Condition Afflicts Millions: Do you have “YBS”?

12. May 2014 Lisa G Nutrition (0)
After one of the harshest winters, spring has finally arrived.  The welcomed warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours infuse us with a sense of renewal and new beginnings.   Low and behold we begin to come out of hibernation and start the mad dash to engage in positive lifestyle changes such as eating better, exercising, proper sleep and taking appropriate nutritional supplements.  But invariably, life happens.  

Yep, just when you were about to get started, it happens.  YBS sets in.   I see this “condition” all too often with clients attempting to enter or re-enter into any number of behavior changes.  I will go so far as to say we all have been afflicted at one point or another in our lives.  I call this condition Yeah But Syndrome, or “YBS”.    It is often paralyzing and prevents those afflicted from moving into action, instead remaining in a state of inertia.  

There are many symptoms of YBS but the following are some of the most common.  

• Yeah I planned to go to the gym today BUT, the kids needed a ride to practice.  
• Yeah I really want to eat better BUT I don’t have the time.   
• Yeah I didn’t plan to eat the cake BUT my husband wanted too, so I did also.   
• Yeah I really meant to go to the grocery shopping BUT I was too tired, so I hit the drive- thru.  
• Or this is a good one. Yeah I meant to start today BUT, I’ll start tomorrow.  

But tomorrow never comes.  You get the drift.  We can all come up with a million yeah buts, in other words, excuses.    The good news is the treatment for YBS is simple--just do it!  Take action.  The reality of today’s 24-7 planet is there will always be something.  The kids, work commitments, family obligations and various projects that need your attention will perpetually be present in some shape or form.  The difference to make the difference is to learn to dance in the rain, not wait for the rain to pass.  When will all the stars align so that your world will be “just right” to start?  If not NOW, WHEN will you begin?  

The key word here is begin.   Far too frequently, I coach clients that shoot themselves in the foot before they start.   Instead of consuming yourself with all the barriers to entry, select reasonable, low-hanging fruit that is “doable.”    The art of lifestyle change is to avoid all-or-nothing thinking and begin to appreciate what you CAN do, versus focusing energy on what you can’t do.  What is one action you can do TODAY to move toward your wellness goal(s)?  Start to focus on what you can do in the mist of your existing life demands. This mantra is a friendly reminder: BE-DO-HAVE.  Be committed.  Do what it takes.  And you will have results.  

Lastly, if you think removing cereal from your morning routine it is too difficult and you can’t do it. Guess what-- you’re likely right.   What you think is what you get!   But what if you think instead, “I can do this.  There are many truly healthy options for breakfast to replace cereal such as eggs and veggies that will help me look and feel my best.”  Then guess what--you will!  This simple change in mind-set can start a tidal wave of change and prevent you from abandoning ship when life tosses you into rough waters.  Ongoing support is hugely important to sustain lifestyle changes.  Join the conversations in the Cureality Forum to engage the support of health coaches and Cureality Members to stay on track. 

We Need More.....Kettlebell

8. May 2014 Amber B Exercise (0)
You either love them or you hate them.

When you are in love with kettlebells, like I am, you enjoy the multi-muscle group movements.  Kettlebell workouts are fluid, like a dance, putting together a chain of movements that leave your heart pounding and sweat pouring.  Yes, there’s some sneaky cardio component to a kettlebell workout.   A great blend of aerobic and anaerobic conditioning.

If you hate kettlebells it’s because kettlebell exercises keep you honest with proper exercise execution.  Form is imperative to moves like the kettlebell swing or the kettlebell snatch.  Do it incorrectly and you’ll be either sore or have bruised wrists the next day.  But this is no reason to shy away from the kettlebell.  You have way too much to gain from this odd looking piece of exercise equipment.  

You will get a mega -caloric burn.  The American council on Exercise states that the average kettlebell workout burns 20 calories per minute.  That’s 1200 calories in just one hour.   Kettlebell workouts utilize many muscle groups to give you an efficient, total body conditioning workout.  

If you’re looking for a toned back side get a kettlebell.  The classic kettlebell swing works all the posterior muscles like your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.  But only if you use correct form.  Otherwise you'll find yourself with nagging back pain, instead of a better butt.  

Kettlebell exercises are functional movements that will allow you to play hard without getting injured.  If you are an athlete, a nature enthusiast, or just want to keep up with the kids then you need to give kettlebells a try.  During a workout, the exercises will target movements that will make getting up and down off the floor easier, as well as bending over to pick something up.

If you are interested in doing kettlebell workouts start with a coach or take class.  You can’t fake form with kettlebell exercises or you could end up hurt.  I’m not trying to scare anyone away because good form is easy to learn.   Your body will memorize the correct movement pattern and you’ll be on your way to a successful kettlebell workout.  

Thyroid and the gut: Hidden health partners

8. May 2014 Chris K Thyroid (0)
Though I have personally dealt with both auto-immune thyroiditis (Hashomoto’s) and several gut issues (wheat sensitivity, gastritis, etc.), it was not until recently that I discovered how close the thyroid and gut work together to keep you healthy – and how problems with one can affect the other along with your overall health.
 
Most of us understand that the primary function of the gut, that 25 to 30 feet of “tubing” that includes everything from your stomach to your large intestines, is to process the food we eat and allow the “good stuff” (essential nutrients) to pass into our blood stream while keeping the “bad stuff” (harmful proteins) out. However, it may surprise some that the gut also holds as much as 70% of all the immune tissue in the body.
 
Now, imagine all the health havoc that could ensue if, suddenly, the gut stopped doing its job – particularly if it failed to stop toxic proteins from entering the blood stream and then mounted an overzealous immune response against them.  Sometimes, those overzealous immune responses reach beyond their intended targets to attack otherwise healthy tissues and organs – like the thyroid gland.
 
Recent studies indicate that thyroid hormones play a significant role in maintaining gut integrity, preventing leaky gut that can, in some cases, lead to auto-immune attacks against the thyroid.  A properly functioning gut also aids the production of thyroid hormones by converting some of the inactive “T4” thyroid hormone into the functional “T3” hormone.  Failure to simultaneously maintain both a healthy gut and a healthy thyroid can create a vicious cycle leading to chronic health problems and declining vitality.
 
What it all means is that to enjoy optimal health, you must promote good thyroid health to promote good gut health and vice versa.  Unfortunately, traditional medicine tends to focus on one issue to the exclusion of others.  A typical endocrinologist may treat your under active thyroid without spending a moment to address underlying gut issues.  A gastroenterologist will work alleviate a gut problem but will rarely address a potential thyroid problem.
 
This illustrates, once again, how our bodies work as a system and why it is necessary to bridge the “healthcare gaps” in traditional medicine by becoming personally responsible for your health.  I encourage everyone to consult the Cureality Program Guide and online Cureality Diet and Thyroid Health Tracks to learn more about how to optimize both your gut and thyroid health on your journey to realizing complete, whole-body health.

Omega-3 fatty acids likely NOT associated with prostate cancer

18. July 2013 William Davis Omega-3 fatty acids (6)
A weakly constructed study was reported recently that purportedly associated higher levels of omega-3 fatty acid blood levels and prostate cancer. See this CBS News report, for instance.

Lipid and omega-3 fat expert, Dr. William Harris, posted this concise critique of the study, exposing some fundamental problems:

First, the reported EPA+DHA level in the plasma phospholipids in this study was 3.62% in the no-cancer control group, 3.66% in the total cancer group, 3.67% in the low grade cancer group, and 3.74% in the high-grade group. These differences between cases and controls are very small and would have no meaning clinically as they are within the normal variation. Based on experiments in our lab, the lowest quartile would correspond to an HS-Omega-3 Index of <3.16% and the highest to an Index of >4.77%). These values are obviously low, and virtually none of the subjects was in “danger” of having an HS-Omega-3 Index of >8%. So to conclude that regular consumption of 2 oily fish meals a week or taking fish oil supplements (both of which would result in an Index above the observed range) would increase risk for prostate cancer is extrapolating beyond the data.

This study did not test the question of whether giving fish oil supplements (or eating more oily fish) increased PC risk; it looked only a blood levels of omega-3 which are determined by intake, other dietary factors, metabolism and genetics.

The authors also failed to present the fuller story taught by the literature. The same team reported in 2010 that the use of fish oil supplements was not associated with any increased risk for prostate cancer. A 2010 meta-analysis of fish consumption and prostate cancer reported a reduction in late stage or fatal cancer among cohort studies, but no overall relationship between prostate cancer and fish intake. Terry et al. in 2001 reported higher fish intake was associated with lower risk for prostate cancer incidence and death, and Leitzmann et al. in 2004 reported similar findings. Higher intakes of canned, preserved fish were reported to be associated with reduced risk for prostate cancer. Epstein et al found that a higher omega-3 fatty acid intake predicted better survival for men who already had prostate cancer, and increased fish intake was associated with a 63% reduction in risk for aggressive prostate cancer in a case-control study by Fradet et al). So there is considerable evidence actually FAVORING an increase in fish intake for prostate cancer risk reduction.

Another piece of the picture is to compare prostate cancer rates in Japan vs the US. Here is a quote from the World Foundation of Urology:

"[Prostate cancer] incidence is really high in North America and Northern Europe (e.g., 63 X 100,000 white men and 102 X 100,000 Afro-Americans in the United States), but very low in Asia (e.g., 10 X 100,000 men in Japan).”

Since the Japanese typically eat about 8x more omega-3 fatty acids than Americans do and their
blood levels are twice as high, you’d think their prostate cancer risk would be much higher...
but the opposite is the case.

Omega-3 fatty acids are physiologically necessary, normalizing multiple metabolic phenomena including augmentation of parasympathetic tone, reductions of postprandial (after-meal) lipoprotein excursions, and endothelial function. It would indeed make no sense that nutrients that are necessary for life and health exert an adverse effect such as prostate cancer at such low blood levels. (Recall that an omega-3 RBC index of 6.0% or greater is associated with reduced potential for sudden cardiac death.)

I personally take 3600 mg per day of EPA + DHA in highly-purified, non-oxidized triglyceride form (Ascenta Nutrasea liquid) that yields an RBC omega-3 index of just over 10%, the level that I believe the overwhelming bulk of data suggest is the ideal level for humans.

Are statins and omega-3s incompatible?

18. June 2013 William Davis (4)
French researcher, Dr. Michel de Lorgeril, has been in the forefront of thinking and research into nutritional issues, including the Mediterranean Diet, the French Paradox, and the role of fat intake in cardiovascular health. In a recent review entitled Recent findings on the health effects of omega-3 fatty acids and statins, and their interactions: do statins inhibit omega-3?, he explores the question of whether statin drugs are, in effect, incompatible with omega-3 fatty acids.

Dr. Lorgeril makes several arguments:

1) Earlier studies, such as GISSI-Prevenzione, demonstrated reduction in cardiovascular events with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, consistent with the biological and physiological benefits observed in animals, experimental preparations, and epidemiologic observations in free-living populations.

2) More recent studies (and meta-analyses) examining the effects of omega-3 fatty acids have failed to demonstrate cardiovascular benefit showing, at most, non-significant trends towards benefit.

He points out that the more recent studies were conducted post-GISSI and after agencies like the American Heart Association's advised people to consume more fish, which prompted broad increases in omega-3 intake. The populations studied therefore had increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids at the start of the studies, verified by higher levels of omega-3 RBC levels in participants.

In addition, he raises the provocative idea that the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids appear to be confined to those not taking statin agents, as suggested, for instance, in the Alpha Omega Trial. He speculates that the potential for statins to ablate the benefits of omega-3s (and vice versa) might be based on several phenomena:

--Statins increase arachidonic acid content of cell membranes, a potentially inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid that competes with omega-3 fatty acids. (Insulin provocation and greater linoleic acid/omega-6 oils do likewise.)
--Statins induce impaired mitochondrial function, while omega-3s improve mitochondrial function. (Impaired mitochondrial function is evidenced, for instance, by reduced coenzyme Q10 levels, with partial relief from muscle weakness and discomfort by supplementing coenzyme Q10.)
--Statins commonly provoke muscle weakness and discomfort which can, in turn, lead to reduced levels of physical activity and increased resistance to insulin. (Thus the recently reported increases in diabetes with statin drug use.)

Are the physiologic effects of omega-3 fatty acids, present and necessary for health, at odds with the non-physiologic effects of statin drugs?

I fear we don't have sufficient data to come to firm conclusions yet, but my perception is that the case against statins is building. Yes, they have benefits in specific subsets of people (none in others), but the notion that everybody needs a statin drug is, I believe, not only dead wrong, but may have effects that are distinctly negative. And I believe that the arguments in favor of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, EPA and DHA (and perhaps DPA), make better sense.



DHA: the crucial omega-3

22. May 2013 William Davis (5)
Of the two omega-3 fatty acids that are best explored, EPA and DHA, it is likely DHA that exerts the most blood pressure- and heart rate-reducing effects. Here are the data of Mori et al in which 4000 mg of olive oil, purified EPA only, or purified DHA only were administered over 6 weeks:



□ indicates baseline SBP; ▪, postintervention SBP; ○, baseline DBP; •, postintervention DBP; ⋄, baseline HR; and ♦, postintervention HR.

In this group of 56 overweight men with normal starting blood pressures, only DHA reduced systolic BP by 5.8 mmHg, diastolic by 3.3 mmHg.

While each omega-3 fatty acid has important effects, it may be DHA that has an outsized benefit. So how can you get more DHA? Well, this observation from Schuchardt et al is important:

DHA in the triglyceride and phospholipid forms are 3-fold better absorbed, as compared to the ethyl ester form (compared by area-under-the-curve). In other words, fish oil that has been reconstituted to the naturally-occurring triglyceride form (i.e., the form found in fresh fish) provides 3-fold greater blood levels of DHA than the more common ethyl ester form found in most capsules. (The phospholipid form of DHA found in krill is also well-absorbed, but occurs in such small quantities that it is not a practical means of obtaining omega-3 fatty acids, putting aside the astaxanthin issue.)

So if the superior health effects of DHA are desired in a form that is absorbed, the ideal way to do this is either to eat fish or to supplement fish oil in the triglyceride, not ethyl ester, form. The most common and popular forms of fish oil sold are ethyl esters, including Sam's Club Triple-Strength, Costco, Nature Made, Nature's Bounty, as well as prescription Lovaza. (That's right: prescription fish oil, from this and several other perspectives, is an inferior product.)

What sources of triglyceride fish oil with greater DHA content/absorption are available to us? My favorites are, in this order:

Ascenta NutraSea
CEO and founder, Marc St. Onge, is a friend. Having visited his production facility in Nova Scotia, I was impressed with the meticulous methods of preparation. At every step of the way, every effort was made to limit any potential oxidation, including packaging in a vacuum environment. The Ascenta line of triglyceride fish oils are also richer in DHA content. Their NutraSea High DHA liquid, for instance, contains 500 mg EPA and 1000 mg DHA per teaspoon, a 1:2 EPA:DHA ratio, rather than the more typical 3:2 EPA:DHA ratio of ethyl ester forms.

Pharmax (now Seroyal) also has a fine product with a 1.4:1 EPA:DHA ratio.

Nordic Naturals has a fine liquid triglyceride product, though it is 2:1 EPA:DHA.





Krill oil: Do the math

21. May 2013 William Davis (0)
The manufacturers of krill oil claim that the phospholipid form of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, enhance their absorption. There are indeed some data to that effect:


Here are some representative krill oil preparations available on the market:


MegaRed Krill Oil:
EPA 50 mg
DHA 24 mg
Total omega-3s (EPA + DHA + other forms) 90 mg
Price: $28.99 for 60 softgels

Source Naturals (a fine company otherwise, by the way):

EPA 150 mg
DHA 90 mg
Total omega-3 fatty acids 300 mg
Price: $24.99 for 60 softgels

Alright, let's do some simple math:

Average volume of blood in the human body (all components): 5000 cc
Percentage of red blood cells (RBCs) by volume: 45%
Total volume RBCs: 2250 cc
Percentage of total volume RBCs occupied by fatty acids:

What tests are MORE important than cholesterol?

12. May 2013 William Davis (8)
In the conventional practice of early heart disease prevention, cholesterol testing takes center stage. Rarely does it go any further, aside from questions about family history and obvious sources of modifiable risk such as smoking and sedentary lifestyle.

So standard practice is to usually look at your LDL cholesterol, the value that is calculated, not measured, then--almost without fail--prescribe a statin drug. While there are indeed useful values in the standard cholesterol panel--HDL cholesterol and triglycerides--they are typically ignored or prompt no specific action.

But a genuine effort at heart disease prevention should go farther than an assessment of calculated LDL cholesterol, as there are many ways that humans develop coronary atherosclerosis. Among the tests to consider in order to craft a truly effect heart disease prevention program are:

--Lipoprotein testing--Rather than using the amount of cholesterol in the various fractions of blood as a crude surrogate for lipoproteins in the bloodstream, why not measure lipoproteins themselves? These techniques have been around for over 20 years, but are simply not part of standard practice.

Lipoprotein testing especially allows you to understand what proportion of LDL particles are the truly unhealthy small LDL particles (that are oxidation- and glycation-prone). It also identifies whether or not you have lipoprotein(a), the heritable factor that confers superior survival capacity in a wild environment ("The Perfect Carnivore"), but makes the holder of this genetic pattern the least tolerant to the modern diet dominated by grains and sugars, devoid of fat and organ meats.

--25-hydroxy vitamin D--The data documenting the health power of vitamin D restoration continue to grow, with benefits on blood sugar and insulin, blood pressure, bone density, protection from winter "blues" (seasonal affective disorder), decrease in falls and fractures, decrease in cancer, decrease in cardiovascular events. I aim to keep 25-hydroxy vitamin D at a level of 60 to 70 ng/ml. This generally requires 4000-8000 units per day in gelcap form, at least for the first 3 or so years, after which there is a decrease in need. Daily supplementation is better than weekly, monthly, or other less-frequent regimens. The D3 (cholecalciferol) form is superior to the non-human D2 (ergocalciferol) form.

--Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)--HbA1c represents glycated hemoglobin, i.e., hemoglobin molecules within red blood cells that are irreversibly modified by glucose, or blood sugar. It therefore provides an index of endogenous glycation of all proteins of the body: proteins in the lenses of the eyes that lead to cataracts; proteins in the cartilage of the knees and hips that lead to brittle cartilage and arthritis; proteins in kidney tissue leading to kidney dysfunction.

HbA1c provides an incredibly clear snapshot of health: It reflects the amount of glycation you have been exposed to over the past 90 or so days. We therefore aim for an ideal level: 5.0% or less, the amount of "ambient" glycation that occurs just with living life. We reject the notion that a HbA1c level of 6.0% is acceptable just because you don't "need" diabetes medication, the thinking that drives conventional medical practice.

--RBC Omega-3 Index--The average American consumes very little omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, such that a typical omega-3 RBC Index, i.e., the proportion of fatty acids in the red blood cell occupied by omega-3 fatty acids, is around 2-3%, a level associated with increased potential for sudden cardiac death (death!). Levels of 6% or greater are associated with reduced potential for sudden cardiac death; 10% or greater are associated with reduced other cardiovascular events.

Evidence therefore suggests that an RBC Omega-3 Index of 10% or greater is desirable, a level generally achieved by obtaining 3000-3600 mg EPA + DHA per day (more or less, depending on the form consumed, an issue for future discussion).

--Thyroid testing (TSH, free T3, free T4)--Even subtle degrees of thyroid dysfunction can double, triple, even quadruple cardiovascular risk. TSH values, for instance, within the previously presumed "normal" range, pose increased risk for cardiovascular death; a TSH level of 4.0 mIU, for instance, is associated with more than double the relative risk of a level of 1.0.

Sad fact: the endocrinology community, not keeping abreast of the concerning issues coming from the toxicological community regarding perchlorates, polyfluorooctanoic acid and other fluorinated hydrocarbons, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PDBEs), and other thyroid-toxic compounds, tend to ignore these issues, while the public is increasingly exposed to the increased cardiovascular risk of even modest degrees of thyroid dysfunction. Don't commit the same crime of ignorance: Thyroid dysfunction in this age of endocrine disruption can be crucial to cardiovascular and overall health.


All in all, there are a number of common blood tests that are relevant--no, crucial--for achieving heart health. Last on the list: standard cholesterol testing.

Cranberry Sauce

21. November 2012 William Davis (3)
Happy Thanksgiving 2012, everyone, from all the staff at Track Your Plaque!

Here’s a zesty version of traditional cranberry sauce, minus the sugar. The orange, cinnamon, and other spices, along with the crunch of walnuts, make this one of my favorite holiday side dishes.

There are 31.5 grams total “net” carbohydrates in this entire recipe, or 5.25 grams per serving (serves 6). To further reduce carbs, you can leave out the orange juice and, optionally, use more zest.

1 cup water
12 ounces fresh whole cranberries
Sweetener equivalent to 1 cup sugar (I used 6 tablespoons Truvía)
1 tablespoon orange zest + juice of half an orange
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

In small to medium saucepan, bring water to boil. Turn heat down and add cranberries. Cover and cook at low-heat for 10 minutes or until all cranberries have popped. Stir in sweetener. Remove from heat.

Stir in orange zest and juice, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Transfer mixture to bowl, cool, and serve.


Apple Cranberry Crumble

18. November 2012 William Davis (0)
Apple, cranberry, and cinnamon: the perfect combination of tastes and scents for winter holidays!

I took a bit of carbohydrate liberties with this recipe. The entire recipe yields a delicious cheesecake-like crumble with 59 “net” grams carbohydrates (total carbs – fiber); divided among 10 slices, that’s 5.9 grams net carbs per serving, a quantity most tolerate just fine. (To reduce carbohydrates, the molasses in the crumble is optional, reducing total carbohydrate by 11 grams.)

Other good choices for sweeteners include liquid stevia, stevia glycerite, powdered stevia (pure or inulin-based, not maltodextrin-based), Truvía, Swerve, and erythritol. And always taste your batter to test sweetness, since sweeteners vary in sweetness from brand to brand and your individual sensitivity to sweetness depends on how long you’ve been wheat-free. (The longer you’ve been wheat-free, the less sweetness you desire.)


Crust and crumble topping
3 cups almond meal
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened
1 cup xylitol (or other sweetener equivalent to 1 cup sugar)
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon molasses
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Dash sea salt

Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
½ cup xylitol (or other sweetener equivalent to ½ cup sugar)
1 Granny Smith apple (or other variety)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In large bowl, combine almond meal, butter, sweetener, cinnamon, molasses, vanilla, and salt and mix.

Grease a 9½-inch tart or pie pan. Using approximately 1 cup of the almond meal mixture, form a thin bottom crust with your hands or spoon.

In another bowl, combine cream cheese, eggs, and sweetener and mix with spoon or mixer at low-speed. Pour into tart or pie pan.

Core apple and slice into very thin sections. Arrange in circles around the edge of the cream cheese mixture, working inwards. Distribute cranberries over top, then sprinkle cinnamon over entire mixture.

Gently layer remaining almond meal crumble evenly over top. Bake for 30 minutes or until topping lightly browned.
Why is type 1 diabetes on the rise?

Why is type 1 diabetes on the rise?

16. February 2011 William Davis (43)
Type 1 diabetes, also called "childhood" or "insulin-dependent" diabetes, is on the rise.

Type 2 diabetes, or "adult," diabetes, is also sharply escalating. But the causes for this are easy-to-identify: overconsumption of carbohydrates and resultant weight gain/obesity, inactivity, as well as genetic predisposition. A formerly rare disease is rapidly becoming the scourge of the century, expected to affect 1 in 3 adults within the next several decades.

Type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, generally occurs in young children, not uncommonly age 3 or 4. Type 1 diabetes also shares a genetic basis to some degree. But the genetic predisposition should be a constant. Obviously, lifestyle issues cannot be blamed in young children.
Then why would type 1 diabetes be on the rise?

For instance, this study by Vehik et al from the University of Colorado documents the approximate 3% per year increase in incidence in children with type 1 diabetes between 1978 and 2004:


(From Vehik 2007)

(For an excellent discussion of the increase in type 1 diabetes in the 20th century, see this review.)

This is no small matter. Just ask any parent of a child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes who, after recovering from hearing the devastating diagnosis, then has to stick her child's fingers to check glucose several times per day, mind carefully what he or she eats or doesn't eat, watch carefully for signs of life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes, not to mention worry about her child's long-term health. Type 1 diabetes is a life-changing diagnosis for both child and parents.

Various explanations have been offered to account for this disturbing trend. Some attribute it to the increase in breast feeding since 1980 (highly unlikely), exposure to some unidentified virus, or other exposures.

I'd like to offer another explanation: wheat.

Lest you accuse me of becoming obsessed with this issue, let me point out the four observations that lead me to even consider such an association:

1) Children diagnosed with celiac disease, i.e., the immune disease of wheat gluten exposure, have 10-fold greater likelihood of developing type 1 diabetes.

2) Children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are 10-fold more likely to have abnormal levels of antibodies (e.g., transglutaminase antibodies) to wheat gluten.

3) Experimental models, such as in these mice genetically susceptible to type 1 diabetes, showed a reduction of type 1 diabetes from 64% to 15% with avoidance of wheat.

4) The increase in type 1 diabetes corresponds to the introduction of new strains of wheat that resulted from the extensive genetics research and hybridizations carried out on this plant in the 1960s. In particular, unique protein antigens (immune-provoking sequences) were introduced with the dwarf variant attributable to alterations in the "D" genome of modern Triticum aestivum.

Proving the point is tough: Would you enroll your newborn in a study of wheat-containing diet versus no wheat, then watch for 10 years to see which group develops more type 1 diabetes? It is a doable study, just a logistical nightmare. Perhaps the point will be settled as more and more people catch onto the fact that modern wheat--or this thing we are being sold called "wheat"--is a corrupt and destructive "foodstuff" and eliminate it from their lives and the lives of their young children from birth onwards. Then a comparison of wheat-consuming versus non-wheat-consuming populations could be made. But it will be many years before this crucial question is settled.

Yet again, however, the footprints in the sand seem to lead back to wheat as potentially underlying an incredible amount of human illness and suffering. Yes, the stuff our USDA puts at the bottom, widest part of the food pyramid.
Tags :

Comments (43) -

  • Marc

    2/16/2011 1:22:50 PM |

    Don't know about obsessed...but how can we not be "blown away" continuosly by everything we see all around us.

    I'm disgusted with the school system feeding my kids nothing but candy and cupcakes on an almost daily basis.

    Maybe youre right maybe wheat is the big villain, but mostly all I can really see is that what's being consumed as food...has nothing to do with actual food.

    I'm getting sadder by the way about it...but all i can do is live by example....and share some resources for people to look into...only if they ask.

    Thanks for all you do Doc.

    Marc

  • Steve Cooksey

    2/16/2011 1:50:42 PM |

    Dr. Davis,

    I think the rise in Type 1 Diabetes  *could* be a combination of several factors.

    1) Increase in inflammation due to wheat, sugar etc.

    2) Reduced D3 levels AND exposure to sunshine

    3) Reduced Cholesterol levels, which further impacts the D3 processing.

    Thoughts?

    Steve

  • Pater_Fortunatos

    2/16/2011 1:52:36 PM |

    In Romania there was even a campaign for small kids (6-10 years), named "Pretzel and Milk" (Cornul și laptele).
    Every kid got a daily pretzel and one dose of milk. The perfect recipe for addiction, ADHD, obesity and eventually a few autoimmune diseases.

    And of course, diabetes!
    ............................
    http://arthritis-research.com/content/12/6/147

    The autoimmune tautology refers to the fact that autoimmune diseases share several clinical signs and symptoms, physiopathologic mechanisms, and genetic factors and this fact indicates that they have a common origin (Table 1). In the previous issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy, Eyre and colleagues [1] report that variation within the TAGAP gene, at 6q25.3, is associated with three autoimmune diseases, namely rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and coeliac disease, in Caucasians.
    .......................

    This link provide a few important details:

    http://www.mucosalbarrier.com/

    ............................
    Mainstream medical knowledge, ignores gliadin capacity to increase Zonulin secretion, therefore increasing mucosal permeability.

    Same eeffect for lactose, but another mechanism

  • The Naked Carnivore

    2/16/2011 2:10:59 PM |

    It would also be useful to examine the carb load in the mother's diet. All that blood sugar is "feeding" the fetus.

  • Anonymous

    2/16/2011 2:14:13 PM |

    A good friend of mine who researches diabetes for a big pharma company in the Northern Illinois area told me there is evidence that if type 2 is not diagnosed it can eventually damage the pancreas and shut it down, causing type 1. It works by damaging a cellular function, which I, not being a scientist, cannot remember the term for. I would bet many children and young adults have the symptoms of type 2 and are oblivious to them, which in some may lead to type 1.

  • Anne

    2/16/2011 2:15:00 PM |

    There is more on T1DM and gluten in The Gluten File  Be sure to also check out "the more on Type 1 Diabetes" link

    One abstract is a case report:"We report on a 15-y-old adolescent boy affected by silent coeliac disease, abnormalities in glycoregulation and with autoantibodies specific to diabetes mellitus type 1 (ICA: islet cell antibodies) and GAD 65 (autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase), in whom normalization of glycoregulation and disappearance of the immunological markers of pre-diabetes were observed after 6 mo on a gluten-free diet. The patient was followed-up for 36 mo and showed a normal insulin response to an intravenous glucose tolerance test and no markers of autoimmunity. It is possible that undiagnosed coeliac disease over a long period could lead to a direct autoimmune mechanism against pancreatic beta cells. Conclusion: Our findings seem to confirm the theory that undiagnosed coeliac disease can induce an autoimmune process against the pancreatic beta cells and that, following a gluten-free diet, the immunological markers for diabetes mellitus type 1 will disappear." PMID: 12434905 2002

  • Brent

    2/16/2011 2:47:05 PM |

    If modern wheat is causing an increase in type 1 diabetes, it would have to be from an effect OTHER than the blood sugar spikes it causes.

    Two days ago I tried a pasta made from 100% einkorn, a grain unaltered for thousands of years.  The blood sugar results were terrible:

    Before meal:    108
    30 min after:   149
    45 min after:   132
    60 min after:   170
    120 min after:  180

    I do not dismiss that some component of modern wheat may be causing the increase in type 1 diabetes, but it is certainly not the blood sugar spikes as these seem to occur with old world wheat as well as modern.

  • Dr. William Davis

    2/16/2011 3:12:17 PM |

    Hi, Steve--

    Yes, indeed. The vitamin D issue is a real issue, as well, that has been shown to be involved in the type 1 occurrence.

    However, I am skeptical that this is responsible for the increase in incidence.

  • Dr. William Davis

    2/16/2011 3:34:14 PM |

    Thanks, Anne. A very persuasive case.


    Brent--The effect would likely have to be due to the gluten, since that is the most immunogenic of all wheat-related proteins.

    "Gluten" is really a large family of proteins that vary in structure and is highly immune-stimulating.

  • Anonymous

    2/16/2011 4:05:56 PM |

    Should I be tested for celiac disease?  I just learned about the possible connection between autoimmune diseases and grains two weeks ago.  I have allopecia areata and hashimoto's thyroditis and no doctor ever mentioned this possible connection.  Since I heard this two weeks ago I've been trying to learn more and have also started cutting out wheat (but I might still be getting some, I'm new at this) and to some extent other grains.  Then I read that in order to be tested I have to be eating gluten.  Some internet articles say it is important not to stop wheat before getting tested because then going back on gluten to do the test could cause "irreparable damage".  That scared me.  But won't I be doing damage continuing to eat wheat also? I have a dr appt. in 1 month.  Should I start eating wheat again in hopes that my doctor will be interested enough in this to test me at that time?  Wouldn't continuing to eat wheat for a month also cause damage?  I'm confused by the various recomendations and will have to wait a month to talk to a doctor face to face.  I also am nervous that my doctor might not be up on this research because he has never mentioned any possible grain/autoimmune connections so far.   Thanks for any insight you can provide.

  • Nigel Kinbrum

    2/16/2011 4:50:33 PM |

    I second Steve Cooksey.

    Both decreasing Vitamin D status & increasing wheat consumption adversely affect tight junctions in the gut. See Keep 'em tight.

  • Josh

    2/16/2011 4:56:03 PM |

    There has also been a big increase in gestational diabetes.

    Perhaps this is activating T1D genes in utero?

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    2/16/2011 5:24:06 PM |

    T1DM "... occurs age 3" (or  4)suggests to me a pre-natal epigenetic program keyed to kick in post-natal, after certain developmental (infancy) physical consolidation, yet  before adolescent growth spurt (6?). Wheat can concievably share getting the blame of pushing child's metabolism over the edge with a host of other modern environmental insults, that are themselves capable of engendering epigenetic distortion pre- & post-natally.

  • Anonymous

    2/16/2011 7:16:51 PM |

    If, indeed, wheat is responsible for Type 1 diabetes it should be clearly visible in cross-country studies. The Japanese along with many other Asian countries (but not, e.g. northern China) consume little wheat. What's happening to them with regard to Type 1 diabetes?

  • water

    2/16/2011 11:05:32 PM |

    This study showed that avfoiding casein can help children at risk for T1. (this doesn't exonerate gluten, of course.)

    http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1004809

    "Early exposure to complex dietary proteins may increase the risk of beta-cell autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes in children with genetic susceptibility. We tested the hypothesis that supplementing breast milk with highly hydrolyzed milk formula would decrease the cumulative incidence of diabetes-associated autoantibodies in such children."

  • Dr. William Davis

    2/16/2011 11:40:36 PM |

    Anonymous about testing for celiac markers--

    This is a fairly complicated discussion that will be covered in a future post.

    In the meantime, it is a rock and a hard place issue. You do indeed need to consume wheat gluten for around 6 weeks to regenerate positive gluten markers like endomysial antibody.

  • revelo

    2/17/2011 1:10:12 AM |

    Several people (including Colin Campbell of "The China Study" fame, I know you don't think too highly of him) suggest that cow's milk is the problem. Cow's milk contains some proteins that are very similar to human proteins. When the human body attacks these milk proteins, it also attacks the pancreas as a side-effect. Colin Campbell supports this theory with the following evidence. Type I diabetes (and a number of other chronic diseases) were common in the 19th and early 20th century among Scandinavians living in the inland mountainous area, who ate a great deal of dairy products, but rare among those living near the coast, who ate little dairy but lots of fish.

    Fish consumption would also boost vitamin D, but I am skeptical that vit D deficiency is the cause of type I diabetes, for the following reason. Rickets due to Vitamin D deficiency was widespread among the poor in big cities of the northern United States in the late 19th century, especially among dark-skinned people. But I don't recall reading of a scourge of type I diabetes among the poor back then. The poor couldn't afford much milk then, but now they can, and the milk is now fortified with vitamin D. So we get,

    Then: no cow's milk for the poor, record of widespread rickets indicating widespread vitamin D deficiency, no record of widespread type I diabetes.

    Now: plenty of cow's milk consumption, cow's milk is now fortified with vitamin D, rickets eradicated, rising incidence of type I diabetes.

  • Anonymous

    2/17/2011 2:10:22 AM |

    research on gluten's role in T1:

    http://www.ohri.ca/profiles/scott.asp

  • Daniel A. Clinton, RN, BSN

    2/17/2011 2:27:58 AM |

    Clearly, the cause of Type I diabetes, and its rising incidence, is multifactorial. I think the data implicating Vitamin D deficiency is strong, and a reasonable mechanism is there. It seems likely to me more than one mechanism is capable of producing beta cell destruction, and certainly it requires an overlapping set of phenomena to trigger the immune system to attack the beta cells of the pancreas. I do believe those phenomena are less likely to occur in a child with adequate Vitamin D levels.

  • Patricia D.

    2/17/2011 3:17:38 AM |

    While I believe it clear that wheat plays a role in type II diabetes - I think it's less clear that it plays any role in the onset of type I diabetes. I can't say that wheat doesn't become a factor after onset though.  

    However, this presentation by the late, great Dr. Frank Garland explores the striking role of VD3 deficiency on the rate of diabetes type I in children in Finland.  
    http://www.ucsd.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=15771

    And there seems to be a clear role of VD32 deficiency in Type II diabetes as well - though not as dramatic.
    http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/researchDiabetes.shtml

    So while I personally believe that Wheat is clearly a factor in diabetes type II - it seems that VD3 deficiency magnifies and complicates the risk.

  • anonymous re celiac testing

    2/17/2011 3:23:10 AM |

    Thank you for your response Dr. Davis.  It is frustrating to be in between a rock and a hard place but ultimately I feel lucky that I have this information and can start exploring it further.  I feel hopeful now that there may be more I can do besides just cross my fingers and hope for the best.  Thank you for your blog, I look forward to your future posts!

  • Patricia D.

    2/17/2011 3:36:23 AM |

    Okay - this is England - not Colorado - but it makes a point.  BABIES going to the emergency room with brain seizures as a result of Vitamin D deficiency.  Kids just aren't getting outside anymore - and often when they do they're slathered in sunscreen which stops VD3 production in the skin.

    http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23876481-children-who-shun-the-sun-go-to-casualty-with-seizures.do
    *

  • Art Sands MD

    2/17/2011 4:48:37 AM |

    Dr. Davis - recent study in Finland   - they increased RDA of D3 to 2000 IU - decreased Type 1 DM in kids by 76%

    Art Sands MD

  • reikime

    2/17/2011 6:13:58 AM |

    Anonymous,

    There is a great book called "Celiac Disease, A Hidden Epidemic" by Peter H.R. Green MD. He is a nationally recognized expert.
    It is a very well written book for patients AND Docs who can admit if they don't have all the current info on celiac. The number who can't is staggering! (sorry docs out there) lol

    Read it first, then if your doctor doesn't agree with him,  consider getting another opinion. IMHO..as an RN deeply involved with celiac research.
    Good Luck!

  • Anonymous

    2/17/2011 7:09:34 AM |

    Type 1 diabetes can also be on the rise because - I don't know - MORE CHILDREN ARE BEING BORN?

    And grains/wheat are not the killer, as study after study shows that people who eat grains/wheat live longer than those that don't.

  • Lisa

    2/17/2011 3:13:02 PM |

    Revelo
    Another difference between "then" and "now" might be what the cows were eating. Probably grass then and grain now, which leads to them needing antibiotics, etc.

  • Anonymous

    2/17/2011 4:27:31 PM |

    Gluten and a particular beta-casein (BCM7 in A1 milk)
    have a similar negative effect biologically. Please see this:

    "His work related to both gluten,
    which is somatically quite similar to the BCM7 as well as to milk and casein, and the agribusiness industries over there were very, very negative"

    http://www.guernsey.net/~wgcf/PageMill_Resources/Acres_Woodford.pdf

  • reikime

    2/17/2011 6:55:56 PM |

    Anon,
    I can't get your link to work regarding the guernsey.net...

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    2/18/2011 5:31:10 AM |

    About that A1 beta casein peptide implicated in health refered to earlier.

    A cultured milk, especially one of mixed bacteria and mycotic microrganisms like Kefir, might have enough proteolytic action(protein cleaving) to render a different peptide. Bacteria use their amino-peptidase enzymes to get amino acids they can use from protein molecules (peptide chains).

    The theory of A1 cow's casein causing "x" disease in lab animals should have a Kefir
    cultured A1 milk control. It would be a step toward proving no one's individual gut
    microbiome has a chance to neutralize A1 casein.

  • Anonymous

    2/18/2011 3:33:05 PM |

    Checkout the 50 Best Men’s and Women's Health Sex Tips here.

  • Daniel

    2/18/2011 3:45:53 PM |

    Two othe rmajor things have changed in the last 50 years...  

    1.  Vit D levels have dropped due to sun-avoidance and the proliferation of indoor jobs.

    2.  Linoleic acid (omega 6) consumption has risen dramatically.  At the same time, omega 3 consumption has fallen.

    I'm not saying gluten is also a factor (and maybe a big one), but I suspect vit D and polyunsaturated fat are the more important culprits.

  • reikime

    2/18/2011 5:25:19 PM |

    Got it, thanks Nigel!

  • Against the Grain

    2/18/2011 6:12:31 PM |

    Dr. Davis, I was just wondering how your theory correlates with historical wheat intake.

    According to the USDA, per capita wheat consumption in the U.S. was 225 pounds in 1879.  In 1997, it was 147 pounds.  It has, however, been on a rise since bottoming out at 110 pounds in 1972.

    I'm not a data cruncher so I can't interpret these numbers.  But perhaps another HSB reader can.

    http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/wheat/background.htm

    Scroll down to "U.S. Wheat Use."

  • Against the Grain

    2/18/2011 8:58:42 PM |

    A chart with the above info graphed.

    http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/wheat/Gallery/Consumption/WheatConsumption.jpg

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    2/18/2011 9:05:00 PM |

    Help me out here, please, on the vitamin D trail.

    Osteo-calcin, a hormone from bone osteo-blasts, raises pancreas Beta cell insulin production and makes fat cell raise adiponectin level for better insulin sensitivity. But, in insulin resistance (diabetes prelude) patients have low circulating osteo-calcin and low numbers of osteo-blasts.

    Osteo-blasts, bone builders,   have their own insulin receptors. They also respond to acidic pH conditions. Maybe a reader knows how acidic things have to get for them (osteo-blasts) to go and trigger osteo-clasts to resorb bone.

    The relevance of the preceeding is: this bone dynamic, of osteo-blasts influencing osteo-clasts goes on to then put osteo-calcin into circulation as an "active" hormone.

    Type 1 diabetic children are susceptible to weak bones; their osteo-clasts apparently provoke re-uptake of excessive bone - a pH driven reaction. And their poor insulin sensitivity seems to indicate osteo-calcin is not at work. I'm stuck on a paradox here somebody might understand.

    Now, diabetics show excessively elevated glycated haemoglobin (HbAC1 indicates high blood glucose persistant enough to stick to haemoglobin). High HbAC1is also seen in low "active" vitamin D individuals. It seems low active D is responsible for D's upstream default on maintaining enough osteo-calcin.
    Raise active D and HbAC1 drops, because osteo-calcin doing it's job improving insulin sensitivity to keep blood glucose controled.

    If someone can connect the way we normally get enough osteo-calcin active  without osteo-clasts tearing down bones please do tell. Is vitamin D able to keep bone pH in a just right
    "sweet spot" by controlling
    calcium ion homeo-stasis in the
    skeleton?

  • Dr. William Davis

    2/19/2011 12:53:00 AM |

    Re: dairy products

    I agree that the product of bovine mammary glands are a problem, as well. However, the magnitude of the problem, I believe, is several orders less than that of wheat.

    Beyond lactose intolerance and allergies to various dairy proteins, I worry about its 1) minor exorphin effect, and 2) the insulinotrophic (insulin-provoking) effect. But, all in all, I still think that wheat--modern wheat--is king in generating adverse effects.

  • Cherry Chapman

    2/20/2011 3:08:26 PM |

    quDear Dr. Davis,
           I do not live in the states anymore, but in addition to the every present processed wheat that we can blame, the diets of American children are just plain pitiful, sky high is all sorts of sugars and processed foods.
    I know that there is a small minority of food conscious American parents, but the vast majority  of children are hooked on juices, sugar sodas, kool aid, fake ice cream, sugary processed cereals, fast foods, chips, sugared salad dressings, and canned and boxed this and that, along with factory breads, and sweets.
    Fruits and vegetables are bred for shelf life rather than taste in the US. To me they taste like plastic in comparison to the fruits and vegetables here in France.
    American children are fed processed junk in  the schools supplied by the USDA.
    Here in Paris, all schools use organic meats and vegetables, The children have 1 and half to 2 hours for lunch. The menus  are given to the parents and are online.  They are 5 courses, including a cheese and fruit
    course and sound like a gourmet restaurant menu!!
    Healthy eating is very highly promoted to children here from a very early age.
    Paradoxically, you rarely see wheat bellies here, though the French usually start their day with a half baguette, thickly buttered in addition to bread at each meal. Big difference is most families buy artisanal bread from highly talented bakers, who generally do not use industrial grade flours.
    I could drone on, but American parents need to start cooking real foods , make family meals a time of sharing at a table, and not gobbled in front of the TV.
    What you grow up eating at home and at school will dictate your food tastes and preferences in the future, so you have to present healthy foods from infancy.
    Keep fighting to present the truth Dr. Davis!
    Cherry Chapman

  • Nigel Kinbrum

    2/21/2011 4:45:54 PM |

    revelo said...
    "Now: plenty of cow's milk consumption, cow's milk is now fortified with vitamin D, rickets eradicated, rising incidence of type I diabetes."
    1) UVB exposure (& supplementation) dictates Vitamin D levels in the body, not food/drink.
    2) Lack of rickets =/= Sufficient Vitamin D for proper gut permeability.

  • cwells

    2/21/2011 10:54:49 PM |

    pure bunk as many adults are becoming type 1 diabetics and it is no longer revered to as Childhood or Juvenile diabetics as many adults such as my self are becoming type 1's, (at age 24), for no discernible reason, It's simply refereed to as type 1 diabetes as it is the same disease, weather you get it as a child or adult it's the same thing.

  • Reijo Laatikainen

    2/22/2011 1:11:32 PM |

    @Art Sands MD .This vitamin D data bases on data from 1970s and is a cohort study (not RCT). Interesting though: and here is the link to the study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11705562

  • Yvonne

    5/17/2011 4:40:48 PM |

    I agree with wheat being a major reason for type 1 diabetes being on the rise. Another possible major player:  Untreated or undertreated hypothyroidism.  I believe that the increasing numbers of morbidly obese people walking on the streets in America may be hypothyroid, either undertreated or untreated, and iodine deficient due to drinking and bathing in fluoridated water.

    Many years ago, Dr. Broda Barnes noted several connections between diabetes and hypothyroidism. In his book, Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness, he wrote:  "I argue emphatically that since so many of the symptoms and complications of hypothyroidism are identical with those of diabetes, every patient with diabetes should have a basal temperature check and, if the temperature is subnormal, a trial of thyroid therapy." He further said that his diabetic patients who also received thyroid therapy were remarkably free of diabetic complications such as peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy and so on.

  • Dismayed American

    8/9/2011 4:36:04 AM |

    http://www.realmilk.com/raw.html

    http://realmilk.com/milkcure.html

    http://realmilk.com/why.html

    http://www.realmilk.com/testimonials.html

    http://www.realmilk.com/abc-news-raw-milk-story.html

    These are great reads for opening eyes. As an american I believe that what we need is a real milk campaign!

Add comment

Loading