The hygiene hypothesis states that a lack of exposure to microorganisms—both beneficial and potentially harmful—during early childhood increases susceptibility to development of allergic diseases by creating an imbalance in immune system development. Brenda has blogged on the topic before, and I’ve blogged about immune balance.

A recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has found that gut diversity in infancy helps protect against the development of allergies.¹ The study involved 40 children: 20 with atopic eczema, and 20 children with no health conditions. Stool samples were collected from each child at one month and twelve months of age, and the DNA of bacteria present in the infants’ guts was identified. The diversity of gut microflora at one month of age was significantly greater in the healthy children than in those children who later developed allergies.

The researchers suggested that in the absence of stimuli from a diverse array of microbes, the immune system may overreact against harmless antigens in the environment, such as food. I have blogged on the topic of food sensitivities, as well, highlighting the importance of maintaining immune balance with a good balance of gut bacteria.

So how do infants acquire gut bacterial diversity? First, by vaginal delivery, through which they are inoculated with protective bacteria from their mother (which works best if mom is on a plant-based diet, eating prebiotic foods, and taking probiotics throughout the pregnancy); second, by breastfeeding, which delivers yet more beneficial bacteria and prebiotics to feed the beneficial bacteria establishing in the baby’s gut; three, without the use of unnecessary antibiotics, which decrease gut bacterial diversity; and four, with a healthy diet consumed by the mother. When any of these factors cannot be optimized, probiotics formulated for infants can help build the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

References

1.  T.R. Abrahamsson, et al., “Low diversity of the gut microbiota in infants with atopic eczema.” J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011 Dec 6. [Epub ahead of print].

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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allergic, antibiotics, balance, beneficial, beneficial bacteria, childhood, Children, eczema, food sensitivities, gut, gut bacteria, gut bacterial diversity, gut diversity, harmful, healthy diet, Hygiene Hypothesis, immune balance, immune system, infancy, microbes, microflora, microorganisms, prebiotic, Probiotics

Atrazine is the most widely used herbicide in the United States. Over 75 million pounds of it are applied to corn and other crops, many in the Midwest. Atrazine is the most common pesticide contaminant found in groundwater, surface water, and rain in the United States. A recent study has found that women living in areas where atrazine water contamination is found are more likely to experience menstrual irregularities than women living in regions where there is no contamination.

I have blogged on the adverse hormonal effects of atrazine before. It has been found to turn male frogs into females, even at low concentrations. In 2009 atrazine was also linked to low birth weight in Indiana newborns, and menstrual irregularities have been found in women exposed to atrazine through agricultural work.

In this new study, women from two different cities in Illinois were compared with women from two different cities in Vermont. Illinois has the highest rates of atrazine water contamination, though the levels found in the study were still under limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency. The women in the Illinois cities were almost five times more likely to report irregular periods than the Vermont women, and more than six times more likely to go more time between periods.

Emily Barrett, a reproductive health scientist at the University of Rochester in New York stated, “These types of changes to hormone concentration and ovarian function could potentially lead to problems with fertility.” The study did not look at fertility, but hopefully more studies will address this.

Atrazine is sprayed on 75 percent of corn, as well as other crops. Corn is used in so many foods, and is used to make so many different ingredients in foods. This week, start reading your food labels to discover how widespread corn is. Then, take measures to replace the largest sources of non-organic corn with organic corn in your diet. It’s worth it. We’ve got to reduce our chemical exposure. Eating organic, when possible, is a big way to do that.

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allergic, antibiotics, balance, beneficial, beneficial bacteria, childhood, Children, eczema, food sensitivities, gut, gut bacteria, gut bacterial diversity, gut diversity, harmful, healthy diet, Hygiene Hypothesis, immune balance, immune system, infancy, microbes, microflora, microorganisms, prebiotic, Probiotics

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has done it again. EWG is a public health non-profit organization on a mission to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. That’s a tall order for any organization, and EWG is doing a fine job.

Their latest project involves the assessment of 84 breakfast cereals marketed to children. What they found was that some cereals had more sugar than a Twinkie, which contains 18 g of sugar. More than half of all cereals assessed contained more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies, which contain 11 g of sugar. The report summed it up well: “Most parents say no to dessert for breakfast, but many children’s cereals have just as much sugar as a dessert—or more.”

Here is a list of the 10 worst children’s cereals:

Kelloggs, Honey Smacks

Post Golden Crisp

Kellogg’s Froot Loops Marshmallow

Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch’s OOPS! All Berries

Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch Original

Quaker Oats Oh!s

Kellogg Smorz

Kellogg’s Smorz

Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries

Kellogg’s Froot Loops Original

So this week, it’s time to assess your breakfast pantry. If you happen to eat these cereals, or feed them to your children—STOP! But don’t stop there. Check the sugar content—and the carbohydrate and fiber content for that matter—on your breakfast foods. The problem with most breakfast cereals is that they are high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fiber. Protein helps give you brain power that lasts throughout the day, and fiber helps reduce the absorption of sugar in the body. Try eggs for breakfast instead of cereal, or a protein shake.

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Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

Here is your newest 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! 

Back in September, Dr. Oz made headlines when he told viewers that tests he had commissioned found over 25 percent of apple-juice samples tested had arsenic levels over 10 parts per billion (ppb). There is no federal arsenic limit for juice, but for public water the limit is 10 ppb, and for bottled water the limit is 5 ppb. At the time, the Food and Drug Administration claimed that the arsenic was in organic form, an “essentially harmless” form found in many foods. It was later discovered that the arsenic was inorganic—the form known to be toxic to humans.

To follow up on these tests, Consumer Labs has tested 88 samples of apple and grape juice, and found that ten percent of the samples exceeded the 10 ppb limit that is set for public water, and 25 percent exceeded the 5 ppb limit set for bottled water. The following brands had at least one sample of apple juice that exceeded 10 ppb: Apple & Eve, Great Value (Walmart), and Mott’s. Brands that exceeded 5 ppb: America’s Choice (A&P), Gerber, Gold Emblem (CVS), Great Value, Joe’s Kids (Trader Joe’s), Minute Maid, Seneca, and Walgreens.

The arsenic is likely coming from arsenic-contaminated soils, the result of lead-arsenate pesticides used decades ago that remains in the soil. Apples grown on these soils take up the arsenic, and it ends up in apple juice. Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, is urging the FDA to set the standard at 3 ppb for total arsenic and 5 ppb for lead in juice to establish a more protective limit for public health.

Consumer Reports took their investigation to the next level by analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which is an enormous national survey that collects data on health and nutrition status of Americans. This analysis found that the consumption of these juices, especially in young children, “may be an important contributor to dietary arsenic exposure,” according to Richard Stalhut, M.D., M.P.H., an environmental health researcher with expertise in NHANES data.

To read the full test results of all 88 samples, click here. Also, read my past blog on lead in fruit juices and packaged fruit products.

This week, if you are drinking these brands of apple or grape juice, get rid of them. And give the companies a call to let them know your disgust. Then, find a replacement. Sugar-sweetened beverages are contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic, so it might be time to switch to water.

Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

Here is your newest 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! 

Arsenic in Apple Juice

Back in September, Dr. Oz made headlines when he told viewers that tests he had commissioned found over 25 percent of apple-juice samples tested had arsenic levels over 10 parts per billion (ppb). There is no federal arsenic limit for juice, but for public water the limit is 10 ppb, and for bottled water the limit is 5 ppb. At the time, the Food and Drug Administration claimed that the arsenic was in organic form, an “essentially harmless” form found in many foods. It was later discovered that the arsenic was inorganic—the form known to be toxic to humans.

To follow up on these tests, Consumer Labs has tested 88 samples of apple and grape juice, and found that ten percent of the samples exceeded the 10 ppb limit that is set for public water, and 25 percent exceeded the 5 ppb limit set for bottled water. The following brands had at least one sample of apple juice that exceeded 10 ppb: Apple & Eve, Great Value (Walmart), and Mott’s. Brands that exceeded 5 ppb: America’s Choice (A&P), Gerber, Gold Emblem (CVS), Great Value, Joe’s Kids (Trader Joe’s), Minute Maid, Seneca, and Walgreens.

The arsenic is likely coming from arsenic-contaminated soils, the result of lead-arsenate pesticides used decades ago that remains in the soil. Apples grown on these soils take up the arsenic, and it ends up in apple juice. Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, is urging the FDA to set the standard at 3 ppb for total arsenic and 5 ppb for lead in juice to establish a more protective limit for public health.

Consumer Reports took their investigation to the next level by analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which is an enormous national survey that collects data on health and nutrition status of Americans. This analysis found that the consumption of these juices, especially in young children, “may be an important contributor to dietary arsenic exposure,” according to Richard Stalhut, M.D., M.P.H., an environmental health researcher with expertise in NHANES data.

To read the full test results of all 88 samples, click here. Also, read my past blog on lead in fruit juices and packaged fruit products.

This week, if you are drinking these brands of apple or grape juice, get rid of them. And give the companies a call to let them know your disgust. Then, find a replacement. Sugar-sweetened beverages are contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic, so it might be time to switch to water.

Keywords – arsenic, arsenic levels, apple juice, grape juice, arsenic-contaminated soils, pesticides, lead, public health, NHANES, children, dietary arsenic exposure, environmental, samples, sugar, water

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apple juice, arsenic, arsenic levels, arsenic-contaminated soils, Children, dietary arsenic exposure, environmental, grape juice, lead, NHANES, pesticides, public health, samples, sugar, water

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! 

Our children are being super-sized. After all, you are what you eat, right? Childhood obesity is a major problem in this country. One reason for this, researchers say, is increased food portions. In a recent study, data from four surveys ranging from 1977 to 2006 was analyzed for portion size of the following foods: sugar-sweetened beverages, salty snacks, French fries, burgers, desserts, pizzas, and Mexican fast food. Total calories consumed of these foods were also analyzed.

In 2003 to 2006, the foods listed above accounted for 38 percent of calorie intake in 13–18-year-olds, 35 percent in 7–12-year-olds, and 28 percent in 2–6-year-olds. The researchers stated that over time, “larger portion sizes of selected energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods have increased in parallel with energy intakes at meals, especially in adolescents and middle-aged children.”

Their study found that the availability of larger portion sizes played a role in higher intake of empty calories in older children and teens, suggesting teens are more susceptible to larger portions, and less able to self-regulate their eating habits compared to younger children.

Bad food is easy to come across. It’s available everywhere, it’s cheap, and it’s usually found in the form of refined carbohydrates and sugars, making it also somewhat addictive. These are the foods our children are growing up with. This week, super-size the vegetables instead. Super-size some healthy, whole foods that your children like. Super-size some blueberries! Super-size broccoli! Do what you can to plant the seeds of good nutrition in this young generation, so that those seeds may grow a healthy human.

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addictive, adolescents, bad food, calories, childhood obesity, Children, eat, eating habits, energy-dense, food, good nutrition, healthy, larger portions, meals, nutrient-poor foods, refined carbohydrates, sugar-sweetened, sugars, super-sized, teens, vegetables, whole food

The human genome was fully mapped in the year 2000, a feat thought to be one of the most important medical science breakthroughs in history. As it turned out, there were only 25,000 genes, and the research did not yield the medical advances anticipated. In 2008, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) began to fund a different genetic initiative; one that sought to understand the epigenome.

The epigenome is described as the expression of the genome. Literally, epigenome means “above the genome.” Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene activity that do not involve changes to genetic code. One example of epigenetics is the addition or subtraction of small molecules called methyl or acetyl groups, which attach/detach to certain genes in processes known as methylation or acetylation. In methylation of the genome some genes are silenced, and others are turned on. Methylation determines how genes will be expressed, and it is the expression of genes that has an effect on our health. Think of your genome like a piano, and methylation like the pianist’s fingers, playing in tune to your health—or not.

Scientists have long known that epigenetics existed, because it explains how certain cells have the potential to develop into different cell types, depending on what is needed at the time. But what scientists didn’t know then that they know now, is epigenetics plays a major role in our health, and the health of our children. Lifestyle factors, like what we eat, what we are exposed to, and how we live, can affect our gene expression, and even the gene expression of our children for at least four generations.

Randy Jirtle PhD, a radiation biologist at Duke University, was among the first to experiment with DNA methylation in ways that gained much attention. His team conducted an experiment in pregnant mice that found methylation of a particular gene, the agouti gene, by administration of a diet rich in the B vitamins folic acid and B12 (both critically involved in methylation), resulted in offspring that were lean compared to obese offspring of pregnant mice not fed the diet.^1,2

Dr. Jirtle stated, “The epigenome is most sensitive to perturbations in programming during the embryonic and the perinatal stages of development,”³ a statement highlighting the importance of healthy lifestyle of the mother before and during pregnancy and breast feeding, and of the children as they grow.

Puberty is another period when the epigenome is sensitive, especially in boys in whom sperm are beginning to develop (as opposed to in girls who carry eggs from birth). Toxin exposure plays a big role in epigenetics. Very early cigarette smoking in boys before age 11 has been found to later increase obesity in the sons of those men, illustrating the effects of the epigenome on the next generation.⁴

The message of epigenetic research is that we have more control over our genome, and thus, our health, than we once thought. Even small lifestyle changes can positively affect the expression of our genes in a way that results in positive health effects, in ourselves, in our children, and in our children’s children out several generations.

References

1. R.A. Waterland and R.J. Jirtle, “Transposable elements: targets for early nutritional effects on epigenetic gene regulation.” Mol Cell Biol. 2003 August; 23(15): 5293–5300.
2. R.J. Jirtle and M.K. Skinner, Environmental epigenomics and disease susceptibility.” Nat Rev Genet. 2007 Apr;8(4):253-62.
3. B.M. Kuehn, “Randy L. Jirtle, PhD: Epigenetics a window on gene dysregulation, disease.” JAMA. 2008;299(11):1249-1250.
4. M.E. Pembry, et al., “Sex-specific, male-line transgenerational responses in humans.” Eur J Hum Genet. 2006 Feb;14(2):159-66.

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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agouti gene, B vitamins, boys, Children, cigarette smoking, diet, epigenome, expression, folic acid, genetics, genome, Health, lean, lifestyle, methyl groups, methylation, obese, pregnancy, pregnant, science

I came across a neat flash animation video of digestion that can help you teach kids the basics about how their bodies utilize the foods they eat. Teaching kids early about how the body works, especially when it comes to digestion, can help them make better choices when it comes to food. When children realize that healthy foods help build strong bodies, they get the start they need for a healthy life. Check it out, and this week, teach a child about digestion.

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bodies, Children, choices, digestion, eat, healthy, healthy foods, kids, video

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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According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 12 percent of children aged 2 to 19 years are obese—triple the number it was in 1980. This increase is attributed, in part, to the Standard American Diet (SAD), a poor diet high in refined carbohydrates, bad fats, and sugar, and low in high-fiber foods like whole grains and fruits and vegetables.

A recent study takes a look at fat intake of pregnant women and fat accumulation in their children by age 3. Specifically, the study looked at the status of two types of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)—omega-6 and omega-3. These fats are both essential to the diet. The Standard American Diet is very high in the omega-6 fatty acids, found in vegetable oils and grains like corn. Omega-3 fatty acids, however, are not consumed in adequate amounts, creating an imbalance in the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3s.

Omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) found primarily in fish, promote optimal development of the fetal brain and immune system. Many women in the U.S. do not consume enough of these beneficial omega-3s. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers assessed mid-pregnancy intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and tested plasma fatty acid levels of the mother and umbilical cord fatty acid levels of the infant to determine omega-3 status. At age 3, body mass index (BMI) and skin fold measurement were taken to determine obesity in the children.

The odds of obesity in 3-year-olds were two to four times higher when cord blood had a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. When maternal intake of omega-3s was higher, or when the omega 3/6 ratio was closer to recommended levels, the odds of childhood obesity were lower.

It has long been known that omega-3s, especially DHA, are necessary for brain development of the fetus and infants. The study also found that only three percent of mothers consumed the recommended 200 mg of DHA per day in the last month of pregnancy, when DHA is most rapidly transferred from the mother to fetus. This study is building the evidence that omega-3 fatty acids provide a variety of benefits for infants and children that go beyond brain and eye development.

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bat fats, benefits, brain, Children, DHA, EPA, fish, fruits and vegetables, high-fiber, immune system, obese, obesity, omega 3/6 ratio, omega-3, omega-6, polyunsaturated fatty acids, pregnant women, PUFAs, refined carbohydrates, Standard American Diet, sugar, whole grains

Do you love shopping for antiques? Is your cupboard filled with thrift store trinkets? Do you serve food out of a pewter dish that was passed down from generation to generation? Did you ever think that it might contain lead? Read on…

Not long ago, it was reported that lead and cadmium were found in children’s drinking cups given out by a fast food restaurant. Even more recently, lead was found in reusable shopping bags. Now, another report has found that many items purchased from second-hand or antique shops contain dangerous amounts of lead.

Surface lead concentrations of more than 700 times the federal limit were found on items such as toys, home décor, kitchen utensils, and jewelry. Researchers purchased items from stores in Virginia, New York and Oregon, and were able to purchase an item that contained lead from every store they visited!

Nineteen out of 27 products exceeded the federal standard for lead, which is currently 600 parts per million. One salt shaker lid contained 714 times the federal limit! Regulation of the sale of second-hand and antique items would be both difficult and expensive, so a national public health education campaign will be launched to inform consumers of the dangers of these products.

Children are especially at risk for exposure to dangerous levels of lead and should not come into contact with antiques or use products that may contain lead. Used dishes and kitchen utensils, as well as construction debris and salvage items should be avoided until tested.

Avoiding all toxins is impossible, I know, but we can all take a few steps to lessen our toxic burden. Remember to support your body’s natural detoxification processes by eating a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, getting plenty of exercise, and cleansing regularly.

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antiques, cadmium, Children, Cleansing, concentrations, contain, dangerous, detoxification, diet, dishes, exercise, exposure, fast food, food, fruits and vegetables, Health, healthy, jewelry, kitchen utensils, lead, levels, limit, natural, pewter, products, restaurant, risk, tested, thrift store, toxic burden, toxins, toys