food sensitivitities

Excitotoxins are substances added to foods and beverages that literally stimulates neurons to death, causing brain damage of varying degrees. They can be found in such ingredients as monosodium glutamate, aspartame (Nutrasweet®), cysteine, hydrolyzed protein, and aspartic acid. Dr. Blaylock’s Book “Excitoxins: The Taste That Kills” describes what excitotoxins are, where they are found, and how they react in the body. Dr. Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon, presents the latest research findings to demonstrate how exposure to excitotoxins will damage nerve cells in the brain. The use of aspartame, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and monosodium glutamate in prepared foods and beverages continues to increase on a yearly basis. Dr. Blaylock clearly demonstrates that the neurotoxic potential of excitotoxins such as MSG and aspartame is so overwhelming that it can no longer be ignored. The message contained in this book is of particular importance to members of high-risk groups; the elderly, young children and those people at risk or with a family history of neurodegenerative diseases.

There is clear evidence of the dangers of MSG & Aspartame to children. Dr Blaylock writes a story of brain damage and betrayal worthy of wide attention, especially among women of child-bearing age and parents. He presents clear evidence of severe damage to the hypothalamus, the regulator of most hormone systems, when glutamates and aspartates are ingested by pregnant and nursing women or by children. The relationship between low blood sugar levels and enhanced damage should be a wakeup call for diabetics and hypoglycemics, as well. The future of our children is truly endangered!

Ingestion of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is also known to produce a variety of adverse reactions in some people. These reactions, although seemingly dissimilar, are no more diverse than the reactions found as side effects of certain neurological drugs. We do not know why some people experience reactions and others do not. We do not know whether MSG “causes” the condition underlying the reaction, or whether the underlying condition is simply aggravated by the ingestion of MSG. We only know that the reactions listed below are sometimes caused or exacerbated by ingestion of MSG.

Ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG) and free aspartic acid – known neurotoxins — are used in baby formula. The fact that neurotoxins are present in baby formula is of particular concern since the blood brain barrier is not fully developed in infants, allowing neurotoxins to be more accessible to the brain then is the case in healthy adults.

The amounts of aspartic acid and glutamic acid found in the formulas analyzed have been listed separately in the above schedules. However, in studies using experimental animals, neuroscientists have found that glutamic acid and aspartic acid load on the same receptors in the brain, cause identical brain lesions and neuroendocrine disorders, and act in an additive fashion. Symptoms of MSG toxicity are;

Cardiac: Arrhythmia, Extreme rise or drop in blood pressure, Angina
Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), Circulatory Swelling

Muscular : Flu-like achiness, Joint pain Stiffness

Respiratory : Asthma, Shortness of breath, Chest pain, Tightness, Runny
Nose, Sneezing

Neurological : Depression, Migraine headache, Dizziness, Light-headedness,
Loss of balance, Disorientation, Mental confusion, Anxiety, Panic attacks,
Hyperactivity, Behavioral problems in children, Lethargy, Sleepiness,
Numbness or paralysis, Insomnia, Seizures, Sciatica, Slurred speech

Visual : Blurred vision, Difficulty focusing, Loss of Vision

Gastrointestinal : Diarrhea, Nausea/vomiting, Stomach cramps, Irritable bowel
Bloating

Urological : Swelling of prostate, Nocturia

Skin : Hives or rash, Mouth lesions, Temporary tightness or partial paralysis,
(numbness or tingling) of the skin, Flushing, Extreme dryness of the mouth

Millions of people in over 90 countries will suffer and even die due to FDA approved food additives currently found in over 5000 products. These deadly chemicals called excitotoxins are as common as every sugar-free and salt-free label you see in your supermarket. The most deadly is probably being consumed in mass quantities by yourself and your children RIGHT NOW! Aspartame commonly known as Nutrasweet, Equal, or Spoonful and soon to be many other brands now that may trigger clinical diabetes.

When the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in Aspartame coverts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. (Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants.) The methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis; thus people were being diagnosed with having multiple sclerosis in error. The multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, where methanol toxicity is. Aspartame as Andy Ho the health writer in Straits Times has pointed out is deadly ant poison. I treated a patient who was incorrectly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when it was actually aspartame poisoning. We reversed the condition right down to the threatening loss of vision in the left eye in three months with a precision nutritional program that detoxified the toxic by by-products of aspartame in three months.

be well
Dr Sundardas

http://www.naturaltherapies.com/detox.htm

What if a substance was found that normalizes out-of-control cell growth? The result could be a way to treat and prevent cancer. And a new study offers hope that discovery may have already been made. Scientists from the University of Chicago have just published groundbreaking research in the journal Cell which concludes a powerful compound exists that can restore a healthy balance to cell processes. It’s not a new chemotherapy agent or drug but one derived from nature — retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A.

According to the American Cancer Society, estrogen fuels the growth of two out of three breast cancers. The female hormone can spur on cancer by altering the expression of certain genes, resulting in breast cells that become malignant and proliferate. The University of Chicago study found that retinoic acid can also alter these same estrogen-sensitive genes. But instead of causing cells to grow without restraint, a hallmark of cancer, retinoic acid restored normal balance to the cells and inhibited their growth.

“This work reveals important insights on the interplay between vitamin A and estrogen action,” said Myles Brown, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in a statement to the media. “These insights will hopefully lead to new approaches for the prevention and treatment of the most common form of breast cancer.”

Retinoic acid has already demonstrated cancer fighting effects in previous studies and it is currently used to treat a rare form of leukemia. In addition, earlier research has associated retinoic acid with the halting of breast cancer cell proliferation.

For the new study, Kevin White, PhD, professor of human genetics and director of the Institute for Genomics and System Biology at the University of Chicago, and colleagues focused on documenting cell receptors for the vitamin A derivative. They used a process dubbed ChIP-chip analysis that combines chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), which locates where the retinoic acid receptors are bound to the genome, with micro-array gene-chip analysis, which measures the expression levels of specific genes.

This merging of techniques allowed the scientists to map out the complete genetic effects of retinoic acid and its receptors in a cell line provided by patients who had estrogen-fueled breast cancers. The results showed that 39 percent of the genomic regions bound by the estrogen receptor known as alpha overlapped with the estrogen receptors bound by retinoic acid.What’s more, they discovered that estrogen and retinoic acids receptors often competed to activate or repress many of the same genes. For example, estrogen increased expression of the same 139 genes that retinoic repressed and retinoic acid activated 185 genes that estrogen repressed. For approximately140 genes, estrogen and retinoic acid had the same effect.

So what does all this mean? As the scientists explained in their press statement, they now have evidence that estrogen and retinoic acid carry on a kind of “cross talk”. So, although they can have opposite effects, certain estrogen and retinoic acid receptors on cells activate each other and normalize each other. That provides what the researchers call “an additional level of control for achieving a balanced regulation of expression.”

One of the most effective naturally occurring weapons against cancer is, like most healthy things, something many of us are not getting enough of. The mineral selenium has been shown in multiple studies to be an effective tool in warding off various types of cancer, including breast, esophageal, stomach, prostate, liver and bladder cancers. Not many people get the recommended dose of 200 micrograms a day. Most Americans only get between 60 and 100 micrograms of selenium daily from dietary sources, according to the Life Extension Foundation’s Disease Prevention and Treatment. That means daily supplements might be worth considering.

Today, research shows selenium, especially when used in conjunction with vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene, works to block chemical reactions that create free radicals in the body (which can damage DNA and cause degenerative change in cells, leading to cancer). Selenium also helps stop damaged DNA molecules from reproducing. In other words, selenium acts to prevent tumors from developing. “It contributes towards the death of cancerous and pre-cancer cells. Their death appears to occur before they replicate, thus helping stop cancer before it gets started,” says Dr. James Howenstine in A Physician’s Guide to Natural Health Products That Work

Breast cancer rates are four to five times lower in China than in most Western countries, a fact widely attributed to a different lifestyle. Some foods commonly eaten as part of the traditional Chinese diet can reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer by as much as 90 percent, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Western Australia in Perth, and published in the International Journal of Cancer. Researchers compared consumption of mushrooms and green tea between two groups of Chinese women, one with breast cancer and one without. They found that women who ate at least 10 grams (0.35 ounces) of fresh mushrooms per day had a 64 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who did not eat as much. Those who also regularly drank green tea reduced their risk by a total of 90 percent. Dried mushrooms also reduced breast cancer risk, although they were not as effective as fresh ones.

Previous research has supported the cancer-fighting properties of both mushrooms and green tea. Mushrooms are believed to suppress tumor growth and boost the immune system, and may also block production of the hormone estrogen. Green tea contains polyphenols, which have been shown to remove free radicals from the blood and hamper breast tumor development. The protective benefit of mushrooms and green tea remained significant even after researchers adjusted for other breast cancer risk factors, including weight, exercise, smoking and education level.

be well

Dr Sundardas

http://www.naturaltherapies.com/cancer.htm

How much fatty acids do you need? To answer this question, you need to honestly evaluate your eating habits? How much cold water fish and nuts do you eat? Does your family have a history of heart disease? Do you eat a lot of red meat? Do you eat fish? If you still can’t decide and, given the typical Asian diet, there is probably room for supplementation of EFA’s in your diet.

Most people consume too much omega-6 relative to the amount of omega-3 that they get. Vegetarians must be particularly careful because it is much easier to get supplies of omega-6 in the vegetarian diet. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 that should be ingested is around 6:1 for fish-eaters, and 3:1 for vegetarians (because they need to manufacture their own EPA and DHA). Flaxseed oil (or simply flax seeds) is a good choice to boost the intake of omega-3 provided you are healthy and you can break down the flax seed oil into omega-3 and omega-6 .

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are fats that are essential to the diet because the body cannot produce them. Essential fatty acids are extremely important nutrients for health. They are present in every healthy cell in the body, and are critical for the normal growth and functioning of the cells, muscles, nerves, and organs. EFAs are also used by the body to produce a class of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which are key to many important processes. Deficiencies of EFAs are linked to a variety of health problems, including major ones such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It has been estimated that as high as 80% of the American population may consume insufficient quantities of EFAs.

Very few health issues have received as much attention during the past several decades as the question of fat in the diet. Sixty-eight percent of mortalities in America are related to fat consumption and diet, including heart disease (44% of deaths), cancer (22%) and diabetes (2%). There are several types of dietary fats. Saturated fat is found mainly in animal products, including meat and dairy products, and avocados, and nuts. Cholesterol is a dietary fat that is only found in animal products. Cholesterol is also made by the body in small amounts from saturated fats. Heavy consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol has been linked to heart disease and cancer. Unsaturated fats are typically oils from vegetables, nuts, and are present in some fish. These are considered the healthiest dietary fats. Essential fatty acids are unsaturated fats. EFAs are the only fats that may need to be increased in the American diet.

Scientists classify essential fatty acids into two types, omega 3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, depending on their chemical composition. Technically, the omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, and two others called EPA and DHA. Alpha-linolenic acid is found mainly in flaxseed oil, canola oil, soybeans, walnuts, hemp seeds, and dark green leafy vegetables. Stearidonic acid is found in rarer types of seeds and nuts, including black currant seeds. EPA and DHA are present in cold-water fish, including salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel and cod. Cod liver oil is a popular nutritional supplement for omega-3 EFAs.
Omega-6 fatty acids are more common in the Asian diet than the omega-3 EFAs. These include linoleic acid, which is found in safflower, olive, almond, sunflower, hemp, soybean, walnut, pumpkin, sesame, and flaxseed oils. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is found in some seeds and evening primrose oil. Arachidonic acid (AA) is present in meat and animal products.

Both types of EFAs, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, are necessary in a healthy diet. Deficiencies of EFAs have been brought about by changes in diet and the modern processing of foods and oils. Many nutritionists believe that a major dietary problem is the use of hydrogenated oils, which are present in margarine and many processed foods.

Hydrogenated oils are highly refined by industrial processes, and contain toxic by-products and trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids are fat molecules with chemically altered structures, and are believed to have several detrimental effects on the body. Trans-fatty acids interfere with the absorption of healthy EFAs, and may contribute to atherosclerosis, or damage to the arteries. Deep-fried foods, which are cooked in oil that is altered by very high temperatures, also contain trans-fatty acids.

Dietary changes that have contributed to EFA deficiency or imbalances include the increased use of oils that contain few or no omega-3 EFAs; the industrial milling of flour that removes the EFA-containing germ; the increase of sugar and fried foods in the diet that may interfere with the body’s absorption of EFAs; and the decreased consumption of fish.

Symptoms of EFA deficiency or imbalance include dry or scaly skin, excessively dry hair, cracked fingernails, fatigue, weakness, frequent infections, allergies, mood disorders, hyperactivity, depression, memory and learning problems, slow wound healing, aching joints, poor digestion, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol.
EFA supplementation is recommended for over 60 health conditions. EFAs are used therapeutically to treat and to prevent cardiovascular problems, including heart disease, high cholesterol, strokes, and high blood pressure. EFAs also have anti-inflammatory effects in the body, and are used in the nutritional treatment of arthritis, asthma, allergies, and skin conditions (e.g., eczema). EFAs are used as support for immune system disorders including AIDS, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and cancer.

Common EFA supplements are flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant seed oil, hemp seed oil, and cod liver oil. Consumers should search for supplements that contain both omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs, because imbalances of EFAs may occur if either is taken in excess over long periods of time.

Be well

Dr Sundardas