The Unseen Dangers of Processed Foods

We all know that ‘fresh is best’ when it comes to food and nutrition advice.

A complementary medicine research study from George Washington University in the US has highlighted the hidden health dangers of processed foods.

In the food processing plant, the machine(s), plastics, conveyor belts and other processing equipment that food comes into contact with contains phthalates. Phthalates are used in numerous products such as soaps, cosmetics, personal care products etc.

Previous studies have shown that exposure of phthalates are linked to diabetes, hypertension, ADHD, child allergies. Consequently, countries like Japan have banned the use of PVC gloves in food handling due to adverse health effects.

Any packaging containing phthalates should be clearly labelled with a health warning. This will make consumers aware of the hidden dangers of processed foods.

Ritalin can lead to problems with bone health in children

Ritalin and other stimulant pharmaceuticals are often a treatment for ADHD. There has always been a concern that these stimulants may have an adverse effect on bone growth in children.

Now, an evidence based medicine study presented at the 98^th Annual Endocrine Society meeting in Boston, USA has determined that bone mineral content is lower in children who use pharmaceutical stimulants.

Therefore, any Integrative Medicine resources for treatment of ADHD children should include the monitoring of bone health and for many ADHD cases the integration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapies including food and nutrition advice and the incorporation of best quality vitamins and supplements will lead to improved results.

Regular monitoring of Metabolic Syndrome required for Effective treatment

Metabolic syndrome is becoming increasingly common. The causative factors are the combination of insulin resistance and central obesity.

The need of early diagnosis and treatment is imperative.

For effective treatment of metabolic disease, several tests are essential to treat and monitor the individual using evidenced-based medicine tests.

The tests and parameters confirming Metabolic Syndrome as set out by the International Diabetes Federation are as follows:

BMI greater than 30kg/m²
plus any two of the following four factors:
1)  Raised triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)
2)  Reduced HDL cholesterol :
< 40 mg/dL (1.03 mmol/L) in males
< 50 mg/dL (1.29 mmol/L) in females
3) Raised blood pressure –
systolic BP ≥ 130 or diastolic BP ≥ 85 mm Hg or previously diagnosed hypertension
4) Raised fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L), or previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners should use the above tests to regularly monitor the progress of treatment advices e.g. pharmaceuticals and/or best quality vitamin and supplements.

Further recommendations for treating ADHD

Misuse of Ritalin is increasing exponentially in Australia according the Australia Data from Poisons Information Centre who reported a 210% increase in ‘Intentional exposures’; ingestion for overdose or recreational reasons rather than therapy.

Professor Louise Newman and co-author Dr Adrian Dunlop have advised that there is also over-diagnosis of ADHD and over prescribing of ADHD drugs especially Ritalin. This contributes to increased rate of poisoning, deliberate overdoses and is further associated with suicide behaviour. Professor Newman also confirmed that some parents are taking their child to a doctor to get the drugs for their own personal use. These actions further highlight the gravity of the problem.

Surely, these findings point to the need of better diagnosis protocols for mainstream conventional care and also a requirement of better treatment regimes for ADHD.

This is also an indication that treatment for mild forms of ADHD should include Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies which include lifestyle advice and food and nutrition advice, which are undeniably important components in the treatment of ADHD.

Why dried plums/prunes can help astronauts, cancer patients, radiation workers and victims of nuclear accidents

Dried plums or prunes are often lauded as effective food and nutrition advice as prunes are rich in potassium, fibre and antioxidants. Thus, regular intake of prunes may help lower your risk of chronic disease. Now a complementary medicine research study from Bone and Signaling Laboratory of NASA’s Ames Research Center has shown that consuming dried plums can protect from radiation bone loss. Radiation bone loss can occur from:

• Radiation therapy after hip replacement
• Anticancer treatment
• Victims of nuclear radiation disasters e.g. Hiroshima cohort
• Long-duration spaceflight

The study revealed that lab mice which ate prunes were protected from the bone-damaging effects of gamma ionising radiation. Gamma radiation is used to treat cancer patients. Therefore, these findings may indicate that prunes could help prevent radiation bones loss conditions and may be useful as an Integrative healthcare solutions i.e. potential best quality vitamin and nutraceutical supplements or pharmaceutical derived drug leads.

However further extensive research is required to determine the active component in dried plums that contribute to reducing bone loss, mineral density and a potential osteoprotective treatment.

Green tea ‘lead molecule’ could be useful for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Drug

There is growing research evidence that Green Tea has many health benefits. Green tea is a rich source of the Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which is a immunomodulatory polyphenol that has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in various animal models of autoimmune diseases.

Recently, researchers at Washington State University in Spokane have published a research paper showing that EGCG has high potential the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) as it blocks the effects of the disease without inhibiting other cellular functions.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes pain and swelling in the joints. This chronic inflammatory disease characterized by T-cell mediated inflammation which contributes to the destruction of cartilage and bone in the joints.

The researchers investigated the use of EGCG for targeting Transforming growth factor β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1). TAK 1 is an important signalling protein — through which proinflammatory cytokines transmit their signals causing inflammation and tissue destruction in rheumatoid arthritis. TAK 1 is a key MAPKKK family protein in interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and Toll-like receptor signalling. It is also a key regulator in inflammatory and immune signaling pathways.

The paper published in the February edition of Arthritis and Rheumatology showed that EGCG significantly reduces ankle swelling in the rat animal model. Furthermore, previous research studies have shown that that green tea extract or EGCG administration improved symptoms of arthritis i.e. markedly reduced inflammation-related cytokine production including IFN-γ, IL-6 and TNF-α and increased IL-10 production.

Therefore, taken together these are potentially important findings in development of novel Integrative Medicine resources for the treatment of RA through:

• Advocating green tea as food and nutrition advice for RA and OA sufferers.
• Design of novel pharmaceuticals through targeting TAK1.
• Developing novel ‘EGCG like’ molecules as pharmaceutical interventions.
• Developing best quality vitamin and supplements for Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis.

Integrative Healthcare Solution for Schizophrenic and Depressive Disorders

For the first time scientific research has shown that levels of IL-6, IL-18, TNFα, and sIL-2R are elevated in Major depression Disorder (MDD) and schizophrenic patients. Il-18 is important in regulating immune function. Furthermore, patients in the ‘schizophrenia group’ showed higher levels of the inflammatory markers than MDD and control groups.

The study authors Al-Hakeim et al concluded that the immunological response in the MDD and schizophrenic patients groups was significantly stimulated and that these disorders may be considered an inflammatory disorder because of elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in spite of lacking an overt inflammation.

Furthermore they suggested and Integrative healthcare solution of using anti-inflammatory drugs as adjuvant therapy in schizophrenic and depressive disorders.

Benefits of Drinking Tea – Lifestyle advice

There are nearly 9 million new fractures due to osteoporisis worldwide, with an estimated annual cost to our society of  approximately $100 billion  USD.

Black teas has been advised in many Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies as food and nutrition advice for prevention of many diseases For example, in Ayurveda Chai tea has been traditionally advocated as lifestyle advice to improve digestion and from the Ayurvedic perspective improper digestion is the root cause of many disease..

Now researchers have reported that drinking black tea reduces the risk of fractures in older women.

Myers et al carried out a prospective, observational complementary medicine research study of 1,188 women with an average age of 75. The study revealed that having at least 3 cups of tea a day resulted in:
•    34% lower risk of developing a serious osteoporotic fracture
•    42% less chance of sustaining a hip fracture
•    For each 1 cup per day increase in tea intake there was a 9% decrease in the risk of a serious osteoporotic fracture

So how does black tea protect against bone loss?

The most probable mode of action is that the Flavonoids found in black tea inhibit bone resorption and simultaneously stimulate osteoblastic bone formation.

So when you are next at the coffee shop on the way to work in the morning order a cup of black tea instead of coffee for more health benefits.

What We Can Learn from McDonalds, Burger King, KFC et al

Many fast food outlets such as KFC, Burger King, McDonalds have “Happy Meals” or ‘Kids Meal as part of their marketing and sales strategy. This food package includes a toy and a smaller meal portion in a box or paper bag with the company’s logo. This product is specifically marketed at children and often at the same price as a full meal.

Researchers from the University of Arizona carried out a series of experiments, where participants identified choices with various foods and incentives while researchers collected data. The research also measured functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine if the brain responds to the “Happy Meal” concept of a small toy, gift card or lottery ticket in the same way it does to the burger or pizza laden with cheese.

The data published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied in June, revealed that the combination of a half-sized portion and a prize (toy) was the menu item of choice, even though there was no difference in price. For example, when a group of sixth-grade students were presented with the option of a full sandwich and no prize or a half-sandwich and a pair of cheap bud-style earphones, 78% of them went for the smaller sandwich.

“Clearly, eating less is not fun for many people (and may even be a source of short-term unhappiness), as portion size restriction requires discipline and self-control,” the authors wrote. “Yet, by combining one shorter-term desire (to eat) with another shorter-term desire (to play) that in combination also address a longer-term desire (to be healthy), different sources of happiness become commensurable.”

This research data points to a natural weight loss strategy i.e. providing incentives for eating smaller portions may be the way forward in the battle against obesity. Incorporation of this strategy could be of value when implemented alongside standard food and nutrition advice in anti- obesity programs.

Researchers Report that Yoga Can Help Prostate Cancer Patients

Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapies such as Yoga and Meditation are valuable Integrative Medicine resources in the fight against cancer.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, USA recently reported that patients with prostate cancer undergoing radiation therapy can benefit from Yoga at the Society of Integrative Oncology’s 12th International Conference.

The participants in this complementary medicine research study utilised a therapy called ‘Eischens’ yoga program. This is a series of yoga asanas that address imbalances and weakness in muscle groups. ‘Eischens yoga’ was developed by Roger Eischens a direct disciple of B.K.S. Iyengar.

This complementary medicine research study revealed that the inclusion of ‘Eischens yoga’ in the treatment of these patients resulted in:

• improved quality-of-life
• reduced cancer-related fatigue
• lower prevalence of sexual and erectile dysfunction
• reduced urinary incontinence

The proposed explanations for the benefits of this specific form of yoga include:

• Reducing cancer related fatigue
• Strengthening pelvic floor muscles and improved circulation

‘Eischens yoga’ is available at the Penn Medicine‘s Abramson Cancer Center which incorporates integrative medicine and wellness services. In addition to yoga, patients can receive training in other Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapies such as:

• Stress-reduction techniques
• Meditation
• Reiki therapy
• Acupuncture
• Massage

This is one example of the value of Integrative medicine in the treatment of serious disease.