For years, I’ve been telling you that inflammation is at the root of all chronic illnesses. And I’ve talked at great length about an anti-inflammatory diet and herbal supplements to cool down inflammation. But inflammation isn’t the cause of these health problems. It’s a result of them. The real culprits are often something that we overlook.

If all you’re doing is treating inflammation, you’re missing an important step in fighting chronic conditions like cancer, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and stomach ulcers. You need to treat this overlooked cause as well or you’ll never get well. That was what Susan found.

Susan had severe digestive problems that just got worse over time. Her doctor was unable to find an answer to her severe stomach pain, cramping, extreme exhaustion, and bloody diarrhea. Clearly, the diarrhea was a sign of inflammation, but anti-inflammatory herbs didn’t help. Her doctor sent her for a colonoscopy to rule out cancer. It came back clear. He also had his office’s lab check her stools for E. coli bacteria. Nothing.

Frustrated, Susan turned to a team of integrative health care professionals who ran a barrage of tests through a more thorough lab. And not only did they find the cause of her inflammatory problems, but solutions that worked immediately. Her problem was an overgrowth of a pathogenic bacterium that didn’t show up at her first doctor’s limited lab test. It responded to a specific antibiotic this new lab was able to identify.

In some cases, bacterium is clearly recognized as being one cause of an inflammatory disease, like with Susan’s problems. They’re also a problem with stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori. In other cases, like with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), some but not all researchers are convinced that bacterial infections play a major role. Any way you look at it, bacteria are worth considering as the source of a chronic inflammatory problem.

Let’s take a look at a few chronic illnesses that have their origins in inflammation. You may be able to identify the bacterial culprit yourself. Or you may want to do what Susan did and work with a knowledgeable doctor of integrative medicine. In a minute, I’ll tell you how to find one.

What we know

We now know that bacteria are the cause of a host of health problems, not just digestive problems. Here are a few:

Ulcers: We know that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori causes many peptic ulcers. This microorganism occurs in the stomach and duodenum, the first part of the small intestines. An overgrowth can lead to both ulcers and stomach cancer. A Carbon-14-Urea breath test or a Carbon-13-Urea breath test can help your doctor identify this bacterium.

One of the most effective natural treatments for ulcers is a supplement that combines two amino acids (L-histidine and beta-alanine) with zinc. This formula is zinc-carnosine. It has a healing rate of about 65% after two months of treatment. It has anti-inflammatory properties and inhibits the H. pylori bacteria. You can find this formula in health food stores or from Klaire Labs under the name GastroZin (888-488-2488).

Alzheimer’s disease (AD): Alois Alzheimer, the “father” of AD, suggested 100 years ago that microorganisms contribute to the formation of the amyloid plaques found in AD. It’s also known that chronic bacterial infections may cause these plaques, along with dementia and brain atrophy. Given the right conditions, including a genetic predisposition, pathogens can live in infected tissues and cause both chronic inflammation and amyloid deposits.

In addition to any other therapies for AD, I suggest taking a broad-based anti-inflammatory and antibacterial formula like Reduloxin (800-791-3395), containing turmeric and herbs. It could stop the progression of AD if caught early, and possibly prevent it. In addition, take probiotics like Advanced Probiotic Formula (800-791-3395) or Culturelle (888-488-2488).

What we suspect

Growing evidence suggests that the following conditions may have bacteria to blame:

Breast cancer: It looks like there is a connection between an intestinal bacteria overgrowth and some breast cancers. A gastroenterologist, Dr. Ece Mutlu, at Rush University Medical Centre in Chicago, is presently researching this. She is looking to compare the bacteria in women with breast cancer to those who are cancer-free.

Mutlu is aware that a high-fat diet alters intestinal bacteria, and that this diet is a risk factor for breast cancer. She also knows that some bacteria can directly affect estrogen absorption — and estrogen is a recognized risk factor for breast cancer, as well.

Mutlu is looking to find and identify the intestinal bacteria connected with breast cancer. Her next step will be to find specific probiotics or prebiotics that can reduce the colonies of carcinogenic bacteria.

Until we can identify these beneficial bacteria, I suggest you eat a low-fat diet and include foods containing probiotics in your daily diet. This includes sauerkraut, yogurt, and other fermented foods, as well as taking probiotic supplements like the aforementioned Advanced Probiotic Formula.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Susan had symptoms of IBS. Mark Pimentel, MD, is a doctor who has looked for the cause of these symptoms. Years of research have led him to the conclusion that the cause of IBS, at least in many cases, is excessive amounts of bacteria in the small intestines. Susan’s team of doctors felt that her symptoms were caused by a bacterial overgrowth.

Instead of looking for one or two bacterium in an office lab, Susan’s team sent stool samples to Doctor’s Data, a lab known for being extremely thorough (800-323-2784). Her Comprehensive Stool Analysis Parasitology x3 test identified both the culprit and the pharmaceutical and natural solutions that would eradicate them.

You may need this test or a different one. The folks at Doctor’s Data will help your doctors decide which test is most appropriate for you. These tests, which are usually covered by Medicare, must be ordered by a health care professional. If you don’t have a doctor who will order these tests, call Doctor’s Data and ask them for the names of a few doctors in your area who use them.

Antimicrobials

So how can you kill bacteria? The most obvious answer is antibiotics. But the problem with pharmaceutical antibiotics is that if you rely on them, you are likely to get antibiotic resistance. In fact, there are few antibiotics that are safe and effective when taken over long periods of time – like three months or more. But there are numerous plant-based antimicrobials you can try for any inflammatory and antibiotic condition. Some of the most effective ones I’ve seen and used are berberine (the active ingredient in Goldenseal and Oregon Grape), ginger root, and grapefruit seed extract.

In his research, Dr. Pimentel has found a pharmaceutical antibiotic that doesn’t cause resistance and does treat the bacterial overgrowth associated with IBS and small intestine overgrowth (SIBO). It’s called Rifaximin.

SIBO is a condition Pimentel identified that’s characterized by abnormally high amounts of aerobic and anaerobic coliform bacteria. Several studies showed that systemic antibiotics like Rifaximin eliminated SIBO and improved symptoms without causing resistance. In fact, if Rifaximin was successful initially, re-treatment was successful in over 80% of IBS patients no matter how many or how few treatments they had.

Other inflammatory conditions

The bottom line is to not just treat inflammation. If you have any chronic condition, look at both inflammation and bacterial overgrowth and treat both. It’s worth the trouble to identify pathogenic bacteria and find effective ways of controlling them. In fact, it may be the only way to eliminate your health problems. If your doctor needs help deciphering which of many probiotic strains are most appropriate for your condition, he or she can contact Dr. Stephen Olmstead of Klaire Laboratories (888-488-2488). But please don’t call him. He works only directly with health care professionals.

Pimentel, M. “Review of rifaximin as treatment for SIBO and IBS, ” Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2009 March;18(3):349-58.

Pimentel, Mark. A New IBS Solution, Health Point Press, 2006.

A Simple, Inexpensive Solution for Pain From Breast Cancer Treatment

I used to think that it was best to avoid chemotherapy and radiation because of their toxicity. But after observing and working with cancer patients who opted for both conventional and integrative medical treatments, I’m convinced that a combination of chemotherapy, radiation, IV infusions, effective detoxification, and selective supplements is much more effective than any of these alone.

Take aromatase inhibitors

Aromatase inhibitors are drugs that block the production of estrogen. Doctors use them to shrink tumors and prevent the recurrence of breast and ovarian cancers in postmenopausal women with early-stage estrogen-receptor positive cancer. Aromatase inhibitors (Arimidex, Aromasin, or Femara) have fewer side effects and more benefits than tamoxifen. But they can lead to osteoporosis, heart problems, and joint pain.

I’ve talked before about ways to prevent heart disease and bone loss. But I never addressed the joint and muscle pain that often accompanies the use of aromatase inhibitors. This pain is the most common side effect of aromatase inhibitors, and it’s the reason why many women stop taking them. Unless they can control this pain, they may not be able to take advantage of the positive effects from these drugs.

And there can be real benefits of taking aromatase inhibitors. They’re the most beneficial hormonal therapy in early stage cancers. And if you switch to an aromatase inhibitor after taking tamoxifen for two to three years (for a total of five years), you get better results than if you take tamoxifen alone.

We know that tamoxifen reduces the risk of a cancer recurrence, but it’s only safe to take this drug for up to five years. One option is to take tamoxifen for five years followed by aromatase inhibitors for another five years giving you 10 years of protection. Simply speaking, aromatase inhibitors buy you time.

Natural way to relieve the pain

Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a way to relieve the joint and muscle pain that often accompanies aromatase inhibitors, allowing women to continue taking these medications. Unlike most other solutions, this one is easily available, inexpensive, and non-toxic.

These researchers noticed that some patients on aromatase inhibitors had less pain when they took high doses of vitamin D. So they found 60 patients who had this pain and divided them into two groups. One group took 400 IU (considered the recommended daily dose), plus a capsule of 50,000 IU once a week. The control group took just the 400 IU amount and a placebo. The patients who took the high-dose vitamin D had significantly less pain.

Which form of vitamin D is best?

There are two kinds of vitamin D: vitamin D3 and vitamin D2. In most cases, I recommend D3. However, if you’re taking vitamin D to protect against the pain from aromatase inhibitors, D2 might be better.

In a recent study, the researchers preferred to use vitamin D2. This is because the body metabolizes vitamin D2 in 7 to 10 days, while D3 stays in the body longer — which could potentially lead to some toxicity. Because vitamin D2 is eliminated from the body more quickly, it’s hard to overdose. This allows you to use higher doses. It's great to have something this simple to alleviate the pain. You can find D2 at any health food store.

Rastelli, A.L., M.E. Taylor, F. Gao, R. Armamento-Villareal, S. Jamalabadi-Majidi, N. Napoli, and M.J. Ellis. “Vitamin D and aromatase inhibitor-induced musculoskeletal symptoms (AIMSS): a phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.” Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. Online June 2011.

Simple, Effective Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself From Getting Alzheimer’s Disease

From what I hear, more people are afraid of getting Alzheimer’s disease (AD) today than cancer. You can fight cancer and win, but AD is progressive and incurable. AD means a gradual, permanent loss of self and one’s own awareness of the world, and this is enough to frighten anyone. Alzheimer’s is also on the rise, so we’re hearing more about it, along with its possible treatments.

One option is to take supplements that destroy the plaque and other waste products in the brain associated with AD, like vitamin D. You may remember that I spoke about taking vitamin D and turmeric supplements for this very reason last October. At that time, I explained their role in breaking up the plaque associated with this disease and gave you specific recommendations for the amounts to take. However, there’s more to this subject than finding and taking particular supplements.

Vitamin D, turmeric, and other supplements that target the brain may, indeed, help slow down, stop, or even prevent AD. But so can certain foods. Today, I want to help you protect your memory by telling you about a number of common foods that have been found to be protective against AD. They’re based on some of the latest scientific research. These foods are all components of a healthful diet. By emphasizing them in your meals on a regular basis, you can not only lower your risk for age-related memory problems like AD. You may be able to stop its natural progression.

There are many factors that affect Alzheimer’s, including your genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and nutrition. Although genetics is one aspect of AD, you may still be able to over-ride it with dietary changes. There isn’t a single nutrient, or food, that will preserve your memory. But if you tip the scales with a nutrient-dense diet that affects neurons in your brain, you can influence the health of your brain. Since antioxidants play a role in most chronic illnesses, let’s look at foods high in the particular antioxidants that support brain health in relation to AD.

Not any antioxidant will do

In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (JAD), researchers measured various antioxidants in the blood of 1,500 seniors with an average age of 78.9 years. Some antioxidants were helpful, while others weren’t. So don’t just take every antioxidant you can. Concentrate on those found in studies to affect memory.

For instance, vitamin C and beta-carotene were two nutrients found to be significantly lower in the patients with AD. This is a compelling reason to increase the intake of foods high in these two specific antioxidants.

You may remember hearing that beta-carotene, a plant substance that the body converts into vitamin A, is toxic when you take it in high amounts. This is especially true for smokers. But when you get your beta-carotene from foods, it’s safe. This is because your body turns beta-carotene into vitamin A only as it’s needed. Vitamin A supplements may be toxic for some people in high amounts, but beta carotene-rich foods are not. So begin by including fruits and vegetables that are red or orange into your diet to get more beta-carotene, along with some citrus and potatoes for vitamin C.

The case for berries

Berries of all kinds are among my favorite fruits. They’re not only delicious, they help prevent age-related memory problems. In a review of recent research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2012), scientists found that berries change the way neurons in the brain communicate. What do these changes in signaling actually do? They prevent inflammation in the brain that contributes to neuronal damage and improves cognition.

Several scientific studies indicate that the flavonoids and polyphenols from berries get stored in the brain where they can nourish neurons. The idea is to keep these beneficial nutrients circulating in the brain where they can help neurons maintain proper functioning as you age.

When you add berries to your diet on a regular basis, you may be preventing age-related neurodegeneration (a lack of function of neurons). This includes not only AD, but Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other neurological conditions as well. So make berries part of your daily dietary regime. Frozen berries and fruit-only berry jams are plentiful when fresh berries are not in season.

The tea that can save your memory

You may have heard that green tea is beneficial for the brain. The active ingredient in green tea, EGCG, can increase the production of nerve cells in the brain that are similar to stem cells. They are able to turn into numerous kinds of cells, which may explain how EGCG protects against Alzheimer’s. But not all green teas are alike. Some are more potent than others.

All varieties of green tea are much higher in antioxidants than some of the highest-in-antioxidant foods like pomegranates or blueberries. And of all the varieties of green tea, Matcha is by far the most potent. In fact, one glass of Matcha is equal to 10 glasses of ordinary green tea in nutritional value and antioxidants.

Matcha is a finely ground, powdered green tea. When ordinary green tea is mixed with water, much of its beneficial nutrients are trapped in the dried leaves. But when you mix Matcha with hot water, you are consuming all of its nutrients.

You can find Matcha tea on the Internet and in health food stores. One way to enjoy it is to make a latte by whipping hot Matcha with milk or soy milk.

How much you eat matters

It’s not just what you eat, but how much, that affects your brain. A Mayo Clinic study looked at more than 1,000 people with no dementia between the ages of 70 and 89. One third of them ate from 600 and 1,526 calories a day, one third ate between 1,526 and 2,143, and the third group ate from 2,143 and 6,000 calories. Those who ate the highest amount of calories were nearly twice as likely to have mild cognitive impairment – that stage between normal age-related memory loss and early AD.

Von Arnim, Christine A.F., Florian Herbolsheimer, Thorsten Nikolaus, Richard Peter, Hans K. Biesalski, Albert C. Ludolph, Matthias Riepe, Gabriele Nagel, and the ActiFE Ulm study group. “Dietary Antioxidants and Dementia in a Population-Based Case-Control Study among Older People in South Germany.” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2012 DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2012-120634.

Willis, L.M., B. Shukitt-Hale, J.A. Joseph. “Recent advances in berry supplementation and age-related cognitive decline, Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2009 January;12(1):91-4.

Wang, Yanyan, Maoquan Li, Xueqing Xu, Min Song, Huansheng Tao, and Yun Bai. “Green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) promotes neural progenitor cell proliferation and sonic hedgehog pathway activation during adult hippocampal neurogenesis,” Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, September 2012, doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201200035.

Shepherd, Rupert, B.Sc. “Overeating Linked to Memory Loss.” Medical News Today. 2012, February 14. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241589.php.

NUTRITION DETECTIVE

This Pasta Is Made From a Fruit and Tastes Better Than Whole Wheat

Whole-wheat flour is healthier than enriched white flour, which is why many people eat whole-wheat pasta. But both are no-no’s for anyone on a gluten-free diet. With recognition of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity on the rise, more people than ever before are choosing to eat gluten-free.

One problem with many of the gluten-free pastas is that they are too sticky and chewy, and not very tasty. But gluten-free pastas are about to undergo a revision. The solution is pasta that not only tastes better than its whole-wheat counterpart. It’s lower in fat and higher in protein than pasta made with wheat. And as strange as it may seem, the makers didn’t use any grains. They made it from a fruit.

Researchers from the University of Brazil have developed a pasta made from green banana flour that tastes better than whole-wheat pasta. They tested it on 50 people who did not have celiac disease and 25 who did.

The whole-wheat pasta contained whole-wheat flour and whole eggs. The gluten-free pasta had green banana flour, egg whites, and gums. The egg whites and gums made the pasta less sticky than other gluten-free pastas. Another plus was that it had 98% less fat.

When both groups of taste testers compared the whole-wheat pasta with the pasta made from bananas, they found the modified pasta had better aroma, flavor, texture, and overall quality. This is good news, because green bananas have a low commercial value. The market for manufacturers of pasta products and banana farmers is ripe for an inexpensive banana pasta, even though it sounds strange.

You won’t find this pasta in natural food stores or supermarkets yet. But I predict you will. When it does appear — as it undoubtedly will — be sure to pick some up and try it with your favorite pasta dishes. And remember that you heard it here first.

Zandonadi, Renata Puppin, Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho, Lenora Gandolfi, Janini Selva Ginani, Flávio Martins Montenegro, and Riccardo Pratesi. “Green Banana Pasta: An Alternative for Gluten-Free Diets.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2012; 112 (7).

LETTERS

Q: I have a friend who can’t eat apples, even when she chews them well. They give her horrible gas whether they’re cooked or raw. What can she do to change this reaction? — S.F., e-mail

A: There may not be anything your friend can do except avoid eating apples. She may be one of around 35% of the population that suffers from a condition called fructose malabsorption (FM). It may be hard to believe, but apples, pears, and even melons are healthful fruits that can cause bloating and stomach pains because they’re high in fructose and hard for some people to digest.

Usually, fructose is digested in the small intestines. But in people with FM, the fructose molecules pass undigested into the large intestines, where they ferment and produce painful gas. When someone with this sensitivity eats foods high in fructose, they get reactions that doctors often misdiagnose as irritable bowel syndrome or chronic fatigue.

The solution is to avoid all fruits for a while, and then introduce small quantities of low fructose fruits, like berries, into the diet. Of course, if your friend eats a diet containing high fructose corn syrup, as in many sodas and processed sweets, or if she drinks fruit juices, she’ll find that they will also cause gas.
Some vegetables are also high in fructose and should be eliminated for a few weeks, then eaten sparingly. They include onions, asparagus, artichokes, Jerusalem artichokes, radicchio, and endives.

The bottom line is that if you have a lot of gas, look at the fruits and vegetables you’re eating and see if you can identify some that are causing digestive problems. You may just have FM.

Q: I’ve heard a lot about how drinking wine can be beneficial for the heart, but I’d rather drink beer. Are there any studies on beer and heart disease? — M.S., e-mail

A: As a matter of fact, an Italian group recently conducted a study with over 200,000 people. It was the first to look at the association between alcohol consumption and heart disease. And I have good news for you. This large study found that regular, moderate beer drinking had a similar effect as wine on the heart.

This brings up an interesting question: Just what is it in beer that protects against heart disease? Not resveratrol. Beer doesn’t contain resveratrol — the protective chemical in wine that lowers the risk of heart disease. But both beer and wine do contain polyphenols — a classification of antioxidants — although the specific polyphenols in each are different.

As with wine, the reduction in cardiovascular disease for beer is dose dependent. For maximum protection, as with wine, drink one to two glasses daily. Binge drinking either beer or wine — or drinking more than this amount — cancels out its protection.

Although there are no studies on this yet, alternating beer and wine may work just as well as drinking one or the other. The key is to drink moderate amounts daily.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/237750.php.