Posts Tagged organ donation

… Because proteins make up a large percentage of the body’s structures, there is no tissue or organ that is safe from the process of glycation.

Glycation occurs more aggressively in diabetics …

Finally, around the fifties, a small walnut sized organ called “The Prostate” decides to make its presence known. The size of this little organ slowly begins to grow until it impedes the flow of urine thus leading to such symptoms as: 1) the feeling of incomplete bladder emptying, 2) the need to urinate frequently, 3) the “stop and start” phenomena where the urine stream doesn’t flow easily, 4) a weak urine stream, and 5) difficulty beginning the urine stream. Even during the night, men can not hide from the prostate as it causes them to get up numerous times to run to the bathroom. This condition is known as BPH, benign prostatic hyperplasia.
In this month’s article we will focus mainly on an herbal and nutritional approach to help shrink the prostate. We will forego a detailed discussion about the conventional approach, instead allowing you to discuss those options with your doctor. I will, however, give you a brief description of the options provided by conventional medicine.

There are two main types of medications used to treat an enlarged prostate. First is Hytrin (or like drugs), which is a blood pressure medication which seems to decrease the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate by relaxing the tone of smooth muscles, including the bladder neck and prostate. As a blood pressure, medication the most common side effects may include dizziness and/or low blood pressure. This medication does nothing to slow or stop the growth of the prostate. Thus, as the years go on, and the prostate continues to grow, the medication can lose its efficacy. The second medication is Proscar (Finasteride). This medication stops the body from changing the hormone testosterone into a form that causes the prostate to grow. Thus, the prostate can shrink and prevent the worsening of the condition. The most common side effect of this medication is erectile dysfunction. The best benefit of this drug appears to happen in men whose prostates are in the worst shape (the most enlarged). It also can take up to 6 months to work. Finally, there is the surgical option. Surgery (often called the Roto-Rooter) is usually reserved for severe cases of enlarged prostate or for those who have not responded well to other treatment. This procedure can be costly and the results are varied, with some people receiving dramatic improvement, some receiving little or no improvement and still others may have worsening symptoms. Side effects of the surgery can be erectile dysfunction and lifelong incontinence. Discuss all of the potential benefits and side effects with your urologist.

Following is a discussion of the natural alternatives to help build a healthy prostate. Clinical trials have found that many of these components alone and in combination can successfully reverse this condition without the side effects and complications found with the prescription medicines or surgery.

Saw Palmetto:
Saw Palmetto is one of the top ten herbs sold last year, and for good reason. In a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, one of medicine’s most reputable journals, researchers analyzed 18 research articles published on Saw Palmetto’s benefits in prostate enlargement. It was found that Saw Palmetto was as effective as Finasteride, one of the prescription medications discussed earlier. Saw Palmetto also stood the test of 16 double-blind placebo controlled studies (studies that test the herb against a sugar pill). The suggested dosage of Saw Palmetto standardized to 80-95% fatty acids is 320 mg per day, usually divided into 2 or 3 doses.

Pygium Africanum:
This herb has been studied extensively and shows significant improvements in symptoms of an enlarged prostate and laboratory measurements. In one study, published in a German journal, 263 men with enlarged prostate were given either Pygium extract or a sugar pill. Compared to the sugar pill, Pygium led to a significant improvement in symptoms such as night-time urination and day-time frequency. In addition, the bladder emptied better and the flow of urine was stronger (Bartlet et al, 1990). A review of 10 studies on Pygium confirmed the results of this study (Andro et al, 1995). The suggested dose of Pygium, standardized to 13% Beta Sitosterol, is 100 mg daily. Stinging Nettle, a different herb, has been shown to work well in conjunction with Pygium and is usually dosed at 300 mg daily.

L-Alanine, L-Glycine and Glutamic Acid:
In the early 1960’s researchers noted that when these three amino acids (building blocks of proteins) were administered at a dose of 400 mg each daily there was partial to complete relief from the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. To my knowledge there has been no more research to study these components. In our clinical experience, formulas that contain these inexpensive amino acids works better then those that do not.

Lycopene:
This is a plant pigment similar to that of beta carotene. It is found in such fruits as tomatoes, watermelon, and strawberries. Recent research demonstrates that lycopene can prevent, and perhaps even treat, prostate cancer. You get the highest concentrations from processed tomato products such as tomato soup, juice, or sauce. Additional supplementation may also be of benefit. There is no true scientific guideline for using lycopene as a supplement, however, we like to see 5 – 10 milligrams in a daily supplement for prevention.

Although all of these individual ingredients have been demonstrated to be successful when administered alone, our clinical experience shows that there is greater symptomatic relief when given together. Many patients have noted dramatic improvements in the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate. Usually, the first thing they notice is that they are not waking up as often at night to urinate. They also note an improvement in the flow of urine and the decrease in the frequency of urination during the day. In addition, it is not uncommon, upon re-examination, for the doctor to be impressed by the smaller size of the prostate when they do their annual poking and prodding. We always counsel our patients to give a quality prostate formula a full 3 months before evaluating whether or not it is working, but usually patients are calling us back within 2 weeks reporting an uninterrupted night of sleep, sometimes their first in a long while.

Many physicians feel it is only a matter of time before every man shows up with an enlarged prostate. We feel there are many reasons why this may be true. A lifetime of eating the standard American diet, one based on cooked and processed foods, and one that does not supply adequate amounts of needed nutrients, including zinc, is one of these reasons. But when it comes to the treatment of an enlarged prostate, or BPH, first have it properly diagnosed, and then find the least invasive, least likely to cause side effects way of treating it.

Shortly after arriving at the school during my second year, my father was admitted to the hospital with a heart condition called heart failure. At the time I was not familiar with this condition, but my first education came when my father woke up one night with a feeling of drowning as his lungs filled up with fluid. He was quickly transported to the hospital where the able physicians worked to force fluid from his body through the use of water pills and medication designed to lower blood pressure. Although I was grossly ignorant about this condition at the time, I quickly decided that I would declare war on it after my father was handed a patient pamphlet on the condition that told him that he had a 50% chance of dying from the condition in the five years that would follow. I was angered by the near hopeless expectations of conventional medicine and determined to get to the bottom of why my dad had come down with the condition and what I could do to reverse it. This determination led me to investigate natural alternatives to treating heart failure and led me to a book that changed the course of my life and the life of my father as well…I’ll tell you more in a minute.

The incidence of heart failure is increasing dramatically in our society. So, to what can we attribute this rise? The conventional medical establishment attributes this to these main factors: increased survival fromheart attacks, advances in emergency medicine, and the fact that people are living longer, the presupposition being that heart failure is a natural condition that occurs with advancing age. Although, these factors may play a role, I think that they only scratch the surface of the underlined cause of heart failure.

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a condition where the heart is not able to meet the needs of the organs of the body. There can be many causes of heart failure, however, it all amounts to an inability to circulate enough blood to feed the tissues of the body. This can result in organ failure, difficulty breathing, dizziness, fluid buildup in the lungs and ultimately death.

What really causes heart failure?

My father had had a heart attack many years prior to his heart failure diagnosis, at which time he was also diagnosed with diabetes. However, he had enjoyed many years of heart health and circulation appeared to be normal in the blood vessels of his heart. So, a good question to ask at the onset of any symptoms (which I would later learn in pharmacy school is a cardinal question in medicine) is “why now?” If his heart attack had happened many years prior and his heart circulation was good, why was he just now developing signs of heart failure. Here are 4 factors that I feel are significant causes of our near epidemic incidences of heart failure in our society. This list is by no means exhaustive, however, it should be sufficient for our discussion.

1. Medications. This is medicine’s dark little secret, yes, many medications can increase the risk of heart failure and are likely a significant cause of heart failure. These medications include, but are not limited to, statins and beta blockers. Statin medications are commonly prescribed to heart patients to lower cholesterol. As you will learn shortly, this class of medication inhibits the body’s ability to produce a “miracle nutrient” that ultimately prevents and treats heart failure. Stain medications include: Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor, Vytorin and any generic medication that ends in “statin”, such as lovastatin. Beta Blockers are a class of medication often used to treat elevated blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and other heart problems associated with a fast or irregular heart beat. This medication is commonly prescribed to people who have had a heart attack in order to improve the repair of the heart after the attack. Unfortunately, this medication is notorious for leading to congestive heart failure mainly due to its impact on the ability of heart to beat strongly. It has also been noted that this medication can inhibit the body’s ability to make the “miracle nutrient” that we will talk about shortly. Beta blockers include any medication whose generic name ends in “olol”, such as metoprolol. There are many other medications that can play a role in the development of heart failure so look each one of your medications up to determine if this is a potential side effect. The danger comes in medicine’s lack of acceptance that pharmaceuticals such as statins and beta blockers can be a cause heart failure.
2. Uncontrolled Elevated Blood Pressure – Although I am not a great fan of many medications used to treat elevated blood pressure, that does not mean that you do not have to pay attention to blood pressure. There comes a time when getting your blood pressure down is an important factor in maintaining health. When you want to build big muscles, you go to a gym and you lift weights which cause the muscle to grow larger in order to deal with the extra load that it has to work against. When blood pressure is elevated the heart must pump harder in order to circulate the blood to the organs. High blood pressure is like weights to the heart and the heart, being a muscle, responds to the elevated blood pressure by growing larger. You might think that this is a positive thing, however, many people end up with what is called a “boggy heart”. Much like a muscle bound bodybuilder, the muscles look big but they are not very functional. A boggy heart is no different, it looks big and strong but it is too big and bulky to efficiently push blood through the body. For natural alternatives to elevated blood pressure, see our protocol for hypertension. Hypertension should be treated and monitored by a qualified physician, especially if you are showing complications of the elevated blood pressure.
3. Dysfunctional Valves – If your heart’s valves are damaged, then the heart becomes less efficient at circulating blood. Valvular disorders require proper diagnosis and treatment, however, I will say that there has been some fascinating research showing that a deficiency of this “miracle nutrient” can result in valve damage. Supplementing with this nutrient can help to protect the heart and its valves.
4. Mitochondrial Deficiency and Dysfunction – The mitochondria play a critical role in energy production in the organs and cells of the body. The mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell where the majority of energy is produced for our body. Without this vital structure we could not have survived as a species and if these structures do not work properly many different diseases can settle in and heart failure is one such condition. For many people who are diagnosed with heart failure, they are suffering from a mitochondrial deficiency and dysfunction that is at the heart of their condition. This is especially true when we cannot find a medical reason for the heart failure. There are many things that you can do to improve the mitochondria of your body.

The Discovery of the “Miracle Nutrient”

As I began investigating and searching for a natural solution to my father’s ailment I came across a small, paperback book called Coenzyme Q10 – The Miracle Nutrient written by Dr. Emile G. Bliznakov, president and scientific director of the Lupus Research Institute. Aside from the hokey title, I was pleased to see how well referenced and researched the information was. The book covered this critical nutrient in great detail, devoting a significant number of pages to heart failure, a hot area of research for this nutrient called Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 for short). There were many interesting findings presented in the book, here are a few highlights:

1. Researchers named CoQ10, “ubiquinone” when it was discovered because it was ubiquitous in the body, literally being found in virtually every cell.
2. When the body reaches a 25% deficiency, disease begins to settle in and when 75% deficiency occurs…you die. That is how important this nutrient is to the body.
3. Organs and cells that are most active have a tendency to require more coQ10 than other, less active, tissues. These highly active organs and cells are most susceptible to failure when the coQ10 levels begin to drop. These include the: heart, liver, immune system and kidneys.
4. People who have heart failure and valve disorders have a deficiency of CoQ10 in those tissues.
5. CoQ10 supplementation was an effective way to increase blood levels and more importantly to reverse heart failure and other conditions.
6. After the age of 50, supplementation may be necessary to maintain optimal levels of CoQ10.
7. Certain medications and condition may cause deficiency and treatment with CoQ10 can reverse this deficiency.

There were many other findings that were reported in the book, those are just a few. This book has since become outdated, the last version was published in 1995. Since then, there have been hundreds of studies published on CoQ10 that have added to our understanding of this powerful nutrient. Much of this research has led to more and more advanced forms of CoQ10 supplements which enhance the absorption and utilization of the fat soluble nutrient.

It was difficult to find CoQ10 supplements in the US at the time I read the book and when you found, it was quite expensive. Regardless, I hunted it down and after giving up food for a few days was able to afford a bottle for my Dad. He was skeptical at first, but after insisting he agreed to take it. He saw nearly immediate improvements. It is now 14 years later and he still takes his CoQ10 every day and both he and my dear mother attribute his survival and heart health to CoQ10 and that little book that still sits on my book shelf to this day.

Tonight I will, unfortunately, be attending a wake of the father of a friend of the family. It wasn’t until after his passing that I was informed that he had suffered with heart failure and ultimately passed due to complications of a failing heart. Although I realize that something always gets us in the end, I can’t help but feel a bit of outrage about someone who was taken before his time by such a condition as heart failure. Although, I can never be sure, I believe that had one of his doctors been familiar with and recommended some of the natural products that can help to improve the mitochondria of the heart, he may be alive today. Below I list some of these recommendations:

What to Do to Normalize a Failing Heart:

1. Ubiquinol – Ubiquinol is a newer, activated form of CoQ10 and may provide even more benefit than the standard CoQ10 (ubiquinone). The activated CoQ10 can go to work immediately to enhance energy production and energize the heart. It also has a tendency to absorb better and enter the mitochondria more readily resulting in high blood levels and improved results. Take 100 mg two to three times daily. (Higher doses may be used. If you are using standard CoQ10 (ubiquinone) then you will need to use higher doses 200 mg two to three times daily.
2. Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer – This formula contains a number of nutrients that are known to support the mitochondria and optimize their energy producing function. Included in the formula are Acetyl-l-carnitine to enhance the utilization of fat for energy, alpha-lipoic acid to protect the cell and the mitochondria from free-radical damage, Rhodiola to stimulate the production of energy in the mitochondria as well as other compounds to protect the cell and enhance energy production. Take 2 capsules twice daily.
3. Taurine – Taurine is an amino acid-like nutrient that helps to regulate and strengthen heart beat. Take 2,000 mg three times daily.
4. Corvalen (D-Ribose) – Ribose is a sugar compound used in the production of energy within the cell. This special sugar can help to increase the production of energy in the mitochondria and improve the strength of the heart. 5 grams twice daily.
5. Magnesium – Magnesium deficiency is common, especially in people with heart failure. Many medications are known to deplete the body’s magnesium and potassium and these medications such as water pills, are used by many with heart failure. We recommend magnesium aspartate 75 mg capsules 2 capsules twice daily.
6. Omega-3 fatty acids – There is no doubt that omega-3 fatty acids can work to protect the heart and enhance circulation. Although, omega-3 fatty acids have not specifically been studied in heart failure, by protecting the circulation and decreasing inflammation, this supplement will no doubt provide benefit. Recommended dosage: Carlson’s Finest Fish Oil 1 Tablespoon daily or Your Prescription for Health Super Omega-3 Fish Oil Capsules 3 Capsules twice daily.
7. Aerobic Exercise – Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase the number and size of mitochondria found in the cells of the heart and throughout the body. This is a crucial component of any comprehensive heart failure treatment plan. The key is to do only a little more than your body is used to at each exercise session. You want to make slow and consistant progress whenever you have been diagnosed with heart failure as it may be quite easy to overwhelm the heart. Talk to your cardiologist about supervised exercise programs that may be offered in your area. Do not underestimate the importance of aerobic exercise in strengthening your heart.

Taking a ride on the Sugar Land Express is likely a one-way trip to “Illsville.”

For decades now, as medical consumers and medical professionals, we have been trained to look at certain parameters to measure our health status. We all know about getting our blood pressure or cholesterol checked. We’ve been told time and again to keep our weight under control and to get some exercise, some of us even keeping track of our percent body fat. We’ve been coerced into getting a mammogram, PSA test and/or a colonoscopy on a regular basis.

We also get our fasting blood glucose checked when we have a physical exam (which may not be often enough for some of us), the results of which we rely on to tell us whether or not we have diabetes. Unfortunately, it may be that the standards we use as “acceptable” for blood sugar are actually too high… and it seems that there is another blood test that should be much more frequently used called hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

Currently, the HbA1c test is only routinely done for diabetics as a long-term measure of their blood glucose. Sugar absorbed through the digestive system circulates in the bloodstream. When there is too much circulating sugar, some of it attaches to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells, forming hemoglobin A1c. Red blood cells live for 90 to 120 days, meaning that once the sugar combines with the hemoglobin, the HbA1c stays in the blood for 3 to 4 months. So measuring HbA1c tells us about high blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. It is not affected by the immediate diet, so no fasting is required.

Unfortunately, the only people who get their HbA1c tested are those already identified with a sugar problem. The sad fact is that it can take up to 10 years of having “sugar issues” before someone actually makes the diagnosis of diabetes. Furthermore, during those 10 years all sorts of other biochemical changes are happening as a result of the high sugar levels (and the consequent increased insulin levels that it causes) in our blood. This leads to other diseases that we have not yet adequately attributed to high blood sugar levels… heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and cancer, whose treatments are the source of countless prescriptions, tests and other costly interventions.

Here are some sobering facts concerning disease and death rates in the United States:

· A total of 63% of men and 55% of women over the age of 25 are either overweight or obese, and more than 280,000 deaths are ascribed to this.
· More than 60 million people have one or more types of cardiovascular disease, which represents the leading cause of death, more than 40% of all deaths.
· 50 million people are hypertensive.
· 10 million people have type 2 diabetes.
· 72 million adults maintain total cholesterol/HDL ratios of 4.5 or greater.

So what is the common link between all of these chronic diseases or conditions? You guessed it… our body’s inability to properly handle sugar. This particular set of circumstances is known as Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome.

Here is what happens in the body… we eat food that contains sugar and complex carbohydrates (chains of sugars connected together). These sugars are converted into glucose by enzymes in the G I tract. In the following two hours the glucose is rapidly absorbed and elevates plasma glucose concentrations. The resulting “hyperglycemia,” along with other chemicals secreted in the gut, causes the pancreas to secrete insulin, resulting in an immediate rise in plasma insulin concentrations, hyperinsulinemia.

Insulin’s job is to tell muscle, liver, fat and endothelial cells (cells that line the blood vessels) to take up the glucose molecules and use them for energy. When these cells resist this process (insulin resistance) then the sugar stays in the bloodstream and causes the pancreas to release more insulin, thus making the hyperinsulinemia worse.

The degree to which hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia occur depends upon the glycemic index and the glycemic load of the carbohydrate ingested. Glycemic Index is a measure of a food’s ability to increase blood glucose levels quickly and the glycemic load of a particular food is the glycemic index multiplied by the carbohydrate content per serving size.

This concept of glycemic load is important to understand. There may be a high glycemic index food, like a baked potato (glycemic index = 97) which has a glycemic load of only 18.4, because of the relatively low amount of carbohydrate within a serving of baked potato. Contrast this with a seemingly harmless rice cake, which has a glycemic index of 82 (lower than the potato) but a glycemic load of nearly 67. Think about all of those diet plans that have you eating rice cakes as snacks… you might as well go ahead and have the Snickers bar, at least that would be enjoyable!

The historical facts are indisputable… sugar and processed/refined carbohydrate consumption was nearly non-existent a mere 200 years ago. After the Industrial Revolution these foods became available to the masses in large quantities, and thus began the sad story of chronic disease as we know it today. High glycemic load foods comprise 36% or more of the daily energy in the Standard American Diet (SAD).

A high glycemic load diet combined with certain “susceptibility” genes allows for a hormonal cascade of events (starting with the insulin, which is a hormone) that leads to the unregulated or enhanced growth of many tissues in the body. This effect is particularly directed towards body tissues with a rapid turnover rate, like the epithelial cells. Ultimately, this process leads to all of the diseases mentioned above.

So, finally we have come to the actual likely cause of all of the heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and certain cancers. It is interesting to note that other health conditions and trends have also been linked to or explained by this process, including: increased height, puberty occurring earlier in girls, earlier onset of near-sightedness, acne, ovarian cysts, skin tags, skin discolorations and male baldness. All of these diseases have genetic components, but what allows for the specific genes to express themselves in the worst possible manner is the biochemical changes that occur because of too much insulin circulating around in bloodstreams.

Now that we are armed with some accurate “cause and effect” information, how do we begin to make changes that will finally lead to better health? Well, the obvious answer is to get the sugars and refined/processed carbohydrates out of the diet. That is something that should start right away and you will reap the rewards for years to come. And please note that breads and cereals are included, not just the cakes and candies.

Along those lines, it would be very helpful to have your hemoglobin A1c done so that you can know what your average blood sugar has been over the past 3 months. I can not stress enough how important this is and also how much more useful this is than the fasting blood glucose test that is typically done… we want to know what has been happening with your blood sugar 24/7 for the past 3 months, not just a snapshot at one time on one day.

When you do get the results, please ignore what the labs, and apparently the medical community at large, deem as “good” results. An HbA1c of 7% is considered “good,” which coordinates to an average blood sugar of 140… and that is just ridiculous. We want to shoot for an average blood glucose level of 110 at the very highest, and would be that much healthier if it were even lower. An HbA1c of 6% equates to blood glucose of 110 and 5% to 80.

If you have any of the health conditions I’ve mentioned already, or a family history of such (and I want to meet the person who can answer no to that) then this is likely the most important information you have ever seen. Am I saying to stop taking your prescription medicines? No, of course not. But I am saying that the best possible way for you to eliminate the need for those medicines is to get your body’s response to sugar and your body’s overproduction of insulin under control.

And the really exciting news is that you no longer need the “permission” of your doctor to check your HbA1c. A home test is now available, and affordable, so that you can monitor this most important of parameters all by yourself. As far as I’m concerned, this is the opportunity for you to finally take the reins of responsibility for your own healthcare firmly into your own hands, and begin to get healthier and continue to prove what I’ve been saying all along…that illness truly is optional!

Even “health foods” can be harmful to the body if you have developed food allergies to them. There are different types of food allergies, from serious reactions to the more common reactions that go undiagnosed.

Here is a question that we probably never think to ask ourselves… Is it possible that the foods that we eat (even supposedly healthy foods) are the cause of our chronic illnesses?

Migraine Headaches, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Asthma, Depression, Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue, Panic Attacks, Eczema, Chronic Allergies, Arthritis, Sleep Disorders including sleep apnea and snoring all may have a common cause… hidden food sensitivities. Attention Deficit Disorder, Chronic Ear Infections and even Autism in our children have also been linked to foods that they may be sensitive to.

All of us are familiar with overt food allergies… this is the kind of allergy where the food is consumed and within minutes or hours a reaction occurs, which can range from hives all the way to anaphylactic shock. This is known as a Type 1 food allergy, which involves the IgE antibody, and is very easy to self-diagnose… you eat the food and you have a reaction.

The IgE antibodies attach themselves to “mast cells” which, when activated by the offending food, release histamine and other chemical mediators producing classic allergic reactions such as hives, wheezing, swelling, stomach cramps, diarrhea, or more rarely, anaphylaxis. These cells are located in the linings of the digestive tract, urinary tract, skin, and airways, and surround small blood vessels.

Less well known and much harder to self diagnose are the Type 3 food allergies. A different antibody causes these reactions… IgG. The mechanism by which IgG antibodies evoke their allergic reactions is through the formation of immune complexes of antibody attached to food particles. The complexes circulate through the body via the bloodstream, rather than being attached solely to mast cells; they may affect any tissue, organ or system of the body.

Whereas the Type 1 allergies only occur in 2-3% of the population and are obvious when they happen, the Type 3 allergies may occur in up to 95% of us, and may not show up for 2 to3 days, sometimes up to a week, later. This is why they are known as “delayed-onset” allergies or sensitivities.

There are two main difficulties encountered when figuring out what is really going on with the foods that we eat and which ones we are reacting to negatively. First, because there is not an immediate response, it is difficult to pinpoint which food caused the problem… was it the broccoli that you ate 3 days ago or the bread you’ve had every day for the past week or the sesame oil that was used to prepare the stir-fried chicken and vegetables from the carry-out the other night?

The second complicating factor is that the actual reaction that you have may be in a form that you do not normally associate with an allergy. You know those cluster headaches you’ve had since you were a teenager? Or that irritable bowel issue that seems to crop up at the weirdest times? Or that low-level depression that your doctor keeps telling you is just a Prozac deficiency? Or that skin condition that prescription creams don’t seem to work for anymore? The list goes on and on… and the reason goes back to a keen understanding of the complex nature of how the body works… it all happens because these IgG antibodies can attach themselves to any tissue or organ that you have… and then disrupt normal functioning!

A disturbing fact is that most of us are reacting to anywhere from 3 to 10 different foods in this manner, sometimes up to 20 foods. And they are often foods that we think of as being healthy for us… milk, wheat, vegetables, fruits, nuts. Foods implicated in type 3 allergies are frequently favorite foods commonly eaten in large amounts.

It is important to note that a food intolerance, for example lactose intolerance due to insufficient lactase enzyme to digest milk sugar, is not a food allergy; however, intolerant individuals often suffer from allergy to cow’s milk. Casein, a milk protein, is one of the most common allergens in the Standard American Diet (SAD). Soy protein is also high on the list of common offenders, making soy products a poor substitute for dairy, unless testing has deemed it a “safe” nonallergen.

Other common food allergens include gluten (from wheat and other grains), yeast, corn and eggs. Chemical food additives, preservatives, and food colorings can also contribute to the problems of food allergy.

You may ask why it is that we come up with these allergies in the first place. I believe the answer is found by closely examining our dietary habits today compared to those of the vast majority of our history. Throughout history, we have eaten foods that were grown locally, picked fresh, and did not contain additives, preservatives, colorings, flavorings, etc. Furthermore, we ate the foods that were available to us according to our climate and the particular time of year.

Today, we eat what is known as a “monotonous” diet, even though we may not really be aware of this fact. Monotonous means repeating the same foods over and over again; not necessarily boring. There are many foods that we eat that appear and taste different, even though the base ingredients are the same… thus is the magic of modern food technologies. Many of the prepared foods that we eat use the same ingredients as flavorings. Furthermore, our diets today contain a large percentage of grains, compared to ancient cave man diets, which had no cereal grains.

Of course, none of us eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables, and you can usually count on two hands the variety that we do eat. In other words, our repertoire of foods becomes less and less varied as time goes on. The constant, repeated exposure to the same food is the reason the body creates a mechanism to make you change your habits… the creation of the IgG antibodies is your bodies attempt to make you pay attention and make a change in your diet.

Unfortunately, in today’s medical climate, we respond to the health problems we have by prescribing pills instead of making substantive changes in our lifestyles, including changing what we eat. In fact, we are so far removed from that process now that we don’t even realize what is occurring.

So how do we find out which foods may be the ones to avoid? Skin testing, by the scratch test, as well as certain IgE blood tests identify type-1 food allergies only, but not type 3. Delayed type food allergies require an ELISA blood test that detects IgG antibodies to the problem foods.

Once the hidden food allergies have been identified, then the hard work begins… these foods need to be avoided! When tested, food allergies get reported in two levels… foods to avoid and foods to rotate.

The foods to rotate are ones that have registered a minor allergy and should be eaten no more often than every 3 days. Foods to avoid need to be avoided for up to 6 months, then reintroduced one at a time to test for continued reactivity. Retesting is sometimes warranted. Occasionally, there are foods that need to be avoided for longer periods of time.

Sometimes avoiding these foods may produce cravings and withdrawal or increased suffering instead of relief. There are often times strong emotional ties to certain foods, and the breaking of these cycles can be a trying experience. Eventually the withdrawal symptoms will subside and then you start feeling better. If cravings occur, they will usually only last a few days!

At the same time, care should be taken not to eat a monotonous diet consisting of “safe” foods, or new allergies may develop to these foods.

There are a whole host of nutritional and herbal supplements that may be helpful in dealing with these hidden food allergies and your body’s response to these food. They include:

Digestive Enzymes – a plant based digestive enzyme will help your digestive tract be more efficient at breaking down foods into their smallest parts.

Methyl Sulfonyl Methane (MSM) – this is a naturally occurring form of sulfur that helps to calm your body’s over-reaction to inhaled or ingested allergens.

Essential Fatty Acids – these “healthy” fats are anti-inflammatory in nature and help with overall gut and immune system function.

Quercetin – this bioflavanoid works to stabilize mast cells, thus it is known as the natural anti-histamine.

Probiotics – these “good bacteria” play a vital role in the normal functioning of the gut and help with digestion and assimilation of food. They also play an important role in proper elimination and immune function.

Glutamine – this amino acid is basically “fuel” for the gut cells to help them reproduce and function properly.

A Multi Vitamin – including Vitamins A, B-6 & C and Minerals like Magnesium & Zinc, which all play important roles in proper gut function and repair.

All of these supplements help to eliminate the food allergy, improve gut health, remove toxins from the body, fight inflammation, and improve immune system function.

So, as it turns out, there are many foods that you may think are healthy that actually are at the root of many of your chronic health conditions. Chances are that the foods you are reacting too are ones that you eat on a regular basis (maybe even have cravings for) and you likely have no idea that they are cause for concern.

Care to try an experiment? Determine which food is the most common in your diet and them completely eliminate it for 3 weeks. I’m willing to bet you start to feel better… and that may come in the form of better energy, better sleep, better mood, or the beginnings of control with your blood sugar, blood pressure or even a little weight loss.

It is also common for people to begin to complain about age just after their joints begin to show signs of degeneration—each step that they take acts as a reminder of the advancing years.

These complaints—although not life threatening—do affect the quality of life. Although not the topic of today’s article, I could make a case that anything that impacts the quality of the skin and joints could impact the integrity of the blood vessels and vital organs. For now, however, we will forego the life-or-death discussion in the interest of vanity and vitality.
So, what “amazing substance” exists that can improve the quality of the skin and joints?

When we are born, our skin is beautiful and smooth. In fact, we use the baby as the benchmark for nice skin when we say, “her skin is as smooth as a baby’s bottom.” One reason why babies have such soft skin is the same reason they do not suffer joint degeneration and pain. That reason is…

“Water”

Don’t worry; this is not one of those articles that is going to preach the merits of drinking water. I do believe that many of us are suffering with chronic dehydration, but I will continue under the naïve assumption that you are drinking plenty of water. Assuming that this is the case, the problem is not with the amount of water in the body but rather the ability of the tissues to hold onto that water. A sponge that has dried becomes hard and brittle. When wet, the sponge becomes pliable and easily recovers its shape after you compress it. Our body is full of microscopic sponges which reside within the skin, joints, and eyes. In fact, these microscopic sponges exist in every organ within our body—but I promised that I would not get into this topic today, so let’s move on.
The scientific name for these microscopic sponges is hyaluronic acid—“H.A.” for short. Babies are born with high levels of hyaluronic acid in their skin; in fact, much higher concentrations than their elders—that’s you. As we age, we produce less and less H.A. which results in some of the previously mentioned problems. In a sense, our bodies lose their “sponginess”. The solution is simple, replace the H.A. and the skin, joints and disks of the spine retain their moisture.

H.A. is available in supplement form and we have used it, in our practice, to help men and women with a multitude of problems that are attributed to aging:

1. Floaters of the eye—caused by a separation of the jelly-like material in the eye that is made up of H.A.

2. Arthritis and stiff joints—worsened by lack of H.A. which makes up the lubricating fluid within the debt

3. Thin, dry skin—lack of H.A. in the skin causes dryness and lack of skin pliability

4. Wrinkles—H.A. deficiency prevents skin from retaining its “plumpness”

I will not claim that H.A. is the cure for arthritis—or wrinkles for that matter. I can say, however, that H.A. supplementation has helped many of my patients reverse floaters, improve arthritis pain and stiffness, and decrease the appearance of wrinkles. I have pinched the skin of seniors who have been taking H.A. and seen their skin immediately bounce back to its original shape which would not have happened before supplementation. H.A. is available in capsules and topical creams. The capsules are very effective for all of the above mentioned issues; however, adding the H.A. to the skin in topical form can result in further improvements for wrinkles of the face and neck. The recommended dose of H.A. is 100 mg twice daily for the first month—in order to build up the H.A. rapidly. After the initial month, I recommend 100 mg, once daily, for maintenance. If you would like specific recommendations for hyaluronic acid (H.A.) supplements, see the Virtual Pharmacist section of our site.