Eight Natural Remedies for Spring Allergies

With 50 million Americans suffering from allergies, it is no wonder that there are so many drug choices to treat the symptoms.[1]  A nationwide survey found that 54.6 percent of all US citizens test positive for one or more allergens.[2]  Unfortunately, over-the-counter medications are often either ineffective, or cause untoward side-effects.

Every year I search for the best natural remedies to treat spring allergies.  If you are an allergy sufferer, you know that spring with its burst of colors, rings in the season of itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion and postnasal drip, to name a few symptoms.  In the worst of cases, spring allergies will turn into a sinus infection.  However, if you attend to the symptoms early on or better yet, prevent them, you can ward off these consequences.

Here are my top choices for 2012:

1. Medicine at the tip of your fork:  Ok, it’s as much what you eat, as what you don’t eat.  This is probably the hardest thing for people to hear and implement, but it is so dramatically helpful in most circumstances, that I have to bring it to the top of the list.  Eliminate wheat, dairy and sugar, and you may be surprised at how your sinuses clear up within a week or two.

2.  Vitamin C and Quercetin: This power combination of two super-antioxidants puts a damper on our allergy superstars – the mast cell.  Mast cells release histamine, which is the major cause for the allergy symptoms people experience.

Take a combination of Vitamin C 1500mg with Quercetin 500mg.  Dosing has to be repeated throughout the day, every 4-6 hours, to help reduce symptoms.  A favorite product, Natural D-Hist, very effectively combines these two nutrients with stinging nettle leaf extract, bromelain (pineapple enzyme), and N-acetyl cysteine (mucous thinner) to dry out a runny nose and reduce sneezing attacks.

3. Sabadil^®: Medicine without the side effects.  Homeopathy uses micro doses of active substances to relieve symptoms and treat diseases.  Homeopathic medicines can be tailored to the individual, but it’s also nice to have a blended product, like Sabadil^® and Children’s Sabadil^® Pellets, that address a variety of allergy-related symptoms.  Without side effects, such as drowsiness or irritability, it works naturally to relieve hay fever symptoms.  Homeopathy is always my treatment of choice for my son.

4. Stinging Nettle Leaf Tea:  Some may find the tea from this perennial “weed” in the garden with vicious stingers on the tips of its leaves to be somewhat bitter.  As they say, at times the cure is the poison.  This mellow tea should be steeped for 10-15 minutes to obtain its full benefits.  As an added plus, it alkalinizes the urine, allowing the kidneys to increase their elimination of toxins – great as part of a Spring Detox program.

5. Optique 1^®: Finally, relief for dry, itchy, burning, red eyes without the rebound effect of all those vasoconstrictors or astringents that only provide temporary relief.  Optique 1^® by Boiron is a safe blend of homeopathic ingredients that work naturally to relieve minor eye irritations caused by airborne irritants, such as pollen, dust or ragweed.  It can be used throughout the day without any risk of overdosing.

6. Neti-potting: Ahh, the dreaded neti pot.  How do you run a sterile saline solution up your nose and out the other side while leaning your head upside down over the sink without letting it run down your throat?  Simply Saline^® Allergy & Sinus Relief to the rescue!  With its easy misting bottle, I find it takes the guess work out of neti-potting.  With a 3% saline solution, it helps dry out a runny nose and flushes out allergens.

7. Steaming with essential oils:  You may have seen your grandparents doing this, and it works.  Bring water to a boil in a pot, then turn off the heat.  My secret recipe (not so secret anymore) calls for 4 drops of eucalyptus oil, 2 drops of tea tree oil, and 3 drops of rosemary essential oil.  Drape a large towel over your head, lean over the pot, and inhale deeply.  Another method would be to add the oils with water to a mister then spray in the air while taking a steaming hot shower.  Inhale and enjoy the sinus clearing effect!

8.  Acupuncture:  This ancient healing art helps temper an overactive immune system, and can provide immediate relief to swollen, irritated nasal passages.  An acupuncturist will typically apply individual, sterile acupuncture needles to the face in specific points that are reflex points for the sinuses and nose.  Far away points in the hands and feet may also be applied, helping to rebalance the energy meridians.  The debate is up as to how and why it works, but ask anyone who gets regular acupuncture and they will tell you, it helps them feel grounded and relaxed.  Who couldn’t use a bit more grounding and relaxation in our stressed out world?

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[1] American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The Allergy Report: Science Based Findings on the Diagnosis & Treatment of Allergic Disorders, 1996-2001.

[2] Arbes SJ et al. “Prevalences of positive skin test responses to 10 common allergens in the US population: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 116:377-383. 2005

Winterize your Immune System with these Superimmunity Foods

Every year as winter rolls around, we fear the cold or flu that will knock us off our feet for a week.  The winter season brings with its cooler temperatures, a wide array of cold and flu viruses that make their rounds across America.  Approximately 62 million Americans will miss days from work due to a flu-related illness this coming season.

In my recent post about the flu vaccine, I talked about natural prevention strategies for the flu.  So, you know about vitamin D, and elderberry, and zinc.  These should be part of your medicine toolkit to help ward off colds and flu.

To further winterize your immune system add the following super-immunity herbs and mushrooms to your supplement routine:

Astragalus

Astragalus is my number one favorite winter immune tonic.  A plant with long stems, pointy leaves and purple flowers, the astragalus is harvested for its roots.  Within these roots are astragalosides, plant constituents that stimulate the immune system.  It also contains other immunostimulants, such as polysaccharides,[1] beta-sitosterols, and plant flavonoids.  The polysaccharides increase immune-mediated anti-tumor activity.[2]

The dried root may be added to a soup, or taken as a decoction, made by boiling in water.  It also may be found in capsule or extract form at your local health food store.

Take 1 – 2 capsules daily or drink a decoction of the powdered root several times a week to keep your immune system strong during cold and flu season.

1,3/1,6 beta-glucans

Beta-glucans are chains of glucose molecules attached end-to-end.  They are unlike regular starch in that they have branching side-chains (1,3 or 1,6 being the most immunologically active).  Molecular chemistry aside, beta glucans are powerful “biological response modifiers” able to activate our innate immune system.[3] [4]

Several studies have shown the benefits of beta-glucans in reducing the risk of serious post-operative infections in high-risk surgical patients.[5] [6] [7]  Another study found that mice given yeast Beta-glucan with or without antibiotics were protected against anthrax infection.[8]

Most studies used 1,3 beta-glucan sourced from a yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.  However, you can also find this powerful immune system booster in several mushrooms used in every day cooking, such as Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake.

At the first signs of a cold, start taking beta -1,3/1,6 – D – glucan 100mg three times a day.  Another option is to make a superimmunity soup (see below), with all types of winter vegetables, adding the mushroom sources of 1,3/1,6 beta-glucan, and sip throughout the day.

Cordyceps

The use of Cordyceps dates back to traditional Tibetan and Chinese medicines.  Cordyceps is known in Chinese medicine as a powerful lung tonic.  It fortifies the Qi circulation in the lungs, and is especially useful for someone who is prone to bronchitis, wheezing or coughing.  It has been shown to increase respiratory capacity.[9]

Like other tonic mushrooms, it contains polysaccharides that have a fortifying effect on the immune system.[10] [11]

Take 1000 mg capsules twice a day as a means to strengthen your defenses.  It may also be prepared as a decoction by adding to boiling water, then simmering for 10 to 15 minutes.

Superimmunity Soup

When you need an immune pick-me-up, try this superimmunity soup to charge up your immune system and ward off that cold.  It contains many common vegetables that we all enjoy, but feel free to vary the recipe by adding your own winter vegetables.  You may vary the mushroom used from shiitake to reishi or maitake.  It is ideal to always add the astragalus, but it may be harder to find at your local grocery store.  Astragalus may actually require a trip to Chinatown.

Also, remove any ingredients you don’t enjoy.  For example, I am an avid cilantro lover, so I always add cilantro to my soups, but there are those among that may not share my enthusiasm.  Feel free to quietly omit the cilantro if you are one of those, but don’t tell me.  I love cilantro too much to forego it.  You can also use the soup recipe to make a vegetable stock to use in other recipes.

Here’s my recipe:

Ingredients

1 yellow onion

2 large organic carrots

2 stalks of organic celery

1 head of kale

30g dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms

30g dried astragalus root

1-2 tbsp finely chopped ginger

10 garlic cloves (chopped or whole)

1 bunch of cilantro

¼ cup olive oil

Sea salt

Ground black pepper

Directions

1. Wash and cut the vegetables
2. For extra browning and flavor, you can sauté the vegetables with olive oil or sesame oil
3. Wash the mushrooms and astragalus root and place into pot
4. Pour cold water into a large soup pot up to 3/4 full, add all vegetables, and bring to a boil
5. Lower the heat, and cook uncovered for 40 minutes
6. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste
7. Cool down and enjoy!

If you have an autoimmune condition or other chronic disease, you should consult with your doctor before taking medicinal herbs or mushrooms.

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[1] Du X, Chen X, Zhao B, et al.  Astragalus polysaccharides enhance the humoral and cellular immune responses of hepatitis B surface antigen vaccination through inhibiting the expression of transforming growth factor β and the frequency of regulatory T cells.  FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2011 Nov;63(2):228-35.

[2] Qun L, Luo Q, Zhang ZY, et al. Effects of astragalus on IL-2/IL-2R system in patients with maintained hemodialysis. Clin Nephrol. 1999 Nov;52(5):333-4.

[3] Miura, NN; Ohno N, Aketagawa J, Tamura H, Tanaka S, Yadomae T (January 1996). “Blood clearance of (1–>3)-beta-D-glucan in MRL lpr/lpr mice”. FEMS immunology and medical microbiology (England: Blackwell Publishing) 13 (1): 51–57.

[4] Vetvicka, V; Dvorak B, Vetvickova J, Richter J, Krizan J, Sima P, Yvin JC (2007-03-10). “Orally administered marine (1–>3)-beta-D-glucan Phycarine stimulates both humoral and cellular immunity”. International journal of biological macromolecules (England: Butterworth-Heinemann) 40 (4): 291–298.

[5] Babineau, TJ; Marcello P, Swails W, Kenler A, Bistrian B, Forse RA (November 1994). “Randomized phase I/II trial of a macrophage-specific immunomodulator (PGG-glucan) in high-risk surgical patients”. Annals of surgery 220 (5): 601–609.

[6] Babineau, TJ; Hackford A, Kenler A, Bistrian B, Forse RA, Fairchild PG, Heard S, Keroack M, Caushaj P, Benotti P (November 1994). “A phase II multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of three dosages of an immunomodulator (PGG-glucan) in high-risk surgical patients”. Archives of surgery 129 (11): 1204–1210.

[7] Dellinger, EP; Babineau TJ, Bleicher P, Kaiser AB, Seibert GB, Postier RG, Vogel SB, Norman J, Kaufman D, Galandiuk S, Condon RE (September 1999). “Effect of PGG-glucan on the rate of serious postoperative infection or death observed after high-risk gastrointestinal operations. Betafectin Gastrointestinal Study Group”. Archives of surgery 134 (9): 977–983.

[8] Vetvicka, V; Terayama K, Mandeville R, Brousseau P, Kournikakis B, Ostroff G (2002). “Pilot Study: Orally-Administered Yeast β1,3-glucan Prophylactically Protects Against Anthrax Infection and Cancer in Mice” (PDF). Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (Birmingham, AL : The Association) 5 (2): 5–9.

[9] Heo JC, Nam SH, Nam DY, et al.  Anti-asthmatic activities in mycelial extract and culture filtrate of Cordyceps sphecocephala J201.  Int J Mol Med. 2010 Sep;26(3):351-6.

[10] Zhang J, et al.  Effect of polysaccharide from cultured Cordyceps sinensis on immune function and anti-oxidation activity of mice exposed to (60)Co. Int Immunopharmacol. 2011 Dec;11(12):2251-7. Epub 2011 Oct 11.

[11] Lee JS, Hong EK.  Immunostimulating activity of the polysaccharides isolated from Cordyceps militaris.  Int Immunopharmacol. 2011 Sep;11(9):1226-33. Epub 2011 Apr 14.

Rebuttal to Vitamin E Study and Increased Prostate Cancer Risk

Life Extension posted a rebuttal to the SELECT study.  I think it’s interesting to read their viewpoint, so I posted here for my readers.

Rebuttal to the Recent Study on Supplements and Mortality in Older Women

So should you take any supplements?  The answer to this question cannot be based on broad generalizations made from singular studies.  I believe this is an ongoing conversation with your doctor, who hopefully sees him or herself as a team member in your care, not the sole director of it.

A recent study brought into question the utility of supplements in enhancing health, and even questioned whether supplements increased the risk of death.  What was omitted in the spectacular headlines was the author’s own conclusion:  “It is not advisable to make a causal statement of excess risk based on these observational data…”  In other words, you cannot say that supplements lead to more deaths, simply because it was observed that the group of women taking supplements seemed to have a higher mortality rate.

In rebuttal to the study’s apparent conclusions, two interesting viewpoints have been published, for which I provide links here.

Vitamin supplements: more harm than help? by Dr. Ian Chapman

Thorne Research’s Rebuttal to the Question of Safety of Dietary Supplements.  by Alan Miller, ND and Robert Roundtree, MD

The debate is on, but we need to read through these studies with a fine-tooth comb before drawing conclusions.  The sensational title in the NY Times, “More Evidence Against Vitamin Use,” is a bit fantastical given the actual conclusions that can be made from this observational study, with a number of flaws as pointed out by the two articles above.

My patients know that I recommend different types of supplements, sometimes for brief periods and targeted uses. 

First and foremost, I recommend a balanced diet rich in nutrients we can only get from whole foods. Supplements are just that — supplements.  They are not substitutes for a poor diet, no more than lipitor should be an excuse to eat a steak every night.

An integrative, functional approach to patient care takes into account the individual circumstances of each person when designing what is right for them.  To simplify care into broad statements based solely on singular study conclusions is hubris and a mistake often made in Western medicine.

A person is not a study, no more than a study is one person.

Yes, we need our studies, but we have to analyze what types of conclusions can be drawn from them carefully.  As a doctor in clinical practice, the challenge is always to interweave what we know is the best evidence with how we know the individual patient in front of us responds to treatment.  They don’t always coincide.  And therein lies the art of medicine.

Ultimately, we are in charge of our own health with our doctors as team leaders.  You should be a co-director in your healthcare.  Your doctor should be someone you can have a conversation with about these issues, and together make a decision that makes the most sense for you and your individual circumstances.  This individual approach to healthcare makes the most sense.

Start a Medicinal Herb Garden with These 5 Essential Herbs

See my latest post on Ecomii.com‘s Food and Health blog: Start a Medicinal Herb Garden with These 5 Essential Herbs.  You can grow your own medicinal herbs right in your backyard.  Preparing fresh herbs may offer higher potency than you can get from other sources.  It is the perfect way to stay connected to the amazing potential to help us heal found in plants.

Seven Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

Read my most recent post on Ecomii Food and Health Blog.  Learn natural ways to help reduce seasonal allergy symptoms due to environmental allergens.  Click here: Seven Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies.

Food as Medicine Conference 2010

Stuck in a holding pattern, due to inclement weather flying back from Washington D.C. to New York LGA, I have an opportunity to reflect on this weekend’s conference.  Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”  In our modern world, we have strayed – we have gotten lost, so removed from our food chain that we have no idea where our food comes from and how it ended up on our plates.  Some of us have forgotten what whole foods are, as we make our way through the day eating prepared, processed foods that look nothing like the plants they were once derived from (if at all).  Our drinks are spiked with artificial flavorings and excessive sweeteners.  Chips and fast food are carefully designed with the right proportions of salt, fat and sweetness to make your brain crave more and more.  In our highly technological world, we have lost our connection with the Earth, and in so doing, we have lost our connection with ourselves.

Food as Medicine was about reconnecting with the most basic, essential truth about living, whole foods = they can heal us! We had the benefit of experiencing a daily, thoughtfully and exquisitely prepared lunch by Executive Chef Rebecca Katz, author of One Bite at a Time and co-author of The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen.   Each lunch included a delicious soup made with a base of her cancer-fighting “Magic Mineral Broth.”  Study after study was presented that showed the power of a whole foods diet in healing disease, and reducing a person’s risk of developing heart disease or diabetes – among the top disease killers in this country.

We took a trip back to the origins of the human diet with Dr. John Bagnulo, who described the historical, or Paleolithic diet.  Some of the take-home points from his presentation show how far we have strayed from our original diet:

• 800 yrs ago: grain refinement came into practice to increase shelf life (since then, the food industry has manipulated chemicals and oils to find the perfect recipe for extended shelf life, including the very harmful hydrogenated oils).  Can you imagine life without bread?  Or pizza?  Or pasta?  In human history, this is a relatively new addition, while 40% of us have the gene that can make us intolerant of gluten, a component in wheat.
• 500-600 yrs ago: refined cane sugar became available (mostly to the upper classes of the time); the rise in sugar intake continues to be a major culprit in many Western diseases, including obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, and heart disease to name a few.  In fact, during WWII, when sugar imports dropped in England, the health of the population actually improved, due to the decreased intake of refined sugar.
• 60 yrs ago: Hydrogenated oils, highly concentrated sweeteners, and artificial ingredients became available (humans had survived without these prior to this, but when presented with the opportunity to experience these flavor enhancers, they just ask for more and more).   Now, it has become apparent that these additives likely contribute to hyperactivity in children, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.
• < 100 yrs ago: the End of Sustainable agriculture, as the principles of mass production from the Industrial Age infiltrate the food industry.  America is the place where everything should be available all of the time, year-round.

Sure, you say, but we’re living longer now than our ancestors did.  Modern technology has done more good than harm.  Living longer has mostly been due to modern hygiene and improved healthcare.  This is soon to change.  In the last 10 years, we are seeing the birth of a generation that may have a shortened lifespan in comparison to their parents.  1 in 3 children born after 2000 will develop diabetes at some point during their lives, and lose 10-15 years from their lifespan.¹ Their lives will be riddled with health issues, as we are now seeing heart disease and heart attacks in teenagers!

As you can see, your “health span” – the number of years you spend in “good” health – will not necessarily equal your lifespan.  We’re living longer, but not healthier.  In terms of food, our ancestors had it right.  They ate a cancer-fighting, more alkaline, pH-balanced diet and tended to move around all day.  The following figures are astonishing:

1. Our ancestors ate a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, the types of fatty acids that are beneficial to the human body, help build fluid cellular membranes (which enhances cellular communication), and reduce the creation of inflammatory cytokines in the body.  Instead, our diets have shifted in the last 50 years to an omega-6, pro-inflammatory diet.
2. Our mass-produced food is becoming depleted in such micronutrients as Magnesium, Iron, and Selenium.  Micronutrients are essential for the efficient operation of our enzymes – molecules that catalyze all of the body’s reactions.
3. We’re eating a diet that causes a chronic acid load on our bodies (which is cancer promoting)
4. Our ancestor’s diets were high in Potassium, and low in Sodium (i.e. salt).  Average Paleolithic diet = 1,000 mg Sodium daily; Average person now = 7,000 – 12,000 mg Sodium per day.  Our ancestor’s Potassium intake was 10 times greater than ours, because their diets were rich in vegetables, seeds and nuts, and low in animal protein.  Think about this the next time you pick up a bag of chips, or have French fries at a fast food restaurant.
5. We eat much less fiber, on average less than 20 gm per day, than our digestive tracts are designed to handle.  The lack of fiber in the diet is implicated in many diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and high cholesterol.

So how do we take all this information and start working to transform our diets and ourselves?  It starts with an intention.  What do you want to accomplish?  Do you want to live longer?  Do you want to be more clear-headed?  Do you want to have more stamina and energy?  Do you want to be able to bend your knees and sit on the floor to play with your kids or grandkids?  What is it that motivates you?  Write it down.  Commit to embarking on the path of discovering how Food can be your Medicine, then follow the simple rules below:

Top 10 Ways to Return to a More Natural Health-Promoting Diet:^2,*

1. Eat large amounts of fresh, locally and organically grown produce
2. Eat at least one handful of unsalted nuts and seeds each day
3. If you do eat animal protein, reduce and restrict animal protein sources to grass-fed and/or wild (incl. chickens)
4. Get outside and move.  Daily sunlight exposure or take Vitamin D.
5. Reduce and limit dairy consumption to raw
6. Limit grains.  Use only whole and/or sprouted grains.
7. Use raw honey or Maple syrup as primary sweetener (beware of Agave syrup, which may be very high in fructose, as much as High fructose corn syrup)
8. Avoid all chemical additives.
9. Avoid cooking foods at T > 360 degree F (because cooking food above this temperature promotes the release of cancer-causing chemicals)
10. Search for wild edibles and heirloom varieties of all plants as often as possible

*Of course, these are general recommendations, and some aspects, such as the intake of grains, should be discussed with a nutritionist, a functional medicine physician or naturopathic physician to tailor a diet that is right for you.  In a future post, I will discuss the growing rates of gluten intolerance or sensitivity, and what that means for your health or the health of a loved one.

Aah!  We have finally (after 90 minutes of circling) been cleared for our final approach into Laguardia.

Well, I hope this post inspires you to get back into the kitchen!  And perhaps, even to get in touch with the Earth.  Grow your own vegetable garden, and start eating the whole foods we are meant to eat.  Good luck!

References:

1. Diabetes.  Successes and Opportunities for Population-Based Prevention and Control: At A Glance 2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Accessed June 13, 2010, at http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/ddt.htm
2. Bagnulo, J. MPH, PhD.  Sustainable Nutrition: Origins, Evolution, and Implications of the Human Diet.  Food as Medicine Conference 2010.  June 10, 2010.

Other Suggested Reading:

1. Pollan, Michael.  In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
2. Pollan, Michael.  The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Beyond the usual Triggers for Migraine Sufferers, a Food Elimination Diet may Hold the Clues to a Cure.

Casey is 27 years old, and has had migraines since she was a teenager.  They first started when she was in college, but they only occurred infrequently then — usually around stressful periods, like final exams.  She would get a narrowing of her vision, occasionally see stars or spots, then the headache would come on.  The pain was usually on the left side, and the only thing that would help was sleeping it off in a dark room.  At its worst, light and sound were bothersome.  Back then, she didn’t get nausea, and she only had to suffer through 1 or 2 migraines per year.  When she came to see me, she was having 4 – 8 migraines per month.  She had been to multiple neurologists, and they had tried various medications on her.  Some of these, known as “triptans,” would sometimes help, and sometimes not.  At best, she could abort a headache if she took the medication at the right time (just as it was starting, although it was not always clear if one was coming on).  However, occasionally the headaches could persist for 3-4 days. 

There seemed to be no pattern to her headaches.  She works an 80+ hr work week at an advertising agency, which she admits to being stressful.  Her diet is unrestricted.  She eats plenty of dairy “to get my calcium,” she says.  She had tried keeping a food and symptom journal, but nothing ever seemed to stand out to her.  At this point, her neurologist was thinking of starting her on a daily medication, such as Topamax or Amitriptyline, to see if they could get her migraines under control.  These are known as prophylactic remedies, as they help prevent, but they don’t treat the migraine once it is started.  She was hesitant to do this, but she needed to do something.  She could not go on living this way. 

What are migraines?  Why do people get them?

We still don’t have a clear explanation about why migraines start and persist.  However, there seems to be an inflammatory component to them.  It is generally recognized that the pain is caused by dilated blood vessels in or around the cranium. 

“]

Brain scan taken during a migraine attack.

In the Western medical model, there are plenty of remedies to attack the symptoms, but treating the symptom merely manages the problem, but does not help it resolve.  About 16-17% of the population will get a migraine headache at some point in their lifetime.  They are approximately 3x more common in women than men.  The headache has been classically described as unilateral, but this is really only in 60% of the cases.  About 80% will feel nauseous and be sensitive to light and sound.  The brain scan to the right was taken during a migraine attack.  As you can see there is a widespread increased activity and blood flow (as seen by the red and yellow regions). 

The typical triggers include: weather [barometric pressure changes -- some people say they can predict a change in the weather pattern by their migraines], missing a meal, alcohol [and consequent dehydration from drinking], and foods like chocolate or cured meats.  For some, a cup of coffee will make the migraine better.  For women, about 50% report that their menstrual cycle is a trigger [likely due to the hormonal shifts].  With so many potential triggers, migraine sufferers can feel overwhelmed and defeated.  Many just give up trying to keep track, and resign themselves to a life of “unpredictable” headaches.  For many, the only option for controlling them has been medication or just a few of the classic food triggers, but not a broader analysis of the diet and its potential influence on their headaches.  

The Food Elimination Diet  

For Casey, getting her migraines under control involved trying a food elimination diet.  A food elimination diet is simply a diet that eliminates one particular food, a combination of foods or condiment, or all solid food… from the diet.  It  is a very powerful tool, as often it can help uncover the hidden triggers for ailments such as migraines.  It can take on various forms as listed below:

• Caveman diet [Lamb, pear, rice, potatoes]
• Food-specific restrictions [Gluten, Egg, Dairy]
• “Candida control” diet
• Fasting

These may include a broad category, such as sugar, as in the “Candida control” diet.  The idea behind a food elimination diet is to reduce a person’s exposure to highly reactive foods – those that are the most inflammatory.  The theory is that these foods activate the immune system that lines the intestines, thus causing white blood cells to secrete chemical signals that trigger inflammation in the body.  This signal may be sensed by the vessels in the brain, and lead to an inflammatory cascade that becomes a migraine.    Are you ready to find out which are the top ten food sensitivities.  Ok, but don’t cry!  These are among the most common foods that people eat. 

 The Top Ten Food Sensitivities:

1.  Gluten
2. Corn
3. Beef/pork
4. Shellfish
5. Soy
6. Oranges
7. Peanuts
8. Refined sugars
9. Dairy products (all types)
10. Eggs

From my experience, however, the top two problem foods are bread and milk — in other words, gluten and dairy.  In Casey’s case, we started with dairy, because this seemed to be the food that she ate the most of, outside of breads and pasta.  This was a plan that Casey agreed she could try for 3 weeks, as she loved eating cheese and yoghurt. 

Two Top Problem Foods

We made a pact that she would take all dairy out of her diet for this duration.  The only way to know if a food is a trigger is to eliminate it.  Oftentimes the body may intially go through a detox reaction, during which symptoms may worsen, including getting one of the worst headaches she ever had.  This is called a “healing crisis.”  I warned her of this, and we proceeded.

An Integrative Approach:

Along with a food elimination diet, Casey also started using a few stress reduction techniques.  She employed better time-management so that she could go to 2 – 3 yoga classes per week.  She learned breathing exercises to manage the day to day work stresses.  She also started a course of acupuncture once a week.  Through this, she connected with a calmer self, which at first did not feel right.  She was so used to being high-functioning and wired that the blossoming inner calmness felt foreign to her — almost abnormal.  However, through time, she came to understand that this is where her normal should be.  

Results:

After 1 week on the above regimen, her migraines reduced to 1 or 2 of lesser intensity.  By the end of the second week, she had experienced 2 more migraines, but they were more easily attributable to triggers like poor sleep and a glass of wine (which she had, because she was feeling better).   They both responded immediately to medication.  By the end of the third week, she had been migraine-free for 7 days.  She felt more in control, and more attuned to potential triggers. 

Conclusions: 

This is a case study, and by no means represents the results every person will experience.  However, it exemplifies a new approach to migraine-management that is often ignored.  I have used this approach with multiple patients with great success.  Not everyone will get rid of their migraines; however, most experience a reduction in the severity of the pain, and report that their migraines become more manageable and more responsive to medication.  A food elimination diet is a powerful tool in the management of a seemingly unrelated disease.  For confirmation, the inciting food can be challenged after 3- 4 weeks.  If it is highly reactive, it will cause a migraine either immediately or within 24 hrs.  What I tell my patients is that figuring out the foods is half the battle, the other half is figuring out what you can live with.  Some people may never be able to eat dairy again without getting a migraine; however, most people will be able to “cheat” on occasion and get away with it.  This style of medicine empowers the patient and really involves them to partake in their care and management.  Sometimes, it is useful to look at at blood tests for food reactivity to further elucidate potential triggers.  However, this additional information serves only as a guide, and is not 100% accurate.  The gold standard is the food elimination diet and re-challenge. 

I hope this case study was informative, and the next time a doctor gives you a medication to cover up a symptom, you ask them what is the root cause of your malady.  They may not know!  But it may simply be a food your are eating.

In future posts, I will discuss the food elimination diet in more detail. 

What’s Good for the Earth, is Good for your Health!

It’s Earth Day — 40 years in the making, but are we better off than we were 40 years ago?  The world of convenience has taken over, and unregulated industry has created a lot of things that make our lives easier, possibly better in some ways, but these conveniences come with a price to the environment and to ourselves.  The ugly side you may not see if you don’t pay attention is sitting, for example, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  

A plastic rubbish dump twice the size of America is sitting in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

As we enter the next decade of Earth awareness, we should really start thinking about it in the broader context of our health.  Plastic bottles, bisphenol-A, endocrine disruptors, fire retardants, pesticides, dry cleaning chemicals — all these things have created modern conveniences, but they also can have drastic adverse effects on our health.  This effect can be so indolent at first, that the typical signs of toxicity or poisoning may be misinterpreted as one of our modern diseases.  In our disease management-focused Western model of medicine, the underlying cause may be missed as the symptoms are treated and disguised. 

When the CDC has measured blood samples from healthy volunteers, not one person is free of exposure from environmental toxins.   Even cord blood taken from a newly born baby has shown environmental toxin exposures.  The number one toxin – can you guess it?  Plastics and plasticizers.  They are everwhere!  They are so pervasive, that we have a hard time getting rid of them.  Yes, that plastic bottle that you so conveniently picked up to drink your “healthier” drinking water from Fiji is leaching plastic into the water.  Take into account the long trip it took to get it to the U.S., with probably multiple temperature changes [heat increases leaching from plastics] – the combined carbon footprint of the bottle of water in your hand and its toxicity is huge.  Do you ever think of that when you purchase a bottle of water?  Where did it come from?   What did it take to get it here?  Some bottled water is no healthier than filtered water from the tap. 

New York City's Watershed

A charity that I am involved with, NY H2O, is working on protecting New York City’s drinking water from almost certain contamination by natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale.  New York City is one of only five cities in the country that do not have to filter their water, as it comes down from the Catskill reservoirs and Delaware river clean and filtered by nature.  This amazing resource is under threat as corporations look for big profits in drilling for natural gas using hydraulic fracturing — a technique that injects huge quantities of water mixed with over 600 possible chemicals, out of which only 300 have been identified by independent research groups (mind you, they’re proprietary, so the companies don’t have to reveal them due to a loophole in the law), and 90% of these are on the national toxic chemical list.  Prior experience with this technology has shown that it contaminates the aquifers and can cause a series of health problems, from breathing difficulties to skin rashes to nerve damage to possibly cancer.  A great article in Philadelphia’s Weekly Press summarizes the experiences in several small towns across Pennsylvania that are feeling the untoward effects of this gas rush.  One small rural town, Dimock, PA, has at least 14 families being shuttled bottled drinking water by Cabot because their own well water has been rendered undrinkable due to methane gas and other undisclosed pollutants.  A new documentary, Gasland by Josh Fox, does a great job of detailing what is slipping right under our noses with respect to water contamination and the natural gas industry in this country. 

If you are mother concerned about how industries like natural gas drilling may affect the health of your children visit M.U.S.T. (Mother’s United for Sustainable Technologies).  This is a group of mothers united in a common message — protecting our children from the potential toxic effects of polluting and poorly regulated industries.  Their website is a work in progress, but it will be a resource of information for sustainable green living. 

Steps we can each take to be Healthier and Greener 

As we enter into this next decade of Earth awareness, we really need to become aware of how our actions not only affect the earth, but also our health.  For my part, I carry a SIGG bottle that has been independently tested to show that it does not leach BPA.  

Klean Kanteen family

Another option is the Klean Kanteen.   This avoids plastic bottle waste.  I also replaced the Poland Spring cooler in my office (which is delivered in polycarbonate #7 plastic bottles, containing bisphenal A — linked to cancer and obesity) with a PiMag Aqua Pour Deluxe gravity flow filtration system by Nikken.  We merely pour water from the tap through the PiMag system, and it filters out chlorine, chemicals, and drug metabolites, delivering clean drinking water on the spot. 

PiMag Aqua Pour

I walk and take the subway to work every day, which reduces my carbon footprint.  I try to buy local, organic seasonal produce, which in turn supports local farmers over food that has been shipped over long distances and probably irradiated along the way.  I eat red meat only rarely, and if so, it is organic, grass-fed.  If we all just gave up red meat one day a week, that would help reduce one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses — our cattle.  I avoid Atlantic or farm-raised Salmon, as it can be high in pollutants.   I take my clothes to an organic cleaner rarely, but mostly I just wash it with a non-scented chlorine-free detergent.  My apartment is free of carpeting, which can outgas over 200 volatile chemicals.  And I use simple ingredients, like vinegar and baking soda to clean the apartment, thus avoiding a lot of the harmful products on the market.  My life is rich with outdoor activities, time for meditation, vegetables of all colors, and time spent away from the stresses of work to recenter and rebalance, ridding my body of any emotional toxicity along with all the physical pollutants I try to avoid.  These are just a few of the steps that we can each take every day to make our bodies less toxic. 

Earth Day 2010

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Resources:

Visit SimpleSteps, a website run by the National Resources Defense Council, where you can learn how to make your home less toxic and more energy-efficient. 

Ecomii is another great website that has a plethora of information on green living and natural health. 

Please share in the comments your steps to making the earth and yourself a greener, healthier place.  Thank you for visiting my blog today.   Happy Earth Day 2010!

Vitamin D — it’s more than just for bones. It may save your life!

Vitamin D is not really a vitamin as originally defined – “vital amines” are substances that act as co-factors (i.e. helpers) for the body’s enzymes.  It turns out that Vitamin D is really a steroid (read “fat-soluble” so it can enter your cells without assistance) hormone that has a direct effect on the expression of over 2,000 genes by actually crossing the cellular membrane and gaining direct access to the cell nucleus where our DNA is housed.  What genes are activated?  Well, they include genes that regulate the absorption of Calcium from the intestines, the building of strong bones, and the efficient and coordinated activity of our immune systems.  Vitamin D deficiency is most commonly known as “rickets” in children, or “osteomalacia” in adults – it is a disease of soft bones.  However, new research is showing that this amazing “vitamin” plays an even stronger role in the prevention of disease, including heart disease, respiratory illnesses and cancer (specifically breast and colon).  In the Framingham Heart Study, it was observed that men with higher vitamin D blood levels (measured as 25-OH vitamin D) were less likely to suffer a heart attack.  Vitamin D levels are also inversely related to breast and colon cancer, meaning higher levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower likelihood of developing these cancers.  Again, this is probably due to its ability to regulate the immune system — the body’s main watchdog against cancer cells.

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Vitamin D, in its active form, prevents excessive expression of inflammatory mediators during an infection, and optimizes the functioning of immune system cells, which includes increasing the expression of anti-microbial proteins.¹

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How do we get vitamin D, anyway?  Well, if you could eat oily, fatty fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner or drink multiple tablespoons of cod liver oil daily, you would be getting a few thousand units.  However, if this is not your thing, the typical American diet (SAD = Standard American Diet) contains very little vitamin D.   Milk, which does not naturally contain vitamin D, is fortified as mandated by the U.S. Government, to approximately 100 units per 8 oz. glass.  This falls far short of the current recommendation for 2,000 I.U. daily to maintain adequate levels.  You would have to drink 20 glasses of milk per day – not exactly possible, and not exactly healthy.  In fact, a recent study comparing the results of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), collected from 1988 through 1994, to the data collected from 2001 to 2004 (NHANES 2001-2004) confirms that Americans are not getting enough Vitamin D.² The most recent data alarmingly showed that three-quarters of U.S. children and adults fall below the acceptable value for vitamin D levels (< 30 ng/ml), as measured in the blood.  In other words, 75% of the population is vitamin D deficient!  Wow!  That is a staggering amount of vitamin D deficiency.  When you’re young, you may not notice, but your future risk of osteoporosis is increased.  Weak bones lead to a great deal of health problems in older age, including chronic pain, which will make those “Golden Years” much less enjoyable.

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Your Safe Daily-Dose of Sunshine: For light-skinned individuals, approximately 10-15 minutes without sunblock; for darker-skinned individuals, up to 30 minutes without sunblock.  This is the daily amount necessary to build up proper stores of vitamin D.

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Why is this happening?  Well, when you consider that the best source for Vitamin D is the sun, as the photoreaction catalyzed by the energy from UVB rays converts the inactive form of vitamin D stored in our skin to its active form, we begin to understand why this is.  Only 10-20 minutes of summertime sun exposure triggers the production of approximately 10,000 – 20,000 I.U.’s of vitamin D in the body.  In the last two decades the emphasis on sun avoidance and concern for skin cancer has increased exponentially.  Dermatologists all over the country have been telling their patients to avoid the sun when possible, or at least wear sunscreen rated SPF 15 or higher for UVA/UVB at all times when in the sun.  People’s fear of skin cancer and consequent sun-avoidance behavior and/or augmented sunscreen use has probably led to the current epidemic of vitamin D deficiency.  We have lost the concept of what is safe sun exposure.

Why are we concerned?  With the passing of the seasons, from winter to summer, there is a seasonal variation in vitamin D levels, regardless of diet or supplementation.  With the summer months, more sun means more inevitable exposure and a rise in vitamin D levels.  As the winter solstice approaches, the sun is far below the equator, and consequently most of the UVB rays necessary for vitamin D conversion are filtered by the atmosphere before they reach the earth.³ This is why getting sun on a perfectly sunny winter day does not produce significant Vitamin D activation on the skin if you live north of the 35 degree latitude (about the level of Raleigh, NC).  My patients often ask me this, and this is the explanation.   This seasonal variation in Vitamin D was looked at as the possible “unknown factor” that British researcher, Dr. Edgar Hope-Simpson, postulated was the cause for the seasonal rise in influenza cases in the winter, and their incidental fall and disappearance in the summer months.¹

I have seen my patients gain more energy, stronger immune systems, and experience reduced muscle aches by proper Vitamin D supplementation.  For some, it seems that vitamin D deficiency is the hidden factor that leads to seasonal affective disorder (the “winter blues”).   Correcting the low vitamin D level helps lift the winter blues.  These are not all linear relationships, but some examples of how proper vitamin D levels can change people’s lives.

The recommended daily dose of Vitamin D for adults now is around 1,000 IU/day.  However, in practice, I have found this to be too low, and for most adults it will not correct their low vitamin D level.  From my experience with patients in New York City, I believe a more accurate amount is 2,000 IU daily for adults, and 400-800 IU daily for children.  But don’t be fooled if you live in Florida — vitamin D deficiency can happen anywhere if you are hiding from the sun year-round!  These numbers are average doses; however, some of my patients have required much higher levels, up to 5,000 – 10,000 IU daily in order to correct a severe deficiency.  Your vitamin D level can be easily checked by a blood test for 25-OH Vitamin D.  The best form to take as a supplement is vitamin D3, which is better absorbed orally than vitamin D2.  High doses of vitamin D over the long-term can be toxic to the liver or create a relative vitamin A deficiency, and thus should never be initiated alone.  High dose supplementation should be supervised by a physician or knowledgeable health professional.

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The ideal blood levels for

Vitamin D[25-OH] are between 40 – 60 ng/mL.

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Each person is their own unique set of circumstances, and when it comes to vitamin supplementation, we have to look at the whole, and not make the mistake of confusing a vitamin for a medication.  All these nutrients coordinate together in the symphony that the body is.

Vitamin D resources:

The Vitamin D Council – a resource of information about vitamin D.

Vitamin D level testing – a link to a lab that can provide a vitamin D testing kit.  Note that many doctors can check vitamin D levels in their offices, although your doctor may think it is not necessary.  As recently as last month, I heard the resident doctor on Good Morning America saying that not all adults have to be screened for vitamin D deficiency.  Really?  With 75% of U.S. adults deficient, this surpasses any level that makes a widespread screening program cost-effective!  In New York City, where I practice, I am surprised at how many people are vitamin D deficient, that I would have not thought would be.  You cannot look at someone and know whether they are vitamin D deficient just based on how they look (unless they are ghost white and never go in the sun — then I’ll bet you $100 that they are).  In my practice, it makes sense to me to check vitamin D levels on all adults (both male and female), especially since vitamin D deficiency can be asymptomatic, or the person may not notice the symptoms, simply attributing them to their work schedule or life stress.  Many times mild symptoms are not noticed until they disappear.  Screening for vitamin D deficiency should be part of any preventive medicine strategy to help mitigate the risk of future disease.

Excerpt from The Ultimate Swine Flu Survival Guide Dr. Vincent Pedre

find it on

References:

1. Cannell, et al: Epidemic influenza and vitamin D.  Review Article. Epidemiology and Infection (2006), 134 : 1129-1140. Cambridge University Press.
2. Ginde AA:  Demographic Differences and Trends of Vitamin D Insufficiency in the US Population, 1988-2004.  Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(6):626-632.
3. MacLaughlin JA, Anderson RR, Holick MF. Spectral character of sunlight modulates photosynthesis of previtamin D3 and its photoisomers in human skin. Science. 1982;216:1001–1003.