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April 15, 2002 Research Update |
James Bogash, D.C. Mesa, AZ
info@lifecarechiro.com
www.lifecarechiro.com
Intensive Lifestyle Changes Are Necessary to Improve Insulin Sensitivity
Unfortunately, many of the recommendations given from national organizations are too filled with politics to have a real benefit. We see this supported in this current study. Insulin resistance is a huge risk factor for disease, and we know that this condition is very amenable to lifestyle changes. These include avoidance of refined carbs like the plague, increased whole grains, avoiding saturated fats, increasing fruit and veggie intake and aerobic and resistive exercise. Targeted nutritional supplementation can also be a good tool when used as an adjunct to lifestyle changes.
Dia Care -- Abstracts: McAuley et al. 25 (3): 445
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Cardiovascular Aging Is Associated With Vitamin E Increase
This rat study finds high levels of Vitamin E in the walls of artieries of young rats, and the authors suggest that this might possibly be an attempt by the body to protect the arteries from damage. If this is so, then Vitamin E once again hits on the charts for an important element for preventing CVD. Of particular concern, then, is our intake of natural Vitamin E. Good sources would include nuts and seed oils; of which the typical Western diet rarely consumes in a whole, unprocessed form.
Circulation -- Abstracts: van der Loo et al. 105 (14): 1635
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Cortisol Variations and Symptoms in Intersitial Cystitis
This is really a neat article relating dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis with increased symptoms in interstitial cysistis. IC is a painful condition of the bladder that has eluded anything even closely resembling a bandage, let alone a cure. Now this article finds that patients with lowered morning cortisol had greater symptoms. Cortisol is the body's natural anti-inflammatory and may help contribute to pain supression in this condition. However, as with any chemical in the body, too much can also be as bad as too little. Regulation of the HPA axis could include stress management, exercise, avoidance of caffeine, alcohol and refined carbs and targeted nutritional supplementation.
Entrez-PubMed
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Too much medicine?
Sorry--I just had to through this one in from the British Medical Journal. It wonderfully describes how we have created problems in the search for a cure. This is the type of editorial that should gets some brain cells pondering...
bmj.com Moynihan and Smith 324 (7342): 859
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Has the medicalisation of childbirth gone too far?
This article is along the same lines, with a focus on OB/GYN. I have many, many issues with the practice of this field as it is done today. I usually tell people that emergency medicine here in the US saves lives everyday and is based on clinic research. OB/GYN is at the opposite end of that scale. The widespread use of biopsy for abnormal paps when high dose folic acid may do; the lithotomy birth position being the one always used by not the position with the largest pelvic inlet; the episiotmy nightmares when the perineum would typically have remained intact; the reassurance that many drugs that are okay during pregnancy right up to the epidural (which is almost standard operating procedure) which are said not to have an effect on the fetus... The list is practically endless. But just in case you think I'm just a dumb chiropractor...check the medical literature yourself...
bmj.com Johanson et al. 324 (7342): 892
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Gradient Between Long-Term Arsenic Exposure & Atherosclerosis
Too many times heavy metals are overlooked as a potential contributor to human disease, and yet many, many times they may play a large factor. A few years back I ran a hair analysis on an elderly patient for some paresthesias that I was not convinced were coming from carpal tunnel syndrome. Her cadmium levels came back markedly elevated (which also matched her hypertension--cadmium is damaging to the kidneys). Despite that large volumes on the negative impact of cadmium on human health, her nurse convinced her that the idea that cadmium being harmful was ridiculous. Unfortunately, this story is not uncommon as ignorant medical personnel give advice on things that they don't know anything about.
Circulation -- Abstracts: Wang et al. 105 (15): 1804
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Polymorphism in the Human GH1 Gene and Colorectal Cancer
One of the theories in mainstream medicine is that, if an young rat has higher levels of something than an old rat, then that must be why the old rat is old. We use this convoluted thinking to support hormone replacement therapy and certain "anti-aging" wonder supplements such as human growth hormone. This study shows that a group of people with a genetic defect that results in lowered levels of growth hormone have a reduced risk of colon cancer. This does lend support to the "more is better" not being better....
Cancer Spectrum: Le Marchand et al, pp. 454-460.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Low Levels of Anaerobic Bacteria in Gut
It is really nice to see research linking autoimmune conditions to the bacterial flora in the gut. While most patients and their doctors would give me "just commit him" looks if I suggested that a patients' GI tract could be a contributing factor to their disease, the research is actually quite heavy if you know where to dig. The GI tract has the ability to up and/or downregulate the immune system and thus can be a major player in autoimmune disease. While this article focuses on the number of anaerobic bacteria, I think just the idea of this type of article is important to stimulate further research.
2002 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases
The population of anaerobic bacteria in the gastrointestinal system of patients with early-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) differs significantly from that of people without the disease, Finnish researchers reported. Recent attention has been focused on intestinal flora as a potential link to RA, Dr. Paarvo Toivanen, of Turku University, commented in his presentation at the 2002 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases. Dr. Toivanen and his colleagues conducted a study comparing fecal samples from 25 RA patients with 23 controls without RA but with noninflammatory pain. "RA patients were in the early stage of the disease, were not using any immunosuppressives, and were excluded from the study if they indicated previous usage of antibiotics within the last 2 months." The scientists were able to identify a variety of anaerobic bacterial strains, which represent one third to one half of all the bacteria residing in the intestine. RA patients had markedly reduced levels of bacteria belonging to the Bacteroides, Prevotella, and Porphyromonas genera compared with controls (4.7% versus 9.5%, respectively). Dr. Toivanen suggested these strains could be important in maintaining the intestinal. "These bacteria may initially be necessary to fortify the intestinal epithelium," Dr. Toivanen told meeting attendees. Bacteroides species in particular may be protective, the Finnish team believes.