OCTOBER 16, 2019 BOTANICAL BOOKS

I don’t know how I gained a vast knowledge of plants. Some is from my Integrative training in Arizona with Dr T Lowdog, and a lot is with 7Song at Northeast School of botanical Medicines. I have to say I read a lot

I have been reading a series of Botanical Books. Botanical, a new series from Reaktion, is the first to integrate horticultural writing with a broader account of the cultural and social impact of plants. The first book in the series was Oak. To date I have about 8 in the series- Birch, Rose, Primrose, Sunflower, Cactus, and my favorite Carnivorous Plants. I am awaiting the delivery of Bamboo. I just order Cannabis and Lily.

The book on Tulip reads like a novel “ A long time ago, you could only find them on the slopes of remote mountain ranges in Asia, but today they are the very symbol of modern genetics, a species unrivalled for the variety of colors and forms that breeders can create: tulips. In this book, Celia Fisher traces the story of this important and highly popular plant, from its mountain beginnings to its prevalence in the gardens of Mughal, Persian, and Ottoman

Makes a great Christmas gift for any plant lover

Until tomorrow…

OCTOBER 15, 2019 WILD PLANTS

Have you ever wondered what you could eat in the wild if you had to ? Many of us do not think of this nor do we have to. It would be for your survival.

We all know our market vegetables and fruits are trusted edible species, but what about wild plants? Here are a few common (North American) goodies that are safe to eat if you find yourself stuck in the wild There are many plants that you could eat. Some of these include:

1. wild asparagus

2. all berries ( mulberry, gooseberries, elderberries, and blackberries )

3. pine

4. dandelions

5. many nuts as walnuts, hazelnuts, hickory and even acorns)

A roadside herb called Plantain can be consumed Plantain is one of those plants that seems to thrive right on the edge of gardens and driveways, and it’s also edible. If you identify garlic mustard and watercress—these can be also eaten. I love chickweed as an edible herbs There are many books on edible plants . Unless you know about mushrooms and how to identify them I would not pick and consume wild mushrooms without a vast knowledge.

Until tomorrow

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…