The Answer (Chap. 9-11)
On this page:
THE ANSWER- to “Why is the Plane of Our Nation’s Health in a Death Spiral?”
By Dogtor J.
©2001 DogtorJ.com
9.0 THE PATHOGENESIS OF DISEASE……….………..19
9.1 We’ve Been Set Up…………………………………………19
9.2 Latent Viruses………………………………………………….20
9.3 Viruses and Food Proteins- The Missing Link………21
9.4 Hydrogenated Oils- The Great Facilitators………….22
9.4.1 The Origin of the Heart attack…………….…….…….22
9.4.2 The Origin of Type-2 Diabetes………….…………….22
9.5 Veterinary Illustrations………………………..……….……23
9.6 The Battle Begins…………………………….………………24
9.6.1 The Age of Onset…………………………………………..24
9.6.2 The Progression of Symptoms………………..……….25
9.6.3 The Role of the Fast-food Industry………..….……..25
9.6.4 My Family Tree Explained…………………..….………26
9.6.5 New Diseases vs. Old Immune Systems…….…….26
10.0 A GLARING EXAMPLE……………………….………….27
10.1 Multiple Sclerosis- The Ideal Model…………..……..27
11.0 THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE…………………………..28
11.1 Cow Milk- The Who’s Who of What’s Bad….………28
11.1.1 Why You Hurt…………………………….………..……..28
11.1.2 Hormonal Effects…………………………….………….29
11.2 Those Pesky Amino Acids………………………..…….29
11.2.1 Glutamate, Phenylalanine, and Aspartate………29
11.3 Fibromyalgia- My Cure…………………………………..29
11.4 Rheumatoid Arthritis- Inflammation and Pain……29
11.5 Artificial Sweeteners and Other Neurotoxins……..30
11.6 Epilepsy- It’s Not “Idiopathic” Anymore!!…..……..31
11.6.1 The Veterinary Cure for Epilepsy………….………..32
11.6.2 The Human Cure…………………………….…………..31
Go to Chapters 12-14 of “The Answer”…
Chapter 9- THE PATHOGENESIS OF DISEASE
It should now be evident that the patterns that we observe as doctors prove invaluable in our understanding of the pathomechanisms involved in immune-mediated diseases. As we strive to fully explain the details of a process, we can be assured that we are on the right track by referring back to the patients history, physical findings, and the knowledge we already have of those processes. This combined with the explosion of information available at any given moment in the press or on the internet should afford the clinician what is essential to make a diagnosis as well as establish a course of specific therapy. This can and should be done without having to nail down every detail of the immune response. That being said, lets discuss what we now know.
We understand what the immune system responds to, protein. It is the protein in viruses, bacteria, inhalants, and food to which antibodies are directed. We have established, granted in an elementary fashion, that the reason for the response is because the body doesn’t want that protein antigen in it. That protein is undesirable because of the harm it will do- also elementary. What gets more technical is how it creates the damage.
In the case of viruses, the harm is well understood. These alien particles attach to host cells and talk them into replicating their kind so that they can survive to infect another victim. It is a life story of the basest nature.
The immune response is well understood but is often corrupted by mans obsession with comfort. By taking fever reducers, we frequently undermine the body’s attempt to do what is ultimately best for us. Hopefully this simply results in a slightly delayed departure of our uninvited guest, but some truly wear out their welcome. The prime examples are the varicella and Epstein Barr viruses. Once the child has recovered from the chicken pox, their immune system forces varicella into hiding, with the invader holding up in nerve roots. However, the menace returns to the unsuspecting host in the form of shingles once the weary victim is too tired to keep it at bay. A decline in the hosts immune system unleashes the virus from its hiding place in the nerve roots and allows it to travel along the nerve body causing serious discomfort. An astute doctor should then take this reemergence as a sign of a faulty immune system.
The Epstein Barr virus presents a similar problem. The medical literature tells us that over 50% of our children are infected with this virus before the age of five years, yet the symptoms we attribute to this agent do not typically emerge until the teenage years in the form of mononucleosis. The overlooked question is whether this malady results from a new acquisition of the virus or a reactivation of the latent virus, as in varicella. If the literature is correct concerning the early contraction of Epstein Barr, then a period of latency is a given. The interesting aspect of mononucleosis is the variability in recovery time. Some sufferers appear to recover in a matter of days while others are affected for weeks or months or, at worst, never fully recover from the fatiguing effects of this virus. The logical explanation lies, again, in the health of the hosts immune system. It would follow that those who recover quickly are likely to be those that just recently acquired the virus and mounted the appropriate response to force it into submission. They have the healthier of the immune systems. Those that take extended periods of time to accomplish domination over the virus are more likely to have had a latent infection that has resurfaced because of a weakened immune system. With compromised immunity, these victims can suffer from the chronic, nearly debilitating effects of Epstein Barr for an indefinite time.
The purpose of these two illustrations is to introduce the concept of latent viral infections. These are but two of the known examples of viruses that our bodies house for a lifetime. Current research is underway to identify these culprits and establish their role in the diseases that afflict us. A clue to this role can be found in the structure of viruses and how our body defends itself against these pathogens. The typical virus is covered with receptors to which our immune systems antibodies attach to facilitate the offending agents removal. These antibodies, or immunoglobulins, are actually complex glycoproteins. As their name implies, these immune system components are a carbohydrate-protein complex that, once bound to the virus, attracts other cells of the immune response for removal of that virus. The inflammatory response is complex, but the end result is that of destruction and phagocytosis of the unwanted microorganism, whether it is a bacteria or a virus. This is hopefully done with minimal injury to the host tissue.
However, it is clear that some tissue inflammation and disruption of function occurs with the tamest of viruses. We can usually dispatch these symptoms in short order with the routine symptomatic care described above. But should we? We should clearly see the folly in this practice and the potential for harm now that we understand viral latency. The more serious viral agents illicit the more profound signs, as should be expected. High, persistent fevers and pronounced tissue inflammation accompany these infections because the body truly doesn’t like these organisms at all. But, paradoxically, our therapeutic approach to them is even more aggressive. For these viruses, we use stronger non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents or even corticosteroids to reduce fevers and swelling. Of course, we many times cover the situation with antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial invasion, but the virus itself gets free reign once we handcuff the immune system by halting its natural response. In fact, if we allowed the body to do its job, the secondary bacteria would be much less likely to survive in the face of the fever, tissue swelling, and white blood cell response.
The sad fact is that the public has been poorly trained and misinformed concerning their body’s magnificent ability to handle invaders like viruses and bacteria. Certainly, there are some very serious infectious organisms that threaten our health. However, I contend that if we were as healthy as we could be, many of these would be dealt with swiftly and efficiently if we stayed out of the way. Many of the viral infections experienced would never have occurred if our immune system were in tip-top shape. I have rhetorically asked my clients whether the viral infections of the last 30 years, most notably AIDS and Ebola, were brand new to this planet or is it that our immune systems are just now ill enough to make us susceptible to them. Granted, the occurrence of a new strain of virus can occur through mutation or a change in vector, but our declining health in general must be a factor in their immergence and proliferation.
As we all know, viruses are acquired in a number of ways, most notably through aerosols, hand to nose or hand to mouth contact. Vectors like mosquitoes, as in the West Nile viral infections, inject some into us. The emergence of the trans-species feeding Asian Tiger mosquito has created problems in both human and veterinary medicine. Along with the transmission of the now infamous West Nile virus, this imported insect is responsible for the newly emerging incidence of heartworms in cats. Since its arrival in the late 1980s, the Asian Tiger has grown in stature to be the menace of the century. This has occurred as a result of an unnatural event: the transplantation of a biting insect from one continent to another.
There is another potential, yet usually overlooked, way in which we acquire viruses called vaccination. Overlooked, perhaps because we underestimate the power and consequences of this procedure. In both veterinary and human protocols, all but a handful of the vaccines are modified live viruses. These are infectious agents that have been modified in the laboratory to elicit an immune response without causing the disease itself. The fact remains that these are living organisms. We can only hope and pray that these live viruses are handled in the way we predict. Are we absolutely certain that these vaccine components are not setting up housekeeping in our bodies, particularly in those that are immune challenged in some way?
Why are we concerned that viruses may be living in our bodies throughout our lives if they don’t appear to be doing any immediate harm? This is one of the most important questions that have been posed in this paper. More accurately put, the response to this query is of vital importance in arriving at the answer we seek to our original question: Why is our nations health in a death spiral? I propose that latent viruses as well as those we acquire and hopefully eliminate play a much greater role in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated diseases than once thought.
All of the previous topics that have been covered to this point have served as preparation for presenting this theory. This premise involves the previously discussed tissue bound viruses, dietary proteins, triggers such as inhalant allergies, and the state of ill-health generated by the malabsorption and maldigestion syndromes associated with food intolerance. I am sure that many will comment at this point Well, that about covers everything, doesn’t it? I reply with Yes, it does and it takes a full understanding of how these factors come together to explain the unexplainable. If it were simple, we would have figured it out long ago. The next logical question from the gallery would be Why you? Why would a veterinarian be the one to put it all together? The answer, of course, lies in the previous text. This supposition came to me as a result of intense research, personal experience, and applied knowledge. It, simply put, made sense…all the sense in the world.
The root of the problem lies in the foods we have chosen. Among our many failures, man made two grave mistakes in history: the creation of wheat and the utilization of cow milk. As we have covered, these blunders have led to the primary food intolerances and subsequent allergies. Incomplete digestion of the cereal grains and cow-origin dairy products leads to villous damage of the duodenum and jejunum. This damage results from the direct effect of their breakdown products and the immune response to their presence. Malabsorption of vital nutrients such as immune building vitamins and minerals occurs and our disease fighting ability suffers. In addition, the casomorphins and gliadorphins are produced and absorbed resulting in depression in some and severe psychological disorders in others. Food addictions are also generated. These addictions lead to an almost uncontrollable consumption of just those foods that will do us further harm.
Enter the viruses. With our immune system in a faulty state, we are challenged with viruses and other microbes that would normally be dispatched in short order. Instead, select viruses come and stay, some for life. These tissue bound viruses, such as varicella, lay in wait for the immune system to totally crash so that they may once again be free to replicate and aggravate our immune system further. While they are bound to tissue, with their glycoprotein receptors exposed, dietary glycoproteins from the same foods to which we have become allergic, become bound to the virus. These both challenge and impede the immune response by occupying the space normally taken by our immunoglobulins, our natural glycoproteins.
These dietary proteins from wheat, barley, dairy products, soy, corn, and others find there way into all tissues, some naturally but others are allowed in those places through the action of “facilitators”. The principle facilitator is the hydrogenated oil. These man made oils break down natural barriers, increasing intestinal permeability and permitting the flow of gluten, casein, and soy protein derivatives into the host tissues. Inhalant allergens are also more likely to pass into targeted host tissues under the influence of these oils. The glaring and most devastating example comes in the form of atherosclerosis. These oils allow the entrance of these antigens into the media of the blood vessels where they activate complement and trigger the immune-mediated arteritis that we call atherosclerosis. The proof comes from an unlikely source- the dog. This over-bred animal suffers from every immune-mediated disease of man except for the biggest killer of mankind- athersclerosis, most notably coronary artery disease. 44% of American deaths annually result from this one condition, and dogs don’t get it! How can that be? They don’t get hydrogenated oils in their diet; certainly not at the level we consume every day as Americans. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils dominate the prepared foods we consume every meal. Margarines, fried foods, baked goods, snacks, and frozen foods abound with these deadly substances. In fact, in the article Hydrogenated Oils- The Silent Killers, written in 1986 by D.L. Dewey, it is stated that 90% of the prepared foods we consume contain these unnatural oils. However, with a few exceptions, pet foods in general are devoid of these oils.
The relationship of these oils to disease cannot be over-emphasized. Since their invention in the early1900s, the incidence of heart disease, type II diabetes, and cancer have skyrocketed. Therefore, the devastating effect of hydrogenated oils is worth investigating on everyone’s part. We have become accustomed to their use in frying and as butter substitutes but when consumed along with food allergens, these oils act as amplifiers by allowing more allergen to enter the bloodstream. They also allow partially digested proteins to enter the system prematurely, setting us up for more variation in our food allergies. Once in our body, these oils further destroy natural cell and tissue barriers, admitting the harmful dietary proteins into regions they would never normally travel. Excessive levels of casein and gliadin derivatives along with the amino acids glutamate, aspartate, and phenylalanine enter tissues such as the central nervous system. These proteins are capable of direct harm to the hosts cells or command an immune response to invoke tissue damage.
With tissue-bound viruses coated in these dietary glycoproteins we have the necessary ingredients for autoimmunity. They exist in virtually all of the host tissues: heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, pancreas, central nervous system, thyroid glands, muscle, joints, and peripheral blood. Activation of these resting complexes is the next issue. This, again, is where veterinary medicine can contribute.
We have a condition known as F.I.P.- feline infectious peritonitis. In this insidious yet invariable fatal condition, the feline victim acquires the primary coronavirus from an infected individual through the nasal route. Once in the pharynx, the virus replicates and disseminates in a similar fashion to many human viruses. The initial symptoms are usually those of a typical upper respiratory virus with no serious signs. The corona virus then becomes latent in the host, having been disseminated to nearly all tissues, including the liver, central nervous system, lymph nodes, and pleural and peritoneal surfaces. There, it remains dormant for months to years, just as in the case of other viruses such as leukemia and AIDS (both human and feline).
Reactivation and the resultant immune response occur when the host is re-exposed to that virus or to an F.I.P.-like corona virus. It is then that the body’s immune system turns on the host organs where the virus is housed in an attempt to destroy the virus. Unfortunately, the end result is a catastrophic inflammation of the host organs resulting ultimately in its failure. I believe that this serves as a model of autoimmunity in humans.
The triggers for the autoimmune attack on the human host tissue are similar but varied. Certainly, re-exposure to the latent virus or an antigenically similar virus could trigger a response similar to that of F.I.P. in cats. But with dietary and inhalant proteins playing their role, exposure to these proteins could trigger the response. Antibodies to inhalant and food proteins are now bound to the tissue in two different manners when you consider the latent virus theory. These immunoglobulins are bound to mast cells in the conventional fashion, awaiting re-exposure to the offending antigenic protein. When re-exposure occurs, the mast cell releases its component of histamine and the previously described tissue inflammatory response occurs. However, with the immunoglobulin-like dietary glycoproteins also being attached to tissue-bound viruses, the destruction is much more severe, resulting in what we term autoimmunity.
Evidence for this idea lies in the use of good dietary glycoproteins in the treatment of certain conditions. The best example is that of glucosamine. This glycoprotein is derived for shellfish- a very particular shellfish known as the pernicious mussel. Veterinarians have been using this compound for nearly 15 years in the treatment of various arthritic conditions in horses and dogs. Hip dysplasia in the dog serves as the best and most dramatic example. I have had canine patients that were nearly crippled by this condition respond dramatically to glucosamine compounds. I told a fellow golfer whom I had just met about this treatment when he inquired about his severely afflicted Old English Sheepdog. His pet was scheduled for major surgery at age 12 years in an attempt to bring relief for the discomfort of this horrible malady. He had never been advised as to the benefits of glucosamine, so I informed him as well as supplied him with the product on the way back to his hotel room. I received a Christmas card from him 3 months later in which he thanked me for helping him and his pet avoid unnecessary surgery. His dog was doing so well he couldn’t believe his eyes.
How could that be? I have never read an explanation for the true effect of these compounds but now I have an applicable theory. Many have explained the results histologically- reformation of cartilage and increased production of joint fluid. But, how do they work? I believe it is because these good glycoproteins place themselves strategically on the receptors of those viruses that are tissue bound in the joints, thereby blocking the uptake of bad glycoproteins or immunoglobulins that would otherwise be stationed there. With the blank in place, the immune response can’t take place when subsequent exposures to inhalant and dietary antigens occur. There are probably other such natural and therapeutic glycoproteins that would have similar effects. This concept would help to lend validity to many of the long-held Eastern medical practices. Homeopathic remedies have been around forever and, although we have not fully explained their beneficial effects, I believe that concepts like these, which are passed from generation to generation, must have some benefit. Just because we cant explain something doesn’t make it untrue.
Once the foreign dietary and inhalant proteins are firmly in place in all of the involved tissues, the real battle begins. The immune system is triggered into action by the re-exposure to that protein or the virus that binds them and the inflammatory reaction ensues. A heavy dose of ragweed, a big gulp of milk, a meal laced with MSG, or a simple flu-like virus all have the capability of inducing reactions ranging from mild allergy signs to an all out assault on the host’s organs. The alliance of the antigens and antibodies trigger the tissue destruction and signal the clean up crew to come in. The amount destruction is proportionate to the amount of antigen present. This explains the progressive nature of these conditions. It also explains the cyclical nature of conditions such as MS and lupus. The inflammation and resultant clinical signs, as abnormal and harmful as they appear, serve a purpose. The infected tissue is destroyed while the immune system removes the offending agents. Once again, the immune system is doing its job. The major problem is that the host has to suffer in order to get better. This is also the case in the chemotherapy that we volunteer for in our attempt to rid ourselves of deadly cancers. The oncologist knows that you have to do some harm to do some good. Its something like the old eggs and omelet analogy. You’ve got to break some if you want breakfast.
However, we don’t like symptoms and discomfort so we quickly reach for the drugs that will make us feel better. Now we know that, even under these circumstances, there will be a backlash. By reducing the immune response, we undermine its efficiency and allow these foreign agents to remain in tissue at levels that our immune system was working so hard at to try to prevent. It should really surprise no one when they experience another attack of MS, lupus, coronary artery disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or pancreatitis. The other aspects that shouldn’t surprise us is that it occurs sooner and more violently than the last episode because there is remaining antigen in the tissue and we haven’t done anything to prevent further intake of that same antigen. In fact, we have likely taken in more under the cover of antihistamines, antacids, anti- inflammatory drugs like aspirin, and nasal decongestants. The vicious cycle should be plain as day, especially to the unfortunate victims of these horrible conditions.
The age of onset for these victims is varied and is determined by many factors, the most obvious being the degree or “maturity” of their allergy or intolerance. At first, there are minimal quantities of these immune-stimulating antigens bound to viruses and mast cells, unless they are the most afflicted. Keep in mind that we are all on a spectrum here, and the range of susceptibility is quite wide, from early childhood to late adulthood. There are infants who have horrible immune problems, probably from the in utero exposure to these antigens or from “contaminated” breast milk. Casein and gliadin do pass into mother’s milk, then directly into the nursing child’s highly susceptible gastrointestinal tract. Again, according to the FDA, the principle childhood allergens are cow milk, wheat, (eggs), and soy. Why? The answer is clear now. The body doesn’t want them in it because they will do harm.
In other individuals, the harmful effects come later in life. They seem to come in recognizable waves. The other phenomenon is the metamorphosis of symptoms over the individual sufferer’s life. I believe that one of the worst misconceptions among my clients is that we “outgrow” allergies. I don’t think this occurs, but I do suggest that the symptoms change significantly as we mature which would confuse us and lead to this false perception. Early symptoms of allergies appear to be in the upper portion of our body- at the portholes of entry, interestingly enough. The itchy throats, the chronic “strep throats”, the ear infections, and stuffy noses and sinuses are the first to hit us. Why? It is our bodies attempt to limit their access. As we continue to consume the causative foods, the symptoms move deeper into our body, resulting in upper GI problems like heartburn and bloating. Asthma becomes the natural sequel to the upper respiratory symptoms. Once we get some age on us, the lower gastrointestinal signs like colitis (e.g. Crohn’s Disease) begin to haunt us. The progression is interesting once you open your eyes.
Chronologically, the symptoms typically start out simple and build in complexity. The ear infections, sore throats, and stomachaches occur in the 4-8 year olds, with asthma making its way onto the scene. There is also an unusual amount of leukemia diagnosed during this time. Then the mononucleosis and acne of the teenager occurs. The physiologic and psychological stress of those difficult years has its cause and effects. At this point, there is also a huge spike in the incidence of lymphoma. This should no longer be a mystery. Young adults have more adult symptoms like sinusitis, gas, heartburn, eczema, conjunctivitis, hives, and other typical allergy signs. The more serious problems like rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes are also on the rise in this age group. After reading this paper, this will no longer be a mystery.
From there, all susceptible individuals fall into a wide variety of age groups during which the ax falls. These, as discussed, are in large part determined by the diet of the individual combined with their genetic tendency toward a particular disease. Once again, I intentionally leave genetics until last in these discussions because that is where they belong. These conditions would never come to fruition if the pathologic conditions were not met beforehand. But, in the face of mass consumption of dairy, wheat, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, drugs, etc. and in the face of secondary allergens and environmental pollutants, these “genetic” conditions come crawling out of the woodwork. Not only do they occur, but they also are occurring in younger and younger victims. Diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and the rest are all happening at increasing rates and in younger people.
When I examined my family’s history, I saw one of the huge contributing factors. It is called the fast food industry. My father didn’t start showing significant signs of the celiac disease until he was in his seventies. Other than depression (a universal celiac trait which is now it is well understood), he had been healthy right up until he had a basal cell tumor removed from his nose. Now I can see that this was the first sign of immune failure. (Remember that cancer, succinctly put, is simply the failure of the immune system to do its job.) Within a few years, he was diagnosed with polymyalgia/ fibromyalgia, his doctors really weren’t certain. A year or so later, he suffered a number of TIAs (transient ischemic amnesia) which had us very concerned. In retrospect, we should have seen the heart attack coming at that point. It is kind of a kick in the pants to get to be 81 and then have to endure a six-vessel by-pass surgery. He fortunately survived that and was doing well until his semi-annual colitis flared up this fall. Despite my explicit instructions, he continued to eat some dairy products (limited, but some). He proved it all when he had to be taken to the emergency room in the middle of the night one hour after eating a bowl of ice ream. Fortunately, it just turned out to be a spastic colon rather than another heart attack. But, it was only one week ago last year that he had his open-heart surgery…almost to the day last year. This is no coincidence. The wind had just started blowing from the north which always brings with it allergens and chemical pollutants from the chemical plants north of our city. We are already in the nation’s worst allergy season known to man and air quality problems such as ozone are huge amplifiers of inhalant allergens. Ozone basically burns the respiratory tract- the sinuses and bronchial tree- allowing an unusual amount of allergens into an inflamed and highly susceptible internal environment. It happens every year in August and September, just like clockwork. Dogs, cats and people become seriously ill by the busloads when this unnatural event takes place. Ozone is the “hydrogenated oil” of the respiratory tract so to speak.
With my father explained, I turned to my brother. His serious symptoms didn’t start until he was approaching 50. Again, a touch of clinical depression was present, but the physical signs didn’t start until later. His “laid-back” attitude and tendency to be academically lazy were explainable through the early presence of casomorphins and gliadorphins. He was always very smart, just not motivated. We all know these people.
It wasn’t until he reached 52 that all heck broke loose. “Why so much earlier for him?” I asked. Why not 60,70,or 80? The answer came from my greatest teacher- my own body.
Of the three of us, I was obviously afflicted the earliest. Chronic fatigue followed by insomnia and acute endogenous depression at age 35, followed almost immediately by irritable bowel syndrome, followed quickly by neck and back pain, and topped off by fibromyalgia by age 45. My history now reads like a book to me. But why so much earlier than my family members? It was obvious… the food sources had changed dramatically over the last 50 years.
Remembering that Americans consume 40% of their calories as dairy products and another 20% as wheat, the age of onset of food intolerance was easily explained. It was the advent of the fast food industry that made these numbers approach this level. Everything is coated in wheat; deep fat fried in hydrogenated oils, covered with cheese, and put on a wheat bun. If we tire of this, we go next door and get a wheat platter covered with cheese called pizza. People innately know that fast food is not the healthiest form of food, but it is not the lack of vitamins and green vegetables per sae that is doing us in. It is the fact that we are consuming absolutely catastrophic levels of gluten, casein, and hydrogenated oils.
This industry didn’t exist during my fathers formative years. It was barely a factor in my brothers life until after he got out of the Air Force. The first fast food chain didn’t arrive in our city until I was in the sixth grade. At that time, my brother was twelve. By the time the fast food industry was in full swing, my brother was beginning his twenty-year career in the armed forces, eating three square meals a day. (This was his input on the subject when we discussed it recently.) But for me, it was an entirely different subject. Hamburger chains were popping up right and left and we loved them. We loved their food, but we really loved the convenience. That combination has proven to be deadly, in all senses of the word. And if things weren’t bad enough, pizza hit the scene with a vengeance. With the American family morphing into a two-income unit, home cooked meals were a thing of the past. We were irreversibly hooked.
This family introspection has been applied to many of my clients situations now and proven to be a valuable and eye-opening exercise. The genetic diseases that run so strongly are occurring so much earlier. The endometriosis, diabetes, and immune-mediated diseases seem to be hop scotching down the generations toward birth. That is when another profound revelation hit me. Are the new diseases, like AIDS, Ebola, and West Nile Virus really new, or are we just now becoming sick enough to be susceptible to them? Certainly, viruses are capable of mutation and thereby able to infect species that were previously unaffected. This has happened numerous times in the past, usually occurring from animals to man. This makes sense, using the idea that the body temperatures of the source of these migrating viruses are universally higher than mans. But, one has to answer why only certain people are affected and why there appears to be an increase in these zoonotic diseases. An example lies in the West Nile Virus. Granted it is new due, in part, to the unnatural importation of the Asian Tiger mosquito vector in the late 80s. The point is that this virus normally causes minor flu-like symptoms in affected individuals. However, it has been lethal in some cases. Each fatal case that I am aware of can be explained by advanced age or immune-suppression. Well, the elderly are always the most affected one might volunteer. But, I recommend that people stop and ask why that is exactly. It is because their immune systems are failing. It is the same reason why 33-50% of people get cancer. Why it occurs and when it occurs are vitally linked to the progressive destruction of the immune system by what we eat, not by some mysterious, unexplainable phenomenon known as aging. The foods combined with our ignorant manhandling of our immune systems, keeping it from doing its job at every juncture, are rapidly destroying our ability to cope with the ever-present infectious agents around us. Everything tells us that we are getting progressively more ill and now we have a better understanding as to why.
A GLARING EXAMPLE
An obvious model of the all of immune-mediated disease is multiple sclerosis. This nebulous and terrifying condition is the definition of recurrent autoimmunity. Interviewing clients stricken with his relapsing neuropathy, I have found that all of them had signs of food intolerance years before the neurological attacks began. Most are also self-professed dairy addicts, with cheese being their downfall. Remember that obese client who felt that she “would die” without cheese? Her words, spoken with such an intensity and conviction, have been echoed by many of dairy’s followers. It is clearly the most addicting food group. It is no wonder that current research points the finger at dairy proteins multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated diseases.
With our viral bound protein model, we can see the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis unfold. It should be rather easy to put together a profile of the viral suspects and create a line-up for identification. In veterinary medicine, the paramyxovirus of canine distemper is a likely perpetrator. This agent is a pantropic virus that has an obvious affinity for the central nervous system. We vaccinate our patients yearly with a modified live version of this virus annually. Studies have suggested for years that countries that vaccinate in the manner we do have a much higher rate of immune-mediated diseases. Those countries that don’t vaccinate have a much lower incidence of these problems. The reason for that may be so obvious to be stupefying. The majority of our vaccines are modified-live viruses and these viruses could be remaining in the “volunteer” for extended periods of time. They may be latent in the vaccinated individual only to be re-activated by any one of the described triggers, such as immune suppression, re-exposure, or challenge by antigenically similar viruses. That German Shepherd keeps haunting us, doesn’t he? We can now see the myelopathy coming from miles away. Those repeated exposures to the modified-live paramyxovirus in the distemper vaccine could be shooting us in the foot. However, it is truly a “catch-22″. If we don’t vaccinate, they may die prematurely from the disease itself. The answer would obviously lie in the development of better-killed vaccines, as in the case of the newer rabies vaccines employed by veterinarians.
One of my closest friends is like that hapless breed. She has suffered from food-related symptoms for as long as I have known her, long before I understood why. Hives, nausea, fatigue, and mood swings were almost daily events. She had undergone an ovariohysterectomy for endometriosis at the early age of 30 years, right on schedule as I now understand. (Her 21-year-old daughter was just diagnosed with polycystic ovaries and early endometriosis last month. What a surprise.). A little research in the medical section of a popular bookstore explained the relationship between dairy and endometriosis. The estrogenic effects of milk were adding up quickly. More on this later.
My friend then had her first episode of acute pancreatitis last year. During this attack, her blood sugar skyrocketed, but insulin therapy was only transiently required…until her next episode six months later. The third pancreatic attack was accompanied by trigeminal neuropathy and polyneuropathy of her left extremities. She had just experienced her first attack of multiple sclerosis.
Thankfully, this serious development got her attention and she started paying attention to my ranting and raving concerning her dairy-laden diet. She has eliminated most all of these proteins and is in stable condition, even in the face of the worst allergy season on record, according to the news (and all of our experience). Even her hives have not flared up on their predictable schedule. She has been informed that total elimination will be ultimately required, but her gradual reduction has even proven tremendously therapeutic. One happy ending in the making.
THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE
The bad news is that not all of these proteins do their dirty work through the immune system. Some create problems of their own without any help form anyone. The phenomenally interesting thing to me at this point was the sudden vision of how the food that is bad for us has all of the necessary substances to warn us away from that food.
The prime example is dairy products. Milk not only contains harmful proteins that will trigger an immune response, but it possesses a number of elements that do physical and mental harm to set off an alarm that should distract us from further consumption. Milk contains high levels of arachidonic acid, the precursor to the pain-mediating chemical known as prostaglandin. When a pain sufferer reaches for a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), they are usually taking a drug that blocks the action of prostaglandin. By consuming dairy products, our intake of arachidonic acid has the potential for increasing our pain. This was stated clearly in the aforementioned text on endometriosis. The physician author states definitively that the intensity of menstrual cramps can be lessened by over 50% within a month or two of limiting dairy intake. She also stated the etiology of hyperestrogenism as it related to milk. Her explanation of how the cholesterol compounds in dairy are converted to estrogens within the intestinal tract and then absorbed “down stream” made perfect sense. It has been stated in this paper and on numerous milk-related sites that dairy is responsible for the early onset of menses in our developing little girls. As mentioned, over the years, this age has dropped from 15.5 to 12 years of age, and is dropping further due to the estrogenic effects of soy formula. A staggering 19% of our female population has their first menstrual cycle, developed breasts, or developed pubic hair by age eight. An amazing 0.7% has pubic hair or breasts by age three. Again, soy is the likely culprit here.
What is the effect of these hormonal changes? It is actually natural selection trying to take place. By inducing endometriosis, the offending substance is literally weeding out the most susceptible, making them less likely to reproduce. In nature, this is a good thing, unless it is undone by a crafty reproductive specialist. Thanks to “advances” in medicine, we can take the most afflicted and put them on equal par with the healthy, thus diluting our genetic strength that nature is trying to insure. This dilution ultimately plays a large role in the development of the spiral. Like our poor German Shepherd, the symptomatic care that we afford reverses the natural selection process and allows the weakest of the “breed” to compete with the strongest right up to the point of procreation. This allows those that would have been filtered out the gene pool to remain in the water and reproduce. Granted, this is a difficult moral and emotional issue, whether to attempt to limit those of us who are most afflicted from having offspring. I believe most would agree that they have the right to extend their families like anyone else. But, the fact remains that the weakening of our genetic matrix is the obvious result of our role in the natural selection process becoming more and more invasive and involved
The next potentially harmful components of milk of are a couple of amino acids: glutamate and phenylalanine. Glutamate is a neurostimulatory amino acid. It is used for that purpose in monosodium glutamate, the flavor enhancer. It works by stimulating the nerves of the taste buds, thereby enhancing the flavor of foods. But, what occurs once this amino acid is in our body, particularly in abnormal amounts? We can expect that it stimulates internal nerves, including the brain itself. This is, in fact, what occurs. The pertinent area of stimulation is the pain center of the brain. Glutamate stimulates this area at the same time it actually causes neuronal death when it exceeds the synapses tolerance level for this protein. This is the medical explanation for the migraine headache associated with MSG intolerance.
This is also likely to be the cause of my fibromyalgia. There was nothing actually wrong with those trigger points that wreaked havoc on my golf game. These were areas that would normally be a little sore after that or similar activity. But in the face of a pathologically sensitive pain center, these points were screaming bloody murder. The proof came later, after my miraculous recovery. It only took one month of being wheat-free for my pain to abate, allowing me to play 36, even 45, holes of golf pain free, with minimal morning after effects. I was flabbergasted. Once I dropped all cow milk and my joint pain totally disappeared, I began telling people that I felt as if I could get hit by a bus and not feel it. It was truly incredible.
The negative effects of excess glutamate is also the pathogenesis of Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It is well described in current medical texts that excess glutamate at the synapse it what kills the neuron. The clinical signs of the disease result from reduced to absent neurological input to target organs due to that neuronal death. Remember that bit of irony about Lou Gehrig and the box of Wheaties? So, milk once again contains a substance that tells us to stop drinking it. This time it is yelling it at us.
It is strikingly similar in rheumatoid arthritis. The dairy products not only cause the rheumatoid arthritis through an immune mechanism, but they contain at least two substances, glutamate and arachidonic acid, to make the pain worse to get our attention. We’re just not listening, are we? When I examine the incidence of this condition in my animal patients, it becomes even clearer. Immune-mediated arthritis is an uncommon condition in dogs while it is more frequent in cats. The answer is simple. Dog foods contain very little dairy, with a relatively small amount of casein being the norm in canine prepared foods. What their owner gives in addition to their commercial food may be an entirely different matter. This was the clue to the higher incidence in cats, where most of my cat owners are still under the (horrible) misconception that it is proper to give their cats milk. Cats also have an increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes relative to the dog. Once again, the evidence is staring us in the face.
Phenylalanine is another neurotransmitter but with a different area of “expertise”. This amino acid is vital in the transmission of mood-related messages through the dopamine pathways. Excessive amounts of this protein can cause serious mood disorders and even mental retardation. The condition known as phenylketonuria is the glaring example of the potential harm this amino acid can do. Those unfortunate individuals who lack the ability to convert phenylalanine effectively to tyrosine have myriad of symptoms resulting from the excess of the former and a deficiency of the latter. The application lies in that little blue packet of artificial sweetener containing aspartame or diet drinks containing this compound. The warning label states that people with “PKU” should avoid this product. I suggest that we all avoid these compounds because of their unnatural and potential harmful qualities.
Aspartame contains a blend of aspartate and phenylalanine, everything wrong in an amino acid all rolled into one. Yes, these essential amino acids are found in virtually all proteins, but when they are in high quantity from an unnatural source, there is certainly room for an index of suspicion as to their role in “the spiral”. Like glutamate, aspartate is a neurostimulator. It has a very close relationship with its brother protein in neuron stimulation. Excessive amounts can understandably cause similar harm in susceptible individuals. The reported complaints include short-term memory loss, headaches, pain syndromes, and even an MSG-like rush. Some clients have reported being hooked on diet drinks, and it is either the caffeine or the aspartate that is driving their addiction. A group of airline pilots are involved in a class-action suite over the mental damage done by these compounds.
The problem with the argument against this compound is that a few misguided souls are stating that the principle damage done by aspartame is accomplished by its conversion to formaldehyde in the body. This melodramatic aspect of aspartame’s harm is only a part of the story but proponents of this compound are using the nonsensical nature of this argument as a defense. The fact is that aspartame does contain methanol which in turn is converted to a formaldehyde compound by the liver. Formaldehyde is both a component of embalming fluid and a carcinogen. These are not to be overlooked in their importance, but the best arguments against aspartame lie in the direct effects of its other aforementioned components. So, the fact is that aspartame doesn’t need to be converted in the body to anything. It’s neurotoxic all by itself.
There is another group of misinformed people who think that aspartame is actually the sole cause of Alzheimer’s Disease. Their point is well taken though: there has been a dramatic change in the incidence and age of onset of this devastating condition since the release of this artificial sweetener. So much so that the correlation would lead some to identify it as the cause of this elusive disease. However, when the histological findings are examined, Alzheimer’s reads like an immune-mediated condition. The presence of amyloid and the temporary gains with anti-inflammatory drugs signal to us that it is an inflammatory condition. Some have read that taking an ibuprofen compound daily will help with shot-term memory. Why would that be? The answer is now simple: because there is a chronic inflammatory condition taking place in the brain that is reduced through the use of these headache remedies. When one adds aspartame and MSG and their neurotoxic effects into the fray, it becomes readily apparent that they are contributing significantly to brain cell death and driving the younger age of onset and skyrocketing incidence levels into a startling new realm. When are we going to learn how to put two and two together and actually get four?
The proof that these artificial sweeteners are potential harmful is found partly in the origin of its components. One of the principle sources of phenylalanine is milk. In fact, for the diagnosis of PKU, doctors use a milk challenge to detect susceptible individuals. As we have established, no mammal should drink milk after it triples it’s birth weight, so this primary source of phenylalanine should be eliminated. Remember the mood effects of this amino acid? Remember the “toxic” effects being mental retardation? These would be “natural” effects in the nursing young, keeping them quiet, less mobile, and content so as not to wander off or signal a predator. In some, it has a permanent effect on their temperament. One of my standard illustrations is the “autistic” nature of the cow. “Look at this guy”, I would say. He doesn’t move except to eat or graze or find some shade. They barely need a fence around them. And we drink their milk, of all possible sources? No wonder we’re all depressed.”
No matter what angle you come at dairy, you see the folly in its consumption. Pain, reproductive problems, immune-mediated diseases, and behavioral problems all are grounded in this unnatural food source. The proteins in cow milk are not unique to dairy, but they are in relatively high quantity and have no natural place in our diet.
The cereal grains contain many of the same amino acids in similar quantities, thus serving as a complementary source for these problem proteins. Wheat and soy are the two sources for commercial MSG, so one can conclude that these food sources are high in glutamate. As in the case of dairy (a new use for the term “dairy case”), these grains contain these elements as a warning to avoid their consumption. If the nausea, bloating, cramping, heartburn, and diarrhea weren’t enough of a clue, then surely the pain, depression, and seizures would get our attention. Yes, glutamate can cause seizures.
This was one of the most astounding discoveries I made during this epic search for truth. I read on www.celiac.com how gluten intolerance sufferers with epilepsy had a remarkable improvement in their seizure incidence once the cereal grains were eliminated. I took this to heart and examined the possibility of this occurring in my patients. Suddenly, there was another epiphany. All of the epileptic breeds were the most food intolerant. Remember the list? And who headed that list? The German Shepherd. Those seizures it was having were glutamate related! The Cocker, Poodle, Labrador Retriever, Beagle, et al were the epileptics. Incredible. I immediately recommended that all of them be placed on a diet free of the cereal grains and dairy products.
The results? 100% of them responded. Not 20, not 67, but 100% improved. Most stopped having seizures within the week of the diet change. Some even proved the fact backwards and forwards, having seizures when the diet was violated but returning to “remission” when the offending proteins were removed. This really got my attention and I began researching the pathogenesis of epilepsy. It has long been considered idiopathic, with no histological evidence of true brain damage or actual visible lesions in the brain tissue. It had to be a biochemical phenomenon. Suddenly, I find the first clue in the word glutamate, the neurostimulatory amino acid. I read about the neurotoxic effects of glutamate in Lou Gehrig’s Disease. I found that there are anticonvulsants that work by blocking glutamate. I stumbled onto the description of a rare brain tumor that secretes glutamate to kill adjacent brain cells, which facilitates its expansion. “Glutamate can be a beast, I said out loud. And where do dogs get the most of it? From the same unnatural source of “nutrition” that generates their food allergies. What a coincidence…not! Again, it was stupefying in its simplicity. Remove the sources of glutamate and their seizures stop.
It would be almost a year before an EMT friend of mine would send me an article from Johns Hopkins University on the response of epileptic children to ketogenic diets. This gave me distinctly mixed emotions. I did not need more proof than what I had acquired over the past year, but it was nice to see the medical field coming around. It was a validation of sorts. However, it actually angered me to think that anyone would ignorantly volunteer for or be forcibly placed into a physiologic state (ketosis) normally reserved only for either extreme starvation or unregulated diabetes mellitus. This is a horrible state of human physiology and should be remedied as soon as possible. The good news is that children don’t have to go into ketosis to help their epilepsy. They simple have to eliminate those unusual sources of glutamate and aspartate that are driving their seizures. This is at least the short-term fix.
I decided that I would let some researcher prove why these particular dogs and children had more glutamate and aspartate at the neuronal level than those without seizures, but I felt I knew the answer. The answer had to lie in their relative inability to eliminate glutamate, just like the sufferers of Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It had to be similar to the PKU situation just described. How could this occur? Again, the answer was amazingly simple. The foods containing these substances were concurrently causing the malaborption and maldigestion syndromes, both subclinically and overt. The resulting lack of absorption of vitamins and minerals had to be diminishing the body’s ability to produce the enzymes that were needed to convert these problem proteins. This would fit the patterns described earlier, both warning us off the foods while simultaneously implementing the principles of natural selection. The most afflicted would become incapacitated and die while those less affected and “paying attention” would stop eating the offending foods. Only man would once again be smart enough to explain things wrongly and start a course of covering up the problems with symptomatic drugs.
The facts then stood before me and were backed up with logic. The unnatural foods (wheat, barley, dairy, and soy) caused harm through a number of mechanisms and they contained the products necessary to tell us they were going to do this harm. What perfection our body is. But, if we don’t listen to our body or if we are misguided in our explanations as to the origin of our symptoms, then we will pay the price, and oh, what a price we can pay.
Go to Chapters 12-14 of “The Answer”…
