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Jamieson
Health Center Newsletter
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February 16, 2011 |
Volume 3, Number 1 |
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Dear patients, dear friends, I’ve felt prompted to write
this newsletter for some time now. Gluten sensitivity is a very complex and serious
condition that can cause neurological and autoimmune disorders. This
newsletter provides the clinical evidence for both. Many of you suffering from
chronic conditions are sensitive to gluten. I advised you to change the way
you eat by eliminating bread, pasta, and all grains from your diet. However, you
may think there is no clinical evidence that gluten is toxic or has any
health consequences. You may say: “Everything in moderation” or “Jesus ate
bread, so it must be good!” Unfortunately the bread that
Jesus ate doesn’t exist anymore. Through thousands of years of cross-breeding
and hybridizing, today’s wheat contains much more gluten, so it‘s more
appealing and makes better bread. In addition, in the US, gluten is altered
through a process called deamidation to make it
water soluble so it can be mixed with other foods. Unfortunately, the end
product is much more inflammatory and causes many hidden allergies. Today’s labs only test for
sensitivity against gliadin alpha to rule out Celiac’s disease, an autoimmune disease in which gluten causes
your body to attack the tissues of the intestines and cause leaky gut. Gliadin alpha is just one of the many compounds of gluten
to which you can be sensitive. When the test comes back negative, patients
think they are safe and can eat gluten. Unfortunately, gluten is much more
complex and contains a host of different proteins and peptides to which each
one of us can develop sensitivities. As a matter of fact, studies show that patients
with Celiac’s disease represent only a third of
patients with gluten sensitivity and neurological manifestations. The threat
to our health is much bigger than Celiac’s. Many recent clinical studies
have investigated the impact of gluten. I hope you take the time to read the
ones I’m referencing in this newsletter. You will learn that gluten and its
different compounds can cause various autoimmune and neurological disorders. Gluten
sensitivity can mimic ALS, cause Type 1 diabetes, thyroid disorders,
osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, obesity, menstrual and
reproductive health complications, cancer and early death. It can cause
psychiatric illnesses, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ADD/ADHD, autism, depression,
schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and forms of epilepsy. The list of studies
is a long one and my intent is not to water it down but quote the studies as
they are. That’s why this newsletter is much longer than usual. BUT,
studies also show that cutting gluten from your diet can improve or even
reverse some of the above conditions. So if you are suffering from
a chronic condition, I recommend you change the way you eat. You are not
going on a diet, you are not starving. You still enjoy a good meal. But you
are avoiding the foods that are toxic for you, just like you would avoid
mercury, or aluminum. Once you eliminate those
foods from your diet, you will feel much better and your symptoms will disappear.
It will give you a feeling of empowerment, since you can control how you feel
by what you eat. I also recommend a program
to repair your gut, and to take enzymes to protect against accidental gluten
intake. In the case of autoimmune disorders, I can help you to further manage
and avoid flare-ups, as discussed in our November 2010 newsletter. As a first clinical step, you
can get a blood test to identify any gluten sensitivities. Just recently, in
January 2011, a new lab now provides comprehensive saliva and blood tests for
gluten sensitivity, beyond gliadin alpha. They also
offer a test to identify any cross-reactive foods. When you develop
sensitivities to gluten, most often you will develop sensitivities to
proteins that are very similar to gluten. The most probable cross-reactive
foods are coffee, casein found in milk, oats and corn. To order a
gluten sensitivity lab test or for more information about how we can
help you with your chronic condition, give us a call and receive a free
consultation. I want to thank Dr. Kharrazian for compiling the list of clinical studies and
Dr. Vojdani and Dr. O’Bryan for their continued
research of gluten sensitivity. Yours in good health, Dr. Samuel Jamieson, D.C. |
The truth about wheat and gluten. The complexity of gluten
sensitivity. As most of
you know, gluten (from Latin meaning "glue") is a protein composite that appears in foods
processed from wheat and related
species, including barley and rye. It gives elasticity to dough, helping it to
rise and keep its
shape, and often giving the final product a chewy texture. Gluten is a source of protein, both in foods prepared directly from sources containing it, and as
an additive to foods otherwise low in protein. Gluten can be found in breads, cakes, pastries, cookies,
biscuits, crackers, battered foods, cereals, snack foods, pastas and pizza.
It is also used as a flavoring additive, a thickening and clarifying agent
and is therefore found in many processed foods. What is gluten sensitivity? Gluten
sensitivity is a condition by which your body develops antibodies against
gluten, and considers it a toxic substance. This has serious consequences. As
shown in the clinical studies below, it causes inflammation in the tissues of
your body and can lead to autoimmune diseases and various neurological
disorders. Some
patients develop gluten enteropathy also called celiac
disease, in which gluten causes your body to attack the lining of the intestines. Most
people are familiar with celiac disease. Your body develops antibodies
against the protein gliadin alpha found in gluten. However,
gluten sensitivity is much more complex. Gluten contains not just gliadin, but different forms of proteins and lectins against which your immune system can develop
antibodies, each with their own health consequences. A
2007 study published in the Journal of
Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry found that patients with a
disease of the intestines (celiac disease) represent only a third of patients
with neurological manifestations and gluten sensitivity. I further quote: “Gluten
sensitivity is best defined as a state of heightened immunological
responsiveness in genetically susceptible people. This definition does not
imply bowel involvement. That gluten sensitivity is regarded as principally a
disease of the small bowel is a historical misconception. Gluten sensitivity
can be primarily and at times exclusively a neurological disease. The absence
of an enteropathy should not preclude patients from
treatment with a gluten-free diet. Early diagnosis and removal of the trigger
factor by the introduction of gluten-free diet is a promising therapeutic
intervention.” Breakdown of
wheat and gluten. In
order to understand the complexity of gluten sensitivity, it is important to
understand the immunochemistry of gluten and grains like wheat. Wheat
contains both protein and lectins, and both break
down into different compounds to which your body can develop an immune
response: ·
The protein is called gluten. ·
Lectin is a
type of ‘wheat germ agglutinin’ (WGA) found in the germ of all grains. ·
Gluten breaks down into gliadin, glutenin and gluteomorphin ·
Gliadin has different expressions
or epitopes. They are gliadin
alpha, beta, gamma and omega. ·
Gliadin and glutenin
further metabolize into deamidated gliadin 15, 17 and 33 by the enzyme transglutaminase. This
is important because your body can develop an immune response against each
one of those compounds and the response manifests itself in different ways. As
discussed in the section on Gluten Immunochemistry below, those compounds can
contribute to various neurological disorders such as ADD/ADHD, autism, depression,
schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, forms of epilepsy, as well as autoimmune
disorders. Until today, most labs unfortunately only test for gliadin alpha (indicating celiac’s
disease (CD)) and therefore fail to diagnose gluten sensitivity in many patients. Impacts of gluten sensitivity on your health. Many chronic patients ignore
my advice to eliminate gluten from their diet. They doubt that gluten
sensitivity has severe consequences to their health. In the following paragraph,
I’m quoting recent clinical studies discussing numerous dangers of gluten.
The studies predominantly focus on CD, which is caused by sensitivity to gliadin alpha. Therefore those studies represent only a
small subset of the dangers of gluten sensitivity. ·
Patients with CD
or gluten sensitivity show frequently associated autoimmune antibodies,
spanning anti-endocrine, anti-gastrointestinal, anti-nuclear,
anti-cytoskeleton and anti-neurological antibodies, putting them at high risk
for auto-immune disorders. See Pub. ·
Celiac disease
can mimic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS disease). Gluten can cause a
lesion in the brain, e.g. in the motor cortex, causing problems with
movement. A strict gluten free diet can regenerate the myelin (but not the
neuron), and reverse the disease. See pub. ·
10% of patients
with Type 1 Diabetes have CD. Since the study didn’t check for gluten
sensitivity, the actual percentage is much higher. See pub. ·
Studies show an
increased prevalence of thyroid disorders with CD. See pub. ·
CD is often
accompanied by osteopenia, osteoporosis, and osteomalacia, destroying bone or tissue. See pub. ·
Studies show
that transglutaminase found in gluten is involved
in the pathological processes responsible for neurodegenerative diseases such
as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Supranuclear Palsy,
Huntington’s and other recently identified polyglutamine
diseases. See pub. ·
Studies show
that psychiatric illness is a main cause of disability in undiagnosed adult
CD. Depressive psychopathology is a feature of adult CD. See pub. ·
Studies suggest
that CD is associated with ADHD-like symptomatology.
A gluten-free
diet may improve symptoms significantly within a short period of time. See pub. ·
Studies show
increased levels of anti-gliadin antibodies in 37%
of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Only gliadin
alpha was tested, not other epitopes. See pub. ·
A significant
proportion of patients with migraines have CD and a gluten-free diet may lead
to an improvement of the migraines in these patients. See pub 1 and pub 2. ·
Obesity is more
common in children with CD than previously recognized. See pub ·
CD may have
complications on menstrual and reproductive health. It can cause delayed
menarche, early menopause, secondary amenorrhea, infertility, recurrent
miscarriages, and intrauterine growth restriction. See pub. ·
CD causes a
certain increased risk of cancer and early death. It is not an innocent condition.
This strengthens the argument for patients to adhere to a gluten-free diet.
See pub. For more
information about gluten sensitivity and any of the conditions mentioned,
call our office at 408-517-0706 or
visit our website at www.jamiesonhealthcenter.com.
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Why is gluten sensitivity so much more prevalent today? Recent 2008-2009 studies
show that the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) has increased dramatically, and
not simply due to increased detection. A clinical
study investigated the long-term outcome of undiagnosed CD and prevalence
during the last 50 years by comparing serum of thousands of Air Force soldiers
from 50 years ago with that of matching 12,768 current young adults. The study found that the
rate of undiagnosed CD was 4 to 4.5-fold greater in the recent cohorts than
in the Air Force cohort. During 45 years of follow up it also found that
undiagnosed CD was associated with a 4-fold increase of death. Those with the
greatest mortality rate were identified as having silent CD. Many people don’t take
gluten sensitivity seriously. They say “I like everything in moderation”. Or
they say “But Jesus ate bread, so it must be good”. Unfortunately the bread
that Jesus ate doesn’t exist anymore. ·
In the United States, our grains are genetically modified and/or
hybridized so they can withstand pesticides and grow higher yields. Foods to
avoid are any foods containing corn, soy, canola and cotton seed, sugar
beets, and now also alfalfa. Just last month, the USDA is now allowing Monsanto’s Roundup Ready GM
alfalfa to be planted without restrictions. For
more information on how to avoid GMO products, read the article on the Weston A. Price foundation
website. ·
Much of the industrial wheat,
even whole wheat, has been selectively cross-bred and hybridized over
thousands of years to contain more protein and be more glutenous.
The reason is because it’s more appealing. It makes better bread, since the
gluten is what holds it all together. Other reasons for increased gluten sensitivity are: ·
In the United States, gluten
is also being modified through gluten deamidation,
a process that changes gluten so it can be mixed with other products like
milk, etc. This makes gluten more inflammatory. ·
Gluten is stored in bins for
an average of 2 years leading to enterotoxin
contamination. ·
Due to improved hygiene, the
hypothesis is that our immune systems are less robust and hyper sensitive to
compounds. ·
Many patients have leaky gut
syndrome, which allows undigested proteins, including gluten, to leak into
the blood stream. ·
Chronic stress breaks down
immune tolerance. ·
Poor nutrition ·
Enzyme insufficiency Why is
sprouted grain dangerous? Through thousands
of years of selectively breeding wheat for increasingly larger quantities of
protein, the concentration of WGA lectin (wheat
germ agglutination) has increased proportionately. WGA is largely responsible
for many of wheat’s pervasive ill effects. What’s more, WGA is found in
highest concentrations in “whole wheat,” including its supposedly superior
sprouted form. What is unique
about the WGA glycoprotein is that it can do direct damage to the majority of
tissues in your body without requiring a specific set of genetic
susceptibilities or immune-mediated articulations. As Dr. Mercola says: Lectin
is a defense mechanism for the wheat plant, designed to ward of its natural
enemies such as fungi and insects. Unfortunately, this protein is also very
resistant to breakdown by living systems, and it easily accumulates in
tissues where it interferes with normal biological processes and acts as an
anti-nutrient. Typically,
sprouting, fermenting or digestion can help to negate some of the harmful
effects of such anti-nutrients (as in the case of fermenting soy, which
removes many of its anti-nutrient properties). However, lectins
are resistant to these types of processes. For this reason, lectins exist even in “healthy” sprouted breads and may
be in their highest concentrations in whole-wheat varieties. Mercola
notes some of lectin’s dangerous qualities in his
commentary, saying that lectin is, among other
things:
Mercola
goes on to say that WGA lectin may even:
You can read Mercola’s article in its
entirety here. What is Gluten
Cross-Reactivity? It’s
also important to understand that because you are sensitive to gluten, you
may also be sensitive to other cross-reactive foods. ·
Cross-reactions arise because the
cross-reacting food shares an epitope in common
with the immunizing antigen, or because it has an epitope which is structurally similar
to one of the
immunizing antigens. See pub. ·
This means that foods that cause a cross-reaction to gluten also need
to be avoided. See pub. ·
I therefore strongly urge chronic patients
to cut out all grains and avoid the following cross-reactive foods:
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Gluten
Immunochemistry. Until
recently, labs only tested for alpha gliadin
anti-bodies to rule out CD. However, gluten is much more complex than gliadin. As the
following studies show, other compounds in gluten are also toxic and
therefore most labs will miss immune reactions to the following: 1. Glutenins. Gluten is the composite of two proteins called gliadin and glutenin. Co-joined
with starch, these exist notably in wheat, rye and barley. Although in the past only gliadins
were thought to be responsible for CD, recent studies now prove that both glutenin and gliadin are
immune-stimulatory in CD and it is highly probable that glutenin
proteins are toxic. See pub 1 and pub 2. 2. Gluten Epitopes. An epitope, or
antigenic determinant, is a small specific portion of an antigen that is
recognized by the immune system, driving the immune system to produce
antibodies against it. Gluten has four epitopes:
alpha gliadin, beta gliadin,
gamma gliadin and omega gliadin.
·
Studies show that 50% of patients do not respond to alpha gliadin, but they do to another variation of these epitopes. See pub. ·
Wheat-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction
provoked by the combination of wheat-ingestion with physical exercise.
Particularly, omega-5 gliadin is a major allergen in
anaphylaxis. See pub. 3. Gluteomorphins. A gluteomorphin is an opioid peptide that is formed during digestion of the gliadin component of the gluten protein. Gluteomorphins act as opioids
and can cause severe psychiatric reactions because of their affect on the
brain and the entire nervous system. ·
When your immune system develops antibodies against gluteomorphins, you are at high risk for neurological
disorders. See pub and pub 2. ·
Gluteomorphin antibodies are very
common in autistic patients. ·
Because of the opioid effects, starting a
gluten-free diet will cause withdrawal symptoms. Patients will feel worse at
first and develop new symptoms, which can last a few days to several weeks. 4. Prodynorphins. A prodynorphin is an opioid that is a basic building block of endorphins. It
has been shown to play a central role in many processes in the brain,
including how you feel about yourself, your memories and your perception of
pain. ·
People who don’t make enough prodynorphins
are vulnerable to drug addiction, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and forms
of epilepsy. ·
Gluten sensitivity develops prodynorphin
antibodies, causing neurochemical deficiencies, and
potentially leading to neurological disorders. 5. Wheat germ agglutination. Wheat germ agglutination (WGA) gluten is the lectin compound of wheat. Lectins
have the ability to attach to sugars or carbohydrates on the surface of human
cells. They can cause clumping of red blood cells, a process that is called
agglutination. The same process occurs when a patient receives the wrong
blood type during transfusion. ·
WGA gluten is found in highest concentration in whole wheat, including
its supposedly superior sprouted form ·
WGA is not found with traditional gluten testing ·
WGA can damage the tissues of your body without genetic
susceptibilities. ·
WGA can pass through the Blood-Brain-Barrier. When this happens, it
attacks the protective coating on the nerves called the myelin sheath which
can inhibit nerve growth factor, and therefore prevent the development of
neurological pathways. See pub. ·
Anti-WGA antibodies cross react with other proteins indicating that
they may contribute to autoimmunity. See pub. ·
WGA appears to play a role in CD, independent from that of gluten. See
pub. 6. Transglutaminase. Tissue transglutaminase
is an enzyme present in most cells of your body, but especially your
intestines. It deamidates or removes an amino group
from gliadin and adds the remainder of the peptide
to existing proteins. This creates an
auto-immune reaction to your body’s own tissues and is linked to CD. 7. Deamidated gliadin. Gliadin is only soluble in
alcohol and cannot be mixed with other foods without changing the food’s
qualities. Therefore, in many food-processing industries in the US, wheat
isolates are produced by means of chemical and enzymatic treatments to induce
deamidated gliadin that’s
soluble in water. However: ·
Deamidated gliadin
is much more inflammatory and causes more immune reactions. ·
In a double-blind study, subjects did not react to native wheat flour,
but had severe reactions to deamidated wheat
isolates. See pub. ·
Deamidated wheat isolates are
extensively used in the food industry as food emulsifiers, gelling agents, film formation aids, stretchability
agents in meat products, sauces, soups and clarifying agents in red
wine. They may be a major cause of
hidden food allergies. See pub. ·
Unfortunately, in Celiac patients, deamidation also occurs in the intestines. The enzyme
tissue transglutaminase (tTG)
found in the tissues converts gluten to deamidated gliadin, causing very strong T-cell immune
reactions. This makes it a better
diagnostic test for CD than the conventional gliadin
antibody testing. In particular, testing for multiple peptides such as deamidated glidain 15, 17 and
33 more accurately identifies the immune response to gluten. See pub. Change the way you eat –
go gluten-free, it’s a mindset, not a diet. Most
patients feel like they are doomed when they or their children test positive
for gluten sensitivity. They immediately think about all the foods they love
and can’t eat anymore. Look, going gluten-free is really a mindset, it’s not
a diet. You need to decide whether you will see yourself as a victim, or be empowered
by taking your health and well-being in your own hands. It’s like exercising.
When you decide to do so, you know you will feel better, have more energy, be
stronger, handle stress better, and maybe lose some weight. Going gluten-free
is the same way. When you decide to do it, you will become a healthier person
physically, emotionally and cognitively. You go gluten-free because you want
more vitality, more energy, more strength, more joy, more brain power, focus,
and attention. No more moods swings, anxiety, depression, aggression, rage, negative
rumination. No more pain. So
you change the way you eat. You are not on a diet, you are not starving. You
enjoy a good meal. But you eat a variety of and more vegetables, meat and
fish, eggs, some fruit. Raw nuts as a snack. Plenty of water. And you will
discover that as you cut out gluten, you will develop tastes for foods you
didn’t even have before. So
here is what you don’t eat. Most grains contain gluten but there are also
multiple hidden sources of gluten you need to be aware of.
So
you will eat more home-cooked meals and buy less processed and ready-made
foods. First clinical step: get tested for gluten sensitivity. ·
If you or your child suffers from a chronic
condition, and you are not yet convinced about changing the way you eat, I
strongly recommend you get two blood tests. These have just become available
in January 2011 and need to be ordered through our office: 1. A
wheat/gluten sensitivity and autoimmunity test (serum IgG/IgA) 2. A
gluten-associated sensitivity and cross-reactive foods test (serum IgG/IgA). These tests will identify whether you have gluten
sensitivity, what foods cause cross-reactions and whether your body is
developing any antibodies against your own tissues. Eliminating gluten and the
cross-reactive foods from your diet will improve your condition and/or
prevent the onset of an autoimmune disorder. ·
In addition, I would recommend a program to
help repair your gut, because most patients with gluten sensitivity have a
leaky gut. Also, supplementing with enzymes like DPP IV and brush border
enzymes, antioxidant flavonoids and probiotics protect against accidental gluten intake and support intestinal immunity. ·
Pancreatic enzymes need to be avoided at all
cost when you have leaky gut, since they can increase intestinal permeability
due their ability to digest the intestinal wall. Therefore, I strongly
recommend you only take supplements prescribed by a licensed practitioner
specialized in chronic diseases and leaky gut. For more information about gluten
sensitivity and chronic diseases caused or exacerbated by gluten or to order
a gluten sensitivity blood test, call our office at 408-517-0706 or visit our website
at www.jamiesonhealthcenter.com. |
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JAMIESON
HEALTH CENTER
Applied Kinesiology Nutrition Emotional Stress Relief Total Body Modification Advanced Neurofeedback 1175
Saratoga Ave, Ste 8 San Jose, CA
95119 Phone
408.517.0706 Email drjamieson@sbcglobal.net We’re on the Web! |
Seminars we’ve taken. Since I want to make a difference in
your lives and that of your children, I’m constantly trying to keep up with
the latest developments in healing practices, clinical research and new
discoveries in the area of integrative holistic medicine. To that end, I have
attended the following seminars and conferences over the last several months: ·
Understanding
the complexity of gluten sensitivity. ·
Breaking the
complex web of leaky gut. ·
Nutrition
Response Testing ·
NeuroIntegration therapy– Level
1 and Level 2 training ·
Autoimmune
regulation ·
International College
of Applied Kinesiology Annual Meeting 2010 ·
Functional Endocrinology ·
Doctor of the
Future – The Practice of Rational Intervention ·
NeuroEndocrine-Immune Axis
of Andropause ·
Metabolic
Biotransformation: an overview of detoxification and weight management ·
Restoring
Gastrointestinal Health ·
Practical Blood
Chemistry ·
Functional
Neurology for the Primary Care Provider ·
Neurotransmitters
and Brain ·
Applied Brain
Concepts ·
The
Thyroid-Brain–Immuno Connection ·
Restorative
Endocrinology: Balancing Female Hormones in Menopausal Women ·
Restorative
Endocrinology: Balancing Hormones in Cycling Women ·
The Impacts of
Estrogen on the NeuroEndocrine-Immune Axis ·
Restorative
Endocrinology: Balancing Male Hormones ·
Advanced
Nutrition Therapeutics for Addictions and OCD Some
patients have asked about previous newsletters and they can be found on our
website at http://www.jamiesonhealthcenter.com/archive.htm |
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