Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

Weekly challenge (I mean opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar. Join us!

The development of allergies in infants is influenced by different factors. A too-clean environment is one factor. Lack of breastfeeding is another factor. Diet, both of the infant and the mother, is yet another factor. In a recent study, mothers’ diets during pregnancy were evaluated for a link to the development of allergies in infants.

Researchers found that if the mother’s diet contained omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like those found in fish, walnuts and flaxseed, the babys’ guts developed differently. The PUFAs help to improve how gut immune cells respond to gut bacteria and other foreign substances in the gut. This highlights the complementary action of omega-3s with gut bacteria. The result? A reduction in the risk of allergy development in children.

Studies have shown that fish oil and walnut oil supplementation during pregnancy help reduce allergy risk in their children, and now this new study shows why. “The end result is that the baby’s immune system may develop and mature faster—leading to better immune function and less likelihood of suffering allergies,” stated Dr. Gaelle Boudry one of the study’s researchers.

It is well known that omega-3 fish oil—particularly DHA—is important for brain development of the fetus during pregnancy. This new study adds to the understanding of the benefits of omega-3s. This week, if you or someone you know is pregnant, be sure you’re getting enough omega-3s. A concentrated, purified fish oil supplement is a great way to get your omega-3s, just be sure to clear it with your doctor.

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Antibiotics are overused for conditions they do not treat, such as viral infections like cold or flu. Antibiotic overuse is leading to antibiotic resistance, one of the major challenges facing medicine today. But antibiotic resistance is not the only consequence of the average 10 – 20 courses of antibiotics children receive by the age of 18. An under-appreciated negative effect of too many antibiotics is the killing of beneficial bacteria, as highlighted in the recent Nature journal article, “Antibiotic Overuse: Stop the Killing of Beneficial Bacteria.”¹

From the article, written by Martin M. Blaser, head of the department of medicine at New York University’s Langone Medical Center:

“Early evidence from my lab and others hints that, sometimes, our friendly flora never fully recover [after antibiotics]. These long-term changes to the beneficial bacteria within people’s bodies may even increase our susceptibility to infections and disease. Overuse of antibiotics could be fueling the dramatic increase in conditions such as obesity, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and asthma, which have more than doubled in many populations.”

This gut microbiota alteration is likely a contributing factor to the increase in antibiotic resistance seen in such “superbugs” as Clostridium difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Blaser further explained.

Studies by Les Dethlefsen, David Relman, et al, have also found permanent alterations in gut microbiota after antibiotic treatment. These researchers investigated the effects of ciprofloxacin on gut microbiota changes over a period of 8 to 10 months in two studies—one with two courses of antibiotic treatment, the other with one.^2,3 Each study involved extensive stool sample analysis by 16S pyrosequencing (one rDNA, one rRNA) in three subjects over many months.

In one study, gut composition closely resembled its pretreatment state four weeks after antibiotic treatment. However, several bacterial groups did not recover even six months later. In the second study, gut composition stabilized by the end of 10 months, but it differed from its original state. The study concluded, “Antibiotic perturbation may cause a shift to an alternative stable state, the full consequences of which remain unknown.”

Blaser recommends reducing antibiotic use during pregnancy and childhood, citing that between one-third and one-half of pregnant women receive antibiotics during pregnancy in the U.S. and developing countries. “Each generation could be beginning life with a smaller endowment of ancient microbes than the last,” he stated, “Particularly the 30 percent or so of infants born via Cesarean.”

The search for effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics is on, as researchers from all over the world are testing new possibilities in the hopes of heading off the antibiotic-resistance disaster at the pass. One recent study highlighted the use of a commensal E. coli strain which was re-engineered  by adding fragments of DNA to the bacterium that allows it to sense the presence of the pathogenic bacteria known as, Psuedomonas aerugenosa. Pseudomonas is a superbug responsible for infections in the lungs, urinary tract, blood, and on wounds and burns. Upon sensing the Pseudomonas pathogen, the E coli released a potent toxin which killed up to 90% of the pathogen.⁴ It will be exciting to see if this technology holds up in forthcoming animal and human trials.

I believe the future will likely include widespread use of large amounts of commensal bacteria, probiotic bacteria and prebiotics, as well as genetically altered bacteria, to manage bacterial infections. We may even have a whole armamentarium of slightly altered commensal/probiotic bacteria on hand for certain infections. Antibiotics are already assuming a lesser role, and the CDC has a major program to remind physicians to be more discriminating in antibiotic use.⁵ So perhaps the future of pharmaceutical antibiotics will be their judicious use, in combination with various bacterial therapies, and this will become the standard of care. It will be very interesting to watch the unfolding of all the new research.

References

1.  Blaser M, “Antibiotic overuse: Stop the killing of beneficial bacteria.” Nature. 2011 Aug 24;476(7361):393-4.
2. Dethlefsen L, et al., “The pervasive effects of an antibiotic on the human gut microbiota, as revealed by deep 16S rRNA sequencing.” PLoS Biol. 2008 Nov 18;6(11):e280.
3. Dethlefsen L and Relman DA, “Incomplete recovery and individualized responses of the human distal gut microbiota to repeated antibiotic perturbation.” PNAS. 2011 Mar 15;108 (Suppl 1):4554-4561.
4. Saedi N, et al., “Engineering microbes to sense and eradicate Psuedomonas aeruginosa, a human pathogen.” Mol Sys Biol. 2011 Aug 16;7, no 521. Online ahead of print.
5. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6034a1.htm

Leonard Smith, M.D.
Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years. In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe. Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.  

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In this time of scary bacterial infections, antibacterial soap would seem a regular sink-side bottle. We are told that germs are bad—and many are—and that we need to scrub them away with antibacterial soaps, scrubs and sprays. Right? Well, not completely. Handwashing for at least 15 seconds with hot soapy water is very effective at removing germs. All that is needed for this is regular old soap.

Antibacterial soap contains a chemical called triclosan (2,4,4’-trichloro-2’-hydroxydiphenyl ether). This chemical has been said to contribute to the increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria. This is because it’s in so many products and pollutes waterways, increasing its exposure to bacteria, which then become resistant.

Dr. Smith blogged in December about the link between use of triclosan and the development of hay fever and allergies in children and teens. Now comes another study published in Environmental Health Perspectives that adds to the last—children and adolescents under age 18 with the highest levels of triclosan in their urine were more likely to be diagnosed with allergies and asthma.

The head researchers stated, “Our results suggest that exposure to triclosan, particularly at times during the life course when the immune system is developing, may modify immunologic response.” They are not quite sure how that works, but suggest that applying triclosan soaps to the skin may reduce some types of microbiota on the skin, or even in the bowels. Or, the soaps may directly affect the endocrine system, which is in close communication with the immune system.

While they work out the details, I say steer clear of antibacterial soaps. Just be sure to wash your hands well. It’s enough!

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“In the future, when you walk into a doctor’s surgery or hospital, you could be asked not just about your allergies and blood group, but also about your gut type.” This is a quote from ScienceDaily (Apr. 21, 2011) referring to a recent article in Nature Magazine. The study, published in Nature, also uncovers microbial genetic markers that are related to traits like age, gender and body-mass index. These bacterial genes could one day be used to help diagnose and predict outcomes for diseases like colorectal cancer, while information about a person’s gut type could help inform treatment.  Researchers found that the combination of microbes in the human intestine isn’t random, and that human gut flora can settle into three different types of communities or ecosystems. 

I would call this important work just “a start,” and would like to present some basic molecular biology to indicate the magnitude of the problem of trying to classify bacterial communities.   We now know we have over 1000 species of bacteria in our intestinal tracts, all of whom have their own thousands of genes as well as their own epigenetic codes regulating their genes. 

Here’s a primer on the epigenetic code: The epigenetic code (or epigenome) is in part a group of enzymes and methyl groups that attach to, and act on, genes. This ongoing active process allows some genes to be expressed, and other genes to be silenced. 

The epigenome responds to most every stimulus coming to the gut bacterial cell’s surface receptors, ranging from food (which can be beneficial or harmful), good or poor hydration, eustress (good stress) or distress; other stimuli include competing or complementary bacteria, viruses and fungi which can team together in biofilms (like a microbial city) in the gut lumen. Other major factors which could affect epigenomic actions are the hormones, growth factors, vitamins, immune factors, and  cytokines which continuously send signals into the bacterial cells to affect epigenetic expression. The resultant expression of genes will then direct the bacterial cells to do what they were meant to do: namely, live in a harmonious symbiotic relationship with us, the host, or remain in a state of alert, which may cause them to stop aiding the host, and become more parasitic in nature.

The above mentioned article did not in their paper find a significant connection between diet and gut bacterial balance.  However, there are many studies that do.  I found one as recently as May 2011.  Here is the summary of the article: “After 4 weeks, weight-loss diets that were high in protein but reduced in total carbohydrates and fiber resulted in a significant decrease in fecal cancer-protective metabolites and increased concentrations of hazardous metabolites. Long-term adherence to such diets may increase risk of colonic disease.”¹ 

The article points out that a low fiber, high protein diet causes biochemical changes to occur on a bacterial level.  First, without adequate amounts of soluble fiber the beneficial gut bacteria cannot produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyrate, which is the choice food of the colonic lining epithelial cells, and a preventer of damaged colonic cells from becoming cancerous.  In addition, the action of the gut bacteria on cooked meat creates increased proportions of branched-chain fatty acids, and concentrations of phenylacetic acid and N-nitroso compounds, which can lead eventually to inflammation and cancer of the colon. 

The source of bacterial production of both beneficial SCFAs as well as harmful chemicals comes from epigenetic and genetic changes which lead to the production of these chemicals. I believe we are proving daily that lifestyle changes including: a healthy, 80 percent plant-based diet, good hydration, sleep, exercise, elimination, and stress reduction all help to program our bacterial biomass as much as it does our bodies. Remember there are about 100 trillion bacteria and we have only about 10 trillion cells so we are outnumbered at least 10 to 1 in terms of genes and metabolic activity, so we need to take care of our “guests” as well as ourselves! Just as important as what bacteria are in our guts, is what else passes through and affects our guts. We must be able to step back and look at the entire picture, rather than simplifying it to “three gut types.”  

1. W.R. Russell, et al., “High-protein, reduced-carbohydrate weight-loss diets promote metabolite profiles likely to be detrimental to colonic health.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 May;93(5):1062-72. Epub 2011 Mar 9.

Leonard Smith, M.D.

Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years. In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe. Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.

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“It is possible for a person to be too clean for their own good.” This is a recent quote from Allison Aiello, visiting associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard, who is studying the effect of frequent handwashing with antimicrobial soap containing triclosan, or 2,4,4’-trichloro-2’-hydroxydiphenyl ether. Her research has shown an increase in allergies and hay fever in children and teens with chronic use of soap products containing triclosan.

Handwashing with a powerful soap containing triclosan brings up two questions:

1. What is the effect of chronic removal of hand bacteria? We know where these hands go, especially in children (the mouth, for starters).

2. What could this chemical be doing to our body from a metabolic/hormonal perspective?

My input:
1. Science has now discovered that people normally have over a 1000 different species of bacteria not only in our intestinal tract, but also on our skin. This fact points out the normal symbiotic balance with microbes that we have evolved with for millions of years. The human/microbe symbiosis is especially important in childhood immune development. Research and clinical observations support the “Hygiene Theory,” which states that a lack of early childhood exposure to infectious and symbiotic microorganisms and parasites increases susceptibility to allergic diseases (like allergies, asthma, dermatitis, and autoimmune diabetes) by disrupting the natural development of the immune system. Children living in non-industrial countries and closer to nature generally don’t have these problems.

2. Triclosan is also used in toothbrushes, ice-making machines, and in pesticides! This type of exposure has led to research by concerned individuals who have now shown significant evidence that it is yet another toxin with hormone-disrupting qualities which could majorly affect immunity. Due to the increase in negative evidence, the FDA has decided to thoroughly investigate triclosan, but not until 2013—a decade earlier than previously planned!

So what are the solutions? First, take a high quality probiotic and also make your own cultured foods. We may soon find topical probiotics could be beneficial, as well. Second, find safe soaps and use them mostly after exposure to public places. Safe soaps (or hand sanitizers) can be found at www.ewg.org, under cleansing products – hand sanitizers. Third, get involved in social networking by joining “green”groups to help educate and promote the changes we desperately need.

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/triclosan_fs.htm

Leonard Smith, M.D.Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years. In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe. Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.

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We’ve known since we introduced Ultimate Flora Advanced Immunity at ReNew Life that it was an awesome triple threat when fighting seasonal health issues. Now the whole world knows. EpiCor, a key ingredient in Ultimate Florida Advanced Immunity, has just been awarded the 2010 Scientific Excellence Award at the SupplySide Conference in Las Vegas. SupplySide is the largest event in the world for healthy, natural and innovative ingredients.

EpiCor Immunogen has been proven in multiple scientific studies to help boost resistance to seasonal health issues, support optimum respiratory health, and help the immune system cope with stress. Ultimate Flora Advanced Immunity is a combination of three proven natural ingredients, namely a powerful probiotic, EpiCor, and the potent antioxidant ResistAid™. Together, they help promote a balanced immune system, which in turn boosts the body’s defenses during cold, flu and allergy seasons.

EpiCor won this wonderful recognition due to several published studies that showcased its effectiveness when fighting colds, flu and allergies. In Studies published by the Journal of Alternative Medicine, Urologic Nursing, and Advances in Therapy, it has been shown to reduce symptoms after they appear, as well as help reduce the number and duration of each incidence.

So stock up on the Ultimate Flora Advanced Immunity before cold, flu or allergy season starts –and maybe a little chicken soup. You could very well go through the season sniffle-free!

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Doing what I do, I have a lot of folks come to me with problems like heartburn, constipation, gas and bloating—things that make you think right off the bat, “That’s a digestive issue.” But what about problems like fatigue or weight gain? Even allergies, joint pain or skin problems? What a lot of people don’t realize is that all of these things are connected, and they all come back to your gut.

I have a new book coming out called The Road to Perfect Health, and in it I talk about the vast numbers of bacteria in your body, especially in your digestive tract (which is where roughly 80 percent of your natural defenses are found). And when a healthy digestive balance is upset because of things like poor diet, stress or other factors, the result can be not only poor digestion, but a total breakdown in health.

If you’ve been having persistent health problems that you and your doctor just can’t seem to figure out no matter what you try, it may be time to look at what’s going on in your gut. And to do that, there are two absolutely essential tests that I recommend starting with. One is called a comprehensive stool analysis (CDSA or CSAP) and it’s really pretty remarkable. It evaluates your poop (now don’t cringe, this is important!) and looks at things like how you are digesting your food, as well as your levels of good and bad bacteria, whether pathogenic organisms such as C. difficile are present, what your yeast levels are, and if there are parasites in the gut.

The CDSA will also show you whether you have Leaky Gut Syndrome or inflammation in your digestive system, and it will show you how well your gut immunity is working, along with important gut health markers such as pH, blood, short-chain fatty acids and even how well your pancreas is functioning. These are all extremely important aspects of gut health that together can help you get to the bottom of what is going on in the rest of your body. Again, I can’t stress enough how connected your overall health is to what’s going on in your gut!

The other test is a gluten sensitivity test. Why gluten sensitivity? Because wheat gluten is a major (if not the worst) food irritant to the digestive system, and it is in a huge number of products on the market today—not just bread. Seriously folks, more than 40 percent of Americans are gluten sensitive and most don’t even know it, and 2 million of those have a serious autoimmune disorder called celiac disease, which causes the body to try to attack gluten in the system. And because even a lot of GI doctors don’t understand the difference between gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, most will either label you as having celiac or nothing, which can be extremely frustrating when you don’t feel well and are trying to figure out what’s wrong (read more about this here).The bottom line is that people are having all these problems which could lead to bigger problems later on, and the reality is those problems can be helped.

Both of these tests are non-invasive and can be done right at home (visit www.labtestingdirect.com and www.enterolab.com for more information). Then, all you have to do is send the tests to the lab for analysis (prepaid envelopes are provided) and hopefully take the first step toward getting your health back on track. If they seem expensive, think about it this way: how much money do you spend each week or each month on frivolous things you really don’t need? Isn’t your health a hundred times more important than a $4 latte every morning? And even if your insurance doesn’t cover the cost right away, you may be eligible for reimbursement, so I beg you—make this investment in your health. It’s worth it to get to the root of your problems and start enjoying the vibrant health and energy you deserve!!

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As any new mom can tell you, everyone has an opinion when it comes to breastfeeding—why it’s good, why it’s not, how you should do it, how long you should do it for, and the list goes on. But regardless of personal beliefs, the health benefits to both mom and baby have been proven time and time again, which is why this recent study really caught my attention.

According to experts at the CDC, not even half of all U.S. moms breastfeed as long as experts recommend (which in case you’re wondering is 6 months exclusively, then up to 2 years or longer with appropriate foods), and not even a quarter of new moms are still breastfeeding after a year. On top of that, even though a high percentage of moms start breastfeeding right after birth, research shows that many of them switch to bottle feeding pretty soon after.

The main focus of the study was actually to see if there was a connection between breastfeeding and childhood obesity rates, and guess what? Breastfed babies are actually less likely to have problems with obesity as they grow older. I wasn’t surprised by this, since I know how important breastfeeding is for newborn babies.

Breast milk is, in essence, a source of complete nutrition straight from Mother Nature, chock full of essential nutrients and powerful antibodies that help to establish a newborn baby’s natural defense system in the gut, which in turn helps protect them against everything from allergies to digestive problems to chronic disease and yes—even weight gain—later on in life.

Breastfeeding is also important for women, since studies show that mothers who breastfeed lessen their risk of breast, ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancers, and it even helps protect against osteoporosis and bone fractures as they age. But to be honest, this is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the overwhelming health benefits of breastfeeding, so if you or someone you know is expecting, be sure to pass the word along!

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Do you know what heartburn, constipation, weight gain, high cholesterol and fatigue have in common? What about things like allergies, arthritis and even chronic disease? Well, you might be surprised to hear it, but ALL of these things are related…and guess why? Because they ALL start in the gut. Want to know more?

Join me on October 13^th at Sunflower Farmers Market in Scottsdale for a free digestive health lecture. I’m going to be talking about the link between a properly functioning digestive system and a healthy body, including how our increasingly toxic world is taking a serious toll on the natural defenses found in our gut. We’ll also talk about the natural supplements that are essential for helping you look and feel your best every day, so mark your calendar!

WHEN: Wednesday, October 13^th  7:00-9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Sunflower Farmers Market, 4402 N. Miller Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251

RSVP: 480-941-6001

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When you hear the word “antibiotics” I’m sure a lot of you think, “Hey, those are good for me—they help me feel better when I’m sick.” Right? And yes, you’re partly right, but there’s also a dark side to using antibiotics that a lot of people either don’t know or don’t want to think about. What do I mean?

Well, did you happen to hear that recent story about an antibiotic-resistant gene making its way to the U.S. from India? So-called “superbugs” like the ones linked to the overseas gene are making people very sick, but the worst part is that the powerful antibiotics we’d normally use to get rid of them aren’t working anymore because of widespread antibiotic resistance.

And now a new study from Stanford University shows that taking antibiotics over and over again may impact our health by affecting the normal levels of bacteria in our digestive tract. Yup, that’s right—it all comes back to the gut! Because as you know, that’s where roughly 80 percent of our natural defenses are found, and it’s where literally trillions of microbes (both good and bad) exist in a delicate balance to keep us healthy.

So what this new study looked at was 1. whether or not repeated antibiotic use affected that nicely balanced bacterial colony in your gut, and 2. if and how well your gut bacteria were able to “bounce back” after each round of antibiotics. Now I’m sure you saw this coming, but the results weren’t great. The antibiotics wiped out large numbers of existing gut bacteria in all of the participants, and even though some gut populations returned to normal a few weeks after the antibiotic treatment stopped, this wasn’t the case after a second course of antibiotics. In fact, two months after the second round of treatment, gut bacteria levels still hadn’t returned to normal.

This topic is so important, and I’m really glad to see that it’s starting to get so much attention. When I say everything is connected to the gut, I REALLY mean it, especially now that all these new studies are finding that an out-of-balance gut can contribute to everything from digestive problems and weight gain to allergies, arthritis and yes, even chronic disease. So it’s time to pay attention—take a proactive stance when it comes to your health, and make sure you really need that antibiotic before you take it!

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