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Letter from Dr Janson
Allergic Sinusitis versus
Colds
More on Environmental Detoxification
Diet and Brain Function
In the Health News
Recipe of the Month: Steamed
Veggie Simplicity
Deart Friends,
While watching some recent television shows
(yes, there are occasional good ones if you
are extremely selective), I have been impressed
with the advertising, which I normally simply
block out with the mute button. What impresses
me is the juxtaposition of the different ads.
First we see ads for fast junk (no, I don’t
call it junk food because it is not really food)
from McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Pizza Hut,
Burger King, Krispy Kreme, KFC, and others.
Next are the ads for Maalox and Pepcid, Axid
and headache pills. So we see the ads for the
cause of indigestion and headaches followed
by the ads for the supposed remedies for these
maladies. The next collection of ads are for
the later results of these dietary habits, namely
laxatives for the constipation and antidiarrheal
drugs for the loose bowels.
Of course, there are also plenty of ads touting
the remedies for the most serious result of
poor dietary choices—obesity. It is impossible
to choose your excessive calories from the above
sources without eventually suffering the consequences
in many ways. We know that all the gimmick diets
and exotic supplements for weight loss are ineffective—and
they do not promote health.
What works is regular exercise (as opposed
to sitting around watching ads for high calorie
and high-fat junk, while using the remote to
change the channels) and the constant selection
of healthy diets from real foods that grow.
These foods are satisfying, filling, and relatively
low in calories. They can also be relatively
fast (what is faster than a banana?) and they
provide a wide variety of nutrients and phytochemicals
that protect and enhance your health, rather
than anti-nutrients that initiate and promote
diseases.
The most dangerous result of these ads is the
indoctrination of children and teenagers into
destructive dietary habits. They learn the poorest
habits at an early age and carry them into adulthood.
They never learn how to eat properly, but they
do learn how to sit around watching TV. I was
recently cleaning out some areas of my basement,
and I came across my high school yearbook. One
of the most striking features for me was to
see how incredibly few students were overweight.
No, we did not all eat perfectly, but we did
eat somewhat fresher, more wholesome foods,
and we did not watch nearly so much television.
After school we played, rode bicycles, took
hikes and spent a lot of time outdoors.
The results of this onslaught are seen
every day. One recent book, Fast Food Nation,
shows the parallel between the rise of fast
junk restaurants with the rise of obesity in
America. A recent scientific study shows an
ominous trend—in teens 15 to 19 years old, 100
percent had arteriosclerotic damage to their
aortas, and 50 percent to their right coronary
arteries. We have a lot of work to do.
In this season, with Spring allergies
approaching and winter sinus infections still
with us, some people want to know the difference
between the two conditions and how to deal with
them.
Sinus problems, colds, and allergies often
overlap, and the symptoms may be difficult to
distinguish. The sinus cavities in the bones
surrounding the eyes and nose are lined with
mucus-producing cells. Air circulation in these
cavities helps to warm the air as you breathe
in. The sinus secretions normally drain into
the nose through small openings. A sinus problem
(sinusitis) is simply inflammation of the sinuses
from whatever cause—usually a cold or allergies.
A viral infection, such as a cold or flu, can
cause swelling that blocks the sinuses, leading
to accumulation of secretions. Symptoms are
congestion, runny nose, and difficulty breathing.
This sometimes develops into a bacterial infection,
but not always. A postnasal drip from the sinuses
may lead to a chronic cough. Symptoms that accompany
a cold or flu are runny nose, fever, chills,
fatigue, sore throat, and coughing.
Allergies can also lead to swelling of the
sinus openings. Exposure to allergens such as
dust, molds, pollens, and sometimes foods can
trigger the same symptoms as sinusitis from
other causes. As with viral infections, there’s
congestion, a runny nose, and difficulty breathing,
but not the accompanying flu-like symptoms or
fever. Chronic allergies can lead to sinus polyps,
which are nonmalignant growths.
Whatever the cause, sinusitis can lead to headaches
or facial pain, a sense of fullness around the
nose and eyes, and sinus discharge. If the sinusitis
is chronic, the pain may come and go.
With allergies, it is possible to reduce
exposure to allergens with environmental controls
such as air conditioning, an air filter (I use
an AustinAir), or simply wearing a dust mask
while gardening or doing dusty chores or crafts.
For some people, avoiding milk helps reduce
mucus production.
It is important to stimulate sinus drainage
by inhaling steam and drinking plenty of fluids.
Extra vitamin C (3,000 to 6,000 mg) helps control
allergic symptoms. Quercetin (800 to 1,200 mg)
is a bioflavonoid that reduces histamine release.
Quercetin does not block the action of histamine,
but it stabilizes the cell membranes so they
do not release the histamine as readily. Antihistamine
drugs often have side effects, so it is better
to try the natural remedies first.
Nettle extract (250 to 500 mg of standardized
extract up to several times a day) has antiinflammatory
properties, and it helps relieve allergic sinusitis
and hay fever. Supplements of proanthocyanidins
(also called oligomeric procyanidins–PAC and
OPC are the common acronyms), derived from grape
seed and pine bark, also help support normal
immune function, and can help relieve allergic
symptoms.
For viral infections, also try the steam
inhalation and high fluid intake. While the
same 3,000 to 6,000 mg dose of vitamin C is
usually helpful (and it maintains valuable high
levels of vitamin C in the white blood cells),
it may be necessary to have intravenous treatments
for the most benefit. (The recent warnings about
vitamin C causing arterial thickening are based
on unreliable data, and the best information
we have now is that high dose vitamin C can
prevent strokes and heart disease as well as
cancer.)
Supplements of echinacea (250 to 300 mg of
standardized extract, twice a day) help to enhance
immunity by stimulating white blood cell activity.
Garlic (1,000 to 2,000 mg of deodorized garlic
is most convenient) has antibiotic and antiviral
effects. Standardized elderberry extract (1,000
to 2,000 mg daily) has antiviral properties
and may help shorten colds.
I also recommend “transfer factor”–immune support
substances derived from colostrum that help
control bacterial and viral infections (usually
200 to 400 mg three times a day). Ginger extract
(200 to 400 mg) is an antiinflammatory, that
may relieve symptoms.
For bacterial infections, with fever and sinus
discharge, most of the above supplements are
helpful, but it’s also important to take the
appropriate antibiotic to keep the infection
from spreading to the surrounding tissues, including
the bone and brain. Take Lactobacilli for their
antibacterial activity and to replace the friendly
intestinal bacteria killed by antibiotic drugs.
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In last month’s issue, due to space considerations,
I left out the importance of exercise as an
aid to elimination of environmental toxins.
Exercise helps by increasing metabolic rate
and body temperature. It promotes sweating,
which helps to remove toxins, including those
stored in fatty tissues, as you burn off the
excess fat or replace normal levels of body
fat. Exercise also eliminates toxins by stimulating
passage of waste through the colon and promoting
regular bowel movements. As a result, toxins
spend less time in contact with the vulnerable
bowel mucosa, and the likelihood of reabsorption
is diminished.
No one doubts the value of exercise for health
and promotion of longevity, and the sense of
vigor and vibrancy it provides. The additional
value of detoxification may well be a part of
the reason that it produces a sense of well
being and the long-term health benefits.
A new report based on an animal study
suggests that a high fat diet can impair brain
function. Although the known results of a high
fat diet (especially meat fat) are bad enough
(increased cancer of the breast, prostate, and
colon, and obesity, diabetes, and heart disease),
this new study suggests further problems.
It is possible, according to the researchers,
that the decreased brain function is due to
insulin resistance that results from obesity.
When cells lose their sensitivity to insulin,
the risk of diabetes and heart disease goes
up. Also, for a variety of reasons, diabetics
lose long-term memory and other cognitive functions.
Their research also showed that carbohydrates
can enhance brain function. In a human study,
adult subjects given a mashed potato and barley
breakfast performed better on brain tests.
The same researchers reported in 1990 that
a decline in brain function was related to saturated
fat intake, compared to polyunsaturated oils.
Animals on regular lab chow (4.5% fat) had higher
cognitive function than those who ate extra
animal fat, while those who ate additional soybean
oil consistently performed better in memory
and learning than the animal fat group (but
the low-fat chow was the best for performance).
It is clear that a high complex carbohydrate
diet has many advantages. In 1999, researchers
gave four different breakfasts to 14 subjects.
After a high fat meal, the participants craved
more food and ate more calories than those on
a high-fiber carbohydrate meal. The latter meal
led to the highest rating of alertness and resulted
in the least craving for calories, thus potentially
assisting in weight loss efforts.
In addition to diets of whole grains, vegetables,
fruits and beans, many supplements help brain
function.Take brain antioxidants–alpha lipoic
acid (300 to 1000 mg daily), vitamins C and
E, ginkgo biloba (120 mg), melatonin (3 to 6
mg), and proanthocyanidins (100 to 200 mg).
I also recommend supplements of phosphatidyl
serine (200 mg), a component of neuronal membranes
that enhances memory.
•A new report in the New England Journal
of Medicine shows that coronary bypass surgery
has more long term effects on brain function
than previously thought. While it was known
that loss of cognitive ability was an immediate
effect (and one to five percent of patients
have strokes), it seems that loss of function
is apparent even years later. The real disgrace
is that a majority of angiograms and bypass
operations are probably unnecessary. (Newman
MF, et al., N Engl J Med 2001 Feb 8;344(6):395-402.
Graboys TB, et al., Results of a second-opinion
trial...angiography. JAMA 1992 Nov 11;268(18):2537-40.)
•Although low dose aspirin has been touted
for prevention of heart attacks, a new study
shows that it is only valuable for those in
a higher risk category. Lower risk patients
had no benefit, and the lowest risk patients
actually had more risk from bleeding complications
than any potential benefit. You are better off
taking vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, magnesium,
essential fatty acids, and ginkgo biloba.
•Fiber is not only protective against colon
cancer (in spite of one report to the contrary),
but new research suggests that it also protects
against cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus.
Those in the highest level of intake of all
fibers had about half as many such cancers as
the case-matched controls. Certain fibers did
even better—lignins and soluble fibers, found
in grains, beans, and seeds (including flaxseeds),
were the best, at just over one third as many
cancers, but all fibers appeared worthwhile
in this study. Of course, fiber could just be
a marker for eating a diet high in vegetables,
fruits, whole grains, and seeds, with many other
protective properties. (Soler M, et al., Fiber
intake and the risk of... cancer. Int J Cancer
2001 Feb 1;91(3):283-287.)
One of my favorite easy meals is just a mix
of steamed vegetables—with a few enhancements.
I put several potatoes and butternut squash
(cut into 1-2 inch pieces), quartered onions,
and peeled garlic in a large steamer. When that
is just about cooked, I add cut broccoli for
the last 12 minutes. Test it with a fork before
taking it off the heat. I then drizzle some
flaxseed oil and a bit of balsamic vinegar over
the mix, some fresh crushed black and white
peppercorns, and a few drops of toasted sesame
oil. For variety, I sometimes try thyme, cayenne,
or chili powder, or for a lower calorie dressing
I replace the oil and vinegar with mustard.
Of course, you can do this with cauliflower,
or brussels sprouts, or any mix. Experiment
with your own selection of veggies or dressings.
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