Differences Between IgE and IgG Testing for Allergies and Sensitivities 

Both IgG and IgE blood testing are very important diagnostic tools that can provide an indisputable blueprint for healing. 

Explaining IgE 

IgE (or immunoglobulin E) allergies are immediate responses to a foreign substance that has entered the body. These foreign substances can come from food or inhalation. IgE allergies can cause very serious symptoms like difficulty breathing, swelling, and hives. In even more serious cases IgE reactions can lead to anaphylactic shock. This test measures the blood level of IgE, one of the five subclasses of antibodies. Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system that attack antigens, such as bacteria, viruses, and allergens.  IgE antibodies are found in the lungs, skin, and mucous membranes. They are associated mainly with allergic reactions (when the immune system overreacts to environmental antigens such as pollen or pet dander) and parasitic infections.

The IgE test is often performed as part of an initial screen for allergies. Symptoms of allergies may include hives, itchy eyes or nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, tight throat, and trouble breathing. Symptoms may be seasonal (as with allergies due to pollen or molds) or year-round (as with food allergies). They can range from mild to severe, depending on the child and the allergy. IgE levels may also be elevated in children with parasitic infections.

IgE antibodies are primarily associated with allergies. The first time someone is exposed to a foreign substance, like a virus or bacterium, it may take the immune system up to two weeks to make an antibody blueprint and to produce enough of a specific antibody to fight the infection.

Example of a typical IgE response: Suppose a person with a peanut allergy eats a peanut. B cells in the body are exposed to the peanut allergens. B cells begin making IgE antibodies to fight the peanut “infection”. These IgE antibodies were made specifically for defending the body against peanuts. The IgE antibodies bind to the peanut molecules or allergens in the body. 

After the exposure to peanuts, IgE antibodies can also attach themselves to mast cells. There the IgE antibodies wait until the next peanut exposure. When the next peanut exposure occurs the IgE antibodies signal the mast cells to release histamine and other compounds. Histamine and these other compounds are the cause of allergy symptoms like itching and inflammation. All of this usually happens within minutes of ingesting the allergen. IgE allergies are treated with medications that block the release of histamines. 

Explaining IgG

These are antibodies that provide long-term resistance to infections, called Immunoglobulin G (IgG), have a much longer half-life than the traditional IgE allergy. This is where food sensitivities come in because they are much more subtle and most people live with them for years, if not their entire lives. A food sensitivity is an adverse reaction to a food with no antigen-antibody response.

Symptoms, ranging from headache and nausea to seizure and hyperactivity, or simply just fatigue, bloating, mood changes or dark circles under the eyes. They may occur hours or even days after the offending food has been ingested. The degree and severity of symptoms vary greatly because of the genetic makeup of the individual. The complete elimination of IgG positive foods may bring about important improvements in symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, autism, AD (H) D, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and epilepsy as demonstrated in numerous clinical studies.

Everyone should get IgG tested for food sensitivities so they know what foods work for their body and what foods don't. It's no different than putting the right type of gas in your vehicle. 

Checking the health of the lining of your intestines

The IBA (intestinal barrier assessment) test that we run provides a baseline for GI health so we know where to go with your health plan. It lets us know if you have intestinal permeability or “leaky gut syndrome” which means your lining is not tight and therefore is allowing food particles to escape (think of a brick wall with holes in the caulking or mortar). Just a few years of stress, antibiotics, soda, coffee, alcohol and sugar thin the lining of the gut. 

When food particles escape the gut lining, the spleen, which is a major immune organ, has to work overtime to clear them out of the blood stream because they do not belong there. This puts an inordinate burden on your immune function, and over time can be a leading cause of autoimmune disease/disorders (that along with underlying viruses that have gone undetected). 

Testing the mucosal barrier lining of the GI tract is an essential test that provides an enormous amount of health information and more often than not can be the first marker in determining auto-immunity or inflammation. Intestinal permeability more often than not, is the underlying cause of many autoimmune conditions. Not checking GI health with an autoimmune condition, keeps people spending an unnecessary amount of money on lab testing and pharmaceuticals while lowering their quality of life, while healing the intestinal lining heals from the root cause, creating lasting, greater health by improved GI, immune and endocrine function.

Source: www.thewholejourney.com

Natural compounds to improve thyroid function

(NaturalNews) One of the fastest rising health conditions in the US is hypothyroidism. The most common symptoms experienced are lethargy, depression and weight gain. Some of the newest reports are estimating that 15 to 30 percent of the population may have thyroid problems. Natural compounds can help improve your thyroid function.

Eighty percent of hypothyroid conditions in the US are thought to be auto-immune conditions. Few doctors test for thyroid anti-bodies and so most do not ever get the proper diagnosis. In the medical system, an auto-immune condition and a sluggish thyroid are treated the same, with synthetic T4.

Because the treatment is the same, most doctors do not concern themselves with testing for thyroid anti-bodies. From a natural health perspective it is especially important to understand if it is a sluggish thyroid, a sluggish liver or pituitary gland, elevated sex hormones or if it is an auto-immune condition.

There are many different compounds that can help the thyroid to function better. Some of these include the proteolytic enzyme bromelain, the adaptogenic herb ashwagandha, vitamin A, selenium, zinc and manganese.

Bromelain

Thyroid disorders are characterized by increased inflammation in the body and in the case of auto-immune thyroid disorders there is a tremendous amount of inflammation around the thyroid tissue itself. Bromelain is a key proteolytic plant-based (pineapple) enzyme that helps reduce inflammatory stress in the body.

Proteolytic enzymes work to modulate or coordinate the activity of inflammatory immune complexes and have no major adverse reactions. They work as a lock and key mechanism and have an affinity for pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) and C Reactive Protein (CRP).

Ashwagandha

This adaptogenic herb contains compounds that have been shown to have a stimulatory effect on both T3 and T4 hormone synthesis. It has also been shown to improve liver function and boost intracellular anti-oxidants such as superoxide dismutase. Oxidative stress and sluggish liver function are known to alter thyroid metabolism.

Ashwagandha also helps to balance blood sugar and stabilize cortisol. Elevated cortisol negatively effects the pituitary gland, suppresses T4-T3 conversion in the body and increases the inactive rT3. By stabilizing cortisol, ashwagandha has been shown to improve TSH, T4 and T3 levels and modulate blood sugar and inflammation.

Vitamin A

The thyroid hormone binds to thyroid receptors and undergoes a process called intercellular transduction. This carries the message of binding to the nuclear receptors. Thyroid hormone nuclear transcription is dependent upon vitamin A in order to be activated.

Selenium

This is the major cofactor for the key thyroid enzyme 5'deiodinase which is what converts T4 into T3. 5'deoidinase also degrades the inactive rT3. Studies have indicated that individuals with lower selenium levels are at higher risk for low T3. Selenium has been shown to reduce rT3 levels and improve active T3 status. It also reduces anti-thyroid anti-body formation.

Zinc

Low zinc status has been shown to compromise T3 production. Zinc plays an important role in immune modulation which may reduce thyroid anti-bodies. Additionally, it is a key player in 5'deiodinase activity.

Manganese

Manganese is involved in the function of numerous enzymes and is important for normal thyroid function. Manganese superoxide dismutase is a key anti-oxidant enzyme that is responsible for neutralizing the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species. This is especially important for individuals with thyroid problems as they are known to have higher levels of oxidative stress.

Source:  www.naturalnews.com

Natural Ways to Improve Your Memory

Do you sometimes forget where you put your glasses and waste an inordinate amount of time looking for them? Our brain cells are supposed to help us remember where we’ve been, where we’ve put things and names associated with the faces of people we meet.

Unfortunately, our brain cells can let us down by losing the ability to communicate properly. There are certain strategies that we can incorporate to “train” our minds – such as paying closer attention to what we’re doing at all times or repeating information (a name, for example) over and over until we’ve got it memorized.

Our diets may be the cause of not being able to remember even the most mundane information. Memory boosters in the form of dietary supplements can help fill in those nutrients that we’re not getting in our diets and help drive out memory loss.

These boosters are sometimes called “smart nutrients” and can be found at your local health food store. Below are some of the smart nutrients that work best to restore your memory:

Choline and DMAE (Dinethylaminoethanol) – These nutrients are the building blocks of the brain. Fish, eggs, liver, soy, peanuts (and other types of nuts) are especially high in choline. DMAE is also found in fish and helps your concentration ability.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Glutamine – When you combine these nutrients, you’ll have an antioxidant that acts as an energy booster for the brain, plus a memory advocate that can balance the all-important neurotransmitters, necessary for enhanced memory performance.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo Biloba) – Also acts as an antioxidant for the brain, improves circulation, and boosts energy, memory and concentration.

Vitamins and Minerals – There is a variety of vitamins and mineral supplements that you can take to increase your memory skills. These include all B vitamins and minerals, which contain niacin, folic acid and pyridoxine. Vitamin B12 is especially helpful in building nerve cells that help us with mental alertness.

Most of us would like to have better concentration and remembering skills. But most of us practice a diet lacking in the nutrients we need. Do your own research to find out which nutrients you may be missing and try supplements for awhile to jump-start your brain cells.

Source: www.curejoy.com 

Ileocecal Valve: Preventing Backflow

Between the small intestine and the large intestine is a sphincter-type valve called the Ileocecal Valve (ICV). The purpose of this valve is to “prevent backflow” from the Large Intestine, once any material leaves the Small Intestine.

Not all the contents entering the digestive tube are going to be absorbed as food. In fact, much of what is ingested and processed continues to flow through the tube for eventual elimination. At the point where the small intestine ends, it sends its watery waste products into the large intestine.

IF things “are normal” the ileocecal valve:

1.  Remains closed most of the time.
2.  Opens briefly to let the contents of the small intestine exit.
3.  Closes again quickly to prevent any materials in the large intestine from leaking back.

This very important anatomical structure does an unheralded job. The Ileocecal Valve is such a major cause of digestive symptoms for people that the problem has reached epidemic proportions; yet, outside the chiropractic profession, its function and importance are practically unknown.

Problems with an open ileocecal valve (Ileocecal Valve Syndrome) are extremely common in today’s society yet its symptoms are often misdiagnosed. Very few health practitioners understand the significance of the ICV in digestive problems.

Anatomy of the Ileocecal Valve

The function of your ileocecal valve is similar to the functioning of the anal sphincter at the very end of the tube. It’s supposed to remain closed most of the time, open briefly to let its contents exit and then close again.

The purpose of this valve, which is critical for your digestive system, is to prevent the backwards flow of waste from your large intestine into the small intestine. You don’t want the juices in the garbage disposal area to mix with the juices from the nutritional area.

Let Me Share an Analogy I Used Often in my Clinic

Let’s say you have just finished preparing a wonderful meal and are about to sit down to enjoy it. Just before you do, you place the meal on the counter next to the sink. You take the remnants of the preparation process–carrot tops, meat gristle, pineapple thorns, and whatever else–and put them in the garbage disposal to be whisked away.

For our example, let’s say you forget to put the cover on the garbage disposal. What happens when you flick the switch? As you might imagine, the contents of the garbage meant for disposal could fly all around the kitchen area mixing with your newly prepared meal. If this happened, you wouldn’t want to eat your meal.

It goes without saying that you don’t want the contents of the garbage area of your intestines mixing with the contents of the kitchen area. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens in the body’s most important “kitchen area,” the small intestine.

The ileocecal valve serves the same function as the cover or cap on the garbage disposal. If the ileocecal valve becomes open and remains open, the contents of the large intestine can and do leak back into the small intestine. This is not good for many reasons.

One reason is the contents of the two different sections of the tube have different pH chemistry. If the two juices mix, this immediately causes gas. Another is that the contents of the small intestine are to be absorbed; whereas the contents of the large intestine are to be eliminated.

The whole purpose of the ileocecal valve is to prevent the contents of these two distinctly different parts of the digestive tube from coming in contact. Probably very few people have not had some discomfort from their ileocecal valve at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, a large number of people have daily or weekly episodes of open ileocecal valve syndrome.

For these people, the natural ability of their ileocecal sphincter to open and close at the appropriate times is lost. This may be due to food toxicity, which overwhelms the muscles of the valve, or it may be that the nerve supply to the muscles of the valve has been compromised. Whatever the cause, once the ICV remains open too long, the insides of the valve become irritated and inflamed.

Now it won’t close because it’s too sore and damaged. All this can happen internally without you knowing about it. If you take all the people who are known to be suffering with the diagnosed conditions of ileitis, Crohn’s Disease, spastic colon, chronic fatigue, gluten intolerance and irritable bowel syndromes, and add the people with non-specific bowel complaints with “no cause,” you are looking at least 25 percent of the population.

In my clinic, 80 percent of my clients with the difficult digestive symptoms had to work through their ileocecal valve problems before they could gain their way back their health.

Typical Symptoms of Your Ileocecal Valve

The ICV causes so many different symptoms that it has been called the “great mimicker” by the chiropractic profession. Its symptoms can manifest far from the source of their cause and are often very perplexing until you understand what is creating them.

ICV symptoms can present as joint pain, circulation problems, muscular aches and pains, pinched nerves, or even whole body arthritis. The following lists many of the common symptoms attributed to the malfunctioning ICV, as related to how the patient experiences them. See if you have experienced any of them in the past. If you have, perhaps you can check them off and discuss them with hopefully your chiropractor or natural therapies provider.

• Sudden, stabbing, sharp low back or leg pain that feels just like a disc pain, especially when sitting or driving, with no mechanical cause
• A standing curvature that makes it look as though your back or hip is out. There may not be a specific pain the person can perceive, yet the distorted body posture can be seen in a mirror or by others
• Sharp, pinpoint headaches, especially on the left side, at the base of the skull
• Dull headaches, which often linger for hours in the frontal area
• Migraine headaches are frequently of ileocecal origin as a system-wide response to the toxicity of the ICV
• Chronic sinus infection, dripping sinuses, especially when not during allergy season
• Allergies, the type often wrongly attributed to dust, cat hair, and mites
• Dark circles under the eyes, puffy cheeks
• “Loose bowels” not quite diarrhea, but looser than should be
• Any of the “colon syndromes” such as Crohn’s Disease, spastic colon, irritable bowel, Celiac Disease
• Burning leg pain (that feels like a nerve) into the front of the left thigh
• “Asthma-like” symptoms
• General non-specific lower GI discomfort or symptoms often attributed to a psychological cause by practitioners unfamiliar with the ICV

Brain Management for Your Ileocecal Valve

More than any other digestive problem, the ICV requires ”brain management” awareness. Even when I’ve clearly diagnosed this problem for patients, they continue to have trouble understanding how their behaviors continue to their pain and suffering. If this is a problem in your situation, you’ll have to do many things to completely take care of it.

The Way You Chew Your Food

You must chew your food as thoroughly as possible. If you don’t chew your food to liquid form, you are sending boulders through the tube to the ileocecal valve.

This is particularly true for the foods that are known to create ICV problems, such as popcorn, raw nuts, and especially raw salads. You must chew these types of food thoroughly.

Many people “half-chew” popcorn or nuts for the first few bites. After these foods lose their taste appeal by the third or fourth bite, the tendency is to start shoveling in the offending food.

The Quality and Texture of Food You Are Eating

Some ICV Syndromes can be caused directly by the type of food you are eating. Ironically, “health food” can cause problems because it has a higher content of roughage. With this type of food, poor chewing is more likely to create irritation.

When you eat a typical “fast food” meal, it’s relatively easy for your body to process because the food is highly refined. Thus, relatively speaking, not chewing isn’t that bad.

When a person switches to a healthier diet (with good intentions), particularly heavy with tuberous vegetables (carrots, broccoli, or beans), chewing becomes much more of an issue. If you put nuts in a raw salad for example, the ability to digest without extensive chewing becomes practically impossible. If this person eats the same way as they did when eatingrefined foods, they will get in trouble quickly with their Ileocecal Valve.

The Condition and Toxicity of Your Large Intestine

Your large intestine (next chapter) may be so toxic that you need some type of a Digestive Repair Program to get it back to something approximating normal. Your colon may have become so toxic due to prior inattention that its overwhelming toxicity backwashes continually against the valve. This usually applies when your prior diet and eating habits were particularly atrocious or if you have taken antibiotics recently.

If your colon were a causative factor in your ICV problem, you would benefit from a Digestive Repair Program, or perhaps direct cleansing of the colon with colonics or enemas. Because the colon is the toxic dump area, when you have problems with a sluggish or severely overloaded colon, this causes problems for the entire body.

The Nerve Going To Your Valve

As every chiropractor knows, the nerve from the right side (Thoracic 12) is the main nerve that supplies the ICV. This nerve can be partially blocked, as in a spinal fixation, or irritated, as caused by a hyper-mobile irritation of the nerve root. Either way, the normal regulatory function of the nerve to the circular muscles of the ileocecal valve is compromised.

To put this simply, if you step on the hose when you are watering a plant, the water will not flow through the hose and the plant will wither and die. If the 12thThoracic nerve is being irritated at the spine, the sphincter muscles of the ICV will not receive the proper balance of nerve impulses to function properly.

This means, if you correctly follow the Digestive Awareness Diet, it may not be enough! The ICV, and indeed any digestive organ problems, cannot always be cured by dietary and eating modifications alone. You may still have regulatory nerve problems affecting the major organs. This is one reason why a holistic approach to digestive disorders is so necessary.

A chiropractor is the qualified professional to assess the nerves that supply all your digestive organs (esophagus, stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine, ICV and large intestine. If “pinched nerves” are involved in your specific situation, he/she will be able to identify which spinal segments are involved, if any, and which organs they may be affecting.

Emotional Stress Factors

Another factor in digestive health is a person’s emotional state. Emotional traumas such as a divorce, a sudden death in the family, or a stressful work situation are also known to have a direct impact on the ICV through shutting down the body in general.

If you are constantly worrying about a life problem, your ICV is under stress as well. An unhappy marriage or relationship, a stressful boss, getting fired, and especially financial problems are some examples of likely stressors that can lead to ICV episodes.

Foreign Travel

If you notice unusual digestive problems that seem to mimic the Ileocecal Valve constellation of symptoms, think back to whether you traveled in a foreign country during the prior months/year.

Sometimes that “one-time dysentery” becomes part of your permanent legacy once you return. In this case, it may even be a water borne pathogen or difficult bacteria that everyone knows about in that foreign country, but hey, you are back in civilization now, and yet you still don’t feel right.

Many current diseases, such a “heart disease” and “strokes” are being increasingly seen as being the end result of an “inflammatory” process. The mixing of the juices between your Small and Large Intestines, is about the worst “inflammatory process” you’d want to encounter, and when the Ileocecal Valve is not right, that’s exactly what happens to you every day until you correct it.

Source: www.digestiveawareness.drupalgardens.com

Candida, Calcium and your Ileocecal Valve

The ileocecal valve is often ignored in discussions of gut health and probiotics. The NorthShore Naturopathic Clinic recently had a good in depth article by Dr. Matsen on the ileocecal valve in their monthly newsletter.

"I have been struggling with pathological yeasts in my gut after living in an apartment infested with mold in New Zealand in 2005. I have been on the GAPS diet for over two years – my health has improved but I recently discovered we live in an area very high in esmog (wireless technology) which is undermining progress I make with diet. My condition initially improved with the GAPS diet but has levelled off, so it is interesting to learn the ileocecal valve is damaged by lack of calcium. Low frequency electromagnetic fields cause calcium drift, inhibit probiotic growth and melatonin among other things. I have noticed my own ileocecal valve showing up when receiving biodynamic craniosacral therapy sessions and I have been noticing it in my clients who have digestive issues. The ileocecal valve is right next to the appendix which is an important part of our lymphatic system. If the appendix is removed this can cause issues with the ileocecal valve. It is interesting to also discover that the appendix synthesizes and secretes melatonin, similarly to the pineal as I have recently been getting the impression that the appendix is the pineal of the intestinal “gut brain.“ 

The Yeast are Back.

By Dr. Matsen of Northshore Naturopathic Clinic Yeast (also known as Candida yeast) are members of the fungus family; they are normal denizens of your intestinal tract. Their job is to turn you into compost when you’re dead. Candida yeast are strongly inhibited by acidity, and they are content to hide away in the nooks and crannies of your large intestine – wherever the pH is acceptably alkaline. Your main defence against them is billions of acidophilus bacteria (your good bacteria) that maintain an acid pH in your large intestine (colon), which inhibits yeast growth. Anything that disrupts the pH of your colon and your good bacteria – such as antibiotics, mercury, antacids, chlorinated water, cortisone, etc. – allows the yeast to begin the composting process while you’re still alive. Once they are active, yeast have ways of convincing you that sugar and chocolate are necessary in your diet. Another way the yeast can become active is when your ileocecal valve is weakened. The ileocecal valve is located between your small intestine and your large intestine. This valve is usually kept closed so that the food you’ve eaten stays in your small intestine long enough to be digested and absorbed fully. It also prevents the good micro-organisms in your large intestine from getting into your small intestine, where their waste products could easily be absorbed. As digestion and absorption are completed in your small intestine, your ileocecal valve opens, and the food passes into your large intestine or colon. 

When your ileocecal valve is weakened, the billions of normally “good” bacteria that live in the large intestine get through the ileocecal valve, up into your small intestine – where they’re not supposed to be. There, they can become “Bad Guys” – they steal important nutrients like vitamin B12 and tryptophan before you have absorbed them, and they can also dump toxins into your liver. Once your good bacteria become bad, yeast soon join the party. The alkaline pH of the small intestine allows the yeast to multiply vigorously. Your ileocecal valve can become weak when your calcium levels are low for more than five days – calcium helps to strengthen this valve. Increasing your calcium intake doesn’t necessarily solve the ileocecal valve problem, because the solution depends on whether the calcium is being absorbed by your body. Vitamin D is required for calcium absorption: it stimulates your intestinal cells to make a calcium-binding protein that dramatically increases your absorption of calcium. Vitamin D is made by your skin when exposed to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun, and then it is stored in an inactive form in your liver. When vitamin D is released from liver storage, your liver converts it into a weak form of vitamin D, which then activates calcium absorption to a small degree. This might be sufficient activation if you were out in the sun regularly, when your skin can make a lot of vitamin D. 

Your kidneys convert this weak form of vitamin D into a much stronger form that can improve calcium absorption up to 1,000 times. This strong activation of vitamin D is especially crucial for wintertime when there is little sun around to make vitamin D directly through the skin. Your kidneys are in charge of regulating calcium levels by altering the activation of vitamin D with the changes in the seasons. Because the kidneys can’t see outside to know what the weather is like, they monitor the ions in the foods and the beverages you’re consuming. The sodium/potassium ion ratio tells the kidneys what to do with regard to the activation of vitamin D. Your blood contains 3 percent sodium, a percentage similar to that found in the ocean and in animals. Your kidneys maintain a 50/50 ratio of sodium and potassium at all times. 

Excess sodium in the diet is eliminated through the kidneys, giving a warming effect to your body and making you more active, while an excess of potassium has a cooling effect, which slows you down. All plants contain potassium; generally, the more sun they’re exposed to, the more potassium they contain. Eat a banana, which has lots of potassium, and your kidneys will think that you’re in Hawaii, and that your skin must be roasting in the sun – making vitamin D – so they stop activating vitamin D. if you’re not actually out in the sun, you could quickly lose your calcium absorption – and within five days, your ileocecal valve could be weak enough to allow your billions of good bacteria to stampede into your small intestine, where they could become Bad Guys. 

A vegetarian animal on a high-potassium diet needs access to salt, while a carnivorous animal gets its salt from the 3 percent sodium found in the vegetarian animal that it eats. In the winter, an Inuit would be on a high-sodium animal-protein diet, which would tell the kidneys that the weather is not sunny, so his kidneys would activate the vitamin D much more vigorously. If your skin is going brown from the sun, you can eat a slight excess of potassium; otherwise you should eat a slight excess of sodium. This is the basis of the concept in Asian medicine of “yin and yang” – warming and cooling. Even though most Asians don’t have high-calcium dairy products in their traditional diets, they generally have much lower incidences of dental cavities and osteoporosis than do Westerners who use dairy – and who also eat a lot of fresh fruit, juices, and salads, even in winter. The ileocecal valve problem is commonly seen in PEOPLE WHO EAT TOO WELL! 

That is, they consume too many foods and drinks high in potassium, and don’t consume enough sodium in the form of animal protein or salt. This confuses the kidneys into assuming they are in the hot sun of mid-summer, so they deactivate vitamin D. While the kidneys’ activation of vitamin D is crucial to getting calcium from the gut to the blood, it is vitamin K that delivers calcium from the blood into the bone. Vitamin K also prevents calcium from sticking in the arteries – thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Vitamin K is found in leafy greens; cooking them slightly and salting them will help prevent ileocecal valve problems when you’re not actually out in the sun. 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

Vitamin D is crucial for the absorption of calcium. If you’re out in the sunshine and your skin is exposed to the UV rays of the sun, it will make vitamin D. If you’re unable to get regular sun exposure, take vitamin D as a supplement - one capsule of halibut or cod liver oil per day. These sources of vitamin D seem to be more active than the irradiated yeast used in vegetarian vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D is relatively passive until it’s activated by your kidneys, which change the activation of vitamin D as the weather changes. Sodium in the diet tells the kidneys it’s not sunny, so they activate vitamin D - while potassium tells the kidneys it is sunny, so they don’t activate vit. D. 

So, eat according to the climate in which you are living. If you eat animal products, you get adequate sodium; if you eat vegetable products, you need to add salt. Unrefined sea salt carries myriad trace minerals that buffer the potential side-effects of pure sodium chloride. Salt, however, including most sea salts, has had these important trace minerals stripped off and sold to the industrial mineral market. The salt I recommend now is Nature’s Cargo™ Sea Salt Symptoms of Ileocecal Valve Syndrome: Source: Ileocecal Valve Syndrome flu like symptoms headaches, migraines tinnitus diarrhea, constipation bladder infection lower back pain right shoulder pain unexplained thirst nausea excessive gas dark rings under the eyes depression, low energy If you are experiencing any of these symptoms for any period of time, there is a chance that you are suffering from a dysfunction of your ileocecal valve, the intestinal valve that separates the small intestines from the colon.

Source: http://www.helladelicious.com/our-food/2012/05/candida-calcium-and-your-ileocecal-valve/

B Vitamins, Mood, and Methylation - It’s Complicated

by J.D. Moyer

There’s a great deal of misinformation on the internet regarding B-vitamins and health.  I know this because I’ve read most of it.  During the 5 years or so when I was researching how to cure my own asthma, I devoured every text I could find regarding the physiological effects of specific vitamins and minerals - especially the B-vitamins.  Large doses of B-complex or individual B-vitamins are recommended to improve mood, reduce PMS, reduce asthma symptoms, reduce the risk of various cancers, reduce the risk of heart disease, fight yeast infections, ward off mosquitoes, and prevent or cure numerous other ailments.

Which of these claims are based on reputable clinical research, and which are bullshit?

A quick overview — B-vitamins are water-soluble nutrients found in whole foods, and less so in refined/processed foods (unless they are added back in, as is the case with most white flour and breakfast cereals).  They are needed for various metabolic processes, are generally non-toxic, and deficiencies can result in serious illness and death.  The B-vitamins [wikipedia] include:

• B1 (thiamine) — deficiency results in beriberi
• B2 (riboflavin) — deficiency results in ariboflavinosis
• B3 (niacin or niacinamide) — deficiency results in pellagra
• B5 (pantothenic acid) — deficiency can contribute to acne
• B6 (pyridoxine and other forms) — deficiency can lead to microcytic anemia or depression
• B7 (biotin) — deficiency may cause growth problems in children
• B9 (folic acid) — deficiency results in macrocytic anemia and can cause birth defects
• B12 (cyanocobalamin and other forms) — deficiency results in macrocytic anemia, memory loss and other cognitive problems

Unless your diet is terrible or you’re a raging alcoholic, you’re unlikely to develop beriberi or pellegra.  However, many people can benefit from careful, controlled supplementation of one or more of B-vitamins. Clinical research supports supplemental doses of various B vitamins being effective in the following ways:

• reducing severe anxiety (niacinamide)
• reducing Type-2 diabetes symptoms (niacinamide)
• preventing/improving Alzhemier’s (niacinamide)
• reduce the risk of colon cancer (B6)
• improve reaction times (B1)
• boost HDLs and reduce arterial plaque (niacin)
• improve acne and reduce sebum production (B5)
• reduce intensity of migraine (riboflavin/B2)

Mosquitoes — B1 won’t protect you.

In no way is the above list meant to be comprehensive — there are hundreds of clinical studies demonstrating positive effects from supplemental and dietary B-vitamin intake.  Other claims, such as the idea that B-6 can cure carpal tunnel, or that B-1 can repel mosquitoes, haven’t held up under clinical scrutiny.

Less frequently noted are the side effects of taking very large doses of various B-vitamins, which can include:

• rapid and/or irregular heartbeat (B1)
• poor circulation/cold hands (B6)
• irritability, hostility (B6)
• numb hands/feet, neuropathy (B6)
• inability to fall asleep, interrupted sleep (almost all)
• increased histamine levels, worsened asthma symptoms (B3, B12)
• neon yellow pee (B2)
• loose stools/diarrhea/nausea (niacin)
• facial/skin flushing (niacin)
• liver damage (high doses of niacin, niacinamide)
• worsen acne (biotin)

I’ll share what I’ve learned and experienced - but consult your doctor before taking or stopping any supplements or medications.  I don’t have any medical training - I’m just an interested blogger.

Methylation, Health, and B-Vitamins

The same B-vitamins can affect different people in different (and even opposite) ways.  These differences may have to do with a genetic predisposition to being a “fast methylator” or a “slow methylator.” Methylation is a process by which a molecule donates or accepts a methyl group (CH3).  In biological systems DNA can be methylated, as well as proteins (lysine and arginine).  One type of protein methylation - the transfer of methyl groups from SAMe to histones - affects epigenetic expression (the degree to which certain genes are turned on or off).

The degree of protein and DNA methylation in an organism profoundly affects numerous aspects of physiology, including prenatal development, growth, metabolic levels, ATP (energy) production, neurotransmitter levels, metabolism of heavy metals, and susceptibility to cancer.  Problems with the methylation cycle may also be related to autism, mental illness, food allergies, asthma, and the development of heart disease.

So what influences rates of methylation?  Four factors, as far as I can tell:

1. Genetic factors, especially variants in the MTHFR and COMT genes
2. Psychological/emotional/physical stress
3. Smoking and other environmental toxins
4. Diet and nutrition (including supplements), especially B-vitamin and methionine intake

The effects of vitamins, even plain-old-regular multivitamins, are not trivial.  This study found that regular multivitamin intake reduced lung-cancer risk in former and current smokers by 43%, and that that risk reduction was associated with the methylated state of eight different genes (p16, MGMT, DAPK, RASSF1A, GATA4, GATA5, PAX5α, and PAX5β) involved in tumor suppression (adequate folate prevents these genes from becoming hypermethylated/turned off).  Eating green leafy vegetables and/or other highly pigmented fruits and vegetables also provided a more modest protective effect.   

This study also found associations between folate and methionine levels and hypermethylation of the RASSF1A and MTHFR genes (also related to cancer suppression).  This study (PDF) found that hypermethylation of the MGMT gene was implicated in prostate cancer and was strongly associated with meat-eating and smoking, and less so with alcohol consumption.

Regarding the MGMT study, why would meat-eating be associated with gene hypermethylation?  One possibility is the higher availability of the essential amino acid methionine (a methyl donor) in meat diets (although vegetarian diets can still be high in methionine if they include eggs, soy, brazil nuts, and/or sesame).  There is some evidence that methionine restricted diets are associated with longevity, with effects similar to caloric restriction.  Another possibility is the (presumed) increased availability of folate (from green leafy vegetables and other vegetable sources) in the diets of the vegetarians in the study.  A third possibility is that the study didn’t control for other lifestyle factors associated with meat-eating that could have influenced MGMT methylation levels.

Edit: This study found that higher B6 and methionine levels protected against lung cancer.  Increased dietary methionine may in fact be protective against many forms of cancer.

One reason to take up smoking — multivitamins will have more of a protective health effect. Wait …

The Biochemistry of Mental Illness

So, can we say that folic acid and folate are good, and methionine is bad, and leave it at that?  Not so fast.  Carl Pfeiffer was a pharmacologist who studied schizophrenia, manic-depression, and other forms of mental illness.  Along with Abram Hoffer, he co-founded the field of orthomolecular psychiatry.  He hypothesized that most people suffering from mental illness could be categorized into one of the following three groups:

“Histapenic” (low-histamine) individuals exhibited the following:

• low blood histamine
• high (toxic) copper levels
• low levels of zinc and manganese
• low levels of folate and/or B12
• high levels of homocysteine
• slower metabolic rates (higher body fat)

These patients tended to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis, anxiety/panic attacks, hallucinations, hyperactivity, and depression (the latter especially in older patients).  Pfeiffer found that these people often benefited from large doses of folic acid, B12, B3, B6, zinc, and manganese.
“Histadelic” (high histamine) individuals exhibited the following:

• high blood histamine and basophil counts
• normal or low copper levels
• low levels of homocysteine
• higher metabolic rates (lower body fat)

These patients tended to suffer from depression, compulsions (like OCD), addictions (gambling/shopping/sex/alcohol, etc.), eating disorders (anorexia/bulimia), and phobias.  They reacted badly to folate — even dietary folate in fresh vegetables could worsen their depression (dubbed “salad bowl depression” by Pfeiffer).  They responded well to methionine and calcium supplements.

“Pyroluric” (pyroluria) individuals exhibited the following:

• excrete large quantities of kryptopyrrole in urine
• low levels of zinc and B6
• “sweet/fruity” body odor/breath
• pale skin, inability to tan

This condition, which could overlap with either of the other two or exist on its own, was associated with anxiety, depression, food sensitivities/celiac disease, social withdrawal, learning disabilities/ADHD, and autism.  More severe cases resulted in mental retardation and delayed growth and puberty.  In some cases psychological symptoms could be alleviated within just a few days with supplemental B6 and zinc.

Carl Pfeiffer

This paper from Pfeiffer goes into more detail, especially in regards to zinc and manganese supplementation and reactions to folic acid supplements.

Continued research in this field, carried out primarily by researchers at the Pfeiffer Treatment Center, has revealed that the first two types have methylation problems.  This paper from William Walsh goes into the details, but can be summarized as follows:

1. “Histapenic” (low histamine) types are “over-methylators.”  They tend to have higher methyl to folate ratios, which can result in the overproduction of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (via the BH4 rate-controlling process in catecholamine synthesis).  These types can benefit greatly from increased dietary and supplemental folate, B12, and other nutrients.  Here’s Dr. Walsh describing over-methylators on youtube.
2. “Histadelic” (high histamine) types are “under-methylators.” They have low methyl to folate ratios, which can result in lower levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.  These types can benefit from supplemental methionine, SAMe, and inositol (methyl donors).  Here’s Dr. Walsh describing under-methylators.
3. The third type, “Pyroluria”, is a genetic disorder which increases B6 and zinc urinary excretion, resulting in deficiencies of both nutrients and increased oxidative stress.  Here’s Dr. Walsh describing pyroluria.

While mainstream psychiatry has generally rejected the field of orthomolecular psychiatry in its entirety, some reputable papers (such as this one, published in The Lancet, and this one) allow that there may be relationships between folate levels, methylation processes, and mental illness.  While serious cases of schizophrenia are usually not treatable with vitamins alone (as is suggested by this study), that doesn’t mean that medical professionals should entirely discount the affects of vitamins on methylation processes when designing treatment protocols.  Schizophrenics may benefit from low methionine diets and the addition of B12, folic acid, niacin, zinc, manganese, and B6, but should avoid excess copper.  Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders or intense phobias should probably avoid folic acid and manganese supplements, but may benefits from SAMe, methionine, inositol, and other methyl donors, as well as calcium and magnesium.  Depressed or anxious patients who don’t respond to SSRI’s might be pyroluric, and could benefit from B6 and zinc supplementation, as well as evening primrose oil (a source of GLA).  Numerous clinical case studies, like these, make me think there is probably some relationship between methylation processes and mental health.

So, if both cancer and schizophrenia are related to abnormalities in various methylation processes, is there any link between the two diseases?  There is; schizophrenics are less likely to get cancer.  Variations in the genes NRG1, AKT1, PIK3, COMT, PRODH and ErbB4 are implicated in cancer (when these genes trigger rapid, out-of-control cell replication) and schizophrenia (when the same genes slow down various cellular processes).  However, this study found that death rates from cancer were higher in schizophrenics than in the general population.  It may be significant that the latter study took place in France, where rates of either MTHFR polymorphism are extremely low (around 2%).

All Vitamins Are Not Created Equal

There is a difference between folate (absorbed from food) and folic acid (the synthesized form).  The former is methylated, the latter requires a methylation process to become biologically active (metafolin).  In terms of vitamin B12, the cheaper and more common cobalamin is non-methylated, while the more expensive hydroxycobalamin or methylcobalamin are methylated.

Could non-methylated folic acid, B12, and niacin supplements be helpful to  “over-methylators” because they “use up” methyl groups when they are metabolized in excess, thus normalizing the methyl to folate ratio?

Or is the truth more complex?  People with one of two common (about 50% in North America) polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene can’t effectively convert to (and/or use) active folate.  These types have low folate and high homocysteine, but can react badly to folic acid supplements (which can actually reduce blood levels active metafolin in people with the MTHFR gene variants), and do better getting folate from green leafy vegetables and other food sources (and/or supplementing with a methylated form, like l-methylfolate).

Edit: This study found that supplementing with methylfolate improved recovery for patients diagnosed with major depression or schizophrenia.

Nutritional Supplements and Medical DIY

Trying to understand methylation processes and how they relate to vitamin supplements and nutrition can tie your brain in a knot.  Most medical professionals are no help at all - they’ll get that “you’re one of those” look if you suggest that vitamin supplements have significant psychological effects.  Probably more than anyone else, parents of bipolar, schizophrenic, and autistic children have pushed the field of orthomolecular psychiatry forward - they are desperate to help their kids thrive and will go to great lengths to understand and experiment with whatever works, including nutritional supplements.

Karen DeFelice’s site is one example.  The It’s Not Mental site and DetoxPuzzle.com are two more.  There are dozens of others.  Many of these parents have effectively cured their children with aggressive nutritional interventions.  Common themes seem to be avoidance of gluten and casein, adding supplements to either slow down or speed up methylation processes (depending on the condition), balancing copper/zinc levels, and troubleshooting bottlenecks in various detoxification processes (phenols, sulfur metabolism, etc.).

My Own Self Diagnosis Process

I began this investigation of B-vitamins and methylation process in an attempt to cure my asthma.  Ultimately I discovered that a more-or-less paleo diet resolved most of my asthma symptoms, with some supplements being helpful as well (notably vitamin D, magnesium, fish oil, evening primrose oil, and vitamin C).  None of the B-vitamins proved to be helpful for asthma, and multivitamins often aggravated my symptoms.

I suspect I have one or both polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene, but if I do, that’s probably not related to asthma.

I do exhibit most of the less severe signs of being an “under-methylator,” including seasonal allergies, hypomania/overconfidence alternating with melancholy/demoralization, calm demeanor but high internal stress/anxiety, stong-willed/stubborn, low tolerance for stress, high libido, high motivation/ambition, perfectionism, a high desire for order/organization, addictive/compulsive tendencies, etc.

I experience a significant energy boost from B6 + zinc, which can quickly escalate into hostility/irritability/agitated depression.  I’m guessing somehow that nutrient combination spikes norepinephrine and lowers serotonin (I have no idea how), but it could be something else (maybe some kind of “detox” reaction, or homocysteine converting too quickly to cysteine).

I experience a calming, mood-boosting effect from taking niacinamide (higher serotonin?).  But too much niacinamide interrupts my sleep cycle and aggravates my breathing.

Taking B12 can improve my sleep, but only if I take it early in the day.

I seem to do well on a high protein, high methionine diet, but if I cut carbs too low I feel agitated and irritable (probably from low serotonin).

I’ve only tried taking SAMe (a methyl donor) a few times and I can’t remember the effects.  People I’m close to have found it to be extremely effective for carpal tunnel and fighting “the blues.”

Designing Your Own Supplement Program

Short of genetic testing (which is now a realistic and affordable option), looking at your family history from a health perspective is probably a good place to start when considering your own supplement program.  For example:

If Alzhemier’s runs in your family, consider supplementing with niacinamide.  Niacinamide may also be effective in reducing anxiety, including severe social anxiety.

If there are cases of cancer in your family, consider increasing folate levels from food sources and vitamins.  B6 may provide additional protection against colon cancer.

If you fall somewhere along the autism spectrum, considering supplementing with zinc + manganese, and restricting copper.

If you have asthma, you might try experimenting with a paleo or gluten-free diet, and supplementing with fish oil, evening primrose oil, magnesium, and C.  Some people have experienced relief from asthma symptoms by increasing vitamins B5 and B6.

If you think you might be experiencing negative side effects from a multivitamin, go cold turkey and see how you feel.  For people with either or both polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene, supplemental folic acid may actually be harmful.  Take methyfolate instead, or just eat more leafy greens and nutritious food and don’t take a multi.

Source: www.jdmoyer.com

Chinese restaurant syndrome

Chinese restaurant syndrome is a collection of symptoms that some people have after eating Chinese food. A food additive called monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been blamed, but it has not been proven to be the substance that causes this condition.

Causes

In 1968, reports of a series of serious reactions to Chinese food were first described. MSG was felt to be the cause of these symptoms. Since then, many studies have failed to show a connection between MSG and the symptoms that some people describe after eating Chinese food.

For this reason, MSG continues to be used in some meals. However, it is possible that some people are particularly sensitive to food additives, and MSG is chemically similar to one of the brain's most important chemicals, glutamate.

Symptoms

• Chest pain
• Flushing
• Headache
• Numbness or burning in or around the mouth
• Sense of facial pressure or swelling
• Sweating

Exams and Tests

Chinese restaurant syndrome is usually diagnosed based on the symptoms. The health care provider may ask the following questions as well:

• Have you eaten Chinese food within the past 2 hours?
• Have you eaten any other food that may contain monosodium glutamate within the past 2 hours?

The following signs may also be used to aid in diagnosis:

• Abnormal heart rhythm observed on an electrocardiogram
• Decreased air entry into the lungs
• Rapid heart rate

Treatment

Treatment depends on the symptoms. Most, such as headache or flushing, need no treatment.

Life-threatening symptoms require immediate medical attention. They may be similar to any other severe allergic reaction and include:

• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of the throat

Outlook (Prognosis)

Most people recover from mild cases of Chinese restaurant syndrome without treatment and with no lasting problems.

People who have had life-threatening reactions need to be extremely cautious about what they eat and should always carry medication prescribed by their doctor for emergency treatment.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

If you experience any symptoms such as shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain, or swelling of the lips or throat, go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

Alternative Names

Hot dog headache; Glutamate-induced asthma; MSG (monosodium glutamate) syndrome

Source: www.nlm.nih.gov