Detox this Christmas!

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Holidays blinging, bells ringing, crowds and stress levels rising!

If Christmas is “not your thing” let your bah humbug be fed with nutritious adaptogenic health.

Here is your 5 step plan to last out this holiday season:

1) Start your day with a green smoothie drink!

1 banana, bunch of Kale, 1 tsp spirulina some pineapple (yum and bromelain to help digestion – a natural antioxidant and protease) coconut water/milk, pinch of tumeric and nuts of your choice- cashews and almond milk work a treat. 

If you are juicing try the CABALA-  which stands for: 3 different colours of apple, Carrot, Beetroot, lemon. 

Here is Don Tolman’s link for the recipe http://thedontolman.com/free-stuff/don-tolmans-c-a-b-a-l-a-juice-recipe/

(and no, I don’t know if he dyes his moustache or why it looks like that!).

Make sure you eat breakfast that is low carb but good quality protein. An egg fits the picture nicely.

2) Add some supplements:

Adaptogen herbal helpers will support your adrenals and reduce stress levels. These include withania, ginseng, cordyceps and the Salvia family – Dan Shen in Eastern herbal medicine terms. See your local Naturopath for a face, tongue, nail and check up analysis to fine tune your herbal formula. If you are imbibing add Milk thistle and dandelion tea to this list. 

 

3) B vitamins.  Remember that your B vitamins are going to save your liver- especially B3, 6,and 9. The levels on over the counter supplements are ridiculously low,  if you are imbibing any alcohol you want to help your liver deal with it. Go for a mixed B lof at least 50 mg each (except for folate and cobalamine- the B9 and B12- which are both in the microgram range).   

4) Antioxidants: amazingly throwing another shrimp on the barbie is not such a bad idea. The astaxanthin and good quality fats in a prawn (Aussie word for shrimp) Astaxanthin is found in microalgae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill, shrimp, crayfish, crustaceans, and the feathers of some birds. It provides the red color of salmon meat and the red color of cooked shellfish. 

Other great antioxidants are in the above brekkie drinks. Virtually any fruit and vegetable with lots of colour will have some  antioxidant properties. Go for the limonene containing variety- lots of citrus zest added to your cooking/rawing. Eat mostly unprocessed ingredients.

5) WATER!  and minerals. Especially if you are in the southern hemisphere, drinking a minimum of 2 litres a day is imperative. More if you are active and out and about. Most people are not aware that you may not be thirsty until you are really dehydrated, and that cellular function cannot take place efficiently without water.  We, and the planet, are a water based system. We are approximately 73% water, so is the planet. Our cells also need electrolytes and minerals to function, so throw a pinch of that great Himalayan, celtic sea salt or other balanced salt plus a squeeze of lemon into your brew. It will make your body sing.

Enjoy! and have a pleasant Christmas~

Snotty, sneezy, stuffy suppuration!

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Do you, or your kids   suffer from Sore throats, laryngitis, or recurrent tonsillitis?

Those tingly tickly   and painful pharyngeal problems packing the back of your throat and making   swallowing sanguineously saturated …  can be licked!

 

A sore throat is   generally a symptom of being “run down” or immunologically challenged with   various viruses and or bacteria. Generally the patient maybe deficient in   essential nutrients, trace minerals, and vitamins. This may happen for a   variety of reasons. Dental disease (nursing home syndrome) in the mature and   elderly is also a common cause of inflamed tonsils/pharyngitis and bronchitis,   while recurring viral illness is more common in children and teenagers.

 

Take for example   one of my recent patients, SF who has been suffering from repeated throat   infections.

 

 

SF is a High school   girl undergoing  growth spurts.  Growing new cells as well as exercising   daily requires a maximum of nutrients above the  RDI (recommended Daily intake). Growth,   puberty and development all place demands on stored minerals and vitamins,   particularly Vitamin A, C, and E and trace minerals Zinc, and Magnesium.   Macrominerals of Calcium and phosphates are required in the 2-3 gram amounts,   and can be difficult for growing young people to gain in the modern western   diet, as they are not balanced if they are not snacking on wholesome nuts,   cheeses and fruits.

Added to this is   the internal hormonal (adrenaline, cortisol and sympathetic overload)  stress of exams. Exposure to germs via high   density living  and socialising—ie. mixing   with hundreds of people while at school and at dance classes leads to contact   to various viruses and germs.  Tonsillitis is   much more than just a simple sore throat. It usually hurts a lot, is common   in children leaving them feeling sick, miserable and drained. Tonsillitis   results when the tonsils  become   overwhelmed by bacterial or viral infection. It can occur as part of a throat   infection (pharyngitis) and causes them to become swollen, infl amed and   covered in white spots. Tonsils form part of the body’s immune system, their   major function being to catch incoming germs and prevent infection getting to   the throat, mouth and sinuses. They contain lymphoid cells that are the   second line of defence, after the skin and nasal hairs which filter bacteria   and viruses.

Tonsillitis is very common, especially in children and   more so in the colder months. It is highly contagious, which means it spreads   easily from child to child by contact with throat or nasal fluids. So   coughing, sneezing, used tissues, shared drinks and kissing will all pass on   the germs and the infection.

 

 

 

 

Sustaining Factors:

Things that are keeping the

condition present

 

Stresses of a very   active school, dance and social life with eating on the run stimulates the   SNS system and uses up antioxidant factors such as Zn, Se,  and vitamin C which are necessary to stop   infection and boost immune function. A good diet, plenty of rest, Sleep and   sunshine provide optimal immune function- and with a busy schedule and late   night studying to cram for exams, plus exposure to cold and other children   with viral infections susceptibility runs high.

 

Naturopathic   Analysis/Causative Factors:

What’s possibly making it   happen physically –based on biochemistry and personal choices as listed above

 

 

One of the best things you can do to prevent a child   getting tonsillitis is: get them to wash their hands! Hand- to- hand contact   is one of the fastest ways of spreading the viruses and bacteria responsible   for throat infections. The three culprits are: Streptococcus A bacteria –   often known as strep throat; Epstein-Barr virus; and the Coxsackie virus. The   incubation time is 2-4 days, so it can pass through schools and families very   quickly. Simple, regular washing with soap and water kills the bugs.

Personal choices of   being very active in many dance classes and school activities with quick   meals and little rest predisposes to tonsillitis.  Advised to work with prevention with   supplements of vitamin C, Echinacea, multivitamin  and Citrus fruits or nutritious soups are a   great idea. Steer clear of sugar, dairy and processed foods, which can   actually slow the healing process down. Encourage  rest and keep warm. Overnight, use a   humidifier in the room with eucalyptus, camphor, bergamot, lavender or   tea-tree essential oils to keep their throat and airways moist and clear, and  can help    with swallowing.

 

As SF was about to   go overseas on holiday this was emphasised rest,nutrition- and keep warm, and   a throat spray was dispensed. She returned well and rested without   recurrence.

 

 

Presenting Concern:

 

Sore throat,   recovering from cold, laryngitis, tonsillitis

 

 

Contributing   Factors:

Past/Predisposing

Present

Things that led to getting

 current signs and sx

 

SF is a High school   girl with growth spurt, requiring maximum RDI for growth, puberty and   development. Stress of exams and high density living (mixing with hundreds   while at school and at dance classes) leads to exposure to various viruses   and germs.Tonsillitis is much more than just a simple sore throat. It   usually hurts a lot, is common in children leaving them feeling sick,   miserable and drained. Tonsillitis results when the tonsils  become overwhelmed by bacterial or viral   infection. It can occur as part of a throat infection (pharyngitis) and   causes them to become swollen, infl amed and covered in white spots. Tonsils   form part of the body’s immune system, their major function being to catch   incoming germs and prevent infection getting to the throat, mouth and   sinuses. They contain lymphoid cells that are the second line of defence,   after the skin and nasal hairs which filter bacteria and viruses.

Tonsillitis is very common, especially in children and   more so in the colder months. It is highly contagious, which means it spreads   easily from child to child by contact with throat or nasal fluids. So   coughing, sneezing, used tissues, shared drinks and kissing will all pass on   the germs and the infection.

 

 

 

 

Mineral Magic and Mayhem

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Gardeners know that for  plants to survive you need to add nutrients and water to help them thrive. There must be at least these three trace minerals in the soil: NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium – the “K” stands for the Latin word for potassium, ie. Kallium). The plants can grow with this, but may succumb to various infections and viruses if the other minerals are missing. Just as in plants, animals require minerals for optimum function. As a health care professional I have seen the effects of potassium deficiency in the mammalian body- lethargy, and weakness are classic.
 Great Gardeners are aware that there are more than 70 other minerals- micro nutrients- that in the right balance help the plant have good immunity to bugs and viruses and help the plant make more of itself- ie good to eat fruits, nuts and seeds.  If there is an abundance of water, good soil and a high mineral count of the right balance (a brixmeter is useful- basically a specific gravity measurement of crushed green leaves) the soil will magically produce a good crop if starting with good quality seed. If the seed is good but the soil is poor in minerals then the crop will not be optimal.  Crops can succumb to plague proportions of insects, aphids and locusts and fall over with withered yellow veins if they are not well fed. Mayhem in the agricultural industry would pursue.  It is also possible to resurrect a poor plant as if by magic, when supplementing correct mineral deficiencies.

Mammalian life is not much different.  To grow and be really healthy we need to feed our cells a good balance of the trace minerals, as well as adequate proteins and fats to build cell structures. Carbohydrates are low on the list of necessity, and we can obtain adequate energy by metabolising fats.   When we have a diet high in protein, however, we need to be flushing the ammonia break down products out with more water/liquid intake and we will lose more Na or sodium and other trace minerals. Diuretics such as coffee and tea also cause a loss of trace minerals. The body needs at least 2 grams of calcium and 1.5 grams of magnesium daily to have a good neuromuscular function. Zinc requirements increase when there is sickness and stress, and a supplement of 50 mg per day is recommended.

Blackmore’s Celloids are a practitioner only Naturopathic form of medicine using trace minerals that can be used in animals and people to help manage mineral imbalances when our nutritional levels are low.   Our practice carries a range of mineral supplements and bases individual treatments on signs and symptoms displayed in the patients nails, face, tongue analysis, history and blood tests.

The mineral protocol treatment dispensed for an individual is based on these patient’s signs and symptoms and can be analysed and weighted by the Blackmore’s   questionnaire.  A chart can be formed from the questionnaire, which identifies the most relevant minerals for the individual patient. The code used for the mineral is based on the first letter of the mineral.  These are de-coded in the Table below.  Most of the Minerals are bound in a physiological form to either Phosphate or Sulphate. This helps absorption and buffering so there is no gastric irritation. Most absorption occurs in the small intestine, and as a carefully chewed powder some will be immediately absorbed through the oral mucosa.

An example of using some of these minerals is outlined below:

MP is Magnesium Phosphate- this is the Neuromuscular Coordinator. MP is appropriate for nervous disorders, tension, muscular aches and pains, PMT (premenstrual tension), cravings, panic and anxiety, gas and bloating, and general stress.  In  patients requiring this mineral, their Tongue is short and may quiver, their nails are short round and clubbed. Their Iris has superficial nerve arcs and rings.  This patient had anxiety, bloating, stress, and a quivering tongue with nerve rings in her iris.

 

PP is Potassium Phosphate the Nerve Power Activator which is helpful in conditions of physical, mental and nervous exhaustion with decreased nervous energy, low mood, fatigue, weakness. It is also used when poor memory and concentration occurs.

A hypothetical patient may have signs like this: The Tongue is dry with a mustard colour and red edges- in Chinese TCM  (Traditional Chinese Medical diagnostics) terms the red edges are indicative of liver problems. Of these signs the patient may have slightly red edges, but a clear slimy coat to her tongue (indicating a need for Sulphur) and some swelling (Either PC or SS) showing teeth imprints. There may be dark- yellow Iridal nerve rings which is more indicative of PSMP together with the clear slimy coating on the tongue which appear relevant in this patient.  Sulfur compounds are helpful in liver detox, and in infections, so it may be decided to use a prescription with  PSMP  if the questionnaire shows several infection areas with signs/symptoms such as Candida, Tongue, skin, and Iris signs.

 PPMP is a patented duo celloid, regarded as the Nervous system support blend, which is the combined neuromuscular (MP) and Nerve power activator (PP) blend.  It is particularly relevant for nervous exhaustion and decreased nervous energy. Cramps, spasms and twitching are well treated with this formula. In today’s society of increased mental stimulus and decreased manual labour with poor mineral intake due to soil depletion of magnesium, this formula is prescribed in at least 50% of Western patients. (pers com AIAS lecturer.

 

Silica is called the Calcium reorganiser- is helpful with the lack of growth or vitality of hair, with split ends and degenerative arthritis. Tongue is long and pointed and the nails have longitudinal lines or ribbing from bed to tip.

 

CF is Calcium Fluoride, a homoeopathic formula which may counteract the recent fluoridation of Queensland’s drinking water; according to the homoeopathic principle of like cures like. This is highly relevant in this patient as Fluoride displaces Iodine in the thyroid tissue and may be partially responsible for deficient thyroid function.  That is a homeopathic dose of fluoride could reduce the toxic effects of Fluoride/fluorosis that may have accumulated in her tissues due to mass medication of her drinking water, ingestion of fluoridated toothpaste over many years, and dental visits. CF is regarded as  the Connective Tissue Strengthener. Where cracks or fissures of epithelial tissue including Tongue cracked, mapped or split and dilated Iridal nerve wreath with radii Solaris occurs.   SCF is a duo celloid as Silica can benefit the matrices laid down by Calcium.

 

The minerals are known by their primary action and name, and are listed below:

Blackmore’s Cell salts or Celloids are safe low, pharmacological doses of specific physiologically required minerals that are given regularly and over some months. They are generally (except in the case of CF) non homoeopathic. Therefore they are advancement over Sheussler cell salts in that they provide biological chemical action (as opposed to energetic or homoeopathic medicine, which could also be argued to be useful in combination with other therapies). It is expected that the patient will feel gradually improved and that revisit consultations are necessary to monitor these changes. Because the result may be subtle at first, it is recommended that the patient allocates a sliding scale to the symptoms from 1-10 that they are experiencing at the beginning of the treatment, particular for the few signs and symptoms for which the patient is seeking the most help with.  This enables a recognisable method to monitor the improvements and provides a clinical and measurable outcome.

As in any health, or fitness training program the practitioner/healer/trainer is a support person and encourager to enable progress to be made. This allows the patient to observe and claim ownership of their own health and signs and symptoms, and to be more body aware of how they are treating their body. This is slightly different to a medical regime where the patient does not take control of their own health and relies solely on the care-giver to make judgements and fine tune the medications.  Doctors are expected to dispense a pill or treatment that “will work immediately” on the signs and symptoms, but in fact the underlying cause of these symptoms may never be truly addressed.  Naturopathic Medicine on the other hand, relies on the patient to control their dietary intake, exercise modalities, and state of mind- addressing mental and emotional aspects; for example in this case mood swings anxiety and the inability to concentrate maybe linked to magnesium and potassium deficiency. This can be treated nutritionally with minor diet changes and mineral supplements.  Although this may be a slower and long process, particularly for some chronic conditions and genetic dispositions, in the end this empowers the patient to notice their own bodies and their own needs and re-engages the patient with the ability to control their own health.

 

Observant Practitioners of Naturopathic Medicine may note that their Holistic treatments affect the mind and body, enabling emotional healing which may arguably be the basis for neuro-chemical balance and homeostasis.

 Patients may display animated actions and words matching  self-determination and confidence in their therapy while discussing subtle changes such as better sleep patterns and an increased ability to study and cope with stress.  

Mineral therapy can act as a catalyst providing cofactors for various enzymatic and physiological processes in the body.  This creates a homeostasis effect for the body to perform in a more balanced fashion. Patients can attune themselves to listen to the effects mineral deficiencies may have, with the aid of a practitioner who acts in an educational and teaching capacity.

 

References:

1)       AIAS Celloids class notes HealingViaNature  Leonie McDonald  2012

2)       Blackmore’s Professional website www.blackmores.com.au, helpline 1800151493

3)       Blackmore’s: Minerals and Medications: Exploding the Myths workbook 2011 Elizabeth d’Avigdor, Dr  Roberts

4)       The Clinical science of Mineral Therapy, Leslie Fisher, Blackmore’s Professional notes

 

 Mineral Formula and Action:

MP is Magnesium   Phosphate

Neuromuscular

Coordinator

PP is Potassium   Phosphate

Nerve Power   Activator

PS is Potassium   Sulphate

Cell Oxygenator

Chronic, recurring   conditions

PC is Potassium   Chloride

Congestion remover

CF is Calcium   Fluoride (homoeopathic)

Connective Tissue   Strengthener

 

CP is Calcium   Phosphate

Cell Builder

SP is Sodium   Phosphate

Metabolic Acid   Balancer

SS is Sodium Sulphate

Problem fluid remover   Liver function detoxifier

IP is Iron   Phosphate

Inflammation

Remover

CS is Calcium   Sulphate

Chronic Suppurative

Conditions

S is Silicon   dioxide

Calcium Reorganiser

 

Girls are made of sugar and spice: NOT ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS! Choose your poison carefully.

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The Evidence of Harmful and Mutagenic Potential of Artificial Sweeteners: what we crave we become, Or we are what we eat!

 Hippocrates, the father of medicine said that our food should be our medicine. 

Clearly we are not listening to him, or our bodies, in present day western culture.  We are a group of lizardly lazy corpulent diabetogenic blobs.   OK that’s a little harsh. We can do better though. We have to shake up our chemistry and take notice of the poisons and toxins that we perhaps unwittingly ingested, put on our skin and appreciate that we inherited our mothers’ accidentally poisoned systems, because THE ENVIRONMENT WE LIVE IN including EMF’s (google that if you have time), PCB’s, artificial colourings and yes–Because we have a sugar addiction (yes, I hear you! it is not our fault! we have believed the mistaken food pyramid based on, you guessed it SUGAR! Carbs = bread, pasta, wheat, grains = SUGAR).  So of course we are victims of agribusiness and false Ancel Keys cherry picked  data that led to the conclusion of carbs are good, fat is bad- when the reverse is likely to be true!

There is an epidemic of obesity in the so-called “first world countries” including the United States, Canada, Australia and to a lesser extent the European communities. Peoples that migrate from normal BMI (Body Mass Index) — that is NOT fat or obese–countries to these lands also end up joining the team of the obese, therefore this is not a genetic problem. This is directly proportional to the increased efficiency producing food  and quick take-away convenience packaged food and appliances to make our lives easier. We consume more calories and crave more sugar as a culture in the western world than in any other society. In an effort to combat our excessive caloric consumption many people turn to artificial sweeteners especially for their beverages.

Are artificial sweeteners safe to consume? This review will outline the history and potential toxicity of the four main artificial sweeteners: cyclamate, saccharin, aspartame and sucralose.

 Studies performed in different countries have conflicting information. This is confusing. Who to believe? Personally I think that if a RAT in USA gets cancer eating a particular form of artificial sweetener, than I will believe that rat is not too different from a rat or a mammal in ANY OTHER PART OF THE WORLD.  That is, if it is found to be carcinogenic in one country, it makes no sense to say that it will NOT be carcinogenic in another country!    Hello? Food regulation authorities please explain this to the world being presently poisoned: Why is Saccharine, one of the oldest sugar substitutes,  banned in Canada, but OK in the USA?.  Cyclamates are forbidden in the US but sold in Canada, do you think this has something to do with the almighty dollar and less to do with safety and health?  Yes, I think I smell a rat…..

Saccharine

Saccharine was invented in 1879 when a chemist named Constantin Fahlberg spilled something on his hands at a lab at Johns Hopkins University. (21) He tasted the substance and found it to be very sweet, in fact it is 300-500 times sweeter to the taste buts so only 1/300th of the amount is required to be added to food to achieve the sweeter taste!. Since 1907 it was available as a table sweetener and was investigated for 70 years. Saccharin has been shown to cause kidney lesions, eye deformities, metabolic interference and bladder cancer in animals.  Up to 30% of the chicks hatched from saccharin-injected eggs died within 48 hours of hatching. In February 1972 the FDA removed saccharin from its GRAS list (generally recognized as safe), but didn’t prohibit its use.  A year later that same agency announced that saccharin had caused bladder cancer in rats fed it for two years.2The American FDA found some carcinogenicity in rat studies, but this only led to a warning lable on the “SweetNLow” products

Aspartame

Marketed as Equal and NutriSweet, was discovered in much the same way, in 1965, Jim Schlatter, a chemist at G.D. Searle, was working on ulcer treatment using a drug called aspartyl-phenylalanine methyl ester (hence the name ASPARTAME)  and noted the taste on his fingers was also sweet.

The FDA did not approve the substance until 1981, as there was conflicting evidence about its safety, including the fact that a component of aspartame converts to formaldehyde at   temperatures of 90 degrees F, or 32.22degrees Celcius, which is below body temperature!

Literally years of legal and political maneuvering took place questioning the validity of the testing on aspartame by manufacturer, G. D. Searle Company (purchased in 1985 by Monsanto).  Numerous neurotoxic effects were found and according to many authorities, covered up.  Aspartame is used in over 1200 foods.  It is reportedly responsible for 75% of the food additive reaction complaints by consumers to the FDA.

Nutra-Sweet is composed of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, plus being 10% methanol (commonly known as “wood alcohol”).  Methanol breaks down into the well-known carcinogen, formaldehyde, formic acid and a brain tumor producing substance called diketopiperzine (DPK).  The consumption of wood alcohol has been known to cause blindness or even death.  Because the body lacks an enzyme necessary to detoxify methanol, its elimination rate is five times slower than ethanol, as found in whiskey, beer and wine.

            A 12 ounce aspartame-sweetened soft drink has about 10 mg of methanol.  People consuming lots of soft drinks or other aspartame-sweetened products could easily consume over 100 mg per day — 13 times the EPA recommended limit!

            Though I recommend avoidance of aspartame by anyone at anytime, there is one time in particular you should absolutely avoid it — when flying on an airplane.  Methanol can lead to oxygen deprivation, which is definitely not a good thing at high altitudes where it can lead to memory problems, dizziness and even epileptic seizures. Don’t drink that fizzy stuff on the plane at all. Water and herbal tea and walking up and down the aisles will save your veins from DVT.

There is also a particular problem with Phenylalanine in some people.  The 1 in 15,000 people with the genetic disease, phenylketonuria (PKU) can experience seizures and mental retardation from consuming foods with this amino acid.  Diagnosed PKU sufferers, of course, are careful to avoid phenylalanine.  The problem is that about 2% of the U. S. population has one of the two genes necessary for PKU — they don’t develop the disease, but they can still be sensitive to phenylalanine. 

            Dr. Richard Wurtman, Professor of Neuroendocrinology at MIT, has challenged the FDA’s approval of aspartame on safety grounds.  He notes that an adult drinking four to five aspartame-sweetened soft drinks a day is getting enough phenylalanine into the brain to disrupt neurotransmitter function, which can produce depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, headaches, high blood pressure, increased appetite and possibly seizures.

            Both the phenylalanine and aspartic acid in aspartame are at very high levels as compared to their presence in the foods we eat.  That, and the fact that they are released much quicker than from foods, creates further disturbance in the brain chemistry.

Brain tumor incidence–  A 1996 study suggested such a causal relationship.  In 1991 the National Institutes of Health listed 167 possible side-effect symptoms of aspartame.  H. J. Roberts, M.D., in a study of 500 cases of aspartame-caused illness, found the most common complaints (in descending order) were headaches (45%), dizziness (39%), memory loss and confusion (29%), decreased vision (25%), severe depression (25%), extreme irritability (23%), severe anxiety attacks (19%) and more.

Sucralose

Sucralose– nice name, shame about the taste and the chemical reaction in the gut!  (Sucralose =chlorine compound!) was discovered in London by a graduate student named Shashikant Phadnis, who confused the words “tasting” and “testing.” In 1976, Phadnis was working for the British sugar company Tate & Lyle, at King’s College. He tasted a compound, noted its exceptional sweetness, and in 1991 it was marketed in Canada and in 1998 it was approved in America. It is 600 times sweeter than sugar so incipients are added to bring the volume up to something similar to sugar. It is marketed as Splenda.

  Sucralose is manufactured by chlorinating sugar.  What that means is that sucralose is a chlorocarbon — like a pesticide.  Some of the health hazards of chlorocarbons include organ, genetic and reproductive damage. Chlorine has many ill-health side-effects associated with it, including increased cancer and heart disease risk.  This unnatural adding of chlorine molecules to sugar presumably could produce the same health problems.

There is a surprisingly small number of scientific studies on sucralose as compared to other artificial sweeteners.  A Medline search reportedly found 2374 studies on saccharin, 598 on aspartame, 459 on cyclamates and just 19 studies on sucralose, though the manufacturer claims there are hundreds of studies.3  According to the Medical Letter of Drugs & Therapeutics, the long-term safety of sucralose is unknown.4

            Though the manufacturer indicates sucralose is not absorbed or metabolized into the body, the FDA’s “Final Rule” report indicated 11% to 27% absorption in humans.  The Japanese food Sanitation Council found up to a 40% absorption rate.  This cannot be good with such an unnatural product.

 

Cyclamates

These substances were banned in the US but is still available in other countries, such as Canada, marketed as Sucaryl.

The discovery dates back to 1937, when Michael Sveda, a graduate student at the University of Illinois, was working on synthesis of anti-pyretic (anti-fever) drugs. He put his cigarette down on the lab bench. When he put it back in his mouth, he discovered the sweet taste of cyclamate.

Cyclamates were banned in the US in 1969, when studies linked it to an increased cancer risk. British studies showed shrunken testicles and lowered the sperm count in laboratory animals.  Other studies conflict and vindicate cyclamates–which is why some countries still use it.

 Xylitol, maltilol and other similar long chain sugars are generally poorly absorbed by the gut but still provide a sweet taste to the tongue. They can be poisonous to dogs and other small mammals as they set up an insulin surge and send the animal into insulin shock. In small quantities, such as in chewing gum, they have been shown to satisfy some cravings short term and also aid in dental hygiene as the bacteria do not grow on them.  However be careful to not leave your handbag around for little fluffy to discover the chewing gum in there, as he may just have to go to emergency vet clinic, and my aim as a naturopathvet is to keep you out of THAT visit.

 

HEALTHY SWEETENERS

             Though many legitimate sweetening needs are well served by honey, Coconut meal, real maple syrup and blackstrap molasses, there are people, such as the recent surge of the millions of diabetics, that can’t handle even those natural sugars or are now following the low/no carb dieting.  (LOW CARB, HIGH FAT=   LCHF–AND NUTRITIOUS VEGETABLES WORKS BEST FOR YOUR HEALTH!  but please see your qualified naturopath as most people and pets need tweaking with herbal helpers such as gymnema, and trace minerals such as chromium and vanadium

  Stevia — Stevia rebaudiana bertoni is a green herb plant in the Aster-Chrysanthemum family which contains a naturally sweet substance.  It’s 300-400 times sweeter than sugar.  No ill-effects have been noted in many studies done on this herb.  In China it is actually used for various medicinal herb purposes including helping digestion, stimulating the appetite and even losing weight.  Stevia can be purchased in health food stores in powdered or liquid forms.  If its not green and leafy it will still have to have gone through some processing.  Try growing the herb in your backyard, soaking the leaves in hot water and storing in fridge/freezer from small drops of herbal extract sweetness. It grows as well as mints, so makes a nice addition to your water/herbal drinks. Even if it has been processed, because you only require 1 drop to give you the equivalent sweetness of about 3teaspoons of sugar, which will have far less impact on your waist and cellular structures than the artificial sweeteners mentioned above.

Its important to realise that not everyone is the same, and some people may have reactions to they chrysanthemum family. Due to gut dysbiosis, vaccinosis, and various toxins sequentially added over many years to the body’s stored poisons, the process of ‘detoxing” us Naturopaths love to quote- may be somewhat complex and requiring time, and careful monitoring.

A great start to your NEW YEAR is to: ditch the toxins (artificially sweetened, preserved, and additives added) avoid numbers and packaged foods, eat organic as much as possible, juice vegetables daily and CUT THE CARBS!. CHEW THE GOOD FAT! Coconut oil, animal fats that are not heated and burned, and cold pressed seed and nut oils. Eat a minimum of 10 serves of veges and  highly coloured fruits (blueberries, raspberries) pineapples (which contains the protease bromelain), papaya, (pawpaw–which also helps digest proteins via its enzyme papain- known as a meat tenderizer).  An excellent way to detox your body is to flush out the stored toxic fats by exercising- raise your heart rate to 220- your age BPM (beats per minute) for short bursts of 30 seconds, drink 2-3 litres of water with trace minerals added over the 12 hour period, and go on a 30 day vegetable juice fast. See the movie Fat Sick and nearly Dead this holiday period. Period. Love to all my healthy to be clients, friends and family! The world needs you. Stay HEALTHY!

1. Genotoxicity testing of low-calorie sweeteners: aspartame, acesulfame-K, and saccharin.

           Bandyopadhyay A, Ghoshal S, Mukherjee A.

Drug Chem Toxicol. 2008;31(4):447-57.PMID: 18850355 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

2.Reducing added sugar intake in Norway by replacing sugar sweetened beverages with beverages containing intense sweeteners – a risk benefit assessment.

Husøy T, Mangschou B, Fotland TØ, Kolset SO, Nøtvik Jakobsen H, Tømmerberg I, Bergsten C, Alexander J, Frost Andersen L.

Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 Sep;46(9):3099-105. Epub 2008 Jul 1.PMID: 18639604 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

3.The potential toxicity of artificial sweeteners.

Whitehouse CR, Boullata J, McCauley LA.

AAOHN J. 2008 Jun;56(6):251-9; quiz 260-1. Review.PMID: 18604921

4.Aspartame bioassay findings portend human cancer hazards.

Huff J, LaDou J.

Int J Occup Environ Health. 2007 Oct-Dec;13(4):446-8.PMID: 18085058

5.Food reformulations for improved health: A potential risk for microbial food safety?

Sleator RD, Hill C.

Med Hypotheses. 2007;69(6):1323-4. Epub 2007 Apr 23.PMID: 17452083

6.First European conference on aspartame: putting safety and benefits into perspective. Synopsis of presentations and conclusions.

Renwick AG, Nordmann H.

Food Chem Toxicol. 2007 Jul;45(7):1308-13. Epub 2007 Feb 22.PMID: 17397982 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

7.Association of a functional polymorphism in the mu-opioid receptor gene with alcohol response and consumption in male rhesus macaques.

Barr CS, Schwandt M, Lindell SG, Chen SA, Goldman D, Suomi SJ, Higley JD, Heilig M.

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007 Mar;64(3):369-76.PMID: 17339526 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

8.Consumption of aspartame-containing beverages and incidence of hematopoietic and brain malignancies.

Lim U, Subar AF, Mouw T, Hartge P,
Morton LM, Stolzenberg-Solomon R, Campbell D, Hollenbeck AR, Schatzkin A.

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Sep;15(9):1654-9.PMID: 16985027 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

9.Interaction between serotonin transporter gene variation and rearing condition in alcohol preference and consumption in female primates.

Barr CS, Newman TK, Lindell S, Shannon C, Champoux M, Lesch KP, Suomi SJ, Goldman D, Higley JD.

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004 Nov;61(11):1146-52.PMID: 15520362 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

10.Artificial sweeteners–do they bear a carcinogenic risk?

Weihrauch MR, Diehl V.

Ann Oncol. 2004 Oct;15(10):1460-5. Review.PMID: 15367404 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

11.Position of the American Dietetic Association: use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners.

American Dietetic Association.

J Am Diet Assoc. 2004 Feb;104(2):255-75. Erratum in: J Am Diet Assoc. 2004 Jun;104(6):1013. PMID: 14760578 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

15;97(3):173. PMID: 11760654

13.What’s the truth about the health risks of sugar substitutes such as saccharin and aspartame?

Cohen S.

Health News. 2001 Jan;7(1):10. No abstract available. PMID: 11198407

14.Reproductive and offspring developmental effects following maternal inhalation exposure to methanol in nonhuman primates.

Burbacher T, Shen D, Grant K, Sheppard L, Damian D, Ellis S, Liberato N.

Res Rep Health Eff Inst. 1999 Oct;(89):i-ii, 1-117; discussion 119-33.PMID: 10941406 [

16.The effect of chewing sugar-free gum after meals on clinical caries incidence.

Beiswanger BB, Boneta AE, Mau MS, Katz BP, Proskin HM, Stookey GK.

J Am Dent Assoc. 1998 Nov;129(11):1623-6.PMID: 9818584

18.Monitoring adverse reactions to food additives in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Tollefson L.

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 1988 Dec;8(4):438-46.PMID: 3222485

20.Aspartame: review of recent experimental and observational data.

Janssen PJ, van der Heijden CA.

Toxicology. 1988 Jun;50(1):1-26. Review.PMID: 3291200 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

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accessed 15/1/10

22. http://www.pacifichealthcenter.com/blog/71-artificial-sweeteners/ accessed 18/01/10

The Hype about Hypothyroidism

Posted on by under Uncategorized

Oh my goodness, another over 40 year old female comes into my clinic and starts to cry with relief when she understands that her condition is common.  When she tells me about her horror visit to her local GP doctor–and I guessed, conspiratorially winking and with a smile- that he wanted to put her on antidepressants because, well she is TIRED, always feeling cold, lethargic, gaining weight and doesn’t want to do anything — I shook her hand and welcomed her to the “HypoT club”!

You see it’s an epidemic.  My husband and I have been struggling with signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism for several years, but generally it goes undiagnosed in MOST people (and their pets!)

To be fair to the overworked and stressed doctor (remember my husband is one of those! He was in denial about his hypoT for YEARS) It is tricky to diagnose, and unless the root cause and underlying factors are addressed, hormone replacement therapy is going to be palliative and lifelong.

So what’s the buzz? Why is this problem out of control?

 Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid, a bilobal butterfly shaped hormonal gland situated at the base and front of the neck anterior to the trachea, is underactive. The product of this gland is thyroxine, which affects many organ systems and their metabolic actions in the body, including growth factors, skin condition, body and head hair growth, heart rate, core body temperature and how rapidly food calories are burned. The onset can be slow and insidious with multiple other dis-sease taking place concommititently. Hypo functioning of this gland  therefore can present as a wide range of symptoms and pathology.

Causes:  1) Deficiencies: Nutrient deficiency of Iodine, Selenium, and the amino acid Tyrosine as well as other minerals and nutrient factors contribute to the inability of the thyroid gland to manufacture Thyroxine are common causes, as well as antinutrient binding factors from ingesting Brassica plants. Areas that have low Iodine in the soil are referred to as “geographic goitre belts” as Iodine deficiency causes the thyroid to enlarge developing a goitre. (Hechtman,L 2012) A diet deficient in essential minerals, amino acids, and good fat with exposure or ingestion of fluoride, pesticides, aromatase inhibitors- such as weedicides like round up residues (eg. On fruit and vegetables ingested, or in drinking water or skin exposure) exposure to radiation and drugs have all been implicated as causative factors. (AIAS Nut 4 notes) Autoimmune or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism especially in women over the age of 45 years. Its pathogenesis and increased frequency in women of this age group is unknown, but at this age a drop in progesterone which maybe protective and anti-inflammatory agent -plus an increase in inflammatory cytokines, with adipose tissue releasing oestrogens it is possible that the T helper H1;H2 cell ratio may favour the inflammatory autoimmune axis.

2) Excesses:  Many articles attribute a cause and effect principle from vaccines, insecticides, PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenols), plastics, Chlorine and fluorine and other toxins in the environment. (Mercola.com).  Dr Bill Osmunson, (Mercola interview) a dentist and health researcher, has studied this extensively and recommends that fluoride levels should be monitored and reduced to less than 1 ppb, and that the public water supply should not be fluoridated for these health reasons. Animal studies have documented hypothyroidism as an effect of fluorosis- which has been well known in the Veterinary field for many years where Thyroxine and triiodothyronine levels in serum decreased with increasing urinary fluoride (Hillman D, 1979).

Signs and Symptoms: Patients with hypothyroidism may be overweight and find it difficult to lose weight, may feel sluggish and lethargic, have dry itchy skin, experience brain fog, exhibit oedema and puffy features. They may also have shortness of breath, constipation, flatulence and bloating, and recurrent infections. Other features of this disease include infertility and low libido, fibrocystic breast disease, myalgia, athralgia, cold intolerance, decreased sweating and headaches. Some classic clues that may alert a naturopath include facial diagnosis of hypothyroidism such as yellow bumps/lumps (cholesterol deposition) on the eyelids and loss of hair on the lateral parts of the eyebrows. These may occur prior to any serological changes on TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) which will become elevated eventually when the pituitary gland recognises that there is an underproduction of T3 and T4. Hypercholesterolaemia and lipidemia, causing atherosclerotic plaques, hypertension, and coronary artery disease are also a feature of uncorrected hypothyroidism.  Another diagnostic tool is to take a morning heart rate and temperature, if the heart rate is below 60 in an unfit individual and if the body temperature is 0.5-1degree lower standard this may indicate a clinical sign.  Myxoedema Coma is a life threatening condition that can occur if Hypothyroidism is left untreated and a major incident such as hypothermia occurs. (AIAS notes, 2013)

Current Research: There is a widespread and apparently recent increased incidence of hypothyroidism with an insurgence of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. This is best measured by serological testing for Thyroglobulin Auto Antibodies (TgAA).  In this disease the body produces antibodies to its own thyroid, eventually causing its destruction and inability to produce thyroxine. This can occur in conjunction with other autoimmune dysfunctions such as pernicious anaemia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and yeast infections.  Excessive vaccinations with protein tissue culture that may contain analogous thyroid proteins may also trigger autoimmune Thyroiditis. This work has been documented in many breeds of domestic dogs, a species that have similar metabolism to humans; which brings into question the effect of “regular” vaccines. (Dodds,J 2011) The literature is spurious and there is very much debate regarding human vaccinosis and a causative link, however(Wakefield, 2012).

If the TSH continues to rise more antibody appears to be produced, a so-called paradox. Therefore treatment is based on supplementation with low dose thyroxine to prevent TSH elevation and further stimulation of the Thyroid gland. The consequences of uncorrected hypothyroidism include Cholesterolaemia, Coronary Heart Disease, and death- usually by atherosclerotic plaque formation and often blockage of the Left anterior descending coronary artery. (Donnay, et al 2013) Recently  an increased incidence in congenital hypothyroidism has been reported, as noted in the Journal of paediatrics (Parks JS, 2013) with the four major aetiologies  listed as maternal thyrotropin receptor-blocking antibodies, exposure to maternal antithyroid medications, iodine deficiency, and iodine excess.

Dietary recommendations: It is particularly important to prevent hypothyroidism in children. Children with hypothyroidism can develop Cretinism, deafness and dwarfism, (Melse-Boonstra A, 20013) therefore it is essential that mothers and pregnant women are especially aware of the correlation between goitrogenic diets and low intakes of Iodine, Selenium and Tyrosine. This means that cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, broccolini, and cauliflower should be eaten in moderation with kelp, seafood, Brazil nuts and/or an Iodine and Selenium supplement. Eating oily fish three times a week- such as Salmon, Mackerel and Nori and Miso soups will help avoid Iodine deficiency. Having a healthy gut without small intestinal bowel overgrowth, dysregulation or leaky gut will enhance nutrient absorption and prevent some of the trace mineral and nutrient deficiencies that cause stress and dysfunction to the body, which could contribute to hypothyroidism.

Supplement recommendations:  A Natural source of Iodine is preferable to add to the diet such as Kelp 2-3 gm/day, bladderwrack or other sea vegetables and fish. This is because trace cofactors are present in food sources and allow easier assimilation of the Iodine.  However due to Fukushima’s radioactivity and oceanic flow (towards California, Hawaii, USA- NOAA debris map- see ref #17) it is best to source these from deep southern waters or far north eg. Alaskan or Norwegian Salmon. Alternatively Potassium Iodide as a supplement has been shown to protect the thyroid from absorbing radioactive Iodine from these fallout sources. (Reiners, C 2013) with other co-factors 500 mg L tyrosine twice daily, vitamin B’s all at 100 mg 3x/ daily plus extra vitamin (these can be taken as Torula or Brewer’s yeast 1 teaspoon tds) and B12 1000-200mcg/day sublingually, vitamin C with bioflavonoids 500 mg 4 times daily for immune function and stress. It is cautioned to not take extreme doses as diarrhoea and loss of trace minerals could occur. Vitamin A 10,000 IU daily, Vitamin E 200 IU daily or 400 IU every other day in the D-alphatocopherol form. Zinc 50 mg daily as immune stimulant/balancer. Selenium 20-40 mcg/day to balance vitamin E.(AIAS Nutrition notes 2013)

If supplementing with Iodine, a Polish study  (Debska, 2010) found the dose recommended to be a minimum 150 μg of iodine/day.  Too much Iodine over a prolonged period of time has been shown to lead to hyperthyroidism as shown in the rat model (Hussein Ael-A 2012) the Feline (Hill’s research, pers com 2013) and human patients (Dr Byan pers com).

Dessicated Thyroid extract appear to be favoured over synthetic thyroxine by many patients. (Hoang TD et al 2013) This may be due to the various synergistic biological and biochemical compounds that are present in the bovine, porcine or ovine thyroid products that are taken orally.

Various herbs have been suggested to be of benefit to the thyroid gland, such as Bayberry, goldenseal, Swedish bitters, Gentian, Mugwort, Black Cohosh. (AIAS  Nutrition notes), Rhodiola rosea (Zubeldia, 2013) and other fruit peel; which possibly might be due to the polyphenols and vitamin C -anti-atherogenic effect of these substances (Parmar HS, 2013)

Hence in treating Hypothyroidism attention must be made to the overall diet with regards to reducing goitrogens, improving digestion and increasing Sea vegetables and trace minerals (Iodine, Selenium, tyrosine, B vitamins), lifestyle (stress reduction, and regular exercise), avoidance of toxins (too many vaccinations, fluoride, PCB’s and others) detoxifying, and increasing antioxidants.

References

1.      AIAS student notes Nutrition, Massage, Nat  2007-2013

2.      Bone,K. (2007).The Ultimate Herbal Compendium.Warwick, Qld:Phytotherapy Press

3.      Hechtman,L (2012). Clinical Naturopathic Medicine.Elsevier,Australia

4.      Hybertson BM, Gao B, Bose SK, McCord JM. Oxidative stress in health and disease: the therapeutic potential of Nrf2 activation.Mol Aspects Med. 2011 Aug;32(4-6):234-46. doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2011.10.006. Epub 2011 Oct 15

5.      Mills,S, BoneK Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine 1999, Elsevier

6.      Osiecki, H. (2010) The Nutrient Bible 8th Edition, Orthoplex.Australia

  1. Nutr Res Rev. 2013 Jun 12:1-8. [Epub ahead of print]Iodine deficiency, thyroid function and hearing deficit: a review. Melse-Boonstra A, Mackenzie I.Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
  2. Rev Clin Esp. 2013 Jun 15. pii: S0014-2565(13)00164-1. doi: 10.1016/j.rce.2013.04.009. [Epub ahead of print]Burden of illness attributable to subclinical hypothyroidism in the Spanish population.[Article in English, Spanish]Donnay S, Balsa JA, Alvarez J, Crespo C, Pérez-Alcántara F, Polanco Cervicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.

9.      Whitney,E, Rolfes SR, Crowe, T, et al (2011) Understanding Nutrition Cengage Learning, Australia

10.  Pediatrics. 2010 May;125 Suppl 2:S54-63. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-1975F.The impact of transient hypothyroidism on the increasing rate of congenital hypothyroidism in the United States.Parks JS, Lin M, Grosse SD, Hinton CF,Drummond-Borg M, Borgfeld L, Sullivan KM.Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. jparks@emory.edu

11.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013 May;98(5):1982-90. doi: 10.1210/jc.2012-4107. Epub 2013 Mar 28.Desiccated thyroid extract compared with levothyroxine in the treatment of hypothyroidism: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study.Hoang TD, Olsen CH, Mai VQ, Clyde PW, Shakir MK.Department of Endocrinology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland 20889-5600, USA.

12.  Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2013 Feb;78(2):155-64. doi: 10.1111/cen.12066.Selenium and the thyroid gland: more good news for clinicians.Drutel A, Archambeaud F, Caron P.Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic diseases, Hôpital du Cluzeau, Limoges Cedex, France.

  1. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2012 May;90(5):617-25. doi: 10.1139/y2012-046. Epub 2012 May 2.Effect of chronic excess iodine intake on thyroid function and oxidative stress in hypothyroid rats.Hussein Ael-A, Abbas AM, El Wakil GA, Elsamanoudy AZ, El Aziz AA.Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt. zizomenna@yahoo.com
  2. Hills Pet food Nutritionists, Veterinary Specialists http://www.hillspet.com.au/ pers com AVA conference Cairns, Australia 2013
  3. Radiat Environ Biophys. 2013 May;52(2):189-93. doi: 10.1007/s00411-013-0462-0. Epub 2013 Mar 9.Potassium iodide (KI) to block the thyroid from exposure to I-131: current questions and answers to be discussed .Reiners C, Schneider R.Department of Nuclear Medicine, German WHO-REMPAN Collaboration Center, Hospital of the University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany. reiners_c@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de
  4. Dr Bryan Cebuliak MD practicing physician for 40 years in general practice, presently Morayfield Medical Centre
  5. http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/features/dec11/japan-tsunami-debris.html
  6. J Med Food. 2010 Dec;13(6):1287-92. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0286. Epub 2010 Oct 14.Exploring new applications for Rhodiola rosea: can we improve the quality of life of patients with short-term hypothyroidism induced by hormone withdrawal?Zubeldia JM, Nabi HA, Jiménez del Río M, Genovese J.Department of Applications, Safety and Regulations, Polinat S.L., Taibique, Polígono Industrial Las Majoreras, 35240 Ingenio, Las Palmas, Spain.jose@polinat.com
  7. Biofactors. 2008;33(1):13-24.Possible amelioration of atherogenic diet induced dyslipidemia, hypothyroidism and hyperglycemia by the peel extracts of Mangifera indica, Cucumis melo and Citrullus vulgaris fruits in rats.Parmar HS, Kar A.Endocrine Research Unit, Devi Ahilya University, Indore, MP, India. hamendrasingh999@yahoo.co.in
  8. Dodds, J W, Laverdure, D R. (2011) The Canine Thyroid Epidemic  Dogwise publishing, Washington, USA
  9. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/11/dr-bill-osmunson-on-fluoride.aspx
  10. Endokrynol Pol. 2010 Nov-Dec;61(6):646-51.Iodine status of pregnant women from central Poland ten years after introduction of iodine prophylaxis programme.Gietka-Czernel M, Dębska M, Kretowicz P, Jastrzębska H,Kondracka A, Snochowska H, Ołtarzewski M.Endocrinology Department of Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education, Warszawa, Poland. malgietka@vp.pl
  11. J Dairy Sci. 1979 Mar;62(3):416-23.Hypothyroidism and anemia related to fluoride in dairy cattle.Hillman D, Bolenbaugh DL, Convey EM.

24.  Treatment and Management of SIBO — Taking a Dietary Approach Can Control Intestinal Fermentation and InflammationBy Aglaée Jacob, MS, RD
Today’s DietitianVol. 14 No. 12 P. 16 Dec 2012

Eat Once and Skip Breakfast? New Thoughts On The Mediterranean Diet And Diabetics.

Posted on by under Uncategorized

Take Our Poll

Doctors tend to be overwhelmed with patient numbers, pharmaceutical reps and time poor. Not many will be able to give advice about diet changes. See your Naturopath/Nutritionist to coodinate your health care and keep checking your TG, Thyroid autoantiglobulin factors, TSH, T3,4 and cholesterol LDL, VDL, and HDL with your diet changes, as very often health care is best served with a good dollop of nutritional care!

A low carb diet with lots of antioxidants and good quality fat (fish, nuts) as in a Mediteranean diet is found to be helpful in controlling diabetes. Again avoiding processed wheat (which is a different form of wheat than that grown on Selenium rich soils in the Italian and Greek area) is part of the picture of healthy eating.

Alternative Holistic Health Answers

 

I don’t know if you’ve been reading any of the newer “it’s not what you eat, it’s when you eat” books, but suddenly the tiniest differences in the timing of your meals appears to make a difference in your body weight.

 

Now this variation has extended to the use of the Mediterranean Diet and diet-diabetics, also called Type II diabetics.  It turns out that skipping breakfast and having a big lunch complete with wine isn’t worse for you than eating multiple meals throughout the day.

 

The study tested three different diets for diabetics.  “The three diets were a low-fat diet, a low-carbohydrate diet and a Mediterranean diet.”  The low fat diet contained far more carbohydrates and increased blood sugar the most.  The low-carbohydrate diet contained mostly fats and continued the trend showing that diabetics do better with lower carbs.  The high fat content…

View original post 220 more words

Gluggy GMO Gluten Gagging Guts

Posted on by under Health, Naturopathy, Nutrition, Uncategorized

Uggh, gurgle, grunch, groan. Yes, you have just heard your post ingestion NOISE.

If you are troubled by tummy turns maybe  you have recently discovered a “Growing Grain” problem. That  “full and bloated tummy” feeling you note after eating pasta, bread, scones or cake might be the tip of a leaky gut and early allergenic/inflammatory problem.

Your research has undoubtedly led to the conclusion that it could be related to the wheat grain– which contains the protein ingredients gluten and gliaden.  You may find it confusing that your Naturopath/dietician recommended  a gluten free diet years ago. ( I know, I will admit that I thought they were cooky ideas 20 years ago too!)  Perhaps you were baffled over the fact that you had eaten these things all your life and it never seemed to be a problem in earlier years.

So having trialed this wheat free diet and removed the bread/pasta for a week, it’s a puzzle when you are not completely cured overnight, isn’t it? Its probably because the sneaky g’s are EVERYWHERE! Unfortunately there is gluten in many grains, and “wholegrains” do not necessarily mean “wholesome” AND GLUTEN  is used as the binder holding together all manner of kibble (for dogs) and biscuits, treats and even sausages for human consumption.  The SAD (standard Australian or American Diet) consists of 70 – 80% carbohydrate and gluten/grain products are a large part of that.  Plus the trans fats and simple sugars! No wonder our Triglyceride/cholesterol ration is up the whoopsie. Remember the latest advice is to turn the government advice of healthy eating pyramid form on its head- ie eat more fat and protein. Minimal or no grain. Even sprouted grains and some fermented grains might be a problem. The following may explain why this is so. Most grains today are NOT what they were 30 years ago. They have been genetically selected and modified to grow bigger, faster and thicker as an agribusiness model. This is why Naturopaths recommend a wheat free, and even grain free diet.

Avoid genetically modified grains for 2 main reasons:

1) The changed plant proteins are an unknown experiment on the consumer. We are only now finding out how bigger, faster growing plants fed simple NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium) fertiliser are devoid of balanced nutrition  The cells in our body look at each individual molecule that passes into it as “Friendly Food or Foreign Frankenstein” If it is a building block for making more cells (amino acids, cholesterol, fatty acids and other lipids) or broken down into energy ( triglycerides, glucose)  then it is useful. If it is a contaminant such as an insecticide, weedicide or plastic copy (eg. xeno-oestrogen) of a similar life structure then it must be excreted, removed from the body or walled off in a structure that might make it inactive. The latter process involves inflammatory cells and cytokines that may become procancerous.

2) The GMO crops are resistant to insecticides and weedicides such as Monsanto Roundup, (Glyphosate) but the plant body stores this poison which will be ingested by the consumer.

Read about this unfortunate experiment that all of us are part of here: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/monsantos-game-over-extreme-toxicity-roundup-destroys-justification-gm

Glyphosate exposure likely causes cancer  one type of cancer much more common is Lymphoma:

I have seen the number of cases of lymphoma escalate over the last 20 years. What used to be a rare disease is one that I see weekly at our small boutique veterinary clinic in Brisbane. We fight the good fight for our patients by detoxing the system dramatically, and supporting the body with nutrition. We also work with the specialists who use the recommended protocol of chemotherapy, as there are cases of remission with this and  following up with a healthy diet and supplements.

Abstract Title:

Pesticide exposure as risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma including histopathological subgroup analysis.

Abstract Source:

 Int J Cancer. 2008 Oct 1;123(7):1657-63. PMID: 18623080

Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. mikael.eriksson@med.lu.se

Abstract:

We report a population based case-control study of exposure to pesticides as risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).  Exposure to different agents was assessed by questionnaire. In total 910 (91 %) cases and 1016 (92%) controls participated. Exposure to herbicides gave odds ratio (OR) 1.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-2.51. Regarding phenoxyacetic acids highest risk was calculated for MCPA; OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.27-6.22, all these cases had a latency period>10 years. Exposure to glyphosate gave OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.10-3.71 and with>10 years latency period OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.16-4.40. Insecticides overall gave OR 1.28, 95% CI 0.96-1.72 and impregnating agents OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.07-2.30. Results are also presented for different entities of NHL. In conclusion our study confirmed an association between exposure to phenoxyacetic acids and NHL and the association with glyphosate was considerably strengthened.

Article Published Date : Oct 01, 2008

Here are some further links to help you get to the core “guts” of it all. http://www.responsibletechnology.org/posts/gluten-disorders-linked-to-gmos-new-report/

and the possibility that glyphosate is also teratogenic- that is linked to birth deformities.noted in this pig farmer’s story  and decreased production, with increased sickness  his animals. He decided to experiment by changing their diet from GM to non-GM feed.

The results, he says, were remarkable: “When using GM feed I saw symptoms of bloat, stomach ulcers, high rates of diarrhoea, pigs born with the deformities … but when I switched [to non GM feed] these problems went away, some within a matter of days.”

The farmer says that not only has the switch in diet improved the visible health of the pigs, it has made the farm more profitable, with less medicine use and higher productivity. “Less abortions, more piglets born in each litter, and breeding animals living longer.”

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2176082/deformities_sickness_and_livestock_deaths_the_real_cost_of_gm_animal_feed.html   I remind you that pigs share genetic likeness in at least 90% of their makeup to humans- you think there might be similar problems in us, such as the recent decrease in human fertility, as well as gut issues?

If this isn’t depressing enough, consider also  our close country third world allies; both their financial and health costs. Let me tell you about the rice paddies I have seen in Bali. There is a native crop of rice that takes about 10 months to mature and harvest. This is a high protein traditional seed. The fields of rice are irrigated naturally by flows of spring water. Ducks and geese graze in the idyllic rice paddies, and native Sapi (cows) help turn the soil over and fertilise in between crops. Its a healthy system that has been going on for thousands of years.  Enter in: GMO rice. Yes, the farmers in third world developing countries were sold the story: “buy our rice seed and you will get a bigger faster yield – two crops a year instead of one!”  What was not foreseen was 1) the cost of the fertiliser required to raise that cdrop and 2) the fields of native rice below the GMO rice failed due to excessive NPK run off from the fertiliser used in the fields above- or from ? glyphosate? run off used in the field to support the GMO rice.

Overall the community of farmers are now running at a loss, their families are financially ruined, their children are getting sick and there are now many  more illnesses including more diagnosed stomach cancers and intestinal cancers. (pers com).

If you have a heart and want to help heal the planet and yourself, prevent cancer and other illnesses, please consider joining permaculture movements, researching, and sharing this information.

Let’s stand up for health food, avoid Frankenfoods and their poisonous agribusiness cides, and seek a better way.

Eat organic, grow your own food, share home grown produce with your neighbours, and let them know that glyphosate (round up) is a poison that their kids and dogs should not be walking on bare foot, and that their garden should not have this in its vege patch.

Remove  grains from your diet, replace them with other flours such as coconut flour, pea and vege flours. Here are some diet guidelines that work. http://www.bulletproofexec.com/the-complete-illustrated-one-page-bulletproof-diet/

Aside

Chewing the Fat! What is GOOD for the GUT?

So what’s for dinner? After working all day and overloading the sympathetic nervous system with adrenaline and other stress hormones, its time to wind down, take a breath, relax and  let your tummy do the talking. Very often people miss meals while working,

especially when they are in a high stress overloaded job and are in gastric shutdown in the morning. After the sun sets on your desk and you head home its a common mistake to try to fill the emptiness with whatever has the least preparation time. Mistakes of ingestion can happen; and making less than the highest choice can have consequences on your health long and short term. That “indigestion” bloating feeling is nature’s way of the gut telling you to change what you are doing to yourself.

The problem is we are so far removed from “Natural food”  and “Natural Lifestyle” that we often don’t recognize what hunter gatherers we are, nor what the BEST food for us is! Our choices are mixed with our emotional connection to comfort food and what we were raised eating (mother’s home cooked fried chicken! lasagne! pasta, apple pie, etc) We are influenced by clever marketing, which prey on our weaknesses.  Government RDI (Recommended Daily Intakes) and the “healthy food pyramid” is a sham. Marketing labels are at best misleading and at worse dangerous, and these “non food inclusions” (numbers indicating artificial preservatives, food dyes, stabilisers, flowing agents etc) may help to create cancer, diabetes, and the obesity epidemic we are now seeing rampant in society. The misleading statements of “fat free” and “cholesterol lowering” and “Natural sweetener”  make you think this food is good for you. Let me tell you a little about how wrong this is.

There are some very simple lessons we have learned about nutrition from examining cultures through the ages and around the world recently.

Several people have spent a goodly amount of time blogging about this, and some highly passionate young nutritionistas can give you a fun read and taste of the vast amount of literature and scientific knowledge of proof  here: https://www.facebook.com/getafreshstart?hc_location=timeline and http://thehealthyjessie.com/  (block your ears to avoid the swearing la la la la la if you are over 40 years old and find this offensive- its the age, man…chillax!)

and here: http://rawfoodsos.com/2012/07/01/bad-science-strikes-again/

and for some scientific articles on the gluten/gliadin antibody inflammatory link see: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=anti+gliadin+antibodies

So having established that the new genetically altered wheat and its subsequent high levels of a protein that primes us to be inflammatory and allergenic, and its pervasiveness in practically every constituent of packaged food items (including pet food!) what do we do?

First we need to address our PNS or parasympathetic nerve system, and offer some self care and self love. Breathe, (slowly, deeply and with affection) practice yoga or Tai Chi or Qi gong, and also some aerobic-ness. Do this mindful practice before you eat, so your peristalsis and enzymatic processes can nourish what you do take in. This is a tick for the religious process of blessing your food before you eat it. Someone got that right! Praise the (insert your fav idol/religion etc here….).

In order to properly digest your food you must sit down, relax, breathe, and think about your food. Your choices should come naturally. You should want to eat wholesome fresh foods. Unfortunately your cravings might be for foods that will KILL you. Yes, you read that right. Inflammatory processes are set off by what you swallow. Degenerative diseases like Alzheimers, cancer, diabetes type 2 and arthritis are all linked to inflammation and insulin resistance.

Now what I am about to tell you is not new knowledge. We have data that states a diet rich in plant products with minimal meat/fish/egg protein (China/Okinawa/Mediterranean) and omega 3 fatty acids is healthy.  It is surprising considering the information that has been shelled out by the government and Food Industry (including Pet Food Industry) from paid nutritionists for the last 30-40 years consists of a heavy carbohydrate load- with really a minimal level of vegetable and fruit material. We are talking about the “5 alive” or 5 veges or 3 veges and 2 fruit servings/day. Yet to seriously change our dietary habits from unhealthy and sick to health we need to radically add 20 servings of vegetables per day! A tough ask, but easily achieved using a juicer.

Review: http://www.terrywahls.com/  for eating for a better brain, a Doctor who cured her MS symptoms by whacking in mega vegetables and a few supplements

The BIG difference between what the evil present day food pyramid is doing to our waistline and what we should be eating is simple: avoid the sugars- this is bread and grains and cakes and lollies, and USE GOOD FAT. Saturated fats are GOOD for you- it is the building blocks that allows your body to make your hormones and your vitamin D, which is an essential hormone and immune regulator. We doctors use high doses of vitamin D to help bodies fight cancer!

NOTE: IF your doctor has prescribed Statin drugs, see him STAT! Make sure you supplement with a good quality coenzyme Q 10 and ask him to review the book: Wheat Belly.

Carbohydrates including most grains (wheat, some rye, oats) are fraught with problems. The genetically modified structure of these grains have changed over the last 30 years in particular leading to an epidemic of inflammatory gut and health problems, not to mention that:

Gliadin derived opiates affect the brain, therefore it is ADDICTIVE, and like sugar with the huge insulin swings, will make you seek more food in a couple of hours, hence the merry go round of reduced satiety and increased hunger.

Wheat is the perfect Obesogen! Yes read all about it in “Wheat Belly ” which is the #1 Best seller by the NY Times, and it has caused a furore!

Listen to the author here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/greenmedradio/2013/11/29/dr-bill-davis-author-of-wheat-belly-lose-the-wheat-lose-the-weight?utm_source=www.GreenMedInfo.com&utm_campaign=e4f41ead9f-Greenmedinfo&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_193c8492fb-e4f41ead9f-86971461

Vested interest by large agriculturally based food producers and big names that control multinational companies (Kelloggs, Monsanto etc) are the agronomist controllers of our economy. Food sells. The food manufacturers base their decisions on recommending strategic directions of marketing and economic sustainability.

People need to eat, and they want fast, take away, fix the carbo crave NOW! Both of these deciding factors– the economy of manufacturing and producing cheap food, and the reliant addicted wheat based SAD diets do NOT take into consideration HEALTH AND…. WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE GUT.

We now have the fattest, most obese populations everywhere- in the WORLD. Diabetes type 2 is rampant,

heart disease, arthritis and cancer are all metabolic diseases linked to obesity.

Our advisors of the food pyramid instructions have made a big boo boo. We need to understand that the wheat of the 2000 is a different beast to the wheat of our great grandmothers. The new version of gluten and gliadin rich Wheat is full of lectins which does this:

1) Lectin blocks leptin- the hormone of satiety, it also binds to the blood vessels causing glycation, inflammation, heart damage and neurological problems.

2) The appetite stimulating properties of wheat and simplecarbohydrates are well documented. You will be hungry after the gliadin derived opiates are absorbed within 2 hours.

3) It causes depression, schizophrenia, suicidal thoughts.

4) Inflammation of the gut allows the tight junctions of the cells to become loose forming the basis of a “leaky gut” which lets large molecules to come through the lumen into the blood. These largely undigested particles can set up an antibody response in the body, leading to atopy and dermatitis (itchy skin) arthritis, blood disorders, candida infections (somewhat controversial in the medical field) and various autoimmune disorders.

Carbohydrate wheat eaters have the same part of their brain stimulated that a Crack or cocaine addict has. Carb and especially grains and simple sugars MUST have that glucose fix every 2-4 hours or they become fuzzy headed, cranky, display behaviour abnormalities, and may become violent. There are several ways of overcoming gluten/sugar addictions. First off: EAT breakfast by 7am, with eggs and plenty of butter and cheese and protein. YOUR satiety centre will be fully quenched until about 2 pm.

Here are some recipes to replace the processed wheat filled supermarket foods that have all those numbers, codes, artificial flavourings etc in them. (oh, and did I mention to avoid eating NUMBERS! If you can’t decipher what that crazy maths puzzle on the box is your body probably can’t recognise it as FOOD either!)

If you stop the flow of opiates (ie wheat and sugar) for 5-7 days you will have fatigue, depressions, headaches. Here are some hints to fight the negative side effects:

Take a magnesium supplement (1.5 gm/day), iodine (lugols 2-3 drops/day), omega 3 fatty acids (5 ml or 5 tabs of 1000mg tabs) and take favourable probiotics and prebiotics ( teaspoons of inulin, artichoke, burdock root, pumpkin) Drink lots of homemade soups. An occasional aspirin maybe necessary or use some acupressure points LI4 is a good one http://www.yinyanghouse.com/acupuncturepoints/li4

Chew your plants and make your diet a mostly plant based meal with adequate protein intake of 1-1.5 gm/kg of your body weight and . Its better to eat non processed  real foods and avoid highly processed  high sugared and refined packaged food.  Better for your gut, and for the planet.

Having sorted out the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, what else should we consider? Yes, I must admit it gets confusing. Should one be Vegan, Vegetarian, or eat lots of animal fat and animal protein? I look at anatomical markers to give us some clues as to what works best.

What are your food choices for a species? As a Veterinarian and Human Natural therapist, I base my findings on an understanding of the dentition and digestive organs. That is, if you have mostly molar grinding teeth and no canine teeth to speak of, and a very large fermenting vat like a caecum (eg. a horse) or 4 fore stomachs (like a cow) then you MUST chew grasses, leaves, and legumes. If you are a Cat your teeth function to rip, and tear and your guts are short and narrow with no fermenting vat– you  are a Carnivore!  If you have both molar teeth for chewing and grinding AND canine teeth for ripping and tearing, and you have an intermediate gut, longer than a cat and a bigger diameter colon (large intestine) which does some fermentation then you are probably a DOG- an OMNIVORE (meaning you can eat both meat and vege).

Now humans– think about teeth, incisors are of the grabbing and holding variety, much like a dog, and we do have some canine teeth– but they are not as pokey and sharp as a dog or cat. Our intestines are quite peculiar- more like a cross between a dog and a horse! So there is an aha moment here! WE are hind gut fermenters. (some husbands are more fermentatious than others ! what is it about men that means they can fart a lot more than women, or maybe they are just louder and take more pleasure out of announcing the fact? ;-))

Our colons are quite large (not as big comparatively as a horse) and can hold some fermentation processing. There is an ascending, transverse and descending component to it. The transit time should be betwen 12-24 hours though, so limited amount of fermentation should occur. This means that eating predigested already fermented food is advantageous to an absorption mechanism of broken down food. It is better assimilated in smaller pieces that way. We need good enzymes and good hydrochloric acid in our stomachs for them to work.

So  in summary anatomically we have about 10-20% of our (human) dentition and gut matching a carnivore, therefore we are about 10-20% carnivorous beings and  80% anatomically favouring a plant based diet. Lucky us! We can eat a variety of foods. How we food combine and stay health will depend on our specific genetic structure and exercise levels, however this rule of thumb generally applies well. Vegans- a laudable choice ethically, but anatomically they MUST pay attention to vitamin B12, sulfur containing amino acids, omega 3 supplementation, iron and trace mineral elements.

AND we must allow time to masticate and chew our food.

Chewing allows the taste buds to “talk ” to the brain to register how much amylase needs to be released with the saliva, it lubricates the food and makes it swallow-able and gentle to the oesophagus.

So relax, kick back, avoid the processed crap, take out the wheat,  and share some of your meals with the dog, because you are pretty similar in that belly department there!

HERE ARE MY “8 FOR ATE” SIMPLE RULZ:

1) Food in its most natural state is best. That is- eat an apple or a banana or salad whenever possible. If you must cook use a slow cooker, the lower and steady temperature does not affect or destroy the compounds as much as frying or high temperature baking. Once you heat treat and highly process food certain enzymes, vitamins and factors are destroyed or changed and  even made  toxic. Heat treated carbohydrates are dangerous as it produces acrylamide.  Read about acrylamide here:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20170357 in rats ingesting this it increased incidences of mammary gland, thyroid tumors and scrotal mesothelioma were observed in both studies that were performed. In humans, increased risks of ovarian and endometrial cancers, renal cell cancer, estrogen (and progesterone) receptor-positive breast cancer, and oral cavity cancer.

2) Avoid GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) food. These changed protein structures (compared to previous generations of original stock of Corn and Wheat, for example) are an unknown long term scientific experiment: on the planet, (refer to lack of Monarch butterflies, and bees in some areas) and on the mammalian body.  Crops that specifically have a spliced genetic code to allow them to resist Monsanto weedicide and insecticides are particularly of concern, as they will take up the poison into their cells and release these toxic substances into those ingesting them. This means avoiding Wheat in its present form. Eat real food, just a single ingredient eg. an apple, or several vegetables. OR  Make your own healthy foods.

3) Eat a greater percentage of vegetables than fruit and less meat protein. Studies indicate that the omega 3 oils in fish are cardio protective, and antiinflammatory- that is good for joints, skin, hair, and immune function.

4) Eat fermented foods daily- sauerkraut, Kim Chi, kefir, Beer (yep!) small amount of wine without preservatives, Kombucha, Yoghurt (full fat Greek, no sugar added)

5) avoid fried, fast, and sugar laden foods, These are pro inflammatory and cause degenerative diseases.

6) Limit your intake of caffeinated drinks to one a day.

7) Go for a 10 minute walk 30 minutes after eating. If you can’t do 10 do 5. If you can’t do 5 do 2– you get the picture. Move more!

8) Do NOT drink carbonated sugared soft drinks, and avoid aspartame and all other artificial sweeteners.

==================================

Eat real food, just a single ingredient eg. an apple, or several vegetables. OR  Make your own healthy foods.

Bon Appetit! and for your dogs and cats: BONE Appetite!

How does a Naturopath review a patient? Stick out your tongue and see!

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OK so I get some weird looks from my colleagues and patients when I ask them to stick out their tongue. Embarrassment should be low on the list when you hang around veterinarians who talk about poo, anal glands, sexual organs (or lack of them- as  a lot of the time they are preoccupied with castrations and ovariectomies). Tongue sticking out is more of a human past-time, an acupuncturist/Naturopath’s pride of their knowledge base.   Generally there is little resistance to obeying this request, and no, its  NOT because they want to give me a raspberry! People are mostly curious, and usually interested enough about their health to oblige. Very often they make up some excuse about their tongue coating, such as “I just drank a cup of coffee” or “I was just sucking on a coloured lolly”. Even given this pre-examine information, the tongue never lies! (Well the words that come out of a mouth might, but the patterns on the tongue cannot be hidden).

As a veterinarian who has a special interest in dentistry, I have spent a considerable length of time looking in, and at, mouths. Tongues and teeth give me a LOT of information about  health. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) uses the tongue as a map of dis-ease and weaknesses in the body.This party trick is awesome. So what can I see in the tongue map? The tip of the tongue represents the heart, the area just behind maps the lungs and the body of the tongue is about spleen (pancreas) and stomach- ie. digestion. If the digestive system is inflammed or not working well the tongue will be somewhat swollen and will have tooth marks or indentations along the border. The sides of the tongue are about the liver and gall bladder function. If the area is red it is said to describe heat, or a deficiency of cooling fluids in that organ system. Therefore a stomach ulcer might show up as a red patch on the tongue. In Naturopathic prescription terms if the tongue is very red it may mean that the body is deficient in iron, or inflammation so check the conjunctiva. A very pale tongue could mean anemia. If there is a quiver when the tongue is shown the patient is likely to have a magnesium deficiency.  Raised strawberry dots on the tongue indicate a calcium and phosphorous deficiency. Here is a blog with a case study and picture of a tongue http://foodiecure.wordpress.com/2011/01/03/love-your-spleen-tcm-tongue-diagnosis-and-case-study/ and here is a picture of the tongue map:http://www.sacredlotus.com/diagnosis/images/tongue_diagnosis.gif

As a Naturopath and health practitioner of over 30 years there are other signs and symptoms that give a great clue to what is going on in the body, so a bunch of clues can be picked up relatively quickly. Nails are another great source of information. White spots indicate either injury or zinc deficiency, and will show up on individual nails which will also represent certain organ systems. For instance the little finger represents heart on the inside part of the finger  and spinal column on the outside. Ridges on nails represent a silicate deficiency, which might be from an inability to absorb these minerals, or a gut problem. It might also be linked to a sluggish interstitium secondary to hypothyroidism- if this is suspected check for oedema, cloudy thinking, loss of the lateral third of the eyebrow, and if you are a doggie the tip of the tail will look like a rat’s tail. Humans have more hair loss and dry itchy skin. (I have a lot of fun comparing human pathology to canines or felines! My weird veterinary sense of humour…and don’t get me started on Anal gland scents of humour…bwhaha)

The advantage of having been a veterinarian for sooooo many years is that I can cut to the centre of problems relatively quickly. I am a surgeon, after all. This means I have bad handwriting, but accurate scalpel procedures. I prefer to type, and get bored when a pen is in my hand. Too slow!This detailed examination can be done relatively quickly with a well trained eye. Naturopaths can “sum up” multiple signs at one glance! Yep, even walking down the street, a quick glance can see who is likely to be predisposed to  prostate cancer or  to mammary cancer- it’s about the midline creep/waist to hip ratio which is  linked to the obesity epidemic, which in turn is linked to the pro- inflammatory state of nutrition.

You may have guessed by now that Naturopaths are very focussed on lifestyle changes and nutrition. This means they will ask some detailed questions about faeces. Yep, poo!. The Bristol stool chart is our friend. You need to look in the loo.You want to aim for 2-3 bowel movements a day and they should be a number 4 on the chart. http://www.cabothealth.com.au/article/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bristol-stool-chart-1.jpg

Once we have that poo regime questionnaire established, we need to review your sleep patterns. 8-10 hours of sleep from an early to bed early to rise point of view is recognised as healthy. Some lucky few need less hours, and balancing the body and its essential nutrients, stress levels, reducing caffeine, and fixing the exercise regime will also complement the night-time rest period.

Exercise is also very important, and studies have shown that weight bearing helps with bone density, and short high intensity amounts (20 seconds running up a hill) followed by equal amounts of rest and recovery repeated 3 times in quick succession may be all that you need to maintain fitness.  Range of motion stretches, like your cat does, is also helpful to keep the joints lubricated and healthy.

I thought you might like to read how we take notes for a  shortened patient summary on our computerised system. Its pretty obvious how nails, tongue, iris and skin examination can give us great clues as to our health.

When we write our shorthand differentials we often abbreviate the organ systems with a letter, for instance T = Tongue exam. C=calcium, P= phosphorous. ACV is Apple Cider vinegar

Here are some notes from one of my patient files who came in with a viral illness, you can see that the signs and symptoms showed an underlying nutritional and personal stress causes which allowed the virus to take hold. We know that there are a few essential minerals that keep “the system booted”. Personal stresses, such as too much work, no relaxation and no exercise will elevate the body’s requirement for certain nutrients, particularly zinc and magnesium. When this is not met our immune systems fail and we are prone to getting infections. A detailed look at nails and tongue can tell the practitioner what is lacking and when it occurred, as the nail grows out from the nail bed approximately 1 mm per week, therefore the ridges and white marks are a chronological (yes Sherlock Holmes trick!) map. 

Patient exam:

T: white coating, strawberry dots, quiver, tooth impressions (swollen) –> CP deficient, Mg deficient, digestion problems low stomach acid

Skin_Rosacea and rash , skin dry.

Iris: ANW dark, irregular. white wash, radii solaris–> digestion/constipation , acidic

Nails: Zn def 3 wks ago (white spots) WITH Ridges (SCF)

Hx exhausted, works 7 d, does not “feel stressed” and says “has great diet” all joints ache (Rx Lympholytix and omega 3’s 1 tbs bds)

Diet recall: B- muesli, L-corn wrap with salad, D- meat, potatoes, veges, Drinks- 2 coffees/d. snacks? pastry?

Poo _ every second day

DDx constipated, dehydrated, low Zn, stress.

Rx: ACV/lemon/honey to taste first thing in am,

Go to bed EARLY have 10 hours sleep, soak in Mag S04 bath to absorb Mg++ for 30 min NOW. Take Zn supp 50 mg, watch movie “fat sick and nearly dead” and have 6-8 glasses of vege juice/day for 2 weeks and stop ALL GLUTEN. NO BREAD, NO PASTA, NO MUESLI.  Breakfast of 2 eggs and spinach and cheese, no bread. Go Paleo. plus vege juices.

Viral illness so make chicken soup with garlic and drink this 3x/d as well as take Lysine

advised to check vit D3 levels, revisit/ph check in 1 wk.

 

Have a Happy Healthy Week, and feel free to share this with FB and all your tech social network. Comments welcome!  Animal Wellness is located on the ground floor of the Greenslopes Shopping Mall.  Visit our web: http://ctbmarketing.net/animalwellness/

Naturopathic Medicine is an Integrative Choice

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WHY CHOOSE NATURAL MEDICINE?

Because it works, aims to build and restore function of the body, is based on Wholesome medical theory, and is generally without negative side effects delivered by qualified people in their respective fields.  Treating and restoring health using Integrative modalities may be the answer for patients to turn the corner back to health for many chronic health conditions.

Respect for these healthcare workers is appropriate, as there are often no other answers for many chronic, degenerative and hopeless cases presented to holistic practitioners.

Naturopaths, Acupuncturists, Remedial Massage therapists, Nutritionists, Chiropractors, Herbalists and Natural Healers have usually undergone extensive training in their chosen field. Check with the registration authorities and relevant certifying associations, such as ANTA (Australian Natural Therapists Association) who ensure their practitioners undergo regular Continuing Education and are registered Professional Practitioners. Phone your local certifying Colleges to find out which body are the current registration bodies.

Please ask your doctor or primary physician for a referral to an Integrative Practitioner if you seek quality Complementary Care. We can, and recommend working with your General Practitioner. This is appropriate, and if they say “I don’t believe in them” perhaps consider changing Doctors, because it is NOT about their belief, it is about  YOUR body, YOUR life.  What I have found is that many doctors (GP’s) seek alternate care when they are finally faced with life and death decisions personally, because at that cross roads they realise that they do not have all the answers. This is even after years of their criticizing Alternative Health Care providers!  Some even go so far as studying acupuncture after they personally have experienced its benefits.

It is unfortunate that some standard Western Medical Doctors really have no clue when it comes to natural medicine– they do not understand what these modalities are, or how helpful they can be. It is actually somewhat embarrassing  to read their uneducated reviews that ridicule these professional fields, as they display such ignorance apparent when they confuse spelling, terminology and definitions of holistic therapies.  The most common mistake I read in my histories received from other medical professionals is “this patient is receiving homeopathy from their primary practitioner”.  Obviously their interpretation is Holistic= don’t understand=must be homeopathy=this is water and doesn’t work!  No folks, read a Wikipedia definition at least! Homeopathy is not the same as Holistic Medicine; Homeopathy is a particular branch of Holistic Medicine, and unless you have studied 4 years of Homeopathic Medicine you are not qualified to make any statement about this form of Medicine.

This is perhaps why the term Integrative therapies is a more acceptable term than Holistic, you think standard practitioners might understand that? Well, we are seeing a positive answer to this–sometimes. My guess is that eventually most practices that are “Medical” will eventually have several “Alternative” or “Complementary” Therapists on board.  We live in hope.

Complementary and Holistic Medicine is occasionally on the receiving end of verbal abuse by a small group of Skeptics . This is unfortunate as the public may be persuaded by this group of essentially naive and uneducated (at least in the modalities that they are choosing to ridicule) vociferous few.  Their standard catch cry is that there is “No Evidence”. This is a lie.

We all agree with   EBM (Evidence Based Medicine) studies. It is, however, incorrect to state that Holistic Therapies are without EBM studies.  Scientific “discussions” centre on the fact that they ignore  levels  of EBM already in place with most of the Complementary Therapies. Case studies, literature reviews and even double blind placebo control studies exist. It is easy to set up this straw man and fool the public, if the public doesn’t know how to refute this basic fact.  One needs to know how to research and look, and where to go for this information. Pub Med Entrez is a great source. Google that and put in specifics in their search engine.
Herbal medicine, for instance, has data supporting Essiac in its entire formula (via PubMed  Oct 2005 a prostatic cancer patient was cured)*and the  individual components of eg Burdock root (Arctigenin etc) have many scientific articles reviewed on this and its antiinflammatory, anticarcinogenic effects.

Acupuncture articles cited in a pubmed entrez review numbered over 5,000.

The Skeptics choose to ignore this. Their bias in reviewing the articles is sincere but inaccurate. For instance the review of the article on acupuncture and placebo for Rx osteoarthritis –reached an  incorrect conclusion, that there was no difference between the sham and acupuncture group.  This was interpreted  that acupuncture did not work. In fact the article
showed that the myofascial relief was significant in both cases and that there is no such thing as placebo acupuncture!  Sticking a needle in an area that is NOT  a specific recognized acupuncture point might just mean that this is a new acupuncture point.

In Veterinary medicine we have many EBM’s of the lower levels, eg case histories etc. and we
are constantly given chronic cases for which traditional western medicine has no answers. We can also cite many level 2 (other species–eg humans!). This is not even to mention the double
standards that are imposed on our specialities, when most of the medicine practiced in a vet clinic using so called allopathy is really of a low level of EBM indeed. Some drug therapies commonly used in Veterinary practices have not had decent clinical trials at all! Vetmedin, for instance, known to kill people, came to us after clinical trials of only 6 dogs.  It has, over the years, been shown to be very useful in the longer term management of cardiac disease.

In conclusion I think its time we all worked together on publishing more about Holistic Modalities and that standard Western Practitioners embrace Holistic methods by referring to qualified practitioners as part of their Integrative Medicine.

*Can J Urol. 2005 Oct;12(5):2841-2.

Remission of hormone-refractory prostate cancer attributed to Essiac.

Al-Sukhni W, Grunbaum A, Fleshner N.

Source

Division of Urology, The Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Abstract

Essiac is a popular complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) that is utilized by many cancer patients in North America. Much anecdotal reporting exists about its cancer-fighting qualities, but so far no clinical trials have been preformed to validate those claims. We describe here the case of a 64-year-old man whose hormone-refractory prostate cancer responded well to Essiac tea.