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Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year
Posted by Jackie
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Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year March 04, 2015 09:58AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 18,881 |
Thanks to Tom C and Bill K for recommending the books, Wheat Belly and Grain Brain, I was motivated to offer a report that connects the dots to consumption of modern grains, especially wheat and the myriad of resulting health problems. Of specific interest to Afibbers should be the detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system. A shorter version of this report was just published in the Afib Report so if you’ve already read that, be sure to scroll down through this one to note the extra very important inclusions.
Jackie
Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year
Resolved: Start the New Year with knowledge and awareness about damaging eating habits that adversely affect our health yet remain largely unrecognized as causal by most medical practitioners. It’s never too late to begin.
Introduction
In a recent presentation, a Functional Medicine practitioner talked about the importance of eating an “enlightened” diet. Exactly what does that mean?
In this case, enlightenment comes in the form of science-based evidence and clinical experiences linking a multitude of alarming detrimental health effects caused by large daily intakes of high-carbohydrate “modern” grains or seeds from grasses and other high-carb foods known to causes over 300 chronic ailments. Unfortunately, all too often, treatment is not based on tracing symptoms to core causes so dietary adjustments can be implemented. Patients typically are treated with Rx drugs that merely mask symptoms rather than address the etiology so the damaging effects continue.
This overview can hardly do justice to a topic with such broad complexities, yet it’s imperative that we all become at least aware of the wheat/grain connection underlying so many common ailments. This is not, however, just another wheat/gluten toxicity alert, but rather an exposeˊ on many other components in the modern-day engineered and manipulated wheat found to cause major chronic, adverse health effects that result from an adaptive response to a biologically incompatible food. The high-caloric, high-glycemic content of grains which typically comprises 50% of all human calories world-wide as wheat, corn and rice then contributes to health problems such as blood sugar elevations, insulin resistance, weight gain, inflammation, autoimmunity and much more. The over-abundance of wheat/gluten-free substitute products now available adds to the high-carb burden and furthers the overall problem. Experts say: Be grain free and gluten free but don’t consume Gluten Free substitute starchy carb junk foods.
Neurodegenerative conditions are escalating and the connection to inflammation, the cornerstone of Alzheimer’s, MS and Parkinson’s, is now recognized as critical to prevent since there are no cures. According to Lancet Neurology “…more than 54% of the world’s current Alzheimer patient load could have been prevented if specific lifestyle issues would have been addressed.”[1,3]
The gluten protein in wheat and other grains is but one factor making modern grains an unfriendly (toxic), indigestible food. And, contrary to common belief, it’s not mainly a Celiac or intestinal ailment for a genetic few since research proves wheat can harm everyone’s intestines.[4] The opiate effect of wheat’s peptide, gliaden (a gluten component), is a powerful appetite stimulant (exhorphin) that drives addictive cravings. Five new groups of non-gluten proteins, distinctly different from gluten proteins, are found to cause inflammatory damage in Celiacs. Rice and corn are found problematic and another 400 gluten proteins in various grains are even more inflammatory than gliaden, the original type of gluten protein discovered in 1952.[8]
Celiac patients (genetic gluten intolerance), have about ten times the rate of autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s and Graves’ and the literature indicates that 26.2% of Celiac patients have autoimmune thyroid disease. Celiac disease and gluten intolerance are not the same condition as 70% of gluten’s damaging effects are found outside the intestine and results in dysfunction of thyroid, liver, adrenals, pancreas, sex organs, heart, brain bones and kidneys. Gluten intolerance without genetics can still result in intestinal damage.[9] Unfortunately, until recently, testing has been unreliable.
Another major grain culprit, lectins, (invisible thorns that protect plants), even more damaging than gluten and found in many common foods including wheat and legumes, are known to promote the formation of fatty streaks, mature arterial atherosclerotic plaque and chronic, low-level inflammation from inflammatory cytokine production. “Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) is a lectin glycoprotein shown in clinical studies to cause damage to gut lining, joints, kidney, pancreas and the brain since it is able to cross the blood-brain barrier as research identifies this as a neurotoxic substance. WGA is also “cardiotoxic” to the lining of arteries, leading to invisible damage, inflammation and atherosclerosis and is well known to promote platelet aggregation/clumping and clot formation. Potentially ‘toxic’ lectin-containing food groups include:
• Grains, especially wheat and wheat germ but also quinoa, rice, buckwheat, oats, rye, barley, millet and corn. (including sprouted wheat)
• Legumes (all dried beans including soy and peanuts), soy oil and peanut oil
• Dairy (more so when cows are fed grains instead of grass) based on research showing transference of lectins into breast milk and dairy.
• Nightshades (potato, tomato, eggplant and pepper)” [10]
“Most people are aware of food reactions with obvious symptoms of gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headache, fatigue, swollen joints, water retention, hives, psoriasis and some symptoms resolve quickly after eliminating the offending food family but other symptoms may take 6 – 12 months to resolve. And caution: If you are genetically intolerant, you will never be able to consume those food groups safely.”[10]
Fortunately, two outstanding, easy-reading books help guide the way to awareness on the critical need for “enlightened” eating habits. Wheat Belly, authored by Integrative Cardiologist, William Davis, and his plan Wheatlessness: A 21st Century Health Strategy[2] along with Neurologist, David Perlmutter’s clinical observations in Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar--Your Brain's Silent Killers[3] detail the damaging health effects from consuming “modern-day” wheat and subsequently, high-carb diets. Quotes from both books follow along with several from the 29 leading experts invited to share their research and clinical experiences on the detrimental health effects of grains at the 2013 Gluten Summit: A Grain of Truth.[1] whose mission is to educate the public and medical professionals about the historical decline of the U. S. population’s health over the past 50 years and what to do about it.
A large body of scientific literature documents that by totally eliminating the offending foods, symptoms of various ailments can be stabilized, eliminated or prevented. A few from the extensive list includes the obvious links to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and depression, arthritis, osteoporosis but further expands to include many lesser-known associated risk factors between wheat and modern ills which number over 200 from documented case studies[4] including:
Auto-immune disorders, RA, Lupus, Graves, Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, Type 1 diabetes, vitiligo,
Alzheimer’s, dementia, depression, bi-polar, psychosis, schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety,
Arrhythmia, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, CAD, vascular injury, congestive heart failure, heart attack, stroke,
Learning disabilities, ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum, PTSD
Migraines, headaches, hormonal imbalances, epilepsy, facial palsy, demyelinating diseases, chorea, gluten ataxia, balance problems, inflammatory myopathies
IBS, GERD, colitis, dysbiosis, leaky gut, constipation, bloating, enteropathy, bladder infections
Peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel, osteopenia, osteoporosis, post polio syndrome
Adult acne, atopic dermatitis, aphthous ulcers, alopecia
All cancers, liver disease, gallbladder, kidney disease & stones, fatigue, inflammation
We who have been touched by Atrial Fibrillation know the importance of avoiding and managing factors contributing to silent inflammation, chronic nerve irritation, acidic tissue pH, GI distress and related chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, GERD, IBS, H. pylori, gut dysbiosis, food reactions and so on. Therefore, this review of the myriad of ailments associated with the toxicity of various grains and the consequences of the resulting high blood glucose is critically important to ensure ongoing health and calm hearts. A high-carb diet quickly uses up stores of magnesium and potassium essential for normal heart electrical conduction.
Expert Observations
Mark Hyman, MD “….. wheat products, not just gluten (along with sugar in all its forms, are the major contributor to so many modern ailments and is why there are now 30% more obese than undernourished in the world; and why, globally, chronic lifestyle and dietary-driven disease kills more than twice as many people as infectious disease. These non-communicable chronic diseases will cost our global economy $47 trillion over the next 20 years.
The history of wheat parallels the history of chronic disease and obesity across the world. Supermarkets today contain walls of wheat and corn disguised in literally hundreds of thousands of different food-like (FrankenFoods) products. Each American now consumes about 55 pounds of wheat flour every year….not just the amount but also the hidden components of wheat that drive weight gain and disease. This is not the wheat your great-grandmother used. It is FrankenWheat – a scientifically-engineered food product developed in the last 50 years. The man who engineered this modern wheat won the Nobel Prize – it promised to feed millions of starving around the world. Well, it has, and it has made them fat and sick.”[5]
Virtually every Summit presenter mentions wheat’s addictive property mechanisms. Dr. Hyman says it best: “ This new modern wheat may look like wheat, but it is different in three important ways that all drive obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and more. It contains:
1. A Super Starch – amylopectin A that is super fattening.
2. A form of Super Gluten that is super-inflammatory.
3. Forms of a Super Drug that is super-addictive and makes you crave and eat more.”[5]
William Davis, MD (Wheat Belly) “Dr. Davis views wheat consumption as a widespread societal problem responsible for an incredible amount of illness, obesity and suffering and he advocates removal from the diet all foods made from wheat in an effort to reduce blood sugar-- based on the fact that wheat products increase blood sugar more than nearly any other food.”[1]
To clarify, Dr. Davis uses the term “wheat” in this context to mean all grains but he emphasizes, the problem is not just a grain issue, but also the metabolic effects resulting from eating starchy carbs that metabolize to glucose which then do damage to the body via Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) that ‘caramelize’ cells in addition to various other grain protein components such as gluten, gliaden plus plant and dairy lectins[4] that cause detrimental systemic reactions and neurological damage. He states “… if you have high blood sugar, pre-diabetes or diabetes, you can’t control cardiovascular risk which means you’ll have a heart attack, need stents, and bypass. It may take 10 or 20 years, but you’ll lose control over cardiovascular risk and coronary plaque.”[1]
Dr. Davis comments on the disparity of deluding the public into thinking that whole wheat grains are wholesome and healthy when “….in reality, 2 slices of whole wheat bread increases blood glucose levels more than 2 tablespoons of sugar. This was known by nutritionists 30 years ago, yet the ADA advises diabetics to reduce fat and include 45 – 60 grams of carbs, preferably “healthy whole grains” in each meal for 135 – 180 grams of carbs/day not including snacks.”[2] He doesn’t recommend eating gluten-free high carb foods as that just increases the glycemic load and resulting damage. In 2011, the exploding availability of GF foods was noted to add $6 billion a year in sales for these junk products.
Dr. Davis confirms the importance of monitoring various predictive biomarkers and discusses the value of maintaining alkaline pH. He calls wheat “the great pH disrupter” – driving pH down and causing the body to use alkaline stores in blood and bones which results in osteopenia and osteoporosis from long-term, chronic low-grade acidosis. Increased gluten intake increases urinary calcium loss by an incredible 63% along with increased markers of bone resorption. “Wheat is among the most potent sources of sulfuric acid – more acid/gram than any meat. Grains such as wheat account for 38% of the average American’s acid load—more than enough to put you in acidic pH range. Even in a diet limited to only 35% of calories from animal products, adding wheat shifts from net alkaline to strongly net acid.”[2]
He notes…. “The blood test Hemoglobin A1C can be used to gauge the ongoing rate of AGE formation and serves as a simple index of glycated hemoglobin reflecting to what degree you are glycating body proteins beyond hemoglobin. The higher the A1C, the more you are glycating the protein in the lenses of your eyes, kidney tissue, arteries, skin, etc. It’s a measure of ongoing aging. The higher the A1C, the faster you are aging. At 5% or less, you are aging at a normal rate; over 5%, you are moving at a faster rate taking you closer to the great nursing home in the sky. Wheat-free is anti-aging, says Davis.”[1]
Dr. Davis points out important discrepancies in The China Study (T. Colin Campbell, PhD) which failed to note the high correlation of cardiovascular disease and wheat consumption. The correlation of “foods that increase blood sugar the most, also trigger insulin the most, followed by the most vigorous stimulation of fatty liver, visceral fat deposits, increased VLDL/triglycerides and small LDL particle production.”[2] He advises to look at LDL particles rather than LDL cholesterol.
The Wheat Belly philosophy offers an abundance of healthy tips both in the book and online at the Wheat Belly website. I would be remiss if I did not mention one disappointing finding in Wheat Belly and that is Dr. Davis’ recommendation to use the sugar substitute Splenda… which is a chlorinated artificial sweetener. He does mention Stevia, the plant- derived sweetener as also acceptable so at least that redeems the blunder. Avoid Splenda.
David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABHM (Grain Brain) puts the focus on neurological disorders resulting from the detrimental effect of high glucose/carb intake from grains (lifestyle) and the connection to Alzheimer’s for which there is no treatment or cure. He says that’s about 2.6 million people that didn’t have to get in that situation in the first place. He notes many are now recognizing the relationship between Alzheimer’s and dysregulation of blood sugar to the extent that some are calling Alzheimer’s “Diabetes Type III” because of this profound relationship.”[1,3]
NEJM 2013 study demonstrated even mild elevations of blood sugar just a bit over 100 already correlate with risk of dementia. It’s known that elevated A1C directly correlates with shrinkage of the hippocampus (the brain’s memory center) and that this goes back to the effect of inflammation and the glycation process which 1) increases production of free radicals (chemicals) that damage everything in sight and 2) increases the inflammatory process which is devastating for the human brain.[1,3]
Because we can control inflammation, his advice is to cut back on carbs since excessive carbs are the killers due to the free-radical production which damages our DNA, our fat, our protein and every part of the body. His recommendation is to eat an extremely low carbohydrate/high-fat diet. Healthy cell membranes require healthful fat intake and says that this notion of eating high fat is going to cause heart disease could not be further from the truth as shown by the NEJM study 2008.[1,3]
As for wheat and the gluten components, he discusses each in great detail in Grain Brain saying gluten is basically a protein we are not designed to accept. Neurological manifestations of gluten reactivity are a scientific fact and gluten sensitivity can be a neurologic problem without any involvement of the gut whatsoever but the factor of cross-reactivity with other types of proteins can be a strong influence [1,3] Dr. Perlmutter sees a lot of patients with headaches that resolve with a wheat/gluten-free diet. His emphasizes the benefits of sleep to protect against brain decay.
Grain Brain is a must-read along with valuable information at his website.
Mark Houston, MD, MS, ABAARM, FACP, GAHA, FASH, a cardiologist with a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Metabolic Medicine, says that gluten sensitivity can impact your heart and cardiovascular (CV) system. A point he emphasizes is the influence of autoimmunity on the development of CV disease. He says: “The blood vessel has an infinite number of insults, but only three finite responses to the insults which are inflammation, oxidative stress and vascular autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is one of the newest and more important factors leading to endothelial dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease, coronary heart disease, heart failure and other types of cardiovascular illnesses in this country and worldwide.”
A report in the medical journal Circulation shows antibodies to transglutaminase, a marker for celiac disease, also can affect the endothelium or inner lining of blood vessels…a classic example of how molecular mimicry works. If a gluten sensitive person eats gluten, they make antibodies to the gluten which the body sees as a foreign protein/object or invader so this is one of the infinite insults. The body responds to the insult in those three finite ways: inflammation, oxidative stress and autoimmune dysfunction. So the observation is: the body is just doing what it’s supposed to do…responding to the invader whatever it may be... but the bystander (the blood vessel) sufferers from the result and the three processes now within the arteries were initially the directed at the gluten. This can be one of the mechanisms causing idiopathic cardiomyopathy now shown to be reversible with a gluten-free diet in those who are sensitive.
This extends to any of the cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, diastolic dysfunction, systolic dysfunction, idiopathic cardiomyopathy with dilated left ventricle and probably others that haven’t yet been investigated.
Dr. Houston recommends the DASH-2 Diet which is high potassium, low sodium, high magnesium, lots of vegetables, some fruit depending on your glycemic index, minimal to no grains, minimal to no dairy and lots of fiber…plus resistance and aerobic exercise. He finds by a prospective clinical trial that close to 70% of patients following nutrition and exercise have a reduction in either CV disease or other diseases.[6] See references for a list of his outstanding books, especially his latest, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Heart Disease.
Dr. Houston’s observations in his introductory remarks at the Gluten Summit bear repeating here.
Quote: It’s not a commonly recognized premise that vascular disease starts very early in life and is subclinical for ten to thirty years or more prior to any cardiovascular event. Coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis, abnormalities in both cardiac and vascular function, actually start in-utero based on some recent studies with the mother being exposed to either malnutrition, poor nutrition, toxins, and other things. So, as soon as you’re born, you really already have some degree of vascular abnormalities.
And, depending on where you live, your environment, your genetics, the progression of that subclinical disease can be fairly rapid or fairly slow. But, based on autopsies of veterans from various wars, from autopsies of people that have been killed in automobile accidents, we know that coronary heart disease, actual obstruction in all coronary arteries, as well as peripheral vascular disease, abnormalities in peripheral arteries, starts very early in life. And, by the time, in this country, at least, you’re in your teen years, there’s a somewhere close to thirty percent incidence of subclinical coronary
heart disease that can be measured with some of our invasive and noninvasive testing in cardiology. Actually, it’s earlier than that. The risk profile has actually moved up by almost a decade within the past fifteen or twenty years. The data from, for example, the Korean War and the Vietnamese War, we had men in their twenties and thirties with significant coronary heart disease based on some recent studies that is backtracked by almost another decade. Now, we’re seeing it in teenagers.”
The reason for that is, basically, as you know the epidemic of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes or sedentary lifestyle. All of that’s contributing to an epidemic of vascular disease now in very young children. I don’t usually see children. But, I will see young adults--twelve and thirteen, who are children of my patients--for hypertension. Already they have Type 2 diabetes. They’re overweight. Their lipid profile is abnormal. And, they’ve got every risk factor for coronary heart disease. And, they’re starting to develop that disease very early.
I think that the two predominant factors in our risk for coronary heart disease and all the associated conditions are poor nutrition. And, by that, I mean, optimal nutrition is not available for most people, either because they don’t want to do it, or because our food supply doesn’t allow it. So, we’re not getting enough vegetables, enough fresh fruit. We’re eating too many fast foods and frozen foods. And, the other big risk factor is the lack of proper exercise. If we did just those two things--if we had proper exercise and proper nutrition--it is estimated in the Chronicle Scientific Literature that we could decrease the risk of, not just coronary heart disease, but all diseases, by up to 70% in the United States alone.
As Dr. Davis observed, there is a correlation between eating gluten and the incidence of metabolic syndrome. I started very aggressively testing for gluten sensitivity as well as celiac disease about eight years ago. Laboratory testing has come a long way and much better than it used to be because some tests would miss that disease completely. But, now you don’t miss it if you order the right test. So, I’m seeing a huge number of clinical problems with gluten sensitivity.
End Quote
Aristo, Vojdani, PhD, MSc, MT[7] a neurobiologist in the field of immunology research (40 years) who focuses on the role of environment and environmental factors, such as toxic chemicals, infections, dietary proteins and peptides in complex diseases, how mercury or aluminum might be affecting our brain, how food sensitivity such as gluten might be affecting us by complex diseases. Dr. Vojdani is CEO and Technical Director of Immunosciences Lab, Chief Scientific Advisor at Cyrex Laboratories and has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. Dr. Vojdani identified for the Summit reliable testing for gluten and other sensitivities involved with autoimmunity. Welcome news is that the salivary antibody test for gluten sensitivity and celiac disease detection at an early stage is reliable and should be done in children sooner rather than later so preventive measures can begin before damage is done to the intestinal villi. By age one, children can be tested (by saliva) for antibodies. Abundant reports of interest by Dr. Vojdani can be found at Immunoscience website. Start with this report in Townsend Letter, Oct. 2014 Blood-Brain Barrier Damage and Neuroautoimmunity [tinyurl.com]
Sayer Ji [4] – Internationally recognized researcher and founder of GreenMedInfo.com, an author, educator, Steering Committee Member of the Global GMO Free Coalition (GGFC), and an advisory board member of the National Health Federation. He founded Greenmedinfo in 2008 in order to provide the world an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities which is recognized as the most widely referenced natural health resource of its kind.
[As a result of the Gluten Summit, I was thrilled to learn of the GreenMed resource and am excited to share this research link with AF forum readers since, finally, we have useful natural health references organized in one place. His website is totally amazing and I’m sure we’ll all be using it extensively.] Be sure to spend time there and reading his reports in the reference section as well as The Dark Side of Wheat - New Perspectives on Celiac Disease and Wheat Intolerance - by Sayer Ji [www.greenmedinfo.com]
Alessio Fasano, MD, [11] world-renowned pediatric gastroenterologist and research scientist. Dr. Fasano completed his medical training at the University of Naples in Italy. In 1993, he founded the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. Ten years later, he published the groundbreaking study in the Annals of Medicine that established the prevalence rate of celiac disease at 1 in 133 people in the U.S. This woke everyone up that celiac disease was much more common than we thought. Dr. Fasano leads a team of researchers across nine countries, and enjoys research partnerships with institutions around the world. He has published more than 220 peer reviewed papers. In the year 2000, Dr. Fasano’s team discovered zonulin, the molecule which regulates intestinal permeability, also known as leaky gut. Their groundbreaking research has linked an overproduction of zonulin to the development of a series of autoimmune diseases, including type I diabetes, celiac disease and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Fasano stated at the Gluten Summit that: The fact of the matter is that, gluten is not digestible by any human kind. This is because the structure of this protein is rather unusual.[1]
Marios Hadjivassiliou, MD,[1] is a consultant neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and an honorary clinical senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom. Dr. Hadjivassiliou spoke at the Gluten Summit on his extensive research into gluten ataxia which he first described in the 1990s after seeing numerous patients with unexplained balance and coordination problem. “By systematically testing these patients for gluten sensitivity using antigliadin antibodies, he found a very high prevalence of antibodies in patients with ataxia, suggestive of a heightened immune response to gluten, but not necessarily to a diagnosis of celiac disease. So, if your genetics set you up to where it may be your brain that’s the weak link in the chain, Dr. Hadjivassiliou’s work is of great interest to you. Gluten ataxia can affect fingers, hands, arms, legs, speech, and even eye movements. Typical symptoms include difficulty walking or walking with a wide gait, frequent falls, difficulty judging distances or position, visual disturbances, and tremors. In is papers over several years, he comments that “It is time to move on from gut to brain.” in the sense that it’s time we thought of this as a systemic disease that can affect different parts of the body rather than concentrating solely on the bowel. A recent paper showed the frequency of people with headaches having white matter lesions in their brain is substantially increased when people with headaches also have antibodies to gluten.”[1,12]
Ron Rosedale, MD,[13] Dr. Rosedale’s report Insulin and Its Metabolic Effects (1999) was mentioned in many earlier posts on the topic of insulin resistance referencing his clinical experiences and review of over 10,000 medical journal reports. Ron Rosedale is an internationally-known expert in nutritional and metabolic medicine whose work with diabetics is truly groundbreaking. Very few physicians have such consistent success in helping diabetics eliminate or reduce their need for insulin and to reduce heart disease-both without drugs or surgery.
Dr. Rosedale founded the Rosedale Center, co-founder of the Colorado Center for Metabolic Medicine (Boulder, CO USA) and the Carolina Center of Metabolic Medicine (Asheville, NC). Through these centers, he has helped thousands suffering from so-called incurable diseases to regain their health. One of Dr. Rosedale's life goals is to wipe out type II diabetes in this country as a model for the world. He also has written The Rosedale Diet covering his proven treatment methods for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and other chronic diseases of aging. Continue his biography here: [drrosedale.com]
The hormone, Leptin, is the focus of The Rosedale Diet (2005) yet, even today, few doctors discuss or test leptin levels. In addition to concerns about metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, Dr. Rosedale emphasizes the importance of cell signaling and, equally important, the role of leptin resistance and managing glucose metabolism for controlling weight…. which all ties into health problems caused by wheat and high carb consumption. Dr. Rosedale also warns that eating too much food that raises blood sugar and insulin levels (including too much protein) will result in that sugar being stored as fat at the waist and midline which puts a strain on the heart.
Quoting Dr. Rosedale on Leptin:
• Is a hormone that regulates both appetite and weight loss.
• It is produced in fat cells and signals your brain when to eat, how much and most importantly, when to stop eating.
• Functions to regulate blood circulation, prevent clots, makes new bone, regulates body temperature and reproduction.
• Is the bellwether of how well a person ages. High levels equate to declining health and poor longevity.
• Helps burn fat rather than store it in abdomen, thighs, butt or arteries where it promote heart attacks.
• Controls hunger and is the only hormone that tells the body whether it should burn excess fat or store it.
• Most, important: Your body must be able to “hear” the leptin signaling
The Rosedale Diet is a most useful guide to healthy aging. While it’s 10 years since publication, it contains important healthy tips that typically are still not being discussed as vital to managing the elevated glucose problems that are the focus of this post. It’s easy reading. (Dr. Rosedale comments that he never liked the title, but his publishers insisted that a ‘diet’ book title would be a popular choice). Don’t be mislead that it’s just another “diet book” as it’s far more than that.
In Grain Brain, David Perlmutter discusses leptin’s link between sleep and brain health, “because it essentially coordinates our body’s inflammatory responses and helps determine whether or not we crave carbs. No conversation about brain health can exclude this important hormone which is powerfully impacted by sleep.” He says, “…if you can gain control of this biological master of ceremonies, you can rule your hormonal kingdom for the benefit of your brain and body. Leptin’s function, like most every hormone is extremely complex. Leptin is at a most basic level, a primitive survival tool uniquely tied to the coordination of our metabolic, hormonal and behavioral response to starvation. As such it has a powerful effect on emotions and behavior.” Dr. Perlmutter says in Chapter 9 Good Night, Brain: Leverage your Leptin to Rule Your Hormonal Kingdom… “that not a single drug or supplement on the planet can balance leptin levels but that better sleep and eliminating starchy carbs abuse that causes leptin resistance will work… referencing a 2004 study titled “Triglycerides Induce Leptin Resistance at the Blood Brain Barrier.”[3]
The late, Byron J. Richards, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, wrote Mastering Leptin in 2002 and since then continued to advocate for understanding the importance of controlling leptin and all to which that relates such as the obvious obesity, but also links to thyroid problems, heart disease and circadian rhythm. His guidelines are an easy and straight forward approach to balancing this very important hormone. Check out his Wellness Resources website for leptin reports. [www.byronrichards.com]
Unfortunately, space is limited and I could go on and on… yet this report has barely scratched the surface of this very extensive topic but hopefully serves as incentive for independent research.
Take away message: Modern grains are not health foods. Gluten found in many grains is not digestible by humans. Be willing to eliminate grains from your diet. If you are treating for any of the multiple, chronic ailment symptoms listed or mentioned in the online reference link and you haven’t been advised at the very least to go on a grain-free diet, that would be the initial starting point. Ideally, the appropriate tests as offered by Dr. Vodjani’s labs would be done first to rule out genetic connections to various antibodies in grains, dairy and other reactive foods or other food allergy type reactions. Note that often it takes 6 to 12 months before significant symptom improvement is noticed with a grain-free diet which includes sprouted wheat as well. This is a lifetime commitment for avoidance. Indiscretions mean starting over. No way around it.
Knowledge is Power.
Jackie
References
[1] A Grain of Truth: The Gluten Summit 2013 [theglutensummit.com]
[2] Davis, William, MD, Wheat Belly [www.wheatbellyblog.com] [search.yahoo.com]- 001
[3] Perlmutter, David MD, FACN, ABIHM Grain Brain [www.drperlmutter.com] [www.drperlmutter.com] [www.drperlmutter.com]
[4] Ji, Sayer [sayerji.com] Wheat’s Cardiotoxicity: As Serious as a Heart Attack [www.greenmedinfo.com] Is gliaden really safe for non‐coeliac individuals? Gut. 2007 Jun; 56(6): 889–890. The Dark Side of Wheat - New Perspectives on Celiac Disease and Wheat Intolerance - by Sayer Ji [www.greenmedinfo.com]
[5] Hyman, Mark, MD Three Hidden Ways Wheat Makes You Fat [drhyman.com] [www.ultrawellnesscenter.com]
[6]Houston, Mark C., MD, MS, ABAARM, FACP, FAHA, FASH [www.hypertensioninstitute.com]
[www.functionalmedicine.org]
Over half of Alzheimer's cases may be preventable, say researchers [www.sciencedaily.com]
[7] Vojdani, Aristo Ph.D., M.Sc., M.T. [www.yourmedicaldetective.com]
[glutensensitivity.net]; [www.immunoscienceslab.com]
[8] Osborne, Peter, DC Is the Inflammation Caused by Gluten, Grain or Both? [www.glutenfreesociety.org]; [www.glutenfreesociety.org]
[9] Hedberg, Nikolas R, D.C., D.A.B.C., The Thyroid Alternative
[10] Sullivan, Krispin, CN The Lectin Report [www.krispin.com]
[11] Alessio Fasano, MD [www.massgeneral.org]
[12] Marios Hadjivassiliou, MD Myopathy associated with gluten sensitivity [onlinelibrary.wiley.com]
[13] Ron Rosedale, MD, The Rosedale Diet, C 2005 [drrosedale.com]
Leptin and the Control of Aging [drrosedale.com]
[drrosedale.com]
Insulin and Its Metabolic Effects [drrosedale.com]
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., MS Alzheimer's or Brain Diabetes?
[www.yourmedicaldetective.com]
Jackie
Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year
Resolved: Start the New Year with knowledge and awareness about damaging eating habits that adversely affect our health yet remain largely unrecognized as causal by most medical practitioners. It’s never too late to begin.
Introduction
In a recent presentation, a Functional Medicine practitioner talked about the importance of eating an “enlightened” diet. Exactly what does that mean?
In this case, enlightenment comes in the form of science-based evidence and clinical experiences linking a multitude of alarming detrimental health effects caused by large daily intakes of high-carbohydrate “modern” grains or seeds from grasses and other high-carb foods known to causes over 300 chronic ailments. Unfortunately, all too often, treatment is not based on tracing symptoms to core causes so dietary adjustments can be implemented. Patients typically are treated with Rx drugs that merely mask symptoms rather than address the etiology so the damaging effects continue.
This overview can hardly do justice to a topic with such broad complexities, yet it’s imperative that we all become at least aware of the wheat/grain connection underlying so many common ailments. This is not, however, just another wheat/gluten toxicity alert, but rather an exposeˊ on many other components in the modern-day engineered and manipulated wheat found to cause major chronic, adverse health effects that result from an adaptive response to a biologically incompatible food. The high-caloric, high-glycemic content of grains which typically comprises 50% of all human calories world-wide as wheat, corn and rice then contributes to health problems such as blood sugar elevations, insulin resistance, weight gain, inflammation, autoimmunity and much more. The over-abundance of wheat/gluten-free substitute products now available adds to the high-carb burden and furthers the overall problem. Experts say: Be grain free and gluten free but don’t consume Gluten Free substitute starchy carb junk foods.
Neurodegenerative conditions are escalating and the connection to inflammation, the cornerstone of Alzheimer’s, MS and Parkinson’s, is now recognized as critical to prevent since there are no cures. According to Lancet Neurology “…more than 54% of the world’s current Alzheimer patient load could have been prevented if specific lifestyle issues would have been addressed.”[1,3]
The gluten protein in wheat and other grains is but one factor making modern grains an unfriendly (toxic), indigestible food. And, contrary to common belief, it’s not mainly a Celiac or intestinal ailment for a genetic few since research proves wheat can harm everyone’s intestines.[4] The opiate effect of wheat’s peptide, gliaden (a gluten component), is a powerful appetite stimulant (exhorphin) that drives addictive cravings. Five new groups of non-gluten proteins, distinctly different from gluten proteins, are found to cause inflammatory damage in Celiacs. Rice and corn are found problematic and another 400 gluten proteins in various grains are even more inflammatory than gliaden, the original type of gluten protein discovered in 1952.[8]
Celiac patients (genetic gluten intolerance), have about ten times the rate of autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s and Graves’ and the literature indicates that 26.2% of Celiac patients have autoimmune thyroid disease. Celiac disease and gluten intolerance are not the same condition as 70% of gluten’s damaging effects are found outside the intestine and results in dysfunction of thyroid, liver, adrenals, pancreas, sex organs, heart, brain bones and kidneys. Gluten intolerance without genetics can still result in intestinal damage.[9] Unfortunately, until recently, testing has been unreliable.
Another major grain culprit, lectins, (invisible thorns that protect plants), even more damaging than gluten and found in many common foods including wheat and legumes, are known to promote the formation of fatty streaks, mature arterial atherosclerotic plaque and chronic, low-level inflammation from inflammatory cytokine production. “Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) is a lectin glycoprotein shown in clinical studies to cause damage to gut lining, joints, kidney, pancreas and the brain since it is able to cross the blood-brain barrier as research identifies this as a neurotoxic substance. WGA is also “cardiotoxic” to the lining of arteries, leading to invisible damage, inflammation and atherosclerosis and is well known to promote platelet aggregation/clumping and clot formation. Potentially ‘toxic’ lectin-containing food groups include:
• Grains, especially wheat and wheat germ but also quinoa, rice, buckwheat, oats, rye, barley, millet and corn. (including sprouted wheat)
• Legumes (all dried beans including soy and peanuts), soy oil and peanut oil
• Dairy (more so when cows are fed grains instead of grass) based on research showing transference of lectins into breast milk and dairy.
• Nightshades (potato, tomato, eggplant and pepper)” [10]
“Most people are aware of food reactions with obvious symptoms of gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headache, fatigue, swollen joints, water retention, hives, psoriasis and some symptoms resolve quickly after eliminating the offending food family but other symptoms may take 6 – 12 months to resolve. And caution: If you are genetically intolerant, you will never be able to consume those food groups safely.”[10]
Fortunately, two outstanding, easy-reading books help guide the way to awareness on the critical need for “enlightened” eating habits. Wheat Belly, authored by Integrative Cardiologist, William Davis, and his plan Wheatlessness: A 21st Century Health Strategy[2] along with Neurologist, David Perlmutter’s clinical observations in Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar--Your Brain's Silent Killers[3] detail the damaging health effects from consuming “modern-day” wheat and subsequently, high-carb diets. Quotes from both books follow along with several from the 29 leading experts invited to share their research and clinical experiences on the detrimental health effects of grains at the 2013 Gluten Summit: A Grain of Truth.[1] whose mission is to educate the public and medical professionals about the historical decline of the U. S. population’s health over the past 50 years and what to do about it.
A large body of scientific literature documents that by totally eliminating the offending foods, symptoms of various ailments can be stabilized, eliminated or prevented. A few from the extensive list includes the obvious links to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and depression, arthritis, osteoporosis but further expands to include many lesser-known associated risk factors between wheat and modern ills which number over 200 from documented case studies[4] including:
Auto-immune disorders, RA, Lupus, Graves, Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, Type 1 diabetes, vitiligo,
Alzheimer’s, dementia, depression, bi-polar, psychosis, schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety,
Arrhythmia, idiopathic cardiomyopathy, CAD, vascular injury, congestive heart failure, heart attack, stroke,
Learning disabilities, ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum, PTSD
Migraines, headaches, hormonal imbalances, epilepsy, facial palsy, demyelinating diseases, chorea, gluten ataxia, balance problems, inflammatory myopathies
IBS, GERD, colitis, dysbiosis, leaky gut, constipation, bloating, enteropathy, bladder infections
Peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel, osteopenia, osteoporosis, post polio syndrome
Adult acne, atopic dermatitis, aphthous ulcers, alopecia
All cancers, liver disease, gallbladder, kidney disease & stones, fatigue, inflammation
We who have been touched by Atrial Fibrillation know the importance of avoiding and managing factors contributing to silent inflammation, chronic nerve irritation, acidic tissue pH, GI distress and related chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, GERD, IBS, H. pylori, gut dysbiosis, food reactions and so on. Therefore, this review of the myriad of ailments associated with the toxicity of various grains and the consequences of the resulting high blood glucose is critically important to ensure ongoing health and calm hearts. A high-carb diet quickly uses up stores of magnesium and potassium essential for normal heart electrical conduction.
Expert Observations
Mark Hyman, MD “….. wheat products, not just gluten (along with sugar in all its forms, are the major contributor to so many modern ailments and is why there are now 30% more obese than undernourished in the world; and why, globally, chronic lifestyle and dietary-driven disease kills more than twice as many people as infectious disease. These non-communicable chronic diseases will cost our global economy $47 trillion over the next 20 years.
The history of wheat parallels the history of chronic disease and obesity across the world. Supermarkets today contain walls of wheat and corn disguised in literally hundreds of thousands of different food-like (FrankenFoods) products. Each American now consumes about 55 pounds of wheat flour every year….not just the amount but also the hidden components of wheat that drive weight gain and disease. This is not the wheat your great-grandmother used. It is FrankenWheat – a scientifically-engineered food product developed in the last 50 years. The man who engineered this modern wheat won the Nobel Prize – it promised to feed millions of starving around the world. Well, it has, and it has made them fat and sick.”[5]
Virtually every Summit presenter mentions wheat’s addictive property mechanisms. Dr. Hyman says it best: “ This new modern wheat may look like wheat, but it is different in three important ways that all drive obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and more. It contains:
1. A Super Starch – amylopectin A that is super fattening.
2. A form of Super Gluten that is super-inflammatory.
3. Forms of a Super Drug that is super-addictive and makes you crave and eat more.”[5]
William Davis, MD (Wheat Belly) “Dr. Davis views wheat consumption as a widespread societal problem responsible for an incredible amount of illness, obesity and suffering and he advocates removal from the diet all foods made from wheat in an effort to reduce blood sugar-- based on the fact that wheat products increase blood sugar more than nearly any other food.”[1]
To clarify, Dr. Davis uses the term “wheat” in this context to mean all grains but he emphasizes, the problem is not just a grain issue, but also the metabolic effects resulting from eating starchy carbs that metabolize to glucose which then do damage to the body via Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) that ‘caramelize’ cells in addition to various other grain protein components such as gluten, gliaden plus plant and dairy lectins[4] that cause detrimental systemic reactions and neurological damage. He states “… if you have high blood sugar, pre-diabetes or diabetes, you can’t control cardiovascular risk which means you’ll have a heart attack, need stents, and bypass. It may take 10 or 20 years, but you’ll lose control over cardiovascular risk and coronary plaque.”[1]
Dr. Davis comments on the disparity of deluding the public into thinking that whole wheat grains are wholesome and healthy when “….in reality, 2 slices of whole wheat bread increases blood glucose levels more than 2 tablespoons of sugar. This was known by nutritionists 30 years ago, yet the ADA advises diabetics to reduce fat and include 45 – 60 grams of carbs, preferably “healthy whole grains” in each meal for 135 – 180 grams of carbs/day not including snacks.”[2] He doesn’t recommend eating gluten-free high carb foods as that just increases the glycemic load and resulting damage. In 2011, the exploding availability of GF foods was noted to add $6 billion a year in sales for these junk products.
Dr. Davis confirms the importance of monitoring various predictive biomarkers and discusses the value of maintaining alkaline pH. He calls wheat “the great pH disrupter” – driving pH down and causing the body to use alkaline stores in blood and bones which results in osteopenia and osteoporosis from long-term, chronic low-grade acidosis. Increased gluten intake increases urinary calcium loss by an incredible 63% along with increased markers of bone resorption. “Wheat is among the most potent sources of sulfuric acid – more acid/gram than any meat. Grains such as wheat account for 38% of the average American’s acid load—more than enough to put you in acidic pH range. Even in a diet limited to only 35% of calories from animal products, adding wheat shifts from net alkaline to strongly net acid.”[2]
He notes…. “The blood test Hemoglobin A1C can be used to gauge the ongoing rate of AGE formation and serves as a simple index of glycated hemoglobin reflecting to what degree you are glycating body proteins beyond hemoglobin. The higher the A1C, the more you are glycating the protein in the lenses of your eyes, kidney tissue, arteries, skin, etc. It’s a measure of ongoing aging. The higher the A1C, the faster you are aging. At 5% or less, you are aging at a normal rate; over 5%, you are moving at a faster rate taking you closer to the great nursing home in the sky. Wheat-free is anti-aging, says Davis.”[1]
Dr. Davis points out important discrepancies in The China Study (T. Colin Campbell, PhD) which failed to note the high correlation of cardiovascular disease and wheat consumption. The correlation of “foods that increase blood sugar the most, also trigger insulin the most, followed by the most vigorous stimulation of fatty liver, visceral fat deposits, increased VLDL/triglycerides and small LDL particle production.”[2] He advises to look at LDL particles rather than LDL cholesterol.
The Wheat Belly philosophy offers an abundance of healthy tips both in the book and online at the Wheat Belly website. I would be remiss if I did not mention one disappointing finding in Wheat Belly and that is Dr. Davis’ recommendation to use the sugar substitute Splenda… which is a chlorinated artificial sweetener. He does mention Stevia, the plant- derived sweetener as also acceptable so at least that redeems the blunder. Avoid Splenda.
David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, ABHM (Grain Brain) puts the focus on neurological disorders resulting from the detrimental effect of high glucose/carb intake from grains (lifestyle) and the connection to Alzheimer’s for which there is no treatment or cure. He says that’s about 2.6 million people that didn’t have to get in that situation in the first place. He notes many are now recognizing the relationship between Alzheimer’s and dysregulation of blood sugar to the extent that some are calling Alzheimer’s “Diabetes Type III” because of this profound relationship.”[1,3]
NEJM 2013 study demonstrated even mild elevations of blood sugar just a bit over 100 already correlate with risk of dementia. It’s known that elevated A1C directly correlates with shrinkage of the hippocampus (the brain’s memory center) and that this goes back to the effect of inflammation and the glycation process which 1) increases production of free radicals (chemicals) that damage everything in sight and 2) increases the inflammatory process which is devastating for the human brain.[1,3]
Because we can control inflammation, his advice is to cut back on carbs since excessive carbs are the killers due to the free-radical production which damages our DNA, our fat, our protein and every part of the body. His recommendation is to eat an extremely low carbohydrate/high-fat diet. Healthy cell membranes require healthful fat intake and says that this notion of eating high fat is going to cause heart disease could not be further from the truth as shown by the NEJM study 2008.[1,3]
As for wheat and the gluten components, he discusses each in great detail in Grain Brain saying gluten is basically a protein we are not designed to accept. Neurological manifestations of gluten reactivity are a scientific fact and gluten sensitivity can be a neurologic problem without any involvement of the gut whatsoever but the factor of cross-reactivity with other types of proteins can be a strong influence [1,3] Dr. Perlmutter sees a lot of patients with headaches that resolve with a wheat/gluten-free diet. His emphasizes the benefits of sleep to protect against brain decay.
Grain Brain is a must-read along with valuable information at his website.
Mark Houston, MD, MS, ABAARM, FACP, GAHA, FASH, a cardiologist with a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Metabolic Medicine, says that gluten sensitivity can impact your heart and cardiovascular (CV) system. A point he emphasizes is the influence of autoimmunity on the development of CV disease. He says: “The blood vessel has an infinite number of insults, but only three finite responses to the insults which are inflammation, oxidative stress and vascular autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is one of the newest and more important factors leading to endothelial dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease, coronary heart disease, heart failure and other types of cardiovascular illnesses in this country and worldwide.”
A report in the medical journal Circulation shows antibodies to transglutaminase, a marker for celiac disease, also can affect the endothelium or inner lining of blood vessels…a classic example of how molecular mimicry works. If a gluten sensitive person eats gluten, they make antibodies to the gluten which the body sees as a foreign protein/object or invader so this is one of the infinite insults. The body responds to the insult in those three finite ways: inflammation, oxidative stress and autoimmune dysfunction. So the observation is: the body is just doing what it’s supposed to do…responding to the invader whatever it may be... but the bystander (the blood vessel) sufferers from the result and the three processes now within the arteries were initially the directed at the gluten. This can be one of the mechanisms causing idiopathic cardiomyopathy now shown to be reversible with a gluten-free diet in those who are sensitive.
This extends to any of the cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, diastolic dysfunction, systolic dysfunction, idiopathic cardiomyopathy with dilated left ventricle and probably others that haven’t yet been investigated.
Dr. Houston recommends the DASH-2 Diet which is high potassium, low sodium, high magnesium, lots of vegetables, some fruit depending on your glycemic index, minimal to no grains, minimal to no dairy and lots of fiber…plus resistance and aerobic exercise. He finds by a prospective clinical trial that close to 70% of patients following nutrition and exercise have a reduction in either CV disease or other diseases.[6] See references for a list of his outstanding books, especially his latest, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Heart Disease.
Dr. Houston’s observations in his introductory remarks at the Gluten Summit bear repeating here.
Quote: It’s not a commonly recognized premise that vascular disease starts very early in life and is subclinical for ten to thirty years or more prior to any cardiovascular event. Coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis, abnormalities in both cardiac and vascular function, actually start in-utero based on some recent studies with the mother being exposed to either malnutrition, poor nutrition, toxins, and other things. So, as soon as you’re born, you really already have some degree of vascular abnormalities.
And, depending on where you live, your environment, your genetics, the progression of that subclinical disease can be fairly rapid or fairly slow. But, based on autopsies of veterans from various wars, from autopsies of people that have been killed in automobile accidents, we know that coronary heart disease, actual obstruction in all coronary arteries, as well as peripheral vascular disease, abnormalities in peripheral arteries, starts very early in life. And, by the time, in this country, at least, you’re in your teen years, there’s a somewhere close to thirty percent incidence of subclinical coronary
heart disease that can be measured with some of our invasive and noninvasive testing in cardiology. Actually, it’s earlier than that. The risk profile has actually moved up by almost a decade within the past fifteen or twenty years. The data from, for example, the Korean War and the Vietnamese War, we had men in their twenties and thirties with significant coronary heart disease based on some recent studies that is backtracked by almost another decade. Now, we’re seeing it in teenagers.”
The reason for that is, basically, as you know the epidemic of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes or sedentary lifestyle. All of that’s contributing to an epidemic of vascular disease now in very young children. I don’t usually see children. But, I will see young adults--twelve and thirteen, who are children of my patients--for hypertension. Already they have Type 2 diabetes. They’re overweight. Their lipid profile is abnormal. And, they’ve got every risk factor for coronary heart disease. And, they’re starting to develop that disease very early.
I think that the two predominant factors in our risk for coronary heart disease and all the associated conditions are poor nutrition. And, by that, I mean, optimal nutrition is not available for most people, either because they don’t want to do it, or because our food supply doesn’t allow it. So, we’re not getting enough vegetables, enough fresh fruit. We’re eating too many fast foods and frozen foods. And, the other big risk factor is the lack of proper exercise. If we did just those two things--if we had proper exercise and proper nutrition--it is estimated in the Chronicle Scientific Literature that we could decrease the risk of, not just coronary heart disease, but all diseases, by up to 70% in the United States alone.
As Dr. Davis observed, there is a correlation between eating gluten and the incidence of metabolic syndrome. I started very aggressively testing for gluten sensitivity as well as celiac disease about eight years ago. Laboratory testing has come a long way and much better than it used to be because some tests would miss that disease completely. But, now you don’t miss it if you order the right test. So, I’m seeing a huge number of clinical problems with gluten sensitivity.
End Quote
Aristo, Vojdani, PhD, MSc, MT[7] a neurobiologist in the field of immunology research (40 years) who focuses on the role of environment and environmental factors, such as toxic chemicals, infections, dietary proteins and peptides in complex diseases, how mercury or aluminum might be affecting our brain, how food sensitivity such as gluten might be affecting us by complex diseases. Dr. Vojdani is CEO and Technical Director of Immunosciences Lab, Chief Scientific Advisor at Cyrex Laboratories and has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. Dr. Vojdani identified for the Summit reliable testing for gluten and other sensitivities involved with autoimmunity. Welcome news is that the salivary antibody test for gluten sensitivity and celiac disease detection at an early stage is reliable and should be done in children sooner rather than later so preventive measures can begin before damage is done to the intestinal villi. By age one, children can be tested (by saliva) for antibodies. Abundant reports of interest by Dr. Vojdani can be found at Immunoscience website. Start with this report in Townsend Letter, Oct. 2014 Blood-Brain Barrier Damage and Neuroautoimmunity [tinyurl.com]
Sayer Ji [4] – Internationally recognized researcher and founder of GreenMedInfo.com, an author, educator, Steering Committee Member of the Global GMO Free Coalition (GGFC), and an advisory board member of the National Health Federation. He founded Greenmedinfo in 2008 in order to provide the world an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities which is recognized as the most widely referenced natural health resource of its kind.
[As a result of the Gluten Summit, I was thrilled to learn of the GreenMed resource and am excited to share this research link with AF forum readers since, finally, we have useful natural health references organized in one place. His website is totally amazing and I’m sure we’ll all be using it extensively.] Be sure to spend time there and reading his reports in the reference section as well as The Dark Side of Wheat - New Perspectives on Celiac Disease and Wheat Intolerance - by Sayer Ji [www.greenmedinfo.com]
Alessio Fasano, MD, [11] world-renowned pediatric gastroenterologist and research scientist. Dr. Fasano completed his medical training at the University of Naples in Italy. In 1993, he founded the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. Ten years later, he published the groundbreaking study in the Annals of Medicine that established the prevalence rate of celiac disease at 1 in 133 people in the U.S. This woke everyone up that celiac disease was much more common than we thought. Dr. Fasano leads a team of researchers across nine countries, and enjoys research partnerships with institutions around the world. He has published more than 220 peer reviewed papers. In the year 2000, Dr. Fasano’s team discovered zonulin, the molecule which regulates intestinal permeability, also known as leaky gut. Their groundbreaking research has linked an overproduction of zonulin to the development of a series of autoimmune diseases, including type I diabetes, celiac disease and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Fasano stated at the Gluten Summit that: The fact of the matter is that, gluten is not digestible by any human kind. This is because the structure of this protein is rather unusual.[1]
Marios Hadjivassiliou, MD,[1] is a consultant neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and an honorary clinical senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom. Dr. Hadjivassiliou spoke at the Gluten Summit on his extensive research into gluten ataxia which he first described in the 1990s after seeing numerous patients with unexplained balance and coordination problem. “By systematically testing these patients for gluten sensitivity using antigliadin antibodies, he found a very high prevalence of antibodies in patients with ataxia, suggestive of a heightened immune response to gluten, but not necessarily to a diagnosis of celiac disease. So, if your genetics set you up to where it may be your brain that’s the weak link in the chain, Dr. Hadjivassiliou’s work is of great interest to you. Gluten ataxia can affect fingers, hands, arms, legs, speech, and even eye movements. Typical symptoms include difficulty walking or walking with a wide gait, frequent falls, difficulty judging distances or position, visual disturbances, and tremors. In is papers over several years, he comments that “It is time to move on from gut to brain.” in the sense that it’s time we thought of this as a systemic disease that can affect different parts of the body rather than concentrating solely on the bowel. A recent paper showed the frequency of people with headaches having white matter lesions in their brain is substantially increased when people with headaches also have antibodies to gluten.”[1,12]
Ron Rosedale, MD,[13] Dr. Rosedale’s report Insulin and Its Metabolic Effects (1999) was mentioned in many earlier posts on the topic of insulin resistance referencing his clinical experiences and review of over 10,000 medical journal reports. Ron Rosedale is an internationally-known expert in nutritional and metabolic medicine whose work with diabetics is truly groundbreaking. Very few physicians have such consistent success in helping diabetics eliminate or reduce their need for insulin and to reduce heart disease-both without drugs or surgery.
Dr. Rosedale founded the Rosedale Center, co-founder of the Colorado Center for Metabolic Medicine (Boulder, CO USA) and the Carolina Center of Metabolic Medicine (Asheville, NC). Through these centers, he has helped thousands suffering from so-called incurable diseases to regain their health. One of Dr. Rosedale's life goals is to wipe out type II diabetes in this country as a model for the world. He also has written The Rosedale Diet covering his proven treatment methods for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and other chronic diseases of aging. Continue his biography here: [drrosedale.com]
The hormone, Leptin, is the focus of The Rosedale Diet (2005) yet, even today, few doctors discuss or test leptin levels. In addition to concerns about metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, Dr. Rosedale emphasizes the importance of cell signaling and, equally important, the role of leptin resistance and managing glucose metabolism for controlling weight…. which all ties into health problems caused by wheat and high carb consumption. Dr. Rosedale also warns that eating too much food that raises blood sugar and insulin levels (including too much protein) will result in that sugar being stored as fat at the waist and midline which puts a strain on the heart.
Quoting Dr. Rosedale on Leptin:
• Is a hormone that regulates both appetite and weight loss.
• It is produced in fat cells and signals your brain when to eat, how much and most importantly, when to stop eating.
• Functions to regulate blood circulation, prevent clots, makes new bone, regulates body temperature and reproduction.
• Is the bellwether of how well a person ages. High levels equate to declining health and poor longevity.
• Helps burn fat rather than store it in abdomen, thighs, butt or arteries where it promote heart attacks.
• Controls hunger and is the only hormone that tells the body whether it should burn excess fat or store it.
• Most, important: Your body must be able to “hear” the leptin signaling
The Rosedale Diet is a most useful guide to healthy aging. While it’s 10 years since publication, it contains important healthy tips that typically are still not being discussed as vital to managing the elevated glucose problems that are the focus of this post. It’s easy reading. (Dr. Rosedale comments that he never liked the title, but his publishers insisted that a ‘diet’ book title would be a popular choice). Don’t be mislead that it’s just another “diet book” as it’s far more than that.
In Grain Brain, David Perlmutter discusses leptin’s link between sleep and brain health, “because it essentially coordinates our body’s inflammatory responses and helps determine whether or not we crave carbs. No conversation about brain health can exclude this important hormone which is powerfully impacted by sleep.” He says, “…if you can gain control of this biological master of ceremonies, you can rule your hormonal kingdom for the benefit of your brain and body. Leptin’s function, like most every hormone is extremely complex. Leptin is at a most basic level, a primitive survival tool uniquely tied to the coordination of our metabolic, hormonal and behavioral response to starvation. As such it has a powerful effect on emotions and behavior.” Dr. Perlmutter says in Chapter 9 Good Night, Brain: Leverage your Leptin to Rule Your Hormonal Kingdom… “that not a single drug or supplement on the planet can balance leptin levels but that better sleep and eliminating starchy carbs abuse that causes leptin resistance will work… referencing a 2004 study titled “Triglycerides Induce Leptin Resistance at the Blood Brain Barrier.”[3]
The late, Byron J. Richards, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, wrote Mastering Leptin in 2002 and since then continued to advocate for understanding the importance of controlling leptin and all to which that relates such as the obvious obesity, but also links to thyroid problems, heart disease and circadian rhythm. His guidelines are an easy and straight forward approach to balancing this very important hormone. Check out his Wellness Resources website for leptin reports. [www.byronrichards.com]
Unfortunately, space is limited and I could go on and on… yet this report has barely scratched the surface of this very extensive topic but hopefully serves as incentive for independent research.
Take away message: Modern grains are not health foods. Gluten found in many grains is not digestible by humans. Be willing to eliminate grains from your diet. If you are treating for any of the multiple, chronic ailment symptoms listed or mentioned in the online reference link and you haven’t been advised at the very least to go on a grain-free diet, that would be the initial starting point. Ideally, the appropriate tests as offered by Dr. Vodjani’s labs would be done first to rule out genetic connections to various antibodies in grains, dairy and other reactive foods or other food allergy type reactions. Note that often it takes 6 to 12 months before significant symptom improvement is noticed with a grain-free diet which includes sprouted wheat as well. This is a lifetime commitment for avoidance. Indiscretions mean starting over. No way around it.
Knowledge is Power.
Jackie
References
[1] A Grain of Truth: The Gluten Summit 2013 [theglutensummit.com]
[2] Davis, William, MD, Wheat Belly [www.wheatbellyblog.com] [search.yahoo.com]- 001
[3] Perlmutter, David MD, FACN, ABIHM Grain Brain [www.drperlmutter.com] [www.drperlmutter.com] [www.drperlmutter.com]
[4] Ji, Sayer [sayerji.com] Wheat’s Cardiotoxicity: As Serious as a Heart Attack [www.greenmedinfo.com] Is gliaden really safe for non‐coeliac individuals? Gut. 2007 Jun; 56(6): 889–890. The Dark Side of Wheat - New Perspectives on Celiac Disease and Wheat Intolerance - by Sayer Ji [www.greenmedinfo.com]
[5] Hyman, Mark, MD Three Hidden Ways Wheat Makes You Fat [drhyman.com] [www.ultrawellnesscenter.com]
[6]Houston, Mark C., MD, MS, ABAARM, FACP, FAHA, FASH [www.hypertensioninstitute.com]
[www.functionalmedicine.org]
Over half of Alzheimer's cases may be preventable, say researchers [www.sciencedaily.com]
[7] Vojdani, Aristo Ph.D., M.Sc., M.T. [www.yourmedicaldetective.com]
[glutensensitivity.net]; [www.immunoscienceslab.com]
[8] Osborne, Peter, DC Is the Inflammation Caused by Gluten, Grain or Both? [www.glutenfreesociety.org]; [www.glutenfreesociety.org]
[9] Hedberg, Nikolas R, D.C., D.A.B.C., The Thyroid Alternative
[10] Sullivan, Krispin, CN The Lectin Report [www.krispin.com]
[11] Alessio Fasano, MD [www.massgeneral.org]
[12] Marios Hadjivassiliou, MD Myopathy associated with gluten sensitivity [onlinelibrary.wiley.com]
[13] Ron Rosedale, MD, The Rosedale Diet, C 2005 [drrosedale.com]
Leptin and the Control of Aging [drrosedale.com]
[drrosedale.com]
Insulin and Its Metabolic Effects [drrosedale.com]
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., D.A.C.B.N., MS Alzheimer's or Brain Diabetes?
[www.yourmedicaldetective.com]
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Re: Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year March 05, 2015 10:47AM |
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Re: Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year March 05, 2015 11:29AM |
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Re: Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year March 05, 2015 12:35PM |
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Re: Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year March 08, 2015 12:34PM |
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Fabulous report Jackie. This is just what we needed to kick ourselves out of some bad grain/carb habits. Even though gluten has been long removed from our diets, there are many other carbs that have snuck there way into our daily habits, and our sleep and health is still compromised. My wife and I just spent the last hour directing the topic and renewing commitments to get these other carbs out of our diets. We are in the process of ordering two of the books: the Rosedale Diet and Grain Brain.
We both tested positive for gliadin intolerance and my wife, Linda, is full blown celiac. Even though I later on a re-test did not show intolerance, my good doctor, who has an additional Masters degree in brain health and aging, sternly advised me not to consume gluten/gliadin as it is a brain toxin.
Anyhow, thanks again for the motivation.
Best, Ron
We both tested positive for gliadin intolerance and my wife, Linda, is full blown celiac. Even though I later on a re-test did not show intolerance, my good doctor, who has an additional Masters degree in brain health and aging, sternly advised me not to consume gluten/gliadin as it is a brain toxin.
Anyhow, thanks again for the motivation.
Best, Ron
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Re: Dietary Enlightenment Tips for the New Year March 08, 2015 01:32PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 18,881 |
Hello Ron - Thanks for weighing in on this very important topic and sharing your histories. We need to protect our brains before we can't remember how. The testing area is very complex and still remains prone to errors so it just makes sense to avoid the culprits even if there is no evidence of celiac because of all the other complications.
Best to you,
Jackie
Best to you,
Jackie
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