You don't wanna know: Cherry-picking data for profit.

What we don't know can hurt us: Industry bias against negative outcomes means vast amounts of research goes unpublished, Ben Goldacre says.

There is a systemic flaw in the core of medicine: you need to watch this TEDMED talk from Washington DC 2012. Goldacre is truly worth his weight in gold - yesyes, pun intended.

You really don't wanna know.

This is an unlisted youtube video - all the more reason to watch it here.

Autistic Kids: It's A Nutrigenomic Issue!

Cute kid. Unfortunately, the stereotypical breakfast
of milk and cereal is one of the top triggers
of autism and the associated not-quite-so-cute behavior.
A breakfast overflowing with opioids found in milk and wheat gluten
- whole grain or not, besides the point here.

When kids suffer from behavioral disorders, looking into food allergies and nutrient therapy is crucial. Genetic traits and brain chemistry imbalances are hereditary and gradually worsened through generations; so if you haven't taken care of yourself by matching your lifestyle to your unique metabolic type, you can be sure to see a worsening of your vulnerabilities showing in your kids.

Autism have become one of the most widespread issues amongst kids these days; however, it is very easily treated if you understand how autistic symptoms relate to brain chemistry and triggered by opioids found in common food products.

So what characterizes the brain of a kid suffering with autism?
Autistic children generally have high levels of serotonin in their blood platelets, but LOW level of “free” serotonin. This may mean high serotonin in blood cells, but low serotonin in brain!

Research also comments on the fact that autistic children have high beta-endorphin levels. The literature does not reference baseline beta-endorphin but talks about an exaggerated stress response. Measuring beta-endorphin evokes stress, so the high levels they see may be a function of the exaggerated stress reaction. Stress evokes BE, and generally serotonin modulates the spike. If the serotonin system is impaired, there could be nothing to tone the beta-endorphin spike down so there would be a constant spiking and crashing.

BE is designed to kill pain, it creates “numb”. This can be life saving in a crisis, but it does not do well for bonding. Researchers used a drug called Naltrexone that sits in beta-endorphin receptor sites and does not allow the heightened BE reaction to charge the system; thus the kids treated had fewer autistic symptoms. However, this method does nothing but treat the symptoms temporarily (you can't be on these drugs forever - as with anything, there are side effects that only worsen over time causing a multitude of other health problems); it does not target the underlying issue.

Sugar, wheat gluten and dairy contain opioid peptides and raise BE levels more. So we know there is a direct link between the biochemistry imbalances that are associated with autism and that which are dietary related!

What to do now? 

Well, if your kid suffers with autism, even if you don't have the financial means to have a brain chemistry and metabolic typing done (contact for more info), you will want to try this out for 28 days (my experience is that in 90% of cases this solves the issue): move your kids to a food plan that has no wheat, no hard-core dairy (whey protein powder is ok because it does not have casein), and no sugar.

Anderson, G. M., D. X. Freedman, et al. (1987). Whole blood serotonin in autistic and normal subjects. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 28(6): 885-900.

Anderson, G. M., A. W. Zimmerman, et al. (2004). Autism clinical trials: biological and medical issues in patient selection and treatment response. CNS Spectr 9(1): 57-64.

Blum, I. , Y. Vered, et al. (1992). The influence of meal composition on plasma serotonin and norepinephrine concentrations. Metabolism 41(2): 137-40.

Buitelaar, J. K. (2003). Why have drug treatments been so disappointing? Novartis Found Symp 251: 235-44; discussion 245-9, 281-97.

Bursztejn, C., P. Ferrari, et al. (1988). Metabolism of serotonin in autism in children]. Encephale 14(6): 413-9.

Cazzullo, A. G., M. C. Musetti, et al. (1999). Beta-endorphin levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and long-term naltrexone treatment in autistic children. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 9(4): 361-6.

Drink Your Shrink: Calming Lemon Balm Ice Tea

I love sipping this during the hot days of summer!
Lemon has an alkalizing effect on you body and thereby works anti-inflammatory together with the raw honey. Do remember that honey is one of those foods that absolutely must be taken raw (check the label, it should say raw on it). Excessive heating - as in pasteurization - changes its properties as it ferments; disabling your body from digesting it and turning into a sticky glue-like toxic substance in your body. This is also why pasteurized honey is a no-go in Ayurvedic medicine.

Lemon balm is one of those herbs that have been used since ancient times to calm an overexcited nervous system. Lemon balm has been found to reduce cortisol levels and also levels of an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter GABA -- an inhibitory neurotransmitter known for its calming effects on the nervous system, particularly an area called the hippocampus.
To notice a significant calming effect and boosting GABA measurably, you need dosage levels of 50- 200 mg/kg body weight daily for three weeks.

The results of lemon balm's actions in reducing cortisol and preserving GABA promote cell growth and development in the hippocampus, which is part of the limbic system and contributes to the control of emotions such as anxiety.

A great and healthy alternative to Xanax which is one of the fastest growing prescription drug addictions in the United States, by the way. Xanax is a benzo used to treat anxiety and panic disorders; the side effects are vast and range from irregular heart-beat to depression. Even though Xanax may be used in short-term scenarios, keep in mind that it does not boost your brain-GABA levels which is the real key to overcoming anxiety for good!

You are anxious because your body's stress filter is off - so you need to restore it rather than simply suppress the symptoms temporarily!

If this doesn't do it for you, know that anxiety can also be a symptom of other brain chemicals being out of whack - i.e. excessive high dopamine, low serotonin and/or a combination. That's why it's important to understand your unique biochemistry type, so you match your diet, supplements and lifestyle with your genetic profile - whether it be for preventative or treatment related purposes!

An online biochemistry testing incl. lab analysis and a health provider service will be launching at The Nutrition Doctor's site Www.ChristinaSantini.com end of August, so stay tuned!

Makes 8 servings.

What's in it?

• Big bunch of fresh lemon balm stalks with leaves
  
• 1/2 cup of raw honey
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 8 cups water

What to do?

• Stuff as much rinsed lemon balm into a slow cooker as will fit and cover with 8 cups of water - let simmer for about 3 hrs on low heat.
• Drain the resulting liquid into a pitcher
• While it's still warm, add raw honey and lemon juice. 
• Add more water to taste
• Chill before serving

Reference:

Dae Yoo, Jung Choi, Woosuk Kim, et al. Effects of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) Extract on Neurogenesis Associated with Serum Corticosterone and GABA in the Mouse Dentate Gyrus. Neurochemical Research (13 November 2010), 

pp. 1-8, doi:10.1007/s11064-010-0312-2

GI disorders on the rise: The case for WHITE rice.

Of course the Asian cultures with their influence

from Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine

have chosen to make white rice a stable part of their diet for a reason.

And now the West is finally beginning to grasp a grain

of what they have known and implemented for centuries: white rice is better than brown!

Just don't expect your health care practitioner to recommend this tomorrow

- as with all break-throughs in medicine it takes decades for it to reach the mainstream.

Just when you thought there were certain things in the health field that would never change - i.e. a pint of Haagen dasz is never going to be on the bottom of the food pyramide nor is anything white: white flour, white rice, white sugar... and so on.
After all, all things white is the reason why the West is getting fatter yet more malnourished by the minute, is it not.

Well, turns out it's not that simple - and cutting out white rice in exchange for brown may only be leading to further GI disorders. Now hang on a second before you just write this off as wish-washy alternative nonsense.

Let's start from the beginning.

Gastro intestinal disorders and gluten intolerance issues have reached epidemic proportions.
This is a catastrophe, because our knowledge of gluten intolerance is still at a baby stage and conventional medicine simply does not know how to treat (and much less properly diagnose!) inflamed gut and damaged villis.

Many of the meds you may be taking for secondary reasons are preventing your gut from healing by thinning the mucosal lining along with the fact that every Rx leads to your blood pH being more acidic. Now I'm not saying that Rx is always a no-no, it is always a question of pros vs. cons. However, in cases of inflamed gut you will have a load of symptoms that are all secondary: Osteoporosis, low T3, hormonal imbalance, mood disorders etc. etc. And they will continue to be present until you heal the primary reason for your disease - which is your gut.

With GI disorders every other disease under the sun follows, which is why it is critical to first heal your gut and then focus on any other issues you may be having. Simply because if your gut isn't healed step 1, whatever goes into your body either adds toxins and ferments due to indigestion or simply just exists your system without you having absorbed any nutrients at all.

Now back to the white stuff. Brown rice (which Asian cultures only use for the poor or to feed the pigs) contains something called phytic acid. Phytic acid binds to minerals in foods and limit our digestion of the minerals.

What about the fiber you ask? Well, turns out that more fiber is not the cure we thought it once was. Especially not the sort of roughage that stems from grains - bran, which is a typical recommendation to bulk up your fiber intake, literally tears your insides to shreds and prevents nutrient absorption (mind you, you still have to eat your fruit and veggies - it is only the grain roughage that is an issue). Brown rice is white rice with a thick hull around it. It is kind of like eating a walnut and not taking the shell off. There are nutrients in the hull, but they have a very poor bioavailability. Our bodies spend a lot of time and effort trying to break down the shell, which will use up energy and slow our metabolism.

Ever been on a juice diet where you actually consume zero fiber? Point: You do not get constipated from lack of roughage in your diet, you get constipated when you eat things your system cannot digest properly - i.e. most conventional casein a1 milk products and gluten (if this does not match your genotype).

(White) rice is one of the least allergenic foods there is on the grain side, and it is especially great as part of your diet for people low on serotonin as they need some quicker carbs to help boost insulin so that it can transport competing aminos out of the blood stream to the muscles, leaving the larger molecule tryptophan (precursor of serotonin) free to enter the brain-blood barrier.

Note: Also why a strict vegan or high protein diet is a disaster for people with low serotonin - first diet does not contain the building blocks for serotonin, and the second contains too many competitors so tryptophan will never be converted into brain-serotonin - and that's why some people experience crazy carb cravings on the Atkins diet (only those low on serotonin)!

..And is there anything more comforting 

than eating a bowl of steaming hot 

Indian spiced basmati rice glistening 

with pasture butter. And then we can get into 

the whole discussion of why saturated fats 

are not all created equal etc. - that's for another post!

Bottomline: You are what you absorb - so eat your rice WHITE like the Asians do!
I recommend the long-grain variety as they are slightly more nutritious.

If you want a great easy-read on why white rice is better (yesyes, I know you're almost suffocating there on your coffee reading this, admittedly it took me some time to get comfortable enough to finally put this down in writing even), then I recommend you grab the book by Jason Bussell  MSOM, Licensed Acupuncturist, The Asian Diet: Simple secrets for eating right, losing weight, and being well.
Mind you, this book is not a magic key per se, and admittedly I'd have preferred some more brain chemistry explanations and insights to be included, as this is always a pet-peeve of mine when determining if something is worth it - that said, it is still great on getting insight on why white rice indeed is better than brown from a gut-perspective!

And if switching from brown to white makes all your alarms go off due to the glycemic index, then read my case for why the gi index is a useless tool.

References:

Pharm Dev Technol. 2010 Sep-Oct;15(5):526-31.
Gastro-intestinal sustained release of phytic acid by molecularly imprinted microparticles.
Cirillo G, Curcio M, Parisi OI, Puoci F, Iemma F, Spizzirri UG, Picci N

Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009 Dec;60(8):688-93.
Iron absorption from brown rice/brown rice-based meal and milled rice/milled rice-based meal.
Trinidad TP, Mallillin AC, Sagum RS, Briones DP, Encabo RR, Juliano BO

Dig Dis Sci. 1990 Oct;35(10):1205-10.
Drug-induced esophageal injury. Histopathological study in a rabbit model.
Brewer AR, Smyrk TC, Bailey RT Jr, Bonavina L, Eypasch EP, Demeester TR

Drug Saf. 2000 Mar;22(3):237-49.
Drug-induced oesophageal disorders: pathogenesis, incidence, prevention and management.
Jaspersen D

Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2010 Apr;24(2):91-7.
Adverse effects of drugs on the esophagus.
Tutuian R; Clinical Lead Outpatient Services and Gastrointestinal Function Laboratory

Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2004 Apr;28 Spec No 3:C58-61.
[Esophageal complications of non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs].
Bigard MA, Pelletier AL

Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2004;18 Suppl:73-81.
Aging and upper gastrointestinal disorders.
Pilotto A

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2012 Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2982.2011.01872.x. [Epub ahead of print]
Life style in persons with functional gastrointestinal disorders - large-scale internet survey of lifestyle in Japan.
Miwa H

BMC Gastroenterol. 2008 Sep 23;8:43.
The clinical overlap between functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome based on Rome III criteria.
Wang A, Liao X, Xiong L, Peng S, Xiao Y, Liu S, Hu P, Chen M