OCTOBER 14, 2019 GLUTEN

Is gluten toxic, a harmless indulgence, or part of a healthy diet? We know that people with medical conditions like celiac disease need to go gluten-free, but what about everyone else? How do you know if you’re gluten intolerant? Or gluten-sensitive? Millions of people around the world have gone gluten-free in the last decade. A 2015 Gallup poll FOUND that around one-fifth of Americans and many Europeans prefer gluten-free foods Some of the gluten free processed foods contain a lot of sugar and other ingredients for which you might be sensitive to.

Gluten is an umbrella name for proteins called prolamins (primarily glutenin and gliadin ) found in wheat, rye, barley and oats There are blood tests to determine if you have a gluten allergic and have celiac disease. These are antibodies for gliadin, endomysial and transglutaminase. These are very specific. Some gastroenterologists believe you must have a biopsy. I do recommend food allergy testing by Ig G not Ig E ( which is immediate sensitivity) Here is a small list of foods that contain gluten

Wheat: bread, pasta, baked goods, sauces, cereals, soups, roux (a mixture of flour with a fat like oil or butter, used as a thickening agent for soups and sauces), salad dressings, soy sauces

• Rye: cereals, rye beer, rye bread (e.g., pumpernickel)

• Barley: malt, malt extracts, malt vinegar, beer, soups, food coloring, Brewer’s yeast

• Triticale: cereals, pasta, breads

  At both Fratellone Medical and Connecticut Integrative Medical Center we offer comprehensive testing for gluten allergy and gluten sensitivity. We have trained professional staff as naturopathic doctors with specialty training in Nutrition to deal with your food sensitivities. Get the right test done

• If you want to read a book about a life with Celiac Disease I suggest Jennifer’s Way : My Journey with Celiac Disease by Jennifer Esposito. Published in 2014 .

  Until tomorrow…

OCTOBER 9, 2019 HERBS AND DRUG INTERACTION

There is potential pharmacokinetic interactions between some herbs and supplements especially involving those drugs/supplements/herbs those metabolize through the many CYP3A and CYP2DG pathways.

Today in our NYC and Fairfield office I do a test called Integrated Genetic Solutions otherwise known as IGS. I have been involved with this test and involved in its conception 3 years ago. I utilize 15 genes to determine which medications the individual is sensitive to meaning that he/she can or cannot take. There are some herbs that metabolized by these genetic pathways,

For example goldenseal is a known to be a strong inhibitor of CYP3A4/5 and CYP2D6 . This means it that goldenseal will interfere with medication that metabolized also by these genes. Are you a fast, intermediate or slow metabolizer of this gene and other genes

St Johns wort is also a well known strong inducer of the CYP3A4 gene

Do you want to find out if YOU are?

Call Fratellone Medical Associates at 212 421 3202 or our Fairfield Office 203 717 1339 to get your IGS done today

Until tomorrow…

OCTOBER 8, 2019 BACON AND MANIA

I read many books in my leisure as well as surfing the internet for different health relayed blogs. I found something interesting on the Brain Food Blog. There was a study involving 1100 patients admitted to the Sheppard Pratt Institute.

Those patients consuming meat sticks were found to five times more likely to have mania . Those patients that consume nitrated or cured meat such as bacon and salami have 3.5 to 5 times the risk of having mania.

Nitrates were found to change physiology and behavior in a way that mimics the underlying mechanisms of mania and bipolar study.

Fascinating

Until tomorrow…

OCTOBER 7, 2019 BLUEBERRIES SLOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

Eating 100 grams of blueberries for 4 weeks twice a day has been studied and is associated with systolic blood pressure lowering. This is equivalent to lowering with blood pressure medication. So would you rather take a synthetic medication or eat blueberries ? I would eat the blueberries.

It is the anthocyanins which are responsible for the beneficial effects. It is these compounds that give the blueberries their red, blue and purple color. Previous studies have suggested that the polyphenols in blueberries are good for aging and preventing neurodegeneration. Mots previous studies focused on the cognitive effects of blueberries.

Now we have a study linked with blood pressure lowering. More studies with blueberries and its active compounds needs to be studied in heart disease

Until tomorrow…

OCTOBER 4-6, 2019 PLASTICS

We live in a world of increasing toxins to our body. Plastic containers for water and other liquids are made up of several endocrine -mimicking compounds such as BPA and phtalates. These two compounds can cause major endocrine dysfunction.

Even if the newer plastics do not contain these above, they still have endocrine mimicking effects Spy products can even worsen this potential as soy contains estrogenic compounds

Several pesticides even contain endocrine disrupting substances. One herb, curcumin ( turmeric) can protect against these endocrine disrupting compounds.

Until tomorrow….

OCTOBER 3, 2019 ALUMINUM

Aluminum and fluoride are toxic substances in many products especially medicines. Many prescriptions medicines have a dye in it that contains aluminum

We do know that vaccinations contain aluminum. This aluminum not only is present in organ tissue but accumulates in the brain. Aluminum in food and water are generally absorbed poorly in the digestive tract ( GI tract ) but organic acids as citric and malic acid dramatically increase aluminum absorption.

Aluminum is strongly linked to neurodegenerative disease as Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease

You can lower aluminum levels in the brain by taking saffron, ellagic acid, and curcumin. Other antioxidants that can reduce aluminum levels are vitamin E, vitamin C, triphala, Bacopa, and taurine

Until tomorrow…

OCTOBER 1, 2019 CANCER CAUSING FOODS

I teach Integrative Oncology at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. I am not an Oncologist. As an integrative physician MD/herbalist I utilize many modalities to treat cancer. It all starts for a change in dietary lifestyle

The chances of getting cancer are 1 in 2 for men, and 1 in 3 for women, according to the American Cancer Society. Those shocking numbers represents a growing epidemic in the United States. Nowadays, we should read very carefully the reading labels of any food and avoid those that are harmful for us.

Tomatoes contain lycopene is an anti cancer supplement. The issue with canned tomatoes is an industrial compound that is used in lining the can. It is used to prevent corrosion and preserve the food. It is carcinogenic. It is a time to start reading labels. There are many environment factors that have been linked to cancer Even if a processed meat looks tasty and is delicious it does contain preservatives, like sodium nitrates that are well known carcinogens READ THE LABELS

Until tomorrow…

SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 CBD/CANNIBIS AND CANCER

There is growing evidence that cannabis may help prevent the growth of cancer. The International Society of Urology observed that the men who regularly used cannabis had a 45% reduction in bladder cancer occurrence, compared to both smokers and non-smokers that didn’t.

Researches believe that one of the main reasons cannabis may prevent cancer is due to its well-documented ability to reduce inflammation. It has been shown to reduce inflammation because its powerful anti oxidant properties Cannabis and its components have been shown to not only stop cancer cells growing, but to kill them.

More studies need to be done on the whole cannabinoid system ( called the endocannabinoid system (ECS) A study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute published a meta-analysis of 34 in vitro and in vivo studies of cannabinoids in glioma reported that all but one study confirmed that cannabinoids selectively kill tumor cells.” More and more doctors should be using CBD +/- THC for their cancer patients

Until tomorrow…