Where it goes awry is with stress. When you get overly stressed and can’t escape, your brain puts out cortisol. Too much cortisol! It also cranks out epinephrine and nor-epinephrine from the Fight or Flight arm (sympathetic) of the autonomic nervous system. With that kind of stress and high cortisol, your gut gets leaky. More proteins leak through that normally would be held outside. When they leak through, your immune system reacts and gets over-stimulated, putting out all sorts of chemical messengers called cytokines that circulate back up to your brain and cause inflammation, not just in your gut, but also in your brain. The epinephrine acts as a multiplier of the cortisol effect to help create a vicious cycle of stress, injured gut, hyped up immune system and then a feedback to your brain where you get emotions of anxiety, chronic pain, fatigue. Think of the last time you were under stress. Did your tummy ache or feel all riled up? Did you get a cold? Did you feel exhausted and tired? Did you have more aches and pains? Headache? It’s likely you can easily think back and relate to an event like this.

How did you recover? Probably by your own native resiliency and common sense. But can you be more intentional the next time. Can you see the functioning triad of brain-gut-immune malfunction and how they all contribute to the cycle of perpetuating dysfunction? You get a vicious cycle set up that keeps turning the wheel of stress. If you can break the wheel’s turning at any point, you can interrupt the momentum. Try it.

Here are some tips. For example, we now know that you can turn on your parasympathetic system (calming, mellow, relaxed side) and counteract the synergistic inflammatory effect of the sympathetic system (fight or flight) by a variety of strategies. Breathing exercises can turn on your parasympathetic system in just a few minutes. Meditation takes longer but lasts much longer. Yoga does the same. Can you take up yoga? It’s anti-inflammatory! And a lot safer than pills. There’s more. A good night’s sleep also cools off inflammation and lowers cortisol. Gurgly upset gut? Probiotics will stimulate healing in your gut. Can you take probiotics for a couple of days? Can you add theanine (200 mg) to your bedtime routine, as well as some melatonin (3 mg) so that you get a great night’s sleep? Take theanine twice a day and see how much calmer you feel. It’s cheap and safe. Magnesium as a supplement will calm inflammation in your brain. (400 mg a day) Vitamin D turns down inflammation (4000 IU a day) and is strongly associated with less depression. Turmeric is increasingly being found to stifle inflammation. Can you take a good walk and get sweaty? Add all those together! Make it lifestyle?

WWW. What will work for me. We all find ourselves in a pickle from time to time. We feel stressed and frustrated, and then depressed. Can you make a more holistic attack on the problem at hand? More than just a good talk with a friend, can you think about how to sooth your churning gut, your ticked off immune system, your burning brain? I’m personally trying the theanine and melatonin combination for sleep. A good night’s sleep, and a lot gets smoothed out in the morning. Try it. And remember, the theanine works better is you take it twice a day. (Extract of green tea and been used in Japan for decades with no reported toxicity) I’ve not ever been described as mellow, but I feel more calm and on purpose. And cherish the talk with that good friend. That helps too.

Reference: American Academy AntiAging Webinar: Jan 10, 2011 Andrew Heyman

Researchers have known for years that meat-eaters have higher cancer rates, compared with people who avoid meat. But now we also know that grilled meats pose a unique threat. Cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) have been found in chicken and other meats, and the very highest concentrations occur when these products are grilled.

Grilling meat, especially chicken, produces carcinogenic HCAs, which are formed from the creatinine, amino acids, and sugar found in muscle tissue. More HCAs are produced by long cooking times and hot temperatures, which make grilling, pan frying, and oven broiling particularly dangerous cooking methods.

The federal government added HCAs to its list of carcinogens in January 2005. But most Americans remain unaware that these compounds lurk in cooked meat. As known mutagens, HCAs can bind directly to DNA and cause mutations, the first step in the development of cancer.

Grilling is also problematic because when fat from meat drips onto an open flame, carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) form and are deposited back onto the meat through smoke.

Scientists have discovered more than 16 different HCAs. One type commonly found in grilled meats is PhIP, which has been on Californiaâ€s list of cancer-causing chemicals for more than a decade. Scientists have not determined a safe consumption level of PhIP, meaning that any amount is believed to potentially increase cancer risk.

Recent studies have shown that the consumption of well-done meat, which contains PhIP and other HCAs, is associated with an increased risk for colon, rectal, esophageal, lung, larynx, pancreatic, prostate, stomach, and breast cancer, and non-Hodgkinâ€s lymphoma.

In a recent review of 30 epidemiologic studies on the link between eating well-done meat and cancer at various sites, 80 percent of the studies showed a positive correlation. HCAs have also been specifically linked to colorectal cancer: One review found that high cooking temperature increased colon cancer risk almost twofold and increased risk for rectal cancer by 60 percent.

Meat cooked at high temperatures may also increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. In this nine-year study, researchers analyzed information on meat consumption and preferred cooking methods for 62,581 participants. Participants who cooked meat at high temperatures and consumed more well-done meat had about a 60 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer, compared with other people.

Many people switch to chicken and fish, believing these to be healthier alternatives to beef. But that is not the case. Grilled chicken produces more than 10 times the amount of the carcinogenic HCAs found in grilled beef. Furthermore, nearly all the HCAs detected are in the form of PhIP, which has specifically been implicated in breast cancer risk. Fish also contains significant amounts of creatine, one of the other main ingredients for the formation of the carcinogens.

HCAs are not the only cancer risk that comes from eating meat. Countries with a higher fat intake, especially fat from animal products, have a higher incidence of breast cancer. One hypothesized reason is that low-fiber, high-fat foods increase the amount of estrogen in the bloodstream, which encourages breast cancer cell growth. A similar phenomenon can occur when men eat high-fat fare, leading to a higher risk of prostate cancer.

The consumption of meat and other fatty foods is strongly linked to colon cancer. Recent studies have shown that red meat—even red meat cooked at a low temperature—can increase colon cancer risk by as much as 300 percent.

These facts seem to pose a dilemma for meat-eating consumers. Cook chicken or beef too little, and you could easily end up with a bacterial infection. Turn up the heat enough to kill the bacteria, and you may create cancer-causing compounds.

There is a healthy—and delicious—alternative. Instead of meat products, try grilling up a homemade veggie burger or vegetable-and-tofu kebobs.

Since creatine, one of the ingredients for the formation of HCAs, is mostly found in muscle tissue, it is not surprising that grilled veggie burgers and other vegetarian foods contain either no HCAs or negligible levels.

Choosing plant-based foods instead of meat also lowers cancer risk in other ways. Not only are vegetables low in fat and high in fiber, they also contain many cancer-fighting substances. Carotenoids, the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their dark colors, have been shown to help prevent cancer. Beta-carotene, present in dark green and yellow vegetables, helps protect against lung cancer and may help prevent cancers of the bladder, mouth, larynx, esophagus, breast, and other sites. Many studies have found that diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal fat cut cancer risks.

Want to grill up something healthy? Visit www.CancerProject.org for delicious vegetarian recipes, information on nutrition and cooking classes, fact sheets on nutrition and cancer, DVDs, videos, books, and a free copy of The Cancer Projectâ€s booklet Healthy Eating for Life: Food Choices for Cancer Prevention and Survival.

By Jennifer K. Reilly, R.D.

The Cancer Project

Fruits and vegetables contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that protect the body. Building a plant-based (or vegan) diet from fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains can help prevent some cancers and improve the survival rates of people who have cancer.

Eighty percent of cancers are due to factors that have been identified and can potentially be controlled, according to the National Cancer Institute, and at least one-third of annual cancer deaths in the United States are due to dietary factors, according to the American Cancer Society. Much of our risk for colon, breast, and prostate cancer, among other types, is nutrition-related.

While vegan diets can help fight cancer and other diseases, consuming animal products—meat, eggs, dairy products—and other fatty foods can contribute to cancer risk.

Numerous research studies have since shown that cancer is much more common in populations consuming diets rich in fatty foods, particularly meat, and much less common in countries with diets rich in grains, vegetables, and fruits. The reason? Food affects the action of hormones in the body and the strength of the immune system.

Plant-based diets can be helpful in preventing cancer and cancer recurrence because they are generally low in fat and high in fiber. Fat has many effects within the body. It increases hormone production (and may raise breast cancer risks) and it stimulates the production of bile acids which have been linked to colon cancer.

The average diet in the United States is about 37 percent fat from calories. The National Cancer Institute suggests that people lower that number to 30 percent; however, studies have shown that fat intake should be well below 30 percent to have an anti-cancer affect. Ten percent or less is the most effective.

Fiber is essential for preventing disease and staying healthy. Animal products contain no fiber, but diets based on fiber-rich, plant-based foods provide plenty of this important nutrient. Fiber helps move food more quickly through the intestines, helping to eliminate carcinogens and potentially harmful hormones.

In the United States, the average daily fiber intake is 10 to 20 grams per day. Experts recommend 30 to 40 grams per day for cancer prevention and survival. The best sources of fiber are whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, vegetables, and fruits. Foods that are closest to their natural state, unrefined and unpeeled, are highest in fiber.

The United States and other Western nations whose diets are based upon animal products have the highest rates of colon cancer.

Eating a variety of vegetables is important because vegetables contain so many cancer-fighting substances. Carotenoids, the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their dark colors, have been shown to help prevent cancer. Beta-carotene, present in dark green and yellow vegetables, helps protect against lung cancer and may help prevent cancers of the bladder, mouth, larynx, esophagus, breast, and other sites.

Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, turnips, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts contain flavones and indoles, which are thought to have anti-cancer effects. Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and many vegetables, may lower risks for cancers of the esophagus and stomach.

Studies of vegetarians show that death rates from cancer are only about one-half to three-quarters of those of the general population. Breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in countries such as China and Japan, where diets are typically based on rice, vegetables, and bean products, with very little use of meat, dairy products, or oily foods. When people from those countries adopt a Western, meat-based diet, their breast cancer rates soar.

By Jennifer K. Reilly, R.D.
The Cancer Project

Need help getting started? Visit www.CancerProject.org for delicious vegetarian recipes, information on nutrition and cooking classes, fact sheets on nutrition and cancer, DVDs, videos, books, and a free copy of The Cancer Project’s booklet Healthy Eating for Life: Food Choices for Cancer Prevention and Survival.

This brings me to the issue at hand, HORMONES and hormone replacement therapy (HRT)! The topic has almost reached celebrity status with genuine confusion and concern regarding what is being talked about! I have been extremely perplexed at the whole notion of replacing hormones. I ask…where did they go? Which hole did they fall out of? Did a woman leave them at a party one night and wake up the asking “oh my..has anyone seen my hormones?” Our bodies have exactly what they need to make all the hormones we need at any particular stage in a women’s life. When there is trouble hormonally, it is more about RESTORING function rather than REPLACING it!

As my private naturopathic practice evolved, I was in awe at the number of women I experienced having trouble during normal hormonal transitions. I saw women having difficulty transitioning into menopause, a very natural, once celebrated once honored stage, and I also saw an extraordinary number of younger women experiencing weight gain, irritability, insomnia, decreased libido, and hot flashes. There were also women with sexual and reproductive problems—infertility, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS)—as well as breast and uterine cancer. Most of these women came in with a recommendation from their physician that they begin taking synthetic hormones. For women entering menopause it was HRT, and for the younger women it was the birth control pill. These artificial hormones suppress the body’s natural cycles; they do nothing to address why the symptoms are occurring.

A pattern was emerging among my patients, but it really hit home when my own 37-year-old body started to flare up. My periods became unbearable; I had cramping, clotting, and bloating. My PMS and irritability got so bad my family would mark the two weeks beforehand as the “red zone.” I wrestled with debilitating fatigue for the first time in my life, not to mention the unwelcome weight gain and changes in body temperature. I was frustrated because I couldn’t attribute these changes to anything different in my diet or lifestyle. I was desperate to figure out what was going on, and more importantly, what I could do about it. The stress of building my practice and business, having a family, being president of the California Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and having an overall unrelentingly stressful lifestyle was taking a toll. I had moved back to one of the most polluted—yet beautiful—areas in California. And my dietary choices tended to be less than ideal in times of stress when I needed quick energy. I was drinking coffee in the morning to get me going and looking forward to a glass or two of wine on the weekends so I could finally relax.

I was completely out of balance. My stress level was taxing my adrenal glands (the built in back up system for post menopausal hormone production). I developed digestive disturbances, which I knew were compromising my liver’s ability to do its many jobs, including processing and neutralizing hormones. The effects on my body were manifesting in the form of annoying and uncomfortable symptoms. I knew the last thing I needed was more estrogen from birth control pills. I needed to get my body back in balance. If I didn’t work to correct some things, I knew I was increasing my risk down the road for dangerous health conditions, such as cancer. Listening to the signals my body was sending, such as the difficult periods (which are not normal), then making some profound changes in my diet, lifestyle, and supplement regime got me back on track, in balance, and wiser than before. What I discovered in treating my patients and myself is that women are experiencing extreme difficulties during normal hormonal transitions due to being overall OUT OF BALANCE due to many underlying influences.

Most important, the treatment approach of just “replacing hormones” is not helping women live longer, healthier lives. More hormones are the last thing women need. In fact, this course of action could be harmful. Hormone imbalance can not only cause the symptoms mentioned above, but also can lead to cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Women’s hormone health did not become more problematic overnight. It has a lot to do with our modern environment and lifestyles. Pollution, stress, food quality, the way we nourish ourselves and prevailing medical practices take their toll on bodily systems. The good news is once we understand what creates imbalance; we can tap the many safe ways of restoring balance and eliminating uncomfortable, irritating symptoms while preventing disease and increasing overall quality of life and well-being.

When experiencing difficulties during hormonal transitions that are normal, natural and a birth right for all of us, before filling that prescription, take an internal inventory to see how well you are! Ask yourself these questions: What is my foundation like, are there any cracks? What is my exercise regime? Am I involved in re-creation activities? How am I moving through the stress in my life? Am I staying hydrated? Am I adequately rested with restorative sleep? How am I nourishing myself (what is my diet like)? Is it time for a 2-week cleanse? How is my digestion? Am I absorbing the nutrients I need and eliminating waste products regularly? Am I having fun? What is the quality of my relationships, with self, others and my higher source?

Listening to your body and answering these questions and increasing awareness in your life instead of increasing your hormones artificially might just be the key to overall hormonal health and well-being!

Your intestines contain billions of living bacteria-10 times the number of cells in your body-and new research suggests that they may be crucial to our immune systems and, thus, our health. In fact, the immune system is not a specific entity in itself, but an interaction between our cells and the ‘foreign’ intestinal flora.

“About 75 per cent of the immune cells of the body are localized to the gut, and almost all immune cells in the body are conditioned in the gut,” says Professor Stig Bengmark of University College London. This conditioning is done by bacteria, 400 of which could fit on the dot of this “i”.

As Professor Fergus Shanahan of the National University of Ireland explains it: “Gut bacteria have a collective metabolic activity equal to a virtual organ within an organ”.

In addition, these bacteria play a vital role in ‘completing’ our genes (see box on the right).
Although these dramatic discoveries about gut flora and the immune system are relatively new, the means by which we can take advantage of them-probiotics-have been around for a century.

First discovered by Nobel prizewinner Elie Metchnikoff in 1907, probiotic yoghurts, drinks and capsules are one of the fastest-growing sectors in food retailing: UK sales are increasing by 40 per cent each year. Most people take them to promote general wellbeing, but now there’s evidence that they can help serious bowel disorders, allergies, cancer and even autism.

Immune-system development
The word ‘probiotic’ means simply ‘for life’-in this case, the bacteria that live in our gut. Our intestines are home to around 500 species, some good and some bad. The bad ones such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Clostridium are kept in check by the ‘good’ bacteria, mainly lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. And the experts are only now realizing that the presence or absence of gut bacteria at birth could be the key to a range of health problems in later life.

We are not born with a fully functioning immune system. What it needs is exposure to bacteria-almost entirely from the mother. “The birth process allows the progressive formation of complex intestinal microflora composed of myriad bacteria,” says Belgian pediatrician
Dr Jean-Paul Langhendries. “It is used by the young body to initiate its own immune system” (Arch Pediatr, 30 October 2006; epub ahead of print).

So, two things are necessary: natural birth and breastfeeding. Passing down the birth canal exposes the baby to its mother’s bacteria. Some of these may be harmful, but that’s what the immune system needs, according to the latest theory. Then, as the infant breastfeeds, beneficial lactobacilli from the breastmilk enter the baby’s gut to supplant the disease-causing species. This kickstarts the immune system and firmly establishes it-probably for life.

But, modern medicine unwittingly interferes with this process. Infants born by caesarean section or who are not breastfed have a different range of gut bacteria, which can compromise their immune system (Acta Paediatr Suppl, 2003; 91:48-55). Indeed, caesarean-born children have more asthma and food allergies than naturally birthed babies-problems that continue into adulthood (WDDTY vol 17 no 8).

Connection with the brain
But asthma and allergies are just the tip of the iceberg. There is a raft of childhood problems that may be due to a malfunctioning gut-which also affects the brain. Learning difficulties, poor coordination and even autism have been linked with ‘gut dysbiosis’, an imbalance of intestinal bacterial species. One clue is that autistic children have more digestive problems than normal children, as recently confirmed in an in-depth study led by Dr Andrew Wakefield at London’s prestigious Royal Free Hospital, which showed “a consistent profile of . . . increased pro-inflammatory and decreased regulatory activities” in the intestines of autistic children (J Clin Immunol, 2004; 24: 664-73).

How does what happens in the gut affect the brain? The most obvious answer is simple malnutrition. With-out the proper balance within the gut flora, food may be poorly digested and absorbed, leading to nutritional deficiency. Too many ‘bad’ bacteria can also mop up nutrients or, worse, an overgrowth of, say, Candida or Clostridium can produce toxins and create a ‘Catch-22’ vicious circle. The original gut dysbiosis leads to a so-called ‘leaky gut’, where intestinal walls are damaged, thus allowing toxins to pass through into the bloodstream, from where they may then penetrate the blood-brain barrier.

Chief among these toxins are acetaldehyde, alcohol and opiate-like substances from undigested foods. “The theory is that autism is the result of a metabolic disorder,” says Paul Shattock, of the Autism Research Unit at the University of Sunderland. “Peptides with opioid activity derived from . . . foods that contain gluten and casein, pass through an abnormally permeable intestinal membrane and enter the central nervous system to exert an effect on neurotransmission” (Expert Opin Ther Targets, 2002; 6: 175-83).

To test this theory, Professor Glenn Gibson, director of the University of Reading’s Department of Food Biosciences, analyzed the feces of young autistic children, and found abnormally high levels of Clostridium species, confirming Dr Wakefield’s earlier findings.

Gibson then wondered whether giving the children ‘good’, probiotic bacteria would reverse the dysbiosis and reduce their autism. He randomly selected 20 of these children to receive a probiotic capsule containing Lacto-bacillus plantarum, and gave another 20 children an identical placebo capsule. After a few weeks, the chil-dren switched to the other capsule, but neither group knew when they were receiving the real probiotics.

Sadly, the trial soon collapsed. “The effect of the probiotic bacteria was so great that many of the parents realized their children were taking something other than a placebo, and refused to allow the switch to take place,” says Professor Gibson. “Parents told me how the probiotics had made such improvements in their children’s concentration and behaviour that, as one parent said, it would have been heartbreaking to force the children to stop taking them. But it meant I couldn’t draw any firm scientific conclusions from the trial because of the high drop-out rate.”

Nevertheless, Gibson’s ‘results-too-good-to-be-scientific’ trial will be a landmark in probiotic therapy, paving the way for more studies of not only autism, but of the more widespread autistic-spectrum disorders such as Asperger’s syndrome, hyperactivity and learning difficulties in general. Indeed, gut problems similar to those in autism have been seen in children with these related conditions (Am J Gastroenterol, 2000; 95: 2285-95).

Bacteria as therapy
How do probiotics work? Until recently, it was thought their mode of action was simply to stick to the gut wall, preventing other bacteria from gaining a foothold.

But new laboratory evidence suggests that probiotics are much more proactive, producing substances such as acids, bacteriocins and hydrogen peroxide, which can kill harmful bacteria and interfere with their ability to produce toxins (Gut, 2003; 52: 827-33).

Other new evidence (from at least six different studies) shows that probiotics act directly on the immune system, boosting both T-helper and natural-killer (NK) cells, the system’s major weapons. For example, a recent Korean study measured a 35-per-cent increase in NK cells in study participants given probiotics (J Med Food, 2006; 9: 321-7).

Perhaps ironically, a major use for probiotics is to combat the side-effects of their near-namesake-antibiotics. These powerful medicines don’t discriminate between friend or foe, so the inevitable consequence of oral antibiotic therapy is the death of all gut bacteria, good and bad.
Nevertheless, antibiotics may be less efficient at killing the bad species, as they can cause proliferation of one of the worst of them, Clostridium difficile. This stomach bug is fast becoming a major pest of hospitals, as it’s involved in the development of superbug resistance, and has officially been dubbed a ‘new epidemic’ (Ann Intern Med, 2006; 145: 758-64).

However, probiotics have come to the rescue, with over 30 separate studies showing they can halve the incidence of diarrhea caused by C. difficile (Lancet Infect Dis, 2006; 6: 374-82)-not to mention diarrhea in general.

Interestingly, probiotics can cure constipation, too (Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol, 2006; 20: 575-87).
With conventional drugs, these contrary effects would be considered impossible. But probiotics don’t act like drugs. They are more like wise regulators, with a unique ability to restore gut bacteria to normal, whatever the state of the intestines.

Bowel disorders-and worse
Probiotics are now offering hope to people who have more serious bowel disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, which afflicts about 3 per cent of the population. This can flare up for no apparent reason, and cause severe stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation.

One school of thought says it’s due to food intolerance, but gut bacteria may also be involved, as probiotics have been seen to result in up to a 30-per-cent improvement in symptoms (J Clin Gastroenterol, 2006; 40: 264-9).

Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), which are also known as ‘inflammatory bowel disorders’, may affect up to a quarter of a million Britons. Orthodox medicine considers these conditions to be essentially incurable. Yet, according to Dr Sandra Macfarlane of Dundee University: “. . . there is now indisputable evidence that a loss of beneficial bacteria is involved in the two conditions.”

Although probiotics are a logical solution, only a few small-scale clinical trials have put them to the test. One, a pilot study at Bologna University, showed that a very high dose of a cocktail of different lactobacilli “induced remission” in two-thirds of CD patients. With UC, however, the results have been mixed. The explanation could be that these trials have tended to use single Lactobacillus species rather than a combination.

“The general experience thus far is that the best effects are obtained with combinations of probiotics rather than single LAB [lactic-acid bacteria] treatments,” says Professor Bengmark.

The most severe form of bowel disease is cancer-of either the colon or rectum. Again, probiotics may be of use here, too. Researchers have noticed an association between a high intake of yoghurt or probiotics and lower rates of colon cancer (J Nutr, 2000; 130: 384S- 90S). So far, trials have shown a significant protective effect of probiotics on colon cancer, and even a tiny curative effect-at least in rats, so it may not apply to humans (Carcinogenesis, 2002;
23: 1953-60).

Guts apart
The link between probiotics and gut conditions is fairly predictable. The real detective work has been to uncover the connections between probiotics and diseases unrelated to the gut.

One breakthrough has involved allergies, perhaps because they are immune-related. The ‘hygiene hypothesis’, for example, posits the idea that allergies are caused by overzealous cleanliness, particularly in childhood-but our immune system needs to be exposed to bacteria to begin working. So far, trials of probiotics involving allergic children and adolescents have generally been disappointing, but some researchers argue that’s because they have been given too late in life to work.

Five years ago, Finnish doctors were the first to examine probiotics in early infancy. Having located more than 100 mothers-to-be with a family history of allergic eczema, they gave their newborns either probiotics or a placebo for the first six months of life. Follow-up of the babies at age two revealed that eczema was halved among those taking the probiotics (Lancet, 2001; 357: 1076-9).

Similar studies on other allergies have had less favorable results, with no particular benefits found in asthma or food allergies and intolerance. This is surprising as one of the major theories of food allergy is the ‘leaky-gut’ hypothesis (mentioned above).

Experts now believe that the answer lies in a huge research program that has been designed to test both individual strains as well as cocktails of lactobacilli. A few small-scale probiotic pharmaceutical companies have already begun testing their own semi-exclusive probiotic cocktails.

As for female urinary tract and vaginal infections, most studies have shown that single probiotics haven’t prevented or cured them, although an Austrian company has found that three Lactobacillus strains (L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri B-54 and RC-14) do work (World J Urol, 2006; 24: 28-32). And there’s some tantalizing preliminary evidence of a place for probiotic cocktails in cirrhosis, pancreatitis and postoperative infections, too.

To date, this non-drug therapy is in its infancy. Only a fraction of the 500 gut-flora species has been explored so far, and few but the most advanced researchers understand that the specific strains of bacteria residing in our intestines may be related to maintaining health by keeping particular illnesses at bay.
What’s already clear is that we need to change how we view health and immunity to something that doesn’t just start and end with our own bodies.

Tony Edwards – WDDTY vol 17 no 10 (2007)

Chances are that you or someone you know has fibroids. Fibroids (also called myomas) are benign tumors that grow in the smooth muscle cells in the uterine wall (the myometrium). They can form on the inside or outside of the uterus; above, below, or on the side of it. They’re present in 25-40 percent of women in their childbearing years, and about 40 percent of women have one or more fibroids when they reach menopause. As a physician, I’ve cared for thousands of women with fibroids-including myself-treating them with everything from diet to drugs to hormone replacement to surgery.
Most
women with fibroids don’t even know they have one until their doctor discovers it during an annual pelvic exam. These benign growths are amenable to lifestyle changes such as diet, taking certain herbs, exercise, and changes in emotional patterns. Lifestyle modifications are likely to have an impact because fibroids are very sensitive to changes in hormone levels in the body. Your hormones can be influenced by everything from dietary modifications to changes in your thoughts
and emotions!

The
good news is most fibroids don’t cause symptoms, don’t require any fancy treatment,
and almost never require a hysterectomy, despite what you may have heard. Unfortunately,
fibroids are the number one indication for hysterectomy in this country. And many
times the ovaries, a woman’s source of testosterone, are removed along with the
uterus to prevent possible ovarian cancer in the future. Though I certainly understand
the rationale for this, many women suffer from unexpected side effects from ovarian
removal and subsequent low testosterone levels, which result in a loss of sex
drive and decreased vitality.

Of
course, depending upon the size, number, and location of the fibroid, some women
experience pain, heavy bleeding, or pressure. If the fibroid is large, 10 cm.
or greater, the lower abdomen can swell slightly and make it appear that a woman
is a few months pregnant, which is what happened to me. Even if her fibroids are
causing problems, there’s a lot that a woman can do besides taking drugs, having
surgery, or undergoing the new Ex Ablate ultrasound procedure. (See below.)
In
his excellent and comprehensive book Healing Fibroids: A Doctor’s Guide to a Natural
Cure (which he co-wrote with Elena Oumano for Fireside, 2002), Allan Warshowsky,
M.D. (a board certified ob-gyn colleague and friend of mine), gives you everything
you need to know to decrease fibroid symptoms naturally. If you have fibroids,
I urge you to read his book. You’re likely to find just the solution you’re looking
for. And keep in mind that the lifestyle changes you adopt to heal your fibroids
will also improve the health of every cell in your body! Here are a few points
from Healing Fibroids. There are many other fantastic insights in the book.

*
Decrease or eliminate “white” foods. Foods such as white bread, cookies,
cakes, and pasta increase insulin, which changes the way estrogen is metabolized,
creating compounds that are more likely to cause cellular inflammation and fibroid
symptoms, including enhanced growth of existing fibroids. (Further evidence of
the diet-estrogen-fibroid connection is the fact that fibroids are more common
in overweight women.)

*
Eat soy and flax. Nearly all women can benefit from taking phytoestrogens-plant-based
hormones found in soy and flaxseed. Not only are phytoestrogens a safe alternative
to synthetic hormones, these phytoestrogen-rich foods decrease the effects of
estrogen levels naturally by blocking the estrogen receptors on the cells in fibroids
and other estrogen-sensitive tissues. Studies have shown that eating soy and flax
helps the body produce smaller amounts of unhealthy estrogens. Flaxseed is high
in both fiber and omega-3 fats, which help reduce inflammation and tumor growth
throughout the body and rid the body of toxins, including excess estrogen.

*
Consider herbs. There’s a wide variety of herbs that help balance estrogen levels
naturally. These include chasteberry, dong quai, and black cohosh-all of which
have been used for centuries for various gynecological conditions. Dr. Warshowsky’s
book contains a comprehensive list of the herbs that work best for fibroids and
includes instructions for exactly how to take them. (I also address the subject
of herbs for menopausal symptoms in my book The Wisdom of Menopause [Bantam, 2001].)

*
Add a tincture of time. Perimenopause and menopause are nature’s own treatment
for fibroids. Falling estrogen levels that occur in late perimenopause often shrink
fibroids considerably. And nothing further needs to be done! Watchful waiting
is especially good for women who have no symptoms from their fibroids or don’t
even know they have them!

When
Natural Methods Aren’t Enough
There is a new ultrasound treatment for fibroids
called ExAblate, which was approved in the fall of 2004 by the FDA. ExAblate is
a new device that combines MRI imaging to map out uterine fibroids followed by
high-intensity, focused ultrasound that heats up and destroys fibroid tissue.
Fibroid tissue is very well suited to this treatment because the blood vessels
in fibroids help the body dissipate the excess heat that’s generated. The procedure
is done on an outpatient basis and is noninvasive, leaving the uterus and ovaries
intact. It involves lying on your abdomen in an MRI tube for up to three hours
while ultrasound waves heat up and destroy the uterine tissue. Side effects may
include blisters on the abdominal skin, cramping, nausea, and some pain that can
be managed with over-the-counter medication.
I had my fibroid surgically removed
during perimenopause some years ago, but didn’t undergo a hysterectomy. (Though
I had no symptoms, I simply got tired of looking pregnant-mine was very large-and
I didn’t want to continue to “dress around my fibroid.”) However, if
ExAblate had been available at the time, I would have strongly considered this
treatment.
Studies show that ExAblate successfully reduces fibroid symptoms
in about 70 percent of women, but that 20 percent will require additional surgery
within a year. The FDA reports that though the procedure successfully reduces
symptoms in the majority of women, these symptoms will return in some women. And
so will the fibroids. This is why I also recommend that all women suffering from
fibroids do their best to adopt the kind of lifestyle changes mentioned above-you’ll
be able to reduce fibroid symptoms over the long term and improve how your hormones
are metabolized. Still, I feel that ExAblate is a major step forward and a very
exciting use of technology.
Please Note: ExAblate should not be used by those
who want to get pregnant because not enough data is available to determine what
happens to the uterine wall and lining following the procedure. For more information
about ExAblate, you can call 866-392-2528 or check out the InSightec Website,
the company that developed the technology, at http://www.uterine-fibroids.org.

Symptoms
Always Carry a Bigger Message
There are many treatments available for fibroids,
including drugs, surgery, and the newer high-tech ultrasound treatment known as
ExAblate. Regardless of which one(s) you choose, it’s important to understand
that fibroids, like all conditions, don’t just jump out of the closet and land
on you (or your uterus). They’re a signal from your inner wisdom that something
in your life needs to be addressed. This doesn’t mean that you need to obsess
or make a career out of them, but it does mean that you’ll be happier and healthier
if you regard them as messengers and then heed the message. (It might be as simple
as losing ten pounds!)

Fibroids
often represent creativity that hasn’t been birthed yet, or creativity (such as
a job or relationship) that’s being directed down a dead-end path. I’ve written
about this extensively in both Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of
Menopause. Addressing the lifestyle and mind/body factors that favor fibroid growth
in the first place will also help prevent recurrence. And if you eventually need
a medical procedure for your fibroids, your health will have improved greatly
and you’ll heal much faster.

Subscribe
to Dr. Northrup’s Newsletter today! (Link to:http://www.drnorthrup.com/newsletters/index.php

Provided from the September/October 2005 Issue of The Dr. Christiane Northrup Newsletter with Permission from Hay House, Inc., pg. 6.

Since around 2800BC, the needle like branches of a plant found in China called Ma-Huang have been used successfully there against asthma of light to medium severity. In the 16th century AD the physician pharmacologist Li Shih-chen listed it as an asthma treatment in his massive reference work, which is still seen as the authoritative reference for oriental herbal medicine.Ma-Huang, a member of the Gnetales family, resembles a horsetail. It is closely related to the Welwitschia mirabilis of South Africa. Ephedra helvetica, another relation, is used by herbalists in Switzerland, Spain, Italy and France. Another botanical relative is Ephedra distachya, the joint pine of Persia and India which quickly relieves bronchial spasm (RF Weiss, Herbal Medicine, AB Arcanum, Gothenburg, 1988).

In 1926, the drug company Merck produced a synthetic version of Ephedra, the alkaloid ephedrine. This, like the herbal remedy, has been widely used and both have been critically investigated over the years (Br J Clin Pharmacol, 1976, 3). However, the natural version has proved to have several advantages over the man made product: it is better tolerated by the patient, causing fewer heart problems like palpitations and hypertension.

Interestingly, if the Ma-Huang root is included in the preparation made from this plant’s branches, heart problems are reduced. Proprietary asthma drugs made from synthetic ephedrine, Benylin and Sudafed, are well known for their strong stimulant effect on the heart.

Khellah a member of the carrot family which grows wild in Egypt and countries of the eastern Mediterranean can either prevent asthma attacks or significantly reduce their frequency and severity (GV Anrep and others, J Pharm Pharmacol, 149, 3; and W Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, vol 1, Pharmaceutical Press, London 1958). Khellah is rapidly absorbed if taken by mouth, so injections are not needed. Although it is usually regarded as a preventative rather than therapeutic measure, its antispasmodic action lasts for around 6.5 hours, longer than that of modern asthma drugs. Toxicity is extremely low and there are practically no side effects, even when taken over a long period (RF Weiss, reference as above).

The latest orthodox drug derivative of Khellah is disodium chromoglycate (DSCG), marketed by Fisons as Intal. It is intended to stave off an asthma attack. In some patients it may cause a cough, throat irritation and bronchospasm (MIMS, July 1992).

Myrrh on the other hand, is a useful treatment, taken along with other asthma relieving drugs where the asthma is caused by catarrhal infection of the respiratory tract and bronchioles (R W Davey and others, Comp Med Res, Jan 1990). It has been shown to be effective against 20 strains of microbial organisms, including those that are regarded by orthodox medicine as multi drug resistant.

Harald Gaier is a registered naturopath, osteopath and homoeopath.

Besides its propagation in China, the cultivation and use of hemp has, since the beginnings of recorded history, also been documented by many other great civilizations, including: India, Sumeria, Babylonia, Persia, Egypt, and other nations of the Near East; and the Aztec and Mayan civilizations of South America; as well as by native cultures in North America and Europe. Indeed, it might be said that over these thousands of years, hemp has always followed humankind throughout the world, or vice versa.

Nutritionally, the key point about hemp is that its edible portion–the meat of the shelled seed–resembles the seeds of other cultivated grains including wheat and rye, and does not contain THC.

Moreover, the strains of hemp plant used for food have been naturally selected so as to produce little THC, generally. These nutritional varieties of hemp plant grow in temperate climates to heights of 14 feet, and as with many agricultural grains, their seeds can be harvested in a conventional manner with a combine. Since the most modern handling and shelling of the seed minimize its contact with leaf resins, the shelled seed itself and the oil, nut butter, and other foods prepared from the seed have been made with THC concentrations as low as 1 ucg/g (ppm) to nondetectible. These modern hemp products, when consumed in normally recommended amounts, should all but eliminate positive urine tests for THC.³ Studies conducted on older versions of hemp seed oil found some to contain THC concentrations that resulted in positive urine tests.⁴

Nutrients in Hemp Seed
The most basic hemp seed product is the shelled seed, sometimes referred to as the “hemp seed nut.” The other major hemp food products are hemp seed nut butter, which resembles peanut and other nut butters, and cold-pressed hemp seed oil and hemp seed flour. These basic products can be consumed alone or used along with or instead of other grains, seeds, nuts, and oils in any appropriate recipe.

In terms of its nutrient content, shelled hemp seed is 34.6% protein, 46.5% fat, and 11.6% carbohydrate (Table 1). The most important feature of hemp seed is that it provides both of the essential fatty acids (EFAs) needed in the human diet–linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid–as well as a complete and balanced complement of all essential amino acids.

Hemp Fats
As compared with most nuts and seeds, the 46.5% fat content of shelled hemp seed is relatively low, and hemp food products have a low cholesterol content and high content of the natural phytosterols that reduce cholesterol levels. Hemp seed oil has on average the highest mono and polyunsaturated fat content of all oils, taken collectively, of 89% (Table 2). The polyunsaturated linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, is present in hemp seed oil in a content of 55.6 g/100 g, and alpha-linolenic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, is present at 17.2 g/100 g. The ratio of the two EFAs is 3.38, closely approximating the 4.0 average ratio recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), Sweden and Japan for the human diet.⁵

Conveniently, hemp seed oil is also one of the only food oils to contain the direct metabolites of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid–gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA), respectively. Because of this, it can circumvent the impaired EFA metabolism and physical compromise that can result from genetic factors, intake of other fats, aging, and lifestyle patterns.

By contrast with unsaturated fat, only 6.6% of the total calories in shelled hemp seed come from saturated fat–a percentage that contrasts sharply with the 13 to 14% of saturated fat calories in the modern American diet.⁶ This gives hemp seed oil a polyunsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio of 9.7, in comparison to the current ratio of 0.44 in the American diet,⁶ and indicates that consuming even a small portion of hemp seed oil daily can contribute strongly to bringing this dietary imbalance back toward the U.S. Senate Select Committee recommended goal of 1.0.

Hemp Protein
Besides providing the human EFAs and having a favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio, hemp seed is an excellent dietary source of easily digestible, gluten-free protein. Its overall protein content of 34.6 g/100 g is comparable to that of soy beans and better than that found in nuts, other seeds, dairy products, meat, fish, or poultry.

Hemp protein provides a well-balanced array of the 10 essential amino acids for humans. An important aspect of hemp seed protein is a high content of arginine (123 mg/g protein) and histidine (27 mg/g protein), both of which are important for growth during childhood, and of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine (23 mg/g protein) and cysteine (16 mg/g protein), which are needed for proper enzyme formation. Hemp protein also contains relatively high levels of the branched-chain amino acids that are important for the metabolism of exercising muscle.

Other Hemp Nutrients
The carbohydrate content of shelled hemp seed is 11.5% and its sugar content is 2%. Of the shelled hemp seed carbohydrate, 6% is in the form of fiber. The fiber content of hemp seed flour is 40%, which is the highest of all commercial flour grains. In addition to containing the basic human nutrient groups, hemp foods have a high content of antioxidants (92.1 mg/100g) in the form of alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherol and alpha-tocotrienol. Additionally, hemp seed contains a wide variety of other vitamins and minerals.

Hemp in Health and Disease Prevention
The high content of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and the relatively high phytosterol content of hemp foods, make them beneficial to cardiovascular health.⁷ Numerous human and animal studies have shown that substitution of polyunsaturated for saturated fats can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest 8 and fatal cardiac arrhythmia,⁹ as well as reducing blood cholesterol levels and decreasing the cellular proliferation associated with atherosclerosis.¹⁰ A high polyunsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio, especially when it includes linoleic acid, has also been positively associated with reduced arterial thrombosis.¹¹ Additionally, phytosterols, of which hemp seed contains 438 mg/100g, have been shown to reduce total serum cholesterol by an average of 10% and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by an average of 13%.¹²

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, and especially GLA, have also been found beneficial in treating various human cancers,^13-17 and studies have shown that phytosterols may offer protection against colon, breast, and prostate cancers.¹⁸

Besides the importance of a proper dietary ratio of linoleic to alpha-linolenic acid in maintaining the polyunsaturated fatty acid composition of neuronal and glial membranes,¹⁹ membrane loss of polyunsaturated fatty acids has been found in such neurodegenerative disorders as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and it has been suggested that a diet with a proper balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids may help delay or reduce the neurologic effects of these diseases.20 A fatty acid preparation with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids of 4, which is practically identical to that in hemp oil, has been shown to improve the quality of life of Alzheimer’s disease patients.²¹

Additionally, GLA has been found effective for treating rheumatoid arthritis and active synovitis,^22-24 and the GLA and vitamin D content of hemp foods may make them beneficial in preventing and treating osteoporosis.²⁵ Moreover, supplementation with products containing EFAs has been found capable of reversing scaly skin disorder, inflammation, excessive epidermal water loss, itch, and poor wound healing caused by EFA deficiency,²⁶ and GLA has been shown to be beneficial for atopic eczema and psoriasis.²⁷

Hemp in Cosmetics and Processed Food Products
he critical importance of EFAs, and especially GLA, for healthy skin makes hemp seed oil a highly effective skin care and cosmetic product. Its lipid constituents allow it to permeate through intact skin and to thereby nourish skin cells directly while also carrying therapeutic substances with it into the skin. These properties have led to a multitude of soaps, shampoos, skin lotions, lip balms, conditioners, and other skin-care products containing hemp seed oil.

Among food products made from hemp seed, oil, and flour are beer, pasta, cheese, cookies, waffles, granola, candy, ice cream, and others, with new products now being regularly developed.

In short, hemp can constitute an important element in nutrition, health, and cosmetics, with the prospect of playing a major role in preventing disease and reducing health care expenditures.

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