What Makes Lyme Disease Tick & How Samento® Eliminates It
by
Morton Walker, D.P.M. with Randall S. Walker
The current pandemic of Lyme disease is more infectious and insidious than any other known illness; it is prevalent on six continents. Less understood even than the symptom complex of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Lyme disease ruins the quality of victims' lives by striking them with various severe symptoms which may resemble one or more of over 300 systemic degenerations or dysfunctions. Simulating really serious afflictions, they may be symptomatic of multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus erythematosis, Parkinsonism, rheumatoid arthritis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome, psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, Alzheimer's, and/or many more. The complex multi-system inflammations of Lyme disease (Ld) are triggered as a result of antigenic lipoproteins produced by the anaerobic spiral-shaped (spirochetal) bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb).
Who Is at Risk for Lyme Disease?
Everyone is at risk for Lyme disease, including newborns. "Of the 5,000 children I've treated, 240 have been born with the disease," says the world's leading Lyme pediatric specialist Charles Ray Jones, M.D., medical director of the Pediatric/Adolescent Medicine and Lyme Disease clinic in New Haven, Connecticut.
Two years ago, another Lyme disease expert, Dan Kinderleher, M.D., stated on the Today Show that the then existing 1.8 million cases cited by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) in Atlanta, Georgia had been under-reported by at least ten times. In the United States, therefore, in actuality over 18 million Lyme disease patients now exist.
"The CDCP criteria was developed only for surveillance; it was never meant for diagnosis," explains Dr. Jones. "Lyme is a clinical diagnosis.The test evidence may be used to support a clinical diagnosis, but it doesn't prove one has Lyme. About 50 percent of patients I've seen have been seronegative for Lyme but meet all the clinical criteria."1
A renowned authority in the field of integrative medicine, W. Lee Cowden, M.D., of Ft. Worth, Texas, says, "There are very few symptoms where you shouldn't consider Lyme, especially given that a quarter of the U.S. population may be affected. More than 50 percent of ill people may have Lyme contributing to their condition."2 (Please see our interview with Dr. Cowden which appears later in this Medical Journalist Report of Innovative Biologics.)
Marcus A. Cohen, New York Observer columnist for the Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients, writes: ". . . for every case [of Lyme disease] reported, ten meeting the CDCP case definition aren't recorded. An unknown number of cases not meeting the CDCP surveilance criteria go unreported. Probable bottom line on the number of Americans who actually contract Lyme: 250,000 to 300,000 per year. "3
Suffering from Lyme disease herself, Jo Anne Whitaker, M.D., F.A.A.P., President and Director of Research at Bowen Research & Training Institute, Inc. in Palm Harbor, Florida, has developed a blood test useful in evaluating treatment by comparing pre and post serial dilution results. Dr. Whitaker affirms: "We have now tested over 3,500 [blood] specimens, with 500 of these [specimens] from very sick children. They come from a wide geographical distribution and all are positive for cell-wall-deficient Lyme disease.
"The primary question is 'why are there no negatives?'" Dr. Whitaker goes on to ask, "Does everyone have it?.....Since 1999, all blood cultures have been positive with Bb, there were no negatives. We believe this indicates the magnitude of the problem. We believe the problem is not only endemic but may also be reaching epidemic proportions. Early diagnosis is mandatory so that treatment can begin immediately to provide opportunity for cure and prevent chronic Lyme disease."4
Lyme Disease Recognition and Transmission
While the modern concept of Lyme disease is said to have been first described as a mysterious outbreak of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis occurring near the town of Lyme, Connecticut in 1977, a semblance of it was originally identified in Germany in 1883, in the town of Breslau.5 One of the main carriers or etiologic vectors of Ld was discovered in 1982 by entymologist William "Willy" Burgdorfer, Ph.D., M.D. (hon.). Dr. Burgdorfer isolated spirochetes from the mid-guts of one of the Ixodes ticks (see Photograph 1). The proven Lyme vectors include various deer tick species such as Ixodoes dammini and Ixodes scapularis, Lone Star ticks (Ammblyoma americanum), western black-legged ticks (Ixodes pacificus), dog ticks also known as wood ticks (Dermacentor variabilis), and others. Note that ticks are not insects; as adults, they are bloodsucking, 8-legged arachnids (arthropods) along with spiders, scorpions, chiggers, and mites.
Providing an excellent internet report on personal experiences with fighting off his own Ld infection, Scott Taylor, D.V.M., writes: "There is a tremendous misunderstanding regarding the Lyme disease tick vector. Critical information is not being reported by health officials to the public and medical community. The widespread distribution of these tick vectors greatly increases the prevalence of Lyme disease well beyond that of official reports. The public needs to understand the potential danger of all tick bites, not only that from the deer tick."
Description of the Organism Causing Lyme Borreliosis
Dr. Burgdorfer had demonstrated that the spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi, reacted with immune serum from patients that had been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Resembling the syphilis spirochete, Treponema pallidum, the Ld spirochete was given the name Borrelia burgdorferi after its finder (see Photograph 2). Since the organism's discovery by Dr. Burgdorfer, about 100 American and 300 worldwide strains of Borrelia have been uncovered.
Even though the transmission of Bb organism can occur through the bite of the above-reported tick, Lyme disease authorities now recognize that the spirochete is vectored by fleas, mosquitoes, mites, through human sexual contacts, congenital transfer, and as a food infection.
The Bb organism is pleomorphic (changes shape) from a spiral to a filament to a cyst, to a granule, to a hooked rod, or the bacteria assumes an elbow appearance. All of these pleomorphics are described by the Lister Institute as "L-forms" and show under the microscope as cell-wall deficient (see Photograph 3). They produce no antibody response since a cell wall is lacking to which an infected person's immune system may respond. With no cell wall, Bb microorganisms can hide within body tissues, thus protecting themselves from any adverse immunological reaction to their well-being. Diagnostic tests for Ld that seek antibody responses therefore produce inaccurate readings or are outright failures. The illness is exceedingly difficult to detect, and it perseveres in its pandemic spread. Lyme disease continues to imitate, manifest, and be misdiagnosed in no less than 368 illnesses, a listing of which is available at the website of one of our Ld information assets, Bionatus Laboratories (www.samento.com.ec), which is cited at the end of this article (see the Resources section).
Inadequate Standard Lyme Disease Treatment
A vaccine that had been manufactured for Lyme disease is now removed from the market because evidence indicated that 30 percent of Ld patients who possess a certain gene were developing autoimmune arthritic disease from it. There is no known cure for this condition; plus, previously undiagnosed Lyme disease patients frequently become reactivated with Ld symptoms when they are vaccinated. Currently lawsuits against the vaccine manufacturer are in the courts.6
The present standard approach to Ld therapy includes conventional antibiotics such as the oral administration of doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline or amoxicillin for patients diagnosed early. Parenteral therapy by intravenous (IV) administration is used for those with neurologic involvement, severe arthritis, or any life-threatening manifesation such as complete heart block. Such treatment tends to be effective for acute conditions; however, therapy for chronic Lyme disease is currently inadequate and this truism causes it to be controversial.
Added to the usual antibiotics mentioned above, the Borrelia organism is additionally sensitive to clarithromycin (Biaxin®), metronidazole (Flagyl®), either of the two brandnamed products containing co-trimoxazole sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim® or Septra®), and azithromycin (Zinthromycin®). Any of the cited antimicrobials must be administered for a minimum of two months. Such prolonged antibiotic usage does destroy the patient's intestinal flora which usually manifests with severe candidiasis or other opportunistic infections.
The usual conventional antibiotic treatment gets prescribed for only two-to-three weeks, and it is completely inadequate. Such poor therapy invariably sees patients deteriorate with chronic symptoms of borreliosis including arthralgias, fatigue, and paresthesias. Also such insufficent treatment allows for Lyme disease relapses. Not knowing this, Lyme-illiterate physicians often join the therapy's controversy. Their figuring is that the disease does not exist or that no treatment works. The drug treatment they had employed was inadequate, and there is a failure in not seeking other natural and nontoxic alternatives.
Andrew Wright, M.B., Ch.B., Treats Himself for
Lower Extremity Neuropathy Caused by Lyme Disease
Speaking with us from the country town of Bolton in the Manchester region of Great Britain, 45-year-old physician and surgeon, Andrew Wright, M.B., Ch.B, began using a nontoxic herbal remedy for his patients who were suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, Lyme disease, and allied conditions. Two years ago, Dr. Wright was introduced to a particular product derived from cat's claw (Una de Gato) which grows deep in the jungles of Peru.
"I discovered then and do find now that my patients respond very well to that particular rare herbal chemotype with the botanical name of Uncaria tomentosa. Patients frequently react strongly to the herb, and it has become my first line of therapy. It is quickly effective, has a cheap cost, and other remedies can be added readily if required," says Dr. Wright. "I'm really pleased with the product, particularly since it has done away with my own health problem of bilateral lower extremity neuropathy."
Back in 1979 I began experiencing sensations of pin and needles in my feet, spontaneous muscle-twitching, cognitive problems with energy slumps, and more. As a teenager and into adulthood I never knew what was wrong with me and no doctor could make the diagnosis. Then as a health professional, I consulted colleagues from any of the pertinent specialties concerned with neuropathies." Dr. Wright explains. "My eventual diagnosis was Lyme disease which fifteen years ago just became recognized as sweeping through Europe. "
Some months back, because my patients were benefiting from taking capsules or drops of this cat's claw chemotype, brand-named TOA-Free Cats Claw, Samento®, I started to take it too. Such a particular chemotype of cat's claw is devoid of those chemical antagonists called Tetracyclic Oxindole Alkaloids [TOAs] which act adversely upon the human central nervous system. Absent TOAs in this commercial therapeutic agent predisposed me to using that certain brand of the herb and good things have happened for me," Dr. Wright assures us. "By self-administering Samento®, the Borrelia organisms are gone from my body, and this has now eliminated my neuropathy symptoms, discontinued my mood swings, and generally recovered my normal functions. If I forget to drink drops of the herb in purified water, I feel unpleasant differences in well-being within a few days.
"I've been taking Samento® faithfully and fully intend to continue with the drops indefinitely. My lower extremity neuropathy stays away as long as I swallow these drops; it comes back when I fail to take them," states Dr. Andrew Wright.
Mechanism of Action of TOA-FreeCat's Claw
Cat's claw is represented by two species of the genus Uncaria of the family Rubiaceae indigenous to tropical South America. Uncaria tomentosa DC as well as the species U. guianensis are high-climbing, twining woody vines found in Amazonia (see Photograph 4). A bark decoction of U. tomentosa from Peru, the center of the plant's range, finds use for the treatment of inflammations, rheumatism, gastric ulcers, tumors, intestinal disorders, and certain skin disorders.7
The two chemical types of U. tomentosa differ greatly in their alkaloid content and therapeutic utility. One chemotype contains primarily the pentacyclic (5-ring) oxindole alkaloids which have immunomodulating properties. The second chemotype comprises primarily Tetracyclic (4-ring) Oxindole Alkaloids (TOAs), and these are undesirable components. Not only do the TOAs act adversely on the central nervous system, but they also antagonize any immunostimulating effect of the pentacyclic alkaloids.8
What makes Samento® exceedingly valuable as an antimicrobial therapeutic agent is that it is highly immunomodulating by being TOA-free. 9
Samento® also contains quinovic acid glycosides and some novel triterpenes which are applied by Amazonian tribes for the treatment of digestive disorders such as gastritis, colitis, ulcers, diverticulitis, leaky bowel, and hemorrhoids. As shown in laboratory studies, the herb's alkaloids activate immune system cells and work well against various viruses. Many of the herb's compounds also counteract inflammation, lower blood pressure, relax and dilate peripheral blood vessels, slow arrhythmic heart rate, and lower elevated cholesterol. From its immunomodulating effect, U. tomentosa has attracted attention among medical scientists for possible usefulness against cancer and/or symptoms produced by infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).10,11
The chemistry of cat's claw has been well-studied over the past twenty-five years, along with pharmacological reports of specific fractions from the root and stem bark of both Amazonian species. The herb's crude drug components are among the most widely used and best known folk medicines in South America, particularly among natives in the upper Amazon basin.12 The local natives harvest the herb's leaves for brewing into tea, gather bark of the root plus stem for personal use, and sell it as a cash crop (see Photograph 5). They gather their cat's claw as a saleable commodity for purification, packaging, and distribution as Samento® by Nutramedix, LLC of Jupiter, Florida.
Cat's claw climbs as high as 100 feet up the exterior sides of trees with the help of its hooks that resemble the claws of a cat. If the stem is cut, drinkable water exudes from it (see Photograph 6).
The medicinal components are present within its inner bark (see Photograph 7). Known for over a century, the remedial qualities of cat's claw were identified in 1974 by Austrian researchers. Other names which identify this herb are: life-giving vine of Peru, samento, uncaria, and Uaa de gato.
As a final caution about ingesting either of the two cat's claw species as capsules or drops and possibly as brewed tea, they should be avoided by women who are trying to conceive. Also pregnant women should not take them because the safety and mode of action have not been adequately studied for such women. Yet, the ingestion of cat's claw products appears to protect against cellular mutations as occur in cancer.13,14,15
Four Doctors Discuss their Experiences with Using Samento®
"Since the fall of 2002, I have used Samento® for the quick symptomatic improvement of patients, often within a few weeks, because spirochetes in their blood seen under dark field microscopy get progressively less in number until none exist any longer," states Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) expert W. Lee Cowden, M.D., of Fort Worth, Texas. "Over a relatively short period, my patients' symptoms disappear from their ingestion of this herbal remedy taken usually in conjunction with digestive enzymes 30 to 60 minutes before meals and detoxification remedies to prevent the microbe die-off healing [Herxheimer] reaction."
"I know that the Samento® antimicrobial properties are derived from its containing quinalone components and the pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POAs). The POAs effect is to boost non-specific and cellular immunity. Furthermore, the particular chemotype of cat's claw in this commercial product, unlike others sold, does not contain the chemical antagonists identified as tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids (TOAs) which act adversely on a person's central nervous system," Dr. Cowden says. "TOAs tend to inhibit the beneficial effect of POAs. Because the TOAs are absent, the patient experiences a powerful immune system modification from Samento®. Pathological microbes as occur in Lyme disease are effectively combatted.
"I could offer hundreds of successful case histories in which Samento® was my treatment of choice. One is that of C. F., a 19-year-old woman who has now been free of Lyme disease for 18 months. She consulted me in January 2003 after being victimized by Borrelia burgdorferi for 14 years so severely that she had isolated herself indoors with home-schooling for more than half-a-decade," says Dr. Cowden. "She had to walk with support from a four-legged rolling walker and she could only study for two hours daily before exhaustion set in. She took Samento® for eight weeks which kicked in and allowed her to ambulate without aid from the walker. She went on a first date with her boyfriend and finally did not experience asthma attacks, fibromyalgia symptoms, brain fog, peripheral neuropathy, and gastrointestinal effects of the organism. This Bb infection had caused "leaky gut" and severe allergic reactions including frequent anaphylactic shock reactions with hospitalizations."
By the fifth month of Samento® ingestion, She went off to college without symptoms, and is now actively dating and enjoying her college life. The herbal remedy is allowing her to live a normal life, whereas before her future had looked bleak," affirms Dr. W. Lee Cowden. "This is just one positive experience among many that make my medical practice very satisfying by my use of Samento®."
"I have had numerous positive experiences with patients using Samento® as part of my dental treatment plan for individual patients. Those coming to me with jawbone cavitations, for example, remain untreated until I see that their pathogens are eliminated. Pathologic organisms, especially certain cell-wall-deficient bacteria which cause Lyme disease, travel through the body to areas of lowest resistance and colonize. Jawbone cavitations allow such bacteria to feel most at home," says biological dentist Douglas J. Phillips, Jr., D.D.S., of West Palm Beach, Florida. "When I apply Samento® great amounts of cell-wall-deficient organisms get cut down markedly. I can cause them to be reduced into measurements of low nanograms of existence."
A 50-year-old restaurant builder from Toronto, Ontario Canada had been suffering with cavitation pain from an infected root canal. He had tried ignoring it for months, and finally phoned me for an appointment. But he could not leave his business for another week; therefore, to assuage his pain, I mailed him a bottle of 30 capsules of Samento® to take three at each meal. The man telephoned me within two days to say that the jaw pain was completely gone. He added, 'Other pains in my limbs are gone too and I'm sleeping through the night. I'm not suffering anymore,' " paraphrases Dr. Phillips. "Those thirty capsules lasted him until he arrived at my office a week later and I could perform biological dentistry on his jawbone cavitation.
"Miraculous case histories involving Samento® such as had occurred with the restaurant builder are repeated in my office week after week. This herbal remedy works readily against Lyme disease but new discoveries about Ld indicate that additional, associated tick-borne co-infections include Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Bartonella, Coxiella and various virsues. Samento® is applicable for all of them," confirms Dr. Phillips. "It lowers the body's bacterial count and makes my patient feel really well. This is one treatment that is useful across the board for a whole lot of the pathogens."
Health care teacher and naturopath Zenia Richler, N.D., of Springfield, Missouri, finds that Samento® gives people, including herself, a psychological lift along with the feeling of well-being. "When I take it I feel happier, plus it build's core strength for my patients. They heal faster because of a lift to the immune system," declares Dr. Richler. "Quite simply, I love the stuff, particularly in its dropper form.
"In using Samento® to treat Lyme disease, my distinct impression is that the patients get better twice as fast. I need to use less homeopathic remedies as my 'series therapy' when this herb is part of my treatment program. This is information I give to health professionals who attend courses I co-conduct at my teaching institution, the Academy of Bioenergetics, School of Natural Healing in Springfield," says Dr. Zenia Richler.
David A. Jernigan, D.C., of Wichita, Kansas, co-author with his wife and practice partner, Sara Jernigan, D.C., of the self-published book, Beating Lyme Disease: Using Alternative Medicine & God–Designed Living,16 employs the ingredients of Samento® extensively. Dr. Jernigan states, "My partner in practice and I use Samento® for patients with any number of infections. We're very impressed by results we achieve. The Bio-Resonance Scanning technique my wife and I have developed shows that the herb is nontoxic, active, highly energetic, and synergetic with other remedies. Any person with an invasion by Borrelia has high levels of neurotoxins in the brain and nervous system. The neurotoxins produced by Bb are possibly the most debilitating bacterial poisons known to man. Even after Bb spirochetes are eliminated from the body, the neurotoxins can continue to cause a myriad of devastating symptoms. In my practice, I use the botanical Silphex!" in conjunction with Samento® to successfully neutralize these neurotoxins." Click here for more information and available supplements Samento
References
1.Goldberg, B. & Trivieri, Jr., L. Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia & LymeDisease, 2nd Edition. (Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts, 2004), P. 389.
2. Ibid.
3. Cohen, M.A. "Lyme disease: the ABCs," Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients, 250:50-52, May 2004.
4.Whitaker, J.A. "New test for identifying the morphing menace: Quantitative-RapidIdentification of Borrelia burgdorferi (Q-RIBb)," NutraNews/New Thinking, NewDiscoveries in Nutraceutical Research, October 2003, pp 8-11.
5. Vanderhoof-Forschner, K. Everything You Need to Know About Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Disorders, 2nd edition. (Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003), p.39.
6. Fearn, D.W. Lyme Disease and Associated Diseases: The Basics. (Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania: Lyme Disease Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Inc., 2003), p. 9.
7. Duke, J.A. & Vasquez, R. Amazonian Ethnobotanical Dictionary. (Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, 1994), p. 172.
8. Reinhard, K.H. Zeitschrift für Phytotherapie 18:112-121, 1997.
9. Laus, G. & Keplinger, K. Zeitschrift für Phytotherapie 18:122-126, 1997.
10. Graedon, J. & Graedon, T. The People's Pharmacy: Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies. (New York: St. Martin's Presss, 1999), p. 278.
11. Castleman, M. The New Healing Herbs: The Classic Guide to Nature's Best Medicines. (Emmaus, Pennsylvania: Rodale, Inc., 2001), pp. 116-118.
12. Foster, F. & Tyler, V.E. Tyler's Honest Herbal: A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies, Fourth Edition. (London: The Horworth Herbal Press, 1999), p. 98.
13.Ody, P. Natural Health Complete Guide to Medicinal Herbs. (London: Dorling Kindersley, Second American Edition 2000), p. 146.
14.Op. cit. Graedon & Graedon, p. 279.
15.Op. cit. Ody, p. 146.
16. Jernigan, D.A. & Jernigan, S.K. Beating Lyme Disease: Using Alternative Medicine & God-Designed Living. (Benton, Kansas: Somerleyton Press, 2003).
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WEIGHT CONTROL - WEIGHT REDUCTION STRATEGIES
Amy Kosowski, M.S., LNC, CPT, May 3, 2004
People have been searching for a magic bullet for the treatment of obesity for a long time. They wonder, "What is the secret for staying thin?" The secret is, there is no secret. Certainly, there are people with metabolic disorders that make it difficult, if not impossible to lose weight normally, but overall, these cases are the exception, not the rule. In order to stay thin, we need to concentrate on eating a clean diet and exercising. The problem is that it is difficult to do, and it takes discipline. I can't give you a magic formula for weight loss, but I can offer some strategies that can make it easier.
1. EAT A CLEAN DIET – WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Human beings evolved eating a whole foods diet. I don't mean that they got all of their groceries at Whole Foods Market. It means that people did not have processed foods or convenience foods. They didn't have microwaves and food did not come out of a box with a Nutrition Facts panel. They also did not worry about calories and fat grams. They ate what was available and got a variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, whole grains and legumes.
People were never meant to eat sugar and flour the way people in our culture do. As a rule, we eat way more of these things than our bodies were designed to handle. First, the only source of sugar in the diet of early man was fruits and vegetables. Second, flour is a relatively new to the diet of humans. Flour as we know it only became part of the diet 100-200 years ago. That's only 8-10 generations, not long enough for significant evolutionary changes to take place. Traditionally, grains were sprouted before they were used to make bread. This is important, because the sprouting process gets rid of proteins in the grains that damage the digestive tract. Furthermore, these refined carbohydrates disrupt the body's ability to maintain stable serum glucose levels, resulting in obesity and diabetes.
Conventional farming poses other problems. The use of pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and antibiotics in the farming of animals has negatively impacted human health over the course of the past 50-100 years. These chemicals add to our toxic load, and may contribute to chronic diseases such as cancer and auto-immune disorders (and many others). Moreover, the animals' diets have changed due to the intervention of man. Consequently, animal products no longer contain many essential nutrients necessary for good health.
The combination of a diet of refined carbohydrates and conventional farming practices has resulted in ever-increasing rates if obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, auto-immune conditions, etc.
O.K., so my point is that a clean diet consists of lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seeds, sprouted grain products or unprocessed grains, eggs, and legumes (preferably, grass fed cattle, free range chicken, organic produce, etc.). If you dramatically reduce your processed food intake, or better, completely abstain from it, you will lose weight. Also, the addition of omega-3 fats, as well as CLA will stimulate the metabolism and facilitate weight loss.
2. FACILITATE THE DETOXIFICATION PROCESS AND SUPPORT A HEALTHY DIGESTIVE TRACT.
Sometimes, it is difficult to lose weight because the body cannot adequately rid itself of toxins. This usually comes about because the liver and the digestive tract are not functioning optimally.
The liver is an amazing organ. It is the only organ that can regenerate itself if part of it is lost or damaged. Among the liver's many jobs is detoxification of exogenous, as well as endogenous toxins. These detoxified substances can leave the body in one of two ways: through the urine or through the feces. Large, fat-soluble compounds usually leave via the digestive tract. These would include steroid hormones (estrogen, testosterone, etc.), pesticides, herbicides, and some medications. When the digestive tract is not functioning well, detoxified substances are dumped into the intestine (via bile) and are subsequently reabsorbed back into the bloodstream. This can cause fatigue and lethargy as well as other kinds of illnesses.
The digestive tract can be a major source of health problems. What causes the GI tract to become unhealthy and toxic? Well, it can be a combination of many factors such as food allergies, inflammation, and poor gut flora. Many people have food allergies of which they are unaware. The most common of these is the gluten-containing grains (barley, oats, wheat, and rye). Gluten, and possibly other components of these grains, can provoke an immune response in the gut, resulting in inflammation, gas, constipation, and/or diarrhea.
A disease called Celiac's disease or Celiac Sprue is a severe form of gluten allergy that causes malnutrition and general illness. Gluten intolerance is actually quite common, affecting up to 50% of the population! (O and B blood types tend toward gluten-intolerance to one degree or another. A's and AB's can usually do all right on wheat, as long as they don't overdo it.) In short, gluten is very destructive to the GI tract and most people would be better off if they avoid it all together.
Another problem stems from our general lack of healthy intestinal flora. Bacteria that live in the gut are necessary for: 1) digestion of certain carbohydrates (fibers and some indigestible sugars); 2) production of certain vitamins (B-vitamins and vitamin K); 3) keeping out pathogenic microorganisms (Candida and E. coli, to name a few); 4) promotion of the detoxification process; 5) processing of food compounds into new and usable forms; and 6) regulation and stimulation of immune function.
These beneficial bacteria keep us healthy! Unfortunately, most of us do not have a good balance of gut flora due to our intake of antibiotics in foods and pharmaceutical medications, intake of steroid hormones through food and pharmaceuticals, and the lack of these microorganisms in our diets.
Removing allergens from the diet is the first step to restoring gut health. As discussed, grains are usually the main problem, but dairy, soy or eggs may also cause digestive distress for some people. An elimination plan may be the best way to determine what your individual problem foods are. There are laboratory tests (blood antigen tests are the best), but they are expensive and unnecessary. You can simply eliminate the food for 2-4 weeks and then challenge your system by eating a lot of that food over a period of 1-2 days. Also, if you find that you feel better without that particular food, you may be better off not including it in your diet, at least until your gut health has been restored.
There are supplements that encourage the gut to heal. These include the amino acid, glutamine, herbs like marshmallow and slippery elm, and omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil. Of these, fish oil supplements are the most important because they help to discourage inflammation. Herbal preparations are available; they help restore the thin mucous layer that lines the digestive tract. Glutamine is the primary fuel source for intestinal cells; therefore, it feeds these cells, encouraging healthy digestion.
A probiotic however, is probably the most critical supplement for restoring digestive health. Probiotics contain the beneficial bacteria that affect our whole-body health. Some also contain "prebiotics." Prebiotics are basically foods that the bacteria thrive on, such as FOS or inulin.
3. EXERCISE AND MAXIMIZATION OF CALORIE BURNING
Although a good, clean diet and a healthy gut are important for weight loss, exercise is another part of the equation. I recommend both cardiovascular exercise like walking, swimming, jogging, biking, etc. and some type of strength training. Strength training helps to increase lean mass. The amount of lean mass a person has determines their metabolic rate: an increase in lean mass will increase basal metabolic rate (BMR). This means that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn 24 hours a day – even while you are asleep. A good balance would be 30-40 minutes of cardio 4-5 times per week plus 30 minutes of weight training 4 times per week. Of course, you may need to work up to this level if you have not been exercising regularly. There are many other benefits from exercise besides preventing weight gain. These include a reduction in the risk of developing cancer and heart disease, and increasing energy levels.
Another strategy for increasing caloric expenditure is to eat 5-6 small meals per day rather than eating 3 larger meals. After each meal, the metabolism increases by about 10%. This phenomenon is known as the thermal effect of a meal. The result of eating more times during the day is that overall energy expenditure is increased. Furthermore, people tend to eat less overall, because they don't get as hungry.
Incidentally, starvation will backfire with respect to weight loss – it actually promotes weight gain, because it causes loss of lean mass, and therefore, lowers BMR.
4. SUPPLEMENTS FOR WEIGHT LOSS
I have mentioned some of the useful supplements already, but I will review them now. First, an increase in good fats, such as omega-3's and CLA will stimulate metabolism. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find these fats in the American diet because conventional farming practices have virtually eliminated these from our food supply. Therefore, I recommend supplementation with fish oil (6-8 grams per day) Fish Oil and CLA (4-6 grams per day) ) Conjugated Linoleic Acid . Almost everyone is deficient in these fats anyway, so it is a great idea to supplement.
Second, increase the amount of fiber in the diet. Fiber has a number of functions; among them are increase in bowel transit time, maintenance of a healthy colon (but we need beneficial bacteria to digest fiber), maintenance of normal appetite, and facilitation of detoxification. I prefer supplementation with ground flax seed (3 Tbs/day), rather than psyllium, due to its many health benefits.
Third, I would also strongly recommend a good probiotic supplement Probiotics . Finally, some amino acids may be useful for suppressing appetite. These include tyrosine, DLPA, and 5-HTP. Amino Acids
As far as popular weight loss products go, I do not recommend the ephedra-based products like Metabolife and Xenadrine. These products will increase the metabolism, but once you stop taking them, your metabolism will go back down and you will feel very tired. Also, ephedra tends to burn out the adrenals, accelerating the aging process. Click below on some ephedra-free weight loss supplements: CortiSlim
Relacore
Zantrex-3
Fat blockers i.e. chitosan and carbohydrate blockers have limited value. Because fat is so important biochemically, it is unwise to block its absorption. In addition, if you inhibit fat absorption, you could become deficient in many nutrients. Carbohydrate blockers pose different problems.
These products are usually made from enzyme inhibitors derived from raw beans and these compounds are known to be carcinogenic. Moreover, neither fat nor carbohydrate blockers are very effective for weight loss. There is one metabolic stimulating supplement which I think may be of value, and that is 7-Keto DHEA 7 Keto DHEA . 7-Keto may be especially helpful for people with subclinical hypothyroidism.
5. CONCLUSION
In summary, you are much better off if you try to develop eating habits that are right for your individual make-up. I generally find that O and B blood types do best on higher protein, lower carbohydrate diets, whereas A blood types do better on vegetarian-type diets with easily digested protein sources (fish, chicken, and soy). Exercise is key to permanent weight loss as well. If you take at lease some of these suggestions, you will not only lose weight, you will feel great.
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