Robin knows her body very well. She has had type-1 diabetes for more than 30 years. And new complications are always possible. Robin already has some arthritis in her hands and changes in her vision. But for someone with so many health challenges, she’s in pretty darn good shape.

One reason is that whenever she notices even a minor change in her health, Robin looks for the cause and addresses it — naturally whenever possible. And she communicates closely with her doctor. Together, they stumbled upon a little-known side effect from a simple food ingredient. What they discovered could reduce your pain and inflammation from arthritis.

The last time she went to her doctor’s, Robin mentioned that the pain in her fingers had worsened. Her doctor admitted to Robin that she suffered so much pain from arthritis in her own hands several years ago that she seriously considered going on disability. Then this doctor went on a search to find the cause of her pain. She found it. The culprit was hidden in her non-dairy creamer.

This particular non-dairy creamer was the same brand that Robin had recently started using. So Robin went back to her original creamer. To her amazement, her pain stopped in two days!

Naturally, she was excited. She couldn’t wait to tell her daughter-in-law, Judy, about this resolution to her pain. Judy also suffered from painful arthritis. Like Robin, Judy had been using this same creamer. When she stopped, her pain disappeared in just three days!

Robin was sensitive to dairy, which is why she used a non-dairy creamer in the first place. But now she realized that something in that creamer was causing severe inflammatory problems. She just didn’t know what it was or why it affected her.

I wanted to know what was going on, so I started digging around. What I found may shock you. Robin’s new non-dairy creamer may have been dairy-free. But it contained a highly processed dairy-based ingredient that caused her pain. And her doctor’s. And Judy’s.

If eating dairy products gives you unwanted symptoms, you may be sensitive to the lactose or casein they contain. Or as Robin discovered, they may come from a dairy-free substance that began as dairy found in non-dairy creamers, salad dressings, breath mints, and other processed foods.

Three potential problems with dairy

There are three possible problems with dairy: lactose, casein, and dairy by-products. Any of these can cause reactions in sensitive people. Robin fell into the last category. If you can identify the source of your discomfort, you can take steps to alleviate the problems.

Lactose intolerance is a condition caused by insufficient lactase, the digestive enzyme that breaks down lactose (milk sugar). As we grow older, we produce fewer enzymes of all kinds including lactase. That’s why some people “suddenly” experience digestive problems when they eat dairy. Lactose intolerance can cause bloating, diarrhea or constipation, and abdominal pain. The solution is simple. Don’t eat dairy. Or, when you do, take lactase enzyme pills with your meal or snack. You can find them in any pharmacy or health food store.

Casein is the protein in dairy. It can trigger an immune response and cause a rash, fatigue, or inflammation. You’ll find it in dairy products as well as in some energy bars, protein powders, and numerous prepared foods. Surprisingly, casein is an ingredient in some soy products to boost their protein content.

A study published in the journal Allergy found that both allergic and non-allergic patients had antibodies to casein in their blood. It concluded that casein, not lactose, is the major allergenic component in cow’s milk. Casein can trigger inflammation in sensitive people. And inflammation equals pain. If you can’t digest casein, you can take an enzyme that will help. This enzyme is the same one that helps digest gluten.

What most people don’t know is that sodium caseinate, an ingredient in some non-dairy creamers and other foods, can also cause inflammation.

Non-dairy but still a problem

Sodium caseinate comes from casein, so it begins as dairy. Manufacturers add it to some processed foods as an emulsifier to improve their texture. The sodium caseinate in non-dairy creamers thickens and whitens the product. It also improves the texture in hot dogs and luncheon meats. Eating any of these foods can cause your arthritis pain.

However, not all sodium caseinate causes problems. It depends on the processing methods and your sensitivity to it.

Manufacturers alter the caseinate in non-dairy creamers and other processed foods. The FDA says it is no longer considered dairy. As long as a food label includes the words “a milk derivative” after “sodium caseinate,” they can market and sell it as “non-dairy.”

Some products containing sodium caseinate can cause serious health problems. This is because the processing can produce contaminants. Unfortunately, the level of these contaminants often is below detectible levels. You can determine whether or not they’re causing problems only by a process of elimination.

It was these contaminants, not dairy, that caused Robin’s pain. Food manufacturers don’t know whether or not the raw materials they use cause symptoms. They just know they’re using an ingredient that improves the texture of their products.

What’s more, sodium caseinate won’t cause problems in everyone. It only affects people who are particularly sensitive to it. In Robin’s case, it was sheer luck that her doctor had the same sensitivity and was able to suggest a solution.

If you’re not sure whether or not dairy is responsible for your health problems, eliminate all foods containing milk solids, casein, sodium caseinate, caseinate, or lactose for two weeks. Then slowly reintroduce them and notice if any of them caused your problems.

If it does, avoiding it will likely eliminate your arthritis pain. Of course, avoiding casein is just about as difficult as avoiding gluten. Restaurants don’t label their menus “Casein Free.” Many don’t even know about it yet. And they can hide in processed foods and condiments. So how can you still eat out and avoid the painful symptoms associated with casein?

It’s easy. Gluten Sensitivity Formula works to digest both gluten and casein. You can find it through Advanced Bionutritionals (800-791-3395). Take one capsule when you’re eating out to prevent a possible reaction from exposure to either of these proteins.

www.whfoods.org

Allergy, April 29, 2007.

Taking an Aspirin a Day Won’t Protect Your Heart — But This Will

If your doctor tells you to take a daily aspirin to protect your heart, refuse. Tell him aspirin doesn’t lower your risk for having a heart attack if you’re a woman. In fact, it takes more than two million aspirin tablets to prevent a single heart attack. And it has an additional problem. Aspirin only lowers your chance of having a second, fatal heart attack by 10%.

It’s true that aspirin can benefit your heart by thinning your blood. That’s what it does best. It can also prevent clots in coronary arteries. But it does this only in doses higher than those most doctors recommend for heart protection. These few benefits come with a high price, like bleeding in the brain or stomach, heartburn, and nausea.

In fact, the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin has said that the negligible impact aspirin has on lowering deaths from heart attacks makes it a poor choice to use routinely. This is especially true when you consider the potential risk of serious bleeding.

Fortunately, you don’t have to depend on aspirin for your heart. I’ve found something that’s more effective — and safer. What’s more, it can protect you from damage caused by a heart attack. It’s resveratrol — the protective molecule found in the skin and seeds of grapes, and in red wine.

Like aspirin, resveratrol thins the blood and inhibits blood clots. But it does even more. It acts like Teflon in the arteries, preventing plaque from sticking to your artery walls. And it has an action that outperforms those from aspirin. It gets cardiac tissues ready to withstand the effects of a heart attack. This pre-conditioning effect alone makes resveratrol a better choice than aspirin.

How it works

Our bodies naturally produce a chemical called adenosine. Adenosine does a number of important things. It’s a component of RNA and DNA, and it helps regulate your heart’s rhythms. In fact, pharmaceutical companies produce adenosine. They use it as a drug in people with arrhythmias. And it does much more with the help of resveratrol.

Resveratrol releases some of your body’s natural adenosine, which activates protective antioxidants in the heart. And it does this before a heart attack occurs. Scientists call this phenomenon “pre-conditioning.” It limits the amount of damage caused by a heart attack if you should have one.

So resveratrol protects your heart by preparing it for a heart attack. In fact, Dr. Dipak Das, a resveratrol researcher and director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, says this pre-conditioning effect is “the best yet devised method of cardioprotection.”

You can’t take just a little resveratrol to get this pre-conditioning effect. Dr. Das says it takes 175-350 mg to reduce damage during a heart attack. There are a variety of resveratrol products on the market. Most of the more powerful ones contain either smaller molecules for greater bioavailability, or other anti-inflammatory and antioxidants to boost resveratrol’s effects. These are the most likely to be effective.

One product that uses a micronized resveratrol with co-factors from other plants is Longevinex®. You can find it on the Internet. Another high potency resveratrol formula — the one I take — is Advanced Resveratrol Formula from Advanced Bionutritionals (800-791-3395). It contains resveratrol from both red wine and Japanese knotweed, along with extracts of resveratrol’s own antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.

There are two forms of resveratrol: trans-resveratrol and cis-resveratrol. Researchers believe the trans-resveratrol is better absorbed (and is more expensive) than the cis-resveratrol. Don’t try to save a few dollars for an inferior product. Take a product that contains trans-resveratrol. Remember: If you’re getting enough resveratrol, you should be getting the heart protection you want without the false security you get from aspirin.

Das, S. and D.K. Das. “Resveratrol: a therapeutic promise for cardiovascular diseases.” Recent Pat Cardiovasc Drug Discov, 2007 June; 2(2):133-8.

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, November 2009.

This Surprising Trigger for Gluten Intolerance May Explain Why We Suddenly Get Sick

Nearly two years ago, a three-day virus — one unlike anything I’d ever experienced — laid me low. It was the first flu (or cold) I had suffered in eight years (and I’ve had nothing since due to my intense immune-supporting program). But this virus slipped in. For three days, I had a very high temperature, loss of appetite, no energy, and a headache that wouldn’t go away. This may sound a lot like the swine flu, but at that time the swine flu was unheard of. I don’t know the name of my virus, but I know it triggered a series of health problems. Including, surprisingly enough, gluten intolerance.

You might think of the sudden appearance of these health problems as coincidences. But I had a nagging suspicion that they were all connected. I felt certain that my virus was responsible for my rapid weight loss, exhaustion, and even the awakening of sleeping parasites from a prior trip to China. What I didn’t understand was how or if a sudden gluten intolerance could be linked to this virus. I suspected it was. But I had nothing to base this on other than a strong intuition. Then I read a study that explained my recent inability to digest wheat and other grains.

The study came from the Academy of Finland’s Research Program on Nutrition, Food, and Health. These researchers followed thousands of Finns with gluten intolerance. They found a virus can trigger this condition. In the past, we’ve thought that the genes that cause gluten intolerance inhibit the digestion of gluten. It looks like we were wrong. This study found that some genes are linked to the immune systems’ defense against viruses.

Viruses lower immunity and cause inflammation. They can trigger a gluten intolerance in some people. Age, inflammation, diet, nutrient deficiencies, stress, environmental toxins, and lack of sleep are just some of the other conditions that can lower immunity. Interestingly, another Finnish study found that older people — whose immune systems are often low — had twice the amount of gluten intolerance as children.

It appears that many people have genes that carry a high risk of developing gluten intolerance. This is an inherited disorder. For many, it’s totally asymptomatic. For others, it leads to full-blown celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that can damage the small intestines and cause uncomfortable digestive problems and nutrient deficiencies. An ordinary gluten intolerance that’s not genetic can cause some of the same symptoms.

Even if eating wheat, rye, or barley causes you no distress, if you have a gluten intolerance, it could cause serious problems. In my case, I think my virus suddenly lowered my immunity enough to activate the genes that predisposed me to gluten intolerance.

Viruses are like earthquakes. One of any magnitude can strike anyone without warning. You can guard against viruses, but that’s no guarantee that you’ll escape them. If a particularly strong virus hits, here’s what you need to know:
Viruses can trigger chronic fatigue, allergies, autoimmune diseases, depression, poor memory, and many more conditions. After you get any virus, pay close attention to new symptoms and take them seriously. They may be signs of another problem that has just surfaced.

Don’t assume that a virus is under control just because you feel better. Be patient and take time to heal fully. It may take a year or two — or more — to fully recover from the effects of a particularly virulent virus.

Know you can recover with the proper treatment. Throughout my healing process, I knew I’d get better. I just didn’t know how long it would take. Now, almost two years later, I’m nearly back to normal. I’ve gained back most of the weight I’d lost, I feel strong. And I’m on a gluten-free diet for life.

The older you are, and the more stressed your immune system becomes, the more likely a virus will trigger another illness. The earlier you catch it, the faster and more completely you’ll heal. Get extra sleep — eight hours a night. Eat the healthiest foods you can. In addition to any other nutrients you take for your particular condition, include immune-regulating medicinal mushrooms, such as MycoPhyto Plus and 5,000 IU of vitamin D as the foundations of your program. Both of these are available from Advanced Bionutritionals (800-791-3395).

Be sensitive to any changes in your body and emotions. If they persist, see your health care provider. Even though it may seem unlikely, a virus may trigger another health problem.

Dubois, et al. “Multiple common variants for celiac disease influencing immune gene expression,” Nature Genetics, 2010; DOI: 10.1038/ng.543.

NUTRITION DETECTIVE

How to Prevent Radiation From Destroying Your Immune System

For some people, radiation is not an option. It’s key to surviving breast cancer. The problem is that radiation damages the immune cells needed for survival. So what can you do that will maximize the benefits of radiation while minimizing its harm? Some people turn to antioxidants as part of their radiation protocol.

Is this safe? Is it effective? Doctors and studies disagree. Some say antioxidants are safe, while others are completely opposed to this practice. They insist that antioxidant supplements can reduce the benefits of radiation.
New research may have settled this debate. In fact, the issue could simply be a matter of timing.

A group of researchers at Henry Ford’s Department of Radiation Oncology made an unexpected discovery. They found that when you take antioxidants determines the safety and effectiveness of radiation. They exposed groups of mice to food either with or without antioxidants at three different times. They gave them the antioxidants 12, 24, or 48 hours after radiation treatment.

One month later, none of the mice receiving food without antioxidants had survived. Of those that ate the food with antioxidants, one group had the greatest survival rate. The ones that had taken antioxidants 24 hours after treatment had the best survival rate. Only four out of 14 mice taking antioxidants soon after irradiation survived.

Why did waiting one day after radiation exposure before giving protective antioxidants work so well? It gave the radiation enough time to kill cancer cells, but not too long to damage bone marrow cells — and destroy their immune system.

The antioxidants don’t interfere with the radiation until after it’s done its job. And then it protects your immune system. These antioxidants included alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), vitamins C and E, and CoQ10. Other antioxidants could prove to be just as effective.

Radiation can save lives, but it can also damage immune cells. Whatever we damage with a substance like radiation needs to be repaired. Hopefully, this study will be part of a search for the optimal times to take protective nutrients when using more toxic therapies.

Meanwhile, if your oncologist tells you to stop taking antioxidants during your radiation treatments, show him or her this article. Antioxidants may not just play an important role in your cancer treatment. They may be critical to its success. But only if you take them at the right time.

Brown, Stephen L., Andrew Kolozsvary, Jianguo Liu, Kenneth A. Jenrow, Samuel Ryu, and Jae Ho Kim. “Antioxidant Diet Supplementation Starting 24 Hours After Exposure Reduces Radiation Lethality,” Henry Ford Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Detroit, Michigan 48202.

LETTERS

Q: I’d like to take Ultimate Bone Support, but I’m a 10-year survivor of hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. My concern is that this formula contains hops. My doctor told me to stay away from beer, due to the estrogenic effect of hops. In light of this, do you think the bone formula is safe for me or not? — M.L., e-mail

A: Everything points to its safety. Like many plants, hops contain a number of antioxidants called flavonoids. Several of the flavonoids in hops do have a weak estrogenic activity.

But this is actually good news, because there’s data to suggest that the flavonoids in hops may possess antiproliferative properties. This indicates potential chemoprotection against both breast and ovarian cancer.

When I researched this subject for you, I couldn’t find any reports indicating that hops or any other substances containing plant-based estrogens, were contraindicated for breast cancer.

In fact, there are numerous articles pointing to their protective qualities. Be sure to check this out with your oncologist. But make sure you ask for data to back up your doctor’s response.

Q: Can you tell me what could be causing me to have so many cramps in my ankle? I take calcium, magnesium, and other supplements. — M.F., e-mail

A: You gave me very little information for a complex subject. For instance, you may be taking a lot of supplements, but how much potassium, magnesium, and calcium? What is your level of stress? What kind of exercise do you do and how often? How well are you hydrated? The list goes on.

Lack of sufficient potassium is one possibility. If your supplements contain this mineral, try adding a banana a day to your diet. It’s high in potassium. Another possibility is the amount of calcium and magnesium in your supplements and diet.

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for long you know that calcium causes muscles to contract, while magnesium has the opposite effect. It causes muscles to relax. Many women are taking too much calcium and not enough magnesium.

For more than 25 years I’ve explained why you need no more than 500 mg of supplemental calcium a day — with at least equal amounts of magnesium. Possibly more magnesium than calcium (perhaps twice
as much).

Our diets contain added calcium in the form of dairy and green leafy vegetables. You may be getting enough dietary calcium, but not enough magnesium. You’ll find magnesium in nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

I’d begin by re-balancing your mineral consumption and make sure you’re not
taking too much calcium. Without sufficient magnesium, it can’t get into your bones. Instead, it collects in joints and arteries, which can lead to arthritis or atherosclerosis.

Consider your cramping a sign of an imbalance. By correcting it, you may avoid more serious problems in the future, as well as your present pain.