March 26, 2001 Research Update

James Bogash, D.C. Mesa, AZ
info@lifecarechiropractic.com
www.lifecarechiropractic.com

Dietary factors associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis in teenagers

With the wealth of information relating diet to allergies and asthma, it is sad that so few of the patients with these conditions are informed of natural ways to reduce or eliminate symptoms. Everyone is told to avoid the common environmental contaminants such as pet dander, dust mites and cigarette smoke, but this items are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to managing these conditions naturally. This study linked animal foods as contributors to the patients' symptoms. Interestingly, fatty fish was also a contributor. It would be interesting to see the type of fish; cold water fish are generally less likely to have heavy metals and parasites when compared to their fresh and farm raised cousins. Synergy : Clinical & Experimental Allergy 31 (2), 259-264 http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/Journals/content/abstracts/cea/2001/31/2/abstract_cea938.asp?journal=cea&issueid=4747&artid=92152&cid=cea.2001.1& ftype=abstracts

Increased leukotriene production by food additives in atopic dermatitis

Think the dermatologists are talking to the gastroenterologists on this one? Or would that be the allergists? In reality--neither group believes very heavily in food allergies causing seemingly unrelated systemic symptoms. Nonetheless, this is an excellent article stressing the importance of a food coloring/preservative free diet in the management of many diseases. Dr. Feingold many years back had proposed and had good results in the use of a non-processed diet for children with ADD/ADHD type disorders. Synergy : Clinical & Experimental Allergy 31 (2), 265-273 http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/Journals/content/abstracts/cea/2001/31/2/abstract_cea979.asp?journal=cea&issueid=4747&artid=92157&cid=cea.2001.1& ftype=abstracts

Sleep-disordered breathing, glucose metabolism in hypertensive men

I love seeing articles demonstrating the intricate ties between all systems of the body and many of today's chronic diseases. This study suggests that obstructive sleep apnea may contribute to the risk of diabetes, independent of obesity. Try this...lack of sleep is a known stress to the human body. The stress hormone in the body is cortisol. Cortisol wreaks havoc on many systems in the body, including insulin sensitivity. Thus, it makes complete sense to link sleep apnea with diabetes. Synergy : Journal of Internal Medicine 249 (2), 153-161 http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/Journals/content/abstracts/jim/2001/249/2/abstract_jim787.asp?journal=jim&issueid=4751&artid=92193&cid=jim.2001.1& ftype=abstracts

Insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction and essential hypertension

This study suggests a link between endothelial dysfunction (one of three layers of cells making up the arteries), essential hypertension and insulin resistance. Remember that most cases of high blood pressure are essential/idiopathic, meaning that the cause of the condition is unknown. This study may punch holes in the name "essential" hypertension. Maybe the name should be switched to "insulin resistance hypertension?" So many disease conditions have been linked to insulin resistance that this link should not be a surprise to anyone. The discouraging fact remains that a large portion of today's diet consists of processed sugars which undeniably can lead to insulin resistance. And, to top off this, insulin resistance (also termed Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome) is a largely unrecognized disease state by most physicians. Synergy : Journal of Internal Medicine 249 (2), 189-197 http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/Journals/content/abstracts/jim/2001/249/2/abstract_jim794.asp?journal=jim&issueid=4751&artid=92197&cid=jim.2001.1&ftype=abstracts

Wyeth suppresses research on pill, programme claims

The third generation conctraceptive pill has been proclaimed as the "safest yet," and yet evidence seems to be mounting that, on the contrary, the risk of thromboembolism is higher than ever before with this new pill. It appears that the manufacturers had evidence that this generation pill was producing higher risks for DVT, but the evidence was surpressed and never made it into the major medical journals. But be careful, chiropractic is dangerous and unscientific and herbal medicines will kill you. bmj.com van Heteren 322 (7286): 571 http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7286/571

US healthcare system too geared to acute medicine

This is another of those "how much money did we spend on THIS" stories. Did the US Institute of Medicine really need to spend the millions (my guess...) on this study? I guess we can't believe something until we see it on paper in solid numbers. It would be nice is they just spent an afternoon asking patients if they thought the US was too focused on "crisis care" and sent the rest of the money down for alternative medicine research... bmj.com Marwick 322 (7286): 572a http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7286/572/a

Lifestyle, hormones, and risk of breast cancer

This is an interesting viewpoint in risk of breast cancer. It is nice to see an article that does not mention mammograms as a preventative measure for breast cancer (it is not in any way, shape or form...). It does relate caloric intake to the risk of breast cancer. Lower caloric intake will result in impaired ovarian function which in turn will lower risk of breast cancer. Remember from previous updates that caloric restriction is the most consistant and predicatable way to prolong lifespan. This may be one possible mechanism by which this occurs. bmj.com Jasienska and Thune 322 (7286): 586 http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7286/586

Is this the end of the line for flu vaccine as we know it?

Could we be so lucky? Might we then begin to focus on boosting the immunity of all patients, especially those at greatest risk of detrimental outcomes from the flu? THe flu vaccine has always been a shot in the dark (evaluate this year's strains, try to predict NEXT year's strains, try to predict how they may mutate before next season, and turn this into a vaccine). The very, very disturbing part of this article is the fact that UK physicians are PAID to push flu vaccines on their elderly patients. This is abhorrable. Clinical decisions should be made on a case by case basis based on what will benefit the patient most. You want cost effectiveness in preventing the flu? Try educating the elderly population on how to stimulate immunity. Promote exercise. Preach the dangers of saturated fats, hydrogenated oils and processed sugars. Will we every learn? bmj.com Higson and He 322 (7287): 677a http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7287/677/a