Going Vegetarian May Help with Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is a very common condition, where stomach acid backs up into the oesophagus or throat. Most people only know of the first type, referred to as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD or GERD), but laryngopharyngeal reflux also affects many patients worldwide. This differs from GORD in that it does not cause heartburn, but instead symptoms such as hoarseness, persistent cough and a constant need to clear the throat. However, it is still treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which may be effective but can cause poor digestion and related issues such as osteoporosis; kidney problems; heart attacks and even dementia.

Source: GracinhaMarco Abundo

This is why even some doctors of conventional medicine are looking for dietary approaches to treat reflux. One of these doctors, Dr. Craig Zalvan, studied almost 200 people to compare the use of PPIs and a mostly vegetarian diet in treating laryngopharyngeal reflux. He began to advise patients to eat a 90% plant-based diet, focusing on vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruit and nuts. Meat and dairy intake were limited to two or three moderate-sized servings per week. For this study, he and other researchers looked at the records of 99 patients given the new dietary advice, and 85 others who were only prescribed PPIs and standard advice between 2010 and 2012. After six weeks of both treatments, relief of symptoms was shown. Almost two-thirds of patients, 63%, advised to go mostly-vegetarian had an at least six-point drop in their scores on the reflux symptom index, considered to be a clinically significant improvement. As for the PPI group, 54% had an at least six-point drop in their symptom scores. Patients who changed their diet lost an average of eight pounds, which may have explained some of the effect. On the other hand, there is a growing understanding that reflux may be an inflammatory disorder, and these dietary changes are known to reduce inflammation.

It has been known for years now that a plant-based diet can significantly benefit our health and longevity. The Seventh-Day Adventists of Loma Linda live an average of 4-10 years longer than expected for Californians, and one reason why is their mostly vegetarian diet. Most of their average diet is made of vegetables, grains, beans, fruit and nuts. They avoid alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes and pork; have healthy social lives including volunteering; and regular exercise isn't uncommon for those in their 90s. It's time to take this to the mainstream.

Good News: More Research Shows a Decline in Dementia

Dementia is considered to be one of the greatest enemies of antiaging, and one of the worst things that can happen to a person. With life expectancy rising, one of the worst things a person can say is that those living instead of dying are a burden. None of this is necessary, however, as yet another study is showing that dementia rates are falling in successive generations.

Source: Jeff Kubina (CC:2.0)

For this 22-year study, almost 1,400 participants were grouped into several categories: those born before 1920, those born between 1920 and 1924, people born between 1925 and 1929, and finally, people born after 1929. All were over 70 and did not have dementia upon enrollment. Among the 369 participants born before 1920, 73 developed dementia, or 19.8%. In the 1920-24 group, it dropped to 43 out of 285, or 15%. Then, in the 1925-29 group, dementia rates fell again to 31 out of 344 - 9%. Finally, for those born after 1929, dementia rates were only 3 out of 350, which is less than one percent! Dr. Sam Gandy, who specialises in cognitive health, says that "This is not unexpected...Similar trends have been documented in Europe", but why? The most likely cause of falling dementia rates is better cardiovascular health, leading to fewer stroke and dementia cases as blood vessel health improves.

So how can we improve our blood vessel health? Antioxidants, such as those found in blueberries, may be one of the keys. In a clinical trial, 26 people between the ages of 65 and 77 were given either 230g of blueberries in concentrated form or placebo. None consumed more than 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Before, during and after the trial, all had their cognitive function and resting brain blood flow tested. Researchers found that participants taking blueberry extract saw significant improvement in both cognitive function and blood flow, as well as other markers of brain activity. Previous studies have also shown an association between higher fruit and vegetable intake, and lower risk of dementia. This is most likely caused by increased consumption of antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals, which may explain the results of the study that showed falling dementia rates. When you look at works from the 1920s and 30s, such as Agatha Christie novels, you see characters smoking in front of each other and described meals devoid of fresh fruit and vegetables. Those participants born after 1929 spent less time in such a culture, and saw increased awareness of healthy lifestyles at earlier points in their lives. Overall, the future looks encouraging for older adults, but not if there is complacency surrounding nutrition and lifestyle.

Ayurvedic Anti-Aging Principles Extend Animals' Lives Too

The field of antiaging and longevity may have gained recognition in recent years, with new techniques and concepts such as stem cell therapy and epigenetics. However, life extension has its roots in ancient times, including in the South Asian tradition of natural medicine known as Ayurveda. Considering that worldwide life expectancy was under 30 until the beginning of the 20th century, do these traditional practices actually work? They may, as poor life expectancy was tied to high poverty and low literacy rates, not the use of herbal medicine.

In a 2010 preclinical study, researchers set out to find whether or not this was the case, by comparing Drosophila flies on a standard yeast diet versus the addition of a rasayana supplement. The Shushruta Samhita, Ayurveda's second great text, describes rasayanas as designed to "retard ageing as much as possible, even to zero”. The Sushruta also describes rasayanas as “reversing naturally occurring senility” (swabhava vyadhi nivarana) and so “preventing death” (marana nivarana).  The study of longevity is said to be "only achievable at the most refined levels attained during intense meditation". The species Drosophila melanogaster is commonly used to study human aging and longevity, as we share many of the same genes that affect these issues.

In the control group of the first experiment, lifespan ranged from 40 days at minimum to a maximum lifespan of 53 days. In the group given the rasayana supplement, lifespan ranged from a minimum of 81 to a maximum of 91 days. The second experiment used more flies, in order to see if there were any sex-specific effects. Male flies given the supplement lived just over 80 days, compared to 52 days in the control group. Female flies in the control group lived only 53 days, but if they were given the supplement, their average lifespan increased to 80 days too. This was an average increase in lifespan by 51-55%, which was even longer than the 35% increase attributed to the breeding of "Methuselah" flies.

If this were to be successful in (very long-term) trials, this could have profound benefits to our health and the costs of healthcare. Traditional herbal formulas, along with diet and lifestyle changes, may be less expensive than pharmaceutical medicine, carry far fewer side effects, and are more focused on prevention. Improved length and quality of life by several decades would mean so much to so many people, as you cannot replace an individual or lost time.

How Zinc Could Fight Age-Related Immune Decline

Many people sadly lose their elderly loved ones during the flu season. While it is still a tragedy regardless of age, we're taught to believe that it cannot be prevented and they couldn't have lived at least another few years. Fortunately, conventional wisdom is not necessarily wisdom, as there are ways to fight age-related immune decline.

One of these ways is right under our noses - literally, for users of certain sunscreens. It is not an exotic herbal remedy yet to be discovered, it is the mineral zinc. Zinc is required by the body for thousands of biological functions, but deficiency in the elderly is very common. This contributes to immunosenescence, meaning age-related immune decline, leading to an increase in infections and inflammation as the number of immune cells and their functioning falls.

An expensive source of zinc. Source: Guido (CC: 2.0).

What does zinc do for the immune system? Research has found that it can restore the abilities of killer cells to destroy virally-infected and cancerous cells; improve the immune response of white blood cells in older adults and increase survival rates in older mice. Clinical trials have shown a benefit of high-dose supplementation, with a 45mg daily dose reducing the incidence of all infections in the elderly adults in one study. Another using 80mg daily doses yielded the impressive result of a 27% reduction in mortality over 6.5 years! Zinc must never be taken at doses beyond 90mg a day, however, as this has damaging effects.

Food sources of zinc include beef chuck roast, baked beans, chicken and cashews, containing 7, 2.9, 2.4 and 1.6mg per serving respectively. Elderly people are likely to need supplementation, up to a total of 80mg each day according to Life Extension. But would supplementation just be treating symptoms of another, greater cause? If left alone, people experience a decline in stomach acid production as they age, which is very important for zinc absorption (among other things). This leads to poor digestion in general, greater vulnerability to digestive tract infections and loss of appetite. Many older people are taking antacids for heartburn, which worsens the problem and is not the best way to treat reflux (many say the best way is to boost levels of stomach acid and enzymes - see a qualified naturopath). To manage poor stomach acid and enzyme production, treatment options include supplementation with betaine hydrochloride; digestive enzymes or bitter herbs like gentian.

How EFT May Help with PTSD

Mental illnesses such as PTSD cause tremendous suffering and loss of life for millions of people around the world. They are often difficult to treat, with a laundry list of side effects caused by conventional therapies, and to make things even worse there is often a stigma surrounding mental illnesses. But what if there was a natural way to relieve them, that didn't come with side effects and could be used by anyone?

This can be avoided in at least some cases.

There is a way, among others: emotional freedom technique, also known as EFT, tapping or "emotional acupuncture". EFT combines the elements of exposure and cognitive therapies, which have been established in the West for many years, with tapping on acupressure points. In this study, 16 veterans with clinical PTSD experienced a 53% reduction in their symptoms after ten hour-long sessions, and there were significant differences in the expression of six genes. Follow-ups found that participants maintained these gains. In a meta-analysis of seven trials mentioned by the study, EFT resulted in strong treatment effects against PTSD again. Then, in a trial of 764 active duty service members, EFT produced significant reductions in PTSD, depression and anxiety.

So why isn't EFT more widely used? There seems to be a poor level of understanding, with many people thinking there is no way that "simply" tapping on points and talking about your issues could work. However, there has been research conducted on the mechanisms behind EFT. Two studies using EEG testing, one on car crash survivors and one on claustrophobic people, found a regulation of the frequencies associated with fear. In another, fMRI testing found that acupuncture can downregulate the amygdala and limbic system's responses to fear. A triple-blinded controlled trial compared the effects of EFT on psychological symptoms to its effects on cortisol, the main stress hormone. Overall psychological symptoms dropped by more than twice as much in the EFT group, compared to a supportive interview or no treatment. There was also almost twice the drop in cortisol levels among those who received EFT. On top of all of this, EFT has demonstrated effects on the expression of genes controlling the stress response, inflammation and immunity.

If we want total and disability-free life expectancy to continue rising, it may be time to give EFT the recognition it deserves. High levels of perceived and chronic stress has been found to increase oxidative stress and the shortening of telomeres, which are protective caps on chromosomes that allow them to keep dividing. Keeping telomeres long is one way that we can fight aging and live longer. However, women with the highest levels of perceived stress have telomeres shorter to the equivalent of aging ten years, compared with women the same age who report low stress. Just because EFT doesn't look like serious therapy to everyone, doesn't mean that it can't add years to our lives and save millions of dollars in healthcare costs.

How Diet May Help With Endometriosis

Endometriosis is an unfortunately common condition where the tissue which makes up the uterine lining (the endometrium) grows in other areas of the body, usually in the pelvic area. The severity of its symptoms, which may include pelvic pain, period pain or infertility, can be anything from mostly silent to constantly debilitating. Conventional treatment includes surgery to remove inappropriate tissue (also the only way to diagnose it), pain relievers and hormonal medications, but these are not without their side effects. Thankfully, there are natural methods that may help to prevent endometriosis if you are at risk, or reduce the severity of its signs and symptoms, such as changes to your diet.

Source: Gunawan Kartapranata

We all need fat in our diets, but one way of reducing the risk of endometriosis, or possibly reducing its severity, may be by changing the types of fat we eat. To investigate whether fat intake has any relation to endometriosis, researchers analysed 12 years of data from the Nurses' Health Study II that began in 1989. Total fat consumption had no relation to endometriosis risk, but women in the top fifth for long-chain omega-3 fat intake had a 22% lower risk of endometriosis, compared to women in the bottom fifth. Omega-3 fats are found in foods such as oily fish, flax and hemp (to be legally sold as food in Australia from November 2017). On the other hand, women in the top fifth of trans-fat intake had a 48% greater risk of being diagnosed with endometriosis. Trans fats are found in margarine and many other packaged, processed foods. Intake of palmitic acid, a type of fat in animal products, was linked with a 52% increase in endometriosis risk when the top and bottom fifths were compared. It is suggested that the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fats may be behind their benefits, as a 1995 study found a reduced risk of period pain linked with fish oil consumption. Trans fats, and too much saturated animal fat, is pro-inflammatory. 

Increasing intake of green vegetables and fruit may also be protective against endometriosis. In an Italian case-control study, women in the highest thirds for green vegetable and fruit intake had a 70% and 40% reduced risk of developing endometriosis, respectively. These results were consistent after adjusting for affecting factors. The folate, methionine (an amino acid) and vitamin B6 found in green vegetables can regulate gene expression and detoxification. While another study disagreed, vegetables and fruit do often contain pesticides linked to reproductive problems such as endometriosis. Fruit and vegetables also contain antioxidants such as vitamin C, which protect cells from damage and thus reduce inflammation.

These are just a few ways that nutrition can protect against endometriosis, but further research is needed. An optimal treatment plan for conditions such as this must involve professional support, and communication between practitioners regardless of treatment modality. But as you can see, complex does not mean hopeless.

Disgusting! The Extent of Plastic in Water

Humanity has a disgusting addiction that could not be stopped soon enough: the use of petrochemical plastics. What we have already been told is bad enough, that your average bag or bottle will take centuries to degrade, but new research shows something even worse: where the breakdown products go. It turns out that they end up in our water, air and at least some food items.

So, what is the damage? Pollution by microscopic pieces of plastic (microplastics) is so widespread that 94.4% of US tap water samples tested positive for the breakdown products. In Lebanon, the contamination rate was almost 94% despite drinking water coming from natural springs. In India, the figure was 82.4%, in Uganda, it was around 80%, and in Europe, it was around 72%. Other research has found that beer is almost always contaminated with microplastics, as well as honey, flour, sea salt and other common foods. Our air is contaminated by microplastics from carpets and clothing made from synthetic fibres.

No place for plastic. Source: Andres M. Panti

This is not acceptable, as chemicals in plastics can raise the risk of illnesses such as cancer. And not all of the effects of plastic are terminal illnesses, either. Research on animals has found that environmentally relevant levels of exposure to BPA is linked to early puberty, disrupted oestrous cycles (the animal equivalent of the menstrual cycle) and structural problems with the ovaries. Older mice have exhibited problems such as increased occurrence of ovarian cysts. More serious reproductive issues, including uterine fibroids and tissue overgrowth have also been demonstrated, which cause symptoms such as painful, heavy periods. Phthalates, which are other chemicals found in plastics, can create problems with age at puberty and the oestrous cycle too. These can suppress the levels of our sex hormones. In humans, research has found that higher levels of phthalates may be associated with endometriosis. This disease causes infertility and heavy, painful periods, among other issues.

Although more regions of the world are banning more plastic items, change takes time. So how can we detoxify from the chemicals in plastics? One way, at least in the case of BPA, is through sweating. In a study of 20 people comparing BPA levels in blood, urine and sweat, researchers were more likely to find BPA in sweat than the other samples. Probiotics may also help to detoxify from BPA. Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus casei were shown to speed excretion of BPA in an animal study; these are commonly found in probiotics. Bacterial species found in kimchi, a fermented food from Korea, could actually help to degrade BPA too, to prevent it from causing further harm. As for phthalates, sweat could be a way to help remove them from the body too. Supplements such as resveratrol (from dark red grapes) and curcumin (from turmeric) may aid detoxification, but more research on humans needs to be done. Dietary changes, e.g. increasing intake of cruciferous vegetables, and medicinal herbs like milk thistle, can be beneficial too, but it is best to consult with a qualified naturopath first. Overall, we need to collectively kick our plastic habit, but there are things we can do while we wait for the world to catch up.

Are Parabens a Breast Cancer Threat?

There is no denying it, we live in a toxic world. Fortunately, people are waking up to just what it is that we are doing to our health, longevity and the environment, as the first step is always awareness. One type of artificial chemical that the world is now turning its attention to is parabens, and it turns out that they are a cause of one of our most common types of cancer - breast cancer.

Parabens are primarily used for their anti-bacterial and antifungal properties. As preservatives, they are found in many personal care products such as makeup, deodorants and other skincare items in order to extend shelf life. But if they're legal, they must be safe, right?

Source: KaurJmeb (CC:3.0).

Actually, parabens may contribute to breast cancer development in many ways. Research has found parabens in 99% of breast tissue samples, and that they can behave like oestrogens and stimulate cancer cell growth at realistic concentrations. In a dose-dependent manner, they can also help damaged cells to survive instead of committing the "cell suicide" necessary to stop them from turning cancerous. Long-term exposure increases the ability of breast cancer cells to invade tissues. And if you are a breast cancer survivor, you may need to know that parabens have been shown in lab studies to block the effects of tamoxifen.

Similar results were found in another study using oestrogen-sensitive breast cancer cell lines. Exposure to parabens over 20 weeks resulted in worsened ability of these cells to migrate and invade other tissues. Use of long-term exposure more closely matches the real lives of women, as we are around parabens all the time. When growth factors are included, which are naturally present in human breast tissue, parabens can stimulate the oestrogen receptors at levels that other lab studies have deemed "safe".

Who is most at risk? Pregnant women, foetuses and children are at the greatest risk of harm from parabens, as tissue growth is at its fastest. In the USA, women, high-income individuals and African Americans have the highest concentrations of parabens in their bodies because they use the products that contain them most often. You do not have to go makeup and deodorant-free, however, as there are plenty of natural products that do not contain parabens. Always read the label, and do research on labeling requirements, before making decisions. We have choices, we have control, often even when it doesn't feel like the case.

One Humble Herb May Be an Effective PMS Treatment

If you're a woman, especially a woman of childbearing age, you are likely to be told that problems such as PMS and menstrual difficulties are to be expected and accepted as "part of being a woman". But do we really have to put up with all of this? There are herbal remedies that, depending on your individual needs, may be able to help, and chaste tree (Vitex angus-castus) is one of them.

In 2012, the results of an Iranian clinical trial were published in Acta Medica Iranica, which aimed to find out if chaste tree is an effective remedy for premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It involved 128 women between the ages of 25 and 34 who were not pregnant or breastfeeding, and did not have serious medical conditions or issues with drug and alcohol abuse. All women answered a self-assessment questionnaire listing headache, depression, anger, irritability, breast fullness, bloating and tympani during the week before their menstrual periods. While the potency was not mentioned, treatment consisted of 40 drops of chaste tree extract before breakfast, every day for the six days leading up to their period. This is not a high dose, as 40 drops is a much smaller amount than recommended in books such as the Phytotherapy Desk Reference (Thomson & Gennat). It may help to reduce costs to the patient. After six months, the women recorded significant improvement in their PMS symptoms, both compared to the beginning of the study and compared to the placebo.

A moth enjoying chaste tree. Source: jeffreyw (CC: 2.0)

In another study, chaste tree was used alongside St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) to see if they could help "PMS-like" symptoms in perimenopausal women. Late-perimenopausal women were given either the herbal tablets or a placebo to be taken twice daily over four months. After the four months, the herbal combination was found to be superior to placebo in reducing total PMS-like symptom scores, along with the PMS-D (depression) and PMS-C (cravings) symptom clusters. Scores for anxiety and water retention clusters demonstrated relief too.

Chaste tree has a long history of use in Europe for reproductive system complaints. It has been known for many years to have effects on menstruation and pre-menstrual symptoms, but how does it work? Chaste tree works by binding to the receptors of a neurotransmitter known as dopamine, which plays a role in mood regulation. This also has effects on reproductive hormone production, smoothing out ovarian function and the menstrual cycle. Chaste tree can improve melatonin secretion at night, which helps us sleep. As some regions, such as Queensland in Australia, do not allow the sale of melatonin supplements, chaste tree could be a more accessible and possibly gentler alternative.

Chaste tree is just one of the herbal remedies that can be used to relieve menstrual complaints. You don't have to accept it as "part of being a woman", there are options, although it is always best to consult a qualified naturopath first.