The human gut is home to thousands of different bacterial species, totaling 100 trillion bacterial cells—that’s about four pounds of bacteria, or the weight of a brick. The composition of this bacterial population (also known as the gut microbiota), is currently being studied. Dr. Smith recently blogged on it.

A new study by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, published in Science, takes the findings further. This new study found two major gut types—Bacteroides and Prevotella—based on gut bacterial population groups in 98 healthy volunteers who were asked to fill out questionnaires that assessed dietary habits. Stool samples were collected to determine their gut microbiota composition.

The researchers found a link between dietary habits and gut types. People who ate a diet high in meat and saturated fat were higher in Bacteroides bacteria, and people who had a diet high in carbohydrates had more Prevotella bacteria. Researchers then took ten volunteers and fed half of them a diet high in fat and low in fiber, and fed the other half a low-fat, high-fiber diet. By the end of ten days the bacterial populations had begun to change, but were still predominantly the same Bacteroides and Prevotella groups. This indicates that it’s possible to change the gut microbiota with diet, but it will take more than a short term change to see any major difference.

Next steps will be to replicate these findings to confirm them, and to take the studies further by looking at whether these gut types are associated with health or disease. It’s an exciting area of research, working out the details of what I have said all along—your gut is the foundation of the health of the rest of your body. It all begins in the gut.

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High blood pressure during pregnancy can be a major concern because it can lead to preeclampsia, a potentially dangerous condition. A recent study found that even very low levels of lead exposure—levels way below the standards set by the Center for Disease Control (CDC)—increased blood pressure in pregnant women.

The researchers did not expect to find an effect from such low levels of lead. The results suggest that pregnant women may be as sensitive to lead toxicity as young children. The best way to reduce lead exposure is to avoid it, but because lead can be stored in bone, even prior exposure could result in low levels of lead circulating in the body.

Over the years regulations on acceptable lead levels have lowered, but more lead restrictions are needed. For women it would be wise to support the body’s toxin elimination before getting pregnant. I recommend a total body herbal cleanse that supports the body’s seven channels of elimination (colon, liver, lungs, lymph, kidneys, skin and blood).

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The far-reaching effects of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease never cease to amaze me. So many conditions outside the gut are triggered by a reaction against gluten inside the gut. A recent study has brought to light one lesser-known effect of celiac disease—infertility.

It has been known for some time now that infertility and recurrent spontaneous abortion is more common among women with celiac disease. And about 4 percent of infertile women have celiac disease!  I wonder how many more of these women may have silent celiac disease or even gluten sensitivity? A large proportion of people with celiac disease are undiagnosed.

A recent study has looked a little closer at infertility and early pregnancy loss, and determined just how this may happen. It turns out that anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (which are antibodies that the immune system makes against gliadin, the gluten protein) bind to the developing placental lining. This can interfere with proper development of the placenta and fetus.

It is already known that these anti-tTG antibodies can attack other tissues in the body, like the thyroid, pancreatic beta cells or even brain cells. This phenomenon is known as autoimmunity. This study highlights yet one more way in which anti-gliadin antibodies can harm areas of the body that are not in the gut. And it strengthens the evidence that following a gluten free diet can benefit the entire body.

If you suspect you are gluten sensitive, you may want to be tested or try an elimination diet for a few months to see if it helps you.

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Did you know there is a link between Alzheimer’s disease and cholesterol levels? This has been known for sometime, actually. Middle-aged adults with high total cholesterol levels—even moderately high—are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. And, very high HDL (good) cholesterol levels in older adults puts them at reduced risk of Alzheimer’s.

Two new studies takes this link even further. Researchers are trying to find genes that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease. The APOE gene has already been strongly linked to the disease—if you have two versions of APOE4 (one from mom, one from dad) then you are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s because this APOE version is inefficient at breaking down amyloid beta plaques in the brain. Amyloid beta plaques are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

The new studies have found five more genes related to the development of Alzheimer’s, The interesting part is the function of these genes. The genes are involved with cholesterol and inflammation—both of which have been implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute have found that a chemical formed when cholesterol reacts with ozone (formed by inflammation) is involved in misfolding of amyloid beta, which makes it difficult to remove from the brain. The cholesterol link is interesting because cholesterol is produced in the liver, and the liver may be the actual source of amyloid beta in the first place, according to yet another recent study I blogged on recently.

Another finding comes from the University of California at Irvine. Cortisol, a hormone produced during stress, may also play a role in misfolding of amyloid beta. All the more reason to find some stress relief!

All these links of Alzheimer’s disease to processes that occur in other areas of the body make it even more important to eat a healthy diet, get plenty of exercise, and find ways to relieve stress. And if you have high cholesterol—do something about it! Your body is telling you that something is off. Are you listening to it?

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Omega-3 fatty acids are wonder nutrients that offer many benefits to the body, from head to toe. Now, even the mouth is included in the long list of body areas that function better after intake of omega-3s.

A recent study found that a moderate, daily intake of the omega-3s DHA and EPA (found in marine sources, usually fish oil) was associated with up to a 20 percent decreased risk of gum disease (periodontitis).

Gum disease is an inflammatory disease that is caused by microorganisms like the bacteria Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Usually antibiotics are prescribed in an effort to eliminate these bacteria, but other treatments have been used that target the inflammation of gum disease, like scaling and root planing (ouch!) and in extreme cases surgery.   

Omega-3s are most known for their anti-inflammatory effects, so it is not surprising that they would help quell inflammation in the mouth. Additionally, this study also found that omega-3 fatty acids also demonstrated antibacterial activity against oral pathogens.

The mouth is the very beginning of the digestive tract, and the bacterial balance in the mouth is proving to be more important than previously thought. In fact, gum disease is also associated with the development of heart disease! Everything is connected, folks, and it all goes back to the gut!

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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!

I talk all the time about the gut connection to other areas of the body—like when your gut is out of balance and it affects your brain, your skin or your joints. I also talk about the many ways your gut becomes imbalanced in the first place—like with antibiotics, acid blocking medications, poor diet, and stress.

Yes, even stress affects your gut. Stress-relieving therapies are high on my list of things to include in a healthy lifestyle. It has been known for a while now that stress can throw the gut out of balance. A recent study follows up on this by showing that not only do gut bacteria levels change with stress, but those changes also affect immunity.

The researchers of this study plan to further evaluate whether gut microbial changes are the reason that certain diseases worsen under stress. It’s a vicious cycle—stress alters the gut microbiota, which leads to worsening of symptoms, which adds more stress… and on and on.

Break the cycle. Find some kind of stress-relieving activity, like massage, meditation, yoga, tai chi, exercise—anything that brings you calm. This is an essential part of your well-being. After you’ve done that, make sure your gut also has the right support with probiotics. Break the cycle.

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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) does excellent work to spread information about the harmful chemicals in everyday products. They have an extensive database on chemicals found in personal care products to help you determine which products are safest. They also have a quick instruction guide on what to look for when buying personal care products. Check it out. It will help you avoid the worst chemicals found in so many personal care products.     

With the over 80,000 chemicals in use today, the majority of which are not adequately tested, we have reason to be concerned about what chemicals we put in and on our bodies. Choosing the most natural products for body care is best. EWG’s site can help you.

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Brenda and I have been talking for years about the toxic soup that we all live in. It’s in our food, in the water, in the air and in our own bodies. It’s impossible to completely avoid toxins, and that’s a problem, especially in light of the scientific evidence that shows environmental toxins are destroying our health.

Many recent studies have looked at air pollution and its many harmful effects. It has been known for some time that exposure to air pollution is associated with health conditions like asthma, cardiovascular disease and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In fact, polluted air can even create serious ventricular arrhythmias.¹ Also, the incidence of heart attacks in rush hour traffic in the United Kingdom are thought to be due to the polluted air. In support of this is a quote from the August 2005 Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) referring to particle laden dirty air, “Ultrafine particles < 0.1 µm (UFPs) dominate particle number concentrations and surface area, and are therefore capable of carrying large concentrations of adsorbed or condensed toxic air pollutants. It is likely that redox-active components in UFPs from fossil fuel combustion reach cardiovascular target sites. High UFP exposures may lead to systemic inflammation through oxidative stress responses to reactive oxygen species and thereby promote the progression of atherosclerosis, and precipitate acute cardiovascular responses ranging from increased blood pressure to myocardial infarction.”²

The studies on this topic keep rolling in. The latest issue of EHP published a study on the link between prenatal exposure to air pollutants and subsequent behavioral problems in children.³ Children with the highest levels of pollution exposure had more attention problems, anxiety and depression at age 5 to 7 than those children with the least exposure. It is also known that exposure to organophosphate pesticides found on foods is linked to ADHD symptoms, by the way. And we wonder why ADHD is on the rise.

Other new studies continue to support just how air pollution affects health. One study in animals found that chronic inhalation of polluted air triggered inflammation that spread throughout the body.⁴ To quote one of the researchers, “Our main hypothesis is that particulate matter stimulates inflammation in the lung, and products of that inflammation spill over into the body’s circulation, traveling to fat tissue to promote inflammation and causing vascular dysfunction.”

This comes as no surprise to me. Inflammation is involved in most every disease, and certainly plays a role in all chronic diseases. Inflammation can be triggered by a number of factors—toxins, stress, illness, digestive imbalance—and it can travel throughout the body causing disease.

Another recent study, again published in EHP, found that short term exposure to air pollution damaged areas of the brain associated with memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease in mice.⁴ Guess what the study found? The brains affected by air pollution showed signs of inflammation associated with premature aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

Finally, the New England Journal of Medicine showed that reductions in air pollution accounted for as much as 15% of the overall increase in life expectancy in the areas that were studied!⁶

It’s difficult to know just how to avoid all this pollution, but there are things we can do to reduce toxicity. First, use high efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA filters) throughout your house (or at least your bedroom), and in your car cabin. According to Carla Kalogeridis at the Filter Manufacturers Council, only 40 percent of North American vehicles have cabin air filters despite the ongoing concern of consumers regarding cabin air quality.⁷ Others say as many as 80% or more now have cabin filters. I couldn’t find a clear answer from the www.epa.gov site, but did find where they recommended a portable cabin filter.⁸ In any case if you have a cabin filter they generally need to be replaced annually or every 15,000 miles. The filters can be easily bought from the dealers or online⁹ with instructions on how to change them at home.

If you can avoid daily bumper-to-bumper traffic jams, that’s a good start, and if you can’t it would be very wise to change your cabin air filter. If your vehicle doesn’t have one there are portables available.⁸ Eating a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins will help your body get many nutrients and fiber it needs. Reduce inflammation with omega-3 oils, and quell gut inflammation with probiotics. And support the body’s seven channels of elimination: colon, liver, lungs, lymph, kidneys, skin and blood with nutrients that promote the healthy function of these channels, plus periodic colon hydrotherapy, and infrared sauna. Lastly, find stress-reducing activities including exercise and meditation to round out a healthy lifestyle. All of the above strategies will help to keep your detoxification pathways open.

1. M.S. Link and D.W. Dockery, “Air pollution and the triggering of cardiac arrhythmias.” Curr Opin Cardiol. 2010 Jan;25(1):16-22.
2. R.J. Delfino, et al., “Potential role of ultrafine particles in associations between airborne particle mass and cardiovascular health.” Environ Health Perspect. 2005 Aug;113(8):934-46.
3. F.P. Perera, et al., “PAH/Aromatic DNA Adducts in Cord Blood and Behavior Scores in New York City Children.” Environ Health Perspect. 2011 Apr 4.
4. T. Kampfrath, et al., “Chronic Fine Particulate Matter Exposure Induces Systemic Vascular Dysfunction via NADPH Oxidase and TLR4 Pathways.” Circ Res. 2011 Mar 18;108(6):716-26.
5. T.E. Morgan, et al., “Glutamatergic neurons in rodent models respond to nanoscale particulate urban air pollutants in vivo and in vitro.” Environ Health Perspect. 2011 Apr 4.
6. C.A. Cope, et al., “Fine-particulate air pollution and life expectancy in the United States.” N Engl J Med. 2009 Jan 22;360(4):376-86.
7. http://www.ehow.com/about_6404803_hepa-cabin-filter_.html#ixzz1JnfTQzQA
8. http://www.epa.gov/nhsrc/pubs/TISPortableMotorVehicleCabinAirPurifier.pdf
9. www.filters-now.com

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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Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease involving a reaction in the gut to gliadin, the gluten protein found in wheat, barley and rye. This gut reaction destroys the body’s own intestinal lining cells, a process known as autoimmunity. The treatment of celiac disease is complete avoidance of gluten and gluten-containing foods. If not treated properly, the autoimmunity can manifest in other areas of the body, like the joints or the thyroid gland.

A recent study set out to determine at what age people develop celiac disease. Every 15 years since 1974 the number of people with celiac disease has doubled. As it turns out, the incidence of celiac disease in the elderly is almost two and a half times higher than the general population. This counters the previous perception that celiac disease usually develops during childhood.

So what factors may be leading to this late-life loss of tolerance to gluten?

Studies will need to be done to determine the exact environmental triggers, but I suspect that these people may have been living for years with either silent celiac disease (yes, celiac can exist in the gut with no symptoms at all) or the milder form of gluten sensitivity.

So many people improve their health status when they eliminate gluten. Why wait until you’re elderly to find out what it might do? Try a gluten-free diet if you think that you might be sensitive.

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Oh, the vicious cycles that lead our health in a downward spiral, seemingly never-ending. When it comes to obesity, there are a number of these detrimental cycles. One involves the brain.

Pleasure receptors (known as D2 receptors) exist in the brain and are involved in—you guessed it—feelings of pleasure. Well, a recent study has found that obese people have fewer pleasure receptors and they overeat to compensate for this lack of pleasure. But overeating weakens the ability of the pleasure receptors to respond, creating yet more need to fill this pleasure void.

When you eat, dopamine is released in the brain. The more dopamine that is available, the more pleasure that is experienced. But with fewer dopamine receptors, obese people need to eat more to feel the same amount of pleasure as their lean counterparts.

This is a recipe for disaster, and explains why it can be so difficult for obese people to lose weight. I know that cravings can come from imbalances in the body and brain. That’s why I formulated Crave Be Gone. If you experience cravings (especially to carbs) then you might want to make those craves behave!

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