From the Vancouver Sun
By: Erin Ellis
Little Cammi Granato used to get headaches after she ate a ham sandwich and canned soup for lunch.
A headache? From soup? That’s doesn’t make sense, her mother told her.
That was the ’70s, but now a lot of people know that sulphite and nitrite preservatives in processed foods and prepared meats — that innocent ham sandwich — can make them feel sick.
The grown-up Cammi Granato, now 41, became an elite athlete, leading the U.S. women’s hockey team in the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. She wonders how she would have felt if she’d known more about what’s in her food years ago.
“The differences are mind-boggling how much food can really affect a little person. And I think back to when I was younger and how it affected me because I didn’t change my diet until I was much older.”
It wasn’t just the headaches, she had eczema, sores in her mouth and felt tired. She credits giving up all milk-based food, including yogurt, with clearing the symptoms and giving her more energy.
“I had no idea that the fatigue I was feeling for so long was due to the milk. It was crazy. It was an underlying fatigue that was always there, but as soon as I went off the yogurt. It just went away,” says Granato who now lives in North Vancouver with her B.C.-born husband Ray Ferraro, a broadcaster and 18-season NHL veteran.
“I wish I had all this information when I was still playing ... It was like the last piece of the puzzle.”
The picture of how food played into her life didn’t come into focus until Granato had her first son, Riley, who is now five. He had digestive trouble from the beginning, then recurring ear aches, restlessness and, as he grew older, nervous habits like incessant nail-biting and fitful sleep. Her friend Johanna Sedin, wife of Canucks team captain Henrik Sedin, recommended that she see a Vancouver nurse who’s made a career out of helping people find out what foods are hurting them.
Margaret Evans, author of a book released this spring called Could It Really be Something They Ate?, says it’s an area that’s grudgingly gaining support from some scientists, but is readily accepted by parents who sometimes see a revolutionary change in their children.
Researchers around the world have confirmed a growth in the number of people with clinically proven allergies – that is, their immune systems produce antibodies after contact with an allergen like food or pollen. The result is an allergic reaction: tight throat, swollen lips and tongue, rashes and difficulty breathing. Between four and six per cent of young children and three to four per cent of adults have a proven allergy, Health Canada reports.
But up to 38-per-cent of the population will say they have a food allergy, according to an extensive European review of the evidence funded by the EU.
The difference may be explained by a food intolerance or sensitivity that’s severe enough to cause symptoms, but does not create antibodies in the blood or produce a skin reaction commonly used to diagnose an allergy,
“These are the ones that are most tremendously on the rise,” says Evans, who blames processed foods and the over-use of antibiotics for many of the health problems she sees in clients who consult her about their diets.
She delved into the topic after years of coping with her own her digestive problems and those of her children. First, she had a screaming infant with green bowel movements who could not be settled. Then other babies who developed infections, diarrhea, stomach pain and irritability as they grew — all signs she now recognizes as food intolerance. Evans eventually took the whole family off all dairy products — no milk or cheese — then stopped her daughter from eating eggs and took wheat out of her youngest son’s diet.
“Within two weeks, the changes were nothing short of miraculous,” she writes in her book. “No more diarrhea. No more tummy aches. No more ear infections. No more fatigue and confusion.” All of her children are now adults, some with children of their own.
Evans says she has seen similar results in hundreds of clients after she conducts an exhaustive consultation listing their health history back to infancy, family health history and antibiotic use. She contends that the food at the root of the problem is generally something that the person eats everyday and probably craves as a comfort food in times of stress.
An example she sites is a nine-year-old boy who would only eat plain pasta and pizza crust with the sauce scraped off. He was diagnosed with autism, withdrew from playing with other children and had limited means of communication. As a last resort, his mother switched the pasta to rice pasta and changed the pizza crust to a gluten-free one. Within weeks, the boy began to speak in full sentences and expanded his diet to include fruits and vegetables.
Too good to be true? The trend toward a gluten-free, dairy-free diet to treat autism is such a big movement in Europe and North America that numerous researchers have tried to test its effectiveness. It’s usually called a gluten-free, casein-free diet, casein being the protein found in milk. A 2009 review of existing studies published in the journal Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders found no solid support for the diet and added that it can lead to poor nutrition and isolation because of its restrictiveness. (No pizza parties, for instance. No ice cream cones with friends.) But the authors also recommend using the diet for children with autism if their behaviour changed significantly because of it.
Then a study published in 2010 in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience found test scores improved enough in 26 autistic children in Denmark placed on a gluten-free, casein-free diet, that researchers switched over 29 other children in a control group who were not previously on the regimen.
The science behind the diet has been called the “opioid-excess theory” which says some people’s intestines are more permeable than others, allowing incompletely digested proteins which mimic natural opiates, endorphins, for instance, to enter the blood stream and disrupt normal behaviour of the nervous system. Also known as “leaky-gut syndrome” this theory has gained a wide popular following, but scientific research in the area is contradictory. A UK study published in 2008 found no elevated levels of opioids in the urine of 65 boys with autism.
For the general population, eggs, milk, soy and gluten — a protein found in wheat, rye and barley — are common causes of food sensitivities, says Evans, any food could be the culprit. She’s seen clients who had to stop eating chicken, tomatoes, potatoes, sugar, corn, raspberry jam and artificial colours.
In Granato’s case, she took eggs out of Riley’s diet and got rid of all dairy and wheat from family meals. They eat lots of fruits and vegetables, fewer processed food, more organic foods, especially meat. It had an unexpected side-effect of clearing up an intestinal inflammation that her husband had been treating with prescription medication for years.
“It’s hard (to change your diet),” says Granato, “but it’s harder to see them suffer.... Why would I want (my son) to have double ear infections, why would I want him to have anxiety, biting his nails, his nervous system in overdrive?
There’s just no reason to eat those things that trigger that.”
Thursday, October 18, 2012
I've Got a "Gut" Feeling: Leaky Gut Syndrome
By Michelle Tonkin, ND
How many times have you heard the phrase “Listen to your gut” or “Go with your gut?” Your gut is symbolically the center of all right and wrong, and if it’s not considered when you make a decision, that decision can lead you to the wrong choice. Why is it that your gut seems to govern the rest of your body?
Most medical professionals would agree that if the gut is not healthy, the body isn’t either. In fact, many of them have come to the understanding that chronic disease begins with the gut, and Leaky Gut Syndrome is more common than people think.
What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS) is the result of an imbalance of beneficial gut flora (more bad bacteria than good) that can result in reduced immunity and is present in most disorders of the GI tract.
When the cells of the small intestine become damaged, it can cause spaces within the small intestine to become larger. These microscopic holes allow food particles, bacteria, viruses, parasites, funguses, and yeast-like candida to flow freely into the bloodstream. The body sees these particles in the bloodstream as foreign invaders and goes on the offensive, producing antibodies to attack the intruders. This can result in the development of food allergies, environmental/chemical sensitivities, and ultimately, autoimmune disease processes.
Leaky Gut Syndrome Triggers
These are some common culprits that, over time, can be a causative factor in triggering leaky gut syndrome:
Drugs:
• Antibiotics
• NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc.
• Birth-control pills
• Steroid drugs
• Chemotherapeutic agents
• Antacids
Diet:
• A diet that is high in refined sugar and flour, processed foods, chemical food additives, caffeine, soda, or alcohol. These all can irritate the intestinal lining as well as overburden the liver and immune system.
Microorgan isms & Free Radicals:
• Various parasites, bacteria, mold and mycotoxins can damage the intestinal lining. The toxic byproducts set off immune responses which can further increase inflammation.
Nutrient Deficiencies:
• Zinc and vitamin B6 are needed to maintain intestinal wall integrity as well as produce hydrochloric acid.
• Vitamin A is needed to build healthy mucosal linings, including those of the intestines.
• The amino acid l-glutamine (found in protein) plays a part in the normal repair process of the intestines.
• Enzyme deficiencies to properly absorb and digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
• Lack of beneficial bacteria needed to restore proper microbial balance.
Various Diseases and Disorders:
• Inflammatory conditions such as Crohn's Disease, Colitis, Celiac, and Pancreatitis can increase intestinal permeability. The increased intestinal permeability often aggravates these conditions.
• HIV/AIDS can also create a leaky gut as can the medications used to manage the disease.
• Candidiasis
• Cancers of the gastro intestinal tract
• Food allergies that cause an immune response along the gastro intestinal tract
• Liver disorders and poor liver function
• Bacterial conditions (eg. Lyme disease, recurring Streptococcus and Staphlococcus infections)
• Viral conditions (eg.Epstein Barr, mononucleosis, and herpes) place more burden on the immune system and the gut is a major player in the body’s immunity.
Healing Leaky Gut and Restoring Intestinal Integrity
There are many types of solutions to help restore your intestine and heal Leaky Gut Syndrome. Below are a few excellent examples.
Betaine HCL: Betaine hydrochloride, also known as hydrochloric acid (HCl) or stomach acid, helps the body digest foods such as protein and fats by breaking them apart. The stomach’s naturally low pH also destroys ingested bacteria and microorganisms and keeps the gut free of invaders.
However, without adequate stomach acid, these organisms can cause many types of infections and even pave the way for full-blown disease. Without adequate levels of HCl, proper absorption of protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and iron is dramatically decreased. Without the proper amount of stomach acid, even the healthiest of foods cannot be properly digested, which in turn can lead to serious health issues. Symptoms of low hydrochloric acid are:
• bloating or belching, especially after eating
• burning in the stomach, especially after eating
• fullness or heaviness in the stomach after eating
• nausea after eating or taking supplements
• intestinal gas
• indigestion
• bad breath
• diarrhea or constipation
• food allergies
• itching around the rectum
• weak or cracked fingernails
• dilated blood vessels in the cheeks or nose (in nonalcoholics)
• skin break-outs or acne
• iron deficiency
• chronic intestinal parasites
• undigested food in the stool
• chronic Candida infection
Bowel Cleansing: Periodic cleansing of the bowel and affiliated organs is essential to health. There are many bowel cleansers on the market today, from herbal to ozone. Most are safe, effective, and non-habit-forming. The best product I have found that works effectively as a bowel and internal cleanser is a magnesium-oxide product called Bioxy Cleanse. It is important to note that stool softeners, laxatives, and enemas are not considered cleanses. Colonics are also a great option especially when dealing with chronic constipation.
Colostrum: the second immune system: Colostrum is a newer recognized supplement on the market that has proven beneficial to the immune system. Colostrum is the pre-milk fluid produced from the mother's mammary glands during the first 72 hours after birth. It provides life-supporting immune and growth factors that ensure the health and vitality of the newborn. Research shows that colostrum has powerful natural immune and growth factors that help bring the body to a state of homeostasis, or well-being. Colostrum has also been shown to help support healthy immune function, and enables us to resist the harmful effects of pollutants, allergens, bacteria, and viruses.
Apart from mother’s milk, the only known viable source of colostrum is from cows (bovine). As we age, our bodies gradually produce less immune and growth factors that help our bodies fight off disease and heal damaged body tissue. Because of the HGH (human growth hormones) in colostrum, it has the ability to help with tissue repair and healing, and is especially helpful in cases of compromised intestinal tracks, like LGS.
Candida Cleansers: Cleansing the bowel of candida will help restore microbial balance in the intestinal tract, especially when one is dealing with candida overgrowth. There are many candida cleansers on the market today. The better ones usually have some or all of the following: grapefruit-seed extract, pau’d arco, olive leaf, oregano, berberine, caprylic acid, and garlic.
Enzymes: Enzymes are protein molecules that are present in all living things and contain two parts. The first part is protein, a long chain which contains hundreds of amino acids in a specific arrangement. The other part is a coenzyme, usually a vitamin or mineral (or it may contain a vitamin, or perhaps a molecule which has been created from a vitamin). The enzymes found in food are responsible for breaking down the food particles as well as the biochemical reactions that make them ripen.
There are two different types of supplemental enzymes available: animal and plant. Animal enzymes are derived from the pancreas of beef or pork. They do not spare the body’s own production of digestive resources and therefore the body must contribute a large amount of its own enzymes to help digest food, especially in the early stage of the digestion process.
Plant enzymes are preferable because they work in a broader pH range than animal enzymes and are able to predigest food in the stomach. They are also derived from a natural source and not potentially laden with the animal toxins. While manufacturers are careful to put back vitamins and minerals that are lost during food manufacturing, they do not replace the enzymes. Therefore, unless supplemental forms of enzymes are taken, our diets will continue to be deficient in these nutrients, which are essential for overall health.
Essential Fatty Acids: There are two classes of essential fatty acids: omega-3 and omega-6. Essential fatty acids, or EFAs are “essential” for health. A membrane composed of special types of fats surrounds each cell of our body. These EFAs come directly from the foods we eat.
EFAs are important to prevent many health problems including skin disorders, heart disease, arthritis, and PMS. They are also great at reducing inflammation in the body; this is critical for healing LGS. Most people do not take in enough essential fatty acids, so it becomes essential to supplement. Good sources of EFAs are flax oil, primrose oil, borage oil, and fish oils.
L-Glutamine: L-Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid that circulates in the blood and skeletal muscles. This important amino acid is utilized in numerous vital functions and is required by our body for rapidly dividing cells, as well as repairing and restoring muscle and mucosal tissue. L- Glutamine plays an important part in intestinal integrity as it can help to tighten the intestinal holes caused by LG. Supplementation can be found in both capsules and powder. Powder is usually suggested as it covers the entire intestinal tract on its way down.
Probiotics (aka “friendly” bacteria, intestinal flora, beneficial bacteria): Our gastrointestinal tract houses more than 400 types of different microorganisms. These "friendly" microorganisms help protect our GI tract from "unfriendly" microorganisms, bacteria, parasites, viruses, yeasts, and fungi. They also act to improve immune system function, and have numerous health benefits.
The ratio of flora in the intestines should be of a ratio of 85 percent friendly bacteria to 15 percent harmful bacteria. Many of the chronically ill have the ratios reversed. Regular supplementation of a high-quality probiotic that contains numerous strains of living lactic acid bacteria will help produce good bacteria that encourages growth of a healthy colony of bacteria in the digestive tract. Research shows us that probiotics are of vital necessity as they:
• improve digestion and nutrient absorption
• dramatically improve human immune function
• protect against invasion of foreign pathogens and infectious agents
• enhance the immune system's ability to fight infections
• provide a main source of vitamin K
• lower cholesterol by metabolizing it
• control bowel toxicity and decrease the risk of bowel cancer
• reduce gas production by non-disease-producing microorganisms
• protect the body from the devastating effects of accumulated toxins
• produce short-chain fatty acids that are converted into energy
• help protect against unhealthy cholesterol buildup LGS can be controlled. Keep your entire body healthy by listening to your gut, and there will be no doubt you are making the right decision.
Michelle Tonkin, ND, CNC, MH, MI, MR, graduated with a degree in natural health and received a diploma for her Doctor of Naturopathy from Trinity College in 2005.
How many times have you heard the phrase “Listen to your gut” or “Go with your gut?” Your gut is symbolically the center of all right and wrong, and if it’s not considered when you make a decision, that decision can lead you to the wrong choice. Why is it that your gut seems to govern the rest of your body?
Most medical professionals would agree that if the gut is not healthy, the body isn’t either. In fact, many of them have come to the understanding that chronic disease begins with the gut, and Leaky Gut Syndrome is more common than people think.
What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS) is the result of an imbalance of beneficial gut flora (more bad bacteria than good) that can result in reduced immunity and is present in most disorders of the GI tract.
When the cells of the small intestine become damaged, it can cause spaces within the small intestine to become larger. These microscopic holes allow food particles, bacteria, viruses, parasites, funguses, and yeast-like candida to flow freely into the bloodstream. The body sees these particles in the bloodstream as foreign invaders and goes on the offensive, producing antibodies to attack the intruders. This can result in the development of food allergies, environmental/chemical sensitivities, and ultimately, autoimmune disease processes.
Leaky Gut Syndrome Triggers
These are some common culprits that, over time, can be a causative factor in triggering leaky gut syndrome:
Drugs:
• Antibiotics
• NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc.
• Birth-control pills
• Steroid drugs
• Chemotherapeutic agents
• Antacids
Diet:
• A diet that is high in refined sugar and flour, processed foods, chemical food additives, caffeine, soda, or alcohol. These all can irritate the intestinal lining as well as overburden the liver and immune system.
Microorgan isms & Free Radicals:
• Various parasites, bacteria, mold and mycotoxins can damage the intestinal lining. The toxic byproducts set off immune responses which can further increase inflammation.
Nutrient Deficiencies:
• Zinc and vitamin B6 are needed to maintain intestinal wall integrity as well as produce hydrochloric acid.
• Vitamin A is needed to build healthy mucosal linings, including those of the intestines.
• The amino acid l-glutamine (found in protein) plays a part in the normal repair process of the intestines.
• Enzyme deficiencies to properly absorb and digest proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
• Lack of beneficial bacteria needed to restore proper microbial balance.
Various Diseases and Disorders:
• Inflammatory conditions such as Crohn's Disease, Colitis, Celiac, and Pancreatitis can increase intestinal permeability. The increased intestinal permeability often aggravates these conditions.
• HIV/AIDS can also create a leaky gut as can the medications used to manage the disease.
• Candidiasis
• Cancers of the gastro intestinal tract
• Food allergies that cause an immune response along the gastro intestinal tract
• Liver disorders and poor liver function
• Bacterial conditions (eg. Lyme disease, recurring Streptococcus and Staphlococcus infections)
• Viral conditions (eg.Epstein Barr, mononucleosis, and herpes) place more burden on the immune system and the gut is a major player in the body’s immunity.
Healing Leaky Gut and Restoring Intestinal Integrity
There are many types of solutions to help restore your intestine and heal Leaky Gut Syndrome. Below are a few excellent examples.
Betaine HCL: Betaine hydrochloride, also known as hydrochloric acid (HCl) or stomach acid, helps the body digest foods such as protein and fats by breaking them apart. The stomach’s naturally low pH also destroys ingested bacteria and microorganisms and keeps the gut free of invaders.
However, without adequate stomach acid, these organisms can cause many types of infections and even pave the way for full-blown disease. Without adequate levels of HCl, proper absorption of protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and iron is dramatically decreased. Without the proper amount of stomach acid, even the healthiest of foods cannot be properly digested, which in turn can lead to serious health issues. Symptoms of low hydrochloric acid are:
• bloating or belching, especially after eating
• burning in the stomach, especially after eating
• fullness or heaviness in the stomach after eating
• nausea after eating or taking supplements
• intestinal gas
• indigestion
• bad breath
• diarrhea or constipation
• food allergies
• itching around the rectum
• weak or cracked fingernails
• dilated blood vessels in the cheeks or nose (in nonalcoholics)
• skin break-outs or acne
• iron deficiency
• chronic intestinal parasites
• undigested food in the stool
• chronic Candida infection
Bowel Cleansing: Periodic cleansing of the bowel and affiliated organs is essential to health. There are many bowel cleansers on the market today, from herbal to ozone. Most are safe, effective, and non-habit-forming. The best product I have found that works effectively as a bowel and internal cleanser is a magnesium-oxide product called Bioxy Cleanse. It is important to note that stool softeners, laxatives, and enemas are not considered cleanses. Colonics are also a great option especially when dealing with chronic constipation.
Colostrum: the second immune system: Colostrum is a newer recognized supplement on the market that has proven beneficial to the immune system. Colostrum is the pre-milk fluid produced from the mother's mammary glands during the first 72 hours after birth. It provides life-supporting immune and growth factors that ensure the health and vitality of the newborn. Research shows that colostrum has powerful natural immune and growth factors that help bring the body to a state of homeostasis, or well-being. Colostrum has also been shown to help support healthy immune function, and enables us to resist the harmful effects of pollutants, allergens, bacteria, and viruses.
Apart from mother’s milk, the only known viable source of colostrum is from cows (bovine). As we age, our bodies gradually produce less immune and growth factors that help our bodies fight off disease and heal damaged body tissue. Because of the HGH (human growth hormones) in colostrum, it has the ability to help with tissue repair and healing, and is especially helpful in cases of compromised intestinal tracks, like LGS.
Candida Cleansers: Cleansing the bowel of candida will help restore microbial balance in the intestinal tract, especially when one is dealing with candida overgrowth. There are many candida cleansers on the market today. The better ones usually have some or all of the following: grapefruit-seed extract, pau’d arco, olive leaf, oregano, berberine, caprylic acid, and garlic.
Enzymes: Enzymes are protein molecules that are present in all living things and contain two parts. The first part is protein, a long chain which contains hundreds of amino acids in a specific arrangement. The other part is a coenzyme, usually a vitamin or mineral (or it may contain a vitamin, or perhaps a molecule which has been created from a vitamin). The enzymes found in food are responsible for breaking down the food particles as well as the biochemical reactions that make them ripen.
There are two different types of supplemental enzymes available: animal and plant. Animal enzymes are derived from the pancreas of beef or pork. They do not spare the body’s own production of digestive resources and therefore the body must contribute a large amount of its own enzymes to help digest food, especially in the early stage of the digestion process.
Plant enzymes are preferable because they work in a broader pH range than animal enzymes and are able to predigest food in the stomach. They are also derived from a natural source and not potentially laden with the animal toxins. While manufacturers are careful to put back vitamins and minerals that are lost during food manufacturing, they do not replace the enzymes. Therefore, unless supplemental forms of enzymes are taken, our diets will continue to be deficient in these nutrients, which are essential for overall health.
Essential Fatty Acids: There are two classes of essential fatty acids: omega-3 and omega-6. Essential fatty acids, or EFAs are “essential” for health. A membrane composed of special types of fats surrounds each cell of our body. These EFAs come directly from the foods we eat.
EFAs are important to prevent many health problems including skin disorders, heart disease, arthritis, and PMS. They are also great at reducing inflammation in the body; this is critical for healing LGS. Most people do not take in enough essential fatty acids, so it becomes essential to supplement. Good sources of EFAs are flax oil, primrose oil, borage oil, and fish oils.
L-Glutamine: L-Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid that circulates in the blood and skeletal muscles. This important amino acid is utilized in numerous vital functions and is required by our body for rapidly dividing cells, as well as repairing and restoring muscle and mucosal tissue. L- Glutamine plays an important part in intestinal integrity as it can help to tighten the intestinal holes caused by LG. Supplementation can be found in both capsules and powder. Powder is usually suggested as it covers the entire intestinal tract on its way down.
Probiotics (aka “friendly” bacteria, intestinal flora, beneficial bacteria): Our gastrointestinal tract houses more than 400 types of different microorganisms. These "friendly" microorganisms help protect our GI tract from "unfriendly" microorganisms, bacteria, parasites, viruses, yeasts, and fungi. They also act to improve immune system function, and have numerous health benefits.
The ratio of flora in the intestines should be of a ratio of 85 percent friendly bacteria to 15 percent harmful bacteria. Many of the chronically ill have the ratios reversed. Regular supplementation of a high-quality probiotic that contains numerous strains of living lactic acid bacteria will help produce good bacteria that encourages growth of a healthy colony of bacteria in the digestive tract. Research shows us that probiotics are of vital necessity as they:
• improve digestion and nutrient absorption
• dramatically improve human immune function
• protect against invasion of foreign pathogens and infectious agents
• enhance the immune system's ability to fight infections
• provide a main source of vitamin K
• lower cholesterol by metabolizing it
• control bowel toxicity and decrease the risk of bowel cancer
• reduce gas production by non-disease-producing microorganisms
• protect the body from the devastating effects of accumulated toxins
• produce short-chain fatty acids that are converted into energy
• help protect against unhealthy cholesterol buildup LGS can be controlled. Keep your entire body healthy by listening to your gut, and there will be no doubt you are making the right decision.
Michelle Tonkin, ND, CNC, MH, MI, MR, graduated with a degree in natural health and received a diploma for her Doctor of Naturopathy from Trinity College in 2005.
The Seven Stages of the "Inflamed" Leaky Gut
From Natural Solutions- September 2012
1. It cannot absorb nutrients properly and usually results in fatigue and bloating.
2. Large food particles pass through the lining and cause an autoimmune response. This results in food or environmental/chemical allergies or sensitivities.
3. The carrier proteins are damaged and cause nutrient deficiencies, which can also be the cause of many symptoms (eg. a magnesium deficiency may induce muscle spasms, a copper deficiency, or high cholesterol).
4. Chemical sensitivities can develop. This leakage of toxins can overburden the liver, and make the body less able to handle the elimination of chemicals/toxins.
5. The protective coating of IgA (immunoglobulins A) is adversely affected and the body is not able to ward off protozoa, bacteria, viruses, and yeasts, such as candida.
6. Bacteria and yeasts are able to trans-locate, meaning that they can pass from the gut lumen or cavity into the bloodstream. This enables the parasite to setup infection anywhere in the body.
7. The formation of antibodies can leak across and look similar to antigens on our own tissues. When an antibody is produced to attack it, it also attacks our tissue. The result is autoimmune disease.
For a list of suggested supplements and protocols, please visit naturalsolutionsmag.com, where we have created a special page with additional information.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The New Science Behind America's Deadliest Diseases
Written By: Laura Landro - The Wall Street Journal
What do heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, stroke and cancer have in common? Scientists have linked each of these to a condition known as chronic inflammation, and they are studying how high-fat foods and excess body weight may increase the risk for fatal disorders.
Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury and outside irritants. But when the irritants don't let up, because of a diet of high-fat foods, too much body fat and smoking, for example, the immune system can spiral out of control and increase the risk for disease. Experts say when inflammation becomes chronic it can damage heart valves and brain cells, trigger strokes, and promote resistance to insulin, which leads to diabetes. It also is associated with the development of cancer.
Much of the research on chronic inflammation has focused on fighting it with drugs, such as cholesterol-lowering statins for heart disease. A growing body of research is revealing how abdominal fat and an unhealthy diet can lead to inflammation. Some scientists are investigating how certain components in foods might help. Dietary fiber from whole grains, for instance, may play a protective role against inflammation, a recent study found. And dairy foods may help ease inflammation in patients with a combination of risk factors.
The Wall Street Journal Chronic inflammation is perhaps best understood in its relation to cardiovascular disease. The immune system's white blood cells rush to the arteries when the blood vessels are besieged by low density lipoprotein, or LDL—the "bad" cholesterol. The cells embed themselves in the artery wall and gobble up the invading cholesterol, causing damage to the arteries that can lead to heart attack or stroke.
"You need to have inflammation when you have a wound and the immune system goes in to heal it. Yet we don't want too much inflammation in our system causing damage to our arteries" and other harm, says Wendy Weber, a program director at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health.
One significant discovery concerns obesity and the ways it promotes inflammation. Fat cells, particularly those in the visceral fat that settles in the belly and around organs, were long thought merely to store excess weight. Instead, fat cells act like small factories to churn out molecules known as cytokines, which set inflammation in motion, says Peter Libby, chief of the division of cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and a professor at Harvard Medical School.
"We've learned that abdominal fat tissue is a hotbed of inflammation that pours out all kinds of inflammatory molecules," Dr. Libby says. The most important step patients can take is to lose excess weight, which can reduce inflammation in a matter of weeks or months, he says.
A substance known as C-reactive protein, measured with a simple blood test, is an indicator of inflammation in the body. A report published in Archives of Internal Medicine in 2007, which analyzed results of 33 separate studies, found that losing weight can lower C-reactive protein levels. For each one kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of weight loss, whether by dieting, exercise or surgery, the mean reduction in C-reactive protein among participants was 0.13 milligram per liter.
According to the American Heart Association, a C-reactive protein level of less than 1 mg/L indicates a low risk of cardiovascular disease, 1 to 3 mg/L indicates moderate risk, and greater than 3 mg/L equals high risk. Doctors increasingly are ordering the test for patients at moderate risk for heart disease.
At a meeting in Quebec City last week on abdominal obesity and its health risks, experts in cardiology, endocrinology, nutrition and related specialties presented a wide range of new research linking obesity to inflammation-related diseases.
A number of nutritionists and physicians have developed anti-inflammatory diets. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard professor of medicine, co-wrote "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Anti-Inflammation Diet." Dr. Cannon says his recommended diet is based on both the Mediterranean diet and a Healthy Eating Pyramid developed at Harvard University. This encourages consuming whole-grain foods, unsaturated fats such as plant oils, fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, poultry, eggs and moderate amounts of dairy foods. It also suggests avoiding as much as possible red meat, butter, sweets and white foods such as rice, potatoes and pasta.
Still, there is little evidence to support any specific diet to protect against inflammation, says Dr. Cannon. "If you weigh 300 pounds and eat healthy, the weight will still counter any beneficial foods you are eating," Dr. Cannon says.
The American Heart Association recommends consuming both omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold-water fish like salmon and canola oil, and omega-6 fatty acids, found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils such as corn oil. But investigators are still studying the roles each may play in promoting or controlling inflammation.
In one study, researchers at Vanderbilt University are focusing on whether omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of colorectal cancers and diminish the production of inflammatory molecules. Principal investigator Harvey Murff says many Americans consume far more omega-6 fatty acids, and one aim is to determine a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Greater dietary fiber consumption was associated with lower levels of C-reactive protein and other markers in the blood that signal inflammation, according to a new study involving nearly 600 adolescents published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Norman Pollock, a researcher at Georgia Health Sciences University and a co-author of the study, says one explanation may be that fiber is associated with higher levels of a protein hormone that improves insulin sensitivity, which in turn lowers levels of inflammation.
A combination of nutrients found in dairy food may also help ease inflammation in patients at risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In a 40-patient study published last year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, patients who were given 3½ servings of dairy daily over 12 weeks showed reductions in several markers of inflammation compared with a group given just half a serving of dairy per day. The first group also showed reduced blood pressure. Michael Zemel, a co-author of the study and professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee's Department of Nutrition, says three daily servings of dairy containing whey and its nutrients could help guard against inflammation. He recommends low-fat milk or yogurt.
New research funded by the National Institutes of Health is looking at the relationship of diet, inflammation and cancer.
"Cancer is caused by many different processes and inflammation is one of them, and if you could inhibit that process it would be tremendously helpful," says Young S. Kim, program director in the Nutritional Science Research Group at the National Cancer Institute
What do heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, stroke and cancer have in common? Scientists have linked each of these to a condition known as chronic inflammation, and they are studying how high-fat foods and excess body weight may increase the risk for fatal disorders.
Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury and outside irritants. But when the irritants don't let up, because of a diet of high-fat foods, too much body fat and smoking, for example, the immune system can spiral out of control and increase the risk for disease. Experts say when inflammation becomes chronic it can damage heart valves and brain cells, trigger strokes, and promote resistance to insulin, which leads to diabetes. It also is associated with the development of cancer.
Much of the research on chronic inflammation has focused on fighting it with drugs, such as cholesterol-lowering statins for heart disease. A growing body of research is revealing how abdominal fat and an unhealthy diet can lead to inflammation. Some scientists are investigating how certain components in foods might help. Dietary fiber from whole grains, for instance, may play a protective role against inflammation, a recent study found. And dairy foods may help ease inflammation in patients with a combination of risk factors.
The Wall Street Journal Chronic inflammation is perhaps best understood in its relation to cardiovascular disease. The immune system's white blood cells rush to the arteries when the blood vessels are besieged by low density lipoprotein, or LDL—the "bad" cholesterol. The cells embed themselves in the artery wall and gobble up the invading cholesterol, causing damage to the arteries that can lead to heart attack or stroke.
"You need to have inflammation when you have a wound and the immune system goes in to heal it. Yet we don't want too much inflammation in our system causing damage to our arteries" and other harm, says Wendy Weber, a program director at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health.
One significant discovery concerns obesity and the ways it promotes inflammation. Fat cells, particularly those in the visceral fat that settles in the belly and around organs, were long thought merely to store excess weight. Instead, fat cells act like small factories to churn out molecules known as cytokines, which set inflammation in motion, says Peter Libby, chief of the division of cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and a professor at Harvard Medical School.
"We've learned that abdominal fat tissue is a hotbed of inflammation that pours out all kinds of inflammatory molecules," Dr. Libby says. The most important step patients can take is to lose excess weight, which can reduce inflammation in a matter of weeks or months, he says.
A substance known as C-reactive protein, measured with a simple blood test, is an indicator of inflammation in the body. A report published in Archives of Internal Medicine in 2007, which analyzed results of 33 separate studies, found that losing weight can lower C-reactive protein levels. For each one kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of weight loss, whether by dieting, exercise or surgery, the mean reduction in C-reactive protein among participants was 0.13 milligram per liter.
According to the American Heart Association, a C-reactive protein level of less than 1 mg/L indicates a low risk of cardiovascular disease, 1 to 3 mg/L indicates moderate risk, and greater than 3 mg/L equals high risk. Doctors increasingly are ordering the test for patients at moderate risk for heart disease.
At a meeting in Quebec City last week on abdominal obesity and its health risks, experts in cardiology, endocrinology, nutrition and related specialties presented a wide range of new research linking obesity to inflammation-related diseases.
A number of nutritionists and physicians have developed anti-inflammatory diets. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard professor of medicine, co-wrote "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Anti-Inflammation Diet." Dr. Cannon says his recommended diet is based on both the Mediterranean diet and a Healthy Eating Pyramid developed at Harvard University. This encourages consuming whole-grain foods, unsaturated fats such as plant oils, fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, poultry, eggs and moderate amounts of dairy foods. It also suggests avoiding as much as possible red meat, butter, sweets and white foods such as rice, potatoes and pasta.
Still, there is little evidence to support any specific diet to protect against inflammation, says Dr. Cannon. "If you weigh 300 pounds and eat healthy, the weight will still counter any beneficial foods you are eating," Dr. Cannon says.
The American Heart Association recommends consuming both omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold-water fish like salmon and canola oil, and omega-6 fatty acids, found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils such as corn oil. But investigators are still studying the roles each may play in promoting or controlling inflammation.
In one study, researchers at Vanderbilt University are focusing on whether omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of colorectal cancers and diminish the production of inflammatory molecules. Principal investigator Harvey Murff says many Americans consume far more omega-6 fatty acids, and one aim is to determine a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Greater dietary fiber consumption was associated with lower levels of C-reactive protein and other markers in the blood that signal inflammation, according to a new study involving nearly 600 adolescents published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Norman Pollock, a researcher at Georgia Health Sciences University and a co-author of the study, says one explanation may be that fiber is associated with higher levels of a protein hormone that improves insulin sensitivity, which in turn lowers levels of inflammation.
A combination of nutrients found in dairy food may also help ease inflammation in patients at risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In a 40-patient study published last year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, patients who were given 3½ servings of dairy daily over 12 weeks showed reductions in several markers of inflammation compared with a group given just half a serving of dairy per day. The first group also showed reduced blood pressure. Michael Zemel, a co-author of the study and professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee's Department of Nutrition, says three daily servings of dairy containing whey and its nutrients could help guard against inflammation. He recommends low-fat milk or yogurt.
New research funded by the National Institutes of Health is looking at the relationship of diet, inflammation and cancer.
"Cancer is caused by many different processes and inflammation is one of them, and if you could inhibit that process it would be tremendously helpful," says Young S. Kim, program director in the Nutritional Science Research Group at the National Cancer Institute
Inflammation: Put Out The Fire That Consumes Your Health
by Sayan Sarkar
Inflammation is a condition that, to one degree or another, afflicts tens of millions of people nationwide. As an isolated occurrence, inflammation is an appropriate response your body employs to address injury or infection. When inflammation becomes persistant, however, that’s a cause for concern.
Inflammation is a major underlying factor in chronic conditions such as arthritis or poor digestive health, resulting in serious discomfort and a limited lifestyle. In other instances, inflammation is a periodic byproduct of stress and the proverbial wear-and-tear of living. At times we tax our bodies excessively, causing joint pain and decreased mobility. And yet, there are occasions where the stressful demands of work and family—the unexpected obstacles that are symptoms of financial and personal hardship, unhealthy diet, and too little sleep—manifest themselves through inflammation.
Think of inflammation as a catchall for a variety of things (some of them serious, some of them less worrisome) where there is a distinctive set of causes. The challenge rests with finding an effective solution, which is practical, convenient, and affordable. Concerning these three points, there is a world of difference between products with extravagant claims and brands that commit to fight the epidemic known as inflammation.
The consequences of both nature and nurture—the genetic vulnerabilities we each possess, intensified by the (poor) decisions we make—contribute to inflammation. Our duty is to recognize the severity of this issue and take action for the betterment of all.
A simple review of the numbers underscores the need to educate ourselves about the culprits responsible for inflammation. If you don’t personally experience the symptoms, odds are that a friend or loved one battles with this condition. Consider inflammation as a sign that the body is in a fight against a specific enemy; in that respect, inflammation is the result, not the cause, of something more serious.
Persistent, systemic inflammation increases a person’s risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and an assortment of other problems that become more likely as we age. More disturbing is the rise in the use of prescription drugs—many of which have serious long-term side effects—as a response to the growing threat of inflammation.
Physicians and pharmacologists do important work in developing medicines that may halt the progression of diseases that, literally, threaten life and limb, in the instance of inflammation, an all-natural over-the-counter remedy can treat the same problem—with few, if any, side effects.
There are immediate steps we can all take to reduce inflammation, starting with improved exercise and better eating habits. Sufficient rest and a strong immune system complement this beginning, so that we can better control inflammation when it strikes.
Diet is critical. Amidst the far-too-numerous types of processed foods, sugary drinks, and oversized meals, we must seize any chance to embrace the benefits of sound nutrition. Eating whole foods and including exercise such as resistance training and light cardiovascular workouts is a manageable way to diminish bouts of inflammation. The long-term advantages, in terms of physical and emotional health, are immeasurable.
Also, by eliminating drinking and smoking—these are an invitation for all manner of otherwise avoidable diseases—people can make significant progress in their quest to vanquish inflammation. If these recommendations are still not persuasive, consider the financial savings related to cutting out alcohol and tobacco: the billions of dollars that go to hospitals, recovery centers, care facilities, and support programs could be redirected to help non-smokers with other health problems.
Supplements provide another avenue to fight inflammation. It is important to note: not all supplements are the same; not every supplement has the right ingredients to provide nutritional support, based on the right clinical research. For, in the absence of extensive supporting data and independent verification of supplement benefits, consumers must make a leap of faith. Doing so is neither wise nor efficient. We, as consumers, need to read the fine print, which reveals a supplement’s potential based on its ingredient list.
With this in mind, here are some key ingredients to identify:
Turmeric Extract (Curcumin) has been used for nearly 4,000 years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine and relieves pain from arthritis, various injuries, and detoxifies the body and liver;
Black Pepper (Piperine) dates back to 6,000 BCE and may enhance thermogenic activity in the digestive tract, thus strengthening the bioavailability of several nutrients;
Milk Thistle (Silymarin) has high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may offer the liver protection from toxins;
Green Tea may reduce oxidative damage to cells, reduce severity of heart disease, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increase the rate of fat burning;
Ginger Root is critical in relieving nausea and has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties;
Asparagus Root contains anti-inflammatory nutrients, as well as various antioxidants such as Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and the minerals selenium, zinc, and manganese;
Gentian Root may help the body increase gastric secretions, improve digestion, and allow for better overall gastrointestinal health;
Eleutherococcus (Siberian Ginseng) may have a significant impact on reducing excessive cortisol production and boosting the immune system;
B Vitamin Complex provides crucial support for the brain, metabolism, digestive system, and various cellular and bodily functions;
N-Acetyl Cysteine may combat various environmental chemicals, toxins, and pollutants; and Inositol is an essential bodily ingredient at the cellular level.
These ingredients are all available individually, but combining all of these properties in one supplement is essential. And therein lies a fundamental fact: the only way to get the power of these ingredients without taking multiple supplements throughout day, or spending large sums of money on these products, is to find a single supplement that can achieve the same result.
Through smart living and appropriate supplements, we can win the battle against inflammation. Use this information to reclaim your health and peace of mind.
Inflammation-Fighting Tips
Extinguishing inflammation is equal parts prevention and reaction. Make these steps part of your weekly routine.
• Learn about inflammation and its role in many major diseases.
• Make personal wellness your top priority.
• Take twenty minutes a day for relaxation, leisurely walking or meditation.
• Resistance training and/or light cardiovascular exercise for at least thirty minutes, three times a week.
• Increased eating of fruits, vegetables, and Omega-3 foods (organic meats, fish, olive oil) and decreased consumption of Omega-6 foods (commercial meats, most vegetable oils, processed foods).
• Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
• Eliminate or reduce stressful situations.
Inflammation is a condition that, to one degree or another, afflicts tens of millions of people nationwide. As an isolated occurrence, inflammation is an appropriate response your body employs to address injury or infection. When inflammation becomes persistant, however, that’s a cause for concern.
Inflammation is a major underlying factor in chronic conditions such as arthritis or poor digestive health, resulting in serious discomfort and a limited lifestyle. In other instances, inflammation is a periodic byproduct of stress and the proverbial wear-and-tear of living. At times we tax our bodies excessively, causing joint pain and decreased mobility. And yet, there are occasions where the stressful demands of work and family—the unexpected obstacles that are symptoms of financial and personal hardship, unhealthy diet, and too little sleep—manifest themselves through inflammation.
Think of inflammation as a catchall for a variety of things (some of them serious, some of them less worrisome) where there is a distinctive set of causes. The challenge rests with finding an effective solution, which is practical, convenient, and affordable. Concerning these three points, there is a world of difference between products with extravagant claims and brands that commit to fight the epidemic known as inflammation.
The consequences of both nature and nurture—the genetic vulnerabilities we each possess, intensified by the (poor) decisions we make—contribute to inflammation. Our duty is to recognize the severity of this issue and take action for the betterment of all.
A simple review of the numbers underscores the need to educate ourselves about the culprits responsible for inflammation. If you don’t personally experience the symptoms, odds are that a friend or loved one battles with this condition. Consider inflammation as a sign that the body is in a fight against a specific enemy; in that respect, inflammation is the result, not the cause, of something more serious.
Persistent, systemic inflammation increases a person’s risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and an assortment of other problems that become more likely as we age. More disturbing is the rise in the use of prescription drugs—many of which have serious long-term side effects—as a response to the growing threat of inflammation.
Physicians and pharmacologists do important work in developing medicines that may halt the progression of diseases that, literally, threaten life and limb, in the instance of inflammation, an all-natural over-the-counter remedy can treat the same problem—with few, if any, side effects.
There are immediate steps we can all take to reduce inflammation, starting with improved exercise and better eating habits. Sufficient rest and a strong immune system complement this beginning, so that we can better control inflammation when it strikes.
Diet is critical. Amidst the far-too-numerous types of processed foods, sugary drinks, and oversized meals, we must seize any chance to embrace the benefits of sound nutrition. Eating whole foods and including exercise such as resistance training and light cardiovascular workouts is a manageable way to diminish bouts of inflammation. The long-term advantages, in terms of physical and emotional health, are immeasurable.
Also, by eliminating drinking and smoking—these are an invitation for all manner of otherwise avoidable diseases—people can make significant progress in their quest to vanquish inflammation. If these recommendations are still not persuasive, consider the financial savings related to cutting out alcohol and tobacco: the billions of dollars that go to hospitals, recovery centers, care facilities, and support programs could be redirected to help non-smokers with other health problems.
Supplements provide another avenue to fight inflammation. It is important to note: not all supplements are the same; not every supplement has the right ingredients to provide nutritional support, based on the right clinical research. For, in the absence of extensive supporting data and independent verification of supplement benefits, consumers must make a leap of faith. Doing so is neither wise nor efficient. We, as consumers, need to read the fine print, which reveals a supplement’s potential based on its ingredient list.
With this in mind, here are some key ingredients to identify:
Turmeric Extract (Curcumin) has been used for nearly 4,000 years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine and relieves pain from arthritis, various injuries, and detoxifies the body and liver;
Black Pepper (Piperine) dates back to 6,000 BCE and may enhance thermogenic activity in the digestive tract, thus strengthening the bioavailability of several nutrients;
Milk Thistle (Silymarin) has high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may offer the liver protection from toxins;
Green Tea may reduce oxidative damage to cells, reduce severity of heart disease, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increase the rate of fat burning;
Ginger Root is critical in relieving nausea and has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties;
Asparagus Root contains anti-inflammatory nutrients, as well as various antioxidants such as Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and the minerals selenium, zinc, and manganese;
Gentian Root may help the body increase gastric secretions, improve digestion, and allow for better overall gastrointestinal health;
Eleutherococcus (Siberian Ginseng) may have a significant impact on reducing excessive cortisol production and boosting the immune system;
B Vitamin Complex provides crucial support for the brain, metabolism, digestive system, and various cellular and bodily functions;
N-Acetyl Cysteine may combat various environmental chemicals, toxins, and pollutants; and Inositol is an essential bodily ingredient at the cellular level.
These ingredients are all available individually, but combining all of these properties in one supplement is essential. And therein lies a fundamental fact: the only way to get the power of these ingredients without taking multiple supplements throughout day, or spending large sums of money on these products, is to find a single supplement that can achieve the same result.
Through smart living and appropriate supplements, we can win the battle against inflammation. Use this information to reclaim your health and peace of mind.
Inflammation-Fighting Tips
Extinguishing inflammation is equal parts prevention and reaction. Make these steps part of your weekly routine.
• Learn about inflammation and its role in many major diseases.
• Make personal wellness your top priority.
• Take twenty minutes a day for relaxation, leisurely walking or meditation.
• Resistance training and/or light cardiovascular exercise for at least thirty minutes, three times a week.
• Increased eating of fruits, vegetables, and Omega-3 foods (organic meats, fish, olive oil) and decreased consumption of Omega-6 foods (commercial meats, most vegetable oils, processed foods).
• Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
• Eliminate or reduce stressful situations.
When Food Causes Your Pain
(CNN) -- Everyone has felt the agony of overeating. But could your diet really be the culprit of arthritis, muscle pain, asthma and skin disorders as well?
Scientists are making a strong link between our food choices and pain.
About 70% of our immune cells are in our digestive system, making direct contact with the food we enjoy every day. If the immune system is triggered by bacteria in food, or flags a food as an allergen, or has an imbalance of important hormones such as insulin, it can set off the red alert of inflammation.
For example, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that processed sugars and other high-glycemic starches increase inflammation, which causes pain, overheating, redness and swelling.
While inflammation is an important part of the body's healing process, chronic inflammation is at the root of many deadly diseases. The great news is that we can completely heal and prevent chronic inflammation with an eating plan.
The solution to pain is choosing to support your immune system with your next meal.
Here are five powerful ways to reduce inflammation:
1. Ditch the flour and sugar
White flour, a simple carbohydrate, breaks down into sugar right in your mouth with the help of digestive enzymes, so save your sweets for special treats.
And high amounts of sugar in the diet increase advanced glycation end-products, or AGEs, a protein bound to a glucose molecule, resulting in damaged, cross-linked proteins.
As the body tries to break these AGEs apart, immune cells secrete inflammatory messengers called cytokines. Depending on where the AGEs occur and your genetic predisposition, they could eventually result in arthritis, cataracts, heart disease, poor memory or wrinkled skin.
2. Avoid foods to which you may be sensitive or allergic
Eating foods that you are allergic to destabilizes your insulin and causes poor blood sugar levels, which leads to greater inflammation. A high level of insulin increases cortisol, your stress hormone, which causes your body to hold on to fat rather than allowing you to burn it for energy. Excess belly fat is an indicator of chronic inflammation.
Food allergies also trigger mast cells to release histamine, causing the redness and swelling associated with inflammation.
You must individualize your eating plan to avoid foods you are sensitive to. Common allergens include wheat, gluten, corn, dairy, sugar and potatoes.
3. Eat a rainbow
Red radishes, orange yams, purple cabbage and dark-green veggies are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants that dampen inflammation. Focus on cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, etc.), which are loaded with Indole 3 Carbonol.
The sulfur in this vegetable family also helps detox the liver.
Plus, a study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating berries daily could significantly reduce inflammation.
4. Eat lean protein sources
Beans, chicken, turkey and wild game (elk, emu, bison, etc.) are great sources of lean protein. An Pan and the research team at the Harvard School of Public Health released a study in March showing that red meat consumption (beef, pork and lamb) was associated with a higher risk of early death.
Beyond the concern of sodium or nitrates, red meat contains high amounts of arachidonic acid that can promote inflammation. Other food sources to consider include eggs and dairy products.
5. Give yourself an oil change
Avoid refined trans-fat, omega-6 oil (soy, corn and cottonseed oil) in cooking and use more olive oil. Olive oil is a great source of oleic acid, making it a powerful anti-inflammatory oil.
Spanish researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition that people who consume more oleic acid have better insulin function and lower blood sugar.
Pasture-fed livestock, flax, chia and hemp seeds, wild salmon (not farmed) or smaller coldwater fish such as herring, sardines and mackerel are your best choices for high-powered, anti-inflammatory foods.
Scientists are making a strong link between our food choices and pain.
About 70% of our immune cells are in our digestive system, making direct contact with the food we enjoy every day. If the immune system is triggered by bacteria in food, or flags a food as an allergen, or has an imbalance of important hormones such as insulin, it can set off the red alert of inflammation.
For example, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that processed sugars and other high-glycemic starches increase inflammation, which causes pain, overheating, redness and swelling.
While inflammation is an important part of the body's healing process, chronic inflammation is at the root of many deadly diseases. The great news is that we can completely heal and prevent chronic inflammation with an eating plan.
The solution to pain is choosing to support your immune system with your next meal.
Here are five powerful ways to reduce inflammation:
1. Ditch the flour and sugar
White flour, a simple carbohydrate, breaks down into sugar right in your mouth with the help of digestive enzymes, so save your sweets for special treats.
And high amounts of sugar in the diet increase advanced glycation end-products, or AGEs, a protein bound to a glucose molecule, resulting in damaged, cross-linked proteins.
As the body tries to break these AGEs apart, immune cells secrete inflammatory messengers called cytokines. Depending on where the AGEs occur and your genetic predisposition, they could eventually result in arthritis, cataracts, heart disease, poor memory or wrinkled skin.
2. Avoid foods to which you may be sensitive or allergic
Eating foods that you are allergic to destabilizes your insulin and causes poor blood sugar levels, which leads to greater inflammation. A high level of insulin increases cortisol, your stress hormone, which causes your body to hold on to fat rather than allowing you to burn it for energy. Excess belly fat is an indicator of chronic inflammation.
Food allergies also trigger mast cells to release histamine, causing the redness and swelling associated with inflammation.
You must individualize your eating plan to avoid foods you are sensitive to. Common allergens include wheat, gluten, corn, dairy, sugar and potatoes.
3. Eat a rainbow
Red radishes, orange yams, purple cabbage and dark-green veggies are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants that dampen inflammation. Focus on cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, etc.), which are loaded with Indole 3 Carbonol.
The sulfur in this vegetable family also helps detox the liver.
Plus, a study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating berries daily could significantly reduce inflammation.
4. Eat lean protein sources
Beans, chicken, turkey and wild game (elk, emu, bison, etc.) are great sources of lean protein. An Pan and the research team at the Harvard School of Public Health released a study in March showing that red meat consumption (beef, pork and lamb) was associated with a higher risk of early death.
Beyond the concern of sodium or nitrates, red meat contains high amounts of arachidonic acid that can promote inflammation. Other food sources to consider include eggs and dairy products.
5. Give yourself an oil change
Avoid refined trans-fat, omega-6 oil (soy, corn and cottonseed oil) in cooking and use more olive oil. Olive oil is a great source of oleic acid, making it a powerful anti-inflammatory oil.
Spanish researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition that people who consume more oleic acid have better insulin function and lower blood sugar.
Pasture-fed livestock, flax, chia and hemp seeds, wild salmon (not farmed) or smaller coldwater fish such as herring, sardines and mackerel are your best choices for high-powered, anti-inflammatory foods.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
When Men Get Rheumatoid Arthritis
By Matt McMillen
What to do if joint pain turns out to be RA.
For a few years, Andrew Ellis tried to tough out the pain, which started in his thumb. A boxer and football player in college, Ellis, 58, was used to aches and pains. He’d even broken his thumb once, so he told himself the new pain was from the old break. Then his other thumb began to hurt. Soon, he had pain in his toes and the balls of his feet. When his neck began to hurt, he finally admitted to himself that it was time to see a doctor.
“I said to myself, ‘There’s something wrong,” recalls Ellis, who retired after 28 years in the military and now lives in Bel Air, Md.
He was right. Ellis learned that he had rheumatoid arthritis.
For a man, that’s a rather uncommon diagnosis. Of the estimated 1.3 million people with the disease in the U.S., women outnumber men by as much as three to one.
It’s not known why the condition is so much more common among women, though there’s evidence to suggest that hormonal differences might explain at least some of the disparity in numbers. In fact, other rheumatic diseases, such as lupus and fibromyalgia, also affect many more women than men.
Good News and Bad News for Men with RA
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It causes the body’s immune system to attack the lining of joints. This leads to painful inflammation, swelling, and stiffness. In advanced stages, the damage caused by such inflammation can be quite debilitating.
RA symptoms can last anywhere from a few months to a lifetime. For some people, it flares up on occasion, then temporarily goes into remission; for others, it can be a constant, painful presence.
For men with the disease, there may be some good news. According to rheumatologist Grant Louie, MD, an arthritis specialist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, men may have a less severe disease course than women. Men may also be more likely to have their disease go into remission, especially if it is caught and treated early.
Diagnosing and treating the disease early is important for other reasons, as well. Joint damage often happens during the first two years of having RA, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Many men, though, are much less likely than women to see a doctor, for arthritis or anything else. Ellis is a perfect example. He put up with his pain for three to four years before consulting with a physician.
“Men are often diagnosed later because they tend to downplay their symptoms,” says Louie, who is treating Ellis' RA. “They may not recognize that it is something that they need treatment for.”
Louie adds that men also may have fewer functional disabilities than women do. But the reason may be that men are underreporting the extent of the difficulties that the disease is causing. This also comes up when diagnosing RA.
One of the standard diagnostic tests involves probing joints for tenderness. As the doctor does this, the patient ranks the amount of discomfort he experiences.
“A man may be reluctant to say, ‘This hurts,’ because it would reveal weakness, which could make it more difficult to evaluate the disease,” Louie says. “The good news is there are also objective measures.”
Blood tests, for example, will reveal the presence of particular antibodies associated with RA, as well as measure indicators of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein levels. So the arthritis can be diagnosed even if the man won’t admit to feeling the pain.
But the first order of business, says Louie, is getting men to admit that they are experiencing pain and then to see a doctor.
“We need to advise men so that they are aware that their symptoms may be rheumatoid arthritis,” Louie says. “The chances for successful treatment are higher the earlier we can catch it.”
Stick with Your Treatment
Many different medications are used to control RA. They range from analgesics for pain relief to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation to a class of medications known as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which can slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
For his arthritis, Ellis takes an NSAID, as well as methotrexate, a DMARD that Louie calls the “mainstay” of arthritis treatment. Taking the drugs, which Ellis says has not caused any noticeable side effects, has eased his pain and stiffness considerably. The balls of his feet no longer trouble him, and he is now able to go running again each weekend.
The drugs, says Louie, can be extremely helpful, and men and women do equally well when taking them. But men, he says, are less likely than women to stick with their prescribed treatment. “Once they are being treated and start to feel better, they often say, ‘I’ll see if I can take less of the medication,’” Louie says.
Ellis was no exception. “I said to myself, ‘I don’t want to take all these drugs.’ So he stopped taking the NSAID. "Then I had more pain, and I went back on it," he recalls.
Keeping Active Helps
“Everyone needs exercise, but especially patients with RA,” says Louie. “RA patients who adhere to an active lifestyle appear to have less severe disease activity than those with more of a sedentary lifestyle.”
That’s true for men and women. But “participation in physical therapy and adherence to recommended exercise programs appear to be lower in men,” Louie says.
Not Ellis. He is a lifelong exerciser. And that seems to have helped keep his arthritis under control. Although he wakes up achy and stiff, he says that doesn’t last past his morning routine of pushups, sit ups, and leg lifts coupled with a cardio workout, either on his elliptical trainer or, on weekends, running.
“Whatever type of exercise, I’m out and doing something,” he says, adding that the medications he takes help make that possible. “The methotrexate subdues the pain and lets me do those things.”
What to do if joint pain turns out to be RA.
For a few years, Andrew Ellis tried to tough out the pain, which started in his thumb. A boxer and football player in college, Ellis, 58, was used to aches and pains. He’d even broken his thumb once, so he told himself the new pain was from the old break. Then his other thumb began to hurt. Soon, he had pain in his toes and the balls of his feet. When his neck began to hurt, he finally admitted to himself that it was time to see a doctor.
“I said to myself, ‘There’s something wrong,” recalls Ellis, who retired after 28 years in the military and now lives in Bel Air, Md.
He was right. Ellis learned that he had rheumatoid arthritis.
For a man, that’s a rather uncommon diagnosis. Of the estimated 1.3 million people with the disease in the U.S., women outnumber men by as much as three to one.
It’s not known why the condition is so much more common among women, though there’s evidence to suggest that hormonal differences might explain at least some of the disparity in numbers. In fact, other rheumatic diseases, such as lupus and fibromyalgia, also affect many more women than men.
Good News and Bad News for Men with RA
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It causes the body’s immune system to attack the lining of joints. This leads to painful inflammation, swelling, and stiffness. In advanced stages, the damage caused by such inflammation can be quite debilitating.
RA symptoms can last anywhere from a few months to a lifetime. For some people, it flares up on occasion, then temporarily goes into remission; for others, it can be a constant, painful presence.
For men with the disease, there may be some good news. According to rheumatologist Grant Louie, MD, an arthritis specialist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, men may have a less severe disease course than women. Men may also be more likely to have their disease go into remission, especially if it is caught and treated early.
Diagnosing and treating the disease early is important for other reasons, as well. Joint damage often happens during the first two years of having RA, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Many men, though, are much less likely than women to see a doctor, for arthritis or anything else. Ellis is a perfect example. He put up with his pain for three to four years before consulting with a physician.
“Men are often diagnosed later because they tend to downplay their symptoms,” says Louie, who is treating Ellis' RA. “They may not recognize that it is something that they need treatment for.”
Louie adds that men also may have fewer functional disabilities than women do. But the reason may be that men are underreporting the extent of the difficulties that the disease is causing. This also comes up when diagnosing RA.
One of the standard diagnostic tests involves probing joints for tenderness. As the doctor does this, the patient ranks the amount of discomfort he experiences.
“A man may be reluctant to say, ‘This hurts,’ because it would reveal weakness, which could make it more difficult to evaluate the disease,” Louie says. “The good news is there are also objective measures.”
Blood tests, for example, will reveal the presence of particular antibodies associated with RA, as well as measure indicators of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein levels. So the arthritis can be diagnosed even if the man won’t admit to feeling the pain.
But the first order of business, says Louie, is getting men to admit that they are experiencing pain and then to see a doctor.
“We need to advise men so that they are aware that their symptoms may be rheumatoid arthritis,” Louie says. “The chances for successful treatment are higher the earlier we can catch it.”
Stick with Your Treatment
Many different medications are used to control RA. They range from analgesics for pain relief to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation to a class of medications known as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which can slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
For his arthritis, Ellis takes an NSAID, as well as methotrexate, a DMARD that Louie calls the “mainstay” of arthritis treatment. Taking the drugs, which Ellis says has not caused any noticeable side effects, has eased his pain and stiffness considerably. The balls of his feet no longer trouble him, and he is now able to go running again each weekend.
The drugs, says Louie, can be extremely helpful, and men and women do equally well when taking them. But men, he says, are less likely than women to stick with their prescribed treatment. “Once they are being treated and start to feel better, they often say, ‘I’ll see if I can take less of the medication,’” Louie says.
Ellis was no exception. “I said to myself, ‘I don’t want to take all these drugs.’ So he stopped taking the NSAID. "Then I had more pain, and I went back on it," he recalls.
Keeping Active Helps
“Everyone needs exercise, but especially patients with RA,” says Louie. “RA patients who adhere to an active lifestyle appear to have less severe disease activity than those with more of a sedentary lifestyle.”
That’s true for men and women. But “participation in physical therapy and adherence to recommended exercise programs appear to be lower in men,” Louie says.
Not Ellis. He is a lifelong exerciser. And that seems to have helped keep his arthritis under control. Although he wakes up achy and stiff, he says that doesn’t last past his morning routine of pushups, sit ups, and leg lifts coupled with a cardio workout, either on his elliptical trainer or, on weekends, running.
“Whatever type of exercise, I’m out and doing something,” he says, adding that the medications he takes help make that possible. “The methotrexate subdues the pain and lets me do those things.”
Guide to Gluten-Free Flours
What to know about gluten-free flours, including nutritional information.
By Elizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD
Are you on a gluten-free diet? Regular breads, bagels, muffins, and many other store-bought baked goods are not allowed on gluten-free eating plans.
Here's what you need to know before you buy gluten-free grain products or bake them at home.
What Is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein present in wheat flour, which is widely used in commercial and homemade baked goods. Gluten is also found in flour made from barley, rye, spelt, and triticale, a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps dough to rise and lends shape and a chewy texture to baked goods.
"Baking without gluten can be challenging because gluten contributes important properties to baked products like cookies, cakes, pastries, and breads," says Carol Fenster, PhD, author of 10 gluten-free cookbooks, including 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes, and her most recent, 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes.
That's why, in addition to seeing gluten-free flours such as white rice flour listed in the ingredient list, you may also notice xanthan gum and guar gum. "These gums work with other ingredients, such as yeast, baking soda, and baking powder, to help the dough or batter rise," Fenster says.
Read the Label
For the estimated 3 million Americans with celiac disease, avoiding gluten is a must for good health. Others avoid gluten because they feel sensitive to it.
Among some people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, gluten-free goods may have a "health halo." That is, they're considered more nutritionally valuable for what they contain -- or don't contain, in the case of gluten.
Gluten-free bread, bagels, and muffins may taste better now than when they first hit store shelves years ago, but they haven't improved much nutritionally. The store-bought gluten-free baked goods you eat on a regular basis, such as bread and bagels, are not created equal to regular varieties made with wheat flour.
Wheat flour is typically enriched with vitamins and minerals, including iron, folic acid, and other B vitamins, and whole wheat flour supplies fiber. You can't count on gluten-free flours to provide the same nutrient profile.
It's important to read the Nutrient Facts panels carefully to help avoid certain nutrient shortfalls on a gluten-free eating plan.
"Purchase gluten-free products with added vitamins and minerals, and look for items made with whole grain flour or bean flour to help you get the nutrients you need," says Shelley Case, RD, nutrition consultant and author of Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide.
Although there's no shortage of refined carbohydrates in most commercial gluten-free baked goods, most are lower in fiber, Case says.
"When there's no gluten in a recipe, it takes far more gluten-free ingredients to produce a tasty product," Case explains.
The refined carbohydrates typically used in gluten-free products and mixes, including white rice flour and tapioca, produce baked goods that are much higher in calories and total carbohydrates than regular versions.
Simply swapping regular bread, muffins, and other baked items for gluten-free products without any regard for calories can easily lead to weight gain. Case warns that gluten-free baked goods won't necessarily help you with weight control, and they may hinder weight control efforts.
Gluten-free or not, it always pays to be aware of your personal calorie budget for weight control. Check the calories and serving sizes of store-bought baked goods, and make sure all the foods you eat, including gluten-free cookies, cake, and brownies, fit into your daily calorie allowance for weight maintenance or weight loss.
Gluten-Free Home Baking
When you're baking at home, it's impossible to simply substitute gluten-free flours for those with gluten and get the same results. However, home baking allows you to use an array of gluten-free flours with more nutrition than what's often found in commercially baked goods.
In supermarkets and online, you'll find a variety of gluten-free flours, including those made from:
•Brown rice
•Fava beans
•White beans
•Amaranth
•Potato
•Oats (make sure oats are certified gluten-free)
•Avoid buying gluten-free flours from bulk bins. You never know if someone accidentally used the whole-wheat flour scoop in a gluten-free flour bin.
When you first start baking gluten-free, it may be easier to stick with a simple multi-purpose flour blend before experimenting further.
Fenster suggests relying on a pre-mixed homemade flour blend to use in a variety of baked goods, including bread, pizza dough, and pancakes. Having a flour mix on hand is a time saver that makes gluten-free baking that much easier.
"A good flour blend uses a main or protein-laden flour such as brown rice or sorghum or beans, for example, blended with a starchy flour such as potato starch or cornstarch," Fenster says. "The protein in flour lends structure and stability, while the starchy flours add lightness and airiness."
Recipe: Gluten-Free Flour Blend
Here is Fenster's recipe for a gluten-free flour blend:
1.5 cups sorghum or brown rice flour
1.5 potato starch or cornstarch
1 cup tapioca flour
Whisk together thoroughly and store in a dark, dry place.
When substituting this blend for wheat flour in recipes, measure it as though it were wheat flour.
Fenster says the sorghum version works well for most baked goods. She relies on the brown rice version for light and delicate baked goods, such as cake. When making muffins or yeast breads, you can substitute amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, or teff flour for sorghum or brown rice flour. (Teff is a tiny grain commonly used in Ethiopian cuisine.)
By Elizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD
Are you on a gluten-free diet? Regular breads, bagels, muffins, and many other store-bought baked goods are not allowed on gluten-free eating plans.
Here's what you need to know before you buy gluten-free grain products or bake them at home.
What Is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein present in wheat flour, which is widely used in commercial and homemade baked goods. Gluten is also found in flour made from barley, rye, spelt, and triticale, a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps dough to rise and lends shape and a chewy texture to baked goods.
"Baking without gluten can be challenging because gluten contributes important properties to baked products like cookies, cakes, pastries, and breads," says Carol Fenster, PhD, author of 10 gluten-free cookbooks, including 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes, and her most recent, 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes.
That's why, in addition to seeing gluten-free flours such as white rice flour listed in the ingredient list, you may also notice xanthan gum and guar gum. "These gums work with other ingredients, such as yeast, baking soda, and baking powder, to help the dough or batter rise," Fenster says.
Read the Label
For the estimated 3 million Americans with celiac disease, avoiding gluten is a must for good health. Others avoid gluten because they feel sensitive to it.
Among some people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, gluten-free goods may have a "health halo." That is, they're considered more nutritionally valuable for what they contain -- or don't contain, in the case of gluten.
Gluten-free bread, bagels, and muffins may taste better now than when they first hit store shelves years ago, but they haven't improved much nutritionally. The store-bought gluten-free baked goods you eat on a regular basis, such as bread and bagels, are not created equal to regular varieties made with wheat flour.
Wheat flour is typically enriched with vitamins and minerals, including iron, folic acid, and other B vitamins, and whole wheat flour supplies fiber. You can't count on gluten-free flours to provide the same nutrient profile.
It's important to read the Nutrient Facts panels carefully to help avoid certain nutrient shortfalls on a gluten-free eating plan.
"Purchase gluten-free products with added vitamins and minerals, and look for items made with whole grain flour or bean flour to help you get the nutrients you need," says Shelley Case, RD, nutrition consultant and author of Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide.
Although there's no shortage of refined carbohydrates in most commercial gluten-free baked goods, most are lower in fiber, Case says.
"When there's no gluten in a recipe, it takes far more gluten-free ingredients to produce a tasty product," Case explains.
The refined carbohydrates typically used in gluten-free products and mixes, including white rice flour and tapioca, produce baked goods that are much higher in calories and total carbohydrates than regular versions.
Simply swapping regular bread, muffins, and other baked items for gluten-free products without any regard for calories can easily lead to weight gain. Case warns that gluten-free baked goods won't necessarily help you with weight control, and they may hinder weight control efforts.
Gluten-free or not, it always pays to be aware of your personal calorie budget for weight control. Check the calories and serving sizes of store-bought baked goods, and make sure all the foods you eat, including gluten-free cookies, cake, and brownies, fit into your daily calorie allowance for weight maintenance or weight loss.
Gluten-Free Home Baking
When you're baking at home, it's impossible to simply substitute gluten-free flours for those with gluten and get the same results. However, home baking allows you to use an array of gluten-free flours with more nutrition than what's often found in commercially baked goods.
In supermarkets and online, you'll find a variety of gluten-free flours, including those made from:
•Brown rice
•Fava beans
•White beans
•Amaranth
•Potato
•Oats (make sure oats are certified gluten-free)
•Avoid buying gluten-free flours from bulk bins. You never know if someone accidentally used the whole-wheat flour scoop in a gluten-free flour bin.
When you first start baking gluten-free, it may be easier to stick with a simple multi-purpose flour blend before experimenting further.
Fenster suggests relying on a pre-mixed homemade flour blend to use in a variety of baked goods, including bread, pizza dough, and pancakes. Having a flour mix on hand is a time saver that makes gluten-free baking that much easier.
"A good flour blend uses a main or protein-laden flour such as brown rice or sorghum or beans, for example, blended with a starchy flour such as potato starch or cornstarch," Fenster says. "The protein in flour lends structure and stability, while the starchy flours add lightness and airiness."
Recipe: Gluten-Free Flour Blend
Here is Fenster's recipe for a gluten-free flour blend:
1.5 cups sorghum or brown rice flour
1.5 potato starch or cornstarch
1 cup tapioca flour
Whisk together thoroughly and store in a dark, dry place.
When substituting this blend for wheat flour in recipes, measure it as though it were wheat flour.
Fenster says the sorghum version works well for most baked goods. She relies on the brown rice version for light and delicate baked goods, such as cake. When making muffins or yeast breads, you can substitute amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, or teff flour for sorghum or brown rice flour. (Teff is a tiny grain commonly used in Ethiopian cuisine.)
What Are Immune System Disorders?
Immune system disorders cause abnormally low activity or overactivity of the immune system. In cases of immune system overactivity, the body attacks and damages its own tissues (autoimmune diseases). Immune deficiency diseases decrease the body's ability to fight invaders, causing vulnerability to infections.
Allergies and Asthma
Allergies result from the immune system's overreaction to a non-threatening foreign substance. Foods and inhaled particles like pollen and pet dander are the most common allergens (substances causing allergic reactions). When the immune system senses an allergen, it stimulates the release of chemicals such as histamine.
Symptoms of the resulting allergic reaction can include breathing problems, eye irritation, rash, nasal congestion, or nausea and vomiting. Antihistamine medications can reduce symptoms, but avoiding allergen exposure is the best preventive treatment for allergies.
Asthma is a condition in which the immune system becomes overactive in the airways (bronchi) in the lungs. People with asthma suffer periodic episodes of constriction of their airways (bronchospasm), making it harder to breathe. Most people with asthma also have ongoing inflammation in their airways. Asthma treatment sometimes includes a daily inhaled corticosteroid, which reduces immune system overactivity and inflammation.
Autoimmune Diseases
In response to an unknown trigger, the immune system may begin producing antibodies that instead of fighting infections, attack the body's own tissues. Treatment for autoimmune diseases generally focuses on reducing immune system activity. Examples of autoimmune diseases include:
Rheumatoid arthritis . The immune system produces antibodies that attach to the linings of joints. Immune system cells then attack the joints, causing inflammation, swelling, and pain. If untreated, rheumatoid arthritis causes gradually causes permanent joint damage. Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis can include various oral or injectable medications that reduce immune system overactivity.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). People with lupus develop autoimmune antibodies that can attach to tissues throughout the body. The joints, lungs, blood cells, nerves, and kidneys are commonly affected in lupus. Treatment often requires daily oral prednisone, a steroid that reduces immune system function.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The immune system attacks the lining of the intestines, causing episodes of diarrhea, rectal bleeding, urgent bowel movements, abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the two major forms of IBD. Oral and injected immune-suppressing medicines can treat IBD.
Multiple sclerosis (MS). The immune system attacks nerve cells, causing symptoms that can include pain, blindness, weakness, poor coordination, and muscle spasms. Various medicines that suppress the immune system can be used to treat multiple sclerosis.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Immune system antibodies attack and destroy insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. By young adulthood, people with type 1 diabetes require insulin injections to survive.
Guillain-Barre syndrome. The immune system attacks the nerves controlling muscles in the legs and sometimes the arms and upper body. Weakness results, which can sometimes be severe. Filtering the blood with a procedure called plasmapheresis is the main treatment for Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Psoriasis. In psoriasis, overactive immune system blood cells called T-cells collect in the skin. The immune system activity stimulates skin cells to reproduce rapidly, producing silvery, scaly plaques on the skin.
Graves' disease . The immune system produces antibodies that stimulate the thyroid gland to release excess amounts of thyroid hormone into the blood (hyperthyroidism). Symptoms of Graves' disease can include bulging eyes as well as weight loss, nervousness, irritability, rapid heart rate, weakness, and brittle hair. Destruction or removal of the thyroid gland, using medicines or surgery, is usually required to treat Graves' disease.
Hashimoto's thyroiditis . Antibodies produced by the immune system attack the thyroid gland, slowly destroying the cells that produce thyroid hormone. Low levels of thyroid hormone develop (hypothyroidism), usually over months to years. Symptoms include fatigue, constipation, weight gain, depression, dry skin, and sensitivity to cold. Taking a daily oral synthetic thyroid hormone pill restores normal body functions.
Myasthenia gravis. Antibodies bind to nerves and make them unable to stimulate muscles properly. Weakness that gets worse with activity is the main symptom of myasthenia gravis. Mestinon (pyridostigmine) is the main medicine used to treat myasthenia gravis.
Vasculitis. The immune system attacks and damages blood vessels in this group of autoimmune diseases. Vasculitis can affect any organ, so symptoms vary widely and can occur almost anywhere in the body. Treatment includes reducing immune system activity, usually with prednisone or another corticosteroid.
Immune Deficiency Diseases
The immune system may be suppressed by medications or illness. Immune deficiency can also be present from birth as a genetic disorder (primary immune deficiency). Immune deficiency diseases result in higher vulnerability to infections. Examples of immune deficiency diseases include:
Severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). A genetic condition causing severe impairment in multiple areas of the immune system. Babies with SCID die from overwhelming infections, usually before reaching age 1. Bone marrow transplant can cure some cases of SCID.
Common variable immune deficiency (CVID). Due to a genetic defect, the immune system produces too few antibodies to effectively fight infections. Children with CVID typically have frequent infections of the ears, lungs, nose, eyes, and other organs. Treatment includes replacing the missing antibodies with regular injections of antibodies, called immunoglobulins.
Human immunodeficiency virus / acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). HIV infects and destroys immune system cells that normally fight infections. As the number of immune system cells declines, a person's vulnerability to infections rises steadily.
Drug-induced immune deficiency. Medicines that suppress the immune system result in an increased chance of infection. People taking immune-suppressing drugs for long periods require careful monitoring to detect and treat any infections that occur.
Graft versus host syndrome. After bone marrow transplant, the donor's immune system cells may attack the tissues of the person receiving the transplant. Prednisone and other immune-suppressing medicines are used to prevent excessive organ damage caused by the donor's immune cells
Allergies and Asthma
Allergies result from the immune system's overreaction to a non-threatening foreign substance. Foods and inhaled particles like pollen and pet dander are the most common allergens (substances causing allergic reactions). When the immune system senses an allergen, it stimulates the release of chemicals such as histamine.
Symptoms of the resulting allergic reaction can include breathing problems, eye irritation, rash, nasal congestion, or nausea and vomiting. Antihistamine medications can reduce symptoms, but avoiding allergen exposure is the best preventive treatment for allergies.
Asthma is a condition in which the immune system becomes overactive in the airways (bronchi) in the lungs. People with asthma suffer periodic episodes of constriction of their airways (bronchospasm), making it harder to breathe. Most people with asthma also have ongoing inflammation in their airways. Asthma treatment sometimes includes a daily inhaled corticosteroid, which reduces immune system overactivity and inflammation.
Autoimmune Diseases
In response to an unknown trigger, the immune system may begin producing antibodies that instead of fighting infections, attack the body's own tissues. Treatment for autoimmune diseases generally focuses on reducing immune system activity. Examples of autoimmune diseases include:
Rheumatoid arthritis . The immune system produces antibodies that attach to the linings of joints. Immune system cells then attack the joints, causing inflammation, swelling, and pain. If untreated, rheumatoid arthritis causes gradually causes permanent joint damage. Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis can include various oral or injectable medications that reduce immune system overactivity.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). People with lupus develop autoimmune antibodies that can attach to tissues throughout the body. The joints, lungs, blood cells, nerves, and kidneys are commonly affected in lupus. Treatment often requires daily oral prednisone, a steroid that reduces immune system function.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The immune system attacks the lining of the intestines, causing episodes of diarrhea, rectal bleeding, urgent bowel movements, abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the two major forms of IBD. Oral and injected immune-suppressing medicines can treat IBD.
Multiple sclerosis (MS). The immune system attacks nerve cells, causing symptoms that can include pain, blindness, weakness, poor coordination, and muscle spasms. Various medicines that suppress the immune system can be used to treat multiple sclerosis.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Immune system antibodies attack and destroy insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. By young adulthood, people with type 1 diabetes require insulin injections to survive.
Guillain-Barre syndrome. The immune system attacks the nerves controlling muscles in the legs and sometimes the arms and upper body. Weakness results, which can sometimes be severe. Filtering the blood with a procedure called plasmapheresis is the main treatment for Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Psoriasis. In psoriasis, overactive immune system blood cells called T-cells collect in the skin. The immune system activity stimulates skin cells to reproduce rapidly, producing silvery, scaly plaques on the skin.
Graves' disease . The immune system produces antibodies that stimulate the thyroid gland to release excess amounts of thyroid hormone into the blood (hyperthyroidism). Symptoms of Graves' disease can include bulging eyes as well as weight loss, nervousness, irritability, rapid heart rate, weakness, and brittle hair. Destruction or removal of the thyroid gland, using medicines or surgery, is usually required to treat Graves' disease.
Hashimoto's thyroiditis . Antibodies produced by the immune system attack the thyroid gland, slowly destroying the cells that produce thyroid hormone. Low levels of thyroid hormone develop (hypothyroidism), usually over months to years. Symptoms include fatigue, constipation, weight gain, depression, dry skin, and sensitivity to cold. Taking a daily oral synthetic thyroid hormone pill restores normal body functions.
Myasthenia gravis. Antibodies bind to nerves and make them unable to stimulate muscles properly. Weakness that gets worse with activity is the main symptom of myasthenia gravis. Mestinon (pyridostigmine) is the main medicine used to treat myasthenia gravis.
Vasculitis. The immune system attacks and damages blood vessels in this group of autoimmune diseases. Vasculitis can affect any organ, so symptoms vary widely and can occur almost anywhere in the body. Treatment includes reducing immune system activity, usually with prednisone or another corticosteroid.
Immune Deficiency Diseases
The immune system may be suppressed by medications or illness. Immune deficiency can also be present from birth as a genetic disorder (primary immune deficiency). Immune deficiency diseases result in higher vulnerability to infections. Examples of immune deficiency diseases include:
Severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). A genetic condition causing severe impairment in multiple areas of the immune system. Babies with SCID die from overwhelming infections, usually before reaching age 1. Bone marrow transplant can cure some cases of SCID.
Common variable immune deficiency (CVID). Due to a genetic defect, the immune system produces too few antibodies to effectively fight infections. Children with CVID typically have frequent infections of the ears, lungs, nose, eyes, and other organs. Treatment includes replacing the missing antibodies with regular injections of antibodies, called immunoglobulins.
Human immunodeficiency virus / acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). HIV infects and destroys immune system cells that normally fight infections. As the number of immune system cells declines, a person's vulnerability to infections rises steadily.
Drug-induced immune deficiency. Medicines that suppress the immune system result in an increased chance of infection. People taking immune-suppressing drugs for long periods require careful monitoring to detect and treat any infections that occur.
Graft versus host syndrome. After bone marrow transplant, the donor's immune system cells may attack the tissues of the person receiving the transplant. Prednisone and other immune-suppressing medicines are used to prevent excessive organ damage caused by the donor's immune cells
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
7 Signs Your Child May Have Food Intolerances
Written by: Pamela Bond
In recent years, pediatrician William Sears, MD, has seen a lot more cases of asthma and eczema in his San Clemente, Calif., office. Dairy and wheat are still the biggest culprits, but experts believe new factors may be contributing to the rise in food sensitivities, including synthetic additives such as partially hydrogenated oils and artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners, as well as genetically modified ingredients.
If you think your child may be reacting to something in his or her diet, the first step is to look for clues. “A lot of parents already suspect the answer,” says Kelly Dorfman, LND, author of What’s Eating Your Child? (Workman, 2011). Become a “nutrition detective,” she suggests, noting when and how possible symptoms arise. Here’s a guide to assessing the evidence and finding solutions.
1. Spitting up
Possible culprit: Intolerance to casein, a dairy protein. Casein in dairy products—which is different from the casein in human milk—that gets into breast milk or is in formula can irritate an infant’s gut lining, causing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Later, the symptoms may morph into chronic ear infections or constipation, says Dorfman.
Action plan: Remove dairy from the baby’s and nursing mom’s diet for at least a week. (It takes four to five days for dairy to clear from breast milk.) For formula-fed infants, choose a brand made with predigested casein or whey. To heal baby’s damaged intestinal lining, give 10 billion CFU daily of probiotic bacteria mixed in a bottle or sprinkled on solid food.
2. Chronic diarrhea
Possible culprit: Intolerance to gluten (a protein in wheat and other grains) or lactose (dairy sugar). Diarrhea is the gastrointestinal tract’s way of getting rid of problematic substances. Therefore, the most common symptoms of both gluten and lactose intolerance are diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
Lactose intolerance is usually the root cause because the enzyme that digests lactose (lactase) is easily inactivated when the gut is irritated. When you’re gluten sensitive, digesting gluten irritates the gut, so almost everyone with gluten intolerance also cannot tolerate lactose, Dorfman says. Thankfully, fermented dairy products such as cheese and yogurt have low lactose levels, so consuming them is often safe.
Action plan: Get a blood test to rule out celiac disease; then eliminate gluten for at least a month. Although the diarrhea could resolve within a week, it may take a few weeks to get a clear picture with school-aged children. “The birthday parties, the grandma visit—there’s often something that causes accidental cheating,” Dorfman says. “You need a longer period to see a trend.
3. Chronic ear infections
Possible culprit: Dairy intolerance and, for some, soy sensitivity. Some research has shown that 90 percent of kids with recurring ear infections or ear fluid have food reactions, a statistic Dorfman says her current patients corroborate. The usual suspect: dairy products. However, about half of people who react to dairy also react to soy, according to Dorfman.
Action plan: Quit dairy and soy for several months. Because children don’t suffer ear infections every week, it can take longer to verify a correlation. Dorfman recommends eliminating soy milk, soy yogurt, and tofu, but adds that ultrasensitive individuals may need to avoid processed foods, most of which contain soy byproducts.
4. Eczema or itchy skin rash
Possible culprit: Reaction to a combination of gluten, casein (in dairy products), eggs and what Dorfman calls “extended” citrus (oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, strawberries and pineapple).
Action plan: Ask an allergist to conduct an IgE radioallergosorbent (RAST) blood test on your child. Because an itchy rash suggests a histamine response, blood tests can be more accurate here than they can be in detecting food sensitivities.
5. Hyperactivity
Possible culprit: Sensitivity to artificial colors, or even sugar. According to Sears, children’s underdeveloped blood-brain barrier makes them more vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of chemical food additives, such as artificial colors and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
A 2007 British study linked six food colors with possible hyperactivity in children. As a result, the European Union now requires most foods containing artificial food dyes to carry a warning label. Thus far, the FDA has not issued a similar ban or required additional product labeling. Also watch sugar intake; some kids are literally hypersensitive to the sweet stuff
Action plan: Buy organic; by definition, organic products are certified to contain no artificial colors. If organic options aren’t available, scrutinize food labels for the nine petroleum-based synthetic dyes currently approved for food use in the United States: Blue 1 and 2, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3 and 40, Yellow 5 and 6. To avoid added sugars, look beyond the Nutrition Facts panel, which combines natural and added sugars for a total amount, to the ingredients list. Words like high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, glucose, fructose, cane sugar, and syrup indicate added sugars.
6. Crankiness
Possible culprit: Gluten intolerance. Gluten sensitivity is traditionally associated exclusively with digestive disturbances, but some studies have recently linked it to neurological symptoms, which can range from moodiness and chronic headaches to ADHD and coordination loss.
Action plan: Eliminate gluten for a month to assess a connection between mood and food. Other reasons may account for kids’ agitation; however, if food is the culprit, says Dorfman, children will often want to eat the problem food excessively.
7. Small stature or picky palate
Possible culprit: Gluten sensitivity or zinc deficiency. Because gluten intolerance interferes with nutrient absorption, suffering kids often fail to thrive. “Small size—height or weight—is a classic symptom of celiac disease,” Dorfman says.
Zinc could be another factor: The mineral normalizes appetite and, through its relationship with growth hormones, helps the body develop. If levels are low enough, a child’s growth will be stunted, perhaps in the fifth percentile or lower for weight and height on the standard growth charts. In this case, a child may rarely be hungry, be a picky eater, or complain that food smells or tastes “funny,” Dorfman says.
Action plan: Eliminate gluten from the diet for a month. Ask your pediatrician for a blood test to determine serum zinc levels, or buy a zinc sulfate taste test online. After sipping a bit of zinc sulfate solution, your child will report tasting nothing (which indicates deficiency) or a bad flavor (no deficiency). Zinc-rich foods include beef, chicken, beans, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and chickpeas. If there’s a deficiency, ask your health care provider about an adequate supplement dose based on your child’s age.
In recent years, pediatrician William Sears, MD, has seen a lot more cases of asthma and eczema in his San Clemente, Calif., office. Dairy and wheat are still the biggest culprits, but experts believe new factors may be contributing to the rise in food sensitivities, including synthetic additives such as partially hydrogenated oils and artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners, as well as genetically modified ingredients.
If you think your child may be reacting to something in his or her diet, the first step is to look for clues. “A lot of parents already suspect the answer,” says Kelly Dorfman, LND, author of What’s Eating Your Child? (Workman, 2011). Become a “nutrition detective,” she suggests, noting when and how possible symptoms arise. Here’s a guide to assessing the evidence and finding solutions.
1. Spitting up
Possible culprit: Intolerance to casein, a dairy protein. Casein in dairy products—which is different from the casein in human milk—that gets into breast milk or is in formula can irritate an infant’s gut lining, causing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Later, the symptoms may morph into chronic ear infections or constipation, says Dorfman.
Action plan: Remove dairy from the baby’s and nursing mom’s diet for at least a week. (It takes four to five days for dairy to clear from breast milk.) For formula-fed infants, choose a brand made with predigested casein or whey. To heal baby’s damaged intestinal lining, give 10 billion CFU daily of probiotic bacteria mixed in a bottle or sprinkled on solid food.
2. Chronic diarrhea
Possible culprit: Intolerance to gluten (a protein in wheat and other grains) or lactose (dairy sugar). Diarrhea is the gastrointestinal tract’s way of getting rid of problematic substances. Therefore, the most common symptoms of both gluten and lactose intolerance are diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
Lactose intolerance is usually the root cause because the enzyme that digests lactose (lactase) is easily inactivated when the gut is irritated. When you’re gluten sensitive, digesting gluten irritates the gut, so almost everyone with gluten intolerance also cannot tolerate lactose, Dorfman says. Thankfully, fermented dairy products such as cheese and yogurt have low lactose levels, so consuming them is often safe.
Action plan: Get a blood test to rule out celiac disease; then eliminate gluten for at least a month. Although the diarrhea could resolve within a week, it may take a few weeks to get a clear picture with school-aged children. “The birthday parties, the grandma visit—there’s often something that causes accidental cheating,” Dorfman says. “You need a longer period to see a trend.
3. Chronic ear infections
Possible culprit: Dairy intolerance and, for some, soy sensitivity. Some research has shown that 90 percent of kids with recurring ear infections or ear fluid have food reactions, a statistic Dorfman says her current patients corroborate. The usual suspect: dairy products. However, about half of people who react to dairy also react to soy, according to Dorfman.
Action plan: Quit dairy and soy for several months. Because children don’t suffer ear infections every week, it can take longer to verify a correlation. Dorfman recommends eliminating soy milk, soy yogurt, and tofu, but adds that ultrasensitive individuals may need to avoid processed foods, most of which contain soy byproducts.
4. Eczema or itchy skin rash
Possible culprit: Reaction to a combination of gluten, casein (in dairy products), eggs and what Dorfman calls “extended” citrus (oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, strawberries and pineapple).
Action plan: Ask an allergist to conduct an IgE radioallergosorbent (RAST) blood test on your child. Because an itchy rash suggests a histamine response, blood tests can be more accurate here than they can be in detecting food sensitivities.
5. Hyperactivity
Possible culprit: Sensitivity to artificial colors, or even sugar. According to Sears, children’s underdeveloped blood-brain barrier makes them more vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of chemical food additives, such as artificial colors and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
A 2007 British study linked six food colors with possible hyperactivity in children. As a result, the European Union now requires most foods containing artificial food dyes to carry a warning label. Thus far, the FDA has not issued a similar ban or required additional product labeling. Also watch sugar intake; some kids are literally hypersensitive to the sweet stuff
Action plan: Buy organic; by definition, organic products are certified to contain no artificial colors. If organic options aren’t available, scrutinize food labels for the nine petroleum-based synthetic dyes currently approved for food use in the United States: Blue 1 and 2, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3 and 40, Yellow 5 and 6. To avoid added sugars, look beyond the Nutrition Facts panel, which combines natural and added sugars for a total amount, to the ingredients list. Words like high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, glucose, fructose, cane sugar, and syrup indicate added sugars.
6. Crankiness
Possible culprit: Gluten intolerance. Gluten sensitivity is traditionally associated exclusively with digestive disturbances, but some studies have recently linked it to neurological symptoms, which can range from moodiness and chronic headaches to ADHD and coordination loss.
Action plan: Eliminate gluten for a month to assess a connection between mood and food. Other reasons may account for kids’ agitation; however, if food is the culprit, says Dorfman, children will often want to eat the problem food excessively.
7. Small stature or picky palate
Possible culprit: Gluten sensitivity or zinc deficiency. Because gluten intolerance interferes with nutrient absorption, suffering kids often fail to thrive. “Small size—height or weight—is a classic symptom of celiac disease,” Dorfman says.
Zinc could be another factor: The mineral normalizes appetite and, through its relationship with growth hormones, helps the body develop. If levels are low enough, a child’s growth will be stunted, perhaps in the fifth percentile or lower for weight and height on the standard growth charts. In this case, a child may rarely be hungry, be a picky eater, or complain that food smells or tastes “funny,” Dorfman says.
Action plan: Eliminate gluten from the diet for a month. Ask your pediatrician for a blood test to determine serum zinc levels, or buy a zinc sulfate taste test online. After sipping a bit of zinc sulfate solution, your child will report tasting nothing (which indicates deficiency) or a bad flavor (no deficiency). Zinc-rich foods include beef, chicken, beans, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and chickpeas. If there’s a deficiency, ask your health care provider about an adequate supplement dose based on your child’s age.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
More and More Athletes Turning to the ALCAT Test
Many professional athletes are turning to a new coach. It's not a conventional coach, it's not even a human coach; rather, it's a coach that instructs them in personalized dieting, a coach to help increase strength and normalize weight. It's a simple blood test for food and chemical sensitivity called the ALCAT Test. Proponents claim that the ALCAT identifies adverse cellular reactions to foods and chemicals associated with inflammation. Experts agree inflammation causes chronic health problems including obesity.
So why is this of interest to elite athletes? According to Roger Deutsch, test co-developer and author, Your Hidden Food Allergies are Making you Fat, "...avoidance of reactive foods might unblock insulin receptors, so food is burnt for energy and not stored as fat; decrease immune mediated muscle degradation and fatigue, and increase overall metabolic and respiratory function. The results will be individual but all these things can arise from incompatible food triggers."
Two of the most notable athletes to have taken the ALCAT Test are Minnesota Twins' First Baseman Justin Morneau and Boston Red Sox's Designated Hitter David Ortiz. Morneau is a former American League MVP and four time MLB All-Star. Morneau's experience was chronicled in the StarTribune wherein he states he was planning to 'do everything I can humanly do to make myself feel better.' The StarTribune also states: "While making the medical rounds last fall, Morneau also took the ALCAT Test to see if he had food allergies. He learned his body was sensitive, if not allergic to, sugars, gluten and dairy." Morneau then lost 14 pounds in just a few weeks by following his new diet.
Athletes are always seeking new ways to enhance performance, and diet plays an essential role in their ability to do so. Morneau states, "It's not like I'll choke or die from eating those things, but my body reacts poorly to them. It treats them as something I'm allergic to and fights the inflammation instead of the inflammation from an injury."
The Red Sox David Ortiz was recently featured in a separate article titled, The Skinny on Big Papi's Diet featured on ESPN.com. Even though Ortiz took the ALCAT Test for different reasons than Morneau, he had a similar experience, dropping 20 pounds in two months. Ortiz took the test because his "cholesterol had risen to dangerously high levels." Since taking the test, and following its dietary guidelines, Ortiz said, "The results have been almost immediately noticeable." He goes on to say, "I feel great" and "I can feel the difference when I swing a bat and when I work out, I don't get as tired."
Studies have shown dietary modification and food sensitivity testing to be a viable treatment modality for a number of chronic health problems. Major League Baseball isn't the only professional sport that has utilized the ALCAT Test. Joe Rowgowski, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the NBA's Orlando Magic, has been quoted as saying, "I've seen very good results with the ALCAT Test and often recommend it to the athletes I work with." In addition, Elite European Soccer Club, Juventus, was recently featured in a study titled Rational Management of Food Intolerance in an elite soccer club. This study was presented at the International Society of Sports Nutrition: 8th Annual ISSN Conference and Expo in 2011.
So what does all of this mean? This means your fork may actually be the best tool available for maximum performance. For the elite athlete, with all the available supplements, PEDs (performance enhancing drugs) and training methods perhaps it is indeed as simple as Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine." For the elite athlete or the occasional weekend warrior the best medicine may actually be finding out what foods are right for you.
Cell Science Systems, Corp. (CSS), located in Deerfield Beach, Florida, is a life sciences company and the worldwide market leader in food sensitivity testing as the manufacturer of the ALCAT Test. CSS operates a State of Florida and US government (CLIA) licensed laboratory; as well as an FDA registered, ISO certified, cGMP, medical device manufacturing facility. It is the sole owner of ALCAT Europe, GmbH, near Berlin, Germany, a European Union supported clinical and research facility of ALCAT testing services in the European Community. The ALCAT test identifies cellular reactions to over 350 foods, chemicals and herbs. These inflammatory reactions are linked to chronic health problems like obesity and diabetes, as well as skin, heart, joint, and digestive disorders.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Gluten For Dummies: Real Tips From a Nutritionist
By: Heather Bauer, RD, CDN
Gluten Free" is everywhere: supermarkets, magazines, and celebrity diets. Is it good for you? Does it have real health advantages? Can it help you lose weight and stay healthy? As a nutritionist to celebrities and professionals alike, I get these questions constantly. With all the hype, it's easy to forget that there is an actual medical reason for cutting out the gluten.
What is gluten, anyway?
Gluten is a protein found in certain types of grain -- wheat, rye, barley -- that can cause an autoimmune reaction in in the small intestine, resulting in symptoms ranging from stomach pain to nutrient malabsorption.
People that suffer from this are often diagnosed with celiac disease, which affects more than 3 million Americans nationwide. The most effective solution is a strict, gluten-free diet.
Just how many people can't tolerate gluten?
A much wider audience is suffering from milder symptoms of gluten intolerance than previously realized -- nearly 18 million Americans. Those with even the slightest bit of intolerance are turning their focus to gluten-free foods to alleviate these uncomfortable side effects.
Should I go gluten-free?
Stocking up on every food item that touts the "gluten-free" label seems like a no-brainer -- but that's not always the best-case scenario. Gluten binds foods like pretzels and cake together. Without it, food companies are forced to add extra fat and sugar to make up for the lack of texture and flavor. Hello, extra calories!
Gluten-free foods can be quite expensive, too (bread at $6?). These products may be the remedy to your GI issues but could be causing a thickening waistline and a thinning wallet.
My advice: Seek out foods that are naturally gluten-free, instead of trying to eat something that's trying to be something it's not.
5 gluten-free carbs that won't break the bank or widen your waistline:
Oatmeal -- I get this question all the time: "Is oatmeal gluten-free?" The answer is yes, naturally it is. That being said, oats are usually processed in food facilities that also contain wheat products so the chance of cross contamination is high. However, there are companies that have isolated, specialized farms that produce gluten-free grains without this concern. Bob's Red Mill has an entire line of oat products ranging from quick rolled or steel cut oats to GF oat flour. Pick your pleasure!
Polenta -- This freshly-ground corn product actually yields a lot of options. Trader Joe's offers an organic variety that works great as a substitute for pasta or used as a pie crust in an egg white and spinach quiche.
Since polenta is gluten-free to start with, you won't find any extra sugar or fat. A 1/4 tube serving is only 70 calories and provides two grams of protein.
Buckwheat -- People usually group buckwheat into the cereal grain category, but it's actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb and is packed with magnesium and phosphorous.
Replace rice side dishes with buckwheat or add to soups instead of using noodles. Besides its hearty flavor, buckwheat satisfies hunger with six grams of protein and five grams of fiber per one cooked cup serving.
Wheat free tortillas -- Going Gluten-free can make sandwiches and wraps difficult. Using a low calorie, wheat free tortilla makes an excellent substitution. French Meadow bakery uses tapioca starch and rice flour to make a delicious wrap at only 120 calories.
Amaranth -- One of the lesser-known grains, amaranth contains more protein than wheat in a form that is more readily available to the body. When compared to other grains, it's also the front runner in calcium, iron and an important amino acid called lysine. You can find amaranth in one of my favorite fiber bars by Oskri.
Try all of these alternatives and see how gluten-free works for you. It might make you feel fuller, healthier, and refreshed. But don't let it rule your life.
As I've written about extensively in my books The Wall Street Diet and Bread is the Devil, it's important to live your life, not your diet.
Gluten Free" is everywhere: supermarkets, magazines, and celebrity diets. Is it good for you? Does it have real health advantages? Can it help you lose weight and stay healthy? As a nutritionist to celebrities and professionals alike, I get these questions constantly. With all the hype, it's easy to forget that there is an actual medical reason for cutting out the gluten.
What is gluten, anyway?
Gluten is a protein found in certain types of grain -- wheat, rye, barley -- that can cause an autoimmune reaction in in the small intestine, resulting in symptoms ranging from stomach pain to nutrient malabsorption.
People that suffer from this are often diagnosed with celiac disease, which affects more than 3 million Americans nationwide. The most effective solution is a strict, gluten-free diet.
Just how many people can't tolerate gluten?
A much wider audience is suffering from milder symptoms of gluten intolerance than previously realized -- nearly 18 million Americans. Those with even the slightest bit of intolerance are turning their focus to gluten-free foods to alleviate these uncomfortable side effects.
Should I go gluten-free?
Stocking up on every food item that touts the "gluten-free" label seems like a no-brainer -- but that's not always the best-case scenario. Gluten binds foods like pretzels and cake together. Without it, food companies are forced to add extra fat and sugar to make up for the lack of texture and flavor. Hello, extra calories!
Gluten-free foods can be quite expensive, too (bread at $6?). These products may be the remedy to your GI issues but could be causing a thickening waistline and a thinning wallet.
My advice: Seek out foods that are naturally gluten-free, instead of trying to eat something that's trying to be something it's not.
5 gluten-free carbs that won't break the bank or widen your waistline:
Oatmeal -- I get this question all the time: "Is oatmeal gluten-free?" The answer is yes, naturally it is. That being said, oats are usually processed in food facilities that also contain wheat products so the chance of cross contamination is high. However, there are companies that have isolated, specialized farms that produce gluten-free grains without this concern. Bob's Red Mill has an entire line of oat products ranging from quick rolled or steel cut oats to GF oat flour. Pick your pleasure!
Polenta -- This freshly-ground corn product actually yields a lot of options. Trader Joe's offers an organic variety that works great as a substitute for pasta or used as a pie crust in an egg white and spinach quiche.
Since polenta is gluten-free to start with, you won't find any extra sugar or fat. A 1/4 tube serving is only 70 calories and provides two grams of protein.
Buckwheat -- People usually group buckwheat into the cereal grain category, but it's actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb and is packed with magnesium and phosphorous.
Replace rice side dishes with buckwheat or add to soups instead of using noodles. Besides its hearty flavor, buckwheat satisfies hunger with six grams of protein and five grams of fiber per one cooked cup serving.
Wheat free tortillas -- Going Gluten-free can make sandwiches and wraps difficult. Using a low calorie, wheat free tortilla makes an excellent substitution. French Meadow bakery uses tapioca starch and rice flour to make a delicious wrap at only 120 calories.
Amaranth -- One of the lesser-known grains, amaranth contains more protein than wheat in a form that is more readily available to the body. When compared to other grains, it's also the front runner in calcium, iron and an important amino acid called lysine. You can find amaranth in one of my favorite fiber bars by Oskri.
Try all of these alternatives and see how gluten-free works for you. It might make you feel fuller, healthier, and refreshed. But don't let it rule your life.
As I've written about extensively in my books The Wall Street Diet and Bread is the Devil, it's important to live your life, not your diet.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Finding Food Allergy Allies
Schools, States, Restaurants Take Steps; Beyond the Peanut-Free Table
By LIZ RAPPAPORT
Many parents of children with life-threatening allergies say they are seeing changes at schools, day-care centers and restaurants. This comes after years of being dismissed as overbearing or overprotective in their efforts to insure school lunches and play-date snacks didn't expose their kids to danger.
Parents used to address this issue preschool by preschool and classroom by classroom. Now school districts and state legislatures are stepping in as the general public has become more aware of the issue.
The new awareness is partly because the number of children with severe food allergies has increased sharply. About six million school-age kids in the U.S., or one out of every 13, has serious food allergies, according to the latest medical research published in 2011 in the American Academy of Pediatrics' official journal. The number of children with food allergies rose 18% from 1997 through 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As the number of children with severe food allergies grows, parents are finding that their worries are beginning to be heard in some high places. Elizabeth Rappaport has details on Lunch Break
Researchers have been unable to explain with certainty the increase. Some scientists theorize that greater attention to cleanliness has made people more sensitive to allergens and their bodies have become confused about what is genuinely a dangerous substance.
More than 100 laws or regulations have been enacted by U.S. states in the last decade to address the needs of people with food allergies, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, a nonprofit group. One recent measure, passed by Illinois legislators last summer, encourages schools to stock epinephrine, a potentially lifesaving drug for people experiencing anaphylactic shock. Similar bills are pending in at least five other states and the federal government.
After Massachusetts passed a law in 2009 requiring restaurant managers to receive training about food allergies, a handful of other states are considering similar moves.
Parents and activists say there is still a long way to go in protecting children from attacks. Children die each year from food allergy attacks; there is no clear data on the number of those deaths. And while peanut allergies are on most people's radar, food allergies such as dairy or eggs—which are growing in number and severity—are often confused with simple lactose intolerance. Worries about dangers like consuming dark chocolate that has touched machinery used to make milk chocolate seem to some odd or paranoid.
Taking Action
In Restaurants…
Eateries in Massachusetts must post information about food allergies in their kitchens and add notes to menus asking diners to inform waiters of allergies. State inspectors verify that managers have watched a video about food allergies in routine inspections. (Massachusetts Food Allergy Awareness in Restaurants Bill, in effect since 2009)
In Schools…
Illinois schools are encouraged to stock epinephrine for students and staff who don't already keep the medication at school. About 20% to 25% of the time epinephrine is used in school settings it is for a child whose allergic condition was unknown. Chicago's public school system recently said it will stock epinephrine in schools. (Illinois Emergency Epinephrine Bill, passed in 2011)
In Arizona...
The Department of Health Services published a 30-page manual on allergic reactions in schools (most happen in classrooms) and how to recognize the signs (itching, wheezing, stomach cramps). It highlights how children describe reactions ('my tongue is hot,' 'my lips feel tight') and how to use epinephrine. (Arizona Resource Guide for Supporting Children With Life-Threatening Food Allergies, developed in 2007)
In Ambulances…
The drug epinephrine must be available on all emergency vehicles—ambulance, fire truck and aircraft transport—in Minnesota. Responders must be trained on how to recognize an anaphylactic reaction and administer the drug. Following Minnesota, about 35 other states have passed similar measures. (The Minnesota Ambulance Act, passed in 2002)
Still, greater awareness of food allergies has come as restaurant diners ask for lists of ingredients in meals and preparations and more people know someone with another type of food intolerance such as gluten sensitivity.
Some common allergy triggers are milk, shellfish, legumes, sesame, eggs and tree nuts like almonds and walnuts. Consuming these can bring on an anaphylactic reaction, in which a person's throat closes, cutting off oxygen, or the stomach convulses and the lungs eventually swell up. Death can occur within a few minutes, or it can take time for the reaction to spread.
"I take a risk" every day, says Kelly Rudnicki of sending her 9-year-old son, John, to school. He is allergic to dairy, peanuts, tree nuts and legumes. When John started preschool, Ms. Rudnicki says she got "deer-in-headlights looks" from other parents and teachers because her son was the only child with allergies. Now, people are more conscious, she says. John's fourth-grade class in a suburb of Chicago recently invited Ms. Rudnicki to consult with the planning committee for a spring fair to help select refreshments that won't trigger John's allergies.
I have noticed changes, too. When my daughter, Georgia, was attending preschool in Brooklyn, N.Y., five years ago, we arrived at a school party to find sesame bagels and plates of egg salad, both dangerous foods for Georgia to come into contact with. And that was after an email discussion among class parents that week about her allergies.
Now managing Georgia's allergies, which include eggs, nuts, legumes, sesame and soy, has become easier. "Does anyone in the class have food allergies?" one mother asked in an email during planning for a recent Valentine's Day party, much to my surprise and relief.
The Massachusetts law requires restaurant managers to go through a training session about food allergies. They are required to know which foods cause reactions, including nuts, fish, shellfish, and eggs, and are encouraged to have a list of every ingredient for each menu item. The state's restaurant inspectors verify that managers have gone through the training in regular inspections.
The recent legislation in Illinois to ensure schools are equipped with epinephrine began after the 2010 death of Katelyn Carlson, a seventh grader in the Edison Regional Gifted Center in the Albany Park area of Chicago. Katelyn had an allergic reaction and died after eating peanuts in the Chinese food her class had brought in for a holiday party.
But some parents feel the law doesn't go far enough. For one thing, stocking epinephrine in schools is voluntary. And, in most states, it can only be administered by the school nurse, who, in the event of a child having an anaphylactic reaction, might not be able to reach the child's classroom or lunchroom in time. Some parents and food-allergy advocacy groups believe administering epinephrine should be part of a teacher's regular first-aid training.
Laws currently pending in Florida, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma, and Virginia would expand the school personnel permitted to give epinephrine in schools.
Meanwhile, some doctors are concerned that these laws give too much authority to people who aren't medical professionals, says Edward Pont, chairman of the government affairs committee for the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"We aren't opposed outright, but the laws have to strike the right balance," says Dr. Pont.
Dr. Pont worked with the Illinois Medical Society to stipulate that only a school nurse may give epinephrine to a child having a reaction who isn't already known to have an allergy. Epinephrine can make a person's heart race, and can interfere with other drugs.
The number of people in the U.S. with one or more EpiPens, the dominant brand for delivering epinephrine, has grown by 72%—to 1.8 million—since December 2002. Children make up 46% of EpiPen users.
Stacey Saiontz, in Westchester, N.Y., worked with legislators in her state to draft a bill that would require teachers to be trained to administer epinephrine before they can be certified to teach in the state.
"Kids need to be able to get this medicine in a matter of minutes," Ms. Saiontz says. Nurses now keep epinephrine prescribed for children often locked in the nurse's office. Ms. Saiontz's son, Jared, age 4, is allergic to dairy, egg, nuts and many grains including wheat. Jared attends a preschool that stocks epinephrine in his classroom.
As children get older, the awareness their parents fought hard to bring can start to seem like unwanted attention.
Ms. Rudnicki, in Chicago, says that as her son has gotten older, he is more self-conscious about his allergies. He doesn't want to be the reason that his friends can't eat something they want.
Mary Lenahan of Geneva, Ill., says she believes things have improved for kids like her daughter, Alex Simko, now 17. Ten years ago, Ms. Lenahan says other parents suggested she home-school her daughter because they didn't want to be limited in what food their children could bring to school. Alex herself says she was the lone child at a peanut-free lunch table and that other children acted afraid of her.
Alex now earns extra money by baby sitting children with food allergies. She says she eventually wants to be an emergency room nurse. "I don't want anyone else to go through what I went through."
By LIZ RAPPAPORT
Many parents of children with life-threatening allergies say they are seeing changes at schools, day-care centers and restaurants. This comes after years of being dismissed as overbearing or overprotective in their efforts to insure school lunches and play-date snacks didn't expose their kids to danger.
Parents used to address this issue preschool by preschool and classroom by classroom. Now school districts and state legislatures are stepping in as the general public has become more aware of the issue.
The new awareness is partly because the number of children with severe food allergies has increased sharply. About six million school-age kids in the U.S., or one out of every 13, has serious food allergies, according to the latest medical research published in 2011 in the American Academy of Pediatrics' official journal. The number of children with food allergies rose 18% from 1997 through 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As the number of children with severe food allergies grows, parents are finding that their worries are beginning to be heard in some high places. Elizabeth Rappaport has details on Lunch Break
Researchers have been unable to explain with certainty the increase. Some scientists theorize that greater attention to cleanliness has made people more sensitive to allergens and their bodies have become confused about what is genuinely a dangerous substance.
More than 100 laws or regulations have been enacted by U.S. states in the last decade to address the needs of people with food allergies, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, a nonprofit group. One recent measure, passed by Illinois legislators last summer, encourages schools to stock epinephrine, a potentially lifesaving drug for people experiencing anaphylactic shock. Similar bills are pending in at least five other states and the federal government.
After Massachusetts passed a law in 2009 requiring restaurant managers to receive training about food allergies, a handful of other states are considering similar moves.
Parents and activists say there is still a long way to go in protecting children from attacks. Children die each year from food allergy attacks; there is no clear data on the number of those deaths. And while peanut allergies are on most people's radar, food allergies such as dairy or eggs—which are growing in number and severity—are often confused with simple lactose intolerance. Worries about dangers like consuming dark chocolate that has touched machinery used to make milk chocolate seem to some odd or paranoid.
Taking Action
In Restaurants…
Eateries in Massachusetts must post information about food allergies in their kitchens and add notes to menus asking diners to inform waiters of allergies. State inspectors verify that managers have watched a video about food allergies in routine inspections. (Massachusetts Food Allergy Awareness in Restaurants Bill, in effect since 2009)
In Schools…
Illinois schools are encouraged to stock epinephrine for students and staff who don't already keep the medication at school. About 20% to 25% of the time epinephrine is used in school settings it is for a child whose allergic condition was unknown. Chicago's public school system recently said it will stock epinephrine in schools. (Illinois Emergency Epinephrine Bill, passed in 2011)
In Arizona...
The Department of Health Services published a 30-page manual on allergic reactions in schools (most happen in classrooms) and how to recognize the signs (itching, wheezing, stomach cramps). It highlights how children describe reactions ('my tongue is hot,' 'my lips feel tight') and how to use epinephrine. (Arizona Resource Guide for Supporting Children With Life-Threatening Food Allergies, developed in 2007)
In Ambulances…
The drug epinephrine must be available on all emergency vehicles—ambulance, fire truck and aircraft transport—in Minnesota. Responders must be trained on how to recognize an anaphylactic reaction and administer the drug. Following Minnesota, about 35 other states have passed similar measures. (The Minnesota Ambulance Act, passed in 2002)
Still, greater awareness of food allergies has come as restaurant diners ask for lists of ingredients in meals and preparations and more people know someone with another type of food intolerance such as gluten sensitivity.
Some common allergy triggers are milk, shellfish, legumes, sesame, eggs and tree nuts like almonds and walnuts. Consuming these can bring on an anaphylactic reaction, in which a person's throat closes, cutting off oxygen, or the stomach convulses and the lungs eventually swell up. Death can occur within a few minutes, or it can take time for the reaction to spread.
"I take a risk" every day, says Kelly Rudnicki of sending her 9-year-old son, John, to school. He is allergic to dairy, peanuts, tree nuts and legumes. When John started preschool, Ms. Rudnicki says she got "deer-in-headlights looks" from other parents and teachers because her son was the only child with allergies. Now, people are more conscious, she says. John's fourth-grade class in a suburb of Chicago recently invited Ms. Rudnicki to consult with the planning committee for a spring fair to help select refreshments that won't trigger John's allergies.
I have noticed changes, too. When my daughter, Georgia, was attending preschool in Brooklyn, N.Y., five years ago, we arrived at a school party to find sesame bagels and plates of egg salad, both dangerous foods for Georgia to come into contact with. And that was after an email discussion among class parents that week about her allergies.
Now managing Georgia's allergies, which include eggs, nuts, legumes, sesame and soy, has become easier. "Does anyone in the class have food allergies?" one mother asked in an email during planning for a recent Valentine's Day party, much to my surprise and relief.
The Massachusetts law requires restaurant managers to go through a training session about food allergies. They are required to know which foods cause reactions, including nuts, fish, shellfish, and eggs, and are encouraged to have a list of every ingredient for each menu item. The state's restaurant inspectors verify that managers have gone through the training in regular inspections.
The recent legislation in Illinois to ensure schools are equipped with epinephrine began after the 2010 death of Katelyn Carlson, a seventh grader in the Edison Regional Gifted Center in the Albany Park area of Chicago. Katelyn had an allergic reaction and died after eating peanuts in the Chinese food her class had brought in for a holiday party.
But some parents feel the law doesn't go far enough. For one thing, stocking epinephrine in schools is voluntary. And, in most states, it can only be administered by the school nurse, who, in the event of a child having an anaphylactic reaction, might not be able to reach the child's classroom or lunchroom in time. Some parents and food-allergy advocacy groups believe administering epinephrine should be part of a teacher's regular first-aid training.
Laws currently pending in Florida, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma, and Virginia would expand the school personnel permitted to give epinephrine in schools.
Meanwhile, some doctors are concerned that these laws give too much authority to people who aren't medical professionals, says Edward Pont, chairman of the government affairs committee for the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"We aren't opposed outright, but the laws have to strike the right balance," says Dr. Pont.
Dr. Pont worked with the Illinois Medical Society to stipulate that only a school nurse may give epinephrine to a child having a reaction who isn't already known to have an allergy. Epinephrine can make a person's heart race, and can interfere with other drugs.
The number of people in the U.S. with one or more EpiPens, the dominant brand for delivering epinephrine, has grown by 72%—to 1.8 million—since December 2002. Children make up 46% of EpiPen users.
Stacey Saiontz, in Westchester, N.Y., worked with legislators in her state to draft a bill that would require teachers to be trained to administer epinephrine before they can be certified to teach in the state.
"Kids need to be able to get this medicine in a matter of minutes," Ms. Saiontz says. Nurses now keep epinephrine prescribed for children often locked in the nurse's office. Ms. Saiontz's son, Jared, age 4, is allergic to dairy, egg, nuts and many grains including wheat. Jared attends a preschool that stocks epinephrine in his classroom.
As children get older, the awareness their parents fought hard to bring can start to seem like unwanted attention.
Ms. Rudnicki, in Chicago, says that as her son has gotten older, he is more self-conscious about his allergies. He doesn't want to be the reason that his friends can't eat something they want.
Mary Lenahan of Geneva, Ill., says she believes things have improved for kids like her daughter, Alex Simko, now 17. Ten years ago, Ms. Lenahan says other parents suggested she home-school her daughter because they didn't want to be limited in what food their children could bring to school. Alex herself says she was the lone child at a peanut-free lunch table and that other children acted afraid of her.
Alex now earns extra money by baby sitting children with food allergies. She says she eventually wants to be an emergency room nurse. "I don't want anyone else to go through what I went through."
Monday, February 27, 2012
The skinny on Big Papi's diet
By Gordon Edes
ESPNBoston.com
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- David Ortiz, who says he has dropped 20 pounds in the past two months and looks like it, is on a diet unlike any that most of you know.
For starters, he can't eat chicken, an enormous sacrifice for a guy who had pollo many nights growing up in his native Dominican Republic.
David Ortiz is as big as ever with Sox fans.
He can't eat egg whites, just the yolks.
No shrimp, but lobster, yes.
Some salmon, but no grouper.
Alcohol, no.
"I was in many resorts this winter, and all I did was watch people drink," he said. "I have a friend here who is the general manager of El Presidente [a popular Dominican beer]. He called me yesterday, and said, 'David, how much do you want me to send over?' I had to tell him, 'Never mind.'"
No bread. No sweets.
Beef, yes, and without restrictions. No one telling him he can't eat a steak bigger than a deck of cards.
And, of course, lots of salads and vegetables.
Ortiz, who says his weight is down to around 250 pounds, carries a business card-sized list of foods he cannot eat on his diet, which he started, he said, for reasons that had nothing to do with baseball. His cholesterol had risen to dangerously high levels. "Over 300," he said.
His agent, Fern Cuza, suggested he try it. Cuza carries around a similar list, though he admits to being not as devoted to sticking to it as Ortiz. "I take weekends off," the agent said.
Ortiz said the results have been almost immediately noticeable.
"I feel great," he said. "I can feel the difference when I swing the bat, and when I work out, I don't get as tired."
The beauty of his diet, he said, is that it is all natural, involving no supplements. The parameters were determined in a clinic in the Dominican Republic, where he underwent something called bioelectrical impedance, which is a procedure that its proponents say can assess body composition, measuring body fat, lean muscle mass and intra- and extracellular fluids.
This was followed by what its inventors call the ALCAT test, an acronym for something called antigen leukocyte cellular antibody test. It is a blood test said to measure the body's response to various food and chemical substances at the cellular level. It claims to be able to tell what food "intolerances" or "sensitivities" an individual's body has, and from the results, a personal diet can be drawn. Ortiz's diet, for example, is not the same as Cuza's. It all depends on which foods are deemed intolerant for one's body.
The testing is not cheap. Ortiz estimates he spent $17,000 on the procedures.
Pseudo-science? There are those who believe so. Scientific societies in the United States, Europe, Australia and South Africa have all challenged the tests as unproven and have advised against their clinical use.
But it appears the tests are gaining wider acceptance, especially among nutritionists who work with professional athletes. Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, for example, recently underwent an ALCAT test and has modified his diet accordingly.
"The whole premise of food intolerance requires a pretty big leap, and there are major disagreements," said Amanda Carlson-Phillips, a registered dietitian who is the vice president of nutrition and research at Athletes Performance in Arizona, where many professional athletes train.
"The whole scientific premise is that certain foods are causing inflammatory responses," she said. "Identifying your food intolerances can cause a decrease in those responses, and people have experienced weight loss, become really lean, had fewer migraines, improved energy, less joint pain and other benefits.
"It's still a little left [of accepted science], pseudo-science, but we administer a similar test to some of our clients, and put them on a similar program with positive results."
The next wave, she predicts, will go beyond food to genetic testing.
"Anyone doing these [ALCAT] tests should only do so under the direction of a dietitian," she said, "to make sure that with the foods excluded, you're still finding the right balance. When you start removing sugar, yeast, egg whites, you need to find foods to replace them with.
"This is not for everyone and really is for people who are looking for the next step in upgrading their nutrition. Overall, the people who do this type of testing eat a lot healthier. If it makes people eat cleaner, healthier, then it is beneficial."
Ortiz was eager to undergo his physical Friday, to see how much his cholesterol has dropped. He is determined to remain faithful to his new regimen, believing it could add years to his career. There is one proviso, though.
"If I stop hitting bombs," he says, "I give up the diet."
Gordon Edes covers the Red Sox for ESPNBoston.com.
ESPNBoston.com
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- David Ortiz, who says he has dropped 20 pounds in the past two months and looks like it, is on a diet unlike any that most of you know.
For starters, he can't eat chicken, an enormous sacrifice for a guy who had pollo many nights growing up in his native Dominican Republic.
David Ortiz is as big as ever with Sox fans.
He can't eat egg whites, just the yolks.
No shrimp, but lobster, yes.
Some salmon, but no grouper.
Alcohol, no.
"I was in many resorts this winter, and all I did was watch people drink," he said. "I have a friend here who is the general manager of El Presidente [a popular Dominican beer]. He called me yesterday, and said, 'David, how much do you want me to send over?' I had to tell him, 'Never mind.'"
No bread. No sweets.
Beef, yes, and without restrictions. No one telling him he can't eat a steak bigger than a deck of cards.
And, of course, lots of salads and vegetables.
Ortiz, who says his weight is down to around 250 pounds, carries a business card-sized list of foods he cannot eat on his diet, which he started, he said, for reasons that had nothing to do with baseball. His cholesterol had risen to dangerously high levels. "Over 300," he said.
His agent, Fern Cuza, suggested he try it. Cuza carries around a similar list, though he admits to being not as devoted to sticking to it as Ortiz. "I take weekends off," the agent said.
Ortiz said the results have been almost immediately noticeable.
"I feel great," he said. "I can feel the difference when I swing the bat, and when I work out, I don't get as tired."
The beauty of his diet, he said, is that it is all natural, involving no supplements. The parameters were determined in a clinic in the Dominican Republic, where he underwent something called bioelectrical impedance, which is a procedure that its proponents say can assess body composition, measuring body fat, lean muscle mass and intra- and extracellular fluids.
This was followed by what its inventors call the ALCAT test, an acronym for something called antigen leukocyte cellular antibody test. It is a blood test said to measure the body's response to various food and chemical substances at the cellular level. It claims to be able to tell what food "intolerances" or "sensitivities" an individual's body has, and from the results, a personal diet can be drawn. Ortiz's diet, for example, is not the same as Cuza's. It all depends on which foods are deemed intolerant for one's body.
The testing is not cheap. Ortiz estimates he spent $17,000 on the procedures.
Pseudo-science? There are those who believe so. Scientific societies in the United States, Europe, Australia and South Africa have all challenged the tests as unproven and have advised against their clinical use.
But it appears the tests are gaining wider acceptance, especially among nutritionists who work with professional athletes. Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, for example, recently underwent an ALCAT test and has modified his diet accordingly.
"The whole premise of food intolerance requires a pretty big leap, and there are major disagreements," said Amanda Carlson-Phillips, a registered dietitian who is the vice president of nutrition and research at Athletes Performance in Arizona, where many professional athletes train.
"The whole scientific premise is that certain foods are causing inflammatory responses," she said. "Identifying your food intolerances can cause a decrease in those responses, and people have experienced weight loss, become really lean, had fewer migraines, improved energy, less joint pain and other benefits.
"It's still a little left [of accepted science], pseudo-science, but we administer a similar test to some of our clients, and put them on a similar program with positive results."
The next wave, she predicts, will go beyond food to genetic testing.
"Anyone doing these [ALCAT] tests should only do so under the direction of a dietitian," she said, "to make sure that with the foods excluded, you're still finding the right balance. When you start removing sugar, yeast, egg whites, you need to find foods to replace them with.
"This is not for everyone and really is for people who are looking for the next step in upgrading their nutrition. Overall, the people who do this type of testing eat a lot healthier. If it makes people eat cleaner, healthier, then it is beneficial."
Ortiz was eager to undergo his physical Friday, to see how much his cholesterol has dropped. He is determined to remain faithful to his new regimen, believing it could add years to his career. There is one proviso, though.
"If I stop hitting bombs," he says, "I give up the diet."
Gordon Edes covers the Red Sox for ESPNBoston.com.
Justin Morneau: On balance, he's better
Article by: JOE CHRISTENSEN
Star Tribune
January 22, 2012
PHOENIX — The sun had just appeared on the desert horizon last week when Justin Morneau climbed into his white Chevy Suburban for a 30-minute drive from his home in Paradise Valley.
Using side streets to avoid Phoenix's plodding freeway traffic, the Twins first baseman zipped past the airport and pulled into an obscure industrial park filled with faceless gray buildings.
Here, a concrete contractor and an electrical engineering firm share the same driveway with another repair establishment. Morneau parked at Fischer Sports, a physical therapy and conditioning center to which ballplayers such as Joe Nathan, Carl Pavano and Kerry Wood have turned to rebuild their careers.
Morneau knew this was where he must turn after a miserable 2011 season that can be summed up like this: four surgeries and a concussion. It sounds like another bad Steve Guttenberg sequel, but that was Morneau's life in a year that brought as many surgeries as home runs.
Now, after three consecutive seasons derailed by injuries -- including the past two because of concussions -- Morneau faces widespread doubt that he will ever regain his MVP form. But after sweating through a five-hour workout Tuesday, he described how far he has come from the dark days of last winter, when he himself wondered if he was finished.
Even now, a month before spring training, he has questions. He hasn't felt concussion symptoms since December, but he wonders how his head will respond once he's back on the field. He also wonders about his surgically repaired left wrist. Resting on a training table, as he iced his left knee, Morneau called himself cautiously optimistic.
"I wouldn't say the head's perfect yet," Morneau said. "I'm not going to declare that until I go through fielding ground balls, playing catch, taking batting practice, doing all the baseball stuff. But what I was able to do today is miles ahead of where I was at this time last year."
He has also gained a certain peace, knowing he is controlling the things he can control.
"I've had food-allergy testing done, I've seen chiropractors, I've done acupuncture, I've seen massage therapists, I've seen specialists," he said. "I've done everything I can humanly do to make myself feel better, so I don't have to go through stuff like this again."
• • •
Morneau's biggest achievement last year was proving he could return from the concussion he suffered July 7, 2010, in Toronto. But just when these concussion issues seemed behind him, he suffered another one.
This time, on Aug. 28 at Target Field, Morneau didn't even hit his head. He dived awkwardly for a ball down the first-base line, bringing his momentum to a quick halt, jostling his brain.
The symptoms -- headaches, fogginess and fatigue -- came and went into December. Imagine you are riding a bus traveling 65 miles per hour, Morneau said. When you look out the side window, the landscape races by. When you look out the front window, it shouldn't seem as fast. But at his worst moments, he's looking out that front window and feels like he's looking out the side.
"I've had problems with focus," Morneau said. "Your mind kind of wanders, I guess, because your brain's so exhausted from trying to interpret what your eyes are seeing."
He worried more last winter. On the worst days, he called Dr. Michael Collins, his concussion specialist in Pittsburgh, wondering if he would ever play again. Morneau understands concussions better now. He knows the brain has its own timetable.
In November, Morneau went to Pittsburgh for a check-up. He took the ImPACT test (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), which tracks a patient's attention span, memory and problem-solving skills. Then, for a more extensive version of that test, he traveled to Los Angeles.
"It was a long, brutal day, but it was good," Morneau said. "The [results] were finally back to normal."
While making the medical rounds last fall, Morneau also took the ALCAT (antigen leukocyte cellular antibody test) to see if he had food allergies. He learned that his body was sensitive, if not allergic, to sugars, gluten and dairy.
So he basically cut them cold turkey. In early December, the 6-4 Morneau weighed 242 pounds. After dieting through the holidays -- eating nothing but meat, rice, vegetables and fruit -- he dropped to 228.
"It's not like I'll choke or die from eating those things," Morneau said. "But my body reacts poorly to them. It treats them as something I'm allergic to and fights that inflammation instead of the inflammation from an injury."
• • •
Morneau played 69 games for the Twins last year, but even then he was a shell of himself. He batted .227 with a .285 on-base percentage and .333 slugging percentage. Those numbers for the 2010 season were at .345/.437/.618 when he suffered his concussion.
"He had no strength," Twins hitting coach Joe Vavra said. "He saw all those other guys going down and tried gutting it out, but it actually did more harm than good. The more he played, the worse he became mechanically."
Morneau traces his other health concerns in 2011 to spring training, when he was so focused on clearing his head that he couldn't prepare the rest of his body. He didn't start playing exhibition games until mid-March, and though he was in the Opening Day lineup, pitchers quickly sensed this wasn't the same hitter.
"I wanted to be back so bad," he said. "As athletes, sometimes our desire wins out over common sense."
His left wrist began bothering him in May. In June, he underwent surgery to relieve a pinched nerve in his neck, which was causing weakness and numbness in his left arm. When he returned two months later, the wrist was still a big problem.
"I was never comfortable at the plate because I was never healthy," Morneau said. "If they threw a fastball on the inside corner, I never had confidence that my wrist was going to be able to get to it."
Finally, after the Aug. 28 concussion, Morneau shifted into 2012 mode, with a goal of getting as healthy as possible for spring training. On Sept. 19, he went through two surgeries -- one to remove a cyst in his left knee, and another to chisel a bone spur from his right foot. Eleven days later, he had another procedure to stabilize a tendon in his left wrist.
He left Minnesota full of fresh scars, returning to a place where he could finally heal.
• • •
Underneath the reception desk at Fischer Sports, there's an autographed picture of Nathan in a Giants jersey, circa 2003, after he had rotator cuff surgery.
"To Brett," it says. "Thanks for getting me back on track."
Brett Fischer is a physical therapist for the Arizona Cardinals whose other clients have included five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson, New York Jets All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis and three-time Grand Slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova. When Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew suffered a horrific ankle injury last July, he planned his recovery inside Fischer's 20,000-square-foot facility.
Morneau has known Fischer since 1999. This past fall, Fischer urged him to be patient as his body healed, leading him through a long series of light workouts, designed to restore his focus, balance and core strength.
By Tuesday, Morneau had graduated to a much more vigorous program, joining fellow big leaguers Drew, Mark Reynolds, Chien-Ming Wang, J.J. Putz, Rene Tosoni and others for various strength and agility drills. At one point, Morneau flashed a big smile as he lugged 160 pounds behind him on an aluminum sled.
"It's just great to see him out here with the other guys, having fun," said Fischer, who also helped Morneau heading into his 2006 American League MVP season. "To me, this is more rewarding [than 2006] because of what he's been through. With the concussions and the wrist [injury], we didn't know what was going to happen."
• • •
With his workout finished, Morneau plotted the rest of his day, wondering what adventures his wife, Krista, and 15-month-old daughter, Evelyn, had planned for him. The Barrett-Jackson car auction was in Scottsdale, and Morneau hoped to add to his collection of vintage cars.
His garage already holds a 1972 Chevelle, a '65 Mustang and a '33 Ford. Later that day, he landed a '68 Camaro convertible with a $38,500 bid.
Car collecting has become a fun hobby, but Morneau isn't ready to give that his full-time attention. Far from it. He said he hopes to play seven or eight more years.
"I know if I'm healthy that I'm a good baseball player," he said. "My only issue has been staying healthy. There's no way for anyone to know if they can do exactly what they've done in the past, but I'm still 30 years old. I'm not 38 or 39."
Still, the concussions have become a very real concern. His outstanding 2010 season was derailed when his head collided with Blue Jays infielder John McDonald's knee as Morneau slid into second base. He also suffered a concussion in April 2005 when he got beaned by a Ron Villone fastball in Seattle. Asked if he worries about that happening again, he paused.
"I think it'll take some time to build some confidence back," he said. "Just to prove I can dive for a ball and everything will be all right. I can slide into second base and break up a double play.
"I have faith that the guy's a major league pitcher. It's very rare that somebody gets hit in the head. They have a new helmet out this year that will help protect me.
"I have faith that if I'm healthy I should be quick enough to be able to get out of the way. Hopefully, everything goes well in spring training and we start to move past that stuff."
Most of all, Morneau trusts his doctor. Collins is one of the country's foremost concussion experts. Another one of his patients is NHL star Sidney Crosby.
"The doctor's not going to put me in a situation where I have a chance to have long-term issues," Morneau said.
Last September, Morneau told manager Ron Gardenhire he would be willing to be a designated hitter this year to lessen the risk of another concussion. But the better Morneau feels, the more determined he gets to play first base, the position he was slated to start in the All-Star Game only 18 months ago.
Will he ever regain that prowess? Morneau tries not to sweat it. After leaving the gym, the Vancouver native stepped into the 67-degree Arizona sunshine and smiled.
"Whatever happens," he said, "it won't be from lack of effort, and it won't be from a lack of desire."
Star Tribune
January 22, 2012
PHOENIX — The sun had just appeared on the desert horizon last week when Justin Morneau climbed into his white Chevy Suburban for a 30-minute drive from his home in Paradise Valley.
Using side streets to avoid Phoenix's plodding freeway traffic, the Twins first baseman zipped past the airport and pulled into an obscure industrial park filled with faceless gray buildings.
Here, a concrete contractor and an electrical engineering firm share the same driveway with another repair establishment. Morneau parked at Fischer Sports, a physical therapy and conditioning center to which ballplayers such as Joe Nathan, Carl Pavano and Kerry Wood have turned to rebuild their careers.
Morneau knew this was where he must turn after a miserable 2011 season that can be summed up like this: four surgeries and a concussion. It sounds like another bad Steve Guttenberg sequel, but that was Morneau's life in a year that brought as many surgeries as home runs.
Now, after three consecutive seasons derailed by injuries -- including the past two because of concussions -- Morneau faces widespread doubt that he will ever regain his MVP form. But after sweating through a five-hour workout Tuesday, he described how far he has come from the dark days of last winter, when he himself wondered if he was finished.
Even now, a month before spring training, he has questions. He hasn't felt concussion symptoms since December, but he wonders how his head will respond once he's back on the field. He also wonders about his surgically repaired left wrist. Resting on a training table, as he iced his left knee, Morneau called himself cautiously optimistic.
"I wouldn't say the head's perfect yet," Morneau said. "I'm not going to declare that until I go through fielding ground balls, playing catch, taking batting practice, doing all the baseball stuff. But what I was able to do today is miles ahead of where I was at this time last year."
He has also gained a certain peace, knowing he is controlling the things he can control.
"I've had food-allergy testing done, I've seen chiropractors, I've done acupuncture, I've seen massage therapists, I've seen specialists," he said. "I've done everything I can humanly do to make myself feel better, so I don't have to go through stuff like this again."
• • •
Morneau's biggest achievement last year was proving he could return from the concussion he suffered July 7, 2010, in Toronto. But just when these concussion issues seemed behind him, he suffered another one.
This time, on Aug. 28 at Target Field, Morneau didn't even hit his head. He dived awkwardly for a ball down the first-base line, bringing his momentum to a quick halt, jostling his brain.
The symptoms -- headaches, fogginess and fatigue -- came and went into December. Imagine you are riding a bus traveling 65 miles per hour, Morneau said. When you look out the side window, the landscape races by. When you look out the front window, it shouldn't seem as fast. But at his worst moments, he's looking out that front window and feels like he's looking out the side.
"I've had problems with focus," Morneau said. "Your mind kind of wanders, I guess, because your brain's so exhausted from trying to interpret what your eyes are seeing."
He worried more last winter. On the worst days, he called Dr. Michael Collins, his concussion specialist in Pittsburgh, wondering if he would ever play again. Morneau understands concussions better now. He knows the brain has its own timetable.
In November, Morneau went to Pittsburgh for a check-up. He took the ImPACT test (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), which tracks a patient's attention span, memory and problem-solving skills. Then, for a more extensive version of that test, he traveled to Los Angeles.
"It was a long, brutal day, but it was good," Morneau said. "The [results] were finally back to normal."
While making the medical rounds last fall, Morneau also took the ALCAT (antigen leukocyte cellular antibody test) to see if he had food allergies. He learned that his body was sensitive, if not allergic, to sugars, gluten and dairy.
So he basically cut them cold turkey. In early December, the 6-4 Morneau weighed 242 pounds. After dieting through the holidays -- eating nothing but meat, rice, vegetables and fruit -- he dropped to 228.
"It's not like I'll choke or die from eating those things," Morneau said. "But my body reacts poorly to them. It treats them as something I'm allergic to and fights that inflammation instead of the inflammation from an injury."
• • •
Morneau played 69 games for the Twins last year, but even then he was a shell of himself. He batted .227 with a .285 on-base percentage and .333 slugging percentage. Those numbers for the 2010 season were at .345/.437/.618 when he suffered his concussion.
"He had no strength," Twins hitting coach Joe Vavra said. "He saw all those other guys going down and tried gutting it out, but it actually did more harm than good. The more he played, the worse he became mechanically."
Morneau traces his other health concerns in 2011 to spring training, when he was so focused on clearing his head that he couldn't prepare the rest of his body. He didn't start playing exhibition games until mid-March, and though he was in the Opening Day lineup, pitchers quickly sensed this wasn't the same hitter.
"I wanted to be back so bad," he said. "As athletes, sometimes our desire wins out over common sense."
His left wrist began bothering him in May. In June, he underwent surgery to relieve a pinched nerve in his neck, which was causing weakness and numbness in his left arm. When he returned two months later, the wrist was still a big problem.
"I was never comfortable at the plate because I was never healthy," Morneau said. "If they threw a fastball on the inside corner, I never had confidence that my wrist was going to be able to get to it."
Finally, after the Aug. 28 concussion, Morneau shifted into 2012 mode, with a goal of getting as healthy as possible for spring training. On Sept. 19, he went through two surgeries -- one to remove a cyst in his left knee, and another to chisel a bone spur from his right foot. Eleven days later, he had another procedure to stabilize a tendon in his left wrist.
He left Minnesota full of fresh scars, returning to a place where he could finally heal.
• • •
Underneath the reception desk at Fischer Sports, there's an autographed picture of Nathan in a Giants jersey, circa 2003, after he had rotator cuff surgery.
"To Brett," it says. "Thanks for getting me back on track."
Brett Fischer is a physical therapist for the Arizona Cardinals whose other clients have included five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson, New York Jets All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis and three-time Grand Slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova. When Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew suffered a horrific ankle injury last July, he planned his recovery inside Fischer's 20,000-square-foot facility.
Morneau has known Fischer since 1999. This past fall, Fischer urged him to be patient as his body healed, leading him through a long series of light workouts, designed to restore his focus, balance and core strength.
By Tuesday, Morneau had graduated to a much more vigorous program, joining fellow big leaguers Drew, Mark Reynolds, Chien-Ming Wang, J.J. Putz, Rene Tosoni and others for various strength and agility drills. At one point, Morneau flashed a big smile as he lugged 160 pounds behind him on an aluminum sled.
"It's just great to see him out here with the other guys, having fun," said Fischer, who also helped Morneau heading into his 2006 American League MVP season. "To me, this is more rewarding [than 2006] because of what he's been through. With the concussions and the wrist [injury], we didn't know what was going to happen."
• • •
With his workout finished, Morneau plotted the rest of his day, wondering what adventures his wife, Krista, and 15-month-old daughter, Evelyn, had planned for him. The Barrett-Jackson car auction was in Scottsdale, and Morneau hoped to add to his collection of vintage cars.
His garage already holds a 1972 Chevelle, a '65 Mustang and a '33 Ford. Later that day, he landed a '68 Camaro convertible with a $38,500 bid.
Car collecting has become a fun hobby, but Morneau isn't ready to give that his full-time attention. Far from it. He said he hopes to play seven or eight more years.
"I know if I'm healthy that I'm a good baseball player," he said. "My only issue has been staying healthy. There's no way for anyone to know if they can do exactly what they've done in the past, but I'm still 30 years old. I'm not 38 or 39."
Still, the concussions have become a very real concern. His outstanding 2010 season was derailed when his head collided with Blue Jays infielder John McDonald's knee as Morneau slid into second base. He also suffered a concussion in April 2005 when he got beaned by a Ron Villone fastball in Seattle. Asked if he worries about that happening again, he paused.
"I think it'll take some time to build some confidence back," he said. "Just to prove I can dive for a ball and everything will be all right. I can slide into second base and break up a double play.
"I have faith that the guy's a major league pitcher. It's very rare that somebody gets hit in the head. They have a new helmet out this year that will help protect me.
"I have faith that if I'm healthy I should be quick enough to be able to get out of the way. Hopefully, everything goes well in spring training and we start to move past that stuff."
Most of all, Morneau trusts his doctor. Collins is one of the country's foremost concussion experts. Another one of his patients is NHL star Sidney Crosby.
"The doctor's not going to put me in a situation where I have a chance to have long-term issues," Morneau said.
Last September, Morneau told manager Ron Gardenhire he would be willing to be a designated hitter this year to lessen the risk of another concussion. But the better Morneau feels, the more determined he gets to play first base, the position he was slated to start in the All-Star Game only 18 months ago.
Will he ever regain that prowess? Morneau tries not to sweat it. After leaving the gym, the Vancouver native stepped into the 67-degree Arizona sunshine and smiled.
"Whatever happens," he said, "it won't be from lack of effort, and it won't be from a lack of desire."
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