TELEMEDICINE Thyroid Health Practice with a Functional Medicine Approach

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Selenium – why you should take it

  • What is Selenium
  • Metabolic Benefits
  • Effect on Thyroid
  • Antiviral effects

Selenium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Selenium is important for reproduction, thyroid gland function, DNA production, and protecting the body from damage caused by free radicals and from infection.

How much selenium do I need?

The amount of selenium that you need each day depends on your age. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in micrograms (mcg).

Life StageRecommended Amount
Birth to 6 months15 mcg
Infants 7–12 months20 mcg
Children 1–3 years20 mcg
Children 4–8 years30 mcg
Children 9–13 years40 mcg
Teens 14–18 years55 mcg
Adults 19–50 years55 mcg
Adults 51–70 years55 mcg
Adults 71 years and older55 mcg
Pregnant teens and women60 mcg
Breastfeeding teens and women70 mcg


What foods provide selenium?

Selenium is found naturally in many foods. The amount of selenium in plant foods depends on the amount of selenium in the soil where they were grown. The amount of selenium in animal products depends on the selenium content of the foods that the animals ate. You can get recommended amounts of selenium by eating a variety of foods, including the following:

  • Seafood
  • Meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products
  • Breads, cereals, and other grain products

Can selenium be harmful?

Yes, if you get too much. Brazil nuts, for example, contain very high amounts of selenium (68–91 mcg per nut) and can cause you to go over the upper limit if you eat too many. Getting too much selenium over time can cause the following:

  • Garlic breath
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Skin rashes
  • Irritability
  • Metallic taste in the mouth
  • Brittle hair or nails
  • Loss of hair or nails
  • Discolored teeth
  • Nervous system problems

Extremely high intakes of selenium can cause severe problems, including difficulty breathing, tremorskidney failureheart attacks, and heart failure.

Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-Consumer/

We recommend these supplements to provide you with the recommended 200 mcg of Selenium:


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Triglycerides, HDL and cardiac risk

Most reliable predictor of heart risk 

The ratio of Triglycerides to HDL: TG:HDL ratio is the most reliable predictor of heart risk, not LDL..

Ideally it should be 1; but no more than 2. You want TG <100 (<95 better); HDL >60 in men (>70 in women).

TG/HDL ratio is also termed AIP (Atherogenic index of plasma). 


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Hello Masterchef!

Eating the right food can have a great impact on thyroid health. Many people find it difficult to change their eating habits and are afraid to "miss out".

This is where you come in. If you have a super tasty, easy to follow recipe that worked well for your thyroid health, why not share it with others?

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Face masks and Covid-19

You probably read articles that face masks can potentially increase your risk of getting ill. When they become moist they provide a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

There is a simple, inexpensive solution that should reduce your risk: Spray your masks with colloidal silver

Colloidal Silver

Take any single use or fabric face mask, spray it lightly with colloidal silver just before you need to wear it, allow to air dry after spraying -- and voila! – you’ll be able to enjoy the infection-fighting protection of silver in your face mask without exorbitant cost.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.6b00788Particulate Respirators Functionalized with Silver Nanoparticles Showed Excellent Real-Time Antimicrobial Effects against Pathogens

"Nanosilver coated particulate respirators with excellent antimicrobial activities can provide real-time protection to people in regions with severe air pollution against air-borne pathogens."

Environ. Sci. Technol. 2016, 50, 13, 7144–7151 | Publication Date:June 21, 2016
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b00788

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IMPORTANT: THYROID MEDICATION RECALL ALERT

Nature Throid &
WP Thyroid recall

There has been a recent recall on all current lots of Nature-Throid and WP Thyroid (manufactured by RLC Labs, Inc), on 25.08.2020 due to certain lots being found to be sub-potent. This means that the affected medications may have too little thyroid hormone in them. A person who is stable on their current dose of thyroid hormone, who then receives these affected lots, may become hypothyroid!


This is the list of affected batches.


Update 07.09.2020:

Customised 4U have informed us that all Nature Throid medication supplied to them, regardless of batch number, is being recalled. Patients will be contacted directly by the pharmacy.


If you are affected by this recall, we offer a FREE replacement prescription via Customised 4U for prescriptions we issued within the last 3 months . Please contact Dena directly for this. This does not include the cost for new medication!


To find out whether you can get a refund for your affected batch, please contact the chemist who issued the original Nature Throid / WP Thyroid. 


Customised 4U:

HealthXchange


Source:

OptumRx | Health care professionals portal

Health care professionals website

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Inspired Health

We have teamed up with Inspired Health

Inspired Health is the official UK home for brands such as Udo's Choice, Cleanmarine, Manuka Health, One Nutrition and many more.

It is the place to come for expert opinion, news and views on health & wellness.

Inspired Health is designed to be a place to share the 25 years’ worth of wisdom they've curated.

Inspired Health believes that your health is of paramount importance when it comes to you being your happiest self and they aim to provide the information and literature that helps you make informed decisions to take responsibility for your life and health.

They work with nutritionists, personal trainers, chefs and general wellness coaches to bring you a diverse, unbiased wide-ranging overview of what’s happening in health & wellness as well as inspiring recipes to help you try delicious and exciting new recipes no matter what diet you’re following.

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Saccharomyces Boulardii for Prevention and Treatment

There is an amazing list of potential benefits from this probiotic supplement:
Heal #leaky #gut, protect from harmful gut bacteria [C. difficile, #H.pylori, #parasites], prevent [traveler's, acute, chronic, antibiotic induced] #diarrhea, reduce symptoms of #Crohn's disease, #Ulcerative #colitis, & #IBS [Irritable bowel syndrome].

S. boulardii is a live yeast used extensively as a probiotic. Several mechanisms of action have been identified to support our body and fight intruders. 

Viral infections can lead to "leaky gut". The well-studied probiotic yeast S. boulardii plays a crucial role in the preservation and/or restoration of intestinal barrier function - being effective in the prevention and treatment of gut disorders. Another study confirms that probiotics "are a rational adjunctive options for the treatment of various viral diseases."

S. boulardii has several features that help it to be effective. First of all, enough of it survives the gastric acid and bile and can thrive at our body temperature. It is - like all yeasts - resistent to antibiotics, so it can be used during antibiotic therapy. It is a "tough" one and resists our digestive enzymes. 

  • Keep the microbiome - the healthy bacteria - in balance
  • Hinder the intruders to settle and infect the gut
  • Stimulate our immune response
  • Stabilise the gut barrier
  • Stimulate the enzymes responsible for absorption of nutrients

Several clinical trials and experimental studies strongly suggest a place for Saccharomyces boulardii as a biotherapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of several diseases.

Clinical efficacy of Saccharomyces boulardii in acute and chronic diseases as well in disease prevention.

Acute Diseases

  • Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
  • Clostridium difficile infection
  • Acute diarrhea
  • Persistent diarrhea
  • Enteral nutrition-related diarrhea
  • Traveler’s diarrhea
  • Helicobacter pylori infection

Chronic Diseases

  • Crohn’s disease: also keeping patients in remission!
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Parasitic infections
     a) Amebic colitis
     b) Giardiasis
     c) Blastocystis hominis
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related diarrhea

Viral Diseases

Probiotics possess unique mechanism by which viruses are eliminated. 

Infectious diseases, especially nosocomial infections (i.e. influenza, pneumonia, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Norovirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus, etc.), have periodically caused widespread outbreaks and are considered to represent serious threats to public health. ​

S. boulardii has been shown to be effective in acute rotavirus diarrhea. 

Prevention

S. boulardii has been successfully used in a variety of scenarios and has proven to prevent:

  • Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
  • Clostridium difficile infection
  • Acute diarrhea
  • Persistent diarrhea
  • Enteral nutrition-related diarrhea
  • Traveler’s diarrhea
  • Helicobacter pylori infection

Secretory IgA

Secretory IgA is known as the respiratory and GI tracts’ first line of defense. It can prevent the adhesion of viruses and other pathogens from our respiratory and gut lining. Numerous studies have shown improved outcomes in various infections, as well as cancers and gut issues.

People with Hashimoto’s tend to have low secretory IgA (SIgA). This could be partially genetic (if you’re a non-secretor like I am), or due to infections you may have, or lifestyle factors (like stress and sleep deprivation).

S. Boulardii can help to boost Secretory IgA. 

Our recommendation

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Covid-19

Coronavirus – Protect yourself

This is an unprecedented time, a once in 100-year pandemic. A time for us to be level-headed, open-hearted, and focused on what we can do to protect ourselves, our families, our communities, and our country, and be kind to each other.
Control the host

Source: Webinar "Health and Immunity: A Natural Perspective for a New Paradigm" by
Robert G. Silverman, DC, DACBN, DCBCN, MS, CCN, CNS, CSCS, CIISN, CKTP, CES, HKC, SASTM

It is best to act as if you have the infection and act to protect others!

This is also an opportunity to spend time with family, to take care of ourselves, to cook and cherish the people and things we love. The more we can face the threat to our health and to our economy with calm and kindness, the better able we will be to survive and thrive.

“Currently a lot of the care is focused on acute care, not on educating patients, protecting them, supporting them so that they never come to the hospital.” 

Prof. Juliana Chan, director of the Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and Obesity

We hope that the following information will help to bridge this gap.

There was eight times reduction in the hospitalization in people who are getting this kind of functional medicine approach. Now, that’s all reported data. It’s not a randomized trial. 

Dr. Patrick Hanaway

  • What is Covid-19?
  • How High is the risk?
  • Treatments
  • Lifestyle & Nutrition
  • Face Masks
  • Supplements
  • Take action
  • Vaccines
  • Post-Covid

COVID-19: The Quintessential Example of a Planetary Lifestyle Disease

Read this fascinating article written by 
Jeffrey Bland, PhD,  known to many as the “father of Functional Medicine”. 

Extensive Physical Distancing


In order to get ill, you need to have the infectious organism AND you have to be receptive. So, the first step is to AVOID CONTACT WITH THE ORGANISM, IN THIS CASE COVID-19. This is best done - and now practised in more and more countries - via Extensive Physical Distancing. 


Engage in real-time communication with loved ones. Those that are both with you in isolation and in your immediate network. Pick up the phone, call your mom, your sister, your cousin, anyone. 

Don’t shake hands. Keep a 6-foot radius from others (unless they are healthy, uninfected people who live in your home). Cancel vacations, business trips. Restaurants, bars, schools, yoga classes, fitness clubs and more are shutting down. Work from home if you can.

Extensive Physical Distancing is the most effective way to reduce the spreading of the virus. 


Self-quarantine means avoiding contact with other people as much as possible by staying at home or in your hotel.


You can still go outside for walks, runs or cycles on your own. But you should not spend time in close contact with other people.

Strengthen your Immune System

Food to support immune system

* SMASH fish: Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines, Hering

* EVOO: Extra Virgin Olive Oil







Let Food Be Your Medicine! Proper food = proper immunity

Avoid Gluten, Processed Foods, and Sugar. 

  • It has never been a better time to be[come] gluten free: No one food trigger!
  • 300 kcal sugar decreases immune system by 50% for 2 hours!
  • No dairy - makes mucous, one of the 3 top food triggers
It is a great time to check for food sensitivities!

Eat a whole foods, nutrient-dense diet. Our immune system relies on nutrient-dense whole foods to function well. Death from infections in the developing world is often not due to the infection itself but the body’s inability to fight it because of nutrient deficiencies.

“Nutrients play a vital role in the defense against infectious diseases and the regulation of inflammation.

Vitamin D deficiency was shown in 76% of patients and selenium deficiency in 42% of patients with COVID-19.

Among 12 patients with respiratory distress, 11 (91.7%) had one or more nutrient deficiency.”

We can all improve the quality of our diet. This is a great opportunity to cut sugar and starch which suppress the immune system.


Cut out sugar and refined starches. Now has never been a better time for a sugar and junk food detox.  Studies have shown that refined sugars can suppress your immune system for hours after ingesting. Limiting starch and sugar will help your immune system function better and your overall health improves. 


Ensure adequate protein intake. Protein is critical for immune function and protein malnutrition is a big risk factor for death from infections. Eat approximately 1 gram/kg or about half your body weight in grams of protein a day, Plant-based proteins (legumes, nuts/seeds) are adequate if consumed in enough quantity. Try tofu and tempeh from non-GMO soy for the highest protein concentrations.  


Add garlic, onions, ginger, and lots of spices (oregano, turmeric, rosemary) to your meals! Add these to your soups and vegetable dishes, as well as bean dips and sauces. Garlic and onions offer wide spectrum antimicrobial properties. 


Garlic

Source: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga) / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)


Garlic is a plant has been used as a flavor, and anti-microbial and anti-diarrheal agent. Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a coronavirus. A study from 2016 found that garlic extract had inhibitory effects on IBV. 


Need some inspiration how to use garlic? Check out THIS WEBSITE


Eat multiple servings of colorful fruits and vegetables high in vitamins C, A, and phytonutrients that support the immune system. Choose more leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower), peppers, sweet potatoes, and squashes. Aim for 2 servings of fruits and 8 or more servings of vegetables! A serving is half a cup. 


Eat fermented foods to support your microbiome and immunity. Eat sauerkraut, kimchi, natto, miso, tempeh, unsweetened yogurt, kefir. They also keep well. 


Drink plenty of fluids, especially warmer fluids. Consuming adequate fluids supports all your bodies’ functions including the immune system. Make soups and broths (from scratch with fresh vegetables is always best) and have them throughout the week. Drink herbal teas like ginger and turmeric tea. Keep a bottle of filtered water with you at all times. Avoid concentrated fruit juices and sweetened beverages, as the sugar content is harmful for the immune system. 

Get sufficient sleep!


 We all know sleep restores and heals the body. Without adequate sleep, optimal immune function is next to impossible! Get in a better rhythm and head to bed earlier. Aim for seven to eight hours a night. Incorporating various relaxation and breathing techniques throughout the day to help with stress and allowing the mind to rest is also very helpful! 

Get regular exercise. Mild to moderate exercise (for approximately 30-45 minutes) helps boost the immune system. Avoid overexertion such as training for endurance events when you are feeling run down. This will lower your immune defenses. If you are able to exercise outside in less populated areas, great. If not find workouts and yoga classes online. Try the 7-minute workout (see link above).

Practice meditation and yoga.

The data are clear. Increased levels of stress increase susceptibility to viral infections. In one study volunteers had cold viruses injected into their nasal passages. Only the ones who scored high on the stress questionnaire succumbed. Now is the time to learn meditation, double down on your practice, do yoga, take hot baths, do deep breathing, practice home massage with your loved ones. 

Start a garden

If you live in an area with a lawn or some access to land, grow some of your own food. 

If you haven't got a garden,here is a simple way to make your own one. 

Sauna therapy

Picture: harvia.fi


It has been studied that high temperatures and especially moist heat with water vapor can deactivate viruses effectively. Even at a temperature of 55-70 ° C (moist heat), the virus can be countered within a few minutes and thus there is a loss of infectivity via the destruction of the virus outer layer.


A study from 2016 found that the effect of short-term heat shock, e.g. sauna therapy as a stressful condition,could induce the expression of heat shock proteins that function as molecular chaperones to protect cells against multiple stresses, increasing the survival rate of influenza-infected mice. 


Please note: the strategies above are meant to be combined with any of the other common sense and personalized recommendations you may get from your healthcare providers or local public health authorities,

This article is not intended to provide medical advice and any changes should be done in consultation with your healthcare provider.

We hope that this information helps you to 

Stay Safe and Healthy!

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Brain dysfunction and Thyroid function


Thyroid dysfunction is frequently associated with functional disturbances of the brain such as cognitive impairment1, neurodegenerative disorders2, dementia3, depression, and anxiety4. Transient thyroid dysfunction may also induce neuropsychiatric changes5

Functional neuroimaging studies suggest a direct association between thyroid and brain activity, therefore, these can provide some clues of underlying mechanisms of thyroid hormones on psychological and physiological effects on the brain.

Specific thyroid hormone enzymes, transporters and receptors are believed to maintain thyroid hormone homeostasis in the brain2123. Therefore, current laboratory tests for thyroid dysfunction may not accurately measure thyroid hormone status in the brain8,2123

Scientists from Korea used functional neuroimaging techniques of positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to study the underlying mechanisms of action of thyroid hormones, the use of sugar and blood flow in the brain. 8

In hypothyroidism, significant decreases in blood sugar metabolism in the brain were identified in 3 parts of the brain [the blue dots]. In hyperthyroidism, a significant decrease was identified in 1 cluster [the red dot]:

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They also found a reduced blood flow in one area in hypothyroidism. 

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These areas play an important role in affective and cognitive regulation, involving attention, problem solving, motivation, error detection, decision making, and social behaviors24,25

Metabolic and perfusion deficits in these area can affect working memory and attention, written word recognition, transient memory retrieval, awareness and imagery of visuospatial input, and priming processes, often compromised in patients with hypothyroidism28.

In a small study thyroid hormone replacement therapy caused a reduction in the somatic complaints and depressive symptoms associated with a restoration of metabolic activity in the brain18.

Another study demonstrated that the blood flow in affected brain areas can be normalised after treating hypothyroidism26

In patients with hyperthyroidism treatment  increased regional activity in these regions and these changes significantly correlated with the anxiety and depressive symptoms13.

These results suggest that thyroid hormones regulate the use of glucose and blood circulation in certain areas of the brain. These findings also demonstrate that the mechanism of neuropsychiatric disturbances in patients with hypothyroidism differs from those with hyperthyroidism.

Source:

Pak K, Kim M, Kim K, Kim BH, Kim SJ, Kim IJ. Cerebral glucose metabolism and Cerebral blood flow in thyroid dysfunction: An Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):1335. Published 2020 Jan 28. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-58255-5
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6987231/

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Leptin and Leptin Resistance: Everything You Need to Know

Obesity is usually not caused by greed, laziness or a lack of willpower.

Leptin resistance may be one of the main reasons people gain weight and have such a hard time losing it.

If you’re concerned you may be resistant to leptin, there are several steps you can take to live a healthier lifestyle — and possibly improve or reverse your resistance.

Many people are told that "eat less - exercise more" is the answer to losing weight. 

Scientists discovered already over 25 years ago that a hormone called leptin is involved in obesity - and even breast cancer.  

When our body does not respond to Leptin - called leptin resistance - we have a leading driver of fat gain in humans

What is Leptin?

Leptin is a hormone that is produced by your body's fat cells. It is often referred to as the "satiety hormone" or the "starvation hormone." It works directly on the brain — particularly an area called the hypothalamus. The more body fat we carry, the more leptin we produce

Its main role is regulation of energy, like the number of calories we eat and expend, as well as how much fat we store in your body. Leptins job is to tell your brain that — when you have enough fat stored — we don't need to eat and can burn calories at a normal rate when our fat storage is full.

Apart from this Leptin also has many other functions related to fertility, immunity and brain function.

Leptin is a hormone produced by the fat cells in our body. Its main role is to regulate fat storage and how many calories we eat and burn.

Impact on Our Brain

High levels of leptin tell our brain that we have plenty of fat stored, while low levels tell our brain that fat stores are low and that we need to eat  When we eat, our body fat goes up and leptin levels go up, so we eat less and burn more.

Conversely, when we don’t eat, our body fat goes down, our leptin levels drop, telling us toeat more and burn less.

What Is Leptin Resistance?

People who are obese have a lot of body fat in their fat cells - and very high levels of leptin. Logically, obese people should now naturally limit their food intake as leptin tells them via their brain to do so. 

However, their leptin signaling may not work - the brain doesn't seem to see it and erroneously thinks that our body is starving — even though it has more than enough energy stored. This is known as leptin resistance and now believed to be one of the main biological contributors to obesity. 

If you have leptin resistance your Resting Metabolic Rate [RMR] is likely to be below normal, making you burn 500 to 600 calories less each day than someone of equal body mass.

Our brain then encourages us to:

  • Eating more: We must eat in order to prevent starvation.
  • Reduced energy expenditure: In an effort to conserve energy, our brain decreases our energy levels and makes us burn fewer calories at rest.
Thus, eating more and exercising less is not the underlying cause of weight gain but rather a possible consequence of leptin resistance, a hormonal defect. Willing ourselves to overcome the leptin-driven starvation signal is next to impossible. 

Impact on Dieting

Leptin resistance may be one reason that many diets fail to promote long-term weight loss. 

If you’re leptin-resistant, losing weight still reduces fat mass, which leads to a significant reduction in leptin levels — but your brain doesn't necessarily reverse its leptin resistance.

When leptin goes down, this leads to hunger, increased appetite, reduced motivation to exercise and a decreased number of calories burned at rest Our brain then thinks that we are starving and initiates various powerful mechanisms to regain that lost body fat.

This could be a main reason why so many people yo-yo diet — losing a significant amount of weight only to gain it back shortly thereafter.

What Causes Leptin Resistance?

Several potential mechanisms behind leptin resistance have been identified. These include 

  • Inflammation: Inflammatory signaling in our hypothalamus 
  • Free fatty acids: Having elevated free fatty acids in our bloodstream 
  • Having high leptin: Having elevated levels of leptin in the first place seems to cause leptin resistance.

Most of these factors are amplified by obesity, meaning that we might be "trapped" in a vicious cycle of gaining weight and becoming increasingly leptin resistant over time.

Can Leptin Resistance Be Reversed?

The best way to know if you are leptin resistant is to look in the mirror.

If you have a lot of body fat, especially in the belly area, then you are almost certainly leptin resistant.

There are several things you can do:

  • Avoid processed food: Highly processed foods may compromise the integrity of your gut and drive inflammation
  • Eat soluble fiber: They can help improve your gut health as food for the microbiome. 
  • Exercise: Physical activity may help reverse leptin resistance
  • Sleep: Poor sleep is implicated in problems with leptin 
  • Lower your triglycerides: The best way to lower triglycerides is to reduce your carb intake 
  • Eat protein: Eating plenty of protein can cause automatic weight loss, which may result from an improvement in leptin sensitivity

Though there is no simple way to eliminate leptin resistance, you can make long-term lifestyle changes that may improve your quality of life.

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Roundup and its potential links to coeliac disease, obesity, autism and many more

Almost every week we identify patients in our practice with gluten intolerance, coeliac disease and autoimmune conditions. Our aim is always not only to identify and treat health conditions, but to search for root causes. By doing so we found research linking these and many other health conditions to Roundup®

Roundup is the brand name of a systemic, broad-spectrum glyphosate-based herbicide originally produced by the U.S. company Monsanto, which was acquired by Bayer in 2018, and contains the active ingredient glyphosate. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the USA. Monsanto also produced seeds which grow into plants genetically engineered to be tolerant to glyphosate, which are known as Roundup Ready crops. 

According to a paper published in 2013 Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup®, is the most important causal factor for Coeliac disease, and, more generally, gluten intolerance. Coeliac disease is associated with an increased risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 

Another paper from the same year described glyphosate as potentially a key contributor to the obesity and autism epidemic in the United States, as well as to several other diseases and conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, infertility, depression, and cancer.

Glyphosate has been shown to disrupt gut bacteria in animals, preferentially killing beneficial forms and causing an overgrowth of pathogens. Coeliac disease is associated with a reduced presence in the gut of commensal [healthy] bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, which are known to be preferentially killed by glyphosate, and with an overabundance of C. difficile, which is known to be promoted by glyphosate exposure.

Glyphosate leads to chelation [binding] of minerals such as iron - which might be causative to widespread iron deficiency. It has further been found to decrease the activity of the digestive enzymes protease [for protein digestion], lipase [for fat digestion], and amylase [for starch digestion] in the gastrointestinal tract. Evidence from this effect suggests that glyphosate may interfere with the breakdown of complex proteins in the human stomach, leaving larger fragments of wheat in the human gut that will then trigger an autoimmune response.

Glyphosate is associated with an overgrowth of pathogens along with an inflammatory bowel disease in animal models.

Several countries have responded to these concerns and either restricted or banned the use of glyphosate:

• Belgium: In 2017, the Flemish government banned individual use of glyphosate and voted against re-licensing glyphosate in the EU. The country was one of six EU member states to sign a letter to the EU Commission calling for "an exit plan for glyphosate." 
• Bermuda: The island outlawed the private and commercial sale of all glyphosate-based herbicides.
• Colombia: In 2015, the country forbid the use of glyphosate to eliminate illegal plantations of coca, often used to make cocaine, due to concern that the herbicide causes cancer. However in 2017, the country re-instituted its controversial fumigation program. But instead of using aerial fumigation, glyphosate is now sprayed manually, from the ground.
• Netherlands: Dutch officials have banned all non-commercial use of glyphosate.
• Sri Lanka: In 2014, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa mandated an all-out ban on glyphosate, following a study linking Roundup to Fatal Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), the second-leading cause of death among males in the country. Sri Lanka was the first country to issue a nationwide ban on glyphosate.
• El Salvador: Passed a law banning glyphosate, citing the same study linking fatal chronic kidney disease to Roundup.
• Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi ArabiaKuwaitQatarBahrainOman and the United Arab Emirates, have stopped glyphosate use.
• France: President Emmanuel Macron announced in November 2017, an outright ban on glyphosate, to take effect "within three years."

References:

  • Samsel A, Seneff S. Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance. Interdiscip Toxicol. 2013;6(4):159-84.
  • Samsel A, Seneff S. Glyphosate's suppression of cytochrome P450 enzymes and amino acid biosynthesis by the gut microbiome: Pathways to modern diseases. Entropy. 2013;15:1416–1463.
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundup_(herbicide)
  • https://www.politico.eu/article/monsanto-glyphosate-pesticide-is-here-to-stay-in-eu-at-least-for-now/
  • Risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in celiac disease. Catassi C, Fabiani E, Corrao G, Barbato M, De Renzo A, Carella AM, Gabrielli A, Leoni P, Carroccio A, Baldassarre M, Bertolani P, Caramaschi P, Sozzi M, Guariso G, Volta U, Corazza GR; Italian Working Group on Coeliac Disease and Non-Hodgkin's-Lymphoma. JAMA. 2002 Mar 20;287(11):1413-9.
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Food Matters 2018

CountryHealth spent two busy days at this years food matters LIVE in the London ExCel We made several excellent contacts.

Many of our clients have food intolerances, especially to gluten. We were on the look-out for clever solutions and found two companies who can offer our clients an excellent alternative to bread, pasta and even waffles.


BEST gluten free bread in the world ...

We met the team from Davina Steel who has been winning prices for the BEST gluten free bread in the world for several years running - even in the gluten bread category. 

Not only are the breads the best we tasted, we can even offer a 10% discount to our clients. 

You can also make yummy and easy pizza ...


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Thyroid Awareness week 20.-26.10.2018

Thyroid Awareness Week is held to raise awareness of thyroid disease.

Thyroid disorders are relatively rare in infants and children. Nevertheless, being aware of their symptoms is vital to allow early diagnosis and treatment.

We found this very engaging child-friendly video from Thyroid Aware to look into thyroid problems in children:

 

It is also available as a little e-book: Storybook for Children

Resources: https://www.thyroidaware.com/en/resources/child_disorder.html

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The Bitter Aftertaste of UK’s new Sugar Tax

“From Friday (6 April 2018), millions of children across the UK will benefit from the government’s key milestone in tackling childhood obesity, as the Soft Drinks Industry Levy comes into effect.” Or, will they?

Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and more likely to develop noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age.

According to estimates from Public Health England, two thirds of adults and a quarter of children between two and 10 years old are overweight or obese. Obese children are more likely to become overweight adults and to suffer premature ill health and mortality, and by 2034, 70 per cent of adults are expected to be overweight or obese.

The fundamental causes behind the rising levels of childhood obesity are a shift in diet towards increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars but low in vitamins, minerals and other healthy micronutrients. Choosing healthy foods for infants and young children is critical because food preferences are established in early life.

One of the UK Governments interventions to tackle obesity has been the introduction of the “sugar tax”, adding up to 24p per liter on sugary drinks. Not surprisingly, this has resulted in a sharp increase of artificial sweeteners in soft drinks as sugar replacement.

Although artificial sweeteners have been considered safe, accumulating evidence indicates that they can induce glucose intolerance and disturb energy levels in the human body. In particular, the gut microbiome has been demonstrated to play a role in these processes. In a study from 2017 Acesulfame-K increased the abundance of Bacteroides bacteria in the gut microbiome which is associated with obesity and indeed resulted in a significantly higher body weight.

Toxic products generated by gut bacteria can enter systemic circulation and induce chronic inflammation. The above study found that Acesulfame-K may increased the risk of developing systemic chronic inflammation.

Another study from 2015 reviewed the nutritional benefits and risks related to intense sweeteners [IS]- analyzing 10,989 scientific papers. It found that – contrary to claims that use of artificial sweeteners leads to weight loss, “no conclusion can be drawn as to the long-term effect of replacing caloric sweeteners with IS on the weight of regular adult consumers of sweet products.” It further found that “most of the prospective observational studies undertaken in children show that IS use is paradoxically associated with weight gain.”

“Some studies … suggested that aspartame consumption may be involved in triggering epileptic seizures and migraines.”

Sucralose [e.g. Splenda, E955, Canderel Yellow] was found to be mutagenic at elevated concentrations. Cooking with sucralose at high temperatures was reported to generate a potentially toxic class of compounds. It alters the microbial composition in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), with relatively greater reduction in beneficial bacteria.

The artificial sweetener aspartame remains one of the most controversial food additives. A study found that people who consumed high-aspartame diets, had more irritable mood, exhibited more depression, and performed worse on spatial orientation tests.  Chronic use of aspartame was found to cause liver injury, depletion of Glutathione (GSH) [an important antioxidant] and to trigger the blockade of an important detoxification pathway [trans-sulphuration pathway].

Diabetic neuropathy is one of the three major complications of Diabetes mellitus (DM). . The artificial sweetener Sorbitol was found in a study from 2015 to damage Schwann cells which regulate peripheral nerve function, which can make the neuropathy worse.

Instead of loading foods with unhealthy artificial sweeteners, and as one of the study rightly states “for the general population, the overall assessment of potential risks and benefits does not justify the long-term use of IS as sugar substitutes, particularly in beverages” we should skip the artificially-sweetened and sugar-sweetened frankenfoods and replace them with natural foods and – when it comes to drinks – water.

Dr Oliver Frey MD MRCGP


Health & Wellbeing

Sources:

http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood/en/
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/soft-drinks-industry-levy-comes-into-effect
https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/can-the-nhs-help-tackle-the-uk-s-obesity-epidemic/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5464538/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590273/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856475/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5617129/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5300302/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4498049/

 

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What a Bonfire does to your Lungs

Setting large piles of stuff aflame can have significant environmental and human health impacts

Open burning of any kind is generally bad for humans and the nearby environment. Compared to controlled burning, such as in boilers, large outdoor fires tend to produce “highly mutagenic and carcinogenic emissions” that can affect any humans hanging out in the vicinity. (Mutagenic chemicals, as the name suggests, are those that tend to cause genetic mutations.) The fine particles in smoke, meanwhile, can find their way into eyes and lungs and cause bronchitis, as well as aggravate existing conditions like heart and lung disease

Temperature matters. If the fire is hot enough, many of the toxic molecules will break down into simpler, less toxic ones. But open fires rarely reach those temperatures, meaning toxic molecules are released as a gas that can easily find its way into lungs and the environment. As opposed to high-temperature incinerators, bonfires also tend to produce more carbon monoxide, which is harmful when breathed in and can form toxic ozone.

From an environmental perspective, the smoke from any bonfire—including normal ones built with wood or paper—adds particulates and carbon to the atmosphere. These can act not only as air pollutants, but also as “climate forcers,” meaning they can contribute to climate change in the short or long term—albeit on a much smaller scale than industry or automobiles do. Particulate pollution can lead to lung and nose irritation, and possibly even lung cancer if exposure is severe and prolonged, according to the Centers for Disease Control

Ash from bonfires can also easily run off into rivers and lakes, introducing chemicals and possibly altering the pH of the watershed. This could cause the widespread of fish and other animals living in or near the watershed.

Burning most kinds of plastics or metals is a quick path to creating adverse health effects because of their inherently toxic molecules.

Some of the worst items to burn in terms of toxic emissions include manmade chemicals like Teflon or many plastics, used motor oil and rubber such as that found in tires. On the more natural side of things, burning poison ivy can be very harmful to people allergic to it.

Warning from Asthma UK: Bonfires could cause potentially fatal asthma attacks

The smoke fumes from burning wood can linger in the air creating localised pollution, which could cause asthma attacks for the 5.4million people in the UK with the condition, says Asthma UK. Two thirds of people with asthma say poor air quality makes their symptoms worse.

The charity advises that the smoke from bonfires could be ‘deadly’.

Are you concerned about your personal lung cancer risk? The EarlyCDT®-Lung Test  can help to assess your personal risk.

Dr Oliver Frey, MD MRCGP

IoD Ambassador Health & Wellbeing

Source: Smithsonian magazine 

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Low magnesium associated with coronary artery calcification

Studies suggested an association between low serum magnesium levels and metabolic or cardiovascular disease and several studies have shown that low serum magnesium is associated with vascular calcification.

A study analysed 34,553 participants as part of a health examination program in a Korean population at low risk for cardiovascular disease. Low serum magnesium was associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC) after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, systolic BP, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, eGFR, serum calcium and phosphorus, high-sensitive CRP, current smoking status, alcohol intake and vigorous exercise frequency.

Our recommendation:

A lack of magnesium is also linked to constipation and muscle cramps.

We recommend to take 400 mg Magnesium daily, ideally as a Magnesium Citrate as this is well absorbed. The upper safety limit for an adult is 1600 mg daily. Too much magnesium can lead to loose stools.

Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2015.07.010

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Could Cataracts be reversed?

There is a growing population of aging patients suffering from cataracts and many are unaware of a simple solution that may reverse this eye disease.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

What is the lens?

The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.

In a normal eye, light passes through the transparent lens to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, light is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain.

The lens must be clear for the retina to receive a sharp image. If the lens is cloudy from a cataract, the image you see will be blurred.

The following are all potential symptoms of cataracts.

  • Color vision becomes distorted
  • Feel like you’re looking through a cloudy piece of glass.
  • Increased sensitivity to glare, especially from oncoming headlights
  • Blurred vision
  • Need for brighter light in order to see clearly
  • Double vision when looking out of just one eye
  • More difficulty seeing in the dark
  • Vision is brighter in one eye than the other eye

Most patients will quickly resort to surgery to replace the eye lens, however, it is important to know that part of the problem may be from a simple nutrient deficiency.

Research has documented that the nutritional product carnosine (not to be confused with carnitine) has been able to prevent and sometimes even reverse cataracts.

When carnosine is acetylated, as in N-acetyl-L-carnosine, it becomes a time-release dipeptide that can move easily both into water-soluble as well as lipid-containing parts of the eye and improves DNA repair, thus bringing vision back to better levels.

You can find Can-C eye drops which contain N-Acetyl-L-carnosine HERE

In one of the studies people in their 60s suffering with cataracts for 2-21 years used drops of carnosine solution three or four times a day for a few months. Carnosine improved their sight making the lenses became more transparent or clear. Basically, it reversed the effects of cataracts!

In another study, a group of people who were told they would need cataract surgery within two years, one group received the eye drops while another group used placebo drops.

After six months, 90% of the eyes treated with N-acetyl carnosine showed improvements in visual acuity anywhere from 7-100%.

Glare sensitivity improved 27-100% in 88% of people. And there was no worsening of vision, as there should have been with time.

PS: This can also be used for your four-legged canine friend!

References:

  • Babizhayev M, at al, Efficacy of N-acetyl-carnosine in the treatment of cataracts, Drugs Res Devel, 3;2:87-103, 2002
  • Rogers Sherry, Total Wellness, Prestige Publishing
  • Babizhayev MA, Biomarkers and special features of oxidative stress in the anterior segment of the eye linked to lens cataract and the trabecular meshwork injury in primary open-angle glaucoma: challenges of dual combination therapy with N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops and oral formulation of nonhydrolyzed carnosine, Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2012 Feb;26(1):86-117.
  • Babizhayev MA, Deyev AI, Yermakova VN, Brikman IV, Bours J, Lipid peroxidation and cataracts: N-acetyl-carnosine as a therapeutic tool to manage age-related cataracts in human and in canine eyes, Drugs R D. 2004;5(3):125-39.
  • Babizhayev MA, Micans P, Guiotto A, Kasus-Jacobi A, N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eyedrops possess all-in-one universal antioxidant protective effects of L-carnosine in aqueous and lipid membrane environments, aldehyde scavenging, and transglycation activities inherent tocataracts: a clinical study of the new vision-saving drug N-acetylcarnosine eyedrop therapy in a database population of over 50,500 patients, Am J Ther. 2009 Nov-Dec;16(6):517-33
  • Quinn PJ, et al, Carnosine: its properties, functions and potential therapeutic applications, Molec Aspects Med, 13; 5:379-444, 1992

Compliments from Functional Medicine University

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Our office will be closed for the Easter holidays from 16:00 Thursday, 28.03.24 until 09:00 Tuesday, 02.04.24
Our office will be closed for the Easter holidays from 16:00 Thursday, 28.03.24 until 09:00 Tuesday, 02.04.24