FOCUS ON: AUTOIMMUNE

DAVID PERLMUTTER, MD

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From The Desk of Dr. Perlmutter

Articles

How Gut Bacteria Protect The Brain

InflammationTodayMeansBrainShrinkageTomorrow

GutInflammationAffectstheBrain

RebalancetheGut,RebalancetheImmuneSystem

TheMicrobiome–ImplicationsforGlobalHealth

TheRealReasonGMOMatters

The Empowering Neurologist

DavidPerlmutter,MD&Dr.AmyMyers

DavidPerlmutter,MD&Dr.SusanBlum

About The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ANoteBeforeReadingNormallywethinkofourimmunesystemasprotectingourbodyfromeverydayconcernsliketheflu,orseriousinfectionsanddiseases.Butdidyouknowthatthehealthofourimmunesystemcanalsoimpactthehealthofourbrains?

It’safact.

DuringtheBetrayalSolutionyou’regoingtolearnallaboutthisandtherolethatinflammation,immuneregulation,andthehealthofourgutmicrobiomeplaysinouroverallhealth.

Whilethismayseemoverwhelming,thismeansthatscienceispoisedtorevealpowerfulnewtreatmentsandpreventionstrategies,asitrelatestoautoimmunity.Inthepagesthatfollow,you’lldiscoversomeofthelatestresearchonallofthesesubjects,butifIcangiveyouonepieceofadvicetotakeawayfromthisall,itwouldbethis:healthbeginswiththefoodyoueat.

Whenyou’vefinishedreading,pleasedovisitmywebsite tolearnmoreabouthowwecansupporthealthyimmunefunctionwithproperlifestylechoices.I’llcontinuetoscourmedicaljournalsforthelatestresearch,andhelpyouunderstandthesimplestepswecanalltaketolivelong,healthylives.

FROM THE DESK OF DR. PERLMUTTER

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How Gut Bacteria Protect The Brain

Doyouknowabouttheblood-brainbarrier?Theblood-brainbarrier(BBB)actsasagatekeeper,protectingthebrainfromvarioustoxicelements,whileallowingtheentranceofvariouslife-sustainingnutrientslikewater,aminoacids,andgases,thatareessentialforthefunctionofthebrain.Itisformedbycellsthatlinethecapillariesandareconnectedbywhatarecalled“tightjunctions,”quitesimilartothetightjunctionsinthecellsthatlinethegut.

AnynumberofbraindisordersisassociatedwithbreakdownoftheBBB,includinginfections,andevencancer.Assuch,scientistshaveaggressivelystudiedtheBBBtodeterminespecificallywhatleadstoincreasedpermeabilityand,perhapsmostimportantly,whatcanbedonetoreduce

permeability.Inotherwords,what

canbedonetoreestablishthebarrier,andprotectthebrain.

InastunningresearchinthejournalScience Translational Medicine,researchersattheKarolinskaInstituteinStockholmstudiedthebloodbrainbarrierinmicethatwere“germ-free.”Thatmeansthatthemiceusedinthisexperimentdidnothavebacterialivingwithintheirintestines.Usinghighlysophisticatedbrain-scanningtechnology,theresearchersdemonstratedthatthebloodbrainbarrierinthesemicewassignificantlycompromised,basicallyasituationofwhatwemaycalla“leakybrain,”andthisleakinessofthebarrierpersistedintoadulthood.

Evenmorecompellingwastheirfindingthatwhenthesemicereceivedafecaltransfer,meaningthattheirintestineswereinoculatedwiththefecal

materialincludingbacteriafromahealthymouse,the

permeabilityofthebloodbrainbarrierwasmarkedlyimproved.

Firstly,thisresearchistrulygroundbreaking.Theimplicationsofbeingabletomanipulatethehealthofthebloodbrainbarrierbymakingchangesinthegutbacteriaofferup,forthefirsttime,apowerfultherapeutictoolthatmayhaveincrediblywideapplicationinbrain

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disorders.ProfessorSvenPettersson,theprincipalinvestigatorinvolvedinthestudywasquotedinScienceDailyasstating:

Given that the microbiome composition and diversity change over time, it is tempting to speculate that the blood-brain barrier integrity also may fluctuate depending on the microbiome. This knowledge may be used to develop new ways for opening the blood-brain-barrier to increase the efficacy of the brain cancer drugs and for the design of treatment regimes that strengthens the integrity of the blood-brain barrier.

Second,thisresearchaddsfurtherevidencetothenotionthatawidearrayofhumanhealthissuesmaywelldependuponthediversityandcomplexityofthearrayofbacteriathatliveswithinthegut,knownasourmicrobiome.

Itisveryhumblingtoconsiderthatwhatseemstobeemergingasourmostpowerfulleveragepoint,intermsoftreatingavarietyofdiseasestates,maywellrestinthehandsofthehundredtrillionbacteriathatconsiderourbodiestheirhome.ThesearethefundamentalsofanewhorizoninmedicinethatareexploredinmybookBrainMaker.

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InflammationTodayMeans BrainShrinkageTomorrow

AsIhaveemphasizedoverthepastdecade,thefundamentalmechanismthatunderliesneurodegenerativeconditions,includingAlzheimer’sdisease,Parkinson’sdisease,multiplesclerosis,andotherissues(thinkdiabetes,coronaryarterydisease,andevencancer),istheprocessofinflammation.We’vegottodoeverythingwecantobringinflammationundercontrol.Dietarychoiceslikelimitingsugarandcarbohydrates,avoidinggluten,eliminatingvegetableoils(cornoil,sunfloweroil),increasingintakeofhealthfulfats(oliveoil,avocadooil,nutsandseeds),andfavoringfiber-richfoods,areallfundamentalbuildingblocksofalifestylethathelpstoreducetheriskforexcessinflammation.

Weknowthatthereisahigherlevelofthechemicalsthatmediateinflammationinthebloodofindividualswithhigherbloodsugar,causedbymanyofthepoorchoicesoutlinedabove.Again,higherbloodsugarcorrelateswithhigherlevelsofinflammation.

Degreeofinflammationis,toasignificantamount,determinedbythehealthand

diversityofgutbacteria.Soissuesthatthreatengutbacterialdiversity,likestress,artificialsweeteners,andacid-blockingmedications,pavethewayforincreasinginflammation.Thisthreatensyourlong-termhealthybyraisingyourriskofvirtually

allthosechronicdegenerativeconditionsyoudon’twantto

get.

Itdoesn’tmakesensetowaituntilyou’rehavinganissuewithoneofthesediseasestobeginaprogramdesignedtoreduceinflammation.Thisnotionwaspowerfully

supportedinarecentstudy

publishedinthejournalNeurology.Inthisreport,

researchersfrommultipleinstitutionsendeavoredto

determineifinflammationinmidlifewouldhaveanyconsequencesforthebrainlaterinlife.

Theystudiedagroupof1,633participants(withanaverageageof53)bylookingattheirbloodlevelsforvariousmarkersofinflammation.Thesefiveinflammatorymarkerswerecompiledintowhatwascalledthe“inflammatorycompositescore.”

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After24years,theparticipantsunderwentaspecialbrainscantomeasurethesizeofvariousareasofthebrain.Thestudyrevealedamarkedcorrelationbetweenmidlifeelevationofinflammatorymarkersandreductioninsizeofkeybrainareas,includingthehippocampus,thebrain’smemorycenter.Therelationshipbetweentheseinflammatorymarkersandshrinkageofthebrainlaterinlifewasmodifiedbyageandraceinthatyoungerparticipants,aswellasCaucasianparticipants,withhigherlevelsofinflammationmarkersinmidlifeweremorelikelytoshowreducedbrainvolumesduringthefollow-up.

Theauthorsconcluded:

“Our prospective findings provide evidence for what may be an early contributory role of systemic inflammation

in neurodegeneration and cognitive aging.” The important take-home message here is in line with John Kennedy’s statement: ‘The time to fix the roof is when the sun is shining.’

Thatmeansthatweshouldbedoingeverythingwecantoreduceinflammationtoday,longbeforesomechronicdegenerativeconditionmanifests.Inthisstudytherewasaclearcorrelationbetweenelevationofmarkersofinflammationandriskforshrinkageofthebrain,andwhowantsthat?Thisiswhatpreventivemedicineisallabout.It’saboutdoingtherightthingstodaytopavethewayforahealthiertomorrow.

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GutInflammation AffectstheBrain

Thefundamentalmechanismthatunderliessuchseeminglydisparateissuesasautism,Alzheimer’sdisease,Parkinson’sdisease,multiplesclerosis,andvariousotherneurodegenerativeconditions,istheprocessofinflammation.

Butitnowlooksasifinflammationmayactuallybegininthegutandsubsequentlyaffectthebrainasadownstreammechanism.InasubmissiontotheJournalofNeuroinflammation,researchersatCedars-SinaiMedicalCenterinLosAngelesreportedonafascinatingexperiment.

Usingalaboratorymouse,theyadministeredachemical,dextransodiumsulfate(DSS),intothedrinkingwaterofsomeoftheanimals.Theythenexaminedthebrainsoftheseanimalsatvarioustimes,upto26daysafterthechemicalwasplacedinthewater.DSSwasusedbecauseitspecificallycausesgutinflammation.

Whattheresearchersdiscoveredwas,infact,quiteprofound.First,theydemonstrateddramaticevidenceofgutinflammationfollowingexposuretoDSS;therewasanincreaseininflammatorycellsintheintestinallining.

Whatwasmorecompelling,however,iswhatwentoninthebrainsoftheseanimals.Thescientistsfoundthattherewasfirstanincreaseinthechemicalmediatorsofinflammation,IL-6andIL-1beta,followedbyactivationofthebrain’sinflammatory

cells,calledmicroglia.

Evenmorecompellingwaswhattheyfoundintheanimals’brainmemorycenter.Thisareaofthebrain,thehippocampus,playsarolenotonlyinmemorybutalsoinregulationofmood.Normally,itisfairlystraightforwardtodemonstratepersistentgrowthofnewbraincellsinthehippocampusinthemousebrain(asitisinhumans).However,wheninflammationinthegutwasbroughtonbyadministrationofDSS,therewasadramaticreductioninthegrowthofnewbraincellsintheanimalsinwhichinflammationhadbeeninduced.

Notonlywasthereareductioninthegrowthofnewbraincells,butinadditiontherewasareductioninthedifferentiationofthebrainstemcellsintofully-functioningneurons.

Theimplicationsofthisstudyarebreathtaking.Notonlydoesitshedimportantlightontheexplanationastowhyindividualswithinflammatoryboweldiseasearefrequentlycompromisedwithrespecttocognitivefunctionaswellasmood,butitfurtherextendsourunderstandingofthepivotalroleofgut-relatedissues,inthiscaseinflammation,astheyimpactthebrain.

It’stimethatwebeginlookinginearnestoutsideofthebrainforcluestoourmostperniciousbrainmaladies.Byandlarge,researchershavecomeupfairlyempty-

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handedwhenlookingonlyatthebraininwhentryingtoexplainmechanisticallywhatgoesoninthingslikeAlzheimer’sdiseaseandParkinson’sdisease.

Iadmitthatthisisananimalstudyandthatitiscertainlyinappropriatetoextrapolatetooaggressivelyfromtheresults.Nonetheless,wearemovingforwardwith

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anewconceptofbrainhealthanddisease,andtheseresearchersaretobepraisedforbringingusthisvaluableinformation.

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Rebalance the Gut, RebalancetheImmuneSystem

Itisveryexcitingtoseetheincredibleincreaseinscientificresearchbeingreleasedthatrelatesgutissuestovarioushealthproblemselsewhereinthebody.Theresearchthatexploresthisrelationshipintermsofautoimmuneconditionsisparticularlyinteresting,notjustbecauseitlinksgut-relatedproblemstochangesinimmunebalance,butintermsofhowthisnewunderstandingmightopenthedoorfornewtreatmentsforthesechallengingconditions.

In a recentissueofthejournalNeurotherapeutics,researchersembarkedontheirstudywiththeacceptedpremisethatintestinalpermeability(leakinessofthegut)hasbeenwidelyevaluatedintermsofitsrelationshiptovariousformsofinflammatoryboweldisease,aswellasceliacdisease,andthatimbalancesinthegutbacteriaareinvolvedinthisrelationship.

Theyalsodescribedthewell-knownrelationshipbetweenanautoimmune,inflammatoryconditionofthebowel,Crohn’sdisease,andmultiplesclerosis(MS).Bothoftheseconditionsarenowcharacterizedbyincreasedpermeability,orleakiness,ofthegut.

Withthisunderstandingasabackground,theresearchersmovedforwardandpostulatedthatperhapssomeoftheeffectivenessofvariousfirst-lineoralmedicationsthathaveprovenusefulinMSmayactuallyowesomeoftheir

effectivenesstothefactthattheyhelpwithreducinggutpermeability,possiblythroughchangesbroughtaboutbythegutbacteria.

Icanassureyouthatonlyafewyearsago,theseideaswouldnothavebeenanythingthatmainstreamsciencewouldhaveconsidered.Wehavecertainlycomeaverylongwayinappreciatingtheimportantroleofthegut,andspecificallythebalanceofgutbacteriaandregulationofgutpermeability,intermsofitsroleinautoimmunity,andkeepinginflammationinacheck.

Ihavenodoubt,movingforward,thatwewillsoonseethedevelopmentofpharmaceuticalinterventionsforMS,aswellasotherautoimmuneconditions,thatspecificallytargetrehabilitationofthegutbacteriatobringaboutreductioningutpermeabilityandbalancingoftheimmunesystem.Thiswillbeamanifestationofholisticmedicinefinallyenteringthemainstream,wherebyitbecomescommonlyacceptedthateventsinonepartofthebodycanclearlyaffectthehealthofanotherarea.

Truthfully,thisunderstandingoftheinterrelationshipsbetweenseeminglydisparatepartsofthebodyhasbeenhowmedicinehasbeenpracticedforcenturies.Whatablessingthatwearefinallyembracingthisunderstandingonceagain.

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TheMicrobiome– ImplicationsforGlobalHealth

Whatsciencehasrevealedoverthepastdecadeabouttheroleourresidentmicrobesplayinkeepingushealthyhastrulybeenremarkable.It’snowclearthatthemorethan100trillionmicrobeslivingonandwithinusare,momenttomoment,playingafundamentalroleinvirtuallyeverysystemwithinthehumanbody.Whowouldhaveconceivedthatresearchwouldhaverevealed,forexample,thatthebacterialivingwithinthecolonarehelpingshapeourmood,regulatingourappetite,manufacturinghealth-sustainingvitamins,controllingourimmunesystemandinflammation,andeveninfluencingtheexpressionofourDNA?

Thisexpandingscienceiscompelling,humbling,and,atthesametime,empowering,aswenowarebeginningtomakerealinroadsintounderstandinghowchangesinthemicrobiome(thecollectionofthemicrobes,theirgeneticmaterial,andthemetabolicproductstheycreate)affecthealth,diseaseresistanceandlongevity.

It’scertainlyclearthatsomanyofourlifestylechoices,includingdiet,sleep,exercise,nutritionalsupplements,managingstress,socializing,etc.,influenceourstateofhealth.Andovertheyears,studieshaveidentifiedthedirectmechanismswherebythesefactorsinfluencedhealth,forbetterorworse.

Thesedayshowever,weareseeingaproliferationofresearchthatseeksto

explainhowtheseimportantfactorsinfluencehealthasseenthroughthelensofthemicrobiome.So,inasense,thisisatwo-stepprocess.Lifestylechoicesaffectthehealthofourresidentmicrobes,andtheyinturninfluenceourhealth.

Hippocratesiscreditedwithstating,“Alldiseasebeginsinthegut.”Andwhilethisdictumcertainlydoesn’taccountforcasesliketrauma,asitrelatestosomanyofourmoderndiseases,it’swellontrack.Changesinthegutbacteriaare,forexample,stronglyrelatedtochronicdegenerativediseases(thinkAlzheimer’sdisease,osteoporosis,type2diabetes,andcoronaryarterydisease),which,asaclassification,havebeendeterminedbytheWorldHealthOrganizationtorepresentthenumberonecauseofdeathontheplanet,surpassinginfectiousdiseases,trauma,andevenwar.

Thismeansthatthestateofhealthofthehumanmicrobiomeisdirectlyinvolvedintheglobe’sleadingcauseofdeath.

Intermsofnurturingthegutbacteriatopreventtheseailments,withoutadoubtthemostimportantconsiderationisfood.Ourfoodchoiceshaveanoverridingimpactonthehealth,diversity,andproductivityofourresidentmicrobes.Unquestionably,themostimportanttaskforeachofusistosupplyourbacteriawithprebiotic fiber,theuniquetypeofdietaryfiberthatisnotdigestedbyushumans,butallowsourmicrobestothrive.Foodsrichinthis

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specialfiberincludedandeliongreens,garlic,onions,leeks,chicoryroot,Jerusalemartichoke,asparagus,andmanyotherfruitsandvegetables.Healthfoodstoresarehelpfulforthosewhomaynotbeeatingenoughprebiotic-richfoodsbysupplyingeffectiveprebioticsupplementsderivedfromnaturalsourceslikeacaciagumandbaobabfruit.

It’salsoimportanttoembracethefactthatsomanyofourday-to-daychoicescanseriouslythreatenthehealthofthemicrobiomeand,assuch,openthedoortothreateninghealthissues.Forexample,Frenchresearchersshowedastrongrelationshipbetweentheconsumptionofartificially-sweetenedbeveragesandriskfordevelopingtype-2diabetes.Thismassive2013studyevaluatedthedietsofcloseto70,000women,followingthemfor14years.Thescientistsdiscoveredthat,comparedtothosenotconsumingsoda,thosewhodrankartificiallysweetenedbeverageshadabouta200%increasedriskforbecomingdiabetic,andthisresultwasfarhigherthantheriskforthosewomendrinkingthesugarsweetenedbeverages(34%).[i]

Thefollowingyear,Israeliresearcherswentabouttryingtounderstandthesefindings.Intheirstudy,theydemonstrateddramaticchangesoccurringinthemicrobiomesofbothhumansandanimalsinducedbyartificialsweetenersalongwithimportantmetabolicchangesspecificallyrelatedtoglucosetolerance,thehallmarkofdiabetes.Otherissuesthehumansubjectsexperiencedincludedweight

gain,increasedcentralobesity,higherfastingbloodsugar,aswellaselevationofHbA1C,amarkerofaveragebloodsugar.Evenmoreintriguingwastheresearchers’

demonstrationthattransferringhumanfecalmicrobialmaterial

tonormallaboratoryanimalsalmostimmediatelyaffectedtheirbloodsugars,asisseenindiabetics.Theauthorsconcluded:

Artificial sweeteners were extensively

introduced into our diets with the

intention of reducing caloric intake and

normalizing blood glucose levels without compromising the human ‘sweet tooth’. Together with other major shifts that occurred in human nutrition, this increase in (non-caloric sweeteners) consumption coincides with the dramatic increase in the obesity and diabetes epidemics. Our findings suggest that (non-caloric sweeteners) may have directly contributed to enhancing the exact epidemic that they themselves were intended to fight.[ii]

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Americanresearchersstudiedcloseto4,000adultsubjectsfor9yearsandshowedadirectdoseresponserelationshipbetweentheconsumptionofdietdrinksandobesity.Thismeansthatthemoredietdrinkswereconsumed,themoreweightwasgained.[iii]

It’simportanttounderstandthevastimplicationsofthesestudies.Thesealterationsinthemicrobiomethatenhancemetabolicchangesaffectingthingslikeglucosebalanceandbodyfatareofgreatconcernasjustthesetwofactorsalonehavebeenassociatedwithincreasedriskforalargelistofhealthissuesincludingcancer,heartdisease,osteoporosis,depression,andevenAlzheimer’sdisease(seefurtherdown).Sothehealthimplicationsrelatedtodamagingthemicrobiomewithartificialsweetenersgowellbeyonddiabetes.

It’snowclearthatdementia,specificallyAlzheimer’sdementia.mayalsoshareinthisrelationship.Bostonresearchers,publishinginthejournalStroke,followed1,484elderlyindividualsfor10years.Theirevaluationsincludednotonlyfrequenttestingoftheirbrainfunction,butalsokeepingtrackoftheirdietsaspartoftheFraminghamHeartStudy.TheresultsofthisenduringprojectrevealedanincreasedriskforAlzheimer’sdisease,nearly3-fold,inchronicconsumersofartificially-sweetenedbeverages.Interestingly,strokeriskwasincreasedalmostasmuch.Moreover,therewasnoincreasedriskofstrokeorAlzheimer’sdiseaseinthosewhoconsumedsugar-sweetenedbeverages.Intheirconclusion,theauthorsexplainedtheirfindingsbystating:

Artificial sweeteners have been shown to cause glucose

intolerance in mice by altering gut microbiota and are associated with dysbiosis (negative changes in the gut bacteria) and glucose intolerance in humans.[iv]

Thisisimportantsincediabeteshasbeenassociatedwithasmuchasa4-foldincreaseinriskforthedevelopmentofAlzheimer’sdisease.

Further,todate,effortsbypharmaceuticalcompaniestodevelopanymeaningfultreatmentforAlzheimer’sdiseasehavecomeupempty-handed.Thisistosaythatthereiscurrentlyno meaningfully effective treatment for Alzheimer’s,nowaffectingsome40millionpeoplearoundtheglobe.AsDr.MichaelSchnaiderBeerirecentlystatedinthejournalNeurology:

Despite great scientific efforts to find treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, only 5 medications are marketed, with limited beneficial effects, on a limited number of patients, without modification of the disease course.[v]

Thisfactshouldreallyencourageustotakeaseriouslookatfactorsknowntobeassociatedwithincreasedriskforthisdisease.Anditseemsprettyclearthatartificialsweeteners,likelybyvirtueoftheirdamagingeffectsonthemicrobiome,showstrongassociation.

Whileit’sinstructivetoexplorehowdietary

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choicesliketheuseofartificialsweetenersmayconnecttoriskforserioushealthissuesthroughtheireffectsonthemicrobiome,theupsideofthesefindingsisthattheywillundoubtedlyspurresearchthatinvestigateshowthemicrobiome,oncedamaged,mayberestored.Thisrepresentsaverynewplayingfieldformedicalresearchersthatisrepletewithhugepotential,especiallyasitrelatestothesecompellingchronicdegenerativeconditions.

[i]GuyFagherazzi,,etal.,Consumptionofartificiallyandsugar-sweetenedbeveragesandincidenttype2diabetesintheEtudeEpidémiologiqueauprèsdesfemmesdelaMutuelleGénéraledel’EducationNationale–EuropeanProspectiveInvestigationintoCancerandNutritionCohort.AmJClinNutr2013;97:517–23

[ii]SuezJ,KoremT,etal.Artificialsweetenersinduceglucoseintolerancebyalteringthegutmicrobiota.Nature.2014;514:181–186

[iii]SharonP.Fowler,etal.,FuelingtheObesityEpidemic?ArtificiallySweetenedBeverageUseandLong-termWeightGain.Epidemiology.Obesity(2008)16,1894–1900

[iv]MatthewP.Pase,etal.Sugar-andArtificiallySweetenedBeveragesandtheRisksofIncidentStrokeandDementiaAProspectiveCohortStudy.Stroke.May,2017;48

[v]MichaelSchnaiderBeeri.BrainBDNFexpressionasabiomarkerforcognitivereserveagainstdiseaseprogression.Neurology,2016Feb23;86(8):702-3

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TheRealReason GMOMatters

WhenIlecturetothegeneralpublic,aswellastohealthcareprofessionals,Ioftenaskthequestion,“HowdoyoufeelaboutGMOfoods?”Theresultsarealmostuniversallynegative.Generally,theaudiencescometotheconclusionthat,forwhateverreason,GMOfoodsare“bad.”

Mynextquestionprobesabitfurther:why? It’satthatpointthatveryfewhandsareraised.Peoplegenerallyhavethesensethatthere’ssomethingthreateningandsinisteraboutGMOfoods,but,forthemostpart,theydon’tknowwhy.

Solet’stakeastepback.I’dliketoexplorewhyitisthatweshouldindeeddoeverythingpossibletoavoidGMOfoods.

First,let’stakealookatthescopeoftheissue.Atleast90%ofthecanola,cotton,corn,soy,andsugarbeetssoldinUnitedStatescomefromseedsthathavebeengeneticallyengineered.Themainreasonthatthesecropsaregeneticallyengineeredistomakethemresistanttoherbicides.Thatmeansfarmerscanspraythesecropstokillweeds,andbecauseofgeneticengineering,thecropsthemselvesarenotaffectedbythepoison.Nonetheless,residuesofthepoisonremaininthefood,whichisthenconsumedacrossourcountry.MypointisthatmostoftheagriculturalproductsconsumedbyAmericanscomefromgeneticallyengineeredseedsandhaveresiduesofherbicides.

Themostcommonlyusedherbicide,bothinAmericaandglobally,isglyphosate.Thatisthechemicalnameoftheactiveingredientinthemorefamiliarherbicide,Roundup®.Infact,thesegeneticallymodifiedseedsaretypicallycalled“Roundup®-resistant”seeds,playinguponthismuchmorefamiliarname.

TheconnectionIammaking,andthatIwantyoutomake,isthatwhenyouseeagriculturalproductsthatdonotcarrythe“non-GMO”designation,thereasontheyarelikelyproblematicisbecauseoftheresidualherbicideglyphosate.

Dr.StephanieSeneff,ahighlyregardedM.I.T.researcher,haspublishedextensivelyregardingthedangersofglyphosate.Shehasmadeitclearthatthisdangerousherbicidethreatensthehumanmicrobiome.Morerecentlyshehascalledour attention to howreadily

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glyphosateleadstotheformationofcancercells.Beyondherwork,it’sveryimportanttorememberthattheWorldHealthOrganizationrecentlylabeledglyphosateasbeing“probablycarcinogenic”inhumans.

Dr.Seneff,apastguestonTheEmpoweringNeurologist,hasfoundthatglyphosatehassanumberofdangerouseffectsonbiologicalsystemsthatmaystronglyrelatetoitsabilitytoformcanceroustumors.TheseincludedirectdamagetoDNA,interruptionofaminoacidbalance,removaloftraceminerals,aswellasimpairmentofdetoxification.Assherecentlystated:

Epidemiological evidence supports strong temporal correlations between glyphosate usage on crops and a multitude of cancers that are reaching epidemic proportions, including breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer and myeloid leukaemia.

It’sbeenestimatedthatapproximately92%ofAmericansareinfavorofGMOlabeling.Thismakessense.Weabsolutelyshouldknowwhetherornotwearebuyingandconsumingfoodsthatarepotentiallylacedwithacancer-causingagent,glyphosate.Beyondthat,theresurearealotoffoodsandotherconsumableproductsthatarenowlabelednon-GMO,sowecanvotewithourwalletsandsupportthoseproducersandmanufacturersthataredialedintotheimportanceofthisissue.

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DavidPerlmutter,MD &Dr.AmyMyers

DP Thethyroidis,asyoucallit,the“mastergland.”Itcontrolsthemetabolism,asyousay,andeverycellhasthyroidhormonereceptorsonit.Itseemstomethatwe’rehearinganawfullotaboutthyroidproblemsthesedays.HowprevalentisthyroiddisorderinAmericansociety?

AM InAmerica,webelievethatthereareabout27millionpeoplewhohaveit.That’sanestimation.Ithinkit’sprobablyfargreaterthanthat.Andofthose27million,60%don’tevenrealizetheyhaveit.Ithinkit’sanepidemicrightnow,andconventionalmedicinedoesn’tdoagreatjobofdetectingit.Becauseofthat,aswellasmanyenvironmentalfactors,we’reinanepidemicstatewiththethyroid.Ibetthere’snotasingle[reader]outtherewhodoesn’tknowsomeonewiththyroiddysfunction.

DP YoutoucheduponsomethingIwantedtojumpinto—thepeoplewhomaynotknowabouttheirthyroidproblem,whichmaybethecauseofsomeoftheirissues.Youtalkabouthowsomanypeoplecangotothedoctorandendupwithathyroidbloodtest,athyroidpanel,thatisactuallywithinthenormalrange,andyetstillhavesomesignificantthyroidissues.

AM Allthesepeopleidentifywithanynumberofsymptoms,whetherit’shyperthyroidsymptomsorhypo-,whichisfarmorecommon,andyetthey’vegonetothedoctorandheard,“Oh,we’vecheckedyourthyroid,everything’snormal.”Therearetwocommonwaysforthattobeabsolutelywrong.ThefirstisthatconventionaldoctorsaretypicallyonlycheckingaTSH,orathyroidstimulatinghormone.Thatonlytellsuswhatthepituitary’sdoing.It’sasignaltothethyroid,tellingittoproducemorehormones.It’snotevencheckingwhatthethyroiditselfisactuallydoing.It’sverylimited.

SowhatItypicallycheckisamuchlargerpanel,thatdoesincludeaTSH,butitalsoincludesaT4,afreeT4,afreeT3,areverseT3,andthenIcheckantibodiestopickupwhethertheirthyroidisbeingattackedbytheirimmunesystem.That’scalledGraves’diseasewhenit’shyper,andHashimoto’swhenit’shypo.Themostimportanttest

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tolookatisafreeT3.Ourfreehormonesaretheonesthatmatter.Whenyou’relookingatatotal,they’reboundtootherproteinsandwecan’tusethem.Butwhenit’safreehormone,it’sabletogointoreceptorsandintoothercells.It’sthatfreeT3thatkeepsuswarm,givesusenergy,keepsusfromhavingbrainfog,andregulateseverythingelseinourbody.

ConventionalmedicineistypicallynotevencheckingfreeT3.

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DavidPerlmutter,MD &Dr.SusanBlum

DPWhentheimmunesystembecomesoveractive,wecandevelopwhat’scalledbottleimmunity,wheretheimmunesystemactuallyreactsagainstourownbodytissue,likethethyroidglandforexample.It’scalledHashimoto’sthyroiditis.CanyoutelluswhatHashimoto’sisallabout?

SBHashimoto’sisconsideredanautoimmunedisease.I’lltellyouaboutthethyroidfirstandthenwe’lltalkaboutautoimmunity.Thethyroidisaglandthatlivesinyourneck,andit’sanendocrineorganthatmakesthyroidhormones,whichareresponsibleforalotofveryimportantfunctionsinourbody.Alotofpeoplewalkintomyofficeandgo,“There’ssomethingwrongwithmythyroid!”It’sacommonmisconceptionthatthisisthesinglethingthatcausesweightgain,hairloss,slowmetabolism,andfatigue—anditdoescauseallthat,butthereareotherthingsthatcausethattoo.That’sthethyroidgland.Whathappensis,there’ssomethingcalledautoimmunity.Anautoimmuneconditioniswhenyourimmunesystemattacksthegland.Yourimmunesystem,ratherthanfightingthebadguys,turnsitsattentiononyourowntissuesandstartsfightingyourowncellsandtissues.Dependingonwherethatattackhappens,andtowhichtissue,that’showyougetthedisease.

IhadHashimoto’sthyroiditis,whichmeansmyimmunesystemwasattackingmythyroidgland.Butthereareotherconditions,asyouknow,likemultiplesclerosis,whentheimmunesystemattacksthebrain,andrheumatoidarthritis,wheretheimmunesystemattacksthejoints.Autoimmunitycanstrikeanytissueinyourbody.

Asafunctionalmedicinedoctorfocusingoncomplexchronicillness,itcrossesallbarriers.Infunctionalmedicine,wedon’tcutthebodyupintopieces,metaphorically.Weseethepersonasawhole.

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SBStartingfromthetop,thesimplestpreventativemeasuresarelifestyle.Food,right?Whatdoesthegutneed?Thegutneedsalotofvegetablesandfiber,alotofplant-basedmaterial,tofeeditandkeepithappyandhealthy.Inthe1950s,whenwestartedprocessingfoodandtakingalotofthenutrientsoutofit,westoppedfeedingourgoodbacteria,andinstead,westartedeatingalotofprocessedfoods,whichareallfilledwithsugarandsimplecarbohydrates.It’sveryinteresting,they’vedonestudiesthatshowifyoucompletelychangewhatyoueat,yourbacteriacanchangewithinthreedays.Foodhasabigeffectontheflora.That’sthesimplestplacetostart.

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About The Grain Brain WholeLifePlan

It’stimetoturnadviceintoaction.TheGrainBrainWholeLifePlanisyourpractical,comprehensiveempowermentguideforachievingoptimalhealth,preservingbrainvitality,losingweightandreducingyourriskforchronicdiseases.Dr.Perlmutterleveragestheleadingedgeofpublishedscienceonnutritionandwellness,takingthelessonsofGrainBrainandBrainMakertocreateapowerfullyactionableplanforoptimizinghealthandachievingpeakmentalperformance.TheGrainBrainWholeLifePlan–livehappilyeverafter.

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