
Diseases that
contribute to low magnesium: diabetes, gut inflammation
and malabsorption.
-
Magnesium
deficiency diagnosed by checking inside cells. Low CoQ10
levels may inhibit cell uptake of magnesium.
-
Useful
supplementation: eclampsia/preeclampsia, heart
arrhythmias, asthma, indigestion, constipation, headaches,
bone density, insulin resistance and dysmenorrhea.
-
Contraindications: renal problems. Cautious use with
prescription drugs (calcitonin, diuretics, calcium channel
blockers, antibiotics and muscle relaxants) since magnesium
may alter their blood levels.
-
Dose:
adults 350 mg; children 65 mg 1-3 yrs old, 110 mg < 8 yrs
old.
“Zinc,
an Essential Micronutrient”
This is another mineral found lacking in many people
when they don’t eat enough veggies. There is good evidence that
Zinc helps in the treatment of acute and chronic diarrhea,
Wilson’s disease (liver problems due to copper,) and macular
degeneration. The evidence that Zinc helps taste problems
and colds is not as good. The
best dose is 20 mg and it should be coupled with 2-5 mg of
Copper. Avoid Zinc in pregnant and lactating women and in
patients taking penicillamine.
Update on the brain-gut connection
“Although
many people are aware of the communication that occurs between
the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the central
nervous system, fewer know about the ability of the
central nervous system to influence the microbiota or of the
microbiota's influence on the brain and behavior. Within the
GI tract, the microbiota have a mutually beneficial
relationship with their host that maintains normal mucosal
immune function, epithelial barrier integrity, motility, and
nutrient absorption. Disruption of this relationship alters GI
function and disease susceptibility.”
“Animal studies suggest that perturbations of
behavior, such as stress, can change the composition
of the microbiota; these changes are associated with
increased vulnerability to inflammatory stimuli in the GI tract.
[See blog “Why We Hurt”] The mechanisms that
underlie these alterations are likely to involve
stress-induced changes in GI physiology that alter the habitat
of enteric bacteria. Furthermore, experimental
perturbation of the microbiota can alter behavior, and the
behavior of germ-free mice differs from that of colonized mice.
Gaining a better understanding of the relationship
between behavior and the microbiota could provide
insight into the pathogenesis of functional and inflammatory
bowel disorders.”
I quoted from the article “The
Relationship Between Intestinal Microbiota and the Central
nervous System in Normal Gastrointestinal Function and Disease”
so that readers may get a feeling for the strength of the
scientific data on the brain-gut connection. This newsletter and
many scientists have been highlighting this concept for
sometime. Dr. Gershon pioneered this concept over 45 years.
I can attest to the dramatic
improvement my patients see in their cognitive and mood issues
when they eat better and improve the quality of their intestinal
environment. After all, our microbiota, which outnumber our 50
trillion body cells carry more genes than we do. Linus Pauling
would like this article. He coined the term “Orthomolecular
Psychiatry,” meaning that a significant number of
psychological disorders may be treated with good nutrition.
Food for thought….
“Rethinking Screening for Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer”
This is a game-changing
article. Don’t shoot the messenger:
“After 20 years of
screening for breast and prostate cancer, several
observations can be made. First, the incidence of these
cancers increased after the introduction of
screening but has never returned to prescreening
levels. Second, the increase in the relative
fraction of early stage cancers has increased.
Third, the incidence of regional cancers has not
decreased at a commensurate rate. One
possible explanation is that screening may be
increasing the burden of low-risk cancers without
significantly reducing the burden of more
aggressively growing cancers and therefore not
resulting in the anticipated reduction in cancer
mortality. To reduce morbidity and
mortality from prostate cancer and breast
cancer, new approaches for screening, early detection,
and prevention for both diseases should be
considered.”
Translation: screening may be discovering cancers
that would have been OK to leave alone. This article vindicates
doctors who maintain that the most reasonable approach to cancer
is to boost one’s immune system. The rub is when to be more
aggressive with screening and treatment: welcome to the world of
uncertainty. No doctor will ever be able to give you 100%
assurance on anything. The best we can do is to clearly outline
your choices so that you decide and assume responsibility for
that decision. Of course, some people may call such a discussion
a “death panel…”
Telegraphed articles
“Half of Texas Physicians Don't
Recommend HPV Vaccine,”
J. Skin Allergy News 2009;40:23
“The
Alzheimer’s Disease-Diabetes Angle: inevitable fate of
aging or metabolic imbalance limiting successful aging.”
Translation: high-sugar diets increase the risk of dementia
“Anti-RAGE
and Immunoglobulin Levels Are Related to Dementia
Level and Cognitive Performance” supports the above article
J. Gerontology Biology Science Med Sci 2009;64:264
“Association
Between 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D Levels and Cognitive Performance
in Middle Aged and Older European Men.” Get your levels
above 80 for best function.
J. Neurology Neurosurgery Psychiatry 2009;80:722
“Lipid
Peroxidation and Atherosclerosis.” The problem is
oxidized cholesterol
J. Lipids Research 2009;50:599
“Efficacy
of Coenzyme Q10 on Semen Parameters, Sperm Function and
Reproductive Hormones in Infertile Men,”
J. Urology 2009;182:237
“Acupuncture
for Pain,”
J. American Family Physician 2009;80:481
“Sexual Abuse and Lifetime
Diagnosis of Somatic Disorders,” like fibromyalgia, chronic
pain and gut problems
JAMA 2009;302:550
“Stimulant
(ie Adderall) Linked to Sudden Death in Children
Without Heart Problems,”
JAMA 2009;302:613
Book review: “Patient, Heal Thyself: how the new
medicine puts the patient in charge,”
JAMA
2009;301:1388
“Conservative
Management on Prostate Cancer,”
JAMA
2009;302:1202
“Structural
Interventions for Addressing Chronic Health Problems,”
JAMA
2009;302(6):683
J.
American Family Physician 2009 ;79 :768
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 100
medical journals
Volume 10
� Number
10 �
October 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
Even though Dr. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1931 for
demonstrating that high levels of sugar in the blood increases the
incidence of cancer, we continue to ignore the obvious: our diets
have a significant impact on our health, specifically on our immune
system. Will we ever get it? Not likely, unless we face our sugar
addiction and change our politics/economics that perpetuate the
influence of Big Food, which cares nothing about our health but their
profits.
Will more research convince our society and Big Food that we need to
change? Not likely, given the above factors perpetuating the problem.
This may be why the recent study at the University of Utah that
essentially corroborated Warburg’s research also concluded that the high
levels of sugar in people’s blood are not related to diet.
I know… it’s hard to believe.
Another recent study showed that the glycosylation of gluten
plays a role in its allergenicity in afflicted people.
This means that gluten allergies may not occur if we modify our diets by
cutting down on the bad sugars that stick to proteins like gluten. It is
the process of glycosylation of the gluten that makes it allergenic, or
immunologically problematic.
And, will we heed the study that just showed that obesity in women
will soon become the #1 cause of cancer in women? M these
researchers concluded that “we need to find the biological mechanism
to help people find other ways of tackling obesity. Just telling the
population to lose weight obviously has not worked.”
Obviously. They don’t know the mechanism because they have not read
Warburg’s research. It is the hyperinsulinemia that compromises our
immune/detoxification pathways, mostly in the liver and gut.
But, such is human nature: we don’t like reading about the work of our
ancestors (think of history repeating itself.) We worship youth and
denigrate gray hair. Our economic situation is but another reflection of
this folly.
We will not solve the diabesity epidemic until we face our addiction to
sugar and our corrupt economic system that cares nothing about social
responsibility.
Hugo Rodier, MD
The
80% solution
As we continue to argue how to finance our broken health care system I
am struck by how little is being said about the best and cheapest way to
do it: prevention and helping people change their toxic lifestyles (see
October blog). As previously documented,
80% of chronic health problems would disappear if we focused on
nutrition, exercise, and a few other simple things. The article “Lifestyle
and Cardiovascular Health; individual and societal choices”
noted that if 4 out of 6 factors (BMI <25, vigorous exercise, DASH diet,
modest alcohol intake, non narcotic analgesics use < once per week and
intake of 0.4 mg folic acid), then 78% of hypertension in women could be
prevented. The lower BMI factor accounted for half of the effect. The
lifetime risk of heart failure could be cut in half, from 205 to 10%, a
fact corroborated by another study on the DASH diet.
The JAMA concluded that this is a “compelling reminder that health is
the shared responsibility of individuals and communities.”
More articles recently published on the 80% solution:
* “Close
adherence to a Mediterranean diet improves endothelial function
in subjects with abdominal obesity,” American J. Clinical Nutrition
2009;90:263
* “Enhancement
of a Modified Mediterranean-Style, Low Glycemic Diet with Specific
Phytochemicals Improves Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Subjects with
Metabolic Syndrome and Hypercholesterolemia in Randomized trial,”
J. Nut Met 2008;5:29
* The
Mediterranean diet for 5 years = better cognition, JAMA
2009;302:627
*
Trans-fats low diet reduces risk of Macular Degeneration,
J. Archives Ophthalmology 2009;127:674
* DASH diet
also good for Alzheimer’s Disease, USU study, SLT July 16th
2009
Is
your mercury rising?
No fish in the USA is free of mercury. And my hometown, Salt Lake City
is the most polluted with mercury in the USA,
thanks to the copper mine in our backyard. Coal and gold mining in Utah
and Nevada contribute to the problem.
So, should you give up eating fish? No, but you may avoid the streams
and rivers where the problem is worse and limit fish consumption to
twice a week. But, never eat tuna steaks, mackerel, swordfish, or
shark.
Sadly, salmon is now recommended to be eaten only once a month, because
its generous fat stores more mercury.
You would do well to maintain very good gut/liver function with a good
diet; do an intestinal/liver cleanse every year with probiotics,
friendly bacteria and fiber. EDTA and DMSA once a year are not a
bad idea. They are safe, over the counter chelating agents.
EDTA has been shown to decrease oxidative stress on our DNA and lipids.
Cilantro,
chlorella,
chitosan,
MSM,
vitamin E
and garlic
are also helpful in reducing serum mercury levels.
Adrenals and depression
Stress is a mayor factor in
depression . Reducing stress or leaning to handle it better are
obviously helpful. But, the concept that stress causes depression by its
direct effect on the adrenal glands needs more daylight.
This is particularly true when it comes to the malfunction of the HPA
axis noticed in children who have suffered sexual, emotional and/or
physical abuse.
Raising awareness about this ugly issue is a must. Therapy is available,
but often not applied, since it seems more convenient in many cases to
deny that such a problem exists. Psychotherapy and even medications may
be necessary. Even some supplementation to strengthen the function of
the adrenal glands may help. DHEA
and Panax ginseng
have been found to be helpful in the treatment of depression.
Untreated adrenal dysfunction is quite common in the setting of multiple
chronic health problems, especially chronic fatigue.
“N-Acetylcysteine:
multiple clinical applications”
This is one of the supplements I take on a daily basis. It is a vital
amino acid in the production of glutathione, the master antioxidant that
does practically everything in our bodies. Since I have a rather weak
liver (I am a cheap drunk: under the table with one glass of wine…) I
chose NAC to help me detoxify.
The research is so good that NAC is already a pharmaceutical product (Mucomyst)
used to thin out mucous secretions in lung patients and in the ER to
detoxify Tylenol overdoses. One may safely take 600-1,800 mg a day.
These are some of the benefits of NAC:
Prevention
of COPD exacerbations and pulmonary fibrosis
Prevention
of contrast-induced kidney damage during imaging procedures
Attenuation
of flu symptoms and adjunct for H. pylori treatment
Treatment
of infertility in PCOS not responding to clomiphene
Cancer
prevention
Prophylaxis
against gentamycin-induced hearing loss in dialysis patients.
Treatment
of Trichotillomania: pulling one’s own hair.
Shining light on MS
Vitamin D seems to help MS.
Patients getting 14,000 IU had a 16% chance of relapse; 38% of the
control group relapsed. There is a higher incidence of MS in people
exposed to less sunlight in infancy. In the US we only get 6 months of
adequate exposure. One of the functions of vitamin D is to stimulate the
immune system; MS seems to be an autoimmune problem.
Supplementing 40,000 IU/day resulted in serum levels around 420 nmol/L.
The safe level has been reported to be 250. But, no problems were seen,
even while taking calcium 1,200 mg/day.
“We believe that vitamin D intake up to 40K IU/day for a brief period
of time and 10k IU/day for a year appears to demonstrate biochemical
safety, evidence of clinical benefit, and evidence of decreased T cell
proliferation.”
Here are more recent articles on the benefits of vitamin D:
* Vitamin D
5,000 IU in nursing home to get level >75, AJCN 2009;89:1132
* Vitamin D
50,000 IU per week for 8 weeks in deficient patients helps
fibromyalgia,
J. Endocrine Practice 2009;15:203
* Vitamin D
deficiency is prevalent in women with breast cancer;
supplementing it would presumably lower the risk, J. Clinical
Oncology 2009;27:2151
*
Differences in Vitamin D levels may explain racial disparity in
Peripheral Artery Dz.
AJCN 2008;88:1469
* Higher
vitamin D deficiency seen in those most at risk: black teens, women,
obese
J. Pediatrics 2009;123:797
* Lower
vitamin D levels decreases cognition, J. Neurol, Neurosur, Psy,
May 21 2009
* Single
dose of 300,000 IU of vitamin D OK all at once in elderly patients
with hyperparathyroidism, J. Bone Mineral Metabolism
2008;26:603
* “Vitamin
D supplementation enhances the beneficial effects of weight loss on
cardiovascular disease risk markers,”
AJCN 2009 89: 1321
“Exploring
the Causes of Parkinson’s Disease, PD”
It has taken a while for mainstream medicine to acknowledge the mountain
of evidence pointing to Inflammation from pesticides, head injury and
genetics as the reason we are seeing so many people get PD. This is
likely because pesticides use in our society is widespread, which is
unlikely to change given how our economy works.
“More than 20 case control or prospective population
studies have shown an association between PD and pesticides.”
Paraquat has 2-3X higher risk of PD. Occupational and residential
use of pesticides is also associated with PD. In fact, 150 days of home
gardening with pesticides is associated with a 70% higher risk of PD; 30
days of exposure with a 40% risk. Just having pesticides in the home for
77 days increases the risk by 70%.
Specifically, toxins like pesticides may cause an increase in reactive
oxygen species (oxidative stress) and mitochondrial dysfunction. As you
know, the mitochondria are specialized cells within cells in charge of
turning food into energy and information that our cells need to do their
job.
The best way to deal with this problem is to eat as organic as possible.
Cruciferous veggies and supplementing their main nutrients,
Indole-3-Carbinol and Sulpharanes helps the liver detoxify
pesticides.
Salt Lake
Tribune, August 22nd 2009
JAMA
2009;302:437, 394, 401
Salt Lake
Tribune, August 20th 2009
J.
Toxicology 1997;116:67
J.
Alternative Medicine Review 2009;14:56
J.
Acupuncture Electrotherapy Research 1996;21:133
J. Explore
(German) 1997;8:54
Marine
Sciences Center, Montreal 1974
J.
Environmental Health Perspectives 1998;106:s1017
“Major
Depressive Disorder and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis
Activity,”
J. Archives General
Psychiatry. 2009;66(6):617-626
“Elevated
Inflammatory Levels in Depressed adults with a History of
Childhood Maltreatment,”
J. Archive of
General Psychiatry 2008;65:409
“Influence of Child Abuse on
Adult Depression: moderation by the Corticotropin-Releasing
Hormone receptor gene,” J. Archives General Psychiatry
2008;65:190
J.
Archives Gen Psy 2005;62:154
J.
Ethnopharmacology 1994;44:131
“Researchers
Find Clues to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” JAMA 2006;295:2466
J.
American Family Physician 2009 ;80 :265
J.
Archives General Psychiatry. 2009;66(7):756-763
“Is
Vitamin D a Ray of Hope for Patients With MS?” J. Neurology
Reviews July 2009, page 1
J.
Neurology Reviews July 2009, page 1
J.
Environmental Health Perspectives 2001;109:845
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
� Number 9
� September 2009
EDITOR’S NOTE
As the debate for health care reform rages
(see my last few blogs if you want to get mad at me) I
cannot help feeling frustrated and a bit hopeless, which
no doubt is contributing to my hair graying.
Lost in the ideology flung around from both sides is the
real work that must take place to regain our health as a
society and as individuals. Unless we focus on people’s
lifestyles, nutrition, relationships (to the community,
family, and the environment) we will continue to throw
money away and deny patients the chance to optimize
their health.
One good bit of news: some doctors are
beginning to ask their patients if they are using any
“alternative” therapies, apparently ready to tolerate
them.
If your doctor has shown an interest, feel free to share
this website with him/her.
Hugo Rodier, MD
Junk food just got worse
A disturbing report came out saying that
High Fructose Corn Syrup, HFCS, is contaminated by the
mercury found in the caustic soda used in HFCS
processing.
Product Mercury
parts per trillion
Quaker oatmeal 350
Jack Daniel’s 300
Hershey’s syrup 257
Kraft barbecue sauce 200
Kellog’s cereal bars 180
Manwich sauce
150
Grape jelly
130
Smucker’s jelly
100
Pop tarts
100
Hunt’s Ketchup 87
Wish bone dressing 72
Coca cola classic 62
Yoplait strawberry yogurt 60
Minute maid punch 40
Yoo hoo chocolate drink 30
Nesquik chocolate milk 30
Kemps chocolate milk 30
“Surprises from Celiac Disease, CD”
When I was in Medical School we were told
that wheat/gluten allergy was quite rare. It turns out
that 1% of people have a problem with gluten exposure,
especially those that are genetically susceptible and
have intestinal permeability, or leaky gut.
Unfortunately, leaky gut is becoming more common because
of our toxic diets, overuse of chemicals, especially
antibiotics, chlorinated/fluoridated water and a lack of
fiber in our diets.
The same factors are seen in other
autoimmune disorders (Diabetes, MS, Rheumatoid
arthritis, Thyroiditis, Chron’s and Ulcerative Colitis.)
Consequently, the authors feel that the treatment of
celiac disease “may ameliorate other conditions.”
Well, knock me over with a feather; the relationship
between autoimmune diseases and an inflamed gut won the
Nobel Prize in 1908. These simple concepts are at the
heart of what I feel needs to be done to cure 80% of the
chronic problems that afflict people. Thankfully, these
neglected facts are beginning to get more ink in our
best scientific journals. Naturopaths and other
like-minded health workers have been TOILing
with these issues for more than a hundred years.
Here are the main points in this remarkable
article:
·
There was a drop in death rate from 35%
to zero in children affected by CD in the
Netherlands with a bread shortage in WWII. The death
rate went back up when bread was reintroduced in their
diets.
·
Intestinal inflammation: villi, or
little hair-like projections in the lining of the
intestines is flattened; poor nutrition and absorption
results. CD triggers the formation of an antibody to the
enzyme tissue transglutaminase. This antibody may
be used to diagnose CD, but the false negatives may be
as high as 70%. Even an intestinal biopsy may fail to
diagnose the problem. An elimination diet is the best
way to explore the possibility of CD, or its
predecessor, an allergy to gluten.
·
Symptoms have escaped detection:
fatigue, joint pain, abdominal pain, bloating,
constipation/diarrhea, weight loss, vomiting, anemia,
arthritis, depression, infertility, numbness in
hands/feet, osteoporosis, short stature, skin lesions,
epilepsy, dementia, schizophrenia, and seizures.
·
Partially digested gluten (amino acids
glutamine and proline) sneak across leaky mucosa; this
triggers an immune system reaction, especially in people
with HLA-DQ2 and DQ8 genetics.
·
Zonulin is an intestinal protein
released when the gut is exposed to toxins: it loosens
tight junctions between intestinal cells which leads to
leaky gut The same problem is seen in autoimmune
diseases.
·
Future treatment: vaccine, drugs to
degrade gluten, zonulin blockers, HLA blockers to avoid
attachment to gluten peptides that T helper cells will
detect, T helper cells blockers. They are even
considering starting a hookworm infection to dampen the
host’s immune response.
·
The best treatment: avoid
gluten. This is very important in the 1st
12months of life in babies with genetic susceptibility.
In my practice I find wheat intolerance in
about 10% of people. This is likely because of
self-selection: my patients tend to be highly motivated
people who, due to multiple gut issues, have already
decided that they must change their diet. Most of them
don’t have CD, but the beginning of an allergy to wheat
or grains with gluten. When the problem is relentless
and it involves more serious gut involvement we may then
call this common problem CD.
If one has CD, or a gluten intolerance, one
could buy one of many books on the market and/or join a
support group. I tell my patients that the most
important things to remember are rather simple, albeit
hard to do:
(1)
All processed foods have gluten. This includes
items like ketchup, steak sauce, etc. Grains that have
gluten: wheat, rye, barley, oats.
(2)
Friend, family, churches, restaurants, work, etc
will have gluten treats, breads and pasta readily
available.
(3)
One may eat all the bread, cereals, chips,
tortillas and pasta they want at home. They will have
bought these items made with non-gluten grains they have
tested after their elimination diet.
(4)
If problems persist, consider the possibility
that your genetic makeup may not be conducive to eating
grains or legumes.
Big Pharma’s business practices
As you know, statin drugs to lower
cholesterol were originally extracted from fermented red
rice, a product widely used in China for centuries. The
fact that pharmaceutical companies have lobbied to get
red rice off the shelves attests to its efficacy and to
the rapacious behavior of Big Pharma, whose main
interest is profits, not our health.
The attempts to disenfranchise red rice are
not unique. There has been a systematic effort to
discredit non-pharmaceutical products that may cut into
their profits; ironically, the items most vilified seem
to be the ones Big Pharma has copied from Mother Nature.
The article “Drug Discovery and Natural Products: end
of an era or an endless frontier?”
makes the following points:
-
“By
1990 about 80% of drugs were either natural products
or analogs inspired by them…[but after that only]
50%.”
-
New
discoveries in biochemistry and nutrition science
will likely continue to feed the pharmaceutical
industry with new ideas.
-
Examples
of drugs that have been extracted from natural
products: penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin,
ivermectin, quinine, artemisinin, statin drugs,
cyclosporine, rapamycin, taxol, doxorubin
I could add deplin, alpha lipoic acid, omega
oils, rozerem, tamiflu, resveratrol, vitamin D, niacin,
N-acetyl cysteine, etc, etc.
Next time you are told that there is no
evidence for “alternative” (the pejorative term they
have coined to mean non-pharmaceutical) medicine, just
smile. Will some of those practitioners ever see past
their conditioning? Let’s hope so.
One of my most favorite herbs: “Curcumin.”
Curcumin/turmeric became a pharmaceutical
product in India. It is easy to see why. Curcumin is the
only herb I take. Here is why:
-
Antioxidant, J.
Biochem Pharmacology 1976;25:1811
-
Anti
inflammatory, J.
Pharmacology Research 1999;39:41
-
Antibacterial, J.
Agricultural Food Chemistry 1999;47:4297
-
Anticancer, J.
Anticancer Research 2003;23:363, J. Cancer
Epidemiology Biomarkers Prev
2005;14:120, J Digestion
2006;74:140, J. Food Chem Tox 2009;47:377
-
Fatty
liver in obesity, J.
Endocrinology 2009;150:3011
-
Injury
healing, British J.
Pharmacology 2003;139:209
-
Rheumatoid arthritis,
J. Natural Products 2006;69:351
-
Pancreatitis, Am J.
Physiology Gastrointl Liver Phys 2003;284:G85
-
Post-op
healing, Int J. Clin
Pharmacol Therapy Toxicology 1986;24:651
-
Uveitis,
J. Phytotherapy
Research 1999;13:318
-
Ulcers,
Southeast Asian J.
Tropical Med Public Health 2001;32:208
-
Irritable
Bowel Syndrome, J.
Review Gastrointestinal Disorders 2001;1:2
-
Chron’s,
Ulcerative Colitis,
J. Digestion Diseases Science 2005;50:191
This review article left out 3 important functions of
curcumin:
·
Curcumin helps depression, especially
stress-induced
J. Brain Research 2006;1122:56
·
Curcumin helps reduce obesity/insulin
resistance
Journal of Nutrition, May 2009; 139
(5): 1042
·
Curcumin reduces high blood pressure
Journal of Clinical Investigation,
March 2008
Herbal Update
Vitex agnus helps PMDD or PMS
J. Maturitas March 6th 2009
St John’s Wort
also helps in menopause
J. Menopause Feb 3
2009
Rhodiola helps relieve stress fatigue
J. Planta Medica 2009;75:105
Ginger is as effective as ibuprofen in menstrual
cramps
J. Alternative Medicine Feb 13th
2009
Ginger also helps nausea in pregnancy, J.
Altern Comp Med 2009;15:243
Silymarin, or milk thistle is safe and effective
for hepatitis
J. Phytomedicine 2009;16:391
Silymarin is also a safe and effective
galactogogue (milk secretion.)
J. Acta Biomed 2008;79:205
Gingko is as effective as the Alzheimer’s drug
donepezil
Combining the two is more effective; also
fewer side effects are seen
J. Aging Mental Health 2009;13:183
Green tea helps with weight loss
J. Alternative Medicine Review 2009;14:154
Stress, #1 factor in graying hair, J. Cell June
12th 2009
“Are You
Talking to Your Patients About CAM?” J.
American Family Physician 2009;80:228
J. Scientific
American, August 2009, page 54
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
� Number 8
� August 2009
EDITOR’S NOTE
Since you are reading this newsletter, chances are good
that you, like me, are a bit of an outsider, and an
independent thinker. People like us are felt to be
inconvenient gadflies by most. Occasionally, we feel
isolated from the “madding crowd” we sometimes
find a bit blinded by “bread and circus.” And,
occasionally we run into someone who appreciates our
input, out thoughts and our “out-of –the –box”
approach to life. Such is the case with researchers at
BYU who found that “Outsiders Facilitate Better
Decisions: socially distinct newcomers help solve
problems.”
You, like me, may get tired of always being on the wrong
side of issues; perhaps you also entertain thoughts of
retiring and fade into the sunset. I hope you don’t.
Society needs your input, even thought most people don’t
know this. Hang in there. Help me pass these ideas on so
that we may improve our fellowman’s health. Hugo Rodier,
MD
Homecoming
Even though I have reported on the
devastating effects of childhood abuse on our health as
we grow up, I am compelled to update you because this is
such a tough and common problem; I estimate that 1/3 of
my patients have serious chronic health problems
because of some emotional/physical/sexual trauma growing
up. It turns out that our very DNA/genes are altered by
those traumas; also, our brain receptors to
glucocorticoids are reduced,
which predisposes our body to more inflammation (aches
and pain for starters,) and also to a tendency to
obesity and diabetes.
I am afraid that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
patients are very likely to have a history of childhood
trauma. Unfortunately, these patients are often
dismissed with a prescription for Prozac, without
looking into the possibility of significant neuro-endocrine
dysfunction often seen in CFS.
Since I too have a history of child abuse, I
feel I can be a bit lighthearted about this dark
problem: whenever I see the “toilet paper role”
sign (a patient pulling out a very long list of
problems) I get suspicious that they are hacking at the
leaves of their problem, not at the roots: the childhood
trauma festering like a boil. Unfortunately, these
patients are often subtly dismissed from “cherry-picking”
clinics by neglect; sometimes they are overtly dismissed
with a referral to some specialist who is not likely to
help, but to add to the long list of treatments/drugs
already heaped on these patients. Worse, some of these
patients end up in clinics were hormones are overused.
True, these patients are likely to have
adrenal hypofunction. But, mild supplements like
ginseng, DHEA, licorice, ashwaganda are often
sufficient, given a good nutritional program high in
fluids and minerals. The best results are seen when the
patient is able to deal with the often forgotten trauma;
hopefully this leads to forgiveness. Then, the patient
is able to move on.
Most helpful for me was reading Bradshaw’s
book “Homecoming.” Even though it is written for
recovering alcoholics, I highly recommend it for anyone
with childhood issues of any kind. It is a very good
workbook that gets you to revisit all the trauma and
toxic history with the eyes of an adult. Memories are
stored with the cognitive/emotional capacity of a child,
not an adult. But, they have a powerful effect on the
adult. So, when re-interpreted with the extra wisdom,
maturity and experience one has mustered with growth,
said memories lose their powerful grip on our heart,
spirit and psyche.
A Gut Feeling
The studies on the importance of our
friendly organisms are exploding in the medical
literature. Practically all diseases are turning out to
be associated with gut function; of course: that is
where we get the energy and information every cell in
our body needs to carry out its function. For instance
43% of Autistic children may have problems with
their ecology in the gut.
(This newsletter has explored the brain-gut connection
several times in the past.)
Probiotics are now almost routinely used for intestinal
problems in preschoolers
and adults alike. However, don’t fall for the Yogurt
commercials; you would need 1,000 servings of yogurt
to get an adequate amount of probiotics.
I recommend getting capsules of probiotics, or
make the yogurt yourself with good cultures and soy,
rice or almond milk. Health food stores have
instructions, or look them up on the internet.
More on the Gut
Here is another ground breaking article on the
ecology of the gut. When I see a real good one I do
bullet points so that you may study it in greater depth.
-
Small
Intestines Bacterial Overgrowth, SIBO,
associated with multiple health problems, even
outside the gut. So much for docs who continue to
discourage patients who feel an overgrowth of
organisms (including yeast) in the gut is making
them sick:
“Shifts in microbiota can cause yeast infections
and GI symptoms including bloating, abdominal; pain,
and diarrhea.”
-
Microbiota’s ability to detoxify chemicals and
toxins (that is one of their many functions) greatly
alters action of pharmaceuticals. In other words, a
prescription drug may work differently on you, given
your own signature gut colonization.
-
It takes
1 month for intestinal flora to recover after a 5
day course of antibiotic ciprofloxacin. “But
a few types of bacteria failed to recover even 6
months later… some remained disrupted up to 2 years
after a 7 day course of clindamycin.” So, don’t
rush to take an antibiotic: you are beating up on
your small friends. Speaking of friends:
“New generations are growing up without our ancient
companion, H. Pylori to orchestrate their gastric
hormones….[H. pylori] is now also thought to modulate
immunologic, endocrine, and physiologic functions in the
stomach.”
As H. pylori levels decrease we are seeing more
esophageal cancer. I am one of those docs who feel we
rushed too fast into blaming this bacteria for ulcers.
True, they are found in ulcer craters, but only as an
opportunistic bug that perpetuates the initial
inflammation. In other words, H. Pylori takes advantage
of the break down in the mucosal lining of the stomach.
-
Gut flora
mutations from poor diets, excessive antibiotics,
chlorinated water, etc. may lead to obesity and
diabetes. Our intestinal flora gets used to the
sweet garbage one eats. Then, they send you messages
to the brain so that you go out to the store to get
them the food they have grown accustomed to. Are you
being controlled by these little one’s whims and
cravings? The wrong organisms in the gut also
mess up your ability to process calories
optimally; you and I may eat the same amount of
calories, but the one colonized by the sugar-craving
bugs may absorb more calories from the same meal
than the one with a healthier gut flora.
-
Brain-gut connection: stressed rats at birth had
markedly altered microbiota. Autism shows altered
gut flora. This article estimates that 91% of
them have GI problems. They have more clostridium
species of intestinal bacteria, which produce
enterotoxins and neurotoxins. Also, antibiotic
use increases gut flora’s absorption of mercury and
its ability to detoxify that heavy metal, which is a
neurotoxin; this may lead to autism symptoms.
-
Most of
the genes we carry around belong to our intestinal
flora. The NIH is trying to map out all those
foreign genes within us. The Human Microbiome
Project is the USA’s equivalent to the European
Union’s program Metagenomics of the Human
Intestinal Tract. Both will lead to personalized
medicine based on intestinal tract ecology.
“Olive Leaf”
The basis of the Mediterranean diet is olive
oil. The leaf is worth having, too:
-
From the
olive tree. Active ingredients: secoiridoids,
hydroxytyrosol, polyphenols, triterpines and
flavonoids. The main ingredient is oleuropein,
which protects the fruits and leaves from pathogens
and insects
-
Actions: hypotensive/vasodilatory,
antimicrobial, including malaria, antioxidant/anti
inflammatory, hypoglycemic. All these actions help
lower the risk of heart disease, especially
its anti-platelet effect: Olive leaf extract taken
for 8 weeks decreased blood pressure, cholesterol.
-
Most cold
viruses and parasites were neutralized in vitro
studies
-
Rat
studies showed improved thyroid function
-
Olive
leaf is best tolerated with food in 500-2,000 mg
range. It is quite safe.
“What is Wrong with Cancer Tests”
That is the title of a mainstream article;
don’t shoot the messenger.
-
Many
experts feel that early detection of breast cancer,
prostate cancer may not do any good. “Tests
may be picking up small cancers that would never
have caused any symptoms…Once they are
diagnosed, almost everybody gets treated-and we know
that treatment can cause harm… Screening’s
power to cut risk of dying has been wildly
overinflated… By the time cancer is big
enough to be seen on a mammogram or other test, it’s
already sent seeds to other parts of the body.”
-
Detecting small cancers may not do any good. In
Denmark a study showed that 39% of middle aged women
who died of other causes had breast cancer at
autopsy. 60% of men at age 60 have undetected
prostate cancer; yet only 3% of deaths are due to
this cancer
-
Only the
pap smear has shown a decreased in the risk of death
-
Inflated numbers: colon cancer mortality drops
by 60% with colonoscopies. But, mortality is really
reduced from 2.3% down to 0.9%. “A benefit, yes,
but not necessarily big enough to outweigh all other
considerations.” If ½ of those people advised to
have a colonoscopy did it, it would cost $110+
million dollars/year
-
Better
tests in the pipeline:
Oncotype DX test measures the activity of
21 genes in tumor cells to calculate the likelihood of
the cancer reoccurring in 10 years.
ERG and PCA3 genes: if they are inactive in
prostate cancer cells, aggressive therapy could be
avoided.
You have a family history
You have a risky mutation, like BRCA
1&2 for breast
cancer
You have already had cancer
You have another serious illness (it
may do you in before the cancer)
You are under 50 or over 70
You are significantly afraid of being
harmed by treatment you don’t need
CTs involve a lot of radiation
MRIs for back pain are unnecessary
Back Surgery, Knee surgeries
Angioplasties or stents add no
survival value over drugs and lifestyle changes, unless
you’re in the middle, or aftermath of a heart attack
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,
April 2009
J. Ann Int Med 2001;134:917
J. Nature Neuroscience 2009;12:342
“Childhood Trauma and Risk for Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome: association with
neuroendocrine dysfunction,” J. Arch
Gen Psy 2009;66:72
“GI Disorders Common in Autistic Children,”
J. Family Practice News, March 2009, page 23
“Probiotics use Cut GI Infections in
Preschoolers,”
J. Family Practice News, March 2009, page 22
“Most Yogurt No Match for Infection,”
Annual Meeting North American Society for
Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Salt
Lake City, 2007
“Gut Reaction: environmental effects on the
human microbiota,”
J.
EHP May 2009 volume 117, Number 5.
J. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, January
2008
J. Alternative Medicine Review 2009;14:62
J. Readers Digest, April 2009, page 88
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
� Number 7
� July 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
Last month
I saw a patient who lost 200 lbs by simply (I
don’t say it lightly) coming to terms with his
refined sugar addiction. He is delighted and so am
I.
Let’s
compare him to the young woman I saw a few days ago: she
demanded that I refill her amphetamine-like prescription
(phentermine, which quits working after 3 months) and
her thyroid hormone, both of which were erroneously
prescribed by another provider. The fact that these two
drugs had not worked was not obvious to her. When I
said that I was not going to comply with her refill
request (which often earns me the reputation of “not
listening” with these type of patient) she became
angry and confrontational. Perhaps I was too direct, but
I doubt it, since I have been doing this type of
counseling for years now and I have a lot of gray hair
to show for it.
What is
really disturbing in her case was her statement that she
will never eat veggies. Why won’t she? In my opinion,
her addiction to sugar is so pronounced she is unable to
taste the natural sugars found in veggies or any other
natural food.
Such is
the power of the addiction our society suffers. I
compare it to an alcohol addiction. Before you say that
this is a tortured analogy, let me remind you that
alcohol is a fermented sugar. Alcohol and refined sugars
in our diet have an active neurological effect on our
neurotransmitter receptors, particularly in our brains’
thermostat. Also, these receptors are shared by opioids,
endorphins and valium-like drugs. Do you get the
picture?
Unfortunately, sexual/physical abuse in early childhood
contributes to our thermostat dysfunction. And, believe
it or not, toxins in the environment, including
artificial sweeteners in diet soda pop and toxic
microbes in our gut compound the addiction to sugar.
A final
word of advice: quit relying on sale pitches (herbs,
drugs, gadgets, fad diets, etc.) If you want to lose
weight, look in the mirror and say: I am a sugar-holic.
Also ask yourself if there is a history of childhood
emotional trauma and work out 60 minutes a day. I
sincerely wish you the success my first patient has
seen.
Hugo
Rodier, MD
“Doc, I can’t lose weight and
I am tired: I need thyroid”
If I had a dollar for
each time I have heard this I would have a small
fortune.
Many of these patients
come in, angry that other docs have not prescribed
thyroid “because the blood levels were normal.”
Most of them hope that I, as a bit of a maverick in the
medical field, will produce the coveted prescription,
only to be disappointed that I agree with the standard
of care in this field, and for that matter, with the
standards of prescribing practically all medications (I
do not agree with the standards of care when it comes to
non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as nutrition.)
We have known for a
while that people may develop “thyroid resistance,”
much like we may develop insulin resistance. In fact, “studies
of insulin resistance in patients with clinical and
subclinical hypothyroidism”
continue to appear, establishing the fact that most
thyroid problems are due to our diets and environmental
toxins;
the latter contribute to cell membrane toxicity and
hormonal dysfunction. It is not just refined sugars that
may trigger thyroid disease, but refined wheat.
(If you would like to study “resistance” at the
cellular level take a look at the articles I have posted
on my website.)
So, stop blaming your
thyroid and see if you might have a nutritional problem.
Remember that insulin resistance is linked to obesity.
The relationship between weight thyroid exists, but in
most cases obesity is the cause of thyroid
dysfunction, not the consequence: hyperinsulinemia
diminishes the rate of conversion or activation of T4 to
T3.
So, you may need to
look in the mirror, again…
[By the way, the “man in the mirror”
passed away last month…]
Exercise tip
Last month I stated
that sometimes exercise advice from docs may fall on
deaf ears, particularly if the patient is overworking
just to make ends meet. Hopefully that statement was not
interpreted as po-pooing exercise altogether. On the
contrary, exercise is very well documented activity; its
benefits are far reaching. It would be most beneficial
for your insulin resistance issues (diabesity) if you
could work out over 150 minutes a week and combine
aerobic (i.e. running) and resistance training
(weight-lifting.)
Eat fiber!
The epidemic of obesity
began when Americans decreased the amount of fiber they
consume. Most people now eat 5-10 grams a day, far below
the recommended amounts:
Men <50 38 grams
Men >50 31
Women <50 24
Women >50 21
How did this happen?
We turned to refined foods which are very low in fiber.
This causes many problems, like increasing the rapid
absorption of sugars from the gut. The result is a
negative metabolic reaction that increases the addiction
to sugar and the stress on the system that is then
required to produce more insulin, faster and faster.
Since the rising levels of insulin subsequently trigger
hypoglycemia, we rush to eat more or the sweets
that started the problem in the first place: we are then
caught in a vicious cycle.
Consuming fiber lowers
your risk of gaining weight
by avoiding that vicious cycle. Remember that most fiber
is in fruits and veggies, not grains. Also, remember
guar gum fiber, arguably the best fiber to
supplement for weight issues. I recommend 5 grams 1hour
before each meal: it helps you reduce the absorption of
sugars from the gut.
There are many other
benefits to fiber consumption. Let me tell you a story:
Dr. Burkitt (a
fearsome childhood cancer bears his name) did a lot of
work in Africa, where he noted that the people with the
biggest, bulkiest stools had less cancer. When he
presented his observations he was not well received by
his fellow physicians in the USA. However, time
vindicated his astuteness; now we know that fiber does
decrease the risk of many cancers. Remember the Nobel
Prize winning research of Metchnikoff: 60% of our immune
system is in the intestinal tract. A lot of it is the
friendly bacteria that live therein, which needs good “prebiotics,”
or fiber to thrive.
Low blood sugar
When I first started
practicing in SLC I had several patients tell me that
the diagnosis of “hypoglycemia” was not
well accepted elsewhere, despite their obvious
improvement with dietary changes. It is not hard to
understand that high sugar diets will trigger the
release of a lot of insulin, which sticks around to
lower sugar rather precipitously. This causes the
release of several hormones, particularly epinephrine,
which makes people shake, feel dizzy and speed up their
hearts.
This is why now we see
that hypoglycemia increases mortality in hospitalized
patients who have had a heart attack.
It may drive you crazy to read that hypoglycemia in type
II diabetics also increases the risk of dementia.
Confused about Homocysteine?
Homocysteine goes up
when we don’t have enough B vitamins in our diets.
Initially, we saw a
flurry of articles saying that this toxin is associated
with heart disease and several other conditions, like
strokes and dementia. Subsequent research cooled down
the early enthusiasm. Some docs are now downright
hostile if the “H” word comes up, fueling their dim
views of anything non-pharmaceutical/nutritional.
But, like we often see
in nutritional research, negative studies about food are
to be taken with a grain of salt. A significant
proportion of these studies fail to take into account
individual differences on how people process nutrients.
Just like we see with “pharmacogenetics,”
some of us do not process certain nutrients like the
majority of people.
Interestingly, the very
principle that some are willing to concede to drug
research (pharmacogenetics) is not easily applied to
food science, despite the well documented fields of “nutrigenomics
and nutrigenetics.”
So, I was happy to see
yet another article saying that the reason some studies
on homocysteine no longer show an association with heart
disease is because researchers are not looking into
5-methyltetrahydrofolate genetic variances.
This simply means that some people cannot process B
vitamins once ingested; they are the ones who will have
more oxidation of the lining of their blood vessels. In
other words, homocysteine is indeed toxic in those who
have the mutation in the MTHF gene. If a study does not
consider this genetic mutation, the toxic effect of
homocysteine may not be apparent.
And, wouldn’t you know
it. The pharmaceutical industry has known about this for
some time; they have marketed 5-mehtytetrahydrofolate
(found OTC) as a drug, Deplin, to treat
inflammation/oxidation of the brain: depression.
Remember that we also need B vitamins to turn amino
acids in our diet to neurotransmitters. For example,
tryptophan is the substrate from which our body
makes serotonin.
All this may be
a bit complicated, even unnecessary: just quit eating
processed food! It is too low in B vitamins…
Telegraphed articles
Soy reduces the risk of colon cancer
J. Nutrition 2009;139:474
Soy lowers the risk of gastric cancer
J. Nutrition 2009;139:1008
Soy does not increase breast density in
menopausal women
J. Nutrition 2009;139:981
[Are you still a soy-hater?]
Stress is the biggest factor in graying of hair
J. Cell, June 2009
A stay in the slammer raises the risk of
high blood pressure
J. Archives of Internal Medicine
2009;169:687
Teen night owls have higher rates of depression
NIH/Columbia University, June 2009
Seaweed improves sexual/hormonal balance in
menopause
J. Nutrition 2009;139:939
Pre pregnancy obesity linked to postpartum
depression
J. Family Practice news, March 2009, page 19
Probiotics reduce liver inflammation seen with
high fat diets
J. Nutrition 2009;139:905
Cinnamon extract protects the liver against
alcohol induced injury
J. Nutrition 2009;139:5482
Moderate alcohol intake reduces insulin
resistance
J. Metabolism Clinical & Experimental
2009;58:387
The purple pill increases risk of hospital
acquired pneumonia
JAMA 2009;301:2120
Carotenoids in our diet lower risk of metabolic
syndrome
J. Nutrition 2009;139:987
CoQ10 improves arterial lining in diabetic
patients on cholesterol drugs
J. Diabetes Care 2009;32:810
Quercetin helps leaky gut symptoms
J. Nutrition 2009;139:965
Green and Black tea lower the risk of strokes
J. Stroke 2009 Feb 19: Epub
Higher overall adiposity, especially the beer-belly, is
associated with more Restless Legs
J. Neurology April 2009
J.
Annals of Internal Medicine 1995;123:572
“Environmental chemicals and thyroid function,”
European J. Endocrinology 2006;154:599
“Thyroid related antibodies in celiac disease,”
J. Clinical Gastroenterology 2002;35:245
J. Metabolism Clinical and Experimental
2005;54:1524
“Nutrigenomics
and Nutrigenetics: the emerging faces of
nutrition,”
J. FASEB 2005;19:1602
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
� Number 6
� June 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
Two years ago the State of Utah commissioned the formation of task forces
to look into improving health care by 2010 by reviewing
issues like finances, accessibility, reimbursement, etc.
It has been an honor for me to serve on the committee on
Wellness, which means focusing on maximizing
people’s health, not just treat diseases’ symptoms.
Last month we finally put together a list of final recommendations after
an all-day symposium in downtown Salt Lake City. Very
smart committee members focused almost entirely on
mind-body issues to bolster patients’ “self-efficacy,”
or their innate ability to pull themselves up by their
own bootstraps. This is not a new concept. For years now
health care experts across the globe have been barking
up that tree, but the health care establishment has not
been in a position to truly listen, until now, when we
are in crisis mode. Such “lateness” is not necessarily a
bad thing, but the modus operandi of mortal humans. What
is important is that we are finally poised to reform
health care system to make it more efficient,
egalitarian, cheaper, less chaotic and more accessible.
Dr. Bandura and many others have shown that the Acute model of
health care delivery (emergency-type of problems like
heart attacks, strokes, accidents, etc.) is very good as
it now stands. But, our clinics, hospitals and doctors,
lacking the knowledge to do otherwise, have been
applying these acute care tools like drugs and surgery
to Chronic care issues (diabetes, high blood
pressure, arthritis, etc) with unsatisfactory results.
This was not done out of malice, of course; just like we
see in any other arena, any change threatens those who
benefit the most from maintaining the status quo.
The wellness committee has prepared the following list of key words that
will likely reshape how we think about and how we
deliver health care in Utah in the near future: “hope,
internal control, self efficacy, purpose, especially
beyond the self, internal source of inspiration and
psychological or spiritual strength, and motivation for
self care.” Patients will be encouraged to gain a “basic
knowledge of what comprises good health and wellness in
the broadest sense, learn self care skills, appreciate
that achieving good health is a step by step process, a
journey.”
The health care system will create an environment that fosters “adequate
basic life resources, loving relationships,
connectedness, and effective support systems [that
promote] “personal choice in multiple possible
strategies, plans, measuring, reinforcement. Repetition
[of these principles] over time becoming sensitive
and responsive to natural internal tendencies for
wellness and healthy habits such as physical
activity, good nutrition and adequate sleep
[will] create even greater capacity for self care.”
I highlighted the part about nutrition,
physical activity and adequate sleep because they are my
forte. When it comes to mind-body issues I do my best in
my practice and in my personal life, but it was never
good enough for my ex-wife, so, I focus on more concrete
issues where I have a better batting average. This is
not to say I am a total “zero on the left” when it comes
to the touchy-feely stuff, but that the vast majority of
patients come to see me for more concrete solutions to
their illnesses, like how they can overcome their
chronic problems through nutrition. Most of them would
find it odd that I might prescribe “meditation” right
off the bat. Believe me, I tried this approach when I
was a young doc with poor results.
Over time, I have learned to engage
patients at the stage they are at, not where I am. I
do agree 100% agree that the mind/heart/spirit is the
best way to approach chronic illnesses, but, if the
patient has not yet come to that realization on their
own and they come in to have me help them with a more
concrete problem such as quitting their addiction to
sugar, I feel I must first gain their confidence, build
a relationship with them, and then see if they are
receptive to the real changes in their “self efficacy”
to improve their managing of their chronic problems.
After all, a sugar addiction is not just a physiologic
problem but a psychological and spiritual issue as well.
For instance, a month ago I sat through a
lecture at the medical school where docs-to-be were told
they should get their patients to exercise 30-60 minutes
a day. The lecturer was obviously an exercise buff
making a six-figure salary; he was tanned, well rested
and very smart. As usual, after the lecture the students
gathered in groups of 15 to kick around the topic for
that week, assisted by old docs like myself. I was
delighted to see them bring up the shadow-side of
across-the-board exercise recommendations to all
patients, just because a doctor feels strongly about it.
Don’t take me wrong, I agree with exercise
prescriptions; in fact, I am an exercise fanatic myself.
But, as the students discussed, it is not going to go
over well to recommend vigorous exercise to a man who
has to work 3 jobs to put bread on his family’s table.
I am sure at times I fail to engage patients
where they are best prepared to succeed. No doubt this
is why I “practice” medicine. Maybe I will get it
right by the time they put me out to pasture…. But
enough about what I think; the good news is that the
State of Utah is finally poised to do something about
the vexing problems we face in health care. And you are
going to be an integral part of that solution: “Patient,
Heal Thyself.”
Hugo Rodier, MD
Still addicted to soda pop?
If you are you may have missed the memo
notifying you that even diet soda pop makes us gain
weight. Why is that? Remember that food is energy and
information, just like everything else is in the
known Universe. While diet soda pop has no calories
(energy) it has a lot of toxic information like
the artificial sweeteners and who knows what else they
put in their secret formulas; toxins in pop alter the
function and structure of our cells’ membranes and DNA
which leads to insulin resistance, the beginning
of the slippery slide into diabesity.
Perhaps the 4 articles I found in my
literature search last month may help you get motivated
to kick the addiction to pop. The first one argues “sugar,
rum and tobacco are commodities which are nowhere
necessaries of life, which [have become] objects of
almost universal consumption, and which are therefore
extremely proper subjects of taxation.”
I agree; brace yourself to have your “vice” get a lot
more expensive. Yeah, yeah, you have a right to drink
whatever you want; I also agree (I sound like Tavia in
Fiddler on the Roof…) But, most of us don’t want to pay
for the consequences of pop drinking down the line; the
consumer should, through taxes.
The other articles point out the obvious:
hormonal changes caused by pop trigger metabolic
problems in our cells that lead to diabesity, insulin
resistance and cholesterol problems
while stopping soda pop helps you lose weight.
Do you know someone who drinks more than 2
quarts of pop a day? If you do, tell them their heart
may not beat very well. (Excessive pop causes a wide
range of problems well documented in this newsletter in
the past. Send me an Email at
www.hugorodier.com and I will send you my file on
previous article references on this problem.) It turns
out that pop lowers your potassium, a key mineral in
muscle function and nerve conduction.
Am I being a bit harsh calling pop-drinking
an addiction? I don’t believe so. How else would you
explain what you and I see on a regular basis at our
neighborhood grocery stores checkout counters? Obese
people dumping their pop, candy, chips and canned/bagged
goods on the belt, right along with the latest Hollywood
star’s plan for weight loss dramatically portrayed on
the cover of gossipy magazines?
Olive leaf
The dramatic salutary effects of olive oil,
rich in omega oils are well known. Let’s review the
benefits of the leaf today:
lower blood pressure and blood sugar, antioxidant, anti
clotting, anti inflammatory (all of which improve
heart/circulatory health), antimicrobial (viral,
including HIV, colds and the flu; bacterial, protozoan
and fungal.) It also helps with low thyroid issues. If
you wish to get the specific references for these
effects find the article in the footnotes. For instance,
olive leaf’s blood pressure lowering effect is due to
dilatation of blood vessels.
A punch in the gut
Dr. Metchnikoff won the Nobel Prize in
Medicine in 1908 for demonstrating how vital our gut
flora is. Thankfully his research is being resurrected
in the medical journals; it is helping alleviate
practically all diseases. It turns out that
environmental toxins, poor diets devoid of good
information (fiber, antioxidants, etc) and even
emotional stress may affect the little critters that
dwell inside our intestines.
An article came out under the review of the
U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences, National Institutes of Health and the
Department of Health and Human Services documenting how
our toxic environments are messing up the delicate
ecology of the 100 trillion + organisms that live in our
GI tract.
They are now considered “an organ in
that they perform functions essential for our survival.
And just as with the heart or the lungs, when an
environmental agent alters the function of the
microbiota, the results can be disease.” And
how do we thank them? We rain fiber-less bad foods
redolent with preservatives, colorings, artificial
sweeteners, trans fats, refined sugars, antibiotics,
hormones, fluoridated and chlorinated water, antacids
and purple pills, etc, etc.
Remember that messing with your intestinal
flora can cause you to gain weight, disrupt your immune
system and your brain-gut connection. In fact, “even
a one-time [course of antibiotics] can lead to long
term…health consequences.”
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
� Number 5
� May 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
As baby boomers we spend a lot of time
wondering about the aging process, particularly as the
economy crashes and retirement no longer seems a sure
thing. Tempting and illusory therapies multiply in hard
times. They promise “anti-aging” items to
increase their profits with little regard to side
effects. As previously denounced by the AMA
and by this newsletter, the purveyors of these
modalities often fail to advise patients that the surest
way to slow down the aging process is proper diets
and good relationships.
Perhaps most insidious of all these
questionable therapies is the use of hormones.
These unscrupulous practitioners use isolated, poorly
conceived and unconfirmed studies to justify their
prescribing of many hormones. The latest “hormone du
jour” seems to be HCG or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
to help people lose weight. While it may work, its
pushers do not warn people that they are playing with
fire. What about the future cost, or long term effects?
Have they not learned from past mistakes with thyroid,
sex hormones, adrenal hormones and growth hormone?
Apparently not.
I am particularly upset about this mode of
practice for several reasons. The main one, already
stated is the irresponsible way patients’ long term
health is ignored. This practice has infected the
neighborhood where I practice (Suburb in Salt Lake
City.) Sadly, saying “No” to patients who wish to
indulge in these hormonal shortcuts often earns me the
reputation of “not listening to the patient,” whereas
the practitioners who roll over and agree to “supply the
goods” are held in higher esteem by unsuspecting
patients who fail to be properly educated.
I compare these cheap shortcuts to my
heroes’ comedic routines: anyone can get a cheap laugh
by telling sexual jokes. The master comedians stick to
mundane routines like discussing lost socks in the
laundry. Another analogy would be baseball compared to
other sports, but I won’t torment you by elaborating.
Hugo Rodier, MD
Brain aging
As baby boomers get older we become more
preoccupied with the specter of brain degenerative
diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The only
thing that is felt to be of help is pharmaceutical
drugs. But, as you have read herein before, said
treatments are often marginally effective, expensive and
carry the risk of multiple side effects. Yet,
harmless non-pharmaceutical interventions are often
ignored even though many of them do have significant
evidence to support them. For instance, learning new
skills (languages, musical instruments, etc,) exercise,
good diets, avoiding all the risk factors that also lead
to heart disease (smoking alcohol, etc), stress
management and avoiding toxins in the environment do
lower the risk of winding up with compromise
neurological and cognitive function.
Even avoiding constipation may lower
the risk of neurodegeneration. Why? Constipation
compromises the detoxification or elimination of toxins
like pesticides that have been associated with
these diseases.
Here is a recent list of items that may help
keep your brain regenerating more effectively:
(see “newsletter archive” for more studies.)
Korean ginseng helps Alzheimer’s.
Improving blood flow to the brain may
prevent Alzheimer’s.
“Intake of Flavonoid Rich Wine, Tea and Chocolate
by Elderly is Associated with Better
Cognitive Test Performance.”
Herb Bacopa improves cognitive
function.
More on brain therapy
St John’s Wort helps depression. Its
long term use is safe and decreases relapses.
Parkinsonian patients should avoid antipsychotic
drugs: higher risk of mortality.
“Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs
[Increase] the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death.”
Antiepileptic drugs increase risk of suicidal
thoughts and behavior (FDA.)
Bone aging
Another worry we entertain is falling and
breaking a hip because of thinning bones. Capitalizing
on these fears we see osteopenia and osteoporosis
overly-demonized in order to sell pharmaceutical
products that also have marginal effectiveness and
significant side effects.
It would be much more honest and effective to educate
people on the reasons why bones thin out: refined
sugars, soda pop, wheat allergies, compromised
intestinal function and absorption of minerals,
etc.
Obviously eating better, preventing falls
and exercising decreases the chances of fractures. And
if you are not a soy-hater whose religious fervor keeps
you from looking at the evidence with an open mind, you
could try soy: a 3 year study of Genistein helped
bone formation without risks to breasts.
Developing arthritis is also another
preoccupation. A healthy life style and maintaining a
healthy gut significantly decrease our chances of
inflammatory diseases. Also, many herbs herein
highlighted can help without significant side effects.
Recently,
Garnicia kola
joined that list.
The common denominator to Brain and Bone? The
Bowel
While it may seem obvious to you, the bowel
is not only the common denominator to bones and brain,
but to every organ of the body. The Nobel-Prize winning
research of Metchnikoff a hundred years ago and the work
of Gershon have solidly placed the gut at the forefront
of function. But, modern medicine tends to forget,
mesmerized by the complexity of other organs,
particularly when the brain and heart don’t work as
expected in acute situations. But that has been the
problem, has it not? Our emphasis on ACUTE issues
overshadows CHRONIC issues, of which the bowels are king.
This is not to say we should ignore acute care issues,
but we need to do better with chronic disease. This
newsletter has already documented that experts are of
the opinion that chronic care is chaotic and not
cost-effective.
One way to help solve this imbalance is to
educate patients to manage their own chronic health
issues. And nothing is more important for patients to
understand is how nutrition and how it is processed in
the bowels will help them sustain health in every organ.
This is why I was delighted to see the article “Serotonin
Rising: the bone, brain, bowel connection.”
I hope it signals a better
understanding of these intuitive concepts so that
patients may be better served. Perhaps doctors will
start to pay attention to the thousand of studies
already published that discuss these simple concepts.
Their application helps my practice in assisting
patients to stop 80% of the pharmaceuticals they have
been told to take to treat the symptoms of their
illnesses, not the roots.
This particular article highlights the
neurotransmitter serotonin from the gut talking not only
to our brain, but to our bones. In other words,
impaired gut function will lead to impaired brain and
bone function. Specifically, poor diets and impaired gut
function will cause cognitive, mental problems and
neurodegeneration, in addition to bone thinning and bone
inflammation.
Perhaps reminding you that 90%+ of serotonin
is found in the intestines, not in the brain
will drive the point home.
A nose for illness
Fido’s ability to be trained to sniff out
disease in humans is legendary. Now, technology is
trying to emulate our beloved pet’s diagnostic skills.
The article “Scientists Seek to Sniff Out Diseases”
chronicles a new gadget’s success in diagnosing several
illnesses like pneumonia, sinusitis, tumors and lung
cancer.
I wonder if the machine will also be
programmed to sniff our crotches…
Update on prescription drugs in our water
My colleagues on the Environmental Committee
of the Utah Medical Association have agreed to tackle
this thorny issue. As you probably know by now,
prescription drugs are not only dumped in toilets, but
we also pee them out so that they end up in our drinking
water in the future. The potential ill effects on humans
are likely heralded by the problems we are seeing in
animals.
The plot just got “sicker:” Pharmaceutical
manufacturers have been dumping their products directly
into our waterways. The EPA has documented that 271
million pounds have been so disposed.
Hundreds of pharmaceutically active chemicals like
lithium, nitroglycerin and copper used in
contraceptives, and 22 outright drugs are presently in
our drinking water. Experts feel that the EPA is
practically ignoring this practice, which pretty much
translates into a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Please, read my blog on how Green Economies
can help us get our of our present recession
soon-to-become-depression. In my opinion, part of the
problems we face is how manufacturers have not accounted
for damage to Earth and humans as they have flooded our
societies with their chemical products. In other words,
they accrue the benefits and our societies pay for the
cost. Fortunately, Ecuador, Spain and Switzerland have
passed laws to give Mother Nature constitutional rights.
Chocolate?!
Another article by the American Heart
Association just appeared to make us smile and delight
in our addiction to chocolate.
We have known since the 16th century that
natural and unrefined COCOA is a wonderful food
with many health benefits. The problem is that “the
processed product chocolate, which refers to the
combination of cocoa, sugar, and eventually milk and
other ingredients into a solid food product [may not
have] many of the health effects of cocoa and its
contents.”
Exactly; processing cocoa to make it more
palatable with sugar, milk and who knows what else makes
it not only unhealthy, but addicting. The chocolate
industry knows very well what to do to hook us. And
remember (previously reported) that we may get caught in
a vicious cycle: the more processed food we eat (like
chocolate), the more we run the risk of being colonized
by intestinal organisms that magnify our addiction to
those foods, especially chocolate.
So, if you want to enjoy “the food of the
Gods,” cocoa, buy those chocolates that have at least
70% cocoa. Then, you may get the following benefits:
insulin sensitivity, lower risk of heart disease, lower
risk of clotting problems, lower blood pressure, less
angina, better neurological function, better digestion,
and improved kidney and bowel function. The only fly in
the ointment: cocoa, without help from Big Food is
bitter.
Telegraphed articles
“Arthroscopic Surgery for Knee
Osteoarthritis? Just Say NO,”
J. Family Practice 2009;58:143
B complex vitamins lower risk of Macular
Degeneration
J. Archives of Internal Medicine
2009;169:335
Garlic increases the levels of master antioxidant
Glutathione
J. Nutrition 2009;139:106
The right amount of vitamin C for optimal health
is 1 gram a day
J. Alternative and Complementary Medicine
2008;14:1291
J. Annals of
Neurology 2006;60:197, J. Neurology 2001;57:456
& J. Family Practice News, 2006;36:1
J .Phytotherapy Research 2008 Aug 6 Epub
J. Lancet, January 9th 2009, Epub
“When
the Gut Talks to Bone,”
J. Cell 2008;135:795
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
�
Number 4
� April 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
A downside of being an Integrative doctor is that those
who spouse more extremist ideologies often criticize me for my
middle-of the road stances. While considering an extreme point
of view I often hear from the other extreme that I am selling
out. For instance, telling a doctor-hating patient that they
must take a given drug may disappoint said patient. This is why
I feel I am likely to offend some of you no matter how I
introduce the subject of feminine issues in our society
and in health care in particular. In my opinion we have
de-emphasized our feminine nature (in men and women) by giving
into our masculine tendencies. This is particularly true in
health care. This is not to say that either opposite is better
than the other, but bringing up the neglected feminine in us is
likely to be interpreted by some as denigrating the
over-dominant masculine. This is not so; we need an integration
of both forces.
This is why I delighted in the article “Heart of the Matter”
that reported on women’s welfare being tied to peace; the more
violence against women the more national security is undermined.
And the more neglected women are in society the more health
problems said society has.
A great example of this concept is Roseto, Pennsylvania. This
little town was practically transplanted from Italy to the USA.
Its people maintained very close community ties (a feminine
concept); as a result their rate of health problems was much
lower than surrounding populations that were not as cohesive.
Despite eating questionable diets, Roseto dwellers had less
chronic diseases.
Our emphasis on a more masculine approach to health care
(invasive chemicals (drugs,) surgery, radiation, etc., continues
to be questioned. In my opinion, our society is ripe for
fundamental changes that will balance more feminine approaches
such as relationships, nutrition and prevention; “get out of
the way” if you don’t agree:
“The crisis facing the US health care system is in large part
a consequence of that system’s disease –oriented, reactive, and
sporadic approach to care [masculine approach-my words]…
A personalized, predictive, preventive, and participatory
medicine [feminine approach-my words], that is
prospective care, has been receiving increasing attention as a
solution to the US health care crisis.” (“Prospective
Health Care and the Role of Academic Medicine: lead, follow, or
get out of the way.”)
Infection prevention
Recently I drove through a
snowstorm for ten hours through Northern New Mexico. Driving at
20 mph was stressful and all the chips I ate probably didn’t
help. When I got home I caught the flu, but it only lasted 12
hrs. My family was sick with it for a week. Why? Good nutrition
and rest boost our immune system. “The germ is nothing;
the terrain is everything” said
Pasteur.
Here are some recent articles
proving him right:
More colds with low
vitamin D levels
J. Archives
Internal Medicine 2009;169:384
“Sleep Habits and Susceptibility to the Common
Cold,”
J. Archives Internal Medicine 2009;169:62
“Micronutrient Deficiencies Are Associated with
Impaired Immune Response and Higher Burden of Respiratory
Infections in Elderly”
J. Nutrition 2009;139:113
North American ginseng helps colds in children
J. Pediatrics 2008;122:e402
Zinc improves Rx for childhood pneumonia
J. Nutrition Review 2008;66:398
Zinc decreases oxidative stress, cytokines and infections
in Sickle Cell Dz
J. Transplant Research 2008;152:67
Metabolic update: how
do you handle Energy & Information (food?)
If you come to my New
Patient Orientation (Thursdays 5 PM; call 801-576-1086) you
will review the concept that everything in the known Universe is
about Energy and Information. Our body (cells) is no different.
This is why focusing only on calories (Energy) while neglecting
the Information (vitamins, antioxidants, etc) content of food
will never work if you are trying to lose weight. Remember the
article that showed that DIET soda pop promotes obesity?
Here are some updates to prove the point:
The amino acid Arginine
reduces white fat gain and enhances muscle mass in obese rats
J. Nutrition
2009;139:230
Green tea
enhances exercise-induced loss of abdominal fat
J. Nutrition
2009;139:264
“Mastication of
Almonds: effects of lipid bioaccessibility, appetite
and hormone response.” If you chew almonds 40 times before
swallowing your appetite decreases
American J. Clinical
Nutrition 2009;89:793
Blockade of central
melanocortin-4 receptors by circulating autoantibodies
may contribute to obesity in a small subgroup of patients. Why
do we develop said antibodies? Poor immune system function
J
Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism 2009 94: 793-800
People with insulin
resistance are more likely to develop diabetes. Why insulin
resistance: toxicity, oxidation, inflammation, mitochondrial
problems and stress
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009 94: 920-926
“Chronic Intake of
Potato Chips Increases the Production of Reactive Oxygen
Radicals and Increases C-Reactive Protein;” Chips =
oxidation = diabesity
AJCN 2009;89:773
1-3 grams cinnamon
reduce insulin levels after meals
AJCN 2009;89:815
“Effects of
Antioxidant Supplementation on Insulin Sensitivity,
Endothelial Adhesion Molecules, and Oxidative Stress in Normal
Weight and Overweight Adults,”
J. Metabolism Clinical and
Experimental 2009;58:254
More insulin resistance in
nondiabetic adults seen with a given phenotype (genes) and lower
levels of vitamin D
J. Nutrition
2009;139:329
Lifestyle trumps Gastric
Bypass surgery in the long term
J. Family Practice News Feb
15th 2009 page 23
Caloric restriction
for longevity only seen in obese mice
JAMA 2009;301:924
Gut bugs making you
fat?
If you have been reading
this newsletter for a while you know the answer is yes. The
intestinal flora that loves you because you got them used to
sugar are screaming at you to keep feeding them that way.
Fortunately, the article “Microbiology, Obesity and
Probiotics”
gives us a way out of this dilemma: take friendly bacteria to
fight these bad guys. Some docs are starting to use antibiotics
against them to curve your addiction to chocolate and refined
sugars. I am one of them, but I prefer to start with less
invasive probiotics, lots of fiber and of course, a realistic
nutrition program to withdraw from the sugarholic vise patients
find themselves in.
Best motivation to
lose weight?
If you are easily offended by frank discussions on sexual
issues, please, skip this section.
Finally, a good report to validate my advice to people who want
to lose weight: if you want to have better sex, overcome your
addiction to sugar.
Of course, there are many other reasons to want to lose weight,
but, really, few of them bring as much pleasure. We need to be
motivated by rewards that are clear, tangible and worth the
trouble. If we keep telling patients that weight loss is just
for healthy reasons or to save money, fewer will take up the
challenge. So, the choice is better outlined if we say “choose
between an evening of gluttony or an evening of lust…”
I bet some of you will say that one may get addicted to sex.
Fair enough. But, if the sex addiction is circumscribed within
the bounds of acceptable and mutually respectful relationships
between consenting adults I say leave them alone in the privacy
of their bedrooms.
A related article: “Effect
of Dehydroepiandrosterone Replacement on Lipoprotein Profile in
Hypoadrenal Women”
DHEA is an adrenal gland hormone that becomes testosterone. The
evidence that a healthy sex life has medical benefits continues
to expand. Since the adrenal glands may be stressed out, also,
think about the relaxing effects of sex…
Telegraphed articles:
Treating a failing heart by paying attention to symptoms
is just as effective as checking the laboratory/blood (BNP).
JAMA 2009;301:383, 432
Bill before Senate: Big Pharma to report payments to docs
>$100/yr
JAMA 2009;301:1011
Kids with separation anxiety, panic attacks have a
genetic sensitivity to CO2
J. Archives of General Psychiatry 2009;66:64
Combining the drugs like
the purple pill with Plavix has a higher morbidity after
MI
JAMA 2009;301:937
Coffee
in midlife decreases risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia in later
life
J. Alzheimer’s Disease,
January 2009
Cognitive decline
= nutrition + genes (nutrigenomics)
J. Alzheimer’s Disease,
January 2009
Acupuncture
improves PTSD; PTSD associated with metabolic problems in
vets
J. Family Practice News,
February 15ht 2009, page 17
Lower risk of Barrett’s
esophagus (scarring from heartburn) with fruits and veggies
American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition 2009;89:890
Leaky gut
from NSAID like ibuprofen
J. Gastroenterology
2009;44:23
Fibromyalgia
from dopamine deficiency? Supplement GABA
J. Rheumatology 2009;36:221
Macular Degeneration
helped by B complex vitamins
J. Archives Internal
Medicine 2009;169:335
Lower endometrial
(uterus) cancer risk with veggies
J. Nutrition
2009;139:317
Green tea
reduces breast cancer risk
J. Nutrition
2009;139:310
New prostate cancer marker: sarcosine goes up (product of
methylation of glycine)
JAMA 2009;301:1008
Check for thyroid
antibodies when pregnant: they may affect fetal health
J Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism 2009 94: 772-779
Red meat
increases metabolic syndrome and CRP (inflammation) in women
J. Nutrition
2009;139:335
Quercetin suppresses inflammation that leads to apoptosis
(cell death)
J. Nutrition 2009;139:101
“Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Primary
Cesarean Section”
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009 94: 940-945
Dark leafy veggies
help heart rate variability
AJCN 2009;89:773
“Dietary Intervention
for Blood Pressure Control: a call to action!”
AJCN 2009;89:734
“Fine
Particulate Air Pollution [decreases] Life Expectancy in
the United States”
NEJM 2009;360:376
J.
Current Opinion Endocrinology Diabetics and Obesity
2008;15:422
J
Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009; 94: 761-764
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
� Number 3
� March 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
As the economy continues its downward spiral I cannot
get enough reading on Economics. The last book I read
was Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith (1776.) I
highly recommend it if you are willing to speed-read
through the boring parts. The two things that struck me
the most were his common sense and wisdom and how both
sides of the political/economic spectrum misquote him to
justify their own ideologies.
The supply-siders (Republicans) emphasize how the
invisible hand is going to take care of practically
every thing while the demand-siders (Democrats)
emphasize government regulation. It turns out that Adam
Smith wrote that both are necessary: business can only
thrive when the law efficiently protects the right of
business people to seek profits, but with the
limitations necessary to respect labor and the land.
One thing is certain, says Adam Smith: when business
people gather, they will always have the tendency to
organize themselves to maximize profits even at the
expense of the public. This is why regulation is
necessary.
Despite the clear and common sense advise from the
Scotsman we will always be polarized when it comes to
politics and economics. You would think that anyone
interested in scientific reasoning would seek the middle
ground he championed. But, it is not in most people to
think scientifically or objectively. This is why I
enjoyed the article
“On Second Thought…”
“When politicians [change their mind], they are
tarred as flip-floppers. When lovers do it, we complain
they are fickle. But scientists are supposed to change
their minds when evidence undercuts their views. Dream
on…”
“But really, we shouldn’t be surprised. Proponents of a
particular viewpoint, especially if their reputation is
based on the accuracy of that viewpoint, cling to it
like a shipwrecked man to flotsam. Studies that
undermine that position, they say, are flawed.”
Which brings me to doctors. You would think that most of
them would be ready and excited to accept the scientific
evidence in medical journals that is sampled in this
newsletter. But, it seems that the scientific inquiry
required to take the time is not in abundant supply.
Could it be that Thomas Kuhn is right when he said that
a scientific paradigm (i.e., nutrition is not a valid
medical approach) topples when the last of its powerful
adherents dies? (Thomas Kuhn, “The Structure of
Scientific Revolutions;” University of Chicago
Press, 1962.) Could it be that money has something to do
with what scientists/doctors believe?
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Money and the Changing Culture of Medicine”
This is the title of a remarkable article in the top
medical journal in the world. Here are its main points:
-
“Assigning a monetary value to every aspect of a
physician’s time and effort may actually reduce
productivity, impair the quality of performance and
thereby increase costs.”
-
“Even the suggestion of money promotes behavior
marked by selfishness and lack of collegiality.”
-
“Medicine has marketplace elements that are inherent
in any business-a physician receives payment for
services. But there is also a communal relationship,
an expectation and obligation to help when
assistance is needed. In the current environment the
balance has tipped toward market exchanges at the
expense of medicine’s communal dimension. Many
physicians we know are so alienated and angered by
the relentless pricing of their day that they wind
up having no desire to do more than the minimum
required for the financial bottom line.”
The journal feels that the answer is “Patient-centered
medical home,” or a “compassionate partnership….
[where] the insurer would pay a set fee for each patient
cared for in the medical home to cover what is now not
reimbursed time.”
This means that your doctor would now have an incentive
to learn about nutrition and motivational techniques to
help you change your lifestyle. This would lead to more
emphasis on prevention and a significant reduction in
the cost of health care.
“Caregivers should be appropriately reimbursed but
should not be constantly primed by money. Success in
such a model will require collegiality, cooperation and
teamwork-precisely the behaviors that are predictably
eroded by a marketplace environment.”
Exhibit A
The pharmaceutical approach, as helpful as it is in many
cases, is fundamentally flawed because it does not work
on the root causes of disease (nutrition, environmental
toxins and poor Mind-Body-Spirit relationships.)
Unfortunately, most doctors are seduced by the so-called
scientific research purported to back up said approach.
But, is that research as objective as claimed?
The article “The Neurontin Legacy: marketing through
misinformation and manipulation”
would argue otherwise. Before tackling the well-known
drug neurontin/gabapentin, the article opens up by
reminding us of the shady deals that allowed synthroid-makers
to hide evidence that the generic levothyroxine is just
as good. Then, it gives pointed examples and direct
quotes from pharmaceutical executives who pushed their
representatives to drive up sales by hyping neurontin to
doctors. They claimed the drug had benefits that were
never shown in their internal research.
The author feels that “drastic action is essential to
preserve the integrity of medical science and practice
and to justify public trust” and that the public and
doctors need “public funding of peer-reviewed
pharmaceutical research through a National Institute for
Pharmaceutical Research that might be funded by a tax on
all drug sales.”
I am sure you will agree with his final conclusion:
“Will our profession soon feel compelled to advocate
for such actions to preserve our integrity, our social
contract and ultimately our privileges?”
Please, visit my March
2009 blog on the JAMAs latest comments on how doctors
need to stop prescribing so liberally.
Whey to go
Whey is a wonderful
protein that can be cheaply and safely supplemented.
It contains beta/alpha-lacotglobulin, albumin,
lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase enzymes, glycomacropeptides
and minerals. Its branched amino acids are needed for
tissue growth and repair (leucine, isoleucine, valine);
its sulfur amino acids (cysteine, methionine) are needed
for immune function and glutathione production, the
master antioxidant, which helps with MANY functions,
especially detoxification.
Here are other benefits:
-
Immune
enhancement, J. Food Agri Immunol 1993;5:231
-
Lower
blood pressure with ACEi action, J. Biol Chem
1996;377:259
-
Lower
cholesterol, J. Japan Soc Nut Food Sci 1996;49:303
-
More
muscle mass/strength, J. Med Sci Sports Exer
2004;36:2073
-
Gut
repair in intense exercise, J. Applied Phys
1997;82:571
-
Gut
repair/probiotics, J. Nut 2007;6:1
-
Obesity
reduction, J. Nut Metabolism 2008;5:1
-
Diabetes
reduction, AJCN 2004;82:69
-
Post
surgical/wound healing enhancing, J. Altern Med Rev
2003;8:359
Gut update; friendly bacteria
Lactobacillus rhamnosus, not B. animalis reduced
eczema
J. Allergy Clinic & Immunology 2008 Aug 31
Epub
Multistrain probiotics reduce Irritable Bowel
Syndrome, IBS
J. Aliment Pharm Ther 2008 Sep 10 Epub
Bifidofillus lactis reduces bloating in IBS
J. Aliment Pharm Ther 2008 Sep 7 Epub
Lactic acid bacteria reduces leaky gut in IBS
J. Aliment Pharm Ther 2008;28:994
Since excessive use of acid blocking drugs compromises
the health of our friendly intestinal flora
we should try to avoid using them except for bleeding
emergencies. This is why a recent article
on using these drugs is welcome news: instead of
starting with expensive and potentially harmful drugs
like the purple pill, it is just as efficient to start
with simple antacids OTC, then the old forgotten cheap
drugs like zantac and tagamet OTC and only use the
purple ill-like drugs when all else has fail. This “step-down”
approach is also cheaper.
Still, I would rather teach patients to change their
diets, take digestive enzymes, probiotics, lots of
fiber, cayenne pepper, peppermint oil and drink cabbage
juice.
Bummer
One of the main things I look for in my patients’
history is their childhood experience. It is no surprise
that child abuse is in their background when they
are burdened by multiple hard to treat chronic ailments
like Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. It is shocking
to see what an impact childhood trauma of any kind has;
it practically condemns children to a life of suffering.
This is why the journal Lancet did well in proposing
that childhood abuse be elevated to a bona-fide medical
diagnosis.
The mechanism of action is the
Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal connection. This means
that all the psychological stress on their young brains
will cascade down to practically every cell of their
developing body, especially their hormones, and none
more affected than the gland of stress, the adrenals.
Awareness of the problem is essential. It will lead to
better treatment which should include not only
psychotherapy but supporting adrenal gland function with
products like Korean ginseng, DHEA, Aswaghanda,
licorice, minerals and a lot of TLC.
Cancer and antioxidants
Even though we continue to see articles that defend
giving antioxidants to cancer patients we still hear
some say that this should not be done. The article “Use
of Antioxidant Supplements During Breast Cancer
Treatment: a comprehensive review [of 22 studies]”
states that “findings did not support any conclusions
about toxicities, tumor response, recurrence or
survival. A few studies suggested that antioxidant
supplements might decrease side effects associated with
treatment.”
We just saw that Berberine (green bush) helps reduce the
risk of radiation injury in he treatment of lung cancer
and that Vitamin C given IV just once significantly
decreased growth of ovarian, pancreatic and glioblastoma
tumors in mice.
Heart update
Nitrous Oxide anesthesia increases
homocysteine and endothelial dysfunction. It could be a
risk factor for postoperative cardiovascular morbidity.
Take B vitamins
J. Anesthesiology 2008;109:657
As little as 0.7 gm/d of EPA/DHA omega oils lower
cholesterol
Am J. Clinical Nutrition 2008;88:618
J. Newsweek, January 12th 2009, page 17
J. Alternative Medicine Review 2008;13:341
“Small Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth,” J.
Geriatrics 2006;61:21
“Burden and Consequences of Child Treatment
in High-Income Countries,” J. Lancet
2009;373:68
European J. Cancer 2008;Sep 11, Epub
J. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Science 2008;105:11105
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 100 medical journals
Volume 10
�
Number 2
� February 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
It
is sad and discouraging to hear so many patients tell me that
they have been told that diet has nothing to do with their
health breaking down. Intuitively and at times armed with hard
evidence, these patients reject such nonsense and start a search
for a physician who may be able to provide what they desperately
seek, that is, someone who can put into practice for them the
refrain that “food is the best medicine.” Often they end up at
my clinic in Draper, Utah, where we continue to struggle
financially because insurance companies do not cover nutritional
visits at an MD’s clinic nor food supplementation. Despite
working with one hand tied behind our back, we feel it our
calling to put into practice the impressive studies that back up
our modus operandi.
Those who have a vested interest in perpetuating the status quo
that seeks to exclusively treat the consequences of poor
nutrition, stress and polluted environments with
pharmaceutical drugs will not be reading this newsletter, nor
Harvard’s Dr. Willet’s book “Eat, Drink and Be Healthy,”
where he documents the same results we see at our clinic: 80% of
drugs may be stopped when patients follow the recommendations I
outline monthly in this newsletter.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
Food and Cancer
While we cannot say that changing one’s diet will cure all
cancers, we may say that 2/3 of them may be prevented with sound
nutrition,
which is great news when we consider that we are losing the war
on cancer with our current approach.
What is really upsetting to me is that we have known the causes
of cancer for decades (see italics above) but we have ignored
them in favor of a high tech, high profit paradigm that focuses
on cancer after it has invaded our body.
For
example, our diets bereft of important nutrients like B
vitamins, due to processing and milling of grains,
compromises the elimination of toxins in the liver. This leads
to DNA mutations and cancer.
Sadly, this lack of key nutrients begins when mothers eat poorly
while carrying their babies, which may compromise the child’s
health for life and increase their risk of cancer as adults.
Good diets do the opposite. For example, tocotrienol a
form of vitamin E reduces the risk of colon cancer
and micronutrients in cruciferous veggies and soy
decrease the adverse effects of xenoestrogen on prostate cancer
cells.
Grape seed extract encourages apoptosis or cell death in
human cancer cells
and berries prevent the DNA oxidative stress seen when we
are exposed to pollution.
Omega oils with curcumin/turmeric help not only with
prevention but treatment of pancreatic cancer.
For
more information visit my blog “braindroppings.”
Update on other
diseases and nutrition
* Antioxidants prevent neurodegeneration
(Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s.)
Homocysteine (from a lack of B vitamins) increases white lesions
in the brain.
*
Prevention of osteoporosis with Mediterranean diet.
*
Amino acids Glutamine and Arginine decrease inflammation
in Chron’s disease.
*
Flavonoids in grapes help Congestive Heart Failure.
* “Dietary
Poly Unsaturade Fatty Acids Modulate Resistance to
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Ginea Pigs.”
*
Strawberries lower cholesterol.
Gut update
As
stated ad nauseum in this newsletter, the gut is critical for
many reasons, like processing the food we eat. Keeping our
healthy bacteria (probiotics)
happy by eating diets high in fiber and refraining from junk
food continues to get a lot of ink in the medical journals. For
example, supplementing probiotics reduces the incidence of
colitis
in low
weight babies
and kids have less skin rashes like
eczema.
The latter is associated with
allegic rhinitis,
which is also alleviated by probiotics.
The
inverse is also helpful: decreasing the colonization of the
intestines with bad organisms (which are always there) such as
mutating bacteria reduces inflammation, which helps Irritable
Bowel Syndrome. This is why the antibiotic Rifaximin
is now being used for IBS.
The fact that we have had evidence for 10 years
that decreasing fungal colonization in the intestines with
Otraconazole helps people with severe asthma
surely must puzzle those who believe that yeast has nothing to
do with disease.
And
to tie the last subjects together: a study showed that
probiotics reduce the risk of cancer.
Why? Remember that the 1908 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarder
to Dr. Metchnikoff for his work on demonstrating that most of
our immuno-detoxification system is in the intestines
More on pollution
and diabesity: green light for prevention
We
have already discussed in previous issues (see newsletter
archive) how pollution is contributing to our epidemic of
diabesity.
I bring the subject up again because of an article that showed
that Green tea not only helps reduce these effects on our
waistline, but, tying the other subjects together, green tea
reduces the risk of cancer by helping eliminate xenoestrogens.
Another herb that helps shrink our waistline is Panax ginseng;
it does so by lowering insulin resistance.
Of
course, the best think to do is avoid pollution as much as
possible (eat organic food, get air/water filters, become
politically involved, etc.) Sauna, massage, etc are also helpful
to reduce the burden of toxins. But improving our diet is the
best way to help us improve intestinal/liver function to
detoxify pollutants. The best diet for all this is the Low
Glycemic Index diet; it gives you the amount of sugar each
food has so that you eat mostly those foods that have less
sugar.
Fluoride update
Mainstream practitioners nowadays are more willing to consider
that toxins cause diseases.
Perhaps one of these days they will open their minds to the
scientific evidence that continues to pile up warning us that
the cost of fluoridation far outweighs its benefits. The 83rd
General Session and Exhibition of the International Association
for Dental Research in Toronto recently presented
compelling evidence that fluoride lowers our I.Q,
especially in children.
Adding their findings to past studies makes for 23 studies to
date that show fluoride is not good for our brains.
If
you want more evidence about this hot issue, get on the website
for the National Academy Press where you will find a report
titled “Fluoride in Drinking Water: a scientific review of
EPA’s Standards.” Therein you will find that the amount of
fluoride in our water needs to be lowered. By the time we add
fluoride in commercial drinks, toothpaste, pesticides and
polluted food and air we easily go over 4 mg/L, which the report
finds to be associated with the following problems: cancer (osteosarcomas,)
bone pain, endocrine problems like hypothyroidism, reproductive
abnormalities, gastrointestinal irritation and, of course, teeth
mottling.
If
you are not convinced, read the book “The Fluoride Deception.”
In
my opinion, it makes no sense to fluoridate our water while we
eat twinkies and drink soda pop, which have been shown to rot
our teeth. Besides, I don’t think it is wise to involuntarily
medicate all of us. If some people want to run the risk
of getting those diseases, go ahead and use topical fluoride; it
is just as effective as fkuoridating all our water. Why doe they
do that? Because they have figured out that most people will not
take the fluoride on their own…. My, my…
Get used to hearing “You are taking too much vitamin D”
Despite the flood of articles in our medical journals showing
that our vitamin D levels in the blood are too low, as is our
laboratory range of acceptable levels, patients continue to tell
me that other docs warn them that my higher supplementation
(2-10K international units/day) is going to “poison their
kidneys.” Rather than rehash the words of smarter docs than me,
please study the newsletter archives in this site. But, now I
present more evidence that in certain individuals even 50K/week
is not enough; such a high dose only helps 33% of
patients with Cystic Fibrosis.
The most prudent thing to do is to follow your blood levels
after supplementation, which I hope you have considered after
reading that we do best when levels are above 80. For me to get
up that high (I stared at a level of 17) I have to take 10K/day.
Telegraphed articles
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation has been approved for the
treatment of depression. But, do you have $6-10K to spend?
Salt Lake Tribune, November 2008
Acupuncture is better than aspirin for chronic headaches…
J. Anesthesia and Analgesia December 2008
…
and it also helps allergic rhinitis
J. Annals of Allergy Asthma Immunology 2008;101:535
Link between nicotine addiction and autism
J. Neurology Reviews December 2008, page 17
Levothyroxine Rx once a week is just as good as every day
Annual Meeting American Thyroid Association, Chicago
2008
J. Family Practice News December 15th
2008, page 10
“DHEA
Replacement Therapy in Hypoadrenal Women: protein
anabolism and skeletal muscle function,”
J. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2008;83:1218
Stress increases not just blood pressure, but cholesterol
too
J. Metabolism, Clinical and Experimental 2009;58:30
“The
Secret History of the War on Cancer,” book by Devra
Davis; Basic Books, 2007
“Dietary
Manipulation of Histone Structure and Function,” J.
Annual Reviews Nutrition 2008;28:347 & “Effect in
Utero and Early-Life Conditions on Adult Health and
Disease,” NEJM 2008;359:61
J.
Nutrition and Cancer 2008;60:36
“Hormetic
Dietary Phytochemicals,” J. Neuromolecular Med 2008
Jun 10 Epub
J. Nutrition 2008;138:2481
“Efficacy
of Probiotics in the Treatment of Pediatric Atopic
Dermatitis: a meta analysis of randomized controlled
trials,”
J. Pediatrics 2008;101:508
J. Allergy & Clinical Immunology 1999;104:541
American J. Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine,
December 2008
“Chronic
Green Tea Consumption Decreases Body Mass, Induces
Aromatase Expression, and Changes Proliferation and
Apoptosis in Adult Male Rat Adipose Tissue,” J.
Nutrition 2008;138:2156
“Fluoride
and Children’s Intelligence: a meta analysis,”
J. Biology Trace
Elements Research, August 10th 2005
J. Pediatrics 2008;153:554
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 150 medical journals
Volume 10
�
Number 1
� January 2009
EDITOR’S
NOTE
With the economy
tanking I find it extremely difficult to write without injecting
economic/political undertones. This issue is no different. I
hope you understand my desire to “connect the dots” between
these hot topics, our health and the health of the environment.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
Food fights:
fructose
One of the most
glaring examples of the poor nutritional advice people get is
about fruits and the sugar therein, fructose. I feel bad for
diabetics who are often told that they must not eat fruit, but
that it is OK to eat muffins, cookies, bread, and even cake once
in a while. They call that kind of diet an “exchange diet.”
In my opinion, this is much like the so-called “cap-and-trade”
policy whereby polluting industries may continue to spew their
toxins into our environment if they buy the credits from other
industries that have not meet their quota of pollution.
Why is this being
done? First, dietitians know they will not be able to persuade
their patients that they must stop their addiction to refined
carbs. Second, dietitians for the most part have been taught
that ALL foods are OK, because Big Food (the companies who
market processed food) finances part of their education. This
reminds me of who finances part of our doctors’ education: Big
Pharma.
It turns out that
fructose is OK for many reasons:
(1)
It does not elevate blood sugar levels because of all the
fiber in fruit.
(2)
It consequently does not elevate the Glyco Hemoglobin
A1c, the gold standard in laboratory screening for diabetic
control.
(3)
It heals the oxidation/inflammation that leads to cell
membrane dysfunction, the precursor for insulin resistance.
(4)
Consequently, cell membrane receptors are more sensitive
to insulin when we eat fruit.
I
tell my patients I would rather they ate fruit until it came
out of their ears so that they are able to satisfy their
sweet tooth as they try to overcome their sugar addiction.
Gradually, they are able to withdraw from the garbage they
crave: processed sugars full of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS),
preservatives and artificial sweeteners that have literally
messed up their brain thermostat.
Once they overcome their sugar addiction, they are able to reach
satiety without much sugar while eating veggies, fruits, nuts,
legumes, whole grains and lean meats “ad libidum,”
meaning without worrying about calories.
This diet is high in protein and fiber, but low in the glycemic
index.
The real problem with
fructose is HFCS, not the God-given sugar, fructose; the more we
process food, the sicker we are.
Another problem is
the artificial sweeteners that we have already documented in
previous issues to increase diabesity. That is correct: they
have no calories but you get fat and diabetic on diet soda pop,
too. Why? Food is not just Energy (calories) but
Information. In the case of diet soda pop, you are getting
no Energy, but lots of bad Information, a concept we know
call “xenohormesis.”
Preservatives, acids, phosphates, food colorants, artificial
sweeteners and who knows what else, since liquid candy (pop) are
made with “secret formulas.”
All these
chemicals compound your addiction to sugar.
If that doesn’t get your attention, how about this: artificial
sweeteners increase your risk of cancer.
They have been consistently shown to be quite toxic,
a charge contradicted by soda pop companies with their own
questionable internal studies that are not reproduced by
independent researchers.
Finally, Stevia
This natural
sweetening herb is safe. Mother Nature does a better job and
without toxicity. Stevia reduces insulin by improving the cell
membrane.
This is why it also lowers blood pressure
and reduces cavities. So, why have we not been using it in
processed foods like pop?
If you guessed that
the artificial sweeteners have played dirty politics to keep it
off the market, you are correct. The American Herbal Products
Association and Lipton have not been able to compete with the
armies of lawyers, PR agents and lobbyists on the payrolls of
Pfizer, Monsanto, Johnson & Johnson, Abbot Laboratories and
Hoechst, until now. The AHP and Lipton presented compelling
evidence that Stevia has no safety issues in 1994, but the FDA
turned down Stevia for consideration as a sweetener under GRAS
status, which allows for grandfathering of old sweeteners and
other supplements.
Because of this,
Stevia/ Sucanat® could only be used as a sweetener if you add it
yourself as a powder or pill to your homemade products, but it
could not be used in the production of industrialized foods
until Coca Cola decided to use Stevia in its Odwalla and Sprite
drinks. The announcement was made December 21st 2008, but these
drinks will only be available in New York and Chicago.
There are also rumors that Pepsi will use Stevia as well. Many
countries have been using it in their commercial products, most
notably Japan, where they have reported no side effects from
Stevia in the last 30 years.
The Japanese even use it in their version of Diet Coke™.
If you want more
information on how to use Stevia, including your cooking and
baking, read “Stevia Cookbook,” by Donna Gates and Dr.
Ray Sahelian.
“The Secret
History of the War on Cancer”
“US cancer rate
falls for first time”
was the title of an article that coincidentally came out last
Thanksgiving. Unfortunately for most of us, the article was
buried in a section of the paper hardly anyone reads. Why? Could
it be because the article made it clear the reason the rate
of cancer dropped was because of prevention, instead of the
treatments we spend so much money on? After all, papers depend
on advertisement from big corporations to sustain their
businesses. Also, only 6 groups in the country own the media,
all of which are in bed with Corporate America, run by the very
CEOs that have gotten us into the economic mess we are in.
The fact that it was
prevention, not treatment that lowered the rate of cancer
was not discussed in the article at all. This is very
understandable: the present paradigm of spending money we don’t
have sustains an inflated bubble economy that includes billions
of expensive health-related treatments that don’t work. This is
the very reason why the economy is tanking: doing business to
maximize profits for those who control outmoded markets, while
ignoring scientific data that would shift our emphasis, and
moneys to more productive, cleaner and cheaper industries. The
latter benefit our whole society the most, instead of just elite
groups that have perpetuated their massive income through shady
banking deals while avoiding fair taxes.
It turns out that
we have known for decades the true causes of cancer: toxins
in the environment
(including drugs like hormonal replacement that are associated
with breast cancer,)
poor diets
and emotional/stress-related issues.
You need to read this book. It will change your life and make
you very angry to see that preventable cancers have afflicted
some of your relatives and maybe yourself, too.
The article mentioned
that people won’t get their cancer screening as often with the
economy worsening. That may be so, but, mammograms,
colonoscopies, paps, etc only find cancer after it has
invaded our body. The best prevention is to keep cancer from
getting started. The present paradigm of screening is OK, but it
does not address the causes of cancer addressed here and in this
book
“We
need to achieve the maximum possible gain in survival and
quality of life for cancer patients. If costs are the
predominant consideration, health systems are failing.”
Examples of this
failing: food prevents 2/3 of cancers
and most money to treat cancer is spent on the last 3 months of
life.
If you want more examples you need to read the book. Here is
another book you may find interesting…
“The war on
cancer: an anatomy of failure, a blueprint for the future.”
This book tells us
that the top 5 cancers (prostate, breast, lung, colon, and
pancreas) have changed little since 1995. The improvement in
mortality, 1% for 10/28 most common cancers is mostly due to
food refrigeration, better diet and hygiene, better supportive
care, and early detection.
19th
century bacteriology influenced cancer theory too much, a
misunderstanding that has had lingering consequences:
“Generation
of scientists and scholars, misguided by flawed hypothesis,
often commit their talents and energy as well as human and
financial resources, in an unproductive pursuit of a false lead…
More pervasive and counterproductive [idea] developed… that
cancer cells, like bacteria, are foreign invaders that must be
eradicated at any cost. The result has been more aggressive
cytotoxic chemotherapy with few cures and an inefficient
trial-and-error drug development strategy that continues today.”
The main two ideas of modern oncology: exploit differences
between normal and cancer cells and drugs must be cytotoxic to
be successful:
“Drug development… remains mostly anchored in this
century-old, conceptually antiquated, technically inefficient,
labor intensive, costly, and low yield ‘hit-and-miss’ (mostly
miss) screening approach engineered and sponsored by the
National Cancer Institute… The cell-killing paradigm has
failed to achieve its objective… how does this system persist?”
“The increasing prominent role of the pharmaceutical industry
in drug development… career advancement, relationship between
productivity and job security, salary sources, and growing
dependence on pharmaceutical companies for funding…The
information pipeline, generated by clinical researchers and
supported by their sponsors and publishers, fosters standards of
care that are reinforced by financial incentives and the
extraordinary capacity of physicians for self-delusion, and by
unrealistic expectations of consumers nurtured by the media.”
The book concludes that the future of cancer treatment must be
anchored on prevention.
“Apoptosis
by Dietary Factors,” J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:233
Annual Meeting American Psychosomatic Society, March
2003
J. Lancet, cover of May 19th, 2007
Book review JAMA 2006;295:2891
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 150 medical journals
Volume 9
� Number 11
�
December 2008
EDITOR’S
NOTE
The New England Journal of Medicine published an article on line
last November 9th 2008 (10,1056/NEJM oa0807646) that
in my opinion shows how intelligent scientists may be so blinded
by a prevailing dogma that they cannot see what the evidence
really shows. I hope you don’t take/reject my opinion without
analyzing the data for yourself.
The article was on how the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor (rosuvastatin)
may significantly lower mortality and the risk of heart disease
and strokes IN PATIENTS WITH NORMAL CHOLESTEROL.
Let that sink in for a minute.
It turns out that the patients investigated had high levels of
inflammation as marked by the liver protein CRP; yet, they had
no problems with their serum lipids. What is going on here?
Those of you who have been studying this newsletter, the
attached blogs and other sources know the answer: cholesterol
is not the problem; oxidized/inflamed cholesterol is.
Inflammation/oxidation may smolder for a while before
cholesterol and the arterial walls are themselves
inflamed/oxidized, thus creating a sticky combination that leads
to plaque formation. Without inflammation/oxidation, cholesterol
is healthy enough (processed in a healthy liver that is itself
not yet inflamed/oxidized) to patch up inflamed/oxidized
arterial walls that tend to leak without forming plaques. In
other words, cholesterol goes up in the blood to naturally patch
up leaky arteries: don’t shoot the messenger…
Drugs like Crestor were derived from the herb Red rice,
which is essentially an anti-inflammatory/antioxidating
molecule. Using Red rice has been shown to be much safer than
the drugs extracted from this natural molecule. Red rice is
complimented by the other micronutrients in it that serve to
mitigate and moderate the effect of its main active ingredient,
the molecule that acts on our liver’s HMGcoEnzyme Reductase that
is in charge of modulating cholesterol function in the liver. In
other words, drugs only have this potent molecule, which is why
they end up showing significant side effects in liver and
muscular function.
That the NEJM article shows that even people with normal
cholesterol levels benefited from the anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant effect of these drugs, in my opinion, demonstrates
that cholesterol is not the problem: inflammation/oxidation is.
Whence inflammation/oxidation?
From poor diets denuded of micronutrients that help us modulate
metabolism in our cells when they process food (energy &
information.) Our astronaut-foods do not have these
antioxidants; this is why we end up having
inflammation/oxidation in all our tissues and organs, not just
in the arteries. Toxic environments contribute, as well as toxic
relationships with our fellowmen and earthly and spiritual
communities.
Now, back to the opening paragraph: intelligent scientists are
taking the results of this NEJM article to mean that
EVERYONE, EVEN PEOPLE WITH NORMAL CHOLESTEROL SHOULD BE TAKING
THESE DRUGS…
New page so that you may catch your breath…
Would it not be better to address the reasons why we are
inflamed and oxidized? (J. Circulation 1999;99:779.)
Or, is it that we need to keep the economy going by consuming
processed foods devoid of energy and information (antioxidants
and anti-inflammatory micronutrients) that increase profits more
than the original natural foods?
Do we need to keep the economy going by buying expensive drugs
that only treat symptoms without addressing the root causes of
inflammation/oxidation?
And so it is that this brilliant NEJM research got swept under
the carpet, leaving us at the mercy of a future marketing wave
of cholesterol drugs to be recommended for all of us, regardless
of cholesterol levels. Why, then, don’t we put these drugs in
the water? If all this makes you nervous, don’t worry: our water
supply already has prozac and xanax in it, thanks to the way we
dispose of these drugs through our urine, feces and ultimately
in our sewage (JAMA 2008;299:2011.)
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
Related articles:
“Supplementation with n-3 PUFA (omega
oils) should join the short list of evidence-based
life-prolonging therapies for heart failure.” Think of omega
oils as anti-inflammatory/antioxidanting micronutrients.
J. Lancet 2008;372:11195 (cover issue)
Obese children have the arteries of
45 year-old people. Remember that they now are planning to
prescribe those cholesterol-lowering drugs for them, too.
American Heart Association, New
Orleans 2008
Sweet Death and AGE
I wrote a book, “Sweet Death” that I
hope to update soon because the evidence pointing to refined
foods based on sugars and trans-fats are practically the main
reason why we have so many chronic health problems. Also, these
foods speed up our cells’ aging process. How is that for
motivation to eat better?
Here is a remarkable article that shows how
these foods are the main reason for the oxidation and
inflammation that not only trigger heart disease (cholesterol
problems) but practically all other diseases.
“Modulation of Insulin Action by
Advanced
Glycation
Endproducts
(AGE): a new player in the field,” J. Hormone Metabolism
Research 2008;40:614
·
AGE cause insulin resistance through oxidation
stress and inflammation: “AGEs have been shown to adversely
affect endothelial (lining of arteries) function as well as
activate numerous intracellular signaling pathways implicated in
insulin signaling.”
·
“Glycation of insulin (caramelized insulin
because of too much sugar in the bloodstream results in
significant compromise of biological activity, raising the
possibility that glycation of insulin might contribute to
insulin resistance.”
·
Amadori effect (sugars becoming hard
through the process of starch production) products rise and fall
depending on glucose concentration and from exogenous sources
like processed food and smoking. The Amadori effect or
Maillard reaction has been implicated in
inflammation/oxidation, atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative
disorders.
·
AGE’s RAGE (receptors) on microphages and
endothelial cells causes oxidative stress, inflammation and
increase in ICAMs, VCAMs (sticky messengers that cause the
lining of arteries and cholesterol to stick to each other like
Velcro.)
·
Methylglyoxal is one of many AGEs; it reacts with
arginine to disrupt normal function of NOS, the molecule
responsible for inflammation/oxidation in many tissues,
including our arteries. In fact, the work on NOS, the “molecule
of the decade” won the Nobel Prize in 1998. This is the
research that led to Viagra (think about the implications: don’t
let me spell it all out for you…)
·
AGE “quench” nitric oxide, leading to more
inflammation/oxidation. Methylglyoxal also messes up
mitochondrial membrane proteins and antioxidant enzymes
resulting in oxidative stress; the end result? Insulin
resistance or Sweat Death.
·
The antioxidant/amino acid N-Acetyl-Cysteine, NAC
reverses AGE formation.
·
Glucose also messes up lipids: “Advanced
Lipoxidation Endproducts.”
·
Glycated proteins like albumin are also implicated
in inflammation and microvascular complications seen with
insulin resistance.
·
In case you didn’t want to think too much about
viagra: this drug works by reducing the inflammation/oxidation
in the arterial walls feeding the penis; this allows for better
blood flow to facilitate an erection.
Overdosed America
That is the title of a book by Dr Abramson
that you may want to read (Subtitle: “How the pharmaceutical
companies distort medical knowledge, mislead doctors, and
compromise your health;” HarperCollins Publishers, 2004) In his
opinion, which I share, we are not being told the truth about
the pharmaceutical approach, which keeps us from addressing
chronic health problems adequately: by focusing on reducing
inflammation/oxidation.
The misinformation on drugs and other high
tech gadgets is addressed to doctors early in their training in
medical school. A report came out saying that we need to limit
the access of Big Pharma into the minds of our budding doctors.
Of course, they do this through thinly disguised grants to “support
medical education” (JAMA 2008;300:1071.)
As you are painfully aware, Big Pharma also
tries to reach you directly, bypassing your doctor. The
article “Direct to Consumer Advertising of Medical Devices
Under Scrutiny” (JAMA 2008;300:1985) makes some very
interesting points:
Direct to Consumer Ads were meant to
educate patients, empower them and facilitate communication with
their docs. But biased information has the potential to harm
patient-doc relationship, create unrealistic expectations in
patients, lead to over-use, high cost and questionable use of
unproven technologies.
For example, 74% of surgeons felt that
advertised hip and knee replacements had a negative impact on
their practice and interactions with their patients. More than
75% of patients were confused or misinformed by ads. Coronary
artery bypass stents with drug in them are still debated by
expert cardiologists but the stents have nevertheless been
heavily advertised during a football game. Research has shown
that TV ads stimulate prescription of the more questionable
indications than the more clear ones.
Ads for drugs are now regulated; Ads for
devices are not. Consumer Unions are asking congress to require
FDA to change this.
Related articles:
Media coverage of medication research often
fails to mention funding of studies by Big Pharma. Do you
think that may influence the results?
JAMA 2008;300:1544
“Risks and Benefits of
Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing Remain Unclear.” (JAMA
2008;300:1503.) Don’t do it; we still don’t know what to do with
the results. But, if you are still going to do it, remember the
new science of nutrigenomics: food influences how your genes
work. Eat real well and your genetic tendencies may not become a
real problem.
Food for thought
“Understanding
the molecular basis of the effects of food on cognition will
help us to determine how best to manipulate diet in order to
increase the resistance to neurons to insults and promote mental
fitness” (“Brain Foods: the effects of nutrients on brain
function,” J. National Review of Neuroscience 2008;9:568.)
Why would the
brain not be susceptible to the food we eat? Bad food = bad
brains. Also, the brain slows down after 40 years of age
by losing myelin sheath, which is made up of healthy fats (J.
Neurobiology of Aging, October 2008.) Eat lots of nuts,
avocados, fish, olives and supplement omega oils, particularly
DHA.
Telegraphed articles
Women’s hands carry more bacteria than men (because they
touch men…?)
J. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
November 2008 (on line)
“Periodontal
Disease, Tooth Loss and (elevated) Cancer Risk.”
Common link? Nutrition and vitamin D.
J. Lancet Oncology 2008;9:550
Low
vitamin D levels increase the risk of depression
J. Archives of General Psychiatry 2008;65:508
More asthma is seen with low vitamin D levels. Your
bronchioles, brain and gums (see above) are also leaking from
inflammation/oxidation. Get your doc to check your levels.
J. Skin & Allergy News, August 2008, p62
Increased risk of autism when 2-year-old kids don’t look
people in the eye,
J. Archives General Psychiatry 2008;65:946
Allicin (nutrient in garlic) inhibits blood vessel growth
that feeds cancer
J. Nutrition and Cancer 2008;60:412
The
more hostility we harbor, the higher our blood glucose;
this is mitigated by a good marriage: a new meaning for “sweetheart…”
J. Diabetes Care 2008;31:1293.
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 9
� Number 10
�
November 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE
Have you read my blog on the economy? No doubt those who
have feel it is indeed “braindroppings.” Still, I feel strongly
that we need to prepare ourselves for radical changes in our
lifestyle that will seriously impact our health. It is very hard
for me to write about things like
green tea helping reduce cholesterol in obese women (J.
Clinical Nutrition 2008;27:363) when our whole economy is being
shaken to its roots.
I continue to be amazed at the arrogance of Wall St. demagogues.
They pretend to know what is going on, all the while quoting
obscure economic terms designed to make us feel like it requires
experts to guide us through this mess. In reality, the “improbable,”
(“The Black Swan,” Nassim Nicholas Taleb; Ramdom House
2007) that which they didn’t think would happen has happened:
they could not get away with fooling Mother Nature by creating
value out of debt.
Some of these “white-collar gamblers” have already spent
most of the money we gave them (AIG and their infamous trips on
junkets to California and London) rather than confront their “gambling
addiction” (with our money, of course.) Said money is
supposed to feed the bubble created by speculators pushing
buttons to create money out of thin air backed up by private and
public debt. It’s unfortunate that most banks are keeping it for
their own private use. Of course, public naïveté and lack of
regulation have made this unraveling possible.
Paul Krugman’s book “The Great Unraveling” (W.W. Norton &
Company, 2003) predicted this would happen 5 years ago.
Interestingly, Krugman won the Nobel Prize in Economics this
year saying exactly the opposite Milton Friedman said to earn
the latter the same Prize almost 30 years ago (“Free to
Choose;” Avon, 1980.)
You be the judge: do we let the economy readjust itself so that
we all end up in the poorhouse like Friedman and his Chicago
gang advised every other struggling country throughout the world
(“The Shock Doctrine,” Naomi Klein; Metropolitan Books,
2007,) or do we embark on a government-driven, tough-minded
regulatory program to not only cope with the problem but assure
that it does not happen again, as proposed by Paul Krugman and
none other than our former Federal Reserve chairman Alan
Greenspan? No matter which way we go we are going to suffer…
Two articles are worth reviewing to tie these thoughts back to
Health. The first one is “The Conflict Between Complex
Systems and Reductionism” (JAMA 2008;300:1580.) It revisits
the eternal struggle we have in our minds between extremes
philosophies. It is exactly the same struggle we see between
Milton Friedman’s “Laissez-Faire” capitalism and
the more nuanced and complex approach proposed by Krugman. In my
opinion we need both: capitalism with strong regulations.
It’s OK to “laissez-faire” as long as we “laissez-règularizer,”
as well. And who said that? Adam Smith.
Hopefully, as we grow older, we come to understand that extreme
positions are there to guide us to a middle ground. This article
also has a little pearl at the very end:
“Clinical research involving pharmaceutical agents needs to
focus more on the differential
responses within diverse patient populations. This philosophy
should be extended to the public to encourage
healthy lifestyles rather than depending on
the quick fix of drugs as panacea.”
That’s the JAMA speaking. Did you ever think we would see those
thoughts expressed by the voice of a profession that has allowed
itself to be hijacked by a pharmaceutical approach that flies in
the face of long-term wisdom, an approach right out of the pages
of the same greedy business suits that have ruined our economy?
The second article is by Thomas Friedman, author of several
bestsellers (“The Lexus and the Olive Tree,” “The
World is Flat,” and “Hot, Flat and Crowded”) and
winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize. In “The Post Binge World”
(New York Times, October 11th, 2008) T. Friedman
tells us that Mother Nature is now taking over in its relenting
drive to clean up our economic mess by reestablishing the true
value of our commodities, houses, stocks, dividends, currency,
etc, no matter how hard we try to avoid such a painful
adjustment: it is not nice to fool Mother Nature….
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
Don’t blow a gasket
We fear strokes and the devastating possibility we may end up
alive and totally unable to care for our basic needs. Prevention
is the way to go before some doc prescribes you plavix, aspirin
or coumadin in a rushed visit. As always, get off processed food
and eat more fish (J. Neurology August 5th, 2008.)
Supplement more omega oils, particularly DHA especially
if your cholesterol is high (J. Stroke 2008;39:2058.)
But, remember that cholesterol is only harmful when your liver
is handicapped by excessive sugar in the diet: the risk of clots
in the heart and brain goes up the more your metabolism falters
under the weight of pre-diabetes and diabetes. Check your
GlycoHb in the blood to see if you are already heading down that
slippery slope. For each1% rise in GlycoHb, your risk of
problems increases by 11% (Annual Meeting European Association
for the Study of Diabetes, Rome 2008.) This is why recurrent
clots like the ones in our legs are more likely with obesity (J.
Archives of Internal Medicine 2008;168:1678.)
You could also try Flaxseed oil to keep your
cholesterol from oxidizing in the liver (J. American College of
Nutrition 2008;27:65.) The Amino acid-turned drug (Mucormist)
NAC helps our liver when it is a bit soaked by fats and
sugars so that it can process cholesterol better (J. Nutrition
2008;138:1872.) In other words, cholesterol problems are a liver
issue 90% of the time.
By the way, omega oils also help to maintain better
mental/brain well being in the elderly (American J. Clinical
Nutrition 2008;88:706) and decrease the risk of depression and
dementia (AJCN 2008;88:714.) So does the herb bacopa (J.
Alternative Complementary Medicine 2008;14:707) and physical
activity; they lower the chances of cognitive decline in
older adults (JAMA 2008;300:1027.) Even if one has a tendency to
obesity, physical activity offsets “obesity genes” (J.
Archives of Internal Medicine 2008;168:1791.)
Perhaps the most likely culprit in obesity, other than our
addiction to sugars driven by emotional problems is the fact
that our brain thermostat is broken, as shown by MRI testing (J.
Science Oct 17th, 2008.) Omega oils, the antioxidant
alpha lipoic acid and the amino acid carnitine
help repair the thermostat so that the obese may stop eating
when they are satisfied (J. Nutrition
2006;136:2131 & J. Nature Medicine 2004;10:727.)
More oily news
The articles on how incredible omega oils are keep coming out.
If you are not supplementing them you had better get going:
Walnut intake helps prostate, J. Clin Cancer Res
2008;14:4491
Lutein, DHA (omega 3) help lipids and Macular
Degeneration,
AJCN 2008;87:1521
Algal
oil = cooked salmon oil in DHA content, J. Am Diet Assoc
2008;108:1204
Ketogenic diet (high in fat) helps kids with seizures not
responding to drugs
J. Neurology 2008;7:500
More Berry good news
Cranberry inhibits lymphoma cells growth, (J. Nutrition and
Cancer 2008;60:511) and prevents/treat oral disease (J. Food
Science and Nutrition 2008;48:672.) Why? It is full of
antioxidants.
Too bad that some oncologists continue to advise their patients
to stay away from antioxidants because of a few misguided
studies that micromanage this issue, instead of looking at the
larger picture of nutrition (Did you notice that there is a
journal completely dedicated to Nutrition and Cancer?) Many feel
that a judicious approach to antioxidants is warranted, instead
of the sledgehammer mentality that prohibits their use across
the board in cancer treatment. In fact, antioxidants during
chemotherapy reduce the risk of limiting side effects
(International J. Cancer 2008;123:1227.)
Read my blog from January 2008 for more evidence on this point.
Prostate health
Isoflavones (soy) help reduce risk of prostate cancer because
they act like the micronutrients found in veggies (glucoronides)
that help detoxify the xenoestrogens or environmental toxins
that act like estrogen: they over-stimulate the prostate. For
that matter, they do so in the breasts, ovaries, uterus and
cervix, too (J. Nut & Cancer 2008;60:461.) The latest example of
xenoestrogens: perchlorate in rocket fuel, which is now
in all our water and soil. But, the EPA is ignoring this problem
(September 2008.)
Green tea also reduces the risk of prostate cancer (J. Nut &
Cancer 2008;60:483.)
Gut
update
By now you know how important the health of our intestines is to
the rest of the body. Here are more references to this simple
concept:
“Early
Life Exposures (under 5 years of age) Associated with
Antibiotic Use and Risk of Subsequent Chron’s Disease.”
Fortunately docs and parents are becoming more conservative
about prescribing antibiotics to children. They compromise their
immune system by decreasing the numbers of friendly bacteria, or
probiotics; more below
Scandinavian J. Gastroenterology 2008;43:961
Probiotics reduce duration of colds in 3-5 year olds.
J. Pediatrics 2008;121:s115
Mesalamine (drug to treat colitis) = Lactobacillus casei (probiotic)
in maintaining remission of uncomplicated diverticular
disease
J. Hepato-Gastroenterology 2008;55:916
Nuts, corn, popcorn are not associated with diverticulitis
JAMA 2008;300:907
All
serotonin blocking antidepressants increase the risk of
GI bleeding
J. Arch Gen Psy 2008;65:795
Cyclic vomiting and diabetic gastropathy are associated with
more migraines, abnormal electro-gastrograms and gastric
emptying: the brain-gut connection at work
Scandinavian J. Gastroenterology 2008;43:1076
“Microbiome
Project Seeks to Understand Human Body’s Microscopic
Residents (in the gut)”
JAMA 2008;300:777
Food allergies increasing: 1/26 children, up form 1/29
CDC Oct 23rd 2008
Telegraphed articles
Higher potassium levels attenuate pain in rheumatoid
arthritis
J. Pain 2008;9:722
L-theanine amino acid increases alpha activity to calm down
Asia Pacific J. Clin Nut 2008;17:s167
Red peony is better that rhubarb in pancreatitis
J. Alternative Med Rev 2008;13:269
Isoflavones increase blood vessel dilatation in
postmenopause
J. Nutrition 2008;138:1288
Turmeric increases risk of kidney stones
AJCN 2008;87:1262
Newer antipsychotics no better than older ones for
children (more likely to have side effects, too)
American J. Psychiatry, September 15th 2008
Higher WBC signals higher risk of breast, colorectal,
endometrial and lung cancers
J. Arch Int Med 2008;167:1837
Big Pharma gives money to American Psychiatry Association:
do you think it may influence the prescribing habits of docs?
JAMA 2008;300:1642
Green tea attenuates angiotensin-induced cardiomyopathy
J. Nut 2008;300:1596
Neuroprotective gene seladin-1 is upregulated by tamoxifen,
raloxifen and soy
J. Endocrinology 2008;149:4256
Women with MTHFR 677TT genotype with migraines with aura have
higher risk of heart disease: supplement folic MTHFR
J. Neurology August 12th 2008
Tea consumption associated with better cognitive function in
PD
60th Annual Meeting Am Acad Neurol, Chicago 2008
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review
of 150 medical journals
Volume 9
�
Number 9
� October 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE
Dirt Poor
The September issue of the National
Geographic journal has two articles on our dwindling top soil: “Our
Good Earth: the future rests on the soil beneath our feet”
(page 80) and “Dirt Poor: Haiti has lost its soil” (page
108.) They are stark reminders of what could happen to our own
topsoil in the USA if we continue on the path we are on. As “city
slickers” we have become detached from the realities of food
production and sustainability. We have been conditioned to
depend and trust those who mass-produce food to maximize
profits, not our health. (See below.)
Big Food pretty much dictates to farmers
how they are to run their farms and what crops to plant. If Joe
Farmer does not go along, there are other farmers who step in,
often cutting corners that affect food and soil quality. For
example, Walmart has told farmers that it will not pay more than
10% surcharge for organic crops. This does not fairly compensate
the efforts that farmers put into organic farming. So, what are
they going to do? They will role over and go along with what Big
Food wants or other farmers will step in and take the
deal.
Short-term mass-production hurts the land
in the long run. Pesticides and planting only crops that are
subsidized by the Farm Bill (corn and soy) also end up hurting
the consumer because they are turned into cheap High Fructose
Corn Syrup and Trans-fats. People are economically driven to eat
the cheaper foods packaged full of chemicals like preservatives
and colorants and who knows what else. Food processing also
takes out many nutrients; for example grains lose significant
amounts of fiber and micronutrients like vitamin B complex. (See
below.)
This whole mess is part of the problem that
has driven our economy to its knees. Agrobusiness operates under
the same shady principles that rule Wall Street. For that
matter, so do Big Pharma and Insurance companies.
What can we do? In my opinion we need to
learn to be self-sufficient ASAP.
Start by buying local produce and
meat raised by people you can look in the eyes when you ask
them how they are raising crops and animals. Do they use
pesticides? Do they truly allow their poultry to be free-range?
Do they give their animals antibiotics, hormones or steroids?
Local farmers have a stronger commitment to safeguarding their
lands’ topsoil. Consuming local food also saves the environment
by cutting down on the fuel to import it from far away places.
Think about it: as much as I like bananas like everyone else, it
no longer makes sense to eat them unless you live in Florida or
Hawaii.
It turns out that local food has no hidden
costs like mass-produced food does, so it is cheaper to eat the
former. Besides, fuel may soon be so expensive that we may be
forced to eat local, anyway.
If you want to read more about these issues
check out “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara
Kingsolver (HarperCollins, 2007,) “Seeds of Deception:
exposing industry and government lies about the safety of the
genetically modified foods you are eating” by Jeffrey Smith
(Yes! Books, 2003) and “Collapse: how societies choose to
fail or succeed” by Jared Diamond (Viking, 2005.) If you are
thinking that “Collapse” couldn’t happen in the USA you may have
forgotten about the dustbowl in Oklahoma during the Great
Depression. Check out the movie “Grapes of Wrath” if you
don’t want to read the book.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
B careful
We have a significant lack of B vitamins in
our society from milling grains, soil depletion and
gut-absorption problems (anti-acid pills, antibiotics, seizure
and diabetes medications, alcohol, tobacco, heavy metals, etc.)
It turns out that some of us are genetically more at risk of
serious consequences, which are even more likely when we eat
poorly. Food determines how your genes are copied. Bad food
makes you more susceptible to DNA mutations leading to cancer
and poor DNA copying making chronic diseases more likely (“Genome
Health Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics: diagnosis and
nutritional treatment of genome damage on an individual basis,”
J. Food Chemical Toxicology 2008;46:1365.)
We are also more vulnerable to
environmental toxins when we are so genetically predisposed. We
have even more trouble detoxifying chemicals in the environment
that are causing DNA mutations, like the plastic in chemicals
Bisphenol, BPA. Mothers who are so genetically predisposed
must get plenty of vitamin B in their diets to fuel methylation
in the Liver to get toxins out of their body. Then, their
children will have a lower risk of getting neurological and
metabolic problems (“Maternal Nutrient Supplementation
Counteracts BPA-induced DNA Hypomethylation in Early Development,”
J. Proc Nat’l Acad of Science 2007;104:13056.) BPA also
increases the risk of heart attacks and diabetes in adults for
the same reasons (JAMA 2008;300:1353.)
Now you know why Refined grains make you
obese: intra-individual changes in DNA methylation
(indispensable for copying DNA) are worse when we lack B complex
in our diets (JAMA 2008;300:2877.) No wonder that by
supplementing B vitamins like folic acid, B-12, choline and
betaine lowered the risk of mice becoming obese (International
J. of Obesity, July 2008.)
“The dose does not make the poison”
As an environmental doc I have been worried
that this old dogma has been around far too long. Why? It has
been financially beneficial to hide the extent of chemicals in
the environment harming our health (Book “The Secret History
of the War on Cancer,” Devra Davis; 2008.) Since the 16th
century most people have maintained that “the dose makes the
poison,” meaning that any substance may be harmful at high
doses, even water and oxygen. The FDA has operated under this
antiquated dogma since its inception, despite solid evidence
that some chemicals may be toxic at very small doses,
too.
The “U” shaped-curve of toxic
exposure is now felt to be a more accurate approximation of what
is going on: at very small doses (the beginning of the “U”
curve”) chemicals may escape detection and detoxification in our
body so that no initial reaction is seen when exposed. But, in
the long run (the end of the “U” curve) said tiny exposures may
cause significant damage. The same toxins at a more detectable
mid-range level may then be properly eliminated (the bottom of
the “U” curve) before damage occurs.
Skin-deep dermatology advise?
I am sure you have heard that food has
nothing to do with acne.
Hopefully we will soon put to rest that
disturbing notion. (“Diet-Acne Association
Gains Footing in Literature,” J. Family Practice News, June
15th, 2008, p15.) Sadly, many people, especially
teenagers would like to believe they may eat anything they want
and still have “totally awesome” skin. Simply put, our
skin is a major detoxifying organ that will struggle to clear
the garbage we eat, particularly when we are having intestinal
problems like IBS and constipation. (“Skin Problems May
Provide Clues to GI Disease,” J. Family Practice News, March
15th, 2008, page 25.) In those cases the skin ends up
picking up the slack in the “exhaust-pipe”
department.
The article “Acne Vulgaris: a disease of
western civilization” (J. Archives of Dermatology
2002;138:1584) hits it right on the head. So, the more processed
food we eat the more likely we are to have a whole lot of
problems besides acne. Think of your skin as a reflection of
what is going on inside your body. If we get acne we are at risk
of other diseases with time.
Many feel that milk is the main
culprit (J. American Academy of Dermatology 2008;58:787.) I
agree. It is full of hormones, steroids antibiotics and
who-knows what else. Every one of those chemicals may stimulate
the growth of bacteria on our skin. Besides, milk has too much
fat and sugar, which also exacerbate acne. In fact, eating the
right sugars or a low glycemic diet improves acne (J.
American Academy of Dermatology 2007;57:247.) Eating the right
fats, that is nuts, avocados, fish, olives and avoiding
Trans-fats and saturated fats also improves our skin.
No doubt you may be told that acne is a
hormonal issue: absolutely. The more refined sugars we eat the
more hyperinsulinemic we become. The extra insulin produced
upsets ovarian and testicular function leading to hormonal
imbalances that increase toxicity issues particularly in the
skin and gut. This has been widely documented. In its worst form
it is called PCOS in women.
Try to stay away from antibiotics to treat
acne; they destroy intestinal flora, which has been associated
with a host of problems, including Lupus as kids grow up (J.
Chest 1999;115:1471.) Review previous issues to learn about
other items that help acne, like the bush Berberine.
There are no shortcuts: healthy skin comes
from healthy diets. Anybody who tells you differently is trying
to sell you something. At least that is what the masked man sort
of said in “The Princess Bride.”
Telegraphed articles
Stress in pregnancy and cesarean sections increases risk of
asthma in kids. Exposure to micro-organisms in birth canal
improves kids’ immune system
JAMA 2008;300:29
Prebiotic oligosaccharides (fiber) in newborns reduces
allergies in 1st two years of life; fiber feeds
probiotics or healthy organisms who are key to the immune
system.
J. Nutrition 2008;38:1091
Vitamin E and resveratrol (nutrient I grapes and peanuts)
inhibit human breast cancer cell growth.
J. Nutrition and Cancer 2008;60:401
Melatonin 6 mg helps reflux
J. Alternative Therapies 2008;14:54
Citrus pectin (fiber) chelates lead in hospitalized kids
with toxic levels
J. Alternative Therapies 2008;14:34
“The
Fragile Mind: early life stress and inflammatory disease.”
Stress in children may predispose them to inflammatory diseases
when they grow older.
J. Endocrinology 2008;149:2724
“Progesterone
and Estrogen Regulate Oxidative Metabolism in Brain
Mitochondria.” Translation: your hormones affect your
brain-energy function.
J. Endocrinology 2008;149:3167
“Progesterone
and Progestin Receptors in the Brain: the neglected
ones,”
J. Endocrinology 2008;149:2737
“Nutritional
Hormesis.” Pesticides and food additives and
preservatives even in small doses have a negative impact on
our bodies.
European J. Clinical Nutrition 2007;61:147
Hyperactivity in children has been associated with chemicals
above.
British Medical Journal 2008;336:1144
A
low glycemic index diet, fiber (fenofibrate) and the antioxidant
CoQ10 (it improves mitochondrial function) help the heart
pump blood more efficiently.
J. Diabetes Care 2008;31:1502
“Fatty
liver” is now seen in about 50% of children over the age of
5 who are obese and in 10% of all children: “Experts predict
those who have [fatty liver] as a kid may need a transplant by
their 30s and 40s.” Amazing…
American Liver Foundation report in Salt Lake
Tribune, September 8th, 2008.
High sugar in the blood associated with more clotting
problems.
J. Diabetes Care 2008;31:1590
Vitamin K improves bone density.
AJCN 2008;88:356
Omega 3 oils lower risk of Macular Degeneration
J. Ophthalmology 2008;126:826
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 150 medical journals
Volume 9
�
Number 8
� September 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE
When we signed up for “Life” we
knew that it would involve suffering and lots of changes. Anyone
who says otherwise is trying to sell us something. At least that
is what the “masked man” said in “Princes Bride.” It seems life
is coming at me fast. Because of personal bumps on the road I
have developed a skin rash, a blood pressure up to 130/82 that
gives me headaches, thyroid problems, reflux, insomnia and a bad
case of inadequate feelings (Examples of the mind-body
connection.) But, all these little things pale to the suffering
some of you are going through. Still, how am I going to put our
ordeal in its proper perspective?
I hope my drive for
self-improvement and for avoiding self-deception can withstand
this gale. How will I fare in that endeavor? I don’t know,
because I am all too aware that we humans have an incredible
strong drive to deceive ourselves.
Self-deception: this is
the little pearl I really intended to share with you this month.
It is patently obvious in all we do, particularly when we are
trying to sell something or an image of ourselves that may need
marketing. Take Big Pharma’s research to create a drug that
could help you gain some of the benefits of exercise without
getting off the couch: no exercise? No sweat! (J. Cell, July 31st,
2008.)
Will people but this drug? What
do you think?
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
Berry questionable energy drinks
If you have read some of the
articles I have posted on my website you are familiar with my
overarching hypothesis that everything about the Universe and
our health is nothing but Energy and Information, E&I, which are
an integral component of the laws of Thermodynamics. This is why
I was very interested in the study titled “Phytochemical
Composition and Metabolic Performance-Enhancing Activity of
Dietary Berries Traditionally Used by Native North Americans”
(J. Agriculture & Food Chemistry 2008;56:654.)
I have had some experience with
berries and with energy drinks. As a young doc I served the
National Health Service Corps to repay medical school loans in
the wilds of Alaska (remember “Northern Exposure?”) I went for a
lot of hikes in the tundra and often I found myself on the
losing end in my quest for berries; Grizzly bears always get
their way. Berries are one of the best foods we have because of
their high content of antioxidants and phytochemicals to support
the thermodynamics of our cells as they process E&I.
Notice that the article
mentions “metabolism.” That is the biologic equivalent of
thermodynamics. And that is what we need to keep firmly in mind
so that we don’t succumb to the intense marketing of high-priced
energy drinks that are flooding the market. Think of the food we
eat as the only legitimate way to get proper E&I (Besides loving
relationships; see above the reason why I have been running on
empty, lately.) Everything else is likely a shortcut, as
exemplified by most energy drinks; they rely on caffeine and
processed sugar: talk about whipping a dead horse. Being
addicted to these items, it is easy to feel a boost of energy
when we are withdrawing or when our blood levels of these
products get too low. Then, people are caught in a vicious
cycle.
I have been asked to speak for
a company that markets one of those energy drinks. I felt their
product was based on legitimate nutrients. In fact, their drink
has berries in it. But the fly in the ointment is the price. Are
even healthy energy drinks worth it? Yes, if money is not an
issue to you. But, most people are barely one step away from
financial ruin these days. This is why the informed public
will likely stay away from these drinks, as healthy as they may
be. No doubt those who want a quick boost of E&I are probably
trying these drinks, both the caffeinated, high sugar ones and
the healthy ones, as exemplified by the one who hired me.
Self-deception; it is
found in any company that does business while ignoring the
principles of true service to the public. The best and most
profitable businesses are those who fulfill legitimate human
needs (I have some reservations about Big Oil, Big Food and Big
Pharma.) The companies selling energy drinks would do well to
give customers the right E&I: stick to fruits and veggies
as the base of the pyramid and avoid refined, processed foods.
(By the way, the company who hired me to speak knew I would
emphasize proper nutrition first and foremost.)
Self-deception is also at play
when people abuse their bodies and minds with bad food, bad
relationships and then seek to make it right with a quick energy
drink and all-too-available processed food.
I understand that many of us
are stuck in 2-3 jobs just to make ends meet: the temptation to
get a quick fix is overwhelming. But, this is the very reason we
must void shortcuts that are more expensive in the long run and
stick to the right E&I in the right food and in the grooming of
our intimate relationships with good communication of E&I to
sustain each other’s trust.
Self-deception and the
inability to postpone pleasure and rewards in favor of quick
solutions in the present: a perfect Rx for trouble…
Plunging testosterone
A while back a study showed
that testosterone levels go down in sport fans when their team
loses. Surely women have noticed this little quirk in their
males. Surely there are women who root for their husbands’ teams
… and women who root for the opponents to win…
Some men get downright
depressed when their testosterone goes down. It’s not hard to
understand why (J. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2006;31:1029 & J.
Archives of General Psychiatry 2008;65:283.) Preening, sprucing
and making ourselves more attractive helps ameliorate these
problems. A study came out showing that birds getting “make-up”
go from wimpy to becoming “chick magnets:” their
testosterone levels go up
(J. Current Biology, June 2008.)
Knowing that I will upset some
of you while I validate others, I feel that anything that
enhances our relationships and helps us bond more strongly with
our mates is good, provided that there is no deception, abuse or
lack of respect and trust. So, buying pretty things, jewelry,
make-up and other trifles along those lines are fine. But, when
it comes to “sexual items” some people may get uncomfortable.
For example, “enhancements” for men and women may be what they
prefer and that is only their choice to make. So, despite some
controversial reports on breast enhancement, I feel the choice
is still a couple’s to make.
This reminds me: who told on
me? Daily I get dozens of spam about male enhancement…. Maybe it
was my ex….
Throw me tomatoes
Some people “throw me
tomatoes” when I express my opinion that food is the best
medicine; I have told that my views on health are “too rosy.”
I understand why they are challenged by the facts I monthly
highlight in this newsletter: they are “nutritionally
deficient.” Are they reading the evidence I quote? Are they
dismissing the clear results (available to anyone) we see in our
clinic, where 80-90% of prescription drugs are discontinued when
patients stop their addiction to refined foods?
No matter: do throw me
tomatoes!
FruHis, a carbohydrate
derivative in dehydrated tomatoes has been shown to protect
against DNA damage that may lead to cancer (J. Cancer Research
2008;68:4384.)
A study showed that only18% of rats fed
FruHis and tomato paste had prostate tumors, while 39% did with
tomato paste only and 43% with tomato powder. It turns out that
63% of the rats getting no tomatoes whatsoever developed
prostate tumors.
It
is the antioxidant Lycopene in tomatoes that is healing
the DNA problems that lead to prostate cancer. Lycopene also
slows the progression of BPH, or enlarged prostate in men
(J. Nutrition 2008;138:49.) I highlight “men” for those who
would dismiss the above study because it was done in rats.
Interestingly, some of those who would do just that think
nothing of testing their pharmaceutical agents on animals…
Hope your health “bugs” you
A hundred years ago Dr.
Metchnikoff won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his seminal work
on the microflora in our intestines. People are now more
familiar with the concept he pioneered, that is, that the
micro-organisms that live in our intestines are THE KEY to our
health, outside of the food we eat, a clean environment and
healthy relationships.
Doctors are resurrecting
Metchnikoff’s work. We are seeing articles like “Scientists
Probe Microbe ‘Communitites” (JAMA 2008;299:2265) appear in
many medical journals on a monthly basis. This one tells us that
the quadrillions of organisms in our intestines are an exciting
frontier of research. The “microbiome” (JAMA
2008;300:777) is made up of about 1,000 different species of
organisms in the intestines; we are just beginning to understand
the symbiotic relationship we have with our guests: “There
are a number of chronic diseases for which there is tantalizing,
piece-meal, reasonable evidence of microbial factors playing
some kind of role.”
The authors discuss an example:
bacterial vaginosis or an imbalanced flora in the vagina,
which may create significant problems for women. It turns out
that vaginosis is not seen when a woman has mostly
lactobacillus in her vagina. In other words, friendly
organisms therein keep the “bad guys” from setting up
shop. This is why I advice women with these issues to place
capsules of probiotics in their vagina to treat and prevent
vaginal infections. Still, the main problem behind this nuisance
is that women eat too much refined sugars in their diets.
Another example of how our
friendly bugs can help us came out in the Journal Nature
2008;453:620. Bacteroides fragilis, a species of friendly
organisms in the intestines produce PSA or Polysaccharide A,
which protects mice from getting Chron’s and Ulcerative Colitis
in mice exposed to bad bacteria, like Helicobacter hepaticus.
PSA induces CD4 cells that reduce inflammation in the
intestines.
The concept that of our little friends
produce indispensable molecules for our health is not new; we
have known for quite a while about Short Chain Fatty Acids
like Butyrate. SCFA reduce cholesterol by optimizing its
processing in the intestines. SCFA also lower inflammation and
promote healing of injured tissues. They also reduce the risk of
intestinal and systemic cancer (J. Nutrition and Cancer 2005,
p2878.) But, perhaps most interesting to you, SCFA help you
process calories better in your intestines, so that your
likelihood of becoming obese is reduced. In other words, having
unhealthy intestinal flora increases your chances of gaining
unwanted pounds (“Gut Microbiota and Its Possible
Relationship with Obesity,” J. Mayo Clinic Proceedings
2008;83:460.)
These articles didn’t point out everything that
could be said about our little friends. But, you may read up on
the wonderful benefits of probiotics in previous issues of this
newsletter. Let me just review a couple of points: probiotics
are critical for managing the E&I you eat and detoxifying in
obeisance to the Universal laws of thermodynamics.
Ask your self this question: have you gotten your
little friends used to sugar and chocolate? If the answer is
yes, now you know why you crave those items so much: you got
them used to that garbage and now they are sending you messages
to your brain, demanding that you keep feeding them in the
manner they have become accustomed to (J. Proteome Research,
October 2007.)
How does it feel to be
controlled by your microscopic guests? Time for a bit of
humility; some microorganisms can manipulate neural circuitry
better than we can.” (Bugs in the Brain,” J.
Scientific American, March 2003;288:94.)
Telegraphed articles
Air pollution increases the risk of DVTs, or clots in the
deep leg veins
J. Archives Internal Medicine 2008;168:920
“Exercise May Boost Aging Immune System,”
JAMA 2008;299:160
SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Low vitamin E
is associated with a decline in physical function in the elderly
JAMA 2008;299:308
Marihuana has been associated with periodontal disease
JAMA 2008;299:525, 574
Lead exposure in infancy increases the risk of
Alzheimer’s disease later in life
J. Molecular Neuroscience 2008;28:3
Curcumin/curry decreases IgE mediated allergic response:
allergies get better.
J. Allergy Clinical Immunology 2008;121:1225
Drugs used to treat osteoporosis increase the risk of Atrial
fibrillation
J. Archives Internal Medicine 2008;168:826
Growth hormone may be able to protect neurons from the
detrimental effects of opiates
J. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
2008;105:7304
INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly
review of 150 medical journals
Volume 9
�
Number 7
� August 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE
You may want to read the last few blogs (“Braindroppings”)
to get a more complete idea of what Big Pharma is up to this
summer. While prescription drugs have their place in modern
health care, their overuse is raising a lot of eyebrows.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
A drug to treat the side effects of
another drug
Even though antidepressants
work in less than 50% of people, they are widely used, with
significant side effects. A very bothersome side effect is
sexual dysfunction in both men and women. We just learned that
Viagra may be used to counteract these problems when Prozac-like
meds are used by women (JAMA 2008;300:395.)
OK, I am not a puritan by any
means. I even feel that women could take Viagra for recreational
purposes, since it enhances sensation in their genitals. But,
the concept of taking drugs to cover up the side effects of
questionable drugs is potentially problematic. How many drugs
are people taking for symptoms that may be nothing but side
effects from an earlier drug? Consider older people, who may
take 5-10 drugs a day. How likely is the possibility that they
may have drugs working against each other?
And, what happened
to the report that lowly Ginkgo not only helps with
depression, but it also mitigates the sexual dysfunction seen
with antidepressant therapy?
[J. Archives Physiology and Medical Rehabilitation 2000;81:668.
Chin Med J. 1999;112:1093
Gingko helps depression. It potentiates effect of
antipsychotic drugs.
J. Clinical Experimental Pharmacology Physiology 1997;24:958
Gingko works through the NOS system: it reduces
inflammation in the brain.
J. Clinical Psychiatry 1998;59:199 and J. Sexual Marital therapy
2001;27:541
Gingko improves the loss of sensation in the genitals that is
seen with SSRI antidepressants.]
Remember that Big Pharma will try to
discredit any report on any herb or non-pharmaceutical product
that may cut into their sales. They take a page from the
historical records of any big business that has muscled out the
competition with spurious reports that favor their own product.
(Did you know that Rockefeller funded the drive that led to
prohibition? He was trying to demonize alcohol, which was the
preferred fuel for cars back then. Rockefeller owned Standard
Oil, which fell under antitrust laws to become Chevron, Exxon,
and Amoco. Henry Ford’s alcohol-fueled cars were Rockefeller’s
competition, but after the constitutional amendment that
criminalized alcohol in general, petroleum became the nations’
main fuel.)
Problems with antipsychotic drugs
The recent report that there is
an increased risk of death in the elderly taking antipsychotic
drugs is not news; we have know about this for a while (JAMA
2008;300:379.) And, the new generation antipsychotic drugs,
while more expensive, do not seem to be any better than the
cheaper older ones. I have herein reproduced a report I wrote in
an earlier newsletter:
“Effectiveness of
antipsychotic drugs in patients with chronic schizophrenia”
(New England J. of Medicine 2005;353:1209) tells us that the
newer and more expensive drugs to treat this condition are no
better than the cheaper older ones. In fact, these newer drugs
were marketed even though studies showed that they were no
better than the older ones. “None of these drugs provided the
majority of patients effective treatment that lasted the full 18
months of this study.” Only one new drug, Olanzapine was
slightly better, but it was “associated with weight gain, and
increases in measures of glucose and lipid metabolism.”
These drugs have also been associated with an increased risk of
cardiovascular events and mortality (JAMA 2005;294:1934.) The
so-called atypical antipsychotic drugs must not be replaced with
the conventional antipsychotic drugs, since both of them raise
mortality (New England J. of Medicine 2005;353:2335.)
“Dr. Drug Rep”
A
Psychiatrist’s experience while speaking for the antidepressant
Effexor was highlighted in the New York Times (NYT Magazine,
November 25th, 2007, page 64.) He discovered that
Effexor’s claims that it is 10% more effective than Prozac-like
SSRI drugs is inflated and that the high blood pressure
elevation seen with Effexor is underreported. But, the speaking
fee initially blinded him to these facts. He eventually gave up
the gig, but, as he became more truthful, drug reps no longer
booked him.
As an
attempt to be fair, I must report that companies marketing
supplements often don’t ask me to speak for them after the
initial engagement. I feel it is because I don’t hype up their
products as much as they would like me to. Even though they deal
with nutritional products, they are still in business.
Sweet updates
My book “Sweet Death” may be
updated this year. As you may know, I feel very strongly about
our addiction to refined sugars in our country. So, I am always
looking for related articles. The report that pesticides
increase the risk of diabetes (Am. J. Epidemiology
2008;167:1235) may surprise some, unless you are familiar with
insulin resistance caused by toxicity, as previously reported
(See “TOIL” in my white paper.)
And, why would Gout
increase mortality in middle aged men? (J. Archives of Internal
Medicine 2008;168:1104) Because gout is driven by insulin
resistance, too, which affects our circulation.
And, why do obese men have
low-quality sperm? (Annual Meeting European Society of Human
Reproduction and Embryology, Barcelona, 2008) Because of poor
circulation to the testicles, insulin/glucose elevation
affecting gonadal function, and decreased ability to detoxify
the environmental chemicals associated with low sperm counts.
Remember that obese people have “Fatty Livers,” which hinders
detoxification. This is the same mechanism whereby their
cholesterol goes up, since 90% of cholesterol is processed in
the Liver.
Finally, more food fights: see
blog on the ongoing debate over “low carb” vs. “low fat”
diets and what is not being addressed about these diets. Not
knowing the problems behind the studies comparing these diets
may be harmful to your health.
Got milk? Got acne?
I know you are not going to
like this report; so, I am giving it to you as verbatim as
possible. Don’t shoot the messenger.
“Diet Gains Legitimacy as
Potential Factor in Acne,” J. Skin and Allergy News, May
2008, page 9. Report on Annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar,
Waikoloa, 2008
·
Milk, high sugar, high fat diets the culprit
·
6,096 girls ages 9-15 drinking more milk had more
acne. And 4,273 teen boys had more acne with milk consumption,
J. Am Acad Derm 2008 [doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2007.08.049]
·
Milk has progesterone, dihydrotestosterone
precursors, somatostatin, prolactin, insulin growth
factor-releasing hormone, insulin-like growth factors1 and 2,
and other substances that could stimulate pilosebaceous
activity, J. Am Acad Dermatol 2005;52:360
·
No acne in natives in Paraguay and Papua New
Guinea, because they don’t eat refined foods
·
A low glycemic diet lowers insulin resistance and
improves acne, J. Am Acad Derm 2007;57:247
·
Low glycemic diet has 30 % more fiber than average
diets and substantially more poly unsaturated fats, both of
which decrease androgen levels that worsen acne, J. Am Acad Derm
2007;57:1092
I hope your dermatologist reads this
report, and the following one…
The Oregon grape, “Mahonia,”
J. Skin and Allergy News, May 2008, page 30
- Mahonia
aquifolium, the Oregon grape root belongs to the
berberidaceae or barberry family. This is an evergreen
shrub, native to the American Northwest, used mostly to
treat chronic skin eruptions and pustules that come from
fatty foods, J. Dermatology Therapy 2003;16:106
-
Berberine, an alkaloid, is the most active ingredient,
is a powerful antioxidant, anti inflammatory (J. Bioorg Med
Chem 2004;12:4709) and antimutagenic molecule whose primary
mode of action is the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, J.
Planta Medica 1994;60:421.
- Berberine
inhibits cell growth, J. Planta Medica 1995;61:74. It
induces apoptosis in promyelocytic leukemia, J. Arch
Pharmacol 1996;93:193
- It
relieves neonatal jaundice, J. Comp. Med. East West
1977;5:161
- It has
anti pyretic activity, and it is used as an anti
inflammatory for lumbago and rheumatism, J. Life Science
2002;72:645
- Anti
acne effect, (J. Skin Pharmacology 1993;6:56) and
helpful in psoriasis (J. Pharmazie 1996;51:58.) Berberine
was 84% effective in psoriasis and 64% of patients rated it
as effective as the standard calcipotriene Rx (Am J. Therapy
2005;12:398.)
-
Antifungal effect, J. Phytotherapy Res 2003;17:834
-
Antimicrobial activity against Staph, J. Phytotherapy Res
2004;18:67
“Leaky brain” and coffee
Coffee has been shown to
protect the Blood Brain Barrier, BBB from
cholesterol-induced leakage (J. of Neuro-Inflammation, April
2008.) This means that coffee, which is high in antioxidants,
keeps the blood vessels in the brain from “leaking.” Since
cholesterol is a very important molecule in the repair of cell
membranes or lining of arteries, its levels and function need to
be optimal to prevent leaking. Let’s review this important
concept.
Everyone is familiar with “leaky
gut.” Once we get it that a TOILing intestinal lining may
lead to mucosal permeability, we may easily see that the same
process may occur anywhere in the body. It turns out that poor
glucose processing also makes the brain more “leaky,”
which allows toxins to enter the brain easier. The “Blood
Brain Barrier” (BBB) is weakened by age and insulin
resistance, which accelerates the rate at which the brain’s
blood vessels become leaky from cell membrane TOILing (J.
Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 2003;74:70)
It is not surprising that the
BBB is impaired in Alzheimer’s Disease (J. Neurology
2007;68:1809.) Glucose at high levels is itself toxic to the
Central Nervous System (J. Proceeding of the National Academy of
Science, Feb 1st, 2003.) Environmental toxins may
not get inside the brain to trigger TOILing of neurons, unless
the BBB is itself leaky from TOILing (J. Nature Neuroscience,
April 2008.) For example, Formaldehyde may pose a risk for ALS
or Lou Gehrig’s Disease (60th Annual Meeting Am Acad
of neurology, Chicago, 2008, J. Neurotoxicology 2007;28:532.) In
other words, we are all exposed to toxins, like pesticides. But,
our nutrigenomic factors make it so that each of us is affected
differently.
A leaky BBB is more likely
when we lower our cholesterol too much. Remember that cell
membranes are made up mostly of phospholipids. The most
important phospholipid in the cell membranes of brain neurons is
cerebrosterol (J. Lipids 2007;42:5.) When we insist on
lowering cholesterol too much, we mess with cerebrosterol, and
we increase our chances of Parkinson’s disease (J. Neurology
News, January 2007, page 4,) and dementia (J. Archives of
Neurology 2007;64:103.) This is why we would do well to eat a
lot of nuts, so we don’t go nuts (British J. Nutrition
2006;96:Supp#2.) No, nuts don’t make you gain weight (AJCN
2003;78:647.)
Not surprisingly, a leaky BBB
has been linked to high blood pressure (JAMA 2007;297:2339,)
which as you now know, is a function of insulin resistance. High
blood pressure itself is going to increase brain cell aging, and
dysfunction.
So, fixing the TOILing that
leads to “leaky brain” helps with practically all neurological
problems. This is why coffee, which is high in
antioxidants and thus reduces insulin resistance, has been shown
to protect the BBB from cholesterol-induced leakage (J. of Neuro-Inflammation,
April 2008.) Not surprisingly, Green tea reduces the risk
of learning deficits in rats deprived of oxygen, because of a
reduction of TOILing, or oxidative stress (American J. of
Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, May 15th,
2008) and 2,000 U of vitamin E reduce the risk of dying
by 26% in Alzheimer’s, without side effects (J. Family Practice
News, May 15th, 2008, page 38.)
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A
Monthly Review of 150 Medical Journals
Volume 9
�
Number 4
�
April-May 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE
It’s
been a while since I wrote about the problem with the ‘calories in = calories
out” paradigm. In light of recent discoveries about how we process food in the
intestines, I wish to revisit this issue. In my view, this worn out paradigm
needs to be “flushed down the toilet,” literally, as you will see. Perhaps you
remember the articles I have previously reported herein on how our intestinal
flora modulates our metabolism, influences the amount of calories we extract
from food and even sends signals to our brains to talk us into continually
feeding them (the organisms dwelling in our gut) the processed foods rich in
chocolate and refined sugars we got them addicted to. Naturally, they turn
around and demand that we keep that kind of diet up: now them and us are
addicted to bad foods.
There is another reason why we need to abandon the “calories in =
calories out” dogma: it never worked.
The evidence to change these old paradigms has been around for a
while, yet, some still profess that there is no such evidence. Soon, the weight
of scientific inquiry will be too large to ignore, especially when the NIH
awarded 122 grants to nutrition-related investigations, out of 236 grants in
2007 (http://nccam.nih.gov/research/extramural/awards/2007.)
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
Who governs whom?
Do we control
our intestinal flora, or do they control us? Let us astart considering the
question by remembering that most of the genetic material within our body is
theirs, not ours. Now, read the highlights from this great review article, “Gut
Microbiota and Its Possible Relationship with Obesity” (J. Mayo Clinic
Proceedings 2008;83:460.)
·
“Mice raised on regular food have 40% higher body fat and 47%
more gonadal fat content than germ-free mice, even though they consumed less
food than their germ-free counterparts. The distal gut microbiota from the [fat]
mice was then transplanted into the germ-free mice, resulting in a 60% increase
in body fat within 2 weeks without any increase in food consumption or obvious
differences in energy expenditure.”
·
Microbiota promotes absorption of monosaccharides, fermentation of
indigestible polysaccharides and short-chain fatty acids; also, regulation of
genes that promote deposition of fat in lipocytes.
·
“Gut microbiota can affect both sides of the energy balance
equation, influencing energy harvest from dietary substances and affecting genes
that regulate how energy is expended and stored.”
·
“…More end products of fermentation (acetate, butyrate,) and
fewer calories in the feces of the obese mice, leading them to speculate that
the gut microbiota in these mice facilitate the extraction of additional
calories from ingested food…[this] suggests that differences in caloric
extraction of ingested food substances may be determined by the composition of
the gut microbiota.”
·
Inflammation seen in metabolic syndrome likely related to
intestinal microbiota and its effect on high fat diets. Chronic imbalances in
microbiota (endotoxemia) have been associated with insulin resistance, diabetes
and obesity. Endotoxemia raises levels of inflammatory markers like cytokines,
interleukins and TNF.
·
Polymyxin B, an antibiotic active against gram negative organisms
in the gut has been shown to reduce fatty liver and IR. Antibiotic Rx decreases
the incidence and delayed the onset of diabetes in a diabetes-prone rat model.
These rats had less bacteroides, which reduced inflammation of pancreas and cell
membranes.
·
Healthy gut organisms (bacteroidetes) increase to 15% of total
organisms, up from 3%, when people lose weight by treating the firmicutes, or
bacteria associated with weight gain.
·
Methanogenic Archaea, or gut organisms that produce methane, also
increase the extraction of calories frrm consumed polysaccharides.
·
Prebiotics (fiber) improve microbiota, thus reducing insulin
resistance and metabolic problems by improving processing of food in intestines.
·
“Probiotics (friendly bacteria in capsules) resulted in
distinct changes in the microbiome with associated metabolic alterations in a
variety of tissues affecting energy, lipid, and amino acid metabolism.”
·
The authors feel that “genetic tendencies are more important
than diet, age, and lifestyles in determining the composition of the gut
microbiota.” I am not sure I totally agree. But, their statement is
understandable in light of their extraordinary findings. They are putting great
emphasis on their research, which points to a radical departing from established
dogma. If I knew how much they understand nutrition and probiotics, I could
judge their statement more accurately. In my opinion, they may not have studied
the field of nutrigenomics, or cutting edge research in food sciences. Take a
look at the next article…
Genes are not all they are cracked up to be
After
Mendel and the discovery of DNA we fell in love with the exciting world of
genetics, with good reason. But, we may have gone too far, swinging too much to
the other side, thus placing genes on an unreachable pedestal. Without intending
to de-throne genetics, let’s consider this article, which attempts to restore
balance. Simply put, genes have no function, nor influence on our body, until
they are copied into functional messages or glycoproteins. This process, called
“epigenetics,” is heavily influenced by the food we eat, our environment,
and in my opinion, our heart, relationships, emotions and thoughts. Here are the
highlights of the article “Epigenetics, a Window on Gene Dysregulation,
Disease” (JAMA 2008;299:1249.)
- Environmental,
nutritional signals can increase risk of disease, cancer.
- Epigenetic changes happen
in gestation, neonatal, puberty and old age.
- “Mother’s nutrition
during pregnancy can permanently change the epigenetic programming of her
offspring.”
- “Maternal
supplementation of yellow agouti mice with compounds like folic or genistein
during pregnancy blocked the negative effects (DNA hypomethylation) of
bisphenol A on th epigenome of the offspring.”
- “Epigenetics at the
Epicenter of Modern Medicine” (JAMA 2008;299:1345.) This companion
article highlights what the cover issue of the journal Discover reported on
last November. Basically, a lack of B vitamins undermines the process of
methylation of DNA and Liver detoxification, increasing our chances of
developing certain cancers, like colon cancer.
- Finally, the Cover issue
of the J. Science December 21st, 2007 reported the
“Breakthrough of the year: human genetic
variation.”
Back to the intestines
Every year, about 100,000 people die due to
pharmaceutical issues. Most of them succumb to the side effects of anti
inflammatory drugs for pain. Here is an article that sheds some light on this
serious problem, “NSAID-induced intestinal damage: are luminal bacteria the
therapeutic target?” (J. Gut 2008:57:145.)
·
Antibiotics like tetracycline, kanamycin, metronidazole, neomycin
attenuate NSAIDs intestinal damage. Why? Could it be that they are working on
the intestinal flora? Sulfasalazine, steroids immunosupressive compounds for
Chron’s and Ulcerative Colitis may be doing the same thing.
·
Bacterial-host interaction increases cytokine expression, or a
tendency to inflammation. Therefore, NSAIDs damage may be due to antibacterial
action
·
Probiotics could prevent the problem!
·
“Antibiotics may be used cyclically to eliminate certain
bacterial populations, followed by exogenous probiotics to fill the open
ecologic niche, thereby improving the balance of enteric microbiota for long
term efficacy. The availability of specific means to modulate innate immune
system is likely to break the link between anti-inflammatory activity and
intestinal toxicity of NSAIDs.”
·
Numerous other articles have been herein reported to document why
carefully chosen antibiotics are therapeutic to alleviate many conditions that
originate from an imbalance of intestinal flora. Visit the archives newsletters
for more information.
Apigenin,” J.
Skin & Allergy News, March 2008, page 32
- It’s a flavonoid found in
herbs (endine, clove, chamomile,) apples, cherries, grapes, tea, wine,
beans, broccoli, celery, leeks, onions, barley, parsley and tomatoes. It has
these beneficial actions:
- Chemopreventive, J. Pharm
Sci 1997;86L721
- Anti inflammatory, J.
Skin Pharm Appl Skin Physiol 2001;14:373
-
Antispasmodic, anxiolytic, J. Planta Med 1995;61:213
Still scared?
Living in America, we are familiar
with fear mongering as a tool to influence public opinion. Sadly, this is a
technique as old as the hills and it does not spare medical practice. As
previously reported in a commentary published in the JAMA, the “Myth of
Osteoporosis” (book) is well entrenched. Here is another article fearlessly
addressing this problem, “Drugs for pre-osteoporosis: prevention or disease
mongering?” (British Medical Journal 2008:336:126.)
·
An already controversial condition, osteopenia, or thinning bones
before they develop osteoporosis, has been expanded to increase the market for
drugs.
·
The cut-off values for bone density “somewhat arbitrary” according
to original WHO statement in 1994. Those values were intended for epidemiologic
studies, not for clinical treatment.
·
“Treating those at risk of being at risk?... Impressive
sounding reductions in relative risk can mask much smaller reductions in
absolute risk.” A 75% reduction of relative risk by raloxifene translates
into 0.9% reduction of absolute risk. The true incidence of fractures is less
than 1% a year: this influences the results as above, when risk is overstated.
·
We need to treat 270 women for 3 years to prevent one vertebral
fracture
·
Focus on vertebral fractures, not hip fractures. 2/3 of vertebral
fractures are subclinical. Meaning we are not even aware they happen, until we
notice that we are getting shorter.
·
The side effects of these drugs are played down: diarrhea, GERD,
more vascular, neurologic and lab abnormalities. More venous thrombosis or clots
are seen with raloxifene. Osteonecrosis, or rotting of the jaw has been
reported.
·
Analysis of data done mostly by docs with ties to drug companies
·
“Shifting the focus in fracture prevention from osteoporosis to
falls” (British Medical Journal 2008;337:124) is an article published along
side this one. It reports that over 80% of fractures are seen with no
osteoporosis at all…
“Bromelain,” J. Skin and Allergy News,
February 2008, page 34
·
Proteolytic enzyme from the stem of the pineapple. It is absorbed
by white cells which enhances enzymatic activity (J. Derm Therapy 2003;16:106.)
·
Activity: anti inflammatory, fibrinolytic, skin debridement;
inhibits platelet aggregation, and growth of malignant cells (J.
Ethnopharmacology 1988;22:191, J. Cell Mol Life Sci 2001;58:1234.) Anti
inflammatory activity through modulation of arachidonic acid cascade (J.
Ethnopharmacology 1988;222;191,) which reduces capillary permeability (J. Med
Hypothesis 1980:6:99.) All this translates into a very practical application:
bruise reduction after trauma of any kind.
·
Bromelain reduces edema, bruising, pain, and healing time after
dental surgery. Recommended before and after surgery (J. Dental Med 1965;20:51,
J. Skin Therapy Letters 2000;5:1.)
·
Less swelling after long bone fracture surgery, J. Acta Chir
Orthop Traumatol Chech 2001;68:45.
·
Bromelain potentiates antibiotic action in Rx of bronchitis,
sinusitis, pyelonephritis and wounds. It also helps Rx of angina,
thrombophlebitis (J. Altern Med Rev 1998;3:302.)
·
It inhibits growth of tumors in animals (J. Planta Med
1990;56:249) because it has imunomodulatory activity (J. Cell Mo Life Sci
2001;58:1234.)
Drinking toilet
water, like Fido
We all get grossed out
when we catch out doggie drinking out of the toilet. Well, we may not be able to
“cast the first stone…” An AP study (Salt Lake Tribune, March 10-12th,
2008) reported that many drugs we discard from our body after we have ingested
them are found in our sewage, since most drugs are used or metabolized only 80%.
The rest is flushed down the toilet. Antibiotics, antidepressants, anxiolitics,
anticonvulsants and hormones are now found in the drinking water of 41 million
Americans. Drugs like prozac and prematin and even xanax for anxiety. So, if all
makes you anxious, drink more water…
About 24 major metropolitan areas were
involved in this study. Previously no tests have been available to look for the
problem, which is still the case in many cities. The EPA doesn’t know what to
make of the problem. Philadelphia had 56 types of drugs in its potable water,
but studies like this are rarely made available to public. There are no national
standards to look into this problem
Most fish are now hermaphrodites. They swim
in waters where 10+ pharmaceuticals have been detected. Every bluegill, black
crappie and channel catfish had levels of antidepressants tested. A few parts
per million of these drugs may or may not be a problem, but we don’t know for
sure, or do we? Previously, you have read about endocrine problems triggered by
toxins in the environment… You be the judge, for now.
As always, rather than get scared about
environmental problems, resolve to eat a very good diet, so that you reduce the
levels of these toxins, not only by avoiding them, (water filters don’t help
this problem,) but by revving up your detoxification pathways.
Telegraphed articles
“Neurologic and
psychiatric manifestations of gluten sensitivity,”
J.
Pediatric 2008:152:244
“Metal chelation and inhibition of bacterial growth in tissue abscesses,”
J. Science 2008:319:962
Soy protein
isolate reduces biomarkers of prostate cancer
J.
Nutrition and Cancer 2008:60:7
Citrus
flavonoids inhibit oral cancers
J.
Nutrition and Cancer 2008:60:69
Mushroom
ganoderma lucidum has apoptotic effect on premalignant urothelial cells
J.
Nutrition and Cancer 2008:60:109
Mango
extract and lupeol has apoptotic effect on mouse prostate cancer
J.
Nutrition and Cancer 2008:60:120
Broccoli
extract (sulpharane) may help reduce UV skin damage
JAMA
2007;298:2731
No negative effects on
prostate safety were detected with testosterone treatment in men
JAMA 2008;299:39
“Exercise May Boost Aging Immune System,”
JAMA 2008;299:160
Tonsillectomies are
not beneficial in mild-moderate abcesses
J. Archives Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery 2007;133:1083
Low vitamin E
associated with decline in physical function in the elderly
JAMA 2008;299:308
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
|
Volume 9
�
Number 3
� March 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE
There were a series of articles in the newspapers recently
linking excessive insulin production (from too many twinkies) to
more rings around the waist and more strokes in women. Also,
mammograms on women who have insulin resistance tend to show
poor arterial circulation, which is also associated with a
higher risk of strokes. At the same time, an article in the Salt
Lake Tribune reported that a lot of docs are afraid to tell
women they are obese. A fat patient seems to be an
emotionally charged situation for all involved.
In my opinion, this problem goes away when a doctor
emphasizes insulin resistance and all its nefarious
consequences, instead of someone’s weight. Insulin resistance
encompasses practically all diseases.
I tell patients to stop weighing themselves, throw
away the scale and focus on measuring their waist. They
concentrate on reversing insulin resistance, and thus they avoid
becoming diabetic within 5 years. Soon, they not only shrink
their waist size, but they see their blood pressure drop,
cholesterol normalize, migraines go away, the need for
anti-inflammatory drugs disappear, etc.
Overcoming insulin resistance by facing their
addiction to refined sugars and getting off medications that
only address the symptoms, not the root-cause, becomes such a
consuming goal (if the doctor takes the time to teach and motivate)
that the obesity issue is quickly diffused. Of course, patients
cheat: they still weigh themselves, but they are no longer
obsessed, nor do they micromanage calories. In fact, I tell them
to forget about counting calories, eat all they want (provided
is not refined food of any kind,) and avoid being hungry.
They key to this approach? Get the patient to face
his/her refined sugar addiction, understand the public health
dynamics that result in our whole society being addicted, and
resolve to regain control of their lives. For more details, read
my book “Sweet Death.” (www.naturestools.com.)
Gastric Bypass Surgery
Sweet death is becoming such a problem that now
these surgeries are being recommended to children (J. Pediatric
and Adolescent Surgery, February 2007.) Before we rush into this
procedure, it would be wise to try less aggressive treatments or
at least improve the surgery techniques. As it is now, 2% of
people die within the first 30 days after surgery, 2.8% within
90 days, 4.6% within the first year (JAMA 2005;294:1861) and 40%
of people have complications (Agency for Health Care Research
and Quality, branch of Public Health Service, July 23rd,
2006).
I have no hard evidence, but, in my experience, most
patients who have this surgery end up regaining their weight.
Could it be that these patients don’t learn to face and overcome
their addiction to sugar? Many of them do find new addictions,
like gambling, compulsory shopping, alcoholism and smoking. Some
of them even “outfox the procedure by taking in calories in
liquid form” (New York Times Magazine, November 18th,
2007.)
“Bromelain,”
J. Skin and Allergy News, February 2008, page 34
Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme from the stem of
the pineapple. It is absorbed by white cells which
enhances enzymatic activity (J. Derm Therapy 2003;16:106). Other
actions include anti-inflammation, fibrinolysis, skin debridement,
inhibition of platelet aggregation, and growth of malignant
cells (J. Ethnopharmacology 1988;22:191, J. Cell Mol Life Sci
2001;58:1234). Anti-inflammatory activity is seen through
modulation of arachidonic acid cascade (J. Ethnopharmacology
1988;222;191) which reduces capillary permeability (J. Med
Hypothesis 1980:6:99). All this translates into a very practical
application: bruise reduction after trauma of any kind.
Bromelain reduces edema, bruising, pain, and healing
time after dental surgery. It is recommended before and after
surgery (J. Dental Med 1965;20:51, J. Skin Therapy Letters
2000;5:1). There is also less swelling after long bone fracture
surgery (J. Acta Chir Orthop Traumatol Chech 2001;68:45.)
Bromelain potentiates antibiotic action in Rx of bronchitis,
sinusitis, pyelonephritis and wounds. It also helps Rx of
angina, and thrombophlebitis (J. Altern Med Rev 1998;3:302.)
Intestinal update: connection to the skin
When a patient has some sort of skin rash, they get
a steroid cream about 99% of the time. One has to wonder why
bother giving the rash some weird name, if the treatment is
almost always the same: treat the inflammation. Granted, the doc
wants to make sure that he/she is not dealing with some kind of
cancer and that the rash or lesion is not associated with some
serious inflammatory condition in the body, i.e., lupus.
By now you know where most of the inflammation comes
from: the intestines, where most of the immune system is found.
This is why eczema, or dryness of the skin is associated
with an abnormal or unhealthy intestinal flora (“Reduced
diversity in the fecal microbiota of infants with atopic eczema,”
J. Allergy Clin Imm 2008;121;129.)
So, instead of putting on some steroid cream on your
eczematous lesion, take probiotics (“Bifidobacterium
pseudocatenulatum is associated with atopic eczema,” J.
Allergy Clin Imm 2008;121:135,) bromelain by mouth, lots of
fiber, omega oils, and stop eating refined foods full of
processed sugars and transhydrogenated fats. By doing so, you
are addressing the real reason behind your dry skin.
And this will get under your skin: another article
linking obesity to an imbalanced intestinal flora: “Divergent
Madaptations to Intestinal Parasitic Nematode Iin Mice
Susceptible or Resistant to Obesity” (J. Gastroenterology
2007;133:1979.)
“Medical
Groups Release New Guidelines for Treatment of Low Back Pain,”
JAMA 2007;298:2253
Why do we get an X-ray, and in some cases an MRI of the back
every time we go to a medical clinic complaining of back pain?
Sure, we don’t want to miss some serious issue smoldering in our
body. But, it seems to me that if that were the case, the simple
treatments available would very quickly fail to bring relief, at
which time the more invasive, and lucrative tests, if you are on
the other end of the radiation, would make more sense.
I was pleased to see this article where the authors
reached the same conclusions by examining this practice: they
concluded that routine imaging should be discouraged.
They also added that inexpensive interventions like reading
about back pain, exercises are as good as acupuncture or spinal
manipulation. Too bad they left out the well-documented fact
that spinal surgery, while expensive and overdone, has not been
demonstrated to make any economic sense, unless you are the one
performing them. This type of surgery is no better than
rehabilitation for low back pain; yet, the latter is more cost
effective (Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society,
Chicago 2005.
J.
Family Practice News, January 1st, 2005.)
As previously reported, SEQ
CHAPTER \h \r 1an investigation of Spinal Fusion
surgeries concluded that they might be driven by money. Many
docs own stock in the companies making screws, nuts, and rods
used in those surgeries. One screw may be worth $1,000. Talk
about getting screwed…. George Carlin would have a field day
with this one.
“Dr.
Drug Rep” (New York Times Magazine, November 25th,
2007, page 64.)
Speaking of money in health scare: a psychiatrist giving
“educational talks” for the drug company making the
antidepressant Effexor discovered that Effexor’s superior
effectiveness, 10% more, over SSRIs antidepressants like Prozac
and Paxil was overstated. Also, he found that the high blood
pressure elevation with Effexor was erroneously de-emphasized.
But, he admitted that the speaking fee initially blinded him. He
eventually gave up the gig, but, as he became more truthful,
drug reps for Effexor no longer booked him. He is not the one
who should be booked.
Telegraphed articles
Nurses (1,500) exposed to chemicals at work
(disinfectants, latex, cleansers) have higher rates of asthma
and cancer
Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, November
2007
Fasting for a day each month helps reduce TOIL (toxicity,
oxidation, inflammation, less mitochondrial function.)
University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake
Tribune, December 11th, 2007
Patient satisfaction is not linked to antibiotic
prescriptions for colds
J. Family Practice 2007;56:1002
Pneumonia Rx with antibiotics is good enough for 3-5 days
J. Family Practice 2007;56:1003
Capsaicin in peppers is one of the best treatments for
diabetic neuropathy. The other one is the tricyclic
antidepressants
BMJ 2007;335:87
Antioxidants help ease pain in chronic pancreatitis
J. Family Practice News, Ocotber 15th,
2007, page 38
School scores going down in USA, a result of less reading
NYT 11/19/07
“Maternal
Vitamin D Deficiency Increases the Risk of Preeclampsia.”
Most of preeclamsia, or toxemia is seen in winter months.
J. Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism 2007;92:351
Oxidation is also seen in osteoporosis
J. Proc Nat Acad Sci 2007;104:15087
Broccoli extract (sulpharane) may help reduce UV skin damage
JAMA 2007;298:2731
No negative effects on prostate safety were detected with
testosterone treatment in aging men
JAMA 2008;299:39
“Exercise May Boost Aging Immune System.”
“May?”
JAMA 2008;299:160
Tonsillectomy is not beneficial in mild-moderate cases of
pharyngitis.
J. Archives Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
2007;133:1083
SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Low vitamin E
levels are associated with decline in physical function in the
elderly
JAMA 2008;299:308
High homocysteine (low B vitamins) increases Parkinsonism
signs
J. Archives of Neurology 2007;64:1646
Green tea may protect against Parkinsonism
J. Biological Psychiatry, December 15th,
2007
Lycopene in tomatoes slows the progression of BPH, or
prostate swelling
J. Nutrition 2008;138:49
Pot
is related to periodontal disease
JAMA 2008;299:525, 574
Lead exposure in infancy related to Alzheimer’s later in
life
J. Molecular Neuroscience 2008;28:3
Restless Leg Syndrome is linked to psychiatric conditions…
Annual International Scientific Assembly of the American College
of Chest Physicians, Montreal, 2005
… strokes, and heart disease, J.
Neurology, January 2008.
Only ¼ Americans know signs/symptoms of a heart attack:
chest pain, sweating shortness of breath, radiation of pain to
arm, face or jaw.
CDC, February 22nd, 2008
Cat owners have lower rate of heart attacks. Yeah, but they
don’t seem to care if you fall to the ground clutching your
chest…
International Stroke Conference, New York, 2008, SLT
2/22/2008
Stress makes you more likely to have clots form
J. Pathophysiology 2007;44:154
Precancerous lesions more likely to advance to cancer if we
lack B vitamins (“Alterations of DNA methylation associated
with abnormalities of DNA methyltransferases in human cancers
transition from a precancerous to a malignant state,”
J .Carcinogenesis 2007;28:2434
“Improvement of glutathione and total antioxidant status
with yoga”
J. Alternative Complementary Medicine 2007;13:1085
Vegans have good bone health even without dairy
Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral
Research, Honolulu, 2008. Reported in J. Skin and Allergy News,
February 2008, page 57
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 9 ‘ Number 2 ‘ February 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE
In our male-dominated society we do “male things” that, while not wrong, tend to be unbalanced by the lack of the “female-things” we often de-emphasize. For instance, we glorify logic and high IQs, which are good things, but often the source of much grief and failed policies. Our Harvard-led society cannot be said to be doing too well these days. Dr. Csikszentmihali (“Creativity,” Harper Collins, 1996) makes a very telling point reporting that most Nobel Prize winners are “integrators,” and “synthesizers” who are able to bring together both sides of their brain, thus integrating gut feelings, intuition and a sense of all things being part of an undivided whole. These brilliant people are able to tap into other disciplines and interests in their lives to bring about the breakthroughs they are awarded for. They are able to transcend the narrow limitations of their fields.
This edition focuses on recent articles that illustrate how we need to honor both sides of our nature and go beyond the limitations of our male-dominated paradigm that discounts these concepts as “soft science,” as a colleague of mine referred to nutrition.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Asthma linked to psychiatric disorders,” (JAMA 2008;299:158)
“3 possibilities: (1) asthma shares common risk factors with depression and anxiety, (2) asthma increases risk of psychiatric problems, (3) psychiatric problems increase risk of asthma.” No doubt all 3 possibilities have merit. They all underscore the need to transcend our current emphasis on “disease-cataloging,” (male) while ignoring the common mechanisms underlying all diseases (female.) The article “Irregular Menses Linked to Increased Heart Risk” (Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association, Orlando, 2007) may also be puzzling to those who continue to manage symptoms of diseases, the result of our over-emphasis on pharmacologic treatment (male.) If we pay attention to our “gut feelings,” we may understand that inflammation in the intestines has been linked to many diseases:
“The increase in mucosal permeability may suggest that antigens (toxins) like protein penetrate into the body and result in systemic reactions such as chronic urticaria/ severe itching (J. Digestive Diseases Science 1998;43:1226), migraine (J. Hepatogastroenterology 1998;45:765) atopic dermatitis/ skin rashes (J. Gastroenterology 1996;31:s77) and so on. It is important to study the implication of increased permeability in relation not only to gastric diseases but also to certain systemic diseases” (J. Digestion 2001;63:93.)
It turns out that all 4 diseases mentioned above have been linked to energy and information issues that fuel our cell metabolism. In other words, our food, processed in the intestines, is the common denominator to not only these 4 common diseases, but practically all diseases. If you are thinking that diseases also have a significant genetic component, then read the voluminous literature on “nutragenomics:” even our genes require the energy and information in the food we eat to be translated adequately.
Report pools data on cancer and diet, lifestyle. It’s not just the genes!
American Institute for Cancer Research and World Cancer Research Fund (J. Family Practice News, November 15th, 2007, page 5.) These are the factors we need to emphasize to prevent cancer, which is a very “female thing” to do. Ideal weight, physical activity, avoid energy dense foods and sugary drinks, eat mostly plant-based foods, limit read meat and avoid processed meat, limit alcohol and salt, avoid moldy foods (aflatoxins) and emphasize breast feeding.
“Six arguments for a greener diet,” written by Michale Jacobson and staff at Center for Science in the public Interest (Book review in J. Science 2006;314:762.) The energy and information we harness form the Sun eventually ends up in our bodies to fuel all cellular processes and constitutes all cellular structures. We are not managing this energy very well. If we ate more plants and less meat, we would accrue significant health benefits for ourselves, and Mother Earth, the ultimate female. We would reduce chronic disease, food-borne illness, improve soil, water and air, and reduce animal suffering.
“Rethinking the Meat-Guzzler,” New York Times, January 27th, 2008
- Too much energy needed to raise meat = 40% rise in food cost last year
- 16 times more energy needed to produce a 6 oz steak compared to 1 cup of broccoli, one cup of eggplant, 4 oz cauliflower and 8 oz rice.
- If Americans reduce meat consumption by just 20%, we would see the same energy savings switching from a Camry to a Prius
- The CO2 produced by 2.2# beef = Average European car driven for 155 miles
- Crops used to feed animals: 2-5 times more calories needed than direct grain consumption. 10 times more with grain-fed animals
- Grain fed animals linked to more heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.
- 15-20K gallons of water are needed to produce one pound of edible beef. US depleting underground aquifers by 21 billion gallons a day.
- Livestock producing methane (farting) = 33 million automobiles.
“Foodborne Illness May Cause Long-Term Problems,” ( Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Salt Lake Tribune January 22nd, 2008.) Animals end up getting over ½ of all the antibiotics used in the world, which leads to problems with bugs that later turn against us? “We are drastically underestimating the burden on society that food borne illnesses represent… Folks assume once you are over the acute illness, that’s it, you are back to normal and that’s the end of it.” Ten to twenty years after food borne infections we may see high blood pressure, kidney damage (E. coli,) arthritis (salmonella or shigella,) and paralysis (campilobacter.) In my practice, I often trace chronic health problems of all kinds to intestinal infections and indiscriminate use of antibiotics that compromise our healthy intestinal flora’s function. For instance, the enzyme produced by probiotics, beta glucoronidase, is so unhealthy that food-borne carcinogens become genotoxic, or more likely to cause cancer mutations in our genes (J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:2419.) in other words, messing with our intestinal flora may lead to cancer.
“Most Yogurt No Match for Infection,” (Annual Meeting North American Society for Pediatric Gaastroenterology and Nutrition, Salt Lake City, 2007.) Misleading advertisement is ubiquitous. Yogurts just don’t have enough probiotics (lactobacillus) to make any difference. The brands found lacking were: Dannon, Danactive, Dannon Fruit, Dannon Activia, Yoplait, Breyers Light Probiotic Plus, Breyers Fruit, Kroger Blended, Kroger Fruit and Great Value. “You would have to eat about 100 containers of these yogurts in order to get enough probiotics to treat gastroenteritis.” These friendly organisms have been largely ignored, despite Metchnikoff’s Nobel Prize winning research exactly 100 years ago. Why was it ignored? Because the gut and nutrition are “soft sciences,” or too female.
It turns out that “gut feeling” issues also compromise our friendly intestinal flora: “Role of Probiotics in Correcting Abnormalities of Colonic Flora Induced by Stress” (J.Gut 2007;56:1495) and “Probiotic Treatment of Rat Pups Normalises Corticosterone Release and Ameliorates Colonic Dysfunction Induced by Maternal Separation” (J. Gut 2007;56:1522) simply state that our emotional lives also have a significant impact on diseases through several mechanisms, including how we process food in the intestines.
Would it surprise you to read that “Infection Increases Anxiety-like Behavior?” (J. Brain Behavior Immunology 2007 Oct 2007 Epub). I hope not by now. When researchers injected the bug C. jejuni into intestines, they noted an impact in the brain of recipients (Paraventricular Nuclei, the Amygdala and Bed Nucleus in Stria Terminals,) enough to cause anxiety.
“A High Fat Meal Induces Low-Grade Endotoxemia: evidence of a novel mechanism of postprandial inflammation” (AJCN 2007;86:1286.) So, if we eat a lot of animal fat, we may be creating a lot of inflammation in the intestines by altering the balance of intestinal organisms. This results in toxins that leak out of the gut (“leaky gut,”) which may cause problems in all organs of the body, including the heart:
“Bacterial endotoxin is a potently inflammatory antigen that is abundant in the human gut. Endotoxin circulates at low concentrations in the blood of all healthy individuals, although elevated concentrations are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis… Low grade endotoxemia may contribute to the post prandial inflammatory state and could represent a novel potential contributor to endothelial activation and the development of atherosclerosis.”
Another cholesterol drug bites the dust (see “brain droppings” blog.)
So, we continue to treat high cholesterol with drugs (a male thing) and do very little for the underlying problems that cause arterial inflammation (a female thing.) Often, statin drugs to lower cholesterol, much like all other drugs, get negative pre-marketing studies that are not made public, until troublesome side effects become obvious a few years after their launch. The last example is vytorin, a combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin. This drug sold well, because it did lower cholesterol, but nagging questions remained about its ability to prevent heart attacks or arterial clogging, which are the real end points. A study to look at this little problem concluded in 2006, but the drug companies would not released the results, despite pressure from the FDA to do so. The companies even tried to change the end points after the study was concluded: at the outset, they checked three points on the carotid artery for plaque formation, which they wanted to reduce to only one point after the “secret” results were in.
“Do Cholesterol Drugs Do Any Good?”( J. Business Week, Cover issue, January 28th, 2008, page 52.) Many doctors are beginning to question the whole cholesterol hypothesis because of the vytorin problem, joining many other doctors who never quite bought into it from the beginning (New York Times, January 17th and 27th, 2008.)
- They only help those who already have had a heart attack. No benefits for men over 65 and women of any age. A small benefit is seen for middle age men, but no reduction in total deaths, or hospitalizations.
- If guidelines for cholesterol were followed, 40 million Americans would be taking these drugs. Who made the guidelines? Doctors taking money from the companies that make these drugs, who often ignore the best Rx: diet
- “Lipitor reduces the risk of heart attacks by 36%,” (*) says Dr. Jarvick, the team leader on the first artificial heart implantation in the early 80s. But, the asterisk on the package insert says that the 36% figure comes from the fact that 3% fewer patients taking a sugar pill had a heart attack, compared to 2% taking Lipitor: one fewer heart attack for 100 people taking the drug for five years, paying $1,000/year. When patients are made aware of these numbers, most opt out.
- The only large study paid by the government showed no benefit from these drugs.
- Avandia lowers sugar, but no benefits otherwise: “avandia is almost the poster child for everything that is wrong with our system,” Dr. Hoffman, NEJM article.
- “It is almost impossible to find someone who believes strongly in statins who does not get a lot of money from industry,” Dr. Hayward, U,. Michigan Med School
- “I now see it as a myth that everyone should have their cholesterol checked,” Dr. Brody, U. of Texas.
A little review: cholesterol is not the problem.
It is the oxidized-inflamed cholesterol that becomes sticky when the liver is not well nourished. The same thing happens to the lining of our arteries: they become sticky from inflammation and oxidation, since they are also nutritionally compromised. This problem leads to “leaky arteries,” which the oxidized cholesterol tries to patch up. This healthy elevation of cholesterol is compromised by the stickiness of both the cholesterol and the lining of the arteries, resulting in a “Velcro-like” reaction that leads to plaque formation. Who said all this? Linus Pauling. Remember him? I do, especially when my teachers in Med School scoffed at my recommendations of increasing vitamin C intake when suffering from colds, the flu, or any other acute infection. The male thing to do with infections is to “attack” the invading bug, which is OK. But, what about emphasizing the female thing to do, that is, increase the host’s defenses? There is no money in it, is there? The article “Vitamin C May Affect Lung Infections”(J. Royal Society of Medicine 2007;100:495) is breath of fresh air:
- Scurvy was often seen with pneumonia
- Roles of Vitamin C: collagen hydroxylation, enzymatic synthesis of dopamine, carnitine and neuroendocrine peptides. Antioxidant. High concentration in phagocytes and lymphocytes. Helps in production of interferon
- Infections, including pneumonia, lead to low levels of vitamin C. Less colds with regular intake.
- Cochran Library: statistically significant benefit of vitamin C against pneumonia
- Dose: no problems with 100 gm a day by mouth. IV 100 gm also OK.
|
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 9 ‘ Number 1 ‘ January 2008
EDITOR’S NOTE
Listerine, the mouthwash most of us gargle before we go to bed at night, or at least before we go on a date, or both, was originally designed to serve as a scrubbing agent for surgeries. As often happens, the bean counters in charge of maximizing profits looked for a way to expand their market. Soon, they convinced the public that the chances of landing a better looking partner was one swig of Listerine away. Today, their product is practically a necessity in our households.
The same thing is happening with many other products that originally were intended to treat serious medical conditions. For example, the “purple pill” for heartburn came out in the 80’s for the treatment of serious bleeding ulcers, and antidepressants were originally prescribed for people at the verge of suicide. Today, both of these drugs have slowly “expended their markets,” so that today they are commonly found in just about every household’s medicine cabinet. We may argue that we need these drugs to lead better lives. True, but take a minute to consider these issue’s articles.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
Medical Nemesis
About 30 years ago, a gadfly by the name of Ivan Illich wrote the book “Medical Nemesis,” where he argued that some docs were creating diseases out of normal human conditions that up to then were accepted as part of life. His radical opinion was shocking to most people back then. But, today, he seems more in line with the regular guy in the street: “Is there a new epidemic of medical problems or is it that medicine is better able to identify and treat already existing problems? Or does it mean that a whole range of life’s problems have now received medical diagnoses... despite dubious evidence of their medical nature?” (“The Medicalization of Society: on the transformation of human conditions into treatable disorders,” Book review in JAMA 2007;298:2070.)
I am of the opinion that the second proposition is more likely: “What better way than to convince otherwise healthy people that they are now ill and need something to treat their malady, something that is conveniently for sale?” (JAMA 2007;298:2070.)
Other examples of medicalized conditions highlighted in this book: osteoporosis, ADHD, bipolar disorder, fibromyalgia and dyslexia.
Overtreated
“Utilization of costly medical and surgical services is highly, often dramatically, variable from place to place, and the degree of utilization has no relationship to favorable outcomes. It follows that much of what is afforded to the patient is unnecessary. Furthermore, the driving force is the cash flow that is necessary to feed what has become a voracious, greedy monster” (“Overtreated: why too much medicine is making us sicker and poorer,” book review in JAMA 2007;298:2070.)
And why is our health care system so prone to over-treatment? Don’t shoot the messenger: just read the next article:
“Medical Professionalism in a Commercialized Health Care Market,” JAMA 2007;298:2668. Before you read the highlights of this article, which I transcribed word for word so that my own opinion does not bleed through, you may want to know that this article was written by a Harvard M.D., who works on the Social Medicine department of that august University:
- “Professionals have an ideology that assigns a higher priority to doing useful and needed work than to economic rewards, an ideology that focuses more on the quality and social benefits of work than its profitability… Although this ideology is the most important part of medical professionalism, it is what is now most at risk… [by] the growing commercialization of the US health care system.”
- “The current focus on money-making and the seductions of financial rewards have changed the climate of US medical practice at the expense of professional altruism and the moral commitment to patients.”
- Technology appeals to new graduates who are burdened by debt from school. They tend to go into specialties “to behave simply as skilled technicians, focused exclusively on their patients’ narrow medical problems and unmindful of their professional obligations to the whole person they are serving.”
- Big Pharma “now uses its enormous financial resources to help shape postgraduate and CME of physicians in ways that serve its marketing purposes… that sells the drugs physicians prescribe and other tools physicians use… [doctors] are abdicating their ethical commitment to serve as the independent fiduciary for their patients.”
- Health care is just another industry now, which, by continuing on its present path is heading toward bankruptcy. Docs should work toward making health care a social service, like it is in the rest of the industrialized world.
Them are fighting words… Still, I would not want to indict all docs. Rather, I would look into why this is happening. After all, docs need to take care of their finances so that they may keep their clinics open in order to serve patients. In my opinion, economic incentives created by our health care system are victimizing all of us, including doctors. The solution? Enforce the laws already in our books to police abuse at all levels of our economy. We must stop “corporate welfare,” which is also rampant in our health care system.
Where is the beef?
Another corporate problem is the way industry is mucking up our food supply in order to maximize profits, regardless of the health effects on consumers. About
70% of antibiotics made are given to farm animals, in order to avoid infections in the crowded conditions the poor creatures are raised. This practice is also welcome in the industry because animals so treated seem to get bigger and fatter. But, this practice, which is banned in the European Union, may well be responsible for mutating organisms that may be escaping the farms and creating drug resistant strains of bugs, like MRSA, the staph infection that is now becoming a major headache in our country. Some also blame this practice for the disappearance of about 20-80% of bees in 24 states. The practice of overusing pesticides and even injecting the pesticides into the DNA of our crops (GMO products) is also blamed for the decimation of our bees (“Our decrepit food factories,” NYT Magazine, December 16th, 2007.)
As you know, if bees bite the dust, we will suffer, too, since they are vital for our crops to grow through pollination.
What can we do? In my opinion, we need to support local industry and farmers who grow their animals and crops as organically as possible.
Watching you eat the beef
In the Netherlands, Big Food has started to monitor customers’ reactions to the food they eat in restaurants, in order to maximize their sales by adjusting their advertisement and servings to the preferences thus observed in consumers. In the so-called “restaurants of the future,” your chair will measure your reactions to everything you put in your mouth, how fast you chew and who knows what else. The data will be used to alter the lights, sounds and even scents in the restaurant, in order to respond to the feedback that will cause you to consume the most food. These restaurants will even have “face readers,” to analyze your reaction to the food being served (New York Times, November 26th, 2007.) Will they see my “avian salute?”
Now, there will always be marketing. But, how does it feel to know that your so-called “choices” may really be nothing but subtle manipulation to get you to consume more? In my opinion, being in touch with whom we are, and becoming “agents” for ourselves minimizes the chances that we are driven by agendas outside of ourselves. I wish for you to be so inner-driven.
Our boys: not driven enough?
A somewhat controversial book just came out: “Boys Adrift: the Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men” (JAMA 2007;298:2684.) The author’s opinions are interesting: you may not agree with them, but, there is not much argument that each new generation seems a bit less dynamic to each older generation, a fact that even Plato and Socrates noted.
I had a hard time with the #1 reason he listed: Feminization of our education. The author argues that schools now de-emphasize competition and advocate a culture of “no winners.” While this is an understandable argument, I am not sure that this is a factor that would cause boys to lose their drive to reach for higher ground. The other factors made more sense to me: video games, prescription psychotropic meds (Ritalin may cause apathy,) endocrine disrupting chemicals and lack of heroic role models.
Whether our boys are really facing this epidemic or not is debatable. But, what is certain is that they will not do well in today’s world if we don’t help them get an affordable higher education. I feel we need to make post high school education as attainable as possible. The less education they get, the poorer and sicker they will be.
Health and education
Here are the main points from the article “Future Health Consequences of the Current Decline in US Household Income,” JAMA 2007;298:1931
- People with incomes below $50,000 have shorter lifespan. They are more likely to receive poor health care.
- Education, race, environment also play a role
- Poverty has gone up from 11.7% to 12.6% since 2000. Those with incomes of $8,000 below poverty level increased by 45%. Except for the rich, personal income has decreased. Income inequality is widening. A booming economy is only benefiting the rich. The ratio between CEOs’ incomes and that of their employees has gone from 26 in 1965 to 245 in 2002.
- These trends will likely result in worse health in all Americans but the rich. There will be more uninsured people.
- The answer: education in an information society
- 40% more heart disease in those without a High School diploma
“Caffeic acid,” J. Skin & Allergy News, November 2007, page 26
It is found in grains, fruits, olives, spinach, grapes, cabbage, wine, asparagus and coffee. The main nutrients therein are phenylpropanoids and ferulic acid, which belong to the family of polyphenosl, like ellagic acid, tannic acid. Caffeic acid has anti cancer and antioxidant effects (J. Nut Cancer 1998;32:81.) It protects against peroxidation of phospholipidic membranes (J. Biochem Biophys Res Comm 1998;253:222) and reduces human skin UVB-induced erythema (Int J. Pharm 2000;199:39.) Caffeic acid is the most effective of polyphenolic acids as tumor-promotion inhibitor (J. Nut Cancer 1998;32:81.) The caffeic acid from bee propolis has anti cancer effects, too (J. Carcinogenesis 1996;17:761.)
“Garlic,” J. Skin & Allergy News, December 2007, page 21
Garlic seems to do just about everything, including keeping vampires away. If you don’t like it because it may ruin your social life, get the others around you to eat it, too! Garlic may prevent cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer, cataracts; inhibit platelet aggregation and thrombus formation; mitigate cerebral aging; rejuvenate skin and enhance circulation and energy levels (J. Ageing Res Rev 2003;2:39.) It also has:
· Detox effects, antifungal, antibacterial, J. Tradit Chin Med 2003;23:198
· Inhibits proliferation of most human cancers, J. Leuk Res 2004;28:667
· Diallyl disulfide in garlic lowers the risk of colon, lung, and skin cancers, J. Food & Chem Tox 2004;42:1543, Am J. Contact Derm 1999;10:37, J. Skin Pharm Appl Skin Physiol 2001;14:373, J. Nut 2001;131:1027s
· Diallyl Sulfide in garlic modulates xenobiotic metabolism and exert antitoxic, antineoplastic, bactericidal and hypolipidemic activity, J. Cancer Letters 1998;131:209
· Ajoene in garlic inhibits proliferation of human leukemia cells, J. Leuk Res 2004;28:667 and also has antifungal effect. It has been used for the treatment of athlete’s foot (Rx of tinea pedis,) J. Mycoses 1996;39:393
· Allergic reactions and contact dermatitis may be seen.
Despite all this evidence, you will still run into docs who will try to tell you that there is no evidence that garlic works at all. By now you have an idea why this is the case ($$$$.)
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 8 ‘ Number 5 ‘ December 2007
EDITOR’S NOTE
At the risk of repeating myself too much, let me remind you that Energy and Information (E&I) are the pillars of reality, according to modern Physics and the teachings of practically every spiritual tradition. This is why I was so pleased to read an article on how this simple concept is beginning to surface in our medical-nutritional journals. “Nutrigenomics and metabolomics will change clinical nutrition and public health practice” (AJCN 2007;86:542) encapsulates the very essence of E&I. They call it metabolomics. Nutrigenomics, if you recall, is how E&I in food influences the translation of DNA’s encoded messages of E&I that orchestrate how our cells renew and recreate themselves.
The article is saying that these basic concepts will redefine nutrition AND how we view public health issues. I hope you contemplate this simple statement: its implications are enormous. In my opinion, this is the best way to put together so many seemingly disparate and unrelated topics, which, when viewed as independent of each other, serve only to confuse us and delay solutions to our vexing health and social problems.
For instance, understanding E&I in our society and in our bodies leads to an understanding of how pollution, or toxic molecules derived from energy-making machines that keep our society and economy going, are poisoning our body’s metabolism and DNA, causing practically all diseases. Our own energy-making inside our cells also produces these pollutants: we call them oxidants, or free radicals, but they are nothing more than by-products of energy-making, the same as the ones generated by the pollution our machines generate. Then, these problems are compounded in those of us who cannot detoxify them very well. Think of diets low in antioxidants, and constipation as examples. If you are genetically weak in the pathways of detoxification, like liver detoxification, then, you will be more likely to become ill in the future. For instance, constipation raises the risk of getting Parkinsonism, which has been linked to pesticides.
“Methods of profiling almost all of the products of metabolism in a single sample of blood or urine are being developed,” because each of us has a different way to handle detoxification and the E&I in our food. The future lab evaluation of our metabolism will focus on pinpointing glucose concentration, insulin activity and insulin resistance: sounds familiar?
But, heretofore, research has not taken into consideration these differences, which has resulted in “one size fits all” approaches to nutrition. If these metabolic and genetic tendencies were considered, each of us would be given optimal advice on what to eat and what to avoid. Remember that the E&I in food fuels not only your DNA that renews your detoxification pathways, but also fuel how they work: nutrigenomics and metabolomics.
Over 2,000 molecules are involved in the human metabolome, which is the grouping of all the factors that influence how we metabolize E&I. The number goes up by the thousands when we include the bacterial metabolites that come from the gut: “eventually, nutrition scientists will use measures of gut microflora metabolism to develop a better understanding of the role of gut microflora in human nutrition. For example, the altered availability of the micronutrient choline caused by metabolism by gut microflora was associated with fatty liver in insulin resistance” (AJCN 2007;86:542.)
Complicated? Perhaps. Just focus on this simple truth: you are what you eat.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
Cancer and E&I
A whole symposium on energy from food, how we use it in our body and how our metabolism affects cancer tendencies was presented by the Harvard Medical School Division of Nutrition. The metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance have been shown to increase our risk of getting cancer, especially colorectal, prostate and breast cancer (AJCN 2007;86:817s.) In fact, Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1931 saying the same thing. It is amazing how we soon forget the lessons learned by our parents.
Other than Toxicity, Oxidation, Inflammation and Less optimal mitochondrial function (TOIL,) researchers have focused on the communication messengers like leptin, TNF, IGF-1 and adiponectin (AJCN 2007;86:858s.) And, what is it that they communicate? E&I.
They also looked at epigenetic or post-translation effects of insulin resistance on the genetic tendencies that may lead to cancer. In other words, the copying of potentially cancerous genes is modulated by insulin resistance and the metabolic defects that are triggered by our poor diets (AJCN 2007;86:872s.)
They concluded that nutrition to diminish metabolic problems should be explored in depth to reduce our risk of cancer. For instance, reducing animal fat from the diet reduces the risk of breast cancer (AJCN 2007;86:878s.) They also recommended supplementing soy and tea together to reduce the estrogen concentration that drives prostate and breast cancer (AJCN 2007;86:882s.)
“This symposium and future research will guide the development of effective cancer prevention strategies through nutritional and lifestyle modifications that alleviate metabolic syndrome,” AJCN 2007;86:817s.)
Please, review the article “Apoptosis by dietary factors,” (J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:233) in a previous issue. It tells us that cancer results from poor E&I function and that good E&I from good foods prevents 2/3 of cancers. Recent related articles show that colon cancer is associated with coronary artery disease and “prostate cancer prevention [is possible] by nutritional means to alleviate metabolic syndrome” (AJCN 2007;86:889S.) Why? The common denominator is the metabolic syndrome (JAMA 2007;298:1412.) Why would the factors that lead to heart disease be different than the factors that lead to cancer?
Insomnia Rx, other than reading this newsletter
GABA is a neurotransmitter precursor found over the counter (J. Alternative Complementary Medicine Review 2007;12#3.) In fact, the drug Neurontin/Gabapentin is based on this molecule, in order to treat several disorders like seizures, neuropathic pain, depression and many other conditions. The drug makers got in trouble for claiming that their drug does so many things. But, the point is that GABA works (see my blog for other examples of drugs derived from natural molecules.) These are some of the benefits of GABA over the counter:
· Rx anxiety, J. Psychopharm Bull 2003;37;133
· Rx depression, J. Expert Opinion Ther Targets 2005;9:153
· Rx insomnia, J. Neurosci 2002;111;231
· Rx panic disorders, J. Psy Pol 2006;40;1061
· Rx of epilepsy with phosphatidylserine, J. Epilepsy Res 1987;1:209
I also use GABA for ADHD. It seems to help a little, but I have no good evidence to reference. GABA is not recommended during pregnancy or lactation.
Trick or Treat: soon they will hand out Ritalin
Is there still any doubt that refined sugars make our kids hyper? Who cares, some say, when we may just give them a pill, like Ritalin so they may continue eating their sugar treats. Not very smart, is it? Thankfully some “scientists examine benefits, risks of treating preschoolers with ADHD drugs” (JAMA 2007;298:1747.) There is no question that Ritalin is effective. But, at what cost? These children have more side effects than school-age children treated with Ritalin. About 30% of pre-school age kids reported emotional outbursts, difficulty falling asleep, repetitive behavior or thoughts, lowered appetite and irritability with Ritalin. Also slower growth rates were seen, which seem to disappear when treatment is stopped. Preschoolers are twice as sensitive to any medication. Treatment should be reserved for the most severe cases, experts advise.
It turns out that kids with the DRD4 gene are at greater risk of having ADHD. In my opinion, this genetic tendency may be reduced if we feed them good diets, instead of sugar-rich garbage, devoid of good E&I to run their developing brains (remember nutrigenomics.) Food additives and colorants have been shown to worsen ADHD (British Medical Journal, September 7th, 2007.)
So, what can parents do for ADHD, other than behavioral interventions and cleaning up their diets? EEG biofeedback is likely to help ADD (J. Altern Med Rev 2007;12:146,) as well as numerous other interventions already reported in this newsletter: consider DHA omega oils, phosphatidylserine oils, CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid, B complex vitamins and GABA.
On the fiber of your being
We are not eating enough fiber in our diets. Hardly anyone eats the recommended 13 servings of fruits and veggies, where most fiber is found, with serious consequences for our ability to process E&I in the intestines and how we detoxify the byproducts of our metabolism. A whole journal supplement on prebiotics, or fiber appeared in the J. Nutrition 2007;17:supp11S. These are the main articles:
· Fiber, like inulin, feeds our friendly bacteria in the intestines, which not only help you metabolize food well, but they also have the same detoxification capacity the liver has, page 2503S
· Fiber like inulin and oligofructose improve intestinal absorption of minerals, so that we may guard off bone thinning, pages 2507S and 2513S. Young adolescents who respond to an inulin type fructan/fiber substantially increase total absorbed calcium and daily calcium accretion to the skeleton, page 2524S
· Carbohydrate digestability and metabolism is improved by fiber, page 2539S
· Dietary fructans/fiber lower serum triglycerides, page 2552S
· Fiber improves our gut-based immune system, like the Gastric Associated Lymphatic Tissue, GALT, page 2557S. Inulin and Oligofructose fiber and immune modulation, page 2563S. This is why fiber helps with intestinal infections, permeability and inflammation, page 2568S
· By improving the inmuno-toxicology system with fiber, colon cancer risk drops, page2576S
Please, eat lots of fiber. You may even want to supplement it. There are many products. I like guar gum, psyllium and slippery elm.
Telegraphed articles (Does anybody remember what the telegraph was?)
Potassium lowers blood pressure: eat lots of melons and bananas
J. Toxicol Applied Pharm 2007;223:173
86% of medical school faculty at U. of Minnesota believe complementary alternative Medicine should be taught in curriculum
NEJM 2007;356:1966
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is real, even though ½ docs don’t believe in it
J. Nature Med 2007;13:1001
N-Acetyl-Cysteine, NAC helps in Rx of cocaine addiction: it reduces desire
BMJ 2007;335:411
Significant chemopreventive effects of curcumin
American J. Psychiatry 2007;164:1115
Tomato phenolics reduce lipids like triglycerides and increase the good cholesterol, HDL
J. Adv Exp Med Biol 2007595:149
Pharmaceutical study results influenced by who pays for them: why, knock me over with a feather…
J. Arch Int Med, November 2007
FDA cannot guarantee drug safety: 80% ingredients come from abroad (read China.)
New York Times, November 1st, 2007J
Chitosan lowers cholesterol
J. Altern Med Rev 2007;12:265
Public Health approach needed, not just vaccination for HPV, the virus associated with cervical cancer (see blog for an argument that poor nutrition is at play.)
BMJ 2007;335:357
Don’t exercise in polluted air: worse outcome than exercising
NEJM 2007;357:1147
Rosacea unrelated to sun exposure: think of TOIL
Annual Meeting European Society for Dermatological Research, Zurich 2007
Ovary removal increases risk of cognitive impairment, dementia and Parkinsonism
J. Neurology 2007;69:1074
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 8 ‘ Number 7 ‘ November 2007
EDITOR’S NOTE
This week, I interviewed Bryan Moench, M.D. on my weekly radio show. He is the founder of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, winners of the Annual Environmental Award presented by the Utah Medical Association’s Environmental/Public Health Committee where I have the honor to serve as the chairman. Dr. Bryan is a delightful mainstream doc who understands the impact of environmental pollutants on our health. His work has been received with open arms in the community, yet another sign that that time is ripe for our society to wake up from our chemical nightmare.
On a self-centered note, I felt vindicated in my efforts to raise awareness about these issues ever since I graduated from Medical School in 1984. Back then, and not too long ago, I was considered to be some kind of hippie doc (even though I was not) on a trip to undermine our way of life. Not anymore. Look at these remarkable articles.
Hugo Rodier. M.D.
Plastic pain
(“Expert panel weighs Bisphenol-A risks,” JAMA 2007;298:1499)
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is found in plastics and 95% of people excrete it in their urine. It is an estrogen mimicker that affects nerves, reproduction and metabolism. It is nothing short of groundbreaking for the AMA to consider these types of chemicals as a potential reason for unexplained health trends like obesity, diabetes, prostate and breast cancers, and even ADD. The authors at the NIH reviewed over 700studies on BPA’s action in animals and concluded that humans are equally vulnerable: “We are talking about levels of potency that are absolutely equivalent to estradiol.”
“Equal to estradiol:” this means we are all exposed to the very hormone that women take for menopause! And, consequently, to the same potential side effects we have come to know all too well (see above.)
To be fair, the article reported that the Nat’l Toxicity Program is less convinced: they rejected studies where animals were injected with BPA. But, they conceded that “low doses of BPA may lead to morphological and functional changes in the reproductive tracts of animals exposed early in development.” (J. Mol Cell Endocrinology 2006;254-255:179.)
The NIH also reports that neonates do not metabolize BPA, so they are more vulnerable to the effects of this chemical, which bio-accumulates and may enter the body through the skin. Also, we learn that mice at 18 months had more ovarian cysts, fibroids, much like women exposed to DES, and they were more anxious (wouldn’t you be?)
They also reported on the very problem so well highlighted by Discover Magazine on their cover issue in November of 2006, the problem with genetic changes when exposed to chemicals like BPA: rats develop a yellow coat when exposed, and go on to develop obesity, diabetes and cancer. These rats have less methylation at 9 DNA sites, presumably because they use up every little bit of B complex vitamins they may get in their diet in their futile efforts to detoxify BPA and other xenoestrogens. These epigenetic changes persist across generations, and even after their exposure to BPA is over, health problems persist.
On a related note: Agent Orange is also a xenoestrogen because of its dioxin contents. It increases the risk of high blood pressure (JAMA 2007;298:1389.) You may say that this is only a problem for the Vietnamese and veterans exposed: think again. They put dioxin in tampons and perfumes, and we even get it from air pollution coming from garbage incinerators.
It is time to review other mainstream literature I have previously reported on:
Too much estrogen?
(“Endocrine-disrupting chemicals probed as potential pathways to illness,” JAMA 2005;294:291, Endocrine Society symposium, San Diego, June 2005.)
· Potential for harm greatest in fetus
· Phthalates found in vinyl plastic toys, shampoos, soaps, nail polish, vinyl flooring, and pharmaceuticals.
· 75% urine samples have phthalates, J. EHP 2004;112:331
· Decrease sperm motility with phthalates, J. Epidemiology 2003;14:269
· 85 mother-son pairs. Phthalates measured in mothers’ late pregnancy. Sons had ano-genital distance measured. The higher the phthalate level, the shorter the AGD: feminization (males have double the AGD than females.)
· Bisphenol A found in baby bottles, food containers, and dental sealants. Also found in plastic containers and tin cans, from which BPA leaches to food and drink.
· BPA associated with prostate changes in fetal mouse, which are associated with prostate cancer in adult life, J. Proceedings National Academy of Science 2005;102:7014
· BPA in animal pubertal development associated with breast cancer. This is “worrisome, since the incidence of breast cancer has increased in the development world, parallel to the introduction of endocrine disruptors, such as BPA,” J. Endocrinology May 26th, 2005
· Pregnant rats transiently exposed to two pesticides caused dysfunction in sperm cells that became permanent in their lineage, J. Science 2005;308:1466
· Bill in California: ban BPA, phthalates in toys and child-care products for children under 3 years of age. The American Chemistry Council on Phthalate Esters responded that “studies have many weaknesses.” Maybe, but they have a vested interest in focusing on them, do they not?
Lumpy uterus
Many women lose their uterus because of “lumps” on the outer muscle layer of this organ (Guys, before you quit reading, remember that your prostates are getting lumpy, too, and for the same reason: please, read on.) It is so easy to just rip out the uterus, and while they are at it, take out the ovaries, too. While lumps, or fibroids on the uterus are potentially problematic because of cheer size and sometimes bleeding, they may be reversed or shrunk down to manageable size. I am hoping you have already understood what causes them and thereby have an idea of how they may be treated without surgery.
The xenoestrogens in the environment you just read about, over-stimulate the growth of breasts, ovaries, uterus and prostate tissues: now you know why we are having an epidemic of problems with these organs (“Alcohol and DES exposure tied to risk for fibroids,” International Conference on Fibroids, sponsored by NIH, 2005.) Guys, if you are still reading, now you know why we get so much BPH or prostate swelling that makes you get up to pee all night long. Hopefully that is all you get, meaning you don’t come down with prostate cancer, which may ruin not only your day, and your love-life, to say nothing of ruining your whole life.
Once we understand these simple principles, we may become more politically active to bring about environmental changes, but while we wait for the status quo to change (anti-oxymoron?) we may increase our ability to detoxify these xenoestrogens by eating real well, using sauna baths, coffee enemas, scrubbing, massage and supplementing micronutrients and some herbs.
In the past, I have reported in this newsletter that the herb Aralia dasyphylla found in the product “Myomin” (1-800-457-5708) can reduce fibroids by reducing estradiol levels in the body (J. Nat Prod 1999;62:1030.) Other forms of treatment are: Sarsaparilla, Vitex, Black cohosh, Ginger, Ginseng, Licorice, Red raspberry, I3C (J. Nat’l Cancer Institute 1994;86:1758,) B complex, sulpharanes (from cruciferous veggies, like I3C,) SAMe, glutathione, and alkalizing our pH are very helpful. I am not recommending you do all these things, merely saying that there are things that may be done, instead of just rolling over.
Some docs are advocating using an ultrasound treatment for fibroids, but they are not optimistic because the fibroids come back. Now you know why (NYT August 7th, 2007.)
More stuff you could do: Green house cleaning
- Baking soda: all purpose cleaner, deodorizer, polisher and stain remover. Use instead of cleanser for tubs, sinks and showers
- Borax: removes stains, odors, mold, mildew
- Cornstarch: deodorize carpets with ¼ to ½ cup. Let it sit for 30 minutes then vacuum
- Lemon juice: pour down disposal or drains to cut grease and deodorize
- Mineral oil: furniture polish
- Table salt: use instead of abrasive cleaners
- Vinegar: mix with water to clean mirrors and glass or tile and vinyl floor
- Washing soda: like baking soda, but for laundry
Gut check
Cravings for chocolate and other sweets sometimes feel like they are coming from deep within your gut: exactly. Researchers have discovered that bacteria living in our gut dictate what we are to eat. These little bugs love sugar and chocolate, because you got them used to that garbage. The study was delayed for a year because the authors needed to find 11 “weird” men who did not eat chocolate to serve as controls for the study (J. Proteome Research, October 2007.) This article goes right along with the one published in the J. Nature, December 2006 (see previous newsletters,) which added to the growing body of evidence that gut organisms are vital for how we metabolize. In other words, bad gut flora may be linked to our obesity and diabetes epidemic.
Let me tell you a story I found in the article “Bugs in the brain” (J. Scientific American, March 2003;288:94.) Robert Sapolsky, the renowned author of the book “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers.” Sapolski is considered to be one of the foremost neuroscientists of our age. One of his areas of investigation is the Psycho-Neuro-Immune-Endocrine system and the Mind-Body-Spirit concept.
He feels that it is “time for a bit of humility: some microorganisms can manipulate neural circuitry better than we can.” He describes a recent experience he had at the last Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, where 28,000 “science nerds” (his words) found themselves overwhelmed by how little they know about the workings of the human brain. Reflecting on this humble thought, he sat on the steps of the convention center, “bludgeoned by information and a general sense of ignorance.” He then noticed a murky stagnant puddle of water by the curb, which reminded him of a recent extraordinary paper he had read on how certain parasites control the brain of their host. He felt the bugs in the puddle knew more about the human brain than he did.
He also cites many examples of this, perhaps the most remarkable being Rabies and Toxoplasma. Rabies has figured out exactly which neurons to infect to make the victim rabid and aggressive, which ensures rabies’ propagation and survival. Toxoplasma gondii is the parasite that pregnant women avoid in cat litter. It turns out that rats have developed a fear of cats to keep them alive (pherhormones,) but this instinct is overridden in their brains by a chemical Toxoplasma makes. Losing their fear of cats, they get eaten, thus assuring Toxoplasma’s propagation and survival. Sapolsky concludes:
“Many of us hold the deeply entrenched idea that primate mammals are the most evolved [organisms]... If you [agree] you are not just wrong but a step away from a philosophy that most evolved human beings are Northern Europeans... So, remember, there are creatures out there that can control our brains... with even more power than Big Brother... My reflection on a curbside puddle brought me to the opposite conclusion that Narcissus reached in his watery reflection. We need humility. We are not the most evolved species, nor the least vulnerable. Nor the cleverest.”
So, my friends, how does it feel to know that your cravings for bad food, sweets and chocolate are driven by some little guys deep in your gut? Please, change your diet. Those little guys will kick and scream (detox reaction,) but you will come out sobered up in a week or two. Take probiotics, lots of fiber, omega oils, alpha lipoic acid, carnitine and resveratrol while you do this, and regain control of your dinner table!
P.S. Healthy gut flora helps you detoxify xenoestrogens…
Related articles: “Studies probe microbes in raw milk, swine,” JAMA 2007;298:1388
Legalizing raw milk is ill advised: 76% of the time it has Listeria monocytogenes and Coxiella burnetti. The latter is more virulent.
Appendix and tonsils produce and protects friendly bacteria (J. Theoretical Biology, October 2007.)
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 8 ‘ Number 6 ‘ October 2007
EDITOR’S NOTE
Last month I read Mr. Griffin’s book “The Creature from Jekyll Island” (American Media, 1994. Call 1-800-595-6596 to order if you don’t find it at your bookstore.) It is about our economy and how it is based on money that is created by our banking system and the Federal Reserve. It also deals with the claim that money was practically the main motivation behind the most important events in our country’s history, much like it is today.
In my opinion, money has a profound effect on our health and on how we run our health care system. I feel it is naïve to try to fix the multitude of problems we have in these areas without considering the tremendous economic influences that are involved in perpetuating the sickness underlying these issues. Read this book. It will help you understand what we are up against and it offers concrete solutions to consider.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Doc, is my thyroid OK?”
All doctors hear this on a daily basis from patients who would like to attribute practically all symptoms, especially obesity, to a weak thyroid gland. Most of the time, the tests drawn by the doc are completely “normal,” leaving the patient disappointed and a little bit angry. While the test is probably correct most of the time, there are instances where the “TSH” is not being interpreted correctly. In other words, the test may not pick up a truly under-performing thyroid gland.
This is what we see in the article “TSH range is not universally applicable” from the American Association Clinical Chemistry, 2007 (J. Family Practice News, June 15th, 2007, page 15.) “Mistaking the population reference range of TSH for an individual normal range can lead to suboptimal diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease.” The author points out that mild subclinical hypothyroidism ( the tests are not pointing to a deficiency) may lead to heart disease. But, if the thyroid is truly OK, why does the patient end up having heart problems?
They suggest, like many other docs do, that the range of TSH should be lowered. Perhaps 0.3-3.0 is best (0.5-5.0 is the range today.) But, falling outside the range does not necessarily mean treatment is indicated. Everybody is different, which is the main point that the present interpretation of the tests is not considering. I agree with the author’s statement that a TSH above 2.0 with positive thyroid antibodies could be treated. The higher the antibodies, the more rapid one progresses to thyroid disease. Unfortunately, most endocrinologists today don’t feel that checking for thyroid antibodies is necessary, despite the fact that 15% of us have them. These antibodies have been associated with outright dysfunction of the thyroid within 5 years and they are highly associated with wheat allergies “Thyroid related antibodies in celiac disease” (J. Clin Gastroent 2002;35:245 & 2006;40:33.)
Why are we getting antibodies to our own thyroid? A polluted environment, where 500+ chemicals act like thyroid and estrogen, thus confusing our immune system (“Environmental chemicals and thyroid function,” European J. Endocrinology 2006;154:599.) When you consider that 2/3 of said immune system is in the intestines, you see why wheat becomes an issue.
Why we get headaches
There are many reasons why. Often, the most common is completely ignored: a dysfunctional intestine, where 95% of serotonin is found. Remember that serotonin agents (Imitrex, etc) is the mainstay of pharmaceutical treatment for the SYMPTOMS of the headache. These drugs do not fix the problem: they merely manage the headache. The Brain-Gut connection is extremely important in CURING many neurologic conditions, including headaches. The article “Riboflavin for migraine” (J. Family Practice News, June 15th, 2007, page 46) illustrates how a B complex vitamin addresses the real problem causing the headache. When we have intestinal problems, such as IBS, we don’t absorb nutrients optimally, especially B vitamins such as riboflavin.
It turns out that riboflavin, Vitamin B2 is a precursor of a coenzyme in the Krebb’s cycle where we make energy: its lack results in poor cerebro-vascular tone. B2 then improves mitochondrial function. By taking 400 mg/day of riboflavin, headaches were reduced by 50% (J. Neurology 1998;50:466 & J. Headache 2004;44:885,) and the intensity and duration of the headache were reduced (Eur J. Neurol 2004;11:475 & J. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2005;80:511.)
In my opinion, a more dramatic cure rate is seen when the intestinal issues are thoroughly addressed, instead of just supplementing the lacking vitamin. We have talked about treating intestinal problems before, but the main thing to do is change the diet and supplement lots of fiber and probiotics. What else could you do for your headaches?
Hypnosis for migraines, J. Neurology 2005;64:713
CoQ10 300 mg/day decreases frequency of migraines,
J. Family Practice News, March 15th, 2005, p67, J. Neurology 2004;63:2240
Alpha lipoic acid (antioxidant much like COQ10) prevents migraines,
J. Headache 2007;47:52
Herb Butterbur for migraine prophylaxis, J. Headache 2005;45:196 “A Combination of Riboflavin, Magnesium and Feverfew for Migraine Prophylaxis: a randomized trial,” J. Headache 2004;44:885
Popeye’s girlfriend
The crafty sailor did well to eat a lot of spinach AND date Olive oil. It turns out that olive oil is very high on omega oils and polyphenol antioxidants (“Olive oil,” J. Life Extension, September 2007, page 93.) These properties are significant for proper cell signaling of energy and information, which reduces heart disease, cancer and arthritis (J. Lipids 2004;39:1223.) By consuming this staple of the Mediterranean diet we end up with a better lipid profile (J. Ann Int Med 2006;145:333) and reduce inflammatory markers: 2 oz a day reduce the CRP (European J. Clin Nut, March 21st, 2007.) This is why there is less inflammation in arthritis with olive oil (J. Nut 2005;21:131.) Oleocanthal in olive oil reduces inflammation like ibuprofen (J. Nature 2005;1:45.)
Perhaps the most dramatic effect of olive oil is to reduce our chances of getting cancer (European J. Cancer Prevention 2004;13:319 & J. Curr Pharm Biotech 2006;7:495.) Also, olive oil reduces the amount of the bacteria H. pylori, which contributes to the genesis of stomach ulcers (J. Agri Food Chem 2007;55:680) and it thins blood in people with high cholesterol (Am J. Clin Nut 2007;86:341.) When you use olive oil, remember that sunlight and frying compromise its efficacy.
Why do our kids get asthma and allergies?
We love to use antibiotics, don’t we? It turns out that children who are treated with antibiotics during the 1st year of life are more likely to develop asthma by age 7
(J. Chest 2007;131:1753.) Why? We are compromising their immune system, which is found mostly in the intestines. The antibiotics they take kill off significant numbers of the friendly flora that dwells in the intestines. BY eating better, mothers improve their kids’ immune system when they are pregnant: Apples and fish in pregnancy reduce childhood asthma (J. Thorax, March 27th, 2007.)
Antibiotics compromising our intestinal flora may be so dramatic that it may also contribute to cancer: The JAMA 2004;291:827, 880 documented that women taking antibiotics for 500 days over a 17 year period double their risk of getting breast cancer. The authors correctly postulate that antibiotics destroy intestinal flora, where 60% of our immune system is found. Antibiotic use also signal a chronic inflammatory state in the patient, which has been associated with cancer (“Inhibition of gut bacteria by dietary chemicals and the hygiene hypothesis,”
J. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2007; page 602.)
The moral of the story? Be thankful when the doc tells you your child doesn’t need and antibiotic. If your child truly needs an antibiotic, give him/her lots of probiotics (British Medical J. 2007;335:54.)
Better than shooting steroids
Prolotherapy has been endorsed by the Mayo Clinic in its newsletter on April 2005 (NYT August 7th, 2007.) Prolotherapy consists of injecting natural agents into joints or other inflamed structures to promote healing. Steroid injections inhibit healing. Glucose is injected directly into joints to promote remodeling and reduce stretched ligaments and tendons. Most practitioners use 3 parts 50% dextrose, 2 parts 200mg/cc glucosamine sulfate and 1 part hydroxycobalamine with procainanide (J. Pain Clinic April 2000;9:143, J. Musculoskeletal Med, Oct 2002, p390 & J. Alt Treatment Health Med 2000;6:68.)
Studies have found that using prolotherapy for 3 months result in a 60% increase in the diameter of connective tissue in the back: less pain and more range of motion was reported (J. Practical Pain Management, 2007.) Prolotherapy is not indicated if there is a condition that may impede healing, like a tear.
Jarrod Bagley, NP practices Prolotherapy at our clinic in Draper, UT.
Telegraphed articles
Second hand smokers exposed for more than 30 years are 30% more likely to develop dementia
JAMA 2007;298:162
Soy reduces risk of prostate cancer
J. Nutrition 2007;137:1769, 1974
Grape seed extract inhibits prostate cancer growth
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:1478
Resveratrol in grapes fights breast cancer
J. Pharmacology 2007;80:134
Diindolyimethane (DIM,) a substance much like I3C in cruciferous veggies, inhibits tumor growth
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:1589
DIM lowers risk of colon cancer
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:1471
Sulpharanes in cruciferous veggies lowers the risk of breast cancer
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:1485
Carotenoid mixture reduces risk of liver cancer after hepatitis
J. Recent Results Cancer Res 2007;174:67
Antioxidants help tinnitus
J. Arch Med Res 2007;38:456
Berberine herb reduces cholesterol
J. Arzneimittelforschung 2007;57:26
Fish and vitamin D reduce risk of macular degeneration
J. Arch Ophthalmology 2007;125:671, 661
Krill oil reduces inflammation and helps arthritis in 1-2 weeks
J. Am Coll Nut 2007;26:39
High dose B6 reduces symptoms of schizophrenia
J. Clin Neuropharm 2007;30:13
Lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants protect skin from solar damage
J. Skin Pharm Phys 2007;20:199
Hypnosis helps skin conditions
Annual Meeting Florida Soc of Derm, Palm Beach, 2007
One-time PSA check in 44-50 year-olds may predict long term risk of prostate cancer
Annual Meeting American Urologic Soc, Anaheim, 2007
Only well-done meat raises prostate cancer risk
Annual Meeting American Assoc Cancer Research, Los Angeles, 2007
Curcumin/turmeric lowers risk of prostate cancer
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:1188
Astragalus saponins herb reduces colon cancer
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:1347
Black tea antioxidants reduce risk of stomach cancer
J. Gastroent 2007;42:352
Folic acid reduces the risk of strokes
J. Lancet 2007;369:1876
EEG biofeedback helps ADD
J. Altern Med Rev 2007;12:146
Magnesium improves circulation in stroke victims
J. Neurol Neurosurg Psy 2007;78:729
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 8 ‘ Number 5 ‘ August-September 2007
Magical health
Harry Potter’s last book came out. I will miss the great stories that motivated so many children to stop watching TV to read a book. I will also miss the lessons I found in the books, like this poem:
“Why do you worry about ‘you-know-who?’
You should worry about ‘you-no-poo.’
The constipation sensation
That is gripping the nation.”
Most people do not have regular bowel movements. Some believe that 2-3 BMs a week is normal. Well, they are “full of it.” We should be having 2-3 BMs a day. Most people get treated with some laxative, instead of working on the reason why they are constipated. The health of our intestinal bacteria is compromised by our refined food, which is full of toxins, and low in fiber
Amazingly, 10% of our body weight is due to the bacteria that live in our intestines. Since these guys outnumber our body cells 10:1, most of the genes we pack around belong to them, not us. What a humbling proposition, one that may help us not be so arrogant, and concede that this is not the planet of the apes, nor the planet of humans, but “The Planet of Bacteria” (Book by Stephen Jay Gould, Crown Press, 1996.)
Burkitt’s fiber
Dr. Burkitt, whose name is attached to an infamous type of pediatric lymphoma, did a lot of work in Africa, where he noticed that people who produced the biggest piles of stool had less cancer. This reminds me of that scene in “Juriassic park” where they dig through dino-poop looking for a radio. Burkitt’s story ends on a constipating note: when he presented his research in the US, his peers ostracized him.
Our intestinal tract harbours 2/3 of our immune system. This is why keeping our intestines healthy lowers the risk of cancer. Fiber is dramatically helpful in the treatment of any condition, including the prevention of diabetes type II (J. Archives of Internal Medicine 2007;167:956,) because it improves intestinal function.
Guar gum fiber is one of the most researched fibers (“Guar Gum: a miracle therapy for hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, and obesity,” J. Clinical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 2007;47:389.) It comes from legume crops mainly grown in India and Pakistan. It can be eaten as a green bean, fed to cows, or used as green manure. Its galactomannan gum forms a gel when mixed with water. It is used as thickener and binder in sauces, salad dressings, ice creams, noodles, pet foods, processed meats, bread improvers, and beverages. It is also being used to replace flour from grains.
Guar gum is classified as a soluble fiber (75%.) This is why it acts like a gel. Guar gum also is 7.6% insoluble fiber, which adds bulk to feed probiotics, and lowers cholesterol. An increase of 10 grams of fiber a day reduces coronary death by 17%. Diet with 5% guar gum significantly lowers cholesterol: 10 gm a day reduced LDL by 12%, triglycerides by 42%, and raised HDL by 6%. Most studies recommend 8-36 grams/day.
Guar gum also reduces peak glucose right after a meal, and 2 hours later, when glucose is lowered by 10-35%. Guar gum is used for obesity since it increases satiety, reduces insulin resistance, and the absorption of glucose in the intestines.
Fiber is also high in sterols, which have been found to be very beneficial to the regulation of cholesterol absorption in the intestines, since they compete for the same absorption mechanisms in the gut. In other words, the more veggies (phytosterols) we eat, the better our cholesterol will be (“Phytosterols, cholesterol absorption and healty diets,” J. Lipids 2007;42:41.)
Foreign control
Fiber is also indispensable to help us eliminate the toxins that we ingest and produce ourselves through our metabolism. These toxins contribute to the rigidity we develop in our cell membranes that leads to insulin resistance. In other words, we become obese to a certain extent due to the “foreign control,” or “xenohormesis” exerted by these toxins (“What role has nutrition been playing in our health? The xenohormesis connection,” J. Integrative Medicine 2007;6:22.)
The movie “Super size me” helped us see that a calorie is not just a calorie, meaning that a calorie, or a particular type of food has energy and information beyond its caloric content. The protagonist of the movie, Mr. Spurlock, was becoming “addicted,” and showed “responses that occur when a person is ‘drugged’ instead of a result of excess calories alone… [He] was eating food that contained substances that negatively altered his cellular signaling systems” (“Are we eating more than we think? Illegitimate signaling and xenohormesis as participants in the pathogenesis of obesity,” J. Medical Hypothesis 2006;67:36.) Here are the main quotes from this shocking article:
“[The] foreign molecules in food that have been developed over the past five decades may serve as substances that alter cellular signaling and produce a different effect in the body than substances that humans traditionally consumed before the advent of food processing.”
“Emerging science recognizes xenohormetic substances as molecules that send signals to receptors on various cells, thereby altering their functions, affecting virtually all physiological processes, including immunity, inflammation, body-fat retention, appetite, blood fat levels, insulin signaling, and cellular division.”
“We are witnessing food being redefined as information that alters cellular function…A particular illegitimate cellular signal is chronic stress, which may shift body phenotype to suit a more conservative state that favors storage of energy and obesity…Obese livestock, and unusual fat profiles in farmed fish, meat, eggs may reflect stress phenotypes, a phenomenon known as ‘xenohormesis,’ and the person consuming these foods assumes the stress phenotype…Foods such as diet drinks may generate illegitimate signals by mimicking molecules that the body normally uses for caloric management.”
“We have to ask whether an alternative and possibly more successful approach to obesity-related diseases than that of calorie restriction alone is to modify the signaling substances in the diet that participate in xenohormesis. As has been proposed, this model would suggest that, potentially, the best molecules for managing chronic disease will not come from the discoveries of pharmaceutical chemists, but rather from the ‘laboratory’ of natural selection in our traditional foods that have been associated with a low incidence of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes”
“[Nutrigenomics] opens the door for the development of an entirely new series of therapeutic agents composed of specified phytochemical concentrates… In the case of a person who has been consuming a diet containing illegitimate dietary signals for some time, the question is whether he can consume enough of the necessary substances in their diet to ‘turn around’ years, if not decades, of faulty cellular signaling. This is where there might be clinical value in specific therapeutic nutritional products that contain concentrates of legitimate food.”
Translation: the chemicals in processed food are contributing to insulin resistance and the epidemic of obesity.
Anti-obesity programs are not working
I am often invited to hear well-intended professors, parents, businessmen, concerned citizens, and government workers discuss new programs to curve our children’s sweet death, or epidemic of obesity and diabetes. Invariably, my opinions on what needs to be done are dismissed as too radical. Yet, I plan to continue saying that we will never solve the problem, until we work on the politics and economics driving the marketing, consumption, and the addicting nature of junk food. I feel it is naïve to ignore these issues, by claiming that we must not confront the “powers that be.” Any approach that leaves out these harsh realities is likely to be based on the participants trying to feel good about doing something.
People who want to see some changes often concentrate only on nutrition and exercise programs and campaigns to change our kids’ eating habits. I am not saying these efforts are worthless, but that now we have good evidence that this approach is not working. After the federal government’s $1 billion worth of school programs on nutrition education, the Associated Press has documented that 57 such programs have yielded mostly failure. Only 4 programs showed some success.
For example, one of the programs offered free fresh fruits and veggies. But, at the end of the program, kids were “eating less of them than they had at the start.” In Pennsylvania, researchers gave out awards to kids who ate more fruits and vegetables, “but when they came back 7 months later, the kids had reverted to their original eating habits: soda and chips.” Kids’ self-assessment that they were eating better proved incorrect, since the researchers found “no changes in blood pressure, body size, or cholesterol levels; they want to eat better, they might even think they are, but they are not.”
The AP study listed 3 of the many reasons I feel these programs are doomed to fail. One, parents have the most say, and often they themselves are addicted to junk food. Two, the advertisement from Big Food is too much to overcome. And, third, poverty forces families to eat the cheapest, and most convenient food available. Amazingly, the AP study still did not propose that we address the politics and economics fueling our obesity epidemic. Instead, they wonder if the answer might be to take our fat kids to special clinics where their obesity is managed aggressively (Salt Lake Tribune, July 8th, 2007.) I don’t believe that will work, either.
Mushrooms
My good friends, the Mercier’s, are French cooks who often treat me to great meals. They have also taught me much about mushrooms (champignons.) In France, it is common knowledge that mushrooms are excellent for many conditions, mostly because of their immune-stimulating benefits (J. Skin and Allergy News, June 2007, p37.) But, something happens when mushrooms cross the Big Pond, because docs in the US don’t believe that this is the case. I find that a bit amusing, since most of Western medicine is based on the work of Fleming, who discovered penicillin in a moldy sandwich wrapper.
The mushrooms shiitaki, reishi, maitake, yamabushitake, chaga, schizophyllum commune, trametes versicolor, flammulina velutipes, and cordyceps sinensis (J. Life Science 2001;75:1051) contain micronutrients like triterpines, proteins, cerebrosides, phenols, vitamins, fiber, and amino acids. Mushrooms are low in calories, fat, and cholesterol (J. Mini Rev Med Chem 2004;4:873)
Mushrooms boost the immune system, thus reducing the risk of cancer (J. Oncology 2006;29:695.) They also help with wound healing, inflammation (J. Altern Comp Med 2006;12:777) and liver disease (J. Ethnopharmacology 2006;107:297.)
The mushrooms that grow in your socks are not very helpful, and the ones that grow wild may kill you. If you want to pick mushrooms up in the mountains, make sure you take someone like the Mercier’s with you.
The canary in the mine
If our terrain is TOILing or lacking in antioxidants, we are more susceptible to the ravages of toxins produced in the environment and by our own metabolism. Specifically, xenoestrogens in the environment are then more likely to affect our prostate, which then grows larger. This is the reason why we have to get up to pee so much at night. The problem is called benign prostatic hyperptrophy. In other words, an enlarged prostate is a canary in the mine, signaling that we are lacking antioxidants (“Prostate enlargement: the canary in the coal mine?” American J. Clinical Nutrition 2002;75:605.)
When we have a beer-belly or too much visceral adipose tissue, VAT, the fat therein acts like an endocrine organ, producing too much aromatase, the enzyme that turns testosterone into estrogen. The more VAT we have, the more estrogen men are exposed to. The more estrogen, the more prostate problems we may have.
“The waist circumference is a home run in terms of prediction…The results even surprised us…The waist circumference may be a more accurate predictor of metabolic problems than the BMI…Belly fat is almost a separate organ…a new gland…By altering our metabolism, perhaps you fuel prostate growth” (Annual Meeting American Urology Association, Anaheim, 2007.)
Not surprisingly, researchers are also noticing that a large VAT also increases the risk of having an elevated PSA, prostate volume, ejaculatory, and erectile dysfunction (J. Family Practice News, July 1st, 2007.) If you want to shoot blanks, keep eating those twinkies. ☺
By the way, the same researchers noticed that these metabolic problems from a large VAT that cause urinary issues also lead to more hypertension and diabetes. Not surprisingly, they found that the patients had higher glucose levels, more IR and more cholesterol problems. The docs were so impressed by these facts, that they are proposing that urinary problems be incorporated into the mainstream definition of the metabolic syndrome. It’s unavoidable: the more docs dig, the more they find that everything is about energy and information in food, metabolism and cell communication.
Treating colds and the flu
Most people are now very aware that taking an antibiotic may have serious side effects, particularly in the intestinal flora. There was a time when patients demanded an antibiotic, and they were offended if one was not prescribed. I will never forget the family who reported me to the HMO I used to work with, when I tried to warn them that antibiotics like minocycline would increase their risk of lupus, a form of arthritis (J. Chest 1999;115;1471.) If you have some kind of infection, you may want to try something natural first to boost your immune system, besides mushrooms. Of course, if you are not getting better, consult a doc. Here is a list of products to keep at home:
(J. Alternative Medicine Review 2007;12#1 page 43)
- Vitamin C, J. Mil Med 2004;169:920
- Zinc lozenges, J. Am Pharm Assoc 2004;44:594
- Vitamin A, Am J. Clin Nut 2005;82:1090
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine, J. Clin Chem Lab Med 2002;40:496
- Whey and glutathione, J. Agri Food Chem 2000;48:1473
- DHEA, J. Neuroimm 1997;78:203
- Echinacea, J .Phytomed 2006;13:688
- Caprifoliaceae, J. Biochem Syst Ecol 2000;28:689
- Elderberry, my number one choice (see picture,) J. Int Med Res 2004;32:132
- Garlic, J. Adv Ther 2001;18:189
- North American Ginseng, Canadian Med Assoc J. 2005;173:1043
- Olive phenolic compound, J. Applied Bacteriology 1993;74:253
- Astragalus, J. Phytotherapy Res 2006;20:687
In bed with Big Pharma
From time to time we need to review the cases that exemplify unethical practices that are contributing to the dysfunctional nature of our health care system. The New York Times, June 3rd, 2007 reported on the case of Dr. Abuzzahab, who showed “willful disregard” in the care of 46 of his patients, leading to the death of 5 of them. This doc worked on antidepressants, and anti-psychotic drug research, for which he was paid $55,000.
His practice partner feels that “Dr. Abuzzahab frequently makes abrupt and drastic changes in medications which seem erratic, not well considered, and poorly integrated with non-medication strategies.” Investigators allege that the thousands of dollars Dr. Abuzzahab receives for each recruited patient may be why this doc prescribes so “erratically.” He is accused of hospitalizing patients just to recruit them into his drug studies.
The NYT also documented that 103 docs with license problems have been recruited by Big Pharma to do studies, paying them $2.7 million for their cooperation. Some feel that troubled docs are not screened thoroughly by Big Pharma. Dr. Rothman, President of the Institute of Medicine said “[docs] for clinical trials [should be] culled from the finest… That drug makers are scraping the bottom of the medical barrel is an outrage.”
I agree with docs who feel that payments for “clinical trials” are often thinly disguised incentives to prescribe more. Another example of this is the “studies” on the drug Erythropoetin. Investigators feel that these are in reality “drug kick backs.” One single clinic of 6 docs got $2.7 million for prescribing this drug (NYT 5/9/07.)
Mr. Carbona, a former sales manager for Merk said “the only thing the company considered when hiring doctors to give marketing lectures was the volume of potential volume of prescribing that doctor could do.”
Dr. Abuzzahab’s license was suspended for 7 months. He may be back to do more “research” for Big Pharma. I hope you are very critical of all those TV ads about drugs. There is considerable hanky-panky going on in the studies supporting those drugs.
Bee part of the solution
“Crowds tend to be wise only if individual members act responsibly and make their own decisions. A group won’t be smart if its members follow fads, or wait for someone to tell them what to do… A honeybee never sees the big picture any more than you do… if you are looking for a role model in a world of complexity, you could do worse than to imitate a bee” (“Swarm Theory,” J. National Geographic, July 2007, page 126.)
The book “The Wisdom of Crowds” by Surowiecki adds to this concept. I believe that elitist experts often get us in trouble, because they tend to disregard the wisdom of the common man. They may even be in the pocket of special interests, since they often attend the same cocktail parties.
I will never forget the line from the latest 3-D dinosaur movie, where the narrator makes the point that dinosaurs, with a brain smaller than a walnut, were able to live on Earth for millions of years in peace and harmony. Will homo-economicus be able to match that feat?
We are obligated to make our voices heard to restore sanity to our health care system. Your ideas are valid, perhaps more so than the ideas of our experts. Please, research the health care platforms of political candidates at every level of our society. Keep in mind Deep Throat’s advice: “follow the money.”
Telegraphed articles
For treatment of external genitalia and perianal warts the FDA has approved Veregen, a brand of topical green tea
J. Neurology Reviews, February 2007, p25
Higher folate intake (veggies or supplementation) reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
J. Archives of Neurology 2007;64:86
Ginseng reduces cancer fatigue. Flaxseed slows the growth of prostate cancer
American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, 2007
Resveratrol (grape antioxidant) regulates mRNA expression to reduce the risk of cancer
J. Nutrition and Cancer 2007;56:193
Resveratrol induces cell death in colorectal cancer cells
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:922
Quercetin reduces the risk of colon cancer
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:1021
Elevated white blood cells and triglycerides signal 3 times higher risk of heart disease,
J. Atherosclerosis 2007;192:177
Yoga increases the levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA. Try GABA for ADD.
J. Alternative Complementary Medicine 2007;13:419
The brain may become “leaky” due to TOILing. This problem allows toxins to reach the brain and increase the risk of dementia
J. Neurology 2007;68:1809
Treatment with antidepressants may be vastly improved if thyroid is prescribed, regardless of blood levels
J. Archives of General Psychiatry 2007;64:679
Chitosan helps reduce insulin resistance
J. Biology Pharmaceutical Bulletin 2003;26:1100
Topical vitamin A helps wrinkles
J. Archives of Dermatology 2007;143:606
Omega oils decrease risk of macular degeneration
J. Archives of Ophthalmology 2007;125:671
The more antibiotics we take as a child the higher the risk of asthma
J. Chest 2007;131:1753
SAMe helps alcoholic liver
American J. Clinical Nutrition 2007;86:14
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
Volume 8 ‘ Number 4 ‘ June-July 2007
“The Heart’s Code”
Through a series of “fortunate events,” this book by Dr Paul Pearsall (Broadway Books, 1998,) ended up in my hands. I highly recommend it to you. I hope it has the same profound impact it had on my life, because you would be healthier for it. It turns out that this matter was of paramount importance to me as a child, especially because I grew up with very little input from adults. Intuitively, I felt that women held a very important key to my development. As a male, I felt that women would balance my character. Of course, it would be the opposite for a woman. Little did I know that years would go by, before I understood the implications of this insight.
But, as Hegel once said, as a child, I had “made the right choice for the wrong reason.” My approach was not mature, and I put women on a pedestal. Latter in my life, I had to abandon this approach as I embarked on my college career, and medical training. So, I then “did the wrong thing for the right reason.” I needed to train my mind in logic, and intellectual pursuits. As you probably know, medical training is very “male” driven. I recently heard John Nelson, MD, a colleague of mine, and former President of the AMA, tell the story of how he was chewed out as an Intern for crying with a grieving widow. He was summarily told he should not “act like a woman.”
In the last few years, my over-reliance on logic, and intellectual training has become evident. While I never abandoned my intuition, and my “femaleness,” I have sought to convince people, and doctors in particular, that our health care system is in shambles through an intellectual approach. I have finally realized that I need to, once again, rely more on that which is not seen, but only felt. “What is important is invisible to the eye. It is only with the heart that one can see clearly.” That is what the wise fox told the little prince, in the Nobel-Prize winning book of Antoine de Saint Exupery (1045.)
So, as Hegel said, I feel that now, finally, I may well be doing “ the right thing for the right reason.” It is right, now, to choose my heart, after I have lived, and felt, and studied long enough to see the folly of logic without feelings, intellect without heart, and knowledge without wisdom. This is why I feel this book will have a great impact on you, my friends. I am sure you have read many books about intuition, and feelings, and touchy-feely stuff. This one will be different, because it is based on concrete studies, using the brain’s own tools, to put it, the brain, in its place, subservient to the heart.
Dr Pearsall will show you that the heart is not just a pump, but, that all the metaphors about the heart being the center of the soul, of true knowledge, and the seat of our consciousness, are indeed true. As predicted, Dr. Pearsall states that the heart is the main “antenna” for the “energy and information” that permeates the Universe. The heart has 5,000 times more electromagnetism than the brain, which has given rise to a branch of medicine called “energy cardiology.”
And one last pearl to entice you to read this book: health is the proper balance of all the energy and information coursing through your body (food, thoughts, feelings, etc.) The brain is in charge of directing these bits of information for survival. It acts in a very selfish way (the big ego) that sometimes makes us sound like idiots. Putting the brain under the scrutiny of our hearts is not easy, but it is the way to health, or enlightenment, if you like. The more we shut off the “monkey” in the head, the quieter we will be to receive, and intuit the answers, the “energy and information” we need in our own lives.
Humor is the best medicine
The more we go by our heart, the more “lighthearted” we become. Humor then takes over, which some people feel it should leave suffering alone. How sad is that. I side with Freud, who said that “the only sane response to suffering is humor.” As messed up as he was, he was awake enough to be inspired by a woman; the same one C.J. Jung liked, and was also inspired by (“A most dangerous method,” John Kerr. Vintage Books, 1993.)
This is why sometimes I dismiss my intellectual approach being “bull.” It really doesn’t amount to much, if our hearts are shut down in the process: “Clown doctors remind us of so many things: to take our work seriously but ourselves lightly; the value of a smile and a laugh; that it is OK to take a minute to play.” (J. Lancet 2007;368:cover story.)
Pooping on statues?
Soon, the fear of Avian Flu will come back, probably accompanied by a push to buy Tamiflu. I say, if you don’t feel like pooping on statues, you probably haven’t gotten the Avian flu. Could it be that the scare-tactics are designed to sell more drugs? I really don’t know, but I agree with the front page of The Lancet: “Over-reliance on a pharmacological solution to the ravages of influenza may impede the development and implementation of broader intervention strategies based on public health measures” (January 28th, 2006;367:303.) If you want to read more about this, pick up Dr. Siegel’s book “False alarm: the truth about the epidemic of fear” (reviewed in the JAMA 2005;294:2503.)
It turns out that “Tamiflu [has been] linked to pediatric neuropsychiatric events” (J. Family Practice News, December 1st, 2006, p5,) prompting Japan to issue a warning about this drug, which was linked there with 54 suicides in 10-19 year olds (J. Lancet 2007;369:1056.) If you still want some protection, improve your immune system by eating better, take probiotics, and get some Star anis, the herb from which they made Tamiflu.
Assault on freedom
Last year, the European Union passed the infamous “Codex,” a body of laws and regulations that will eventually curtail their rights to get food supplements over the counter, since they will require a prescription. Sadly, similar legislature (Senate Bill 1082) is before the US Congress. I need not dwell on my feelings about this, since I intuit that you are just as outraged. Please, call 202-225-3121, the White House, and ask whom you may talk to in Congress to get them to vote down SB1082 (say howdy to George for me…)
If doctors end up writing prescriptions for supplements, we already have a preview of what will happen: Omacor, Deplin, and Remeron. What are those things? They are VERY pricey “new drugs” that are nothing but, respectively, omega oils for inflammation and cholesterol, melatonin for insomnia, and folic acid for depression. In my opinion, Big Pharma is behind this proposal. They will make billions of dollars on their so-called new drugs, that are nothing more than what you may no longer get over the counter: supplements. Besides, do you think that doctors themselves will be ready to correctly advise their patients on what, and where to buy these supplements? I feel that Big Pharma will “generously” come up with “education” courses, likely in some vacation resort, and for sure, in expensive local restaurants.
The impact of SB1082 will not be so much the effect of not getting supplements over the counter, but on our already compromised sense of fairness. Many studies have shown that a lack of fairness, and inner-control of our lives is what truly drives disease (J. Epidemiology and Community Health, May 2007.)
Telegraphed articles
Milk thistle has anti-inflammatory effects, and binds to estrogen and androgen receptors, which reduces our risk of ovarian, and prostate cancer ( It lowers PSA.)
J. Anticancer Research 2006;26:4457
Elderberry has significant chemopreventive potential (induction of quinine reductase and inhibition of cyclooxigenase-2
J. Med Food 2006;9:498
Chondroitin helps joints. Pay no attention to American studies. Europeans got it right
J. Therapie 2006;61:341
Devil’s claw lowers inflammation
J. Phytotherapy Research, November 24th, 2006
Saw palmetto = tamsulosin/flomax for Bening Prostatic Hypertrophy
J. International Urology Nephrology, January 4th, 2007
Green tea lowers risk of colon cancer
J. Frontiers of Bioscience 2007;12:2309
Genistein/soy protects against breast cancer by inducing glutathione
J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:738
Soy decreases markers of inflammation and improves arterial function
J. Diabetes Care 2007;30:967
Phytoestrogens/soy improve prognosis of breast cancer
J. Nutrition and Cancer 2007;56:3
Antiandrogen, and anti heavy metal therapy for autism
J. Neuro Endocrinology Letters 2006;27:833
Mom may have a genetic defect that results in poor antioxidant activity in autism. It seems that glutathione is impaired in these children.
J. Archives Pediatric Adolescent Medicine 2007;161:356
The more we attack H. Pylori, the bug associated with ulcers, the higher the risk of asthma and allergies. Why? Antibiotics compromise our immune system in the gut…
J. Archives Internal Medicine 2007;167:821
… This is why probiotics work well for allergies…
J. Allergy Clinical Immunology 2007;119:192
… and why probiotics also help with eczema.
J. Allergy & Clinical Immunology 2007;119:1019
General anesthesia increases risk of Alzheimer’s disease
JAMA 2007;297:1760
“Epidurals’ benefit for back pain questioned.” They only last a few weeks. Is it worth it?
JAMA 2007;297:1757
Cocoa/polyphenolitic compounds reduce LDL oxidation, and raise HDL
American J. Clinical Nutrition 2007;85:709
Flavonoid (fruits and veggies) intake lowers risk of heart disease
AJCN 2007;85:895
Selenium 200 mcg can suppress progression of HIV virus, and improve CD4 count
J. Archives of Internal Medicine 2007;167:148
Slippery elm, an anti oxidant, reduces leaky gut, and help colitis
J. Family Practice News, January 15th, 2007, p37
Naps reduce the risk of dying of a heart attach by 37%
J. Arch Int Med, February, 2007
Resveratrol/grapes regulates mRNA expression to reduce risk of cancer
J. Nutrition and Cancer 2007;56:193
“New drug” to prevent 2/3 of cancers
If there was something that worked that well against cancer, would you buy it? It turns out that good food reduces the risk of cancer by 2/3. Yet, we didn’t see any media outlet cover this dramatic story in a leading cancer journal (“Apoptosis by dietary factors,” J. Carcinogenesis 2007;28:233.) The quotes from this journal are terrific, so, I want you to have them:
· “In spite of substantial progress in the development of anticancer therapies, the incidence of cancer is still increasing worldwide. Recently, chemoprevention by the use of naturally occurring dietary substances is considered as a practical approach to reduce the ever-increasing incidence of cancer.”
· “By making modifications in the diet, more than 2/3 of human cancers could be prevented…. Dietary chemopreventive compounds offer great potential in the fight against cancer by inhibiting the carcinogenesis process through the regulation of cell defensive and cell death machineries.”
· “Apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, plays a fundamental role in the maintenance of tissues and organ systems by providing a controlled cell deletion to balanced cell proliferation. The last decade has witnessed an exponential increase in the number of studies investigating how different components of the diet interact at the molecular and cellular level to determine the fate of a cell. It is now apparent that many dietary chemopreventive agents with promise for human consumption can also preferentially inhibit the growth of tumor cells by targeting one or more signaling intermediates leading to induction of apoptosis.”
· “The two major pathways that initiate apoptosis are extrinsic (death receptor-mediated,) and intrinsic (mitochondrial mediated.) Mitogenic and stress responsive pathways are involved in the regulation of apoptotic signaling. Noteworthy is the cross-talk between some of these pathways.” Translated, this statement reflects the ever-expanding numbers of doctors, and thinkers who are getting it: everything is Energy and Information (“Tumor biology: how signaling processes translate to therapy,” & “Metabolic targeting as an anticancer strategy: dawn of a new era?” J. Science 2007;316:1.)
· These foods are the best to prevent cancer. Here they are:
Micronutrient Food
ECGC Green tea
Curcumin Turmeric
Genistein Soy
I3C Cruciferous
Sulpharanes Cruciferous
Beta carotenes Veggies
Resveratrol Grapes
Isothiocyanates Cruciferous
Luteolin Celery, green pepper, peppermint
Lycopene Tomatoes
Anthocyanins Pomegranate, wolfberry, plankton, algae
Delphidin Pigmented fruits, berries
Lupeol, sylimarin Mango, olive oil, herbs
Gingerol Ginger
Capsaicin Red pepper
Sulfur Onions garlic
More on Nutrition and cancer
The International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer
(J. Nutrition 2007;137#1S,Supp) put out very good evidence that we need to shift our attention to prevention of cancer. Again, we need good articles to present to our Oncologists, who, according to my patients, refuse to consider nutrition approaches in cancer:
- “Using genetic variation to optimize nutritional preemption,” p270s, tells us that “the genetic determinism of the nutrigenomic model needs to take on a more holistic model.”
- “Antioxidants suppress lymphoma and increase longevity in atm-deficient mice,” p 229s. So much for the dogma that antioxidants are not to be used with cancer.
- “Methyl deficiency, alterations in global histone modifications, and carcinogenesis,” p216s. This means you need optimal levels of B vitamins. Make sure your homocysteine levels are under 8.0.
- “Calcitriol (vitamin D) and genistein (soy) actions to inhibit the prostaglandin pathway: potential combination to treat prostate cancer,” p 205s. Make sure your vitamin D levels are over 80, and stop vilifying soy.
- “Immunomodulatory effetcs of (n-3) fatty acids: putative link to inflammation and colon cancer,” p200s. Always take omega oils. Eat more avocados, nuts, and fish.
- “Cranberry and its phytochemicals: a review of in vitro anticancer studies,” p186s
- “Inflammation, cancer and targets of ginseng,” p 183s
- “Changes in dietary fat and fiber and serum hormone concentrations: nutritional strategies for breast cancer prevention over the life course,” p 170s
Peppermint oil
Peppermint is more than gum flavor (J. American Family Physician 2007;75:1027.) This herb has very active constituents, like menthol, cineol, menthone, volatile oils. When consumed in enteric-coated preparations, it does not cause hearburn, so, you may use it for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Am J. Gastroent 1998;93:1131,) for prevention of colon spasms with barium enemas (J. Clin Radiol 2003;58:301,) for indigestion (J. Digestion 2004;69:45,) and headaches (J. Cephalalgia 1994;14:228.)
Peppermint may have some adverse effects (allergy, heartburn, perianal burning, blurred vision, nausea, and vomiting,) but these are rare. Still, it is not recommended if you have a hiatal hernia, reflux, gallbladder problems, or if you are pregnant, or lactating. The dose is 0.2-0.4 cc three times a day for adults. Children over 8 years old get ½ of that.
Reversing heart disease
A stent is a little tube inserted inside a clogged up coronary artery, to undo the restricted flow of blood to the heart muscle, to treat chest pain (angina,) and/or a heart attack. The main problem is that the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen, and energy to carry out its function. After years of using these expensive stents at such a critical time, an article came out saying that rosuvastatin/crestor, used to lower cholesterol, is just as effective in unclogging our coronaries (JAMA 2007;297:1344, 1376.)
First of all, the article was financed by the company making the drug, so, we have to wonder how valid this study, since pharmaceutical companies have been shown to look out mostly for shareholders interests, not the health of the people (JAMA 2007;297:1255.) Remember that 80% of what modern medicine has to offer has little, if any evidence, a fact highlighted in the J. Business Weekly, May 29th, 2006, on its very front cover. It is the report of a surgeon-turned-mathematician/statistician.
In my opinion, drugs and stents are not as efficient as nutrition. Dr. Ornish, in his highly acclaimed book “Reversing Heart Disease” (Ballantine Books, 1990) has shown that diet alone may unclog your arteries. Why is it that diet, which reduces heart disease by 80%, gets such poor attention? The American Heart Association has stated that “T.L.C.” should always come first: “therapeutic lifestyles changes.” A little TLC from your loved ones also helps (“Love and Intimacy,” Dr Ornish. Harper Collins, 1998.)
If we continue to lower cholesterol, without looking at the roots of the problem (see below,) we run the risk of starving the brain of needed fatty acids, thus increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (J. Archives Neurology 2007;64:103.)
The low glycemic index diet
The index lists the sugar content of all foods, while recommending that we consume foods lower in the index, especially if we have metabolic issues ( J. Lancet 2007;369:890) The foods with the least sugars are high protein foods, like fruits, vegetables, nuts and lean meats. Then, the complex/whole grain carbohydrates, and then the simple/refined sugars and fats. Eating this way helps lose weight in a more sustainable way, without starving, since the quality of foods is emphasized, not the quantity (AJCN 2007;85:724.)
The index is determined by 2 hour incremental area-under-the-blood-glucose-curve after consuming a test food (containing 50 grams of available carbohydrate) relative to that of a control, either white bread or glucose. Mixing foods of different glycemic index results in slowing down glucose absorption. For instance, peanut butter, high in fat, fiber, and protein, slows down the absorption of the sugar found in bread. The WHO and most of Europe, Canada, and Australia advocate the low glycemic diet. The USA does not, despite evidence that low glycemic index diets help lose weight, and lower cholesterol better than low fat diets (JAMA 2007;297:2092.)
“A high glycemic diet elicits a sequence of hormonal events that challenge the balance of glucose levels in the blood. After such a meal, insulin levels go up, higher than the response triggered by low glycemic meals. The high glycemic meal inhibits glucagons secretion [the hormone in charge of increasing blood glucose when we don’t eat.] The resulting elevated ratio of insulin/glucagons inhibits metabolism, and promotes the storage of nutrients in the liver, muscles, and fat. About an hour after a high glycemic meal, blood glucose starts to fall, often below fasting levels, which inhibits the burning of fat tissue. [All these things] stimulate hunger and overeating, in the body’s attempt to restore the concentration of metabolic fuels to normal”
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
Volume 8 ‘ Number 3 ‘ April-May 2007
“IT IS NOT THE GERM, IT’S THE TERRAIN”
Pasteur, after making a name for himself with his work on vaccinations, and the role of microbes in infections, is reported to have changed his tune a bit, as he got closer to the end of his life. No surprise there, since death has a way of reminding us of things we may not have paid much attention to, until then. Pasteur came to realize that bacteria, or microscopic organisms, while important in the development of infections, were not the only factor involved. His insight that “ce n’est pas le germ, c’est le terrain” does not need translation, but it does need a thick skin on the part of people like me, who dare oppose the present paradigm that infectious organisms are to be feared, and that we are totally defenseless against them.
The campaign of fear of cervical cancer, triggered by the Human Papilloma Virus, HPV was in full swing as 2007 dawned. People took sides very quickly, with some advocating that the main focus should be alleviating the suffering of 9,710 women getting cervical cancer, of which 3,700 die from it in the USA, and 233,000 worldwide. It is hard not to agree with this approach. However, I opposed this vaccine, because I felt Pasteur’s advice was, once again, ignored.
Others opposed the HPV vaccine because they don’t like vaccinations in general. They have a point, because vaccines may have side effects that we are ignoring. This is not far fetched, since Merc, the makers of the HPV vaccine, has been so aggressive about this vaccine, that some claim not enough time has transpired to see if it indeed will be safe, and productive.
Some oppose the HPV vaccine because it is too expensive ($400 for 3 separate inoculations.) Analysts have calculated that Merc may make about $5 billion/year with this vaccine. Some feel the “HPV” stands for “Helping Pay for Vioxx,” since Merc lost mucho dinero with that drug. Merk has acknowledged a sense of urgency in the production and marketing of the HPV vaccine, but they are silent about how much money, and how many palms they have been greasing.
The Governor in Texas is in hot water for pushing the vaccine through, once it was discovered that his former chief of staff is now a lobbyst for Merk. Even though the Medical Association in Texas, the American Academy of Pediatricians, the American Cancer Society, and the American Academy of Family Practitioners are opposed to the vaccine, 31 states are now considering funding it.
Some oppose it because it may encourage sexual activity in girls too young, as if there isn’t enough encouragement for them, now.
These are all great points. Still, my opposition to the vaccine goes back to Pasteur’s insight in to the nature of infections. There is no question that HPV is associated with cervical cancer, and that H. Pylori is associated with ulcers. But, the problem is not as clear as that. “The war on cancer: an anatomy of failure, a blueprint for the future” is a book that deals with a related condition, cancer, but as you will see, the book also touches on the failed paradigm of attaching the invading organism, without considering why it takes hold inside of us (JAMA 2006;295:2891.) It turns out that the top 5 cancers (prostate, breast, lung, colon, and pancreas) have changed little since 1995. Mortality has improved only 1% for 10/28 most common cancers, mostly due to food refrigeration, better diet and hygiene, better supportive care, and early detection. Modern oncology is based on19th century bacteriology. The misunderstandings perpetuated by this science have had lingering consequences:
Generation of scientists and scholars, misguided by [this] flawed hypothesis, often commit their talents and energy as well as human and financial resources, in an unproductive pursuit of a false lead… [A] more pervasive and counterproductive [idea] developed… that cancer cells, like bacteria, are foreign invaders that must be eradicated at any cost. The result has been more aggressive cytotoxic chemotherapy with few cures and an inefficient trial-and-error drug development strategy that continues today.
In other words, the main two ideas of modern oncology are (1) to exploit differences between normal and cancer cells, and (2) drugs must be cytotoxic to be successful.
“Drug development… remains mostly anchored to this century-old, conceptually antiquated, technically inefficient, labor intensive, costly, and low yield ‘hit-and-miss’ (mostly miss) screening approach engineered and sponsored by the National Cancer Institute… The cell-killing paradigm has failed to achieve its objective… how does this system persist? … The increasing prominent role of the pharmaceutical industry in drug development… career advancement, relationship between productivity and job security, salary sources, and growing dependence on pharmaceutical companies for funding… The information pipeline, generated by clinical researchers and supported by their sponsors and publishers, fosters standards of care that are reinforced by financial incentives and the extraordinary capacity of physicians for self-delusion, and by unrealistic expectations of consumers nurtured by the media.”
The book also states that a better approach to cancer would be prevention, targeting underlying molecular genetic defects, and focusing on patient-outcome, not tumor measurements. Granted, the book does not get into vaccines for cancer, but it does address the flawed approach of blaming the bug, instead of the patients’ terrain that allows the bug to take up a stronghold.
In my opinion, political and economic factors are often ignored in the etiology of cancer. Consider that affluent men, who are able to afford better food, education and better environments, had less cancer than less fortunate men from 1950 to 1998 (J. Nat’l Cancer Institute 2002;94:904.) “We really need to work at linking the environment to behavior, behavior to physiology and physiology to carcinogenesis. [We need] better efforts to integrate work across these domains” (JAMA 2003;290:2790.)
The vaccine approach for HPV, which was prophetically panned at its inception (NEJM 2002;347:1645,) is not without its merits. But, it does not consider these basic issues. It is really simple: think of a skin infection. Does it mean that all of a sudden some bug got in there, and gave you an infection? No, it turns out that your skin is teeming with bugs, but they don’t get to you, unless you skin is cut, particularly if your immune system, which is mostly in the tissues, is depressed (“The danger model: a renewed sense of self,” J. Science 2002;296:301.)
So, if the tissues that compose your skin, or any other tissue, like the cells of the cervix, are T.O.I.L.ing, the bug will get in there, and start colonizing to the point of overwhelming your local, and systemic defenses. T, toxic, O, oxidized, I, inflamed, L, lacking in energy (JAMA 2004;291:358.) These are the general mechanisms of all diseases. Why should it be different for cervical cancer, and HPV?
In other words, HPV finds the cells of the cervix already “toiling.” This is why Indole-3-Carbinol, I3C, the main micronutrient in cruciferous vegetables can help the immune system get rid of this virus (J. Cancer Research 1994;54:1446, J. Gynecology Oncology 2000;78:123,) mostly by stimulating the 2OH detoxification pathway in the Liver, since xenoestrogens, or toxins that mimic estrogen in the environment contribute to the toxicity of sexual tissues (J. Biology Chemistry 1998;273:3838.) I3C, then relieves the stress on the cervical tissues’ dependance on the 16 OH pathway of estrogen detoxification (British J. Cancer 1996;74:488.)
Women with cervical lesions have lower 2OH/16OH hydroxyestrone ratios, which means that their liver’s don’t do an optimal job in etting rid of the xenoestrogens that irritate the cervix. This is why Indole-3-Carbinol is beneficial to heal these lesions, since it promotes 2OH hydroxylation to detoxify endocrine disruptors (J. Gyn Oncol 2000;78:123.)
When the liver detoxifies estrogen and chemicals, such as endocrine disruptors, then the immune system is less burdened, and more likely to rid itself of the HPV. Not surprisingly, anything that helps the liver work better, like I3C, will help abnormal paps revert to normal. This is what happens on diet high in vegetables and fruits (J. American Dietetic Assoc 2001;101:1167.) By the way, how many of these young women getting cervical cancer are eating broccolis, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, etc.?
Human Papilloma Virus resolves on its own in 1-2 years, but it becomes a problem (warts, cancer) in 28% of women (J. Nat’l Cancer Instit 1993;85:934) when the infected tissues are lacking antioxidants and inflammation (J. Nat’l Cancer Institute 2003;31:29 and J. Alternative Medicine Review 2003;8:157.) Vitamin A is 4.5 times lower in women with CIN pre-cancerous lesions in the cervix (J. Cancer Investigation 1999;17:253,) which is why topical applications of Vitamin A enhances regression of CIN II lesions (J. Nat’l Cancer Institute 1994;86:539.)
Lack of folic acid, a B vitamin, also predisposes to cervical injury, so its replacement enhances healing (JAMA 1992;267:528.) It turns out that our atrocious diets are lacking in B complex vitamins. A lack of antioxidants do the same thing, so, replacing them has been shown to decrease the chances of cervical cancer. This why Alpha Lipoic Acid, COQ10 and Glutathione help. They are antioxidants that help our cells have more energy to do their jobs (J. Alt Med Rev 2003;8:163.)
Escharotic treatments, or topical applications of ZnCL2 Sanguinaria mixture with Calendula twice a week until pap is clear of lesions is a good alternative for those women not wishing to undergo surgery, or Cryotherapy. It usually takes 5 weeks and it includes topical Vitamin A and oral treatment with Vitamin C 6-10 grams a day, beta carotene 150,000 IU a day and Selenium 400 mcg a day and a vegan diet (J. Archives of Surgery 1941;42:279.) It is not that I recommend this mixture, since cryosurgery is so easy; but, I mention it to prove the point: “ce n’est pas le germ, c’est le terrain.”
Interestingly, Merc has backed off from pushing the HPV vaccine so aggressively. Did the need for it suddenly diminish? No, they got too much opposition from people who felt the whole issue was really about “HPV, help pay for vioxx.”
“Follow the money”
Pasteur would have understood the emphasis on nutrition to repair the terrain, and thus minimize the chances that a bug would take hold, and infect us. He would have understood why Epigallocatechins (Green tea) reduce the risk, and treat diabetes type II (J. Nutrition 2006;136:2512.) Any antioxidant will help your TOILing cell membranes that make up your terrain. Unfortunately, and predictably, articles continue to appear, saying that antioxidants are not helpful. One of them made it to the journal “New Scientist,” August 2006. It was written by a Novartis pharmaceutical representative.
Are you still obsessing about calories?
In the last issue, we talked a bit about this, and how so many factors influence your body to process calories differently. Maybe I should have you talk to my patient Charles, who lost 20 lbs when he started eating breakfast. Let me say it again: he ate more, and earlier in the day, and lost weight. Of course, our metabolism does not work well when we don’t fuel it early in the A.M., which is when we need the most fuel just like a rocket leaving the atmosphere. In fact, skipping breakfast increases your chances of obesity by 455%, whereas eating often, that is, healthy snacks, like fruits veggies, and nuts, reduces your risk of obesity by 39%. Do the math: it is not the calories!
A study showed that two good diets, both with the same number of calories, were good, and people lost weight on both of them. However, the low glycemic index diet, high in soy, did much better than the American Heart Association diet. The former emphasizes eating foods that have the least sugars, and hardly any processed sugar, and the latter allows for any type of food, as long as they are not too high in fat (“Effect of a low glycemic index diet with soy protein and phytosterols on cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women,” J. Nutrition 2006;22:104.)
However, the low glycemic index diet had less insulin resistance, better lipids, lower Glyco Hb, lower inflammatory markers, like CRP, and lower blood pressure than the AHA diet. The researchers felt that drugs like Zocor for high cholesterol, and Glucophage for diabetes, could not have matched these results. What is going on? It is the micronutrients in the diet, like antioxidants, that promote the healing of TOILing cells, and terrain, not the calories that matter most. The low glycemic index diet, like the Mediterranean diet, has more antioxidants. Pasteur would have understood this, too.
“We need to better understand how the body regulates weight and how energy balance mechanisms can go awry… [we] have to focus on these fundamental physiological systems involved in energy homeostasis if we can expect to have any success against obesity and metabolic syndrome” (“Better strategies sought against obesity,” JAMA 2006;296:1577.)
The placebo effect and drugs
Marc suffered horribly with arthritis, despite taking numerous anti-inflammatory drugs, including prednisone. His pain was described as 10/10, and his ESR, a marker for inflammation was high at 90. After he changed his diet, and fixed his intestinal function, his pain dropped to 0-3/10, and his ESR dropped under 30. When his rheumatologist saw this, he told Marc that everything he had done was a “placebo.”
I am sure the doc wants to help, and he may be 100% correct that Marc was the beneficiary of the placebo effect. OK, does this mean that only non-pharmaceutical interventions are subject to the placebo effect? Not according to a study that showed drugs also benefiting from the placebo effect (“Adherence to candesartan and placebo and outcomes in chronic congestive heart failure,” J. Lancet 2005;366:2005.)
Of course, pharmaceutical studies are well-know for trying to eliminate any chance that the placebo effect may sneak in there, and confuse the issue of effectiveness. But, life has a way of being so interconnected, that is nearly impossible to totally safeguard any study from the power of the human mind. This study showed that high compliance (over 80% of taking drug or placebo) was associated with the best outcomes, regardless of whether the pill was a placebo, or an active drug. Let me say it, again: the reason people did well was because they took the pill, no matter what that pill was, a placebo, or a drug.
So, if we are going to minimize the importance of diet, or, for that matter, the importance of herbs, then, let us be honest, and minimize the power of drugs, too, and acknowledge the tremendous power of the mind, and try to harness it for good. To continue the lopsided emphasis on pharmaceutical solutions in such a commercial (“Researchers critical of TV drug ads,” JAMA 2007;297:939,) and heavy-handed approach, enables people to continue living lifestyles that lead to disease, and fail to empower them to heal their own “terrains” (“The Columbus program; building a community model of a 21st century intelligent health system,” J. Clinical Diabetes 2006;24:149.)
My last dream
In the old days, people put a lot of emphasis on their dreams. Holy Writ is full of examples. I feel we need to restore this important part of our lives, since the information we get in dreams is quite powerful, even for our health. To tap into all that information is quite healing, and, we may get tips on what a particular health problem may be about, before we are consciously aware. For instance, I found out about my Ankylosing Spondilitis (a form of arthritis) through a dream. For a few days, my hips had been hurting, which I had attributed to excessive running, since back in my youth I ran 10 miles in one hour, every other day. In this dream, I saw my hips on fire. The minute I woke up, I “knew” I had this disease, which was latter confirmed by a rheumatologist.
Last month, I had a dream where I was told by a wise man that practically all of our society problems are due to our society dishonoring the female principle within us all. As you know, we are dual in nature, and true balance and health is attained when we have these polar opposites of our nature in harmony with one another. Granted, it is difficult to live with our “polar opposites” sometimes. In fact, we often ignore the dictum “make love, not war,” by choosing both, in marriage!
Soon after this “feminine” dream, I participated in a discussion on domestic violence at the medical school. As you may know, this problem is a hidden epidemic, surpassing the devastation of suicides, drunk-driving fatalities, and gang-related violence. Yet, we devote more money, time, and media coverage to the latter 3 problems. Why? Could it be because we tend to ignore our “feminine nature?” It seems to me the guys (and there are some women who abuse men) who abuse women would not be doing it, if the person they lived with was a 6’5”, 250 lbs linebacker. So, the problem is not just an issue of control, or violence. And, if these misguided abusers knew how important their partners are in their own development, they would be kinder, and gentler around them.
Then, again, some of them become violent, when their female partners do not live up to the expectations they have of how a woman should be serving them, like “mommy” did when they were children. This is yet, again, a lack of incorporating the female energy in ourselves, so makes us demand the nurturing we seek from somebody else, instead of finding it within our own souls, already integrated.
So, take some time to think of other examples of the rejection of “the female” in our societies. Here are some of the examples that seem obvious to me: health care and its lack of social responsibility toward 50 million uninsured Americans, corporations and patriarchal control, vilifying “female” countries, like Canada, and France, glorifying logic, and demeaning intuition, emotions, and feelings, etc., etc.
I am very proud of my daughter Yvette in Law School, where she has written a paper soon to be published, about “restoring feminism in Utah.”
Telegraphed articles (I have a lot of them leftover from 2006)
Glycyrrhizin in licorice helps hepatitis C
Scandinavian J. Gastroent 2006;41:1087
Olives induce apoptosis in human colon cancer cells: less cancer
J. Nutrition 2006;136:2553
Beta carotene in Alga dunaliella bardawil increases HDL (good cholesterol)
J. Atherosclerosis 2006;189:215
Psyllium fiber, and sterols lower cholesterol
J. Nutrition 2006;136:2492
Coffee in excess increases risk of non fatal heart attack, if the person has a slow CYP1A2
gene, which impairs coffee metabolism. In other words, your liver may be too weak to
handle caffeine. Sorry!
JAMA 2006;295:1135
Hospitals are saving about 50% in ER costs by providing free care clinics for “frequent fliers” without insurance. In one case, a brittle diabetic woman cost $200K/yr in the ER. With the clinic, the cost was cut in half.
New York Times, front page, October 25th, 2006.
Ritalin therapy: 40% children have side effects, 11% stop the drug. Children lose ½ inch and 2 pounds in 70 week study. Ritalin now has a black box warning about cardiovascular problems
J. Am Acad Child & Adol Psychology, November 2006
(FDA 2/9/06)
ADHD is often a result of nsulin resistance: quit the candy!
J. Medical Hypothesis 2006;66:263
“Delaying generic competition: corporate payoffs and the future of Plavix:” Drug companies often pay generic competitors to keep them happy, and away from producing cheaper generic versions of their drugs.
NEJM 2006;355:1297
“Insulin effects weigh heavily on the brain:” Too much sugar increases our chances of getting Alzheimer’s. More fuzzy thinking when we eat too much sugar.
JAMA 2006;296:1717
“The sound of healing:” Music therapy in many hospitals.
J. Alternative & Complementary Therapies, April, 2006, p. 81
“Soy and breast cancer: the controversy continues:” If people are able to ferment soy in their intestines with equol-producing bacteria in their intestines, the risk of breast cancer drops. This is why we have to eat very well, to keep our intestinal bacteria healthy enough to produce equol, a lignant. See below.
J. National Cancer Institute 2006;98:430
Women who take 500 days of antibiotics in 17 years, double their risk of breast cancer. You know why…
JAMA 2004;291:827, 880
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 8 ‘ Number 1 ‘ January 2007
EDITOR’S NOTE
Have you ever been told that you believe in “snake oil?” I haven’t, but I would reply, “Of course I do, don’t you?” Snake oil was sold and BOUGHT a lot in the old Wild West, because it helped people. Why? They were lacking Omega oils, which have now been shown to be critical for cell communication, gene expression detoxification, and energy processing. Look at these articles:
The Erabu Sea Snake’s lipids lower insulin resistance (J. Annals Nutrition & Metaabolism 2006;50:425.) In other words, snake oil repairs our cell membranes. And,
raising levels of Omega oils would have eight times the impact of distributing Automated External Defibrillators, and two times Implanting Cardiovert Defibrillators (American J. Preventive Medicine 2006;31:316.) In other words, we spend lots of money to make those defibrillators readily available to people when they keel over half dead, yet, we do very little for cheaper, and smarter prevention like snake/omega oil.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Safe cosmetic act aims to lessen cancer risk,” J. National Cancer Institute 2006;98:1441
· Landmark bill only in California. Manufacturers there will have to change ingredients, and meet already existing European standards. L’Oreal and Revlon already do. Companies like Forevergreen have cosmetics without toxins.
· Examples of toxins in cosmetics: formaldehyde coal tar, dibutyl phthalate
· 1,286 chemicals studied, or about 65% of ingredients. Nine are unsafe.
“Endocrine disrupters: potential modulators of the immune system and allergic response,” J. Allergy 2006;61”1326
· Bisphenyls: intellectual impairment
· PCB, PCDD, PCDF: thyroid hormone, delayed psychomotor development
· Dibromochlorpropane: fertility
· PCB: endometriosis
· DES, Dieldrin: Breast cancer
· DES: genital malformations
· DDT, DDD, DDE, DES, Chlorobiphenyls: decreased sperm counts and quality
· Bottom line: “Immunotoxicology” system is a better name. The more overburdened it is with toxins, the less well it works, leading to problems ranging from seasonal allergies, to cancer. Eat more antioxidants, preferably those in whole foods. You may have poor detoxification genes, which may need much more micronutrients to fuel your detox pathways to rid your body of these toxins. Remember “Nutragenomics.” If you need a review, read the cover story of “Discovery” journal, November 2006.
“Boswellia,” J. Skin and Allergy News, November 2006, page 17
- Boswelli serrata tree is native to India. Also in Middle East, Africa. Boswellia is Frankincense, which you remember is what the magi gave baby Jesus.
- Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, J. Inflammopharmacology 2004;12:131
- Good for swelling, J. Phytomed Res 2004;18:343
- Inflammatory, anti-arthritic, J. Phytomed 2003;10:3
- Leukotrieneds inhibited, Eur J. Med Res 1998;3:511
- 5 Leukemia, 2 brain cancer: antiproliferative effects, J. Anticancer Res 2002;22;2853
- Antiproliferative in human colon cancer, J. Carcinogenesis 2002;23;2087
- Liver cancer treatment, Int J. Mol Med 2002;10:501
- DJD knee, J. Phytomed 2003;10:3
- Anaphylaxis treatment, J. Exp boil 2003;41:1460
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease, chronic colitis: 90% improved, J. Planta Med 2001;67:391
- Compared to mesalamine for IBD (IBD,) but fewer side effects in Chron’s, Z. Gatroenterol 2001;39:11
- Asthma, 70% improved, compared to 27% in control, Eur. J. Med Res 1998;3:511
Pass the wine, and all the bottles on the wall! J. Nature, November 2006
Red wine extract, Resveratrol, has been found to reduce SIRT-1, a protein that fools our body into acting as if calories were being restricted, thus increasing life span, despite very poor diet. Rats were fed terribly, yet, their health was comparable to the rats eating very well. The rub is that they were given the Resveratrol equivalent to consuming 1,000 bottles of wine a day! I guess drinking that much would help: you wouldn’t care abut anything! The author feels that taking mg/kg in humans, or 200 mg twice a day will do.
Diagnosing mental illness: NYT November 11th, 2006
- Many different diagnoses are given to children and adults having emotional and mental problems. A person may get 3-4 different diagnoses from different doctors, and different drugs to deal with those problems. Often, these drugs work less than 50% of the time. Leading Psychiatrists influencing standards of care tend to have ties to the pharmaceutical companies interested in a firm diagnosis to allow prescribing a certain drug. This is the current dogma of “one drug, one disease model,” when only symptoms are treated, not the root cause.
- Bipolar disorder diagnosis was very rarely used in children under 18. Now, the incidence has doubled in the last few years, coinciding with new drugs available for this diagnosis. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
- “The paradox of psychiatry as a medical discipline is that thought there are effective medications with clear biochemical actions, how these biochemical effects translate into therapeutic benefits remains unknown. The underlying pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders is equally elusive, despite significant advances in the efficacy of treatments… Could these new enzymes provide the pharmaceutical industry with new drug targets?( J. Nature, October 23rd, 2005.)
- “The etiology of depression is still poorly understood, but it is probably not due to a simple deficiency of one neurotransmitter or another. Neuroscientists are coming to the realization that although many patients improve with a drug that inhibits the reuptake of a neurotransmitter (like Prozac does,) that doesn’t necessarily mean those patients were depressed because of a neurotransmitter deficiency. It now appears such thinking is akin to saying that a skin rash that improves with a steroid cream is due to a steroid deficiency” (J. Family Practice Recertification, October 2000;22:s10.)
- In my opinion, emotional problems are also a result of TOILing cell membranes, thus, decreased cell communication and energy levels in our brain (See December 2006 newsletter.) Linus Pauling’s seminal work, “Orthomolecular Psychiatry” (J. Science 1968;160:265) will soon be resurrected, and we will restore these simple principles to their proper place, at the forefront of health care.
- So, what is happening to our children? They are struggling with too many toxins in the environment (see above, and December issue,) poor diets lacking the micronutrients needed for our brains to optimize function, and our children are being brought up without the proper discipline they need to tame the materialistic imperatives of our society, which puts so much emphasis on consuming, buying, and exposing ourselves to endless streams of noise, and electromagnetism.
- The TOILing cell membranes become more rigid, and plastic, especially in our brains, leading to poor cell communication, neurotransmitter resistance, and less energy in our brain cells. This Lack of flexibility is the same as being rigid and set in our ways (“Who moved my cheese?”) Then, we fail to grasp lesson #1: the only constant thing in our lives is change. We can always count on change, unless we are talking about a vending machine. When we are rigid, we don’t see the humor and irony of life, which is the only sane response to change and suffering (Freud.) Interestingly, after prefrontal Serotonin depletion, there is an increase in behavioral inflexibility (J. Science 2004;304:878.)
- The concept of flexibility cuts across many realms. Toynbee, perhaps the best historian of the 20th century, stated that “lack of flexibility” was the main reason entire civilizations and cultures fall, unable to adapt to new ways of coping with a constantly changing environment, be it political, social, or natural.
- All the toxins and processed fats, proteins and sugars in our diets create a very rigid cell membrane, unable to process all the information they need to do their job, and maintain communication with their fellow cells. Insulin resistance is a prime example. No wonder diabetics tend to be more depressed. Chromium supplements help some with depression: insulin resistance noted in overeating, carbs craving, and weight gain.
- Of course, people who are abused emotionally or physically tend to develop coping skills that may reduce flexibility. They end up having a double risk of depression (J. Lancet 2001;358:881.) Also, a genetical tendency or polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene (precursor to Serotonin) increases the risk of Depression (J. Science 2003;301:386.) So, genetic predispositions are indeed a factor, but too often, these tendencies are used as a springboard to a quick diagnosis, and as an excuse to justify our behavior. Remember “Nutragenomics!”
- Lack of flexibility is the same as lack of humor. Humor is the best medicine. Or is it food? Well, let’s compromise. Humor is the best food for our attitudes, which is the best medicine. I feel humor is the only sane response to suffering. So, I recommend that people fill their lives with it. He who laughs last is too slow to get it. And what is it that I recommend we get? What the Egyptians taught: your heart will be weighed against a feather on the opposite side of a scale. If you are “lighthearted,” and do not tip the scale against the feather, you enter heaven.
- Sometimes I get negative comments after I give talks throughout the country when I joke about some things. Mind you, the overwhelming majority of my audiences love what I have to say. Personally, I feel that some are wound up too tight, and they would do so much better if they were to lighten up. Joseph smith, the founder of Mormonism, is often quoted as advising a very rigid follower that he needed to go out and get drunk, despite his strong stance against alcohol.
- I am sure to catch hell for this, but, I believe that some mental illness is a result of poor discipline, which results in our psyche’s whims to run wild, without restraint. Some of you will likely bring up the “chemical imbalance” card. Yes, that is a factor, but as I mentioned above, it is a result of the nutritional deficiencies (Less tryptophan in the brain of Unipolar, Bipolar people, J. Archives Gen Psychiatry 2006;63:1103,) and poor detoxification pathways (“Cognitive impairment in celiac disease,” J. Archives Neurology 2006;63:1440) that may lead to cell communication problems like insulin and thyroid resistance, both of which affect brain function.
- “Chemical imbalances” are also a result of thought patterns that create “ruts” or grooves in our brain neurotransmitters (thing “habituation,”) Remember the book “Molecules of emotion” by Candance Pert. Thoughts/emotions are as chemical as any molecule. For more on that, read “Biology of belief” by Dr. Lipton.
- No doubt, mental illness may be so serious, that drugs may need to be used to stabilize a patient. But, if these other issues are not addressed, that person may never truly heal. In addition, we would do well to stretch our minds, and try well-proven, but less used modalities to help our loved ones: psychics, music therapy, biofeedback, hypnotic regression, energy medicine, magnetism, sensory deprivation, theology, and above all, unconditional love.
- Looking at the politics and economics of our society is also very helpful in understanding the stresses we are all under. It is very hard to relax and avoid stress when we have to work 3 jobs just to pay the bills. Embracing simplicity could potentionaly relieve much of the economic pressures we live under.
- Using only drugs ignores so many things. That is not what we want for our loved ones, is it? This is exactly why we have been told that our mental health care system is in chaos. The National Council for Disabilities (9/16/2002) reported that the “U.S. mental health services is in crisis.” This sentiment was echoed by the American Enterprise Institute (J. Family Practice News, January 1st, 2004, p82) and the NEJM 2004;350:507) which agree that we are getting very poor care for mental health issues (J. Archives of General Psychiatry 2005;62:629.)
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 7 ‘ Number 12 ‘ December 2006
EDITOR’S NOTE
The “Adopt a School” program I proposed to the Utah Medical Association membership passed unanimously at the UMA convention of delegates this Fall. Not one dissenting vote. I am very proud of my fellow doctors. We will soon go to schools to discuss lifestyle issues with our children, particularly their addiction to sugar. We hope the program is implemented at the National level in the future. We need doctors to work with community and school leaders to work with the epidemic of obesity and insulin resistance we are having in our country.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Toward prevention of Alzheimer’s disease: potential nutraceutical strategies for suppressing the production of amyloid beta peptides,” J. Medical Hypothesis 2006;67:682
· Optimize brain insulin levels: get off refined sugars.
· Decosahexanoic acid, an omega oil: remember 80% of your brain is fats. I know some people whose brain is 100% fat… This is why it makes no sense to lower cholesterol too much: it has been linked with higher risk of dementia. So, all those people pushing for lowering the optimal cholesterol are nuts.
· Policosanol (bees’ wax,) beta carotene, hops extracts, minerals, folate, coco, chromium, cinnamon, vitamin D, genistein, sesamin are listed in this article. The best in my opinion are DHA and vitamin D.
“Persistent pollutants and the burden of Diabetes,” J. Lancet 2006;368:558
· Dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, dichlorophenyldichloroethylene from DDT/DDE, trans-nonachlor, hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorociclohexanes, plus many other chemicals, like phthalates for plastics are commonly found in humans (National Geographics, October 2006, page 116.)
· A study analyzed these persistent organic solvents and fasting plasma glucose concentrations in a random sample of a general population, from 1999-2002 (“A strong dose-response relation between serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and diabetes,” J. Diabetes Care 1996;29:1638.)
· The prevalence of Diabetes was 5 times higher in groups with higher concentrations of these toxins. The prevalence of diabetes doubled and tripled in the upper quantiles of DDE and other compounds
· The body burden of these fat-soluble chemicals often increases with increasing body-mass index. This means that fat stores more toxins.
· “Might diabetes cause a higher accumulation of persistent organic pollutants?”
· “People with diabetes would be more likely to experience the adverse effects of these pollutants,” J. Environmental Health Perspectives 2001;109:871
· “There was no association between obesity and diabetes in individuals with non-detectable levels of toxins. Obesity was a risk factor for diabetes only if people had blood concentrations of the pollutants above a certain level. This finding might imply that virtually all the risk of diabetes conferred by obesity is attributable to persistent organic pollutants, and that obesity is only a vehicle for such chemicals. This possibility is shocking.”
· Michigan study: diabetes associated with PCBs. People with higher PCBs had twice increased the incidence of diabetes, J. Epidemiology 2006;17:352
· “The causal role of toxins in diabetes is more likely to be contributory and indirect, i.e., through immunosuppressant, non-genotoxic, perhaps epigenetic mechanisms,”
· My comments: Shocking report, indeed. Too bad their conclusion ignores cutting-edge research showing that the main problems with disease are metabolomic/energy issues, due to poor cell communication. As you already know, cell membranes are losing their ability to communicate, thus diminishing the energy cells need to do their job. Due to toxins, bad food, and emotional stress, our cell membranes are “toil-ing:” T, toxic, O, oxidized, I- inflamed, and L- lacking in energy.
· So, the toxins mentioned in this article are causing cell membrane dysfunction, leading to Insulin resistance, and then, diabetes. Also, the authors don’t discuss the concept that cell membrane dysfunction leading to diabetes, is likely going to lead to many other problems, such as resistance to other cell messengers. Thus, we get resistance to neurotransmitters, hormones, and immune messengers. By know you know that these toxins have been associated with cancer, neurologic problems (Parkinson’s,) and many other hormonal problems, especially thyroid and adrenal dysfunction.
· What can you do? Avoid toxins as much as possible. Take NAC 600 mg to detoxify, have good liver and bowel function (fiber, probiotics, digestive enzymes,) and maximize good nutrition.
“The Danish investigation on iodine intake and thyroid disease,” European J. Endocrinology 2006;155:219
“A number of environmental factors influence the epidemiology of thyroid disorders, and even relatively small abnormalities and differences in the level of iodine intake of a population have profound effects on the occurrence of thyroid abnormalities. Monitoring and adjustment of iodine intake in the population is an important part of preventive medicine.”
Supplement iodine. Also, consider selenium, omega oils, and vitamin D. The latter acts much like thyroid, anyway. Too many toxins are messing with your thyroid. Over 400 chemicals have been shown to compromise thyroid function. Perchlorates from rocket fuel, chlorine, fluoride, phthalates in plastics, pesticides, dioxins, smoking, and alcohol are “endocrine disruptors.” Besides, blood levels may not pick up on thyroid resistance. If you have insulin resistance, why would you not have resistance to every other messenger of cell communication?
“Low T3 syndrome in psychiatric depression,” J. Endocrinology Invest 2006;29:572.
It turns out that many people have a normal TSH, and a normal T4 level of hormone, thus misleading doctors into pronouncing the thyroid to be OK. The “low T3 syndrome is not uncommon in depression. These patients may have no other symptoms of low thyroid, except for depression.” Try to get your doc to check T3 levels, too.
“Gut-joint axis: cross reactive food antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis,” J. Gut 2006;55:1240
This article gives us more evidence that joint problems come from poor digestive and intestinal function. Remember that most of our immune system is in the intestines. Adding the intestines’ and liver’s detoxification functions, we see how vital it is to eat and detoxify properly for good function throughout our bodies. No wonder that unprocessed diets reduce joint pain so much. So, if you are struggling with arthritis, or other joint diseases, I have to wonder when you will have suffered enough in order to try changing your diet…(“A vegan diet free of gluten improves the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis: the effects on arthritis correlate with a reduction in antibodies to food allergens,” J. Rheumatology 2001;40:1175.)
“Small bowel bacterial overgrowth,” J. Geriatrics 2006;61:21
· Very common in the elderly. It is the main cause of malabsorption of nutrients
· The small bowel should normally be sterile, but a loss of digestive acids (which happens with age) and treatment with antacids and “purple pills” may facilitate bacterial growth. Overgrowth may show up as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating, due to the malabsorption of proteins, fats, and carbs.
· Patients with this problem are thinner. They have reduced triceps skinfold, low hemoglobin, MCV, albumin and/or calcium. If treated, people fare better when in the hospital for any condition. Even 15% of normal people seem to have overgrowth of bacteria in the intestines.
· Overgrowth more likely in those over 60 with inflammatory bowel disease, adhesions, lymphoma, tuberculosis, neuropathy of diabetes, scleroderma, immuno-deficiency. Physical inactivity, reduced fluid intake and fiber are also predisposing factors. Flora from the colon may enter small intestines if the valve separating them is not healthy.
· Overgrown bacteria consume carbs: less available for absorption. Overgrowth causes mucosal injury, decreasing absorption. Carb fragments have osmotic effect: more diarrhea. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide metabolism of carbs: bloating
· Overgrowth of bacteria destroy bile acids: less fat absorption, and less fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K) are absorbed.
· Protein malabsorption from bacterial consumption, mucosal injury, and impaired pancreatic protease activation because of reduced enterokinase levels
· Serum B12 levels are usually low because bacterial overgrowth uses up B12. This may lead to anemia with high MCV (a red blood cell test) and neurologic problems. Folic acid is synthesized by bacteria, so it may be high (iron is low, due to mucosal injury).
· Malabsorption is a significant contributor of bone thinning and fractures. Rather than taking drugs for your bones, see if you may be having trouble absorbing nutrients, particularly minerals.
· Most patients with overgrowth have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Breath tests are useful for diagnosis, since bacterial overgrowth puts out hydrogen and carbon dioxide. About 15% of patients produce methane, rather than hydrogen, so, methane should be routinely measured. We know who these characters are. They are easier to identify in closed places, like elevators.
· Breath tests are cumbersome. One has to refrain from eating high fiber foods, bread, and pasta the day before the tests, and avoid laxatives, and antibiotics.
· Since this is such a common problem, particularly in those who are sick with ANY disease, I prefer to do a “bowel detox” every year on everyone, including myself. I use herbal agents against bacterial overgrowth. In some tough cases, I use prescription antibiotics that are designed to wash right through the bowels and not be absorbed. Example, rifaximin. Probiotics should be used at high dose
· Treatment should also include replacing lost nutrients and fluids.
Telegraphed articles
J. Toxicology 2006;225:150
Curcumin, resveratrol and melatonin (polyphenols in grapes, peanuts berries and several herbs) reduce oxidative stress. See article above.
Children’s Hospital in Boston, September 23rd, 2006
Nicotinamide, vitamin B3 helps in MS. Again, they stimulate detoxification.
J. Annals Nutrition and Metabolism 2006;50:387
Probiotics reduce cholesterol. They improve detoxification.
J. Medical Hypothesis 2006;67:868
Fish oil reduces tooth loss through anti-inflammatory effect
J. Medical Hypothesis 2006;67:904
“Altered mitochondrial metabolism may play a role in vascular aging.”
Do you want to age gracefully? Eat a good diet. Try CoQ10, ALA.
J. Urology 2006;176:1020
Phyllanthus niruri with lithotripsy (to break up kidney stones) has better results.
J. Heart 2006;93:1207
Cholesterol drugs do nothing for arterial calcification, despite intensive use
J. Nutrition 2006;136:2384
Soy reduces monocyte adhesion to endothelium: less plaque formation
J. Menopause 2006;13:692
Soy + FOS (fiber): better results on bone thickening
J. Endocrinology 2006;147:4160
“Insulin resistance accelerates muscle protein degradation.”
Aging = muscle loss. Do you want to look younger? Lay off the sugar.
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 7 ‘ Number 11 ‘ November 2006
EDITOR’S NOTE N
The University of Alicante in Spain announced on July 21st, 2006 (Reuters News) that plankton has 400 times more energy than any other plant on Earth. Engineers have been looking for Biofuels. They stated that the energy from plankton is due to solar energy, photosynthesis, and electromagnetism. No wonder Whales can live on plankton alone, and they get pretty big. Furthermore, petroleum, and our whole society depends on it, is nothing but Solar energy stored in dead plankton and algae. This is why “Energy” issues are now becoming a very important part of Health. My book “Energy, Communication and your Health” came out in October (Order @ www.soundconcepts.com.)
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Management of grapefruit-drug interactions,” J. Am Family Physician 2006;74:605
· Blood levels of a drug may increase 2-3 times higher than normal levels when consuming grapefruits
· Intestinal CYO 3A4 concentration can be decreased by 47% within 4 hours of eating a grapefruit. Genetic polymorphism makes it so that the extent of the interference cannot be determined in an individual
· Worst drugs Amiodarone (use instead digoxin, beta blockers,) felodipine (use instead amlodipine, diltiazem, verapamil,) atorvastatin, simvastatin (use instead fluvastatin, rosuvastatin,)
· Theoretical problems with grapefruit: ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure, buspirone, estrogens, fexofenadine (Allegra,) itraconazole, sildenafil, trazolam, coumadin.
· My comments: it is VERY risky, but some people may try to save money by taking their pills with grapefruit, so that they use a smaller dose of the drug. BUT, each person is so different, that the reaction, or final drug level is totally unpredictable. Consult your doctor before attempting this trick.
Mercury in amalgams, September 6th, 2006.
The FDA opined that conclusions that amalgams are safe from the review of 34 studies are not reasonable. The FDA rejected the advice of its own panel of experts by a 13-7 vote. The FDA now recommends that the issue of mercury in amalgams has not been conclusively ruled safe. So, they are calling for more studies. Personally, I feel the evidence is good enough to avoid mercury in amalgams. Notice that the American Dental Association quietly stopped using mercury, in favor of porcelain.
“Fat factors,” New York Times magazine, August 13th, 2006, p28
· Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana has opened a department of viruses and obesity. Microbiologists at Washington U. in St Louis looking for trillions of microbes in intestines contributing to obesity.
· Intestinal microflora extract calories from the food we eat, and help store them in fat cells. By the age of two microflora is established. Modest differences in microflora may make big difference in people’s metabolism
· Intestinal flora has 78 million base pairs, or genes, and perhaps the number is 100 times that. Most genes a human carries are microbial. “Humans are super-organisms whose metabolism represents an amalgamation of microbial and human attributes.” Human plus microbial genes = metagenome.
· Sterile mice without intestinal organisms had 60% less fat than ordinary mice, even thought they ate 30% more food. When these mice were given intestinal flora from ordinary mice, they gained weight and stored fat.
· Gut bacteria (B. theta) suppress protein FIAF, which prevents body from storing fat. Another gut bacteria, M. smithii interacts with B. theta to extract additional calories from polysaccharides in diet. Humans colonized with these bacteria have 13% more body fat
· Normal weight mice have more Bacteroidetes than Firmicutes. Obese mice have 50% less bacteroidetes, and 50% more Firmicutes
· Meaning: cereal box says 100 calories per serving, but not every one will get the same amount of calories from the cereal
· Chicken infected with SMAM-1 adenovirus have enlarged livers, kidneys, and atrophied thymus, and excess fat in abdomen. Study infected chicken with SMAM-1, which became obese. They maintained normal cholesterol/triglycerides
· Humans: 52 fat patients; 10 of them had antibodies to SMAM-1, and weighed 33 pounds more than uninfected patients. They had normal cholesterol/triglycerides
· Adenoviruses commonly infect people: colds, eye and stomach infections
· Antibodies to another adenovirus (Ad-36) found in 11% lean people, but 30 % in obese. The latter had normal cholesterol/triglycerides
· Genes? No. Infected twin more obese.
· Certain viruses known to impair brain’s appetite-control mechanism in hypothalamus, as seen in meningitis.
· Inflammation in obese: infectious agent has set off some sort of derangement in the body’s fat regulation.
· My comments: we have known for quite a while that intestinal flora is the Elephant in the room. Many scientists feel the bugs in our intestines are the most important part of our bodies. Yet, we eat atrocious diets full of chemicals. Despite all the information on the negative effects on intestinal flora by the cavalier use of antibiotics, they are now planning to introduce gum, toothpaste and deodorants with antibiotics in them (J. Chemistry and Industry, August 2006.) Please, supplement probiotics, and stop eating so much refined foods, and sugar.
Environmental chemicals and thyroid function,” European J. Endocrin 2006;154:599
- Environmental chemicals can disrupt endocrine systems. Reproductive organs, and thyroid affected the most.
- Mechanisms of thyroid disruption: sodium-iodide symporter, thyroid peroxidase enzyme, receptors for thyroid hormone or TSH, transport proteins, cellular uptake, iodothyronine deiodinases, hepatic enzymes, excretion/clearance of thyroid, gene expression.
- Perchlorate (rocket fuel) in drinking water causes decrease in iodine uptake
- 209 PCBs: hydroxylated metabolites structure resembles T4 thyroid hormone. They decrease circulating levels of thyroid hormone. Exposed people have larger thyroid gland. Perinatal exposure is the most serious.
- Dioxins: increase in TSH, or hormone from brain that stimulates thyroid gland.
- Flame retardants: brominated compounds similar to PCBs. Used in electronics. They reduce plasma binding of Thyroid hormone
- Phenols: industrial additives in detergents, plastics, and pesticides. They increase TSH, and speed metabolism of Thyroid hormones
- Phthalates: used to make plastics softer, including medical equipment, like IV tubing. They increase Thyroid hormones.
- Parabens: food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical preservatives. They inhibit thyroid.
- Pesticides: they decrease thyroid function
“T3 & T4: are we missing half of the picture?” Clinical Cornerstone, a supplement of the American J. of Medicine 2005;7:Supp 2, page 5.
- TSH therapeutic index is very narrow, and subject to significant variability. The TSH test is failing a significant number of people. They are told their thyroid is OK, when many are suffering from thyroid malfunction, S5
- The degree of peripheral conversion from T4, inactive thyroid, to T3, active thyroid, varies a lot from patient to patient, S5
- “Nearly all physicians have patients with symptoms of hypothyroidism despite receiving the recommended T4 treatment (synthroid, L-thyroxine) and having consistently controlled TSH levels. For a distinct segment of the population, hypothyroid therapy remains unsatisfactory, and patients fail to regain sense of normalcy… Compared with normal individuals, hypothyroid patients with normal TSH on thyroxine had inappropriately lower free T3 levels… Some patients simply feel better when they are slightly hyperthyroid.” S5
- Animals with their thyroid surgically removed cannot normalize thyroid levels with T4 alone. They require T3 and T4 in all tissues, S5
- “Questions about the adequacy of treating hypothyroidism with a single hormone have persisted since the 1970s,” S6
- Patients on T3, T4 combinations (like “Armour Thyroid”) have improved cognition, mood, and physical well-being (NEJM 1999;340:424, J. Endocrine 2002;18:129.) Addition of T3 often resolves symptoms of hypothyroidism in patients with normal TSH; Patient became hypotyroid when switched from combination T4-T3 therapy to T4 alone, S6
- “Although combination therapy has been used for a century, synthetic hormone monotherapy has only recently become the standard of care,” S6
- The heart is specially sensitive to T3 (it acts in the nucleus,) which regulates the expression of many important cardiac genes and acts on the systemic vasculature by relaxing smooth muscle, and increasing endothelial nitric oxide, S10
- The TSH upper limit will likely be lowered to 2.5, since over 95% of euthyroid people have a TSH between .4 and 2.5. Do not be satisfied until your doctor gets your TSH under 2.5, which most of the time requires a higher dose of your thyroid medication, S11
- T3 is short acting, which was the main reason for advocating the longer acting T4. Besides, T3 works within the cell, which is where function really matters. It is the tissue levels that account for cellular action. “The heart does not have deiodinase activity, nor does it transport T4 into the cell. Therefore, cardiac cells are dependent on serum T3,” S12
- “No single dose of T4 was sufficient to restore normal plasma TSH… [but] T3 & T4 was sufficient,” J. Endocrinology 1996;137:2490
- Low T3 syndrome (low T3 with normal TSH) is seen in chronic illness, trauma, or surgery. Many patients with Congestive Heart Failure have this problem. Fewer than 10% of them have classic hypothyroidism, but 30% have low T3 syndrome.
- Use T3 when patients don’t feel well on T4 alone, J. Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2005;90:2666
- “Normal TSH does not necessarily indicate the absence of thyroid dysfunction,” J. Emergency Medical Clinics of North America 2005;23:649
- My comments: most docs are convinced combination T3&T4 is worthless, because they were thoroughly detailed by the pharmaceutical companies making the longer-acting T4 (synthroid and L-thyroxine.) They were told that the old, proven and the standard use of combination T4&T3 was not reliable, nor long acting. The former is false, the latter is true. But, one copes by giving T3&T4 more often, two or three times a day. Too bad that you will need to fight to get your medicine changed to Armour thyroid. I am not sure that showing them this article will help. The whole thing has become much like a fight of religions.
“Women, migraine, and cardiovascular disease,” JAMA 2006;296:283, 332
This article illustrates the interconnectedness of our body function. The common denominator is, again, inflammation, oxidation, lack of energy, and toxicity of the cell membranes in both the brain and the heart. Instead, the editorial attributes the association to “genetic polymorphisms,” meaning that migraines and heart disease happen to be associated in some people because they have predisposing genes for both diseases. I guess they didn’t get the memo linking both diseases to diet and intestinal underfunction.
“Food marketing and childhood obesity, a matter of policy,” NEJM 2006;354:2527
· 2004 CDC report: “Food marketing to children and youth: threat or opportunity”
· Intentional marketing of junk food. Very profitable. Children cannot tell truth
· 123 studies looking into marketing and junk food consumption
· Companies studied psychologic issues to hook children’s susceptibilities
· Children know more about “what they are supposed to eat than their parents.” Companies try to persuade children that they need to convince adults that children need to make food choices.
· Advocacy groups sued Kellog and Viacom/Nickelodium in January 2006. Australia bans food ads for kids under 14. Sweden bans cartoons pushing junk.
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 7 ‘ Number 9 ‘ September 2006
EDITOR’S NOTE N
“Over the past 20 years, medicine-academic medicine in particular-entered a period of uncertainty and decline which has begun at last to cause widespread alarm” (J. General Internal Medicine 2006;21:s30.) Are you alarmed? I am. When stories like this appear on the cover of one of the best medical journals in the world, it is time to tell our doctors that “the emperor is naked,” and he doesn’t look too good. As you have been reading in this newsletter, a big part of the problem is “nutritional ignorance” in our health care system, which causes widespread use of drugs to treat the results of poor foods in our bodies.
For example, our children continue to get creams to put on their skin rashes, acne, and bumps, without thought as to why they get those problems. No, naming the rash or the bump doesn’t mean the causes are understood (“Pediatric facial eruptions flag inadequate nutrition,” J. Family Practice News, May 1st, 2006, p28.) It turns out that children eating at Mc Donald’s develop multiple medical problems: severe rash, neuropathy, photophobia, muscular atrophy, osteopenia, speech defects, and even hair loss.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Polymorphisms in glutathione-related genes affect methylmercury retention,”
J. Archives Environmental Health 2006, page 588.
A sad article appeared in the JAMA not too long ago, where the authors themselves pointed out that their study was flawed in showing that mercury in dental amalgams is harmless. They reasoned that they couldn’t account for genetic differences in the way we get rid of mercury, once it enters our body. Our liver has 100,000 fold differences in how it detoxifies. Consequently, those with less efficient Glucoronidation and Sulfation detoxification pathways in the liver are at increased risk for getting mercury-related diseases, such as heart attacks, high blood pressure, immune, and hormonal problems.
This present article corroborates their suspicion. Sadly, the JAMA article is being used by mercury friends (industry) to convince the unsuspecting that mercury is safe. How may you lower your risk of mercury exposure? Don’t eat fish more than twice a week (Increased levels of mercury in children eating more fish in Vancouver Scandinavian J. Gastroenterology 2006;41:673,) supplement MSM sulfur, Indole-3-Carbinol, eat a lot of cruciferous veggies, pomegranate, asparagus, and increase your levels of Glutathione (Whey protein, SAMe, Milk thistle, NAC.)
“Defective lipolysis and altered energy metabolism in mice lacking adipose triglyceride lipase,” J. Science 2006;312:734
Another article pointing to “personal metabolomics.” This just means that some people are genetically prone to having metabolic problems, which will be more obvious when we eat refined diets. Yet, some believe in the worn-out dogma of “calories in = calories out.” They concede that different cars have different gas mileage; but, they cannot open up the common sense idea that people have different rates of metabolism.
“Interaction between H. Pylori infection and untreated celiac disease on gastritis,”
Scandinavian J. Gastroenterology 2006;41:532.
The implications of this article are huge. It means that H. Pylori (HP), as reported here some time ago, is not the real problem behind ulcers. HP is merely taking advantage of the lining of the stomach already irritated, inflamed and oxidized. Remember, “it’s not the germ, it’s the terrain.” Our processed diets are not only low in antioxidant/anti-inflammatory micronutrients, but also loaded with processed wheat. What a double whammy! The lining of the stomach cannot heal, as long as we continue to each garbage that cannot provide the nutrients necessary to correct the oxidation/inflammation of the terrain. Using antibiotics to treat HP bring only temporary relief, and reflux to boot, which has also been implicated with Esophageal cancer (J. Digestive Diseases and Science 2006;51:539.)
“A gut feeling for joint inflammation: using celiac disease to understand rheumatoid arthritis,” J. Trends in Immunology, April 2006
After reading the article above, you may be reminded of several articles herein highlighted, pointing to gut inflammation as the source of arthritis. And, pray tell, why is the gut inflamed?
It just doesn’t get easier, clearer, or any more “connected” than this! Instead, most doctors continue to prescribe NSAID type drugs, which do nothing for the underlying conditions, while killing 100,000 people each year. Are you alarmed, now? We could be teaching patients about their diets, and giving them Bromelain…
“Bromelain for Osteoarthritis,” J. Family Practice News, June 15th, 2006, p37
- Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme present in the stem and fruit of the pineapple. Take a vacation in Hawaii. It would be even better if you took me with you.
- It was used for stomach problems in Ancient America, J. Ethnopharmacology 1988;22:191.
- It has anti-inflammatory analgesic, anti-clotting, and anti-swelling function, J. Cell Molecular Science 2001;58:123.
- It inhibits T cell signals, J. Immunology 1999;163:2568.
- 200 mg Bromelain as good as 50 mg Diclofenac (an NSAID) three times a day, but no side effects, like ulcers seen with drugs, J. Clinical Drug Investigation 2000;19:15, J. Phytomedicine 2002;9:681.
Telegraphed articles
Check for Strep infections in sudden onset of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Annual Meeting Am Acad of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Toronto, 2006.
Lower air pressure and oxygen levels contribute to fatal blood clots while flying
J. Lancet 2006;295:1763.
Echinacea interferes with 3 detox enzymes in the liver.
Annual Meet Am Soc for Pharm and Exp Therapeutics, San Francisco, 2006.
High glycemic diet increases risk of Macular Degeneration. Twinkies, or your sight
AJCN 2006;83:880, 733.
The DSM book that defines and recommends pharmaceutical treatment for mental issues fails to disclose that a majority of doctors contributing to the publication are taking money from the pharmaceutical companies.
J. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, April 2006.
2,000 u Vitamin D a day lowers inflammation in Congestive Heart Disease.
AJCN 2006;83:754.
Maternal vitamin D affects children’s asthma risk. Recommend 1,000 IU
Annual Meeting Am Acad of Allergy, Asthma and Imm, Miami Beach, 2006.
Coffee reduces risk of death attributed to inflammation and cardiovascular disease
AJCN 2006;83:1039 (no more than 2 cups per day).
“Diet and exercise decrease pain in prediabetic patients.” Pre-diabetes is common in 15% of patients over 40 with peripheral neuropathy. About 40% of patients with neuropathy have pre-diabetes, or IGT.
J. Neurology Science 2006;242:9.
“Idiopathic neuropathy, prediabetes and the metabolic syndrome.”
58th Annual Meeting Am Acad of Neurology, J. Neurology Reviews, 5/06, p3
Electrical stimulation reduces risk of loss of bone minerals
J. Stroke, April 6th, 2006.
Prenatal vitamins reduce risk of leukemia by 36%, neuroblastoma by 57%
American Society Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, March 2006
“Vitamin E derivative packs anticancer punch”
JAMA 2006;296:32.
Taking more iodine than necessary may lead to hypothyroidism and thyroiditis
NEJM 2006;354:2783.
Vitamin D levels too low in 50% of people. Minimum dose should be over 1,000, and levels should be over 75. The lab range (15-60) is wrong
AJCN 2006;84:18.
Dark field analysis of live blood not is helpful. I feel it is just a gimmick to sell people stuff. The information accrued is easily obtained by any astute practitioner asking the right questions. But, if you want to do it, go ahead. It will only hurt your wallet.
Alternative Therapies, 2006;12:36.
Essential tremor Linked to dementia. Your brain is inflamed.
J. Neurology, May 23rd, 2006.
“Obesity in middle age [increases] future risk of dementia,”
British Medical J. 2006;330:1360.
Mediterranean diet reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease
58th Annual Meeting Am Acad Neurology, San Diego, 2006.
Gestational Diabetes, Preeclampsia, smaller/larger babies (all problems associated with Insulin Resistance,) may flag premature coronary artery disease.
Annual Meeting American College of Cardiology, Atlanta, 2006
Fiber from plants is a better predictor of cardiovascular risk than their intake of cholesterol or saturated fats.
Annual Meeting Pediatric Academic Societies, San Francisco, 2006
Vitamin D deficiency increases risk of gastric lymphomas
J. Pediatrics 2006;148:759.
Passive smoking in childhood increases chances of autoimmune thyroiditis
European J. Endocrinology 2006;154:777.
Polyphenols improve platelet function by reducing oxidation: less clotting
J. FASEB 2006;20:1082.
Milk at 2 yrs old, not at 11-14 yrs old associated with higher risk of type I diabetes
J. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 2006;50:177.
“Undetected salivary testosterone in young women with premature ovarian failure,” J. Clinical Endocrinology 2006;64:711.
“Increased periodontal pathology in Parkinson’s disease,”
J. Neurology 2006;253:608.
Parental exposure to lead increases risk of small newborn. Lead has hormonal effect
Am J. Industrial Med 2006;49:417.
“Mitochondria in Parkinsons’ disease.” Take up to 1,200 mg/day of CoQ10
J. Neurology 2006;63:649.
Testosterone helps Parkinson’s disease. Consider the herb Maca
J. Archives Neurology 2006;63:729.
Fermented Soy-kefir and milk-kefir lower cholesterol
British J. Nutrition 2006;95:939.
Konbu and nori seaweed lower cholesterol through glutathione in the liver
British J. Nutrition 2006;95:696.
Extra virgin olive oil reduces DNA oxidation in postmenopauseal women
British J. Nutrition 2006;95:742.
Lipitor may cause nightmares. I get nightmares just watching the commercials
BMJ 2006;332:950.
Alcohol in moderation decreases inflammation markers
J. Atherosclerosis 2006;186:113.
Higher intake of vegetable oils, vitamin E, and higher HDL (good cholesterol) characterize people with less heart disease
J. Atherosclerosis 2006;186:200.
L-Carnitine helps colitis by reducing oxidation, inflammation
J. Digestive Diseases and Science 2006;51:488.
Glycyrrhizin/Licorice injections decrease risk of liver cancer in Chronic Hepatitis C
J. Digestive Diseases and Science 2006;51:603.
When Glucophage is combined with Sulfonylurea drugs (Glucotrol, Diabeta, etc.,) they increase the risk of heart problems. Glucophage alone does not
J. Diabetologia 2006;49:930.
Carotenoids reduce risk of prostate cancer
J. Nutrition and Cancer 2006;53:127.
Quercetin reduces activity of oral cancer cells
J. Nutrition and Cancer 2006;53:220.
MTHFR genotype is linked to potential to produce healthy embryos. This means that women who cannot process B vitamins well, have an increase risk for infertility. Try supplementing B vitamins that say “MTHFR” on them.
J. Lancet 2006;367:1513.
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 7 ‘ Number 8 ‘ August 2006
EDITOR’S NOTE
The number 1 reason people file for chapter 13 is their health care debts, since about 45 million Americans are uninsured (New York Times Magazine, June 11th, 2006, cover story.) While this is happening, CEOs in the pharmaceutical, and the health care insurance industry are making millions of dollars a year. The CEO of United Health has amassed $1.6 billion in unrealized gains and stock options, while his yearly salary amounts to $10.7 million (J. Medical Economics, June 2006, page 8).
One would think that all this money is buying Americans an excellent health care system. Well, it is not. It turns out that 75-85% of what we are doing in health care is unproven, and often driven by monetary gain by the few who stand to benefit the most (J. Business Week, May 29th, 2006, cover story. It is written by David Eddy, a Heart Surgeon trained in Mathematics and chairman of the Center for Health Policy Research & Education at Duke University.) To make matters worse, the Institute of medicine reported July 20th, 2006, that 1.5 million mistakes are made on prescription drugs each year in US hospitals, at a cost of $3.5 billion. What can we do about all this? Take the bull by the horns yourself. Find a physician who understands this newsletter, particularly this article:
“Using complexity theory to build interventions that improve health care delivery in primary care.” J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Feb;21 Suppl 2:S30-4.
[There is] abundant variation in primary care practice. While variation is sometimes viewed as problematic, its presence may also be highly informative in uncovering ways to enhance health care delivery when it represents unique adaptations to the values and needs of people within the practice and interactions with the local community and health care system. [Complex theory could] improve care that acknowledges the uniqueness of primary care practices and encourages flexibility in the form of intervention implementation, while maintaining fidelity to its essential functions.
The conceptual framework for quality improvement, rooted in an industry/manufacturing model, uses a mechanical view of the systems that humans create and focuses on incremental change to reduce variation. Its application in health care has also been mechanistic… Standardizing care without identifying desirable variation or unique adaptations that take advantage of “positive variation, or “positive deviance,” (I knew I was a deviant…) misses an opportunity to investigate practices associated with better outcomes.
This means we need visionary practitioners with good information and courage, to confront the ossified health care industry. It sorely needs a wake-up call.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“The war on cancer: an anatomy of failure, a blueprint for the future.”
Book review in JAMA 2006;295:2891
- The top 5 cancers (prostate, breast, lung, colon, and pancreas) have changed little since 1995. Improvement in mortality only 1% for 10/28 most common cancers is mostly due to food refrigeration, better diet and hygiene, better supportive care, and early detection.
- 19th century bacteriology influenced cancer theory. Misunderstanding has lingering consequences: “generation of scientists and scholars, misguided by flawed hypothesis, often commit their talents and energy as well as human and financial resources, in an unproductive pursuit of a false lead.”
- “More pervasive and counterproductive [idea] developed… that cancer cells, like bacteria, are foreign invaders that must be eradicated at any cost. The result has been more aggressive cytotoxic chemotherapy with few cures and an inefficient trial-and-error drug development strategy that continues today.”
- Main two ideas of modern oncology: exploit differences between normal and cancer cells, and drugs must be cytotoxic to be successful
- “Drug development… remains mostly anchored this century-old, conceptually antiquated, technically inefficient, labor intensive, costly, and low yield ‘hit-and-miss’ (mostly miss) screening approach engineered and sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.”
- “The cell-killing paradigm has failed to achieve its objective… how does this system persist? The increasing prominent role of the pharmaceutical industry in drug development… career advancement, relationship between productivity and job security, salary sources, and growing dependence on pharmaceutical companies for funding.”
- “The information pipeline, generated by clinical researchers and supported by their sponsors and publishers, fosters standards of care that are reinforced by financial incentives and the extraordinary capacity of physicians for self-delusion, and by unrealistic expectations of consumers nurtured by the media.”
- Future: prevention, target underlying molecular genetic defects, focus on patient outcome, not tumor measurements. If we don’t do this, we will continue to torment cancer patients with futile treatments at the end of their lives (“Futile cancer treatments on the rise,” Am Society of Clinical Oncology, Atlanta 2006.)
Pharmaceutical update
Tylenol 4 gm/day elevates Liver enzymes
JAMA 2006;296:87
Small amounts of Tylenol can cause liver failure and death in some patients
Annual Digestive Diseases Week, Los Angeles, 2006
Side effects from Osteoporosis drugs: jaw osteonecrosis, musculoskeletal pain
JAMA 2006;295:2833
Gene defect leads to early awakening. Insomnia drugs make the problem worse.
J. Proceedings National Academy of Science, July 2006
Behavioral treatment better than drugs for insomnia
JAMA 2006;295:2851
Nicotine, and Donepezil dampen Methamphetamine cravings. This is such a horrible problem, that purists among us would do well not to dismiss these drugs.
JAMA 2006;296:31
58% of Americans feel FDA does a fair to poor job on safety and efficacy of drugs
JAMA 2006;295:2839
“The break-even point: when medical advances are less important than improving the fidelity with which they are delivered.” “Improving health care delivery has taken a back seat to investing in new drugs”
J. Annals Family Medicine 2005;3:545
Drug ads on TV: there may be a moratorium, until docs have become educated on new drugs. The length of the moratorium is to be determined by FDA, in consultation with drug companies. Are they stupid, or do they think we are?
AMA Annual Meeting, Chicago 2006
“Cardiac risks persist after Vioxx cessation,” J. Fam Practice News, 6/15/2006, p6
Merk reported that the risk of heart disease, even after stopping Vioxx, is “only 1.64, not statistically significant.” Dr. Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology disagrees: “people who took Vioxx should be monitored closely.” Dr, Altman, a Rheumatologist at UCLA, feels that “Merk is hiding behind the numbers. They are literally correct, but clinically incorrect. Even though it may not be a statistically significant difference, it approaches significance… it is a clinically relevant difference.”
Specially if it happens to you. Dr. Nissen added that “in the year after patients stopped taking the drug, they had an excess of cardiovascular events compared to those who had never taken the drug… Vioxx might have cause long standing injury to the vessel walls.”
“Omega Fatty acids: recommendations for therapeutics and prevention”
American J. Clinical Nutrition 2006;83#6s
P1452 Pregnancy and lactation: good for mom and unborn child
P1458 Cognitive and visual acuity: see better, think better
P1477 Cardiovascular disease: everyone with heart problems should be on them
P1494 Prevention of dementia: you need all the help you can get
P1499 Metabolic syndrome: less insulin resistance
P 1505 Inflammation: take 10 caps a day (10,000 mg)
P 1520 Gene expression: less likelihood of genetic tendencies showing up
“Polypodium leucotomos for skin protection,” J. Family Practice News, 5/15/06, p31
- Tropical ferns extracts: anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating effects on the skin
- Extract increases CD8+ suppressor cells, J. Toxicology in vitro 2006;20:464
- Oral antioxidant, J. Am Acad Derm 2004;51:910
- Photoprotective effects, J. Photochem Photobiol Biology 2006;82:173
- Helpful in prevention of UV light damage, Annual Meeting Am Acad Derm, 1994
- 50% improvement for vitiligo, J. Derm Science 2006;41:213
- Available orally for sun protection through IVAX Dermatologicals, Inc
“Resveratrol,” J. Skin and allergy News, June 2006, page 24
- Polyphenolic phytoalexin compound in the skin and seeds of grapes, berries, peanuts and other foods
- Voluminous research on its antioxidant, anti inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial activity. Examples: J. Science 1997;275:218, J. Biochem Biophys Research Communication 2005;331:993, J. Cancer Research 2001;61:1604
- Anticancer effects: treatment of oral, breast, colon, prostate, skin cancer, J. Pancreas 2002;25:e71, J. Biol Chem 2003;278:41482, J. Biomed Papers 2003;147:137 J. Skin Pharm Applied Skin Physiology 2002;15:297
- Cancer prevention, J. Mol Carcinogen 2002;33:244, J. Cancer Res 2001;61:1604
- Many mechanisms for cancer risk reduction. A big one is restoring Glutathione levels. J. Drug Exp Clin Res 1999;25:65. Another one is reducing oxidative damage and inflammation. J. Ann N.Y. Acad. Sciences 2002;957:210
- Same mechanisms as above decrease Amyloid plaques in brain, thus lowering risk of Alzheimer’s disease, J. Free Rad Biol Med 2003;34:1100
- Resveratrol prevents cutaneous damage from UVB. It can reduce wrinkling of skin, J. FASEB 2005;19:1193, J. Toxicol Applied Pharm 2003;186:28
- Resveratrol helps wound healing by improving tissue repair, J. Free Rad Biol Med 2001;31:38, 2002;33:1089, and blood supply to wound, J. Ann N.Y. Acad. Sciences 2002;957:239
- Antimicrobial activity against most common bacteria, fungus and herpes simplex. Resveratrol cream is equal to Zovirax for herpes, J. Antiviral Res 2004;61:19, J. Free Rad Res 2002;36:621, J. Biochem Pharm 2002;63:99.
Telegraphed articles
NYT magazine, 6/4/6
Organic food at Walmart: Not good. They are offering to pay only 10% above regular food. It takes more money than that to grow organic. Walmart will force prices and quality down.
AJCN 2006;83:1351
Fruits and vegetables help Osteoporosis. The milk industry won’t like this one.
Annual Meeting American Academy Neurology, San Diego, 2006
Taking your ovaries out increases dementia risk.
Annual meeting American Academy of Neurology, San Diego, 2006
“Migraines with aura linked to higher heart risk.” Editorial opined this is due to sharing the same genes. Please! It is due to insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidation damaging wall of blood vessels in brain, and circulatory system!
Annual Meeting of the Society fro Investigative Dermatology, Philadelphia, 2006
“Heart disease and Psoriasis link grows stronger,” because they both have intestinal inflammation/leaky gut at the root. So does migraines.
Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, 2006
Coffee reduces risk of alcoholic cirrhosis. Don’t drink more than 2 cups a day.
JAMA 2006;295:2466
“Researchers find clues to chronic fatigue syndrome,”
Genetic defect in Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system, making it more difficult to react normally to stress
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INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals |
Volume 7 ‘ Number 7 ‘ July 2006
EDITOR’S NOTE N
The book “Programming the universe” by Seth Lloyd (Knopf, 2006) says that everything about the universe can be programmed by a supercomputer, since the laws governing all reality are extremely simple. They boil down to Energy and Information. This is exactly what physicists have been predicting would one day extend to the practice of health and medicine (“The fabric of reality,” David Deutsch, Penguin 1997.) Not surprisingly, Energy (Metabolomics) and Information (Cell communication) research are leading award-winning topics in the past few years.
As you have read several times in this newsletter, our cells need to make energy (metabolism) and then they need to get rid of the toxins (catabolism) produced by energy-making pathways. They need to neutralize the resulting free radicals/oxidants with antioxidants, and they need to eliminate them via skin, kidneys, liver and intestines. In other words, the main purpose of cell communication is for cells to make energy and detoxify efficiently. Since our cell membranes are often oxidized, inflamed, lacking in energy and toxic, cell communication messengers are unable to relay critical messages inside the cells. Think of insulin resistance, the scourge of our society. It is that simple.
The ancients knew these principles. Toth, the Egyptian God of communication, holds in his hand the symbol of creation and destruction (metabolism, catabolism.) The Ouroboros, the serpent eating its own tail connotes the same message. The Yin and Yang stands for male/energy and female/communication. If you want to read more about this, get “The serpent grail,” (Gardiner, Osborn, Warner publishing, 2006,) and “Genesis of the cosmos,” Paul La Violette, Bear and Co., 1995
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Impact of oxidized LDL in vascular cells,” J. Atherosclerosis 2006;185:219
- OxLDL accumulates on vascular walls, leading to early atherosclerosis.
- OxLDL is s potent stimulus for vascular Oxygen radical formation (toxins,) causing a vicious cycle of oxidation that leads to inflammation of cell walls.
- Ox LDL activates NADPH oxidase and uncouples endothelial NOS. This results in less energy for the cells lining the arterial walls
- OxLDL then has a significant impact on tissue remodeling and it sensitizes the contractile apparatus of the vessel wall: more spasms in the arteries, which lead to more angina and high blood pressure.
- OxLDL also induces an up-regulation of Glutathione system, which means that antioxidants are trying to reduce the OxLDL (J. Arteriosclerosis Throm Vasc Biol 2006;26:689.)
- You see, everything fits the mold of Energy and Cell communication: eat your veggies!
“Tryptophan,” J. Alternative Medicine Review 2006;11:53
Tryptophan is an amino acid found in chocolate, oats, bananas, dried dates, milk, meat,
fish, turkey, and peanuts. It is the least abundant amino acid in our diet. Tryptophan
becomes 5HTP, but the enzyme needed is hindered by stress, insulin resistance, aging,
and deficiencies in magnesium, and B complex. Serotonin is decarboxylated from 5HTP
with adequate amounts of vitamin B6. Then, serotonin becomes melatonin in the
presence of SAMe. Tryptophan also increases levels of other neurotransmitters, like
dopamine, neorepinephrine, and beta endorphin.
Tryptophan may be used in: PMDD, or PMS, J. Adv Exp Med Biol 1999;467:85
Seasonal Affective Disorder, 2 gms 3 times a day, J. Affective Disorders 198;50:23
Sleep disorders, 250-3,000 mg. No grogginess in the AM, J. Psychopharm 1986;89:1
Depression, 50-300 mg three times a day, J. Psychiatry Res 1980;3:75
Quitting smoking, J. Behavioral Med 1991;14:97
Serotonin levels are enhanced by carbohydrate ingestion, which is another reason why people become addicted to processed food. Conversely, a diet high in protein slows serotonin elevation (J. Metabolism 1988;37:672.) Many criticize the use of tryptophan, arguing that it may cause Eusinophilia. This is not true. The few cases associated with tryptophan use were caused by a GMO bacteria that was used to produce tryptophan. The industry responsible for this problem is the same industry that was responsible for the Minamata disease in Japan. It was cause by their industrial pollution of water with mercury (J. Lancet 2001;358:1349.) Tryptophan is safe under 7 grams a day, or 100mg/kg/day. Patients with Liver problems should not take it.
“Yale Probiotics workshop,” J. Clinical Gastroenterology 2006;40:231
· They increase Short Chain Fatty Acids: acetate, propionate and butyrate, p235
· Probiotics improve H. Pilory, HP eradication rate from 70 to 87%, by inhibiting growth of HP. Significantly better compliance and lower side effects. L. johnsonii decreases colonization rates, and L. reuteri inhibits HP binding to glycolipid receptor by secreting glycolipid binding protein, p272
· Probiotics survive in GI tract, despite intense use of antibiotics, p272
· Probiotics reduce aberrant preneoplastic changes in mucosa, p273
· They bind to mutagenic toxins to increase excretion
· They inhibit conversion to carcinogenics by reducing enzymes such as beta glucoronidase, nitroreductase, choloylglycine hydrolase
· They protect DNA from bacterial invasion
· Probiotics reduce inflammation
· Other documented benefits: diarrhea, radiation side effects, vaginosis, HP, Ulcerative Colitis, Chron’s, pouchitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, prevention of heart disease, and they help as an immune booster, p276
“An evidence-based approach to medical nutrition education,” American J. Clinical Nutrition 2006;83(supp):929s
- “Status of nutrition education in medical schools,” p941s
- 106/126 schools responded
- 99/106 require nutrition course
- 32 require separate course
- Range of hours in nutrition; 2-70. Average 24 hrs
- “As more and more Americans are afflicted with chronic diseases in which nutrition plays a key role, the need for improved nutrition training of physicians has never been more evident… Even though medical technology continues to make advances in the pharmacologic and surgical management of these chronic diseases, the cumulative evidence is that much of the morbidity and mortality associated with these conditions may be preventable through dietary and lifestyle modifications.”
“Mercury Hg in dental amalgam. A neurotoxic risk?” JAMA 2006;295:1835
- Hg levels in expired air correlate with number of amalgams
- Dentists and hygienists have deficit in motor function correlating with urine levels
- Hg is a risk factor for MS and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Polymorphism in CPOX4 gene: 25% people lack ability to adequately detoxify it
- Toxic effects at lower thresholds?
- No change in IQ in children with amalgams over 5 years. But, data is likely limited: “It is predictable that some outside interests will expand the modest conclusions of these studies to assert that use of Hg amalgam in dentistry is risk free. This conclusion would be unfortunate and unscientific.”
- Problems with the study: (1) 5 years only, (2) small statistical power, (3) polymorphism not considered, (4) errors in measurement seen.
- Better studies: look at urine excretion. Study more subtle effects.
Book: “Money Driven Medicine.”
- “In theory, free market competition should reduce the cost of a product. But economics is as much a belief system as it is science, and economists’ theories do not always pan out in the material world. In practice, the scramble for health care dollars has proved extraordinarily expensive, both in terms of the quality of care and in terms of its cost.”
- Health care system is poorly serving people, because its market driven imperatives pit doctor against doctor, hospital against hospital, doctor against hospital, insurer against insurer, etc
- Because of competition, drug companies spend twice as much on marketing than research and development. For the sake of short-term profits to please shareholders, they devote most of their R&D to imitating other products and making small scale refinements, instead of truly looking for real breakthroughs.
- Because of competition drug companies don’t share research: duplicate drugs waste millions of dollars
- Excessive insurers’ overhead and bureaucratic rigidity take away doctors’ authority to do the best for patients.
- Doctors end up ordering excessive tests to protect themselves.
- Unnecessary replication of expensive services
- Bottom line: the patient-doctor relationship is not working. Now it’s retailer-consumer. This turns law of supply and demand on its head. This does not lead to cheaper care.
Telegraphed articles:
J. Cancer Research 2006;66:1234
Green tea/Catechins reduce premalignant prostate lesions and symptoms of BPH
J. Phytopharmacology January 9th, 2006
Panax ginseng regulates blood glucose and improves cognitive function
J. Phytomedicine January 16th, 2006
St John’s Wort improves minor depressive symptoms
J. Nutrition 2006;136:166
Coffee reduces risk of breast cancer
J. Alternative Med Review 2006;11:23
L-Arginine 2 gm day lowered blood pressure and improved endothelial function.
J. Science 2006;312:331
“Dopaminergic neurons reduced to silence by oxidative stress: an early step in the death cascade in Parkinson’s disease?”
J. Atherosclerosis 2006;185:421
“ADMA (oxidant seen when we lack arginine) levels correlate with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with erectile dysfunction.”
J. Atherosclerosis 2006;185:271
“ADMA is a risk marker for stroke and TIA,”
J. Molecular Endocrinology 2006;20:857
Chromium reduces insulin resistance by activating glucose transport (process requiring energy) on cell membrane. This in turn reduces cholesterol.
J. Gut 2006;55:445
Histamine, mast cells and the enteric nervous system are implicated in food allergies and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
J. Nutrition 2006;136:70
Fructo Oligo Saccharides (fiber) are indispensable for the immune system in the intestines (J. Nutrition 2004;134:153.) They improve intestinal barrier function.
JAMA 2006;295:1824
“The influence of estrogen on migraines.” More migraines in women (3times) because of Estrogen.
J. Lancet Neurology, Online, March 2nd, 2006
Acupuncture = drugs in migraine prevention.
J. Archives Internal Med 2006;166:411
Cocoa lowers blood pressure
AJCN 2006;83:74
Counting calories with a low fat-high carb diet increased inflammation. In contrast, an ad libitum low fat-high carb diet reduced weight and inflammation.
AJCN 2006;83:760
Dietary fiber lowers CRP, a marker of inflammation
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INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals |
Volume 7 ‘ Number 6 ‘ June 2006
EDITOR’S NOTE N
For years, Gastroenterologists have told my patients that diet has nothing to do with their inflammation in the intestines (Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chron’s and Ulcerative Colitis,) and that treating them with friendly intestinal bacteria (probiotics to re-balance the flora in the gut) is nothing but placebo. Despite my efforts to show them the evidence proving these principles correct, most physicians would rather perpetuate the inefficient system of treatment of those conditions with expensive drugs, colonoscopies, and not infrequently, ripping out the offending part of the intestines.
Imagine how my patients feel when they are cured of these afflictions with these “placebo” treatments. Amazingly, these concepts won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1908, but more importantly, these ideas are featured in our modern medical journals each month. A paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, Honolulu, 2006, showed that the use of a non-absorbable (non-systemic) antibiotic like rifaximin, and the addition of probiotics helped about 1/3 of patients with Irritable bowel Syndrome. Other antibiotics are likely to be helpful as well. The presenter was a consultant for the makers of rifaximin (J. Family Practice News, April 15th, 2006, p54.) Then, the article “Novel pathophysiological concepts of inflammatory Bowel Disease,” J. Gastroenterology 2006;41:10 tells us that the most important factors in treating these problems are diet, and improving intestinal flora.
“Novel?” Hardly. Any Naturopath is familiar with these concepts, since they remember the Nobel Prize winning research of 1908. They have used herbs and nutrients to re-balance intestinal flora ever since. Consult one in your area, or call my office (801-576-1086) to go through a thorough and systematic approach to healing your intestinal problems. Some patients may need an antibiotic to treat resistant organisms.
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Approval for pesticide toxicity testing in humans draws criticism.” JAMA 2006;295:1237. The Bush administration is encouraging industry to look for loopholes in the studies investigating pesticide toxicity. The authors feel that pesticide producers will likely cherry pick the studies that show pesticides to be safe. The industry considers pesticide residue under 90 parts per billion to be just fine in food. Yet, we have evidence that the pesticide residue in children and pregnant women should be under 5. Remember that pesticides have been implicated with breast/prostate cancer, thyroid dysfunction, sex hormone dysfunction, Parkinson’s disease, and who knows what else. In general, pesticides disrupt hormones, neurologic and immune function. So, try to eat as organic as possible. Also, take I3C, MSM, and Myomin (1-800-457-5708,) to improve your Liver’s ability to detoxify those chemicals.
“Receptor for Advanced-Glycation End Products,” J. Circulation 2006;113:1226. All the refined sugar cooked at high temperature we are addicted to (Advanced Glycation End products, AGE) is inducing the creation of Receptors, R, on our cell membranes, RAGE. These new receptors affect heart muscle energy metabolism and function during a decrease in blood perfusion, such as angina. In other words, all the garbage we eat makes us more vulnerable to heart muscle damage when we are having heart problems.
Soon, our children will be having the same problems. Right now, they are having trouble fitting in infant car seats (J. Pediatrics, April 2006.) TV advertisement is full of images promoting the refined, and fast foods responsible for this epidemic (J. Pediatrics 1995;95:295,) which leads to even higher consumption of bad food by children and teens (J. Archives of Ped and Adol Med 2006, or JAMA 2006;295:1698.) Some may think that an occasional treat is not harmful, but the article “Acute glucose fluctuations and oxidative stress,” JAMA 2006;295:1681 says that acute glucose fluctuations, like from a high glycemic meal, raises oxidation (8-iso PGF2alpha) more than sustained high glucose in the blood. In other words, oxidation of your cells is worse with binging of sugar.
“NIH initiatives to probe contribution of genes, environment in disease,” JAMA 2006;295:1633
· Genes and Environment Initiative, GEI, to be completed by 2010, at a cost of $90 Million. Is it Nature or Nurture?
· “While genetic factors may predispose an individual to developing a particular disease, genetics alone has not been able to fully explain disease susceptibility. This is more likely because elements of a person’s environment such as diet, exercise, and exposure to various substances may modify risk of disease.”
· “GEI will help us understand why some people develop disease when challenged with an environmental agent and others remain healthy… These tools could help us tease out the reasons why certain disorders (asthma, autism, cancer, diabetes,) are increasing in frequency, even though genes have not changed.”
· In my opinion, the genetic angle has been overplayed because more money is available in this area, which is used to come up with more drugs to try to change the effect of genes. It would be cheaper to stop eating bad sugars if you have a family history of Diabetes.
“Pomegranate for cardiovascular disease,” J. Fam Pract News, March 15th, 2006, p 20
· Punica granatum is high in antioxidants, tannins, and anthocyanins.
· It reduces oxidative stress, LDL tendencies to create plaque, and clot formation in mice and humans, Am J. Clinical Nutrition 2000;71:1062
· It functions like Vasotec-like drugs (ACE inhibitor function,) so, it lowers blood pressure, J. Atherosclerosis 2001;158:195
· 19 patients, ages 65-75 with severe carotid narrowing got 50 cc pomegranate juice daily for a year: IMT (ultrasound of carotids) showed a decrease in narrowing of 13, 22, 26, 35% in 3, 6, 9, 12 months, but narrowing of carotids in group getting placebo worsened by 9%, J. Clin Nut 2004;23:423
· Study above: systolic blood pressure fell from 174 to 153 in 12 months
· Also, oxidized LDL fell 24%in the first month, and an additional 19% by 3rd month. OxLDL is what causes plaque.
· 240cc pomegranate improved heart perfusion 17% in 3 months, but worsened as much in placebo group. Angina decreased 50 % with juice, and increased 38% in placebo group, Am J. Cardiology 2005;96:810.
“Data back supplements for pediatric ailments,”J. Fam Pract News, 3/1/2006, page 48
* “There is no child who is not exposed to dietary supplements. This is a hot market.”
* Infant colic: fennel oil, chamomile, licorice, balm mint (J. Ped 1993;122:650.)
* Ear infections: otikon otic (Hypericum perforatum, Allium savitum, Verbascum thapsus, Calendula flores,) J. Archives Ped Adol Med 2001;155:796.)
* Irritable Bowel Syndrome: colpermin (peppermint oil,) J. Ped 2001;138:125.
Bioidentical hormones and your rights
Many articles are coming out in the press and in medical journals about the use of soy-extracted sex hormone replacement. Since it is so much healthier than Premarin and Provera, patients are flocking to doctors who are knowledgeable about this approach. Bioidentical hormones are easier to detoxify in the Liver, and practitioners try to coordinate the complete package of sex hormones, so that the dosages mimic the levels women had when they were younger. Thus, Estrogen, Estrone, Estriol, Progesterone, Testosterone, and DHEA are given in the same interacting proportions that maximize function, thus, turning back the clock a bit.
Predictably, Wyeth, maker of Premarin, is trying to take away your right to choose this approach by going to court as of March 2006. It has been shown that the FDA, who would make this approach illegal if Wyeth wins, receives kick-backs from each prescription of Premarin written out. This is another reason you keep hearing such massive campaign of lies about the toxicity of Soy isoflavones. Follow the money.
“Does eating salmon lower the murder rate?” New York Times Magazine, April 16th, 2006. The answer is a clear “yes.” Yet, why are we not applying these ideas in jail? Or, in our society at large? Again, follow the money. The “jail-industry” is so cast in stone, that changing rates of incarceration would eat away at already established budgets, thus disrupting many interested parties’ livelihood. Also, this article illustrates that our diet has a lot to say about our moods. Some practitioners get really excited about attitude affecting our moods and mental health, that they forget everything in the universe flows in both directions. In other words, “mente sana in corpore sano.”
Remember that our brains are made of 80% fat (some people’s brains are a 100% fat…) So, consuming transhydrogenated, saturated fats is going to alter brain function. Don’t forget to supplement Omega Docosapentanoic acid, DHA, one of the best oils for the brain. Phosphatidyserine and phosphatidylcholine are also very good. No, I don’t want to change the world; I just want to change your oil.
Omega oils and inflammation, J. Rheumatology 2006;33:207, 307
Ecosapentanoid acid is the best omega oil to reduce inflammation. It takes 2 weeks for anti-inflammatory effects to be noticeable. These are the reasons why Essential Fatty Acids are superior to drugs in the treatment of inflammatory disorders: (1) no association with serious gastrointestinal complications. (2) They reduce risk for cardiac problems, where NSAIDs like Ibuprofen, and drugs like Vioxx increase it. (3) EFA reduce TNF and leukotrienes, messengers of inflammation, whereas NSAIDs increase them.
Telegraphed articles:
J. Family Practice News, February 15th, 2006, page 60
Maharashi amrit kalash reduces chemotherapy toxicity in breast cancer.
J. Archives Neurology 2006;63:177
“Effects of testosterone on cognition and mood in male patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease and healthy elderly men.” Consider Maca, Yohimbine, too, to improve cognition.
Am J. Clin Nut 2006;83:567
Vitamin C in fruits and veggies lowers inflammation and improves circulation.
J. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 2006;50:132
Allium/garlic reduces exercised-induced oxidative stress.
10th World Congress on Osteoarthritis, Boston, 2006.
Chondroitin may improve psoriasis.
J. Lancet 2006;367:797,
Ovarian cancer risk higher with milk.
Am J. Clinical Nutrition 2006;83:674
Coffee helps in weight loss. Forget it if you have a tendency to ulcers and reflux.
J. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2006;31:325
Anger inflames our cell membranes, increasing the risk of Diabetes
J. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2006;31:312
“Childhood trauma and diurnal cortisol disruption in fibromyalgia syndrome.” Support adrenals glands with panax, licorice root.
J. American Family Physician 2006;73:1256
Pelargonium sidoides helps acute bronchitis
J. Skin and Allergy News 2006;37#4:1
Vitamin D supplementation is still needed in most people, regardless of levels of exposure to Sun. Excessive use of sun blockers not helping.
American Cancer Research Institute, April 2006
A diet high in fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of cancer by 40%.
J. Free Radical Biology Med 2006;40:3
Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg/day reduces diabetic sugar problems.
J. Annals Internal medicine 2006;144:554
Green tea and coffee lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
British J. Nutrition 2006;95:496
Fruits and vegetables ad libidum do not cause weight gain.
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 7 ‘ Number 5 ‘ May 2006
Most of you are, like me, baby boomers. Our main concern is to live longer, and healthier lives with our loved ones. The J. National Geographics, November, 2005 has an article on this issue. Naturally, it focuses on the same issues discussed here each month. As preoccupied as we are with aging, we must not fall into the “antiaging” trap, which is being purveyed by “boutique medicine” practitioners, whose main intent appears to cater to our vanity for them to do well as they profess to do good (JAMA 2002;287:1518.) I am not saying their message is not good, but that the messenger’s motives are not pure. I don’t begrudge anyone’s drive to make a buck, but I do not like the emphasis on “antiaging,” without corresponding wisdom, and appreciation for our gray hairs. We are going to age, no matter how much money they want us to spend. Let us do it with grace, and not go down to pasture kicking and screaming.
Personally, I love the gray hair I am getting on my temples at age 53, and the ability to last sooooo much longer (you know what I mean.) But, I do feel bad for my younger brothers, still in their forties, who are now on medication to treat their elevated blood pressure. They were not blessed with the chance to go to college (I am the only one in my family so blessed, as far as I can go back,) so, they have worked hard to honestly support their families. Do you want to age better? Get off refined foods, make time to relax, love lots, and have lots of sex. -Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Living well to 100: nutrition, genetics and inflammation,”
Symposium, American J. Clinical Nutrition Feb 2006;83(supp):397S
- Aminoacids also regulate gene transcription, page 500s. So, a high protein diet helps maximize the genetic messages leading to better health.
- Inflammation of microglia cells in the brain leads to neurodegenerative diseases, p 470s. Think of Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. And what inflames the brain the most? Refined sugars, a lack of essential fats, and toxins in the environment.
- Fat cells produce leptin/adipolenectin, thus becoming an endocrine organ. Obesity recruits macrophages to promote inflammation, and then insulin resistance, p 461s
- Single neucleotides polymorphisms (SNIPS, genetic tendencies) affect lipid metabolism. Some people need more omega oils than others, p443s
- Significant genetic variation in family of cytokines and inflammation reaction, p 431s. Some people get more inflamed than others, given the same stressor.
- Diet should be key to prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, p 427s
- Nutrition, key to endothelial (lining of arteries) inflammation and plaque formation, p 421s. The more restriction of blood flow, the worse your metabolism becomes, and vice-versa.
- Longevity less due to medicine, more to nutrition and public health, p 415s
- Japan: longest leap in longevity. Before WWII, 30 years less than US. Now, the leader, due to nutrition, public health, and mind-body issues.
- Genetics has favored early reproduction, so that maintenance and repair for longer living has not been a priority. This selected positive inflammation to combat infection has come at the expense of more inflammation driving chronic diseases later in life. Healthy aging is associated with less inflammation. Genes designed to survive infection (pro-inflammatory) are not fitting well in modern environment, where an anti-inflammatory response would fit better for longevity.
- Reduced insulin signaling also associated with longevity (J. Aging Cell 2005;4:79.) e worsen this problem with refined foods. Humans were selected for insulin sensitivity, improving handling scarce food supply for survival (Am. J. Human genetics 1962;14:353.) A pregnant woman’s diet affects health of grandchildren, too, by setting glucose-insulin metabolism later in life, p 404s.
- Nutrition, key to prolonging wellness, p 410s.
- RDAs to be replaced by Dietary Reference Index, DRIs. They aim to reduce chronic disease, not just deficiency diseases. DRIs have 4 values:
- Estimated Average Requirement, EAR,
- Recommended Daily Allowance, RDA
- Adequate Intake, AI
- Tolerable Upper Limit, UL (gastrointestinal distress.)
- “Arginine, beyond protein,” p 508s. Remember this amino acid won the Nobel Prize in medicine, 1998. I use it on most patients. It is a precursor for synthesis of urea, nitric oxide, polyamines, proline, creatine, and agmantine. The body produces some arginine, which is enough, but not in growing children, or in those with dysfunction of small intestine and kidneys. Asymetric Dimethyl Arginine, ADMA, is an inflammatory molecule that goes up in our bodies when we lack arginine, much like Homocysteine goes up when we lack B-complex. ADMA inhibits NOS enzymes, and raises Homocysteine, too. This leads to more inflammation, and practically all diseases. As noted above, Arginine also regulates gene transcription. The dose ranges from 3-12 grams a day. Best natural source are fruits and veggies.
What lunacy! JAMA article says that there are no benefits from diets high in fruits and veggies, or a low fat diet (Notice I do not provide a reference.)
This study sucks at so many levels. First of all, they rely on people’s recollection, which is a common flaw in most nutrition-based research. The best way to see what effect a diet has is to measure cellular inflammation and oxidation stress, and the micronutrients themselves. Soon, Nanotechnology will prove Nutritional Medicine to be the best approach to help patients.
The authors admit to a slight reduction in heart disease, colon polyps and breast cancer. This has been confirmed in hundreds of studies in the past. The study focused on women over 50, who may already have advanced disease, where a diet may be too little, too late. The study also failed to differentiate good fat (unsaturated) from bad fat saturate, and transhydrogenated.) And, as often is the case, the study did not ask about the main problem: refined sugars. I feel most people rely heavily on this kind of food, the culprit of most disease,) while they worry about fat, thus demonizing all kinds of fat. I still run across people who will not eat olives, nuts, avocados, while consuming large quantities of refined foods, to which they are addicted.
About the same time this article came out there was another one in the New England J. Medicine, February 9th, 2006;354:588. “NXY-059 for acute ischemic strokes” talks about a synthetic antioxidant that quenches free radicals, thus lowering the damage to the brain seen in Strokes. The authors hail this new drug as the “next frontier in the treatment of strokes.” This is the kind of stuff that makes me want to puke: let’s poo-poo natural antioxidants, but let’ come up with a drug that acts like them!
The same issue (NEJM 2006;354:557) has an article saying that Saw palmetto does not work for prostate problems. Boy, they just cannot accept the fact that many previous studies have found this herb to be very beneficial to the prostate. And why is that so? It is high in antioxidants, which is the reason why we get so many prostate problems (Am J. Clin Nut 2002;75:605,) or better yet, why we get practically all problems. Again, follow the money. Pharmaceuticals are launching a well-organized campaign to discredit any non-pharmaceutical approach.
If you are having prostate problems, look into 3D/4D imaging. It gives you a better evaluation than the PSA in the blood (“Prostate cancer demystified,” J. Radiology Today, January 19th, 2004, p25.) Dr. Bard runs this test. Call 1-800-600-7529, or cancerscan.com.
Update on artificial sweeteners, New York Times, Feb 12th, 2006.
Not a day goes by without someone asking me about these infernal food additives. Yes, they do not have the calories people erroneously continue to count, but, unfortunately, artificial sweeteners are still sensed by this thermostat as sugar. Consequently, one may avoid the calories, but not the hormonal messages, and the cell membrane toxicity caused by these agents. In other words, artificial sweeteners do not correct the obesity problem: they make it worse. Have you ever seen people losing weight white indulging on those items? So, anyone wanting to consume them is still addicted to refined sugars.
Furthermore, Aspartame has been found to increase the risk of cancers like Lymphomas and Leukemias at quantities equivalent to 4-5 servings of diet soda in a 150# person. The study was conducted at the European Ramazzini Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Sciences. They showed that the original studies by Searle back in the 70’s, showing Aspartame to be safe, were flawed (Donald Rumsfeld, Bush’s Secretary of Defense was the CEO at the time.) First, they only tested 280-688 rats, and they were not allowed to live more than two years. This new study tested 1,900 rats, and checked the rats after 3 years, or the human equivalent of 53 years, which is when we start getting cancers. Searle was at the time also criticized by an FDA report stating that their studies were “poorly conceived, carelessly executed, or inaccurately analyzed or reported.” It also cited a lack of training by the scientists analyzing tissue samples, a “substantial” loss of information because of tissue decomposition, and inadequate monitoring of feeding doses. A grand jury investigation was called in Chicago to look into these irregularities, plus Searle’s “concealing of material facts, and making false statements in reports of animal studies conducted to establish the safety of the drug Aldactone and the food additive Aspartame.” However, the grand jury was never convened, because Mr. Skinner, then the US attorney for the Chicago area, left that position to work for a law firm representing Searle. Boy, it stinks…
The FDA didn’t give up. They continued to question the data from Searle, even pointing out that there was an increase in brain tumors, too An FDA board of scientists recommended to withhold approval, but a review of Searle’s tumor slides by academicians paid by Searle showed that there were no problems with Aspartame. In 1981, Aspartame was dimmed safe by the FDA’s Mr Hayes, who left the agency the year after to work for Burson-Masteller, the public agency handling Searle at the time.
Of a total of 166 studies on Aspartame, 74 were financed by the industry. They cited no problems at all. Of the 92 independent studies, 84 identified adverse effects: “far too much to be a coincidence.” Most studies on Aspartame wondered about tumors, without realizing that Aspartame is also a potent neurotoxin, and endocrine disrupter. This is why many psychiatrists are noticing more depression, ADD, and panic disorders in people who consume these items. Aspartame is detoxified into Formaldehyde in the body, which is very toxic itself……And you are wondering if Splenda is safe? Just face your addiction…
“Neuro-immune-endocrine circuitry of the ‘brain-skin connection,’”
J. Trends in Immunology 2006;27:32
* “A ‘brain-skin connection’ with local neuro-immune-endocrine circuitry underlies the pathogenesis of allergic and inflammatory skin diseases, triggered or aggravated by stress, which inhibits hair growth. The hair follicle is both a target and a source of immunomodulatory stress mediators, and has an equivalent of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.”
* “In response to stress, neurohormones, neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and neurotrophins stimulate adaptation responses. These typically include behavioral, cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine and immunological chances; the latter range from immuno-suppression to inflammation… The immune system also regulates the central nervous system. Cytokines and other inflammatory mediators can signal the brain, thus influencing behavior and other complex body reactions... Pro-inflammatory cytokines can induce sickness behavior and depressive symptoms and might aggravate stress perception.”
* “Skin: the ultimate model for neuro-immunological stress research:” “Itch, excessive sweating, flushing, and many dermatoses, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, seborhoic eczema, prurigo nodularis, lichen planus, chronic urticaria, and alopecia areata, can be triggered, and aggravated by stress.”
INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCTION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals
Volume 7 ‘ Number 4 ‘ April 2006
EDITOR’S NOTE
“Over-reliance on a pharmacological solution to the ravages of influenza may impede the development and implementation of broader intervention strategies based on public health measures.” This quote appeared on the cover of the Journal Lancet, January 28th, 2006;367:303, as a warning that we are not preparing very well for a possible epidemic of avian flu. This position is reinforced in a book favorably reviewed in the JAMA 2005;294:2503, “False alarm: the truth about the epidemic of fear.” It is written by Dr. Marc Siegel, an Internist in NYC.
This is exactly what this newsletter is about: emphasizing public health, nutrition, environmental issues, and social/emotional issues to prevent and treat disease. If you are worried about the avian flu, the answer is not to stock-pile Tamiflu (which is a derivative of the herb Anise Star,) but to improve your diet, intestinal function, quit tobacco and alcohol, manage stress better, and see if your local authorities will focus more on overall prevention issues (quick isolation, sanitation, etc.,) in addition to readiness for treatment with drugs and other pharmaceuticals.
I feel pharmaceuticals have made monkeys out of us: we learn to depend on them (justifiably so, at times,) and then we neglect other issues we could be covering. Patients and doctors get used to a quick and easy prescription, thus neglecting other non-pharmaceutical answers, which they soon are dismissively referred to as “alternatives.” The same thing is happening with our refined sugar addiction, especially in children. They quickly get hooked to the taste of sugar, so that they henceforth shun vegetables. How can they taste the natural sweetness of vegetables, when they have discovered the explosion of sweetness in the mouth that they feel when eating those damned candy bars?
Hugo Rodier, M.D.
“Cancer’s sweet tooth: the Janus effect of glucose metabolism in tumorigenesis,” J. Lancet 2006;367:618
· Otto Warburg won the 1931 Nobel Prize for his work on metabolism and its role in cancer. Simply put, your sweet tooth is increasing your risk of cancer.
· PET scanning in tumors is based on the principle that tumors have a different metabolic rate of sugar.
· Tumors harbor defective Mitochondria, where your cells make energy. Technically speaking, AMPKinase recognizes and signals cellular energy levels, and upregulation of glycolysis may support carcinogenesis.
· Early tumors use up more ATP (mitochondrial function,) but advanced tumors do not. Early tumors could be treated with AMPKinase inhibition. Paw paw, a fruit from the Midwest, may help with this issue (J. Natural Products 1995;58:830, J. Filoterapia 2000;71:183.) Late tumors not likely to respond to this treatment.
· “Obesity and carbohydrate excess predisposes people to cancer. Caloric restriction has been shown to lower colorectal cancer risk, and a total reduction of 60 % for cancers in general.”
“Melatonin for cancer,” J. Family Practice News, February 15th, 2006, page 60
· Melatonin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative effects.
· Melatonin’s anticancer effects: downregulation of oncogene expression, inhibition of growth factors, suppression of linoleic acid uptake by tumor cells, and antiangiogenic effects (less blood vessel formation, which cut off oxygen and nutrients to the cancer cells.)
· Melatonin also modulates cytostatic and cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy agents, J. Clinical Oncology 2002;20:2575. This means there are less side effects.
· Ten randomized trials of melatonin and cancer, a total of 643 patients: They gave chemotherapy and melatonin 20 mg by shot. None in placebo group achieved a complete response, but 5% did in the melatonin group. Partial response was seen in 29% of melatonin group, but only 15% in placebo group. One year survival was 51% in melatonin group, and 23% in chemo alone group. Chemotherapy toxicity was significantly lower with melatonin, European J. Cancer 1999;35:1688.
· Patients with small cell lung cancer got chemo, and 20 mg oral melatonin. A complete response was seen in 4% of melatonin group, and none in chemo alone group. A partial response was seen in 31% of melatonin, and 18% in chemo alone. None of the patients treated with chemo alone were alive in 2 years, while 6% were in melatonin group. The latter had better quality of life, J. Pineal Research 2003;35:12.
· Patients with brain and renal cancer showed relative risk reductions ranging from 20-57% when they took melatonin, J. Pineal Research 2005;39:360
“Health Industry practices that create conflicts of interest: a policy proposal for academic medical centers.” JAMA 2006;295:429
- “Research in the psychology of gifts [to doctors] indicates that current controls will not satisfactorily protect the interest of patients.”
- “Most companies support CME. However, their fiduciary responsibility is to their shareholders who expect reasonable returns on their investments.”
- “Unhealthy relationship between manufacturers and the medical profession…. Objectivity and scientific integrity should be the central tenets of physician training.”
- “It is a myth that small gifts do not significantly influence physician behavior. Gifts should be prohibited.”
- “Hospitals should exclude physicians from their formulary committee [in charge of buying drugs,] if they have financial relationships with drug manufacturers.”
- “[Doctors’] educational activities should not be supported by drug manufacturers.”
- Guidelines for researchers should be stricter.
- “What then might medicine look like if we implement these proposals? (1) Doctors’ decisions might become more evidence-based. (2) Objective sources would promote better patient outcomes. (3) Total expenditures might decline. (4) Increase use of generic drugs. (5) Increase reliance on drugs. (6) Medical schools would find alternative funding sources. (7) Doctors in training would value professionalism and scientific integrity more. (8) Less external regulation. (9) Reaffirm the commitment to put the interest of patients first.”
Focus on Homeopathy, J. Alternative and Complementary Medicine, November 2005;11:#5. The whole issue is dedicated to this discipline. This is a good source to answer the critics of energy and herbs. They seem to be gaining momentum, despite the evidence that homeopathy is helpful. Have you noticed the heavily-marketed “Head-on,” a topical application on the forehead to treat headaches? Funny how they neglect to tell you that it is based on 2 homeopathic herbs: Iris versicolor 12X, and White bryon 12X (Homeopathic Pharmacopaie of the USA.)
“Rose Hip powder for osteoarthritis,” J. Fam Pract News, January 15th, 2006, page 60
· It lowers CRP (inflammatory marker) in vivo, and in vitro it reduces rate of PMN (a white cell) migration, J. Inflammopharmacology 1999;7:63
· 5 grams of Rose Hip for 3 weeks reduced pain, Scandinavian J. Rheumatism 2005;34:302
· Use of Tylenol declined 40%
· Rose Hip 5 gm worked for osteoarthritis if hip in 100 patients, J. Current Therapy Research 2003;21:31
· Side effects very rare: mild gastrointestinal discomfort in 2/100.
“Polypodium Leucotomos,” J. Skin and Allergy News, February 2006, page21
- Tropical fern, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activity, which reduces skin tumors, J. Photoderm, Photoimm Photomed 1999;15:120.
- Psoriasis patients getting psoralen and PUVA light therapy reduce skin problems with polypodium, J. Am Acad Derm 2004;51:910.)
- It enhances membrane integrity, reduces LDL oxidation and improves immune system, J. Derm Sci 2003;3:32, J. Anticancer Research 2000;20:1567.
- Topical and oral (“Heliocare,” two a day) reduce chances of photoaging of skin
“Fractures in childhood may be marker for Osteoporosis later in life,” J. Family Practice News, January 1st, 2006, p48.
Of course, the dairy industry will likely get a hold of this article to weave their misinformation through commercials, despite the evidence showing that milk does not strengthen bones (“High milk consumption has consistently not been associated with lower risk of fractures in large prospective studies, whereas increased risks of advanced or fatal prostate cancer have been observed in may studies,” Am J. Preventive Med 2005;29:320.)
Eliminating soda pop, refined sugars, and refined wheat, with supplementation of vitamin D is likely needed in most people. Also, maternal vitamin D levels influence the risk of fractures in her child ( J. Lancet 2006;367:36.) Supplementation of vitamin D (best dose is 1,000 IU) is likely needed, since sun exposure does not guarantee adequate levels of vitamin D. A study of young adults in Hawaii showed that vitamin D levels were almost identical to youth in Wisconsin (Annual Meeting American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Nashville, 2005, J. Family Practice News, January 1st, 2006, p48.) In fact, vitamin D is more important than calcium intake in maintaining bone health in healthy people (no parathyroid problems, JAMA 2005;294:2336.) Like all diseases, Osteoporosis has inflammatory, antioxidant mechanisms. This is why Alpha Lipoic Acid is helpful in strengthening bones (J. Endocrinology 2005;185:401.)
Telegraphed articles:
J. Neurology Reviews, February 2006, page 40
Coffee helps short term memory
J. Nutrition 2006;136:409
Genistein (nutrient in soy) decreases food intake, and causes more fat to burn
J. Nutrition 2003;133:2461S, J. Carcinogenesis, March 2006, Am J. Public Health 2006;96:252.
Vitamin D also reduces the risk of Prostate cancer, and cancer in general.
J. Carcinogenesis 2006;27:287
I3C ( nutrient in cruciferous veggies) lowers risk of colon cancer. It works by increasing detoxification of Xenoestrogens, or toxins that act like estrogens.
J. Carcinogenesis 2006;27:240
Glutathione depletion induces DNA deletions (cancer.) Whey, milk thistle, SAMe, N-Acetyl cysteine increase Glutathione
J. Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery 2006;8:54
Arnica reduced bruising after plastic surgery
J. Arch Int Med 2006;166:450
Acupuncture helps low back pain
J. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 2006;50:85
“Immune-enhancing role of vitamin C and Zinc and effect on clinical conditions,”
Annual Meeting of the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, 2005
Modified, or healthier Atkin’s diet helps children with seizures, as much as the ketogenic diet does (high in fats.) The key is high antioxidants and Essential Oils
Scandinavian J. Gastroenterology 2006;41:155
Peppermint oil helps Irritable bowel Syndrome
Am J. Clinical Nutrition 2006;83:211
High protein breakfast is better than a high carb one, because the former promotes a decrease in Ghrelin, a hormone, and reduces gastric emptying.
AJCN 2006;83:284
Potatoes and French fries increase risk of Diabetes in women, especially when they replace whole grains
J. Gastroenterology 2006;40:1024
Heartburn seen after elimination of Helicobacter Pilory. See last issue.
J. Lancet, February 9th, 2006;367:320
“Fruit and vegetable consumption and stroke:” Less strokes with this diet
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INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals |
Volume 7 Number 3 March 2006
“Jesus walks on water: he cannot swim.” (picture of JC) Non-pharmaceutical treatment with herbs and nutritional supplements is often ignored. Some argue that there is no evidence to use them. If you have been reading this newsletter for a while, you know how wrong this argument is. Here is an example of what happens with the evidence:
DrClegg, from the University of Utah School of Medicine, recently concluded a study on Glucosamine. The study was funded by Pfizer, makers of Celebrex. (Dr. Clegg routinely consults for two other pharmaceuticals.) He writes that Glucosamine 500 mg three times a day was not effective for mild pain, so, the conclusion, and the title of the article was “Glucosamine, chondroitin fall short in NIH trial.” However, the fine print shows that Glucosamine did work for moderate and severe pain! The study was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (J. Skin and Allergy News, January 2006, page 42.) At the same meeting, another study, a European trial on Glucosamine 1,500 mg a day was significantly effective in improving discomfort with activities of daily living. Funny how crossing the Atlantic messes up scientific studies…
Here is a review of more evidence: The journal Lancet, January 2001;357:247, 251 (“The Dawn of a New Era”) calls Glucosamine the dawn of AIntegrative Medicine.@ The journal of Rheumatology 2001;28:1347 published a study showing that Glucosamine is not only one of the few items working on the real mechanisms of arthritis over the long run, but that in the acute setting, it is even better than Ibuprofen! And Glucosamine has no side effects (J. Arthritis Rheumatology 1998;41:s198.) Pfizer would love to say the same about Celebrex, a drug much like Vioxx.
Glucosamine has even been found to be effective, even when applied topically (J. Rheumatology 2003;30:523.) The Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, Orlando 2003 demonstrated that the effects of Glucosamine persist beyond 5 years, since it works on the metabolism of cartilage. Patients ended up using less medical resources like drugs, clinic visits and procedures like surgery. In fact, it delays knee replacement surgery (Annual Meeting European Society of Rheumatology, Vienna, 2005.) The Western Ontario and Mc Master University study of 1,376 patients with arthritis showed Glucosamine to be superior to all other treatments for Osteoarthritis. This includes NSAIDs, steroid injections, walking aids and lower extremity devices (Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, San Antonio, 2004.)
I came across another example of the evidence for non-pharmaceuticals being ignored, while doing my radio show. A caller was rebuffed by her doc when she quoted me saying that many micronutrients can treat Hepatitis. She was told “there is no evidence.” If you would like to read about a natural approach to Hepatitis, and practically all Liver conditions, visit hugorodier.com, and click on “radio.”
“Horse chestnut,” J. Skin and Allergy News, January 2006, page 16
- “Copious, strong evidence supports the effectiveness of Horse Chestnut for the treatment of Chronic Venous Insufficiency, CVI.” It works as well as any drug, and compression therapy, Am J. Clinical Derm 2002;3:341. “The sooner Horse Chestnut is initiated, the better the chance of avoiding compression therapy [which] is associated with poor compliance, because it is uncomfortable, and sometimes painful.” So much for a lack of evidence on herbs…
- There are 15 known species of Horse chestnut. It is found in shrub and tree form. Modern formulations are derived from seed extracts. The most active component is Aescin. Other ingredients are rutin, hydroxycoumarins, flavonoids, tannins, sterols saponins, and glycosides
- Horse Chestnut Seed Extract, HCSE is a well-established treatment for chronic venous insufficiency, and edema, which are seen in varicose veins. HCSE is also used in a sitz bath for hemorrhoids. HCSE main effect is to decrease inflammation, and oxidation. HCSE is commonly used in lotions, creams, massage oils, and many other skin products.
- HCSE works by inhibiting white blood cell activation, J. Archives Derm 1998;134:1356. It inhibits enzymes that attack lining of veins, J. Arzneimittelforschung 1994;44:25. Elastase and Hyaluronidase degrade proteoglycans, an important component of blood vessel walls. By inhibiting these enzymes, HCSE decreases blood vessel leakage, J. Arch Derm 1998;134:1356. This is why it enhances elasticity/flexibility of blood vessel walls, J. Lancet 1996;347:292.
- Further vessel protection is achieved through its release of anti-inflammatory molecules (prostaglandins,) and its action on decreasing the degradation of vessel walls. muccopolysaccharides, J. Pharmacology Research 2001;44:183.
- More evidence: a study of 5,000 patients showed that HCSE cleared, or improved all of the symptoms investigated in venous insufficiency: discomfort, fatigue, tension, swelling, and itching, J. Fortschr. Med 1996;114:196. Another study also showed no side effects, J. Lancet 1996;347:292.
- Topical and oral HCSE is often used in Europe for CVI, varicose veins, leg cramps, phlebitis, and hemorrhoids. Topical HCSE contains 2% Aescin, three to four times a day. It is used for healing sports injuries, like bruises, acute sprains, and similar traumas, J. Arzneimittelforschung 1994;44:25, J. Planta Medica 1993;59:394.
- HCSE is contraindicated in patients with bleeding disorders, or those who take blood thinners like Coumadin, aspirin, and Ibuprogen-like drugs, J. Clin Pharm Therapy 2002;27:391. Skin reactions have been reported.
“Cow’s milk allergy,” J. Skin and Allergy News, January 2006, page 49 (cow picture)
Even though half of children who develop milk allergy by 7 months of age develop tolerance by 2 years of age, those who are IgE positive tend to remain allergic longer. These children, by the time they turn 8.6 years old, have more asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic eczema, urticaria, and more allergies in general. This study included 6,209 children, 118 of which had their allergy to milk confirmed by an elimination challenge (J. Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2005;116:869.)
I don’t think much of the IgE test, since “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.” So, the challenge test is the best. Take your child, or any adult for that matter, stop milk, and then re-introduce it in about two weeks. See what happens. This study is also good, because it does not shy away from exposing the high potential for milk to cause many problems. I feel they likely missed many children with subtle allergies: 118 children is too low. I would say about ¼ children have problems. Notice how they did not list intestinal problems, which many children have.
“Corporate health, wellness programs: business necessity,” J. Business Weekly 1/2/06
“The notion that the financial health and competitiveness of a business depends on the health and well-being of its employees is gaining acceptance… The US economy cannot remain competitive in the global marketplace if we don’t take better care of our workforce’s physical and mental well-being… When people feel strong and resilient, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, they perform better, with more passion, for longer. They win, their families win, and the corporations that employ them win.”
To illustrate this point, remember that it GM has to increase the price of their cars by $1,200 to cover health care insurance premiums for its employees. This is why, in view of mounting premiums, many employers and corporations are dropping health insurance, and even reneging on pension plans covering health insurance for their retirees.
How odd, that industry/corporations has to be reminded on a constant basis that their most important assets and tools are their employees. Surely we have been warned that “the business of America is business.” Such myopic view will continue to sink our country in a morass of social, and health problems, which will contribute to losing our country’s place at the top of world economies. Societies that understand the implications of this article are quickly moving to the top of the heap, not only economically, but in the parameters that monitor health in their citizens. The Romans warned us that neglecting their ancient wisdom would bring chaotic results: “Salus populi suprema lex.” (“The health of the people is the supreme law of the land,” American J. Public Health 2001;91:689.)
The article in Business Weekly has specific recommendations for businesses to get into “lifestyle medicine.” Soon, health benefits will be tied to how well people take care of themselves. They have shown that for each dollar invested in preventive issues, they save $3-5. Now, why couldn’t the health care system work on the same principles? Because each HMO is afraid that you will leave their system, after they have spent money on you to help you with lifestyle and preventive issues. Then, the benefits from all the money they spent on you would be accrued by some other HMO. The answer: only one insurer, a Single Payer System. This is not socialized medicine, but a sensible way to solve this problem, and to cut down on overhead from 15% down to 2% (“More calling for Single-Payer system,” J. Managed Care, May 2003, p20.) The savings from this alone would be enough to cover the 45 million uninsured Americans! Ironically, big business, and HMOs are the most adamantly opposed to any program that would loosen the grip the present system has on our health. Articles like this one may help change their minds. It may appeal to their “homo economicus” nature! (J. Science 2002;296:1243.)
“Diet and Lifestyle interventions lower risk of dementia,” Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Preventing Dementia,” Washington, D.C., 2005. The February issue introduced this topic. Here are the main points discussed at this meeting:
- A diet high in fruits and vegetables, folic acid, moderate alcohol consumption, adequate social and mental activity, and exercise are the cornerstone of prevention. This was determined by a study on separated twins; so, genetics plays a minor role. For more on this, see J. Neurology News, December 2005, page 44.
- Factors increasing risk of dementia: strokes (six fold), periodontal disease (four fold), and low education. More inflammation at an early age contributes to brain inflammation. The main causes of early inflammation are periodontal decay, and poor nutrition. Both are associated with refined diets, and a lack of vitamin D. The latter is likely due to people not being active outside, where they would get more sunlight. Strokes are linked to cardiovascular issues. So, poor circulation, also from poor diets, is a major factor in dementia.
- Polyphenols in fruits and vegetables. Drinking veggie or fruit juice three times a week reduces the risk of dementia by 75%. Polyphenols are antioxidants. Now we now that inflammation and oxidation are virtually the same process. This is why the J. Nature Medicine 2005;11:1281 has determined that emotional stress contributes to anxious behavior, or mental stress.
- Folic acid lowers homocysteine, a toxic that goes up with a lack of this nutrient. Diets high in refined breads and pasta lack folic acid. A decrease of homocysteine of 26% (when given folic acid), reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Telegraphed articles:
J. Nutrition 2005;135:1967
Unsaturated Fats improve school performance. Saturated fats worsen it.
J. Clinical Gastroenterology 2005;39:692
Probiotics eradicate H. Pylori, the bacteria being blamed for ulcers. See hugorodier.com (click “radio”) to see why I feel sorry for this bacteria.
J. Am Family Physician 2005;72:1107
DHEA reduces abdominal fat in adults. It works on Adrenal stress
J. Family Practice News, September 2005, p55
56% of elderly women lack Vitamin D. Take 1,000-2,000 units a day.
J. Family Practice News, September 15th, 2005, page 12
Statin drugs are not beneficial in people over 70 with HDL over 45.
J. Family Practice News, December 2005, page 58
Unexplained fatigue? Check S. ferritin. You might be Iron overloaded.
J. Family Practice News, December 2005, page 42
50% people unhappy with constipation therapy. Biofeedback helps.
J. Family Practice News, December 2005, page 24
Fiber lowers CRP levels, a marker of inflammation.
Annual Scientific Session of American Diabetic Association, San Diego, 2005
Diabetic drugs cause weight gain, except for Metformin/Glucophage.
Annual Meeting North American Primary Care Research Group, Quebec City, 2005
Vomiting in pregnancy associated with H. Pylori. Take probiotics.
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INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals |
Volume 7 Number 2 February 2006
One of the most important concepts discussed in the past, is how we need Energy (“Metabolomics”) to make everything go, not only in our bodies, but in life in general. This is why I want you to know about Coenzyme Q10, a very important antioxidant in the Mitochondria of each cell, where we make energy: “Coenzyme Q10 appears most promising for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. CoQ10 is safe with minimal side effects and low drug interaction potential. The American College of Cardiology has published an expert consensus report supporting the integration of CoQ10 into cardiovascular medicine.” (J. American Family Physician 2005;72;1069.)
As you know, the brain, and the heart are the organs that use the most energy in our bodies. This is why most of the articles on CoQ10 are found in the Neurology, and Cardiology literature. Long are the days when a professor in Medical School told me that Coenzyme Q10 was a waste of money, since any “enzyme” ingested by mouth would be destroyed by our digestive acids. But, that bit of ignorance didn’t bother me as much as what one of my friends, who happens to suffer from Cardiomyopathy (tired heart muscle), said about Co Q10, when I recommended it to him, 5 years ago: “My Cardiologist says it’s bunk, so, I won’t take it.” Last year, my “friend,” who forgot about this incident, was very exited to tell me that his Cardiologist had recommended to him this new breakthrough in Cardiology, called CoQ10. “Have you heard about it, Hugo?”
Since energy-making, or metabolism is an integral part of everything our bodies do, we should not be surprised to find that “Mitochondrial DNA mutations, oxidative stress and aging” (J. Science 2005;309:48) are related conditions. In other words, we age faster as we eat diets low in antioxidants, expose ourselves to environmental free radicals that act as oxidating molecules, and we increase our chance of cancer, as our energy-making mitochondria (inside cells) is injured from oxidating molecules. So, COQ10 can slow down the natural aging process, and reduce the risk of cancer. CoQ10 is rather expensive, but you may consider supplementing it, at least 100 mg a day. This is mandatory, if you are taking a cholesterol-reducing drug, since they have been shown to rob your body or naturally-occurring CoQ10 (J. Clinical Pharmacology Treatment 2005;78:60.) Sardines, beef, and peanuts are high in CoQ10. For neurologic problems, the minimum dose to show benefits is 300 mg. The best dose is 1,200 mg a day. Sorry.
CoQ10 is also helpful in Diabetes, and libido issues, which are related, since insulin resistance leads to poor arterial function, and erectile problems (JAMA 2005;294:2996 and “Relationship between testosterone levels, insulin sensitivity, and mitochondrial function in men,” J. Diabetes Care 2005;28:1636.) Hugo Rodier, M.D.
More lies, more food fights. As you know, money can buy you research results, and its publication in practically any journal. After all the bad press the soda pop industry has been getting, it is not surprising to see the American Beverage Association funding a study in the J. Risk Analysis, October 2005, saying that soda pop does not have anything to do with children’s obesity. The industry is hoping you forgot the study that showed that soda pop consumption of one or more of these drinks a day raises the risk of becoming diabetic by 83% (JAMA 2004;292:927.)
“Effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs in patients with chronic schizophrenia,” New England J. Medicine 2005;353:1209.
Newer and more expensive drugs to treat this condition are no better than the cheaper older ones. In fact, these newer drugs were marketed even though studies showed that they were no better than the older ones. “None of these drugs provided the majority of patients effective treatment that lasted the full 18 months of this study.” Only one new drug, Olanzapine/Zyprexa was slightly better, but it was “associated with weight gain, and increases in measures of glucose and lipid metabolism.” This is why more than one third of Schizophrenics treated with these drugs develop vascular disease (J. Family Practice News, December 1st, 2003, page 62.)
You don’t have to be schizophrenic for your doctor to prescribe these drugs. They are also used for insomnia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Are these drugs worth the potential side-effects? In some cases, yes. At least we could be using the cheaper drugs, which are just as effective. If you want a review of how to treat mental conditions nutritionally, read “Orthomolecular Psychiatry,” by Linus Pauling, J. Science 1968:160:265. Remember the article in the JAMA 2005;294;557? “Rates of adult schizophrenia following prenatal exposure to the Chinese famine of 1959-1961,” shows that there was a two-fold increase in schizophrenia. I take this as evidence Dr. Pauling was correct. (picture of Pauling)
Cold remedies update, J. Chest, January 2006.
Yet another article saying cold remedies, and cough suppressants don’t work. How many articles will it take to get these poisons off the shelves? This won’t happen, as long as former pharmaceutical industry employees continue to sit on the FDA board. Decongestants are not only ineffective, but they increase the risk of Strokes (J. Family Practice 2003;52:721.) You already know all about drugs like Ibuprofen and Vioxx sold over the counter (They increase risk of acute urinary retention, J. Arch Int Med 2005;165:1547, and risk of heart attacks, J. Lancet 2005;366:1359. Did you know that half of Liver failure cases are linked toTylenol sold over the counter? (J. Hepatology 2005;42:1364.) You are better off taking Elderberry for colds (J. Family Practice news, November 2005, page 31), and learning how to irrigate your sinuses. For more information on the latter, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Pioneer Clinic, 12433 Pioneer Rd, Draper, UT 84020. (picture of Elderberry.)
Popping purple pills: not as benign as you have been told, JAMA 2005;294;2989.
Think about it? Suppressing gastric acid can’t be that good for you. Sure, you do not notice the burning any more, but you are not addressing the real problem: a lack of antioxidants to replenish the fast-molting buffer layer of the stomach and esophagus. The raw lining is then more susceptible to the gastric acids that are indispensable to process food. Shutting off those acids cannot be good in the long run. You already know that this leads to a lack of B vitamins. Now, we learn that such a practice creates an imbalance of intestinal flora downstream. The less acid we produce, the higher the chances of triggering mutating bacteria overgrowth. This article tells us that some people end up colonized by Clostridium difficile, a nasty character that can lead to significant colitis, and diarrhea. Remember the stink I have made about an imbalance of probiotics? Always supplement them, and tank up on fruits and veggies to feed them well, Supplementing fiber is a must. Try Licorice DGL, cabbage juice, cayenne pepper for ulcers and GERD.
Telegraphed articles
J. Clinical Investigation, October 1st, 2005
An essential Omega three oil, Decosahexanoic Acid, DHA 200-300 mg/day, and
its derivative, Neuroprotectin1, inhibit formation of Beta Amyloid plaques. This
means that DHA lowers your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.
Am J. Clinical Nutrition 2005;82:575
Vitamin D is low in gingivitis. Take at least 1,000 units/day. Maximum, 2,000.
J. Nutrition 2005;135:2372
Raw food diet lowers cholesterol, but increases Homocysteine and lowers HDL.
J. Diabetes Care 2005;28:2497
A higher CRP, a marker of inflammation, predicts a higher risk of Diabetes.
Annals Internal Medicine 2005;143:1
Soy protein lowers blood pressure.
J. FASEB 2005;19:1755
Soy reduces oxidation and improves arteries, thus lowering blood pressure.
J. Menopause 2005;12:589
Soy improves bones at doses that do not affect uterus
NEJM 2005;353:1454
A fasting sugar over 86 may indicate a higher risk of getting Diabetes, especially when combined with a triglyceride level over 150.
J. Family Practice News, September 15th, 2005, page 17 (Mayo clinic study.)
Niacin 1 gram three times a day and Fish oil 3.4 grams a day reduced triglycerides 52%, and increased HDL 33%
J. Clinical Applied Thrombosis Hemostasis 2005;11:289
Pycnogenol 200 mg 2-3 hours before flight reduces risk of clots in legs
More swelling in 58% control, but only in 18% pycnogenol.
J. Neuroscience, September 2005
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate in Green tea helps fight Alzheimer’s.
Annual Meeting Soc Investigative Dermatology, St Louis, 2005
Green tea ointment (polyphenon E) with 80% polyphenols (epigallocatechin gallate) clears genital warts in 60 % patients.
Annual Meeting of American Association for Cancer Research, Anaheim, 2005
Green tea extract may prevent progression of Prostate cancer.
Urology 2005;174:1065
Intensive lifestyle changes change the progression of Prostate cancer.
J. Urology 2005;174:1327
Why do guys have to rush in the door to pee? Prostate inflammation. Take green tea, omega oils, lycopene, Saw palmetto, Stinging Nettles, and Pygeum. Quit refined sugars!
J. Nutrition 2005;135:2119
Lycopene inhibits cell migration in highly invasive hepatocarcinoma.
British Medical Journal 2005;331:529
Risk of gastrointestinal bleeding increases wit Prozac-like drugs. No problem: just take the purple pill! (See above: I am just being my normal sarcastic self…)
J. Internal Medicine 2005;258:257
Smoking increases the risk of goiters. Tobacco is an endocrine disruptor.
Anesthesia & Analgesia, January 2005
General anesthesia increases risk of death 1-2 yrs after surgery.
J. Archives of Internal Medicine 2005;165:1022.
Marital stress aggravates the metabolic syndrome: no wonder we gain weight!
J. Blood, April 2005, J. Neurology Reviews, July 2005, p18.
Low iron associated with Parkinson Disease.
57th Annual Meeting American Academy Neurology, Miami Beach, 2005,
J. Archives Ped Adol Med 2004;158:1113
Low Iron worsens ADHD: 84% of ADHD, but only 18% of control .
NYT August 26th, 2005.
California AG accuses 39 drug companies of fraud: overcharging. Well, blow me over with a feather…
J. Alzheimer’s Dementia 2005;1:11
Folic acid lowers risk of AD
J. Internal Medicine 2005;258:244
Low levels of B12 increase embolisms/clots.
JAMA 2005;294:1861
2% of people die within the first 30 days after Gastric bypass surgery. 2.8% within 90 days, and 4.6% within the first year.
J. Nutrition 2005;135:2082
“A systematic review of the effects of nuts on blood lipid profiles,”
3 almonds, 2 peanuts, 1 pecan, 4 walnuts reduce total cholesterol 2-16%, and LDL 2-19% when consumed 5 times a week.
J. Psychiatric Practice, September 2005.
Chromium helps some with depression: insulin resistance noted in overeating, carbs craving, and weight gain. Chromium helps insulin resistance.
J. Diabetes Care 2005;28:1995
Insulin resistance drives Gestational Diabetes and Toxemia. If you had these problems, make sure you are screened for Diabetes each year. Get off refined sugars!
BMJ 2005;331:376
Acupuncture helps headaches.
International Conference on AIDS, Rio de Janeiro, 2005
Adult circumcision may protect against HIV
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INTEGRATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
A monthly review of 150 medical journals |
Volume 7 ‘ Number 1 ‘ January 2006
EDITOR’S NOTE N
The first 3 articles strike at the core of the problems we are having in health care. They are not news, but look where they are being published!
Hugo Rodier, M.D. Radio show information on hugorodier.com
“The medical humanities, for lack of a better term,” NEJM 2005;353:1009
Multiculture Conference in London with docs, poets, writers, filmmakers, historians, musicians, sociologists, nurses, philosophers, patients, etc.
Deeply concerned about the dehumanization of health care... emotions of knowing intuitively that the way medicine is now taught and practiced is simply wrong, that the humane is being supplanted by unfeeling science and uncaring economics… The work of doctoring is changing from a sacred vocation borne of the desire and duty to alleviate suffering into a merely financially rewarded, technically challenging line of work. Many doctors find themselves looking instinctively to the humanities as a source of renewal, reconnection, and meaning... It is passion that the profession so sorely lacks.
“Are we losing touch in medicine?” Utah Medical Association Bulletin, Nov 2005.
Physicians are falling further into blatant commercialization and politization of medicine [through] government policies and health care businesses pursued in the name of health care…We want to jealously guard our responsibility of first serving each patient, and not allow ourselves to become the voices of commerce…It is time to organize ourselves to speak about what we can do for patients, to let patients speak of what we do for them, to spell out the conditions that allow us to practice medicine, rather than become victims of commercialization in medicine. If we want to be technicians, we need only allow current conditions to go unchallenged. If we want to remain doctors, we will have to act decisively to address the best interest of each patient.
“Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics: the emerging faces of nutrition,” J. FASEB 2005;19:1602
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“The recognition that nutrients have the ability to interact and modulate molecular mechanisms underlying an organism’s physiological functions has prompted a revolution in the field of nutrition.”
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“Nutrigenomics (diet influences gene function) and nutrigenetics (genes determine how food affects us) provide the necessary stepping stones to achieve the ambitious goal of optimizing an individual’s health via nutritional intervention.”
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“Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics optimize health through the personalization of diet, provide powerful approaches to unravel the complex relationship between nutritional molecules, genetic polymorphisms, and the biological system as a whole.”
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Add these two terms to the list of
Genomics (analysis of genes,) Transcriptonomics (how genes are copied for function,) and
Metabolomics (how energy is produced.)
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“It is the integration of these technologies that provides the optimal means to unravel the effects of a biological challenge on an organism; thus, the concepts of systems biology, or integrated metabolism.”
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“Whereas pharmaceuticals have a targeted approach aimed at restoring health, diet is a multi-parametric approach to preserve and/or optimize health. Indeed, the diet is compromised of a multitude of nutritional and chemical molecules each capable of regulating disparate biological processes, and thus cannot use an approach similar to the pharmaceutical industry, i.e., the “one drug one target” paradigm. Hence, nutrition is a true integrative science that is well positioned to benefit from the exploitation of novel technologies capable of assessing biological networks rather than single endpoints.”
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“Unlike the pharmaceutical industry, which aims to target a specific dysfunctional gene to improve health, the nutritional industry must manage health through a complex mixture of nutritional molecules. Thus, in comparison with a medical compound, consuming a diet drastically increases the number of molecular endpoints that are capable of influencing phenotype, and thereby places the field of nutrition in a prime position to benefit from the technological innovations brought forth by the postgenomic era.”
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“Nutrition in the 21st century is poised to be an exciting and highly relevant field of research, as each new day is accompanied by advances in our understanding of how the interactions between lifestyle and genotype contribute to health and disease, taking us one step closer to achieving the highly desirable goal of personalized nutrition.”
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“Nutrigenomics describes the use of functional genomics tools to probe a biological system following a nutritional stimulus that will permit an increased understanding of how nutritional molecules affect metabolic pathways and homeostatic control. Nutrigenetics aims to understand how the genetic makeup of an individual coordinates their response to diet, and thus considers underlying genetics polymorphisms.”
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“Complex cell and molecular biology coupled with biochemistry and genetics are required if the ambitious goals of nutrigenomics are to be realized.”
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“Studies aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms promoting cardiovascular disease have often used classical biomarkers, such as cholesterol, or CRP. Inasmuch as these studies are constantly improving the validity and accuracy of our knowledge of these diseases, they all suffer from a similar inherent quandary: these studies have been designed using current dogma.”
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“Nutrigenomics technologies resolve this tunnel vision by providing a means to identify previously unrecognized and unanticipated molecular points.”
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Example: Polyunsaturaed Fatty Acids. They are involved in DNA function, energy production, inflammatory processes, growth, neurologic development, lean and fat mass development, reproduction, immunity, infections, and the incidence of virtually all chronic diseases and degenerative diseases, including cancer, atherosclerosis, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, neurodegenerative, and skin diseases.
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“Gut microbiota mediates energy storage by increasing fat reserves and insulin resistance, and thus have an influence on the development of diabetes and obesity…The drastically different responses between individuals to a given diet clearly highlights the limitations of population-based nutritional recommendations.”
“Celiac disease and Gluten-associated diseases,” J. Alternative Med Rev 2005;10:172
· Why a problem: since 1980, overproduction of refined wheat, and only two species used. Also, babies being fed wheat under 6 months of age.
· Allergy to wheat more often seen with HLA-DQ2 and DQ8 genotypes.
· Cytokines (inflammatory molecules) released when gluten goes through damaged Zonulin, or spaces on intestinal wall. Continuous ingestion perpetuates the problem. Inflammatory mediators overwhelm the body’s ability to repair the mucosal barrier damage.
· Mimicry: Our bodies see wheat as foreign molecule. Viral (J. Modern Pathology 1993;6:61,) and fungal organisms trigger a reaction to wheat, because they are similar in structure. Candida albicans amino acid sequence very similar to gliadin (wheat protein) sequences: they both stimulate T cells receptors, J. Lancet 2003;361:2152
· Testing: anti-gliadin antibodies. Best for children, who have not began to produce antibodies. Combined with + anti-endomysial antibody, it shows that intestinal villi is 99% flattened. If plasma citrulline is < 10, there are significant absorption problems.
· 10% of gluten patients have neurologic problems, J. Neurologic Science 2001;22:s117
· IgA antibodies to wheat react with human brain vessel structures of blood-brain-barrier, J. Scan 1998;33:817
· Ataxia (neurologic balance problem)gets worse the more gluten one eats, and better off gluten, J. Lancet 1998;352:1582
· 50% of gluten patients have neuropathy, J. Neurol Science 2003;24:311
· 28% have headaches, J. Neurology 2003;60:1581
· Higher risk of epilepsy with wheat allergy, BMJ 1978;2:250
· More depression: less tryptophan and Serotonin in the brain, J. Gut 1991;32:1478
· More Addison’s disease, J. Gastroent 2003;38:511
· More Diabetes type one, especially if grains were introduced under 3 months of age. Risk goes up 4 times, JAMA 2003;290:1721
· More thyroiditis, J. Pediatrics 2004;145:790
· Malabsorption, anemia, South Med J. 2004;97:30
· Osteoporosis, J. Arch Int Med 2005;165:393
· More arthritis, J. Rheumatology 2001;40:1175
· Higher risk of Sjogren’s, who have more intestinal inflammation, Am J. Gastroent 1999;94:1042
· Stop gluten for 6 months. Most can resume ingestion, NEJM 1995;333:1033
· Healing: fix imbalance of intestinal organisms and permeability. After 2-3 months, introduce grains one at a time.
· Common in gluten intolerance: lack of B complex, iron, carnitine, and selenium
· Dermatitis Herpetiformis from wheat allergies, J. Clinical Investigation 2004;114:1090
“Ferulic acid,” J. Skin and Allergy News, October 2005, page 15
- Best sunscreen when combined with Vitamin C&E, J. Invest Derm 2005;125:826
- Ferulic acid found in cell walls of grains, fruits, and veggies, especially spinach, parsley, grapes, and rhubarb
- Ferulic acid is derived from metabolism of phenylalanine and tyrosine
- Ferulic acid is a polyphenol, like caffeic acid, coumaric acid, and cinnamic acid
- Excellent antioxidant. It prevents cell damage from free radicals, J. Anticancer Research 2002;22:2711
- It protects from UV light erythema, Int J. Pharm 2000;199:39. More so when combined with Vtiamin E, J. Anticancer Research 1999;19:3769
- Anticancer agent against lung cancer, but not as good as ellagic acid (raspberries), J. Carcinogenesis 19983;4:1651
- Topical application delays onset of skin tumors, J. Cancer Letters 1991;60:253
- Chemoprotective against cancer in tongue, skin, and other organs, J. Carcinogenesis 1993;14:1321
“A yogurt a day does not necessarily keep the doctor away,” J. American Medical News, October 2005, page42
Commercial yogurt is touted as a source of probiotics by many, especially those who are brain-washed by the dairy industry.
I disagree. First, yogurt contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is not a natural probiotic in the human gut. Lactobacillus reuteri is. Second, yogurt does not have sufficient numbers of probiotics. In order to be beneficial, one must take 1-10 billion colony-forming units, far more than what is found in yogurt. In my opinion, yogurt has too many preservatives, and refined sugars, in addition to dairy itself, to be worth the trouble. Make your own yogurt with some “non-dairy milk,” and add your own cultures of probiotics. You can find them in health food stores.
Echinacea doesn’t work, NEJM 2005;353:341
This study only used 1/3 of typical Echinacea dose! They hired Wallace Sampson, M.D., to comment, whose testimony was thrown out of a California court, December 17th, 2005. Judge Haley Fromholz’s decision was upheld by California court of Appeal, April 22nd, 2002. Sampson was an expert witness in a case where the National Council Against Health Fraud was suing King Bio Pharmaceuticals, makers of herbs/homeopathy remedies. He was deemed to be not credible, since he has no knowledge of herbs. He only teaches a class to discredit non-pharmaceutical approaches.
