The Center for Disease Prevention & Reversal Blog

The Benefits of Coconut oil and Other MCT Oil

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:51:07 -0600

While I am not into fad diets or dieting, I do support creating the right diet for individual metabolic needs.

Over the years I have used virgin coconut oil in patients with everything from seizure disorder to metabolic syndrome and cancer. The benefits of virgin coconut oil are many: production of ketones due to the medium chain triglyceride (MCT) content, improved brain fuel, reduced insulin needs, improved immune function, catharsis (a laxative effect), reduced hunger, improved brain function, increased sex drive and more.

There has been a big misconception regarding coconut oil and its effects on the lipid
profile. The negative information was borne out of studies performed decades ago where coconut oil had been hydrogenated for export. Virgin coconut oil (VCO)is not detrimental to the lipid profile. In fact, using the oil regularly can lead to lowered insulin levels and hence larger, healthier LDL particles.

Another misconception is that eating lots of fish oil is great. While omega 3 oils are beneficial on the lipid profile, they leave the body's fatty acids vulnerable to lipid peroxidation or oxidative damage and free radicals. Coconut oil provides some protection against this process.

The word ketones often scare folks as ketones in diabetics can lead to something called acidosis and this is not a good thing. However, in those that are not diabetic, this does not happen and a bit of ketone production can be great for brain fuel, weight loss, and reduced insulin needs.

I have many patients who have successfully lost and kept weight off, improved libido, improved brain function and reduced or eliminated their seizures by eating a diet with VCO or MCT oil along with a low carbohydrate diet. One should not eliminate the essential fatty acids of omega 3 and omega 6, nor should one eliminate the other beneficial oils, 9 and 12. A diet with well rounded fatty acids while being low but adequate in carbohydrates (enough for individual needs, can vary depending upon how active one is) and in protein (approx 1gm per kilo of body weight) is best for most.

A favorite spread containing VCO is taking coconut butter (found online or at natural foods markets) and mixing some of this with either walnut, hemp or chia oil in a double boiler just allowing the oils to slightly warm for mixing purposes. once cooled, the butter is now spreadable. Coconut butter without mixing is quite hard at room temperature and doesn't contain essential fatty acids. The combinations allows for an easily spreadable yummy nut butter that contains MCT and omega 3 oils.

Got Your Mojo Working?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:18:25 -0600

Many of my patients complain of having "no interest". While a small percentage of the population identify as "asexual", the majority of us do not and losing one's sex drive altogether can be disquieting. Sex drive often wanes as we age but it should not disappear completely.

There are physical and psychological reasons for a diminished sex drive and or response.
Among the physical contributors are chronic inflammation, not enough exercise, excessive exercise, prescriptions medications, poor dietary patterns, and fatigue. These contributing factors can all be easily reversed.

Low cholesterol can lead to a decrease in DHEA and sex hormones, especially testosterone as cholesterol is necessary for the production of stress and sex hormones. Chronic stress can also lead to low DHEA and sex hormones as stress utilizes all the precursor hormone (pregnanolone) made from cholesterol to produce the stress hormones. DHEA or pregnanolone supplementation can be helpful but so is turning off the stress response. Reflex biofeedback can do this almost immediately.

Psychological factors that contribute to diminished libido include anxiety, chronic stress, depression, guilt, grief and shock. While therapy is helpful and often necessary, it may not restore libido if the autonomic nervous system is stuck with high sympathetic (fight and flight) tone. Sometimes people find themselves not being able to "turn of" and reflex biofeedback is a very quick way of bringing up the parasympathetic (rest and relaxation) arm of the autonomic nervous system. Other treatments that work are acupuncture, homeopathy, breath work, yoga, meditation, massage and so on. I have found that the RITM SCENAR, a reflex biofeedback device, works the quickest and has the longest lasting results.

A combination of exercise, eating a non-inflammatory diet, adequate sleep and meditation can achieve the balance desired for a healthy libido and sexual response. Sexual response is two-fold and involves both arms of the autonomic system; the parasympathetic system controls the arousal phase and the sympathetic controls the orgasmic phase.

I recommend staying "active" as it helps with balancing the autonomic nervous system. Whether my patients are in a relationship or not, I might recommend equipment. Just like having special equipment in order to enhance one's experience cooking in the kitchen, or in a sport, equipment in the bedroom can enhance the experience whether one is alone or partnered in the endeavor. For incredibly engineered and designed equipment, I recommend shopping at Lelo.com. Lelo is a swedish company (how surprising) that takes its' products seriously and has some the best designed products on the market.

Vaccination and Autoimmunity, is There a Link?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:05:15 -0600

In the last few months, I have seen numerous adult patients for consultation in my Chicago area office with complaints of either exacerbation of their autoimmune disease or a sudden eruption of an autoimmune disorder such as asthma where there had been no prior issue.

The one thing these adult patients all had in common was they were all recent recipients of either a flu vaccine or of a tetanus booster. I have seen autoimmune disease develop after yellow fever vaccination and I've seen my share of "gulf war" syndrome (presumed adverse reaction to the anthrax vaccine) in military personnel. I have also seen pediatric patients who developed bronchitis after each round of vaccines only to develop asthma by pre-school. Many of these patients become free of asthma for years only to have a resurgence after another set of vaccinations.

Most vaccines contain something called adjuvants which are known to hyper simulate the immune system and in those with specific genetics, trigger autoimmune responses. The influenza vaccine in the US and the tetanus booster have not contained these adjuvants. However, they contain other ingredients that can lead to T cell dysfunction and this can trigger an autoimmune reaction.

Most influenza vaccines contain mercury which, like aluminum nano salts, can lead to a breach of the tight junctions in the gut, brain, testes and thyroid. I have written about this phenomenon in relation to gluten and prescription pain meds. In addition, the tetanus toxoid is a powerful immune stimulant which is why it is sometimes included in other vaccines as an adjuvant of sorts. Influenza vaccines also contain formaldehyde. While formaldehyde is naturally occurring at low levels in wood, it is quite toxic and a known carcinogen as well as asthma inducer.

A problem in understanding the safety issues or adverse events related to vaccines, is that the studies looking at adverse events compare the control group (the new vaccine in study) to a placebo group. In all other cases of drug studies, the placebo group would receive something completely inert such as a sugar pill or a saline injection. In vaccine placebos, the placebo group actually receives other vaccines or ingredients of the vaccine such as the adjuvant or preservative without the attenuated viral material.

This poses a real problem because now you have the placebo group receiving a heavy metal, or polysorbate or tetanus toxoid all of which can cause adverse events such as autoimmune responses. The results show the autoimmune responses to occur at the same rate in both the experimental and placebo groups with conclusions drawn that disease rates are the same whether subjects received the real vaccine or not and hence the vaccine is as safe as a placebo.

Another problem is that the vaccine reporting system or VAERS, relies on the vaccine manufacturer itself, to decide if a reported adverse event post vaccination is related to their product. They almost always deny causation. manufacturers have stated that the vaccine ingredients are cleared within 72 hours. This makes little sense as ingredients are not metabolized like they would be if taken orally and there are no studies backing this statement up. In addition, most doctors do not make the link between vaccine and adverse event and hence events are under reported.

The point of all this is that if you or your family have an autoimmune disorder, you should think twice before receiving any vaccinations. If you or your family developed asthma, a rheumatological or thryroid disorder after vaccination, stop vaccinating. There is a long list of what is autoimmune. Autoimmune disease in all forms is skyrocketing in the US and other places where vaccination rates are high. While there are probably many contributing factors for this phenomenon, injecting known stimulants that trigger a strong cytokine reaction is probably not wise.

There are studies supporting this concept However, much more research is needed in this area by independent parties not beholden to the industry and that is the single greatest obstacle in true safety studies.

How Gluten, Dairy and Prescription Pain Meds Negatively Influence Natural Anti-oxidation

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:48:47 -0600

Oxidative damage is something everyone has heard of but might not really understand.
The patients I see in my Chicago area office often show me the anti-oxidants they are taking with great delight. They know the supplements are somehow combatting the negative effects of bad things they might be exposed to.

Oxidative damage can come from many sources: radiation of all sorts which includes background radioisotopes that are always around, excessive solar radiation especially when the ozone layer is damaged or in high altitudes and specific foods and chemicals that have reactive oxygen. Heavy metals can be a big contributor.

Oxydation is necessary and our body creates compounds that lead to oxidation in specific situations such as in infections when our immune system uses oxidative compounds to its benefit in order to kill dangerous bacteria.

Our bodies also produce oxidative compounds with excessive exercise, but the overall benefit is positive as this also stimulates high amounts of anti-oxidants in the body as well given good nutritional status.

The caveat is chronic and repetitive oxidative damage causes illness. And oxidative damage in infants can lead to neurological and behavioral problems.

Studies have shown that casein( an ingredient in dairy), and gluten ( a compound in un-sprouted wheat, rye and barley) prevent the absorption of an amino acid called cysteine. Cysteine is a vital constituent in the formation of glutathione a very powerful anti-oxidant.

Gluten also leads to a leaky gut and a leaky brain. This and the reduced glutathione could be a major contributing factor in children with autistic spectrum disorders and could be the reason that these children do better off of gluten and dairy.

It's important to note that the receptors in the brain for casein and gluten are similar to the receptors in the brain for opiods such as morphine and heroin and therefore the desire for these compounds can be very strong despite that they might be doing harm. The intake of morphine and other opiod compounds such as those in prescription pain relievers also reduce cysteine and therefore anti-oxidant capabilities.

Reducing the inflammatory state that most pain patients are in via dietary changes and supplements and using an FDA approved prescription device called SCENAR which balances the autonomic nervous system input as well as altering the firing of pain fibers, is the most effective and immediate way to reduce the need for pain medication.

Why Gluten Might be a bad Choice for Everyone

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:50:42 -0600

I introduced readers to Zonulin a few entries back. To recap, Zonulin is a protein made by our bodies that creates loosening of tight junctions such as those in the gut, brain and testicles. The tight junctions control transportation of molecules across junctions.

An example is the prevention of food particles in the lumen of the gut from crossing over into the blood vessels. The food is broken down and nutrients extrapolated so as not to present foreign proteins to your own system. This is why we don't make antigens to everything we eat.

However, some people do seem to produce antibodies to many foods and eventually, some of those with this issue produce antibodies to parts of themselves. This is what autoimmunity is. Some examples of autoimmune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, MS, psoriasis and even some forms of dementia. There are too many autoimmune disorders to list.

We now know one of the proteins involved with loosening the tight junctions is identified as Zonulin. Zonulin is increased by gluten intake irregardless of genetic makeup. We also know that toght junctions are loosened by metals, heavy metals and nano particulates like the aluminums added to almost all vaccines as adjuvants.

Studies have shown nano aluminum particles to cause neurodegenerative disorders and dimentia

It seems obvious that anyone with an autoimmune disease should avoid gluten and vaccines for that matter. What about the rest of us? I think minimizing exposure to known stimulants of zonulin and to known neurotoxins might just be a good choice for all.

The Skinny on Large Cholesterol

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 17:39:22 -0600

We are bombarded by commercials about statins to lower cholesterol levels. We're made to believe that cholesterol is a bad thing and needs to be reduced as much as possible.

Numerous studies show the benefit of a healthy cholesterol profile. In fact, a recent study looking at muscle mass gain from exercise, showed that those with higher circulating cholesterol gained more muscle mass than those with lower cholesterol or on cholesterol lowering medications.

Low cholesterol levels are increasingly associated with increased risks for depression, anxiety, cancer, infection suicidal ideation and low libido.

There are numerous studies showing this link but the authors are all hesitant to say stop taking your statins as most patients are diagnosed as having statin deficiencies by their physicians.

If we look at studies and healthy physiology carefully, we can find that healthy people (people who are still insulin sensitive) have large bouyant LDL particles. As people become more insulin resistant and therefore closer to being a diabetic, they develop smaller LDL particles that are dense. Small, dense LDL particles are atherogenic, meaning they can lead to plaque in the vessels.

The biggest risk factor for a sudden cardiac event or MI, is small dense LDL and elevated levels of C reactive Protein, not high levels of LDL. Yet, the majority of physicians do not even test for these things. The reason being high levels can be lowered with statins. The treatment for an elevated C reactive protein( or CRP) and dense LDL are not treated with a single pharmaceutical. And, since the pharmaceutical industry has spent billions "educating" physicians how to handle cholesterol issues, they focused on the single issue they had a drug for.

LDL levels can be affected by particle size which is actually more important than the number. Low cholesterol is often associated with small dense LDL. Particle size is dependent upon a few things, one of them being insulin resistance or IR.
IR is related to how much insulin is needed to handle a specific amount of carbohydrate or sugar. The more needed, for a certain amount due to resistance or attenuation, the greater the risk of triglyceride and VLDL formation and hence small dense LDL.

In my Chicago area office, I always use a Lipid subfraction test on my patients. A standard lipid profile is missing vital information.

I treat small dense LDL and elevated CRP levels with a combination of dietary and lifestyle changes. If the LDL is very small and dense, I might recommend a liver cleanse
as the IR occurs at the liver..

If you have not had a lipid subfraction test, you don't know your real cardiac profile or risks.

Nitrosamines From Food and its' Relationship to Cancer

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:47:37 -0600

I have written about stomach acid reduction and how that increases stomach cancer risk. And, in my video, I have spoken about carcinogenic compounds formed by cooking or dietary ingredients. Below is an excerpt taken from a blog I wrote about breast cancer prevention.

There are no good studies linking nitrosamines to breast cancer, however, nitrosamines cause many types of cancer, most notably along the gastrointestinal tract.

Theoretically, nitrosamines could be contributing to the non-estrogen dependent breast cancers as this chemical causes DNA mutations in general, according to mammalian laboratory studies.

There are obvious sources of nitrosamines; nitrite preserved food like luncheon meats, bacon or smoked fish. But there are non obvious sources as well; some beers contain nitrosamines from the brewing process, tobacco products and any food item that is in a non breathing container. Sodium nitrate is used as a preservative specifically against botulinum toxin.

Another non obvious source is our own stomachs. Under a reduced acidic environment, our stomachs turn nitrates to nitrites. This is important to remember as many foods have nitrates and many people are unfortunately on acid blockers. (there's a good reason our stomach PH is supposed to be highly acidic, and messing with the PH leads to all sorts of dangerous consequences).

Ascorbic acid or vitamin C, reduces the amount of nitrites produced from nitrates. Take plenty of vitamin C, just not with sodium benzoate as this combination leads to benzene, another known carcinogen.

Beer as it turns out is a big source of nitrosamines which forms in the malting process. The beers with the highest levels tend to be the cheaper domestic types. Stick with higher quality and imported beers and consider drinking it with limes or lemons for the ascorbic acid.

Green tea with a high catechin concentration has been also shown to inhibit nitrosamine formation. Green tea with low catechin concentration may actually promote nitrite formation.
It is important to use ample green tea leaves and drink only the first two infusions if you want the benefit of reducing nitrosamine formation. I prefer high quality Japanese green teas like Sencha or Gyokuro. For instant green tea, I use Matcha powder which is a powdered form of sencha or gyokuro, both have high catechin levels

Why Acid Blockers Are Ruining Your Health

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:44:37 -0600

Over the last decade, we have seen acid blockers go from requiring a prescription to over the counter. The commercials for them depict them as benign in side effect and beneficial
as taking a vitamin C drink for the common cold.

While the packaging inserts for this classification of drug is enough to scare your socks off, no one is paying attention, especially the doctors who recommend them like they do drinking more water.

The normal PH of our stomach is highly acidic. This is to allow enzymes form our pancreas to work efficiently in breaking down proteins and for absorption of minerals that would otherwise not be absorbed. Another function of our stomach acid is to kill the normal bacteria that live in our mouths or that we might ingest.
i
Stomach acid is also necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12, an extremely important vitamin. Deficiency of which leads to anemia and a whole host of diseases.

The small intestine, relative to the colon, is supposed to be almost bacteria free. The colon is home to billions of beneficial bacteria. The small intestine remains low on bacteria in large part due to the acidity of the stomach.

When an acid blocker is taken with any regularity, proteins are not digested, minerals are not absorbed and bacteria enter and flourish in the small intestines. One of the possible side effects of proteins being poorly absorbed is an increase in food allergies. One of the definite side effects of protein malabsorption is a decrease in muscle mass and therefore bone mass. Studies have shown that women who take acid blockers during pregnancy have babies with a 5 times greater risk for asthma.

When minerals are not absorbed, again we see a decrease in bone mass and strength.

When excessive bacteria in introduced into the small bowel, we see bacterial overgrowth with foul breath, gas and bloating as obvious and not so pretty side effects.

When the stomach has a decrease in acid on a regular basis, the bacteria H. Pylori is allowed to flourish. H. Pylori has been implicated as a trigger for stomach cancer.

While the pharmaceutical companies would have you believe that it is a normal daily function to take acid blockers, it is anything but. In addition, the acid blockers do not stop the reflux, in fact, they increase reflux do to the slower gastric digestion when acid is removed form the picture.

The blockers just remover the acid and hence the sensation of burning form the picture.

There are numerous reasons why people have acid reflux and there are many ways to determine the cause(s) and very simple treatments. I have successfully treated many patients with reflux in my Chicago area office and continue to do so.

What is most surprising is this went form being a common scenario in my adult patients, but in the last few years, I have seen this with increasing frequency in pediatric patients.

What I hope to see less of in the future is patients with osteoporosis, allergies, fatigue,
muscle waisting, gluten intolerance and H. Pylori associated stomach cancer because of this foolish and misguided daily practice.

Are Doctors Told Enough

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:13:04 -0600

The following is a reprint of an article taken from minutes from a meeting in 1985 regarding DPT vaccination issues, Wyeth, concerned parents and physicians and representatives from the Bureau of Biologics from the FDA.

Are doctors told enough?
Fresno Bee, DPT report 1984

"Doctors are as much victims as we are. They do what the American Academy of Pediatrics says," said Ed Hodges, president of California Dissatisfied Parents Together.

"Physicians are innocent victims," said Los Angeles attorney Andrew Dodd." It's a very sad situation and it's a scandal, in my opinion, of enormous proportions. And I'm ashamed of it. I am ashamed that I know more than a pediatrician [about pertussis vaccine]. That is not right."

Dr. Kevin Geraghty: "A pediatrician is more likely to believe that the dangers of his stethoscope choking him are higher than DPI causing the degree of damage that I would say it does."

When Geraghty began studying DPT vaccine 18 months ago, he said his goal was to debunk the critics of the vaccine. "I am a pediatric immunologist; I was trained in immunology. It didn't take very long for me to know something was very, very wrong."

But another doctor might not know that. Said Dodd: "When he is administering a mass-immunization product -- polio, rubella, DPT -- he assumes that the vaccine is almost as sate as water. 'Mass immunization product' -- that means something to him.

"...He's not going to take the time to read the medical literature because he knows the reactions. . . are very, very rare. The trouble is It's wrong. it's wrong, wrong, wrong.

"If physicians only understood that... they are giving a neurological poison... it isn't a secret, except it's not generally known."

For the most part, physicians learn about DPT vaccine at medical school, in medical journals and in the leaflet manufacturers include with the vaccine. The national Centers for Disease Control provides updated information for parents through public health clinics.

"I tell students very little," said Dr. Philip A. Brunell, professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas in San Antonio and chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Red Book committee. "That's a major problem at medical schools. We are derelict in that. ..

There also are differences in practice in various parts of the world. For example, doctors in Japan, Europe and Soviet-bloc countries generally do not give DPT shots to children with histories of neurologic problems.

U.S. manufacturers have included that caution for years in the leaflets that are shipped with the vaccine. But until two major medical groups made the same suggestion earlier this year, the practice did not become standard in this country.

Manufacturers revise the product leaflet periodically, with necessary approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Over the years, there have been disagreements about what the leaflets should say.

In June 1979, Wyeth Laboratories wanted to include warnings about crib death, based on reports from the CDC.

Wyeth wanted to say the vaccine should not be given when there are signs of fever, acute respiratory or other infection, failure to thrive, neurologic disorders or periodic breathing problems -- including those associated with crib death.

"We deem it imperative that these changes be incorporated in our package circular as soon as possible," wrote Dr. Alan Bernstein, Wyeth's managing director.

Dr. Harry M. Meyer Jr., then director of FDA's Bureau of Biologics, replied July 11, 1979. He agreed to insert the crib death information into the section on side effects and adverse reactions, but refused to include it in a section telling doctors when not to use the vaccine.

Meyer wrote, "There is no evidence that such a change would prevent crib death, yet it would certainly deprive many infants of protection against pertussis during the months when exposure to whooping cough is most likely to result in life-threatening or disabling disease."

Four months earlier, the Bureau of Biologics had heard Dr. Daniel C. Shannon of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston describe adverse reactions to DPT in 200 infants who already had a brush with crib death and were on breathing monitors.

Twenty percent of those infants had another near-death reaction within 24 hours of DPT shots.

"We do have this data," Shannon said at the meeting. "It is all recorded

However, those details were not included, in two articles published in medical journals. Shannon explained that they were excluded because "I can't say there definitely appears to be an association. I haven't done the kind of study that needs to be done."

Physicians in general turn to medical journals and other periodicals for up-to-date information. Pediatricians also rely on the American Academy of Pediatrics' Red Book, as the Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases has come to be known.

Brunell, the current Red Book chairman, said the list of reasons to defer DPT shots did not change from the 1977 edition until August 1984, when an interim statement suggested that physicians defer immunization of children who have had seizures. (The next regular edition is due in 1985.)

Dr. James Cherry, who was part of a UCLA pertussis research team in 1978-79, was on the Red Book committee from 1977-83. He was asked why physicians did not receive an update sooner.

"There was no reason ...," he said. "The 1984 update said it is wise to wait if there is a history of neurological problems in the family, but that is because doctors now are scared of being sued."

Brunell was asked the reason for the delay. "We need more money," he said. "We're spending $45 million a year on AIDS and less than $1 million a year on DPT. We need 25 times that."

Geraghty said: "The medical literature has failed to adequately reflect what's happening. Doctors don't report cases of adverse reactions because, first, they're scared it's going to wind up in a liability case and second, they do not make a connection at all.

"They are not suspicious because there have been no warnings in the medical literature."

Dr. Kenneth Bart of the CDC said, "Physicians have an obligation to be informed about everything they do."

He was asked about the two deaths that UCLA researchers reported to the FDA but left out of articles in medical journals.

"What're they going to say to a physician that he's going to use?" Bart asked. "That two deaths occurred? Well, what does that mean?"

Said Geraghty; "All I want is for them to tell my fellow doctors what they tell each other."

[Vaccination] [Fresno Bee report]

Is Erectile Dysfunction The First Sign of Vascular Disease

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:46:55 -0600

Erectile dysfunction from non-pyschological issues is one of the first signs of a decrease in endogenous nitrous oxide production. Insufficient nitrous oxide (NO) production sets the stage for the progression of heart and vascular disease in general.

The implications of decreased NO spread father than vascular disease. Decreased vascular flow in the brain leads to dementia and Alzheimer's as well as hypertension and thrombotic events (stroke).

NO declines with age, but this is believed to be largely due to increased insulin resistance.
The increase in circulating glucose, insulin and cytokines that occurs in diabetes type 2 or pre-diabetes have all been independently shown to impair NO activity in experimental models.

Insulin resistance is controlled with dietary and lifestyle changes that can be quite rewarding in their own right let alone the beneficial domino effect in the bedroom.

Under normal healthy conditions, when sexually stimulated, NO is produced in the penis and signals blood vessels to dilate and accommodate more blood flow and volume. Without this pathway functioning, erectile activity is reduced and or non-sustained.

Note, this is the same mechanism for erectile activity in women of the analogous organs and without clitoral enlargement orgasm is difficult or impossible to achieve. And for achievement oriented people, this can be frustrating or in the case of many of my patients, depressing.

Proper NO production is essential for maintaining normal blood pressure, preventing clots, and healthy sexual function. The inability to generate adequate NO is one of the first signs of a number of chronic disease we associate with normal aging but needn't be.

NO levels can be tested easily employing a simple salivary test performed in my Chicago area office. Treatment consists of lifestyle changes and very specific supplements that enhance nitrous oxide production. Levels are then re-tested a few weeks into treatment or can be implicated in patient reporting.

Why Raw Food

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 11:26:53 -0600

Here is a link to one of my recent lectures on cooking, food preparation and avoiding toxic compounds formed from high heat cooking.

This lecture delves in toxic compounds that are created by cooking at high heat and explains where AGE s come from and how they affect blood vessels and organs.

The lecture also talks about diet induced inflammation but does not mention zonulin which is the topic of my previous blog entry. Please read it to get another look at how food, stress and environmental toxins such as heavy metals and possibly Splenda can trigger zonulin production and therefore inflammation and auto-immunity.

Lots of good information but takes some time to watch.

Enjoy!

Zonulin and Why You Need to Know About This Protein

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:58:10 -0600

In the early nineties, the buzz word for anyone seeking out alternative views on chronic illness was candidiasis. Candidiasis is an overgrowth of Candida, a yeast that is normally present in our environment but is opportunistic and can overgrow when normal bacteria are missing or reduced.

Candida was blamed for everyone presenting with chronic inflammation, chronic fatigue and food intolerance.

It is true that antibiotic use can lead to an overgrowth of Candida, and it is true that antibiotics are over prescribed. But, often patients would not improve on treatments to reduce Candida and they were subjected to months of medications and highly restricted diets.

Along comes Alessio Fasano MD, a pediatrician involved in intestinal barrier research. Dr. Fasano has identified a protein termed Zonulin which is responsible for regulating the "tight junctions" of the intestines and other tight barriers in the body such as the blood brain barrier.

From a medical evolutionary standpoint, there are times where a leaky gut might come in handy, like when we come into contact with infectious agents such as Cholera. A leaky gut in this instance would stimulate an immune response and memory antibody production which would help fight the infection. This is a theory but help explain why the body would create a protein like this in the first place.

Zonulin created gaps where our bowels leak and once proteins leak into our blood stream, lots of things happen like inflammation, antibody production and in some cases, auto-immune disease develops such as Celiac, MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis and the like.

It is interesting to note that Splenda is suspected as a stimulator of zonulin along with heavy metals, stress, and most likely other triggers not yet discovered. Gluten is one of the many proteins that seems to be involved in inflammation and autoimmune problems when leaked out of the gut.

One of the tests I perform for my patients in my Chicago area office is the food inflammatory response test. It is based on the inflammatory response of cultured white blood cells to different food antigens and is a true test of not antibody production but inflammatory response.

If patients have many foods they are inflamed by, they have a leaky gut and are at risk for autoimmune disease. The patient is then put on a protocol of supplements to repair the bowel and to down-regulate the zonulin. It is also recommended that they avoid the foods they are negatively responding to for a few months. Gluten and often dairy are on the list when it is a situation of leaky gut syndrome. And if gluten is involved, often lifelong avoidance is the best choice due to the risk of autoimmune diseases.

Heavy metal testing is often implicated in this situation and chelation therapy might be warranted to help rid the body of heavy metals.

Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance To Recognize Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:45:18 -0600

Lung cancer is still highly prevalent in our country in spite of lowered smoking rates. Exposure to radon is one silent cause, estrogen imbalance may be another cause.

Clearly smoking and asbestos are known causes of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

November 1st marks the beginning of Lung Cancer Awareness Month across the United States. While mesothelioma is not a lung cancer, both diseases are associated with similar risk factors, including asbestos exposure and smoking.

Lung cancer is much more common than mesothelioma, but no less deadly. It is, in fact, the leading cancer killer of both men and women in the United States each year. It is important to raise awareness of the disease associated with a great deal of stigma related to its causal relationship with smoking. It is also important to realize that patients must not be blamed for their illness and the illness's association with smoking should not impact funding for lung cancer treatment and research.

Nationwide organizations, including the Lung Cancer Alliance and American Lung Association, along with their regional affiliates, have planned a number of events in observance of the month. Some events being planned are below.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month Symposium - Tuesday, November 1st

Sponsored by the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, The 3rd Annual Lung Cancer Awareness Month Symposium will take place at The Times Center, 242 W. 41st Street at 8th Avenue, New York, NY from 6-8pm. The event is free and open to the public but attendants can find more information here.

Shine-a-Light on Lung Cancer Vigil - Tuesday, November 1st.

The 3rd Annual Shine a Light on Lung Cancer Vigil will take place in 74 cities across the United States and as far away as Australia! Visit the Lung Cancer Alliance for more information.

Ride For Your Breath Bike Ride - Sunday, November 20th

The first annual Ride For Your Breath Bike Ride, hosted by St. Jude Medical Center in support of the Lung Cancer Alliance will take place in Fullerton, California. Riders can choose between 5, 10, and 35-mile courses in honor of a loved one who has battled or passed away from lung cancer. Download information PDF here.

Free to Breathe National Walk Week- November 5-11th

The 4th Annual Free to Breathe National Walk takes place across the country where throughout the week people walk any distance in their communities to support lung cancer awareness. To register visit their website here.

In observance of the occasion, the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance will also be rolling several new content features throughout the month, including thoracic oncology physician spotlights, perspectives from cancer survivor, Heather Von St. James, who underwent radical thoracic surgery, as well as new information on lung cancer causes, support groups and challenges facing advocates for research funding.

We urge you to check back throughout the month for the latest in Lung Cancer Awareness Month news and events around the country and in your own community!

Read more: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/staff/mesothelioma-cancer-alliance-to-recognize-lung-cancer-awareness-month.htm#ixzz1cStlUl3i

Homeopathy, a Case of Suppressed Grief and Asthma

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:10:00 -0600

One of the very first cases I took when I began to study classical homeopathy back 1993 was that of a young man who had recently developed asthma.

He presented in my Chicago area office, referred by his primary care doctor as he complained he did not like using all the medications he had been placed on to control his asthma.

His asthma had begun just 8 months prior, days after discovering his fiancee and best buddy were having an affair. He stated he didn't spend time feeling sad about it even though he lost both his best friend and fiancee. He wanted nothing to do with the two and added that he could not remember ever crying.

His asthma was worse from exercise and required rescue inhalers post workouts. He took a daily steroid inhaler just to maintain control.

Upon taking his history, I discovered that as a child, he developed allergies within days of burying a brother who had been murdered by a serial killer. His father told all the boys to show strength and not to cry as it would satisfy of the killer.

My patient had learned early on to push down his grief. He was an upbeat guy who was a successful salesman, very likable but didn't explore much of what was going on inside emotionally with himself.

I analyzed the case and decided to give him a remedy for suppressed grief that also fit the picture of his asthma.

He returned 6 weeks later with tears in his eyes stating his asthma had completely disappeared and that he had begun crying about things. He was visiting a city on a sales call, watching a movie in the bar about a high school football team and he began to cry when the team won. He had begun to cry about other things and over the next few weeks no longer required the rescue inhaler post workout. He then stopped using the steroid inhalers and noticed his asthma had totally disappeared.

I heard from him over the years when he would contract a cold as he was fearful the asthma would return, it never did.

Fibromyalgia and Living Pain Free Without Drugs

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:21:44 -0600

Fibromyalgia, an elusive syndrome which leaves its victims in daily pain and discomfort is barely understood and poorly treated by the medical profession.

Patients with fibromyalgia walk around with hypersensitivity to pressure (allodynia) at specific points and often complain of fatigue and "brain fog".

Since the etiology of this disease is not well understood, patients often are placed on a whole host of medications from anti-depressants and mood regulators to stimulants and pain medications. Often, they are none the better despite the host of medications.

I have seen patients improve and even eliminate their fibromyalgia with a combination of dietary changes, homeopathy, hormone balancing and Scenar. In fact, I had a patient walk into my evanston office with the complaint of plantar fasciitis. Once treated with Scenar, she returned the following week to inform me that not only did the plantar fasciitis improve, so did her fibromyalgia. We performed another session of Scenar and she has been free of plantar fasciitis and fibromyalgia for two years.

One of my very first patients who came to me with the diagnosis of fibromyalgia had contracted it after several rounds of antibiotics for presumed sinus infections. After careful analysis I found her to have abnormal bowel flora and an overgrowth of potentially pathogenic yeast in her bowel. Once this was cleared up her fibromyalgia disappeared.

it is also common to see fibromyalgia post traumatically. One of the more current and better explanations for the disease is autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD can occur as a result of the fight and flight part of our nervous system being activated without the ensuing down regulation.

One of the reasons that the "fight and flight" does not turn itself off is that the rest and relaxation arm of the system is often neglected in terms of lifestyle practices and has low tone.

Another reason the fight and flight or sympathetic nervous system could get stuck in a perpetual on mode is due to over exposure to stress, or poor response to stress. A common profile of a person with fibromyalgia is one of someone who is always taking on more as in a type A personality. Another profile is someone who suffered abuse or misfortune over an extended period of time.

Women are affected with fibromyalgia to a greater degree than men. And, often the involvement of bowel and bladder symptoms are noted with the main complaints of pain, discomfort and urgency.

There is no reason fibromyalgia patients have to endure pain or longterm use of medications. The underlying reasons for the syndrome can be explored, identified and treated effectively with creative medical, psychological and naturopathic tools.