Everyday, science teaches us something new about the benefits of the various chemicals found in plants. Many common herbs and spices have powerful health benefits. As we move forward we will explore more herbs.
Both parsley and cilantro contain compounds that help enhance elimination of toxic heavy metals. Heavy metals are known to interfere with normal cellular function by blocking enzymes that help to drive normal processes. Over time, this interference can damage tissues. Including cilantro or parsley in your daily routine can help eliminate mercury from fish and coal emissions, cadmium from air pollution and cigarette smoke and aluminum from antiperspirants and antacids. Since most fish is particularly high in mercury, adding parsley or cilantro to a side salad is an effective way to reduce mercury absorption. In addition, studies have demonstrated cilantro’s powerful ability to help regulate blood sugar, lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and raise “good” HDL cholesterol.
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Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels’s sprouts, cabbage, bok choy and kale all contain chemicals called indoles. Scores of studies over the past 20 years have shown that indoles help to prevent the development and spread of estrogen-sensitive cancer cells in prostate and breast tissue. Recent research showed that breast tissue ages faster than any other tissue in the body. It is hypothesized that this happens because the hormone, estrogen, causes breast tissue cells to reproduce more rapidly than most other tissues in the body. As a result, these cells lose their telomeres faster and eventually can no longer divide. Indoles help to weaken the growth-stimulating effects of estrogen. In dietary therapy, these vegetables are prescribed in amounts from 1/2 cup up to 3 cups per day.
If you don’t know how to cook, a simple way to prepare these vegetables is to just steam them for a few minutes. Quite delicious with a little butter, sea salt and a spritz of lemon juice.
A quick note; Ladies, if you are trying to become pregnant, the estrogen-lowering effects of these vegetables may lower your fertility. Gentleman, for you this improves fertility and helps to prevent testosterone from being converted into estrogen.
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Take advantage of winter’s long hours of darkness to help your body naturally build immunity, improve fat loss, promote deeper sleep, slow cellular aging and reduce your risk of cancer . Melatonin, a well-studied hormone, is made in the pineal gland is produced in the absence of light. Minimizing your exposure to light and sleeping in total darkness helps to increase production of melatonin. As I mention in a previous post, even light shining through a cracked door is enough to dramatically plummet melatonin levels.
by Of the scores of anti-aging herbs available in the Materia Medica of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Astragalus membranaceous has recently fallen under the spotlight. Aside from the newest research that shows its ability to lengthen telomeres, there are multiple studies going back 15-20 years demonstrating its ability to reduce inflammation, enhance the immune system and improve fatigue. Much of this information can be found in this wonderful post discussing some of its benefits.
Although generally safe, there are some caveats to the use of astragalus and some potential side effects. These are described in the Traditional Chinese Medical literature. Having used astragalus on at least 1000 patients, I can say with certainty that these concerns are legitimate. There are two major contraindications in the Traditional Chinese Medical literature regarding the use of astragalus. One is in the case of acute infections, flus and colds. The other relates to a condition known as “dampness” that affects the digestive system, nervous system and lymphatic system.
One of the many benefits described in the traditional texts is that astragalus strengthens the “Wei Qi”. This translates as the protective energy or the immune system. For thousands of years, astragalus was touted as a way to prevent or “lock out invasion of wind-heat or wind-cold” aka infection by various viruses and bacteria. It is one of the most effective herbs on the planet for strengthening the immune system. However, they were very clear that it also had the ability to “lock in” these invaders, prolong acute febrile diseases and potentially drive them to deeper parts of the body. There are written observations that discuss post-viral fatigue type symptoms and prolonged illness caused by the inappropriate use of astragalus and other similar herbs. More research is needed for a full explanation. I suspect this has to do with some of the lectins present in the herb http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22172162. For a weakened or deranged immune system these can be of great benefit. However, in the presence of an active infection, astragalus likely acts like a cloaking device and allows some pathogens to proliferate more effectively while masking symptoms. As a general rule, astragalus should be avoided or discontinued during acute infections of the respiratory tract, digestive tract and urinary tract. It should also be avoided during yeast infections and acute prostatitis. There are circumstances where astragalus can be used as an adjunctive herb in these situations, especially in weak or elderly patients. However, it would always be combined with other herbs that deal directly with infection and inflammation. In the cases of chronic diseases, astragalus can work miracles when combined with other herbs that address the specific condition.
Currently, it is not possible to determine if the extract contained in TA-65 ™ or other related products have cause for any of these concerns. It contains very specific chemical compounds from astragalus, which may not be involved in this mechanism. Several of my patients are taking TA-65 ™ and they all report fewer colds. However, to be on the safe side, I recommend that they temporarily discontinue it if they feel any symptoms coming on.
The second potential contraindication with astragalus concerns a mysterious concept called “dampness”. This is very common in today’s society. When “dampness” is present, the interconnected mechanisms within the digestive, nervous and lymphatic systems become “clogged”. It leads to and arrays of symptoms including fatigue, mental fog, digestive disturbances and disruption of neurotransmitter balance. This complex subject illuminates entire aspects of disease, especially the beginnings of autoimmune conditions. Although parts of our scientific knowledge can fill in some of the pieces, it is not sufficiently advanced enough to effectively explain this very real condition. The concept of dampness repeatedly appears throughout the Traditional Chinese Medicine literature spanning hundreds of years. Ayurveda, an even older medicine, also recognized this disease pathology. It is considered one of the primary “seeds” of many chronic diseases. The appropriate use of astragalus with this condition will be discussed in a future post.
by Did you know some plants like grape, rice and lotus, have more genes than humans? This is contrary to the fundamental thought that humans, being the “most” evolved, should be biologically more complex and therefore possess more genes. How can this be you ask? The current hypothesis is that we come equipped with a significant amount of genetic material from the organisms growing inside our gut. These various bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses provide signaling for the inner workings of our entire body. They support immune function, moderate inflammatory responses, generate vitamins that we are not capable of making, produce hormones from some of the foods we eat, help us to absorb minerals, and regulate the production of neurotransmitters. Most importantly, they allow our immune system to remain competitive with the rate of evolution of pathogens. Average bacteria have 500,000 generations for each human generation. Humans have only had 350-400,000 generations since the appearance of the earliest hominids in Africa. A team of researchers followed the changes of a genetically similar population of E. Coli for 50,000 generations. At 10,000 generations, a short time from an evolutionary perspective, “…the evolving genomes became increasingly different from their ancestors. Moreover, tremendous diversity accumulated within each population, such that almost every individual had a different genetic fingerprint” (Papadapoulus PNAS 1998)
Some surprises emerged at the 50,000-generation mark. One population had evolved to be able to utilize a completely different energy (food) source. Others changed in size, shape and antibiotic resistance. The successive generations were generally more resilient than the previous generations.
The human microbiome is passed on from generation to generation as an infant passes through the birth canal. The mixing of the mother’s secretions, including feces, provides the inoculation of these beneficial bacteria and fungi. The genetic material that we are carrying inside us today has evolved since the beginning of time and has been passed down through thousands of generations. Most animals on the planet, including many (and possibly all) born through eggs , receive this life-giving inoculation from their mother.
Over the past few years, we have observed a significant increase in autoimmune conditions, exaggerated immune responses, Celiac disease, allergy and asthma. Various factors have been attributed including lack of vitamin D, lack of sufficient parasites, an excessively sterile environment and deficiency of multiple bacteria, some of which are considered pathogenic. As I mention in my previous article, a lack of H. pylori, the bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers, can manifest as asthma. We are seeing startling changes to the human microbiome. Many individuals now require fecal transplants to replenish some of these missing organisms or face chronic illness. This is replacing what should have been passed down through the birth canal. Simply replacing these bacteria with fermented foods or probiotics is not always adequate. There are two reasons for this. First, like the soil, we have only been able to culture and identify only 1% of the organisms growing in the human digestive system. We don’t yet have enough information to re-create such a diverse system. Second, there is a hierarchy to the establishment of bacteria in the gut. E. coli, are like top soil on bedrock. They create a matrix for all the other single-celled creatures to grow and thrive. You can drink a gallon of yogurt daily but if E. Coli is not present, other beneficial species cannot establish themselves. So why not simply replace the E. Coli? Here’s the catch. Most E. Coli strains from other people and animal’s are rejected by our body’s immune system. This is likely why fecal transplants, which can work miracles, but must be obtained from the mother or siblings to avoid complications.
There are hundreds of studies linking cesarean sections (c-sections) and chronic antibiotic use with various autoimmune conditions and other health problems. Here are a few.
- A large study demonstrated a 52% increased risk of asthma in children delivered via cesarean section.
- Another study demonstrated a 2 fold increase in allergic reactions, asthma and sinus issues (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008;122:274-9.)
- A meta-analysis (a study that looks at all studies on the same subject) revealed 19% increase in type 1 diabetes in children who were delivered via c-section.
- A study demonstrated significant reduction of TNF-alpha inflammatory response in piglets infected by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae if they were inoculated with commensal bacteria. ***The fact that bacteria moderate inflammatory responses during infection could easily explain the increased incidence of severe allergic reactions.
- Another study demonstrated a significantly increased incidence of Celiac disease in children born via C-section
- Here is a wonderful article summarizing many of this information http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3110651/#R47
- Here is a book that goes into detail about some of these findings and their implications: An Epidemic of Absence – New Ways of Understanding Allergies and Autoimmune Diseases by Moises Velasquez-Manoff
These facts have sparked interest in the scientific and medical communities regarding the practice of cesarean section and antibiotic use. Less well recognized is the detrimental influence of seemingly harmless chemicals upon the microbiomes of various species. In 1974 the miracle herbicide, glyphosate or Roundup ™ was introduced to different agricultural markets in Malaysia, the U.K. and the U.S. Back then, techniques for evaluating the safety of chemicals was primarily based on two aspects. First, was the chemical’s ability to create disease. Second, the dose of the chemical that caused death in 50% of the recipients. (the LD50). Until recently, all studies on glyphosate suggested that most animals could literally drink the stuff without ill effects. However, as our knowledge and research techniques have evolved, we are discovering that we may have made committed irrevocable and possibly unprecedented mistakes in introducing this chemical into our environment.
A study performed on the bacteria populations in the digestive systems of poultry demonstrated that glyphosate caused significant reductions in the populations of various species of beneficial bacteria including Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus badius, Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Lactobacillus spp. (As I referenced above, we now know that beneficial bacteria are passed from the mother hen to her offspring and are inside the developing embryo within the egg). The reduction of these beneficial bacteria allowed overgrowth of bacteria that cause disease in humans like typhoid and botulism along with various other strains of salmonella.
As these pathogens have become more and more prevalent, we have had to use more and more antibiotics to protect ourselves from foods that have been part of the human diet for generations. Of course, the increased antibiotic use has further reduced the populations of the bacteria that prevented the pathogens to begin with. As time passes the pathogens develop more and more resistance to the antibiotics. We’ve replaced a system that worked for thousands of years with a scenario where we must innovate or die. I predict that in five to ten years we will come full circle and use bacteria and fungi as a replacement for antibiotics and to replenish what has been lost.
All of the beneficial bacteria mentioned in the study above are the same ones that exist in the human digestive system. As I have discussed in previous articles, the bacteria residing in our digestive system are reflective of the bacteria growing in the soil. Similar species of Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Enterococcus are found both in the soil and in the human GI tract.
The world’s grasslands contain within them the highest level of microbial biodiversity of any other soil or ecosystem on the planet. Over millions of years this biodiversity created the dark, deep rich soil that made the Midwest of the United States one of richest resources for food production on the planet. The introduction of glyphosate allowed humanity to produce more food than has ever been possible. However, it is possible that it has already altered our evolutionary path. Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, Purdue University has studied various aspects of soil microbiology and plant pathology for decades. Here is the perspective he offered regarding glyphosate in an interview a few years ago.
“All it does is make it possible for that plant to survive and to accumulate more glyphosate. We still change the soil ecology, microbial ecology, and… our intestinal microbiology.”
Daily discoveries demonstrate that human health is inextricably linked with the health of the tiniest aspects our environment. Through innovation we have overcome many of Nature’s obstacles to create abundance and, for now, have become one of the most successful species on the planet. Through our knowledge we are finding new crossroads where it is obvious our actions are interfering with our own ability to adapt and evolve. It is becoming imperative that we use this knowledge to restore balance to correct the mistakes we have made. Otherwise, we will back ourselves into a corner where innovation is no longer about advancement but obligatory for our own survival.
by I was first introduced to the concept of Sympathetic Overdrive while attending a lecture about the etiology of autoimmune disease presented by Gary and Rain Klepper D.C. Over ten years later, any skepticism I had regarding the importance of this concept has fully dissolved. There is an array of chronic diseases, including many autoimmune and skin disorders, which are ultimately and intimately related to gut health. Overlooking this single issue can render an otherwise sound treatment protocol slow or ineffective. For successful treatment of gut-related conditions it is imperative that the presence and severity of sympathetic overdrive be assessed and addressed.
Understanding Sympathetic Overdrive
There are two major parts of the nervous system. The parasympathetic, which is activated when we relax, is known as the “rest and digest” part of our nervous system. It stimulates blood flow to the digestive system, brain, extremities and sexual organs. The other part, the sympathetic nervous system, is responsible for the “fight or flight” response. It is activated when our body perceives stress. It reduces blood flow to the extremities, brain and digestive organs in preparation for a perceived survival situation. As we go through our daily lives, our external circumstances and our thoughts stimulate a constant dance between these two aspects of the nervous system. When a person is constantly stressed, their nervous system can be tilted into the state of sympathetic overdrive. The stress can be brought on by various factors including constant worry, skipping meals, not getting adequate rest, not allowing adequate time to carry out tasks and difficult life situations. People who work long hours that involve concentration and active thinking are prone to sympathetic overdrive. This condition is rampant in corporate executives and hedge fund managers. It can also be triggered by situations that remind our subconscious of stressful or scary events from our past.
When a person experiences enough stress to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, they often experience cold hands and feet. Less noticeable but more serious is the reduced blood flow to the digestive tissues. If this only happens occasionally, the system usually has the resilience to recover. However, if the body is in a state of sympathetic overdrive, tissues of the digestive system constantly experience a state of reduced blood flow and oxygen exchange. Elevated levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, can lead to further damage to these tissues.
The effects of reduced blood flow from sympathetic overdrive interferes with the proper functioning of digestive organs, alters the balance of microbes residing within the gut, reduces the proper functioning of the immune system and interferes with proper filtering of nutrients that are absorbed. Many of the beneficial bacteria and fungi growing in our gut only thrive in an oxygen environment. These bacteria are known as aerobes. As the oxygen supply diminishes with circulation, bacteria that thrive in the absence of oxygen, anaerobes, begin to replace the withering populations of aerobic bacteria. Clostridium Difficile (aka C. Diff), a common infection in hospitals, is a classic anaerobic bacterium. Aside from C. Diff., there are likely hundreds of species of anaerobic bacteria that can or do reside in the human gut. So far, it is estimated that we’ve only been able to culture and identify between 1-5% of these organisms. However, we know they exist because we can test for one of their main waste products, beta-glucuronidase. This little waste product can reap havoc on the body’s detoxification systems and will be discussed in another article.
One would expect significant digestive disturbances in this situation. However, some people never experience any digestive symptoms. In the past 15 years I have seen hundreds of patients who tested positive for overgrowth of C. Diff, numerous pathogens or the presence of beta glucuronidase with no digestive symptoms. On the other hand, most of these patients had other significant chronic diseases including eczema, psoriasis, tyramine intolerance, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and fibromyalgia. I want to be absolutely clear that this scenario is only one piece of the puzzle in healing these diseases.
There are very few possibilities to explain how pathogenic bacteria can thrive in the digestive tract without initiating a proper immune response. The most logical explanation is the disruption of proper immune functioning from gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). I suspect that this system either becomes defective or overloaded. As a result, the constant stream of antigens override this system and they are passed along to other parts of immune system in the mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). As a result, inflammatory conditions, like eczema and joint stiffness, arise in other parts of the body. This too is a very large subject that I will discuss in another article or in my book.
Assessing the Presence and Severity of Sympathetic Overdrive
There are several key signs that suggest a patient is experiencing Sympathetic Overdrive. Many of these were originally observed in the Traditional Chinese Medicine literature under the concepts of Liver Qi Stagnation, Liver overacting on Spleen and/or Stomach. Obviously, there are variations but here are some basic guidelines.
- Cold hands and feet – This symptom can arises when the stress response is fairly pronounced. Of course, it can be caused by other conditions that affect circulation. However, as a general rule, if the patient is experiencing both cold hands and feet, it is usually a symptom of sympathetic overdrive.
- Constipation or sluggish bowel movements without dry stools – the reduction of circulation to the digestive system slows churning in the intestinal tract and can lead to mild constipation or sluggish movement. It is possible to have constipation with dry stools along with this condition but it will not be caused by it.
- Overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria or elevated beta-glucuronidase on a stool and digestive analysis.
- Any symptom that is generally worse with stress is often related to sympathetic overdrive.
Treating Sympathetic Overdrive
There are multiple ways of treating this problem. However, tools that the patient can use several times per day will accelerate progress. The most powerful remedy for this situation is a variation of abdominal breathing that originated from the ancient practice of Qi Gong. This exercise, acts as a pump to restore circulation to the digestive tissues and directly stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system.
Instructions: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on the lower abdomen below the naval bringing your attention to this area. Inhaling deeply, extend your abdomen out as if it is a balloon filling with air. Exhale and squeeze the lower abdomen in imagining that you are trying to touch your naval to your spine. The repetitions can be done fairly quickly averaging about 1 every 3-4 seconds or slowly for a deeper meditative effect. You can also do this exercise while driving or lying down. Repeat 5-10 times several times per day or whenever symptoms appear. For amazing abdominal muscles repeat 100-200x per day.
You can find other meditative and breathing exercises in my previous post “Finding Inspiration Through Respiration”
Abdominal heat packs – simply applying heat to the abdominal area can stimulate circulation to these tissues and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system.
Acupuncture is powerfully effective for “resetting” the nervous system and reducing stress. It has been demonstrated to treat the most extreme version of sympathetic overdrive, which we call post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. It is so effective that a few years ago, the U.S Department of Defense funded The Air Force Acupuncture Center. This is a clinic dedicated to treating military personnel who suffer from PTSD. It is used as a practice and training facility for physicians and medical professionals for “battlefield acupuncture”.
Herbs and Homeopathic Remedies that Really Work
Please note that all of these recommendations should be administered under the guidance of a qualified health care provider.
Rescue Remedy – This is available in all health food stores and online. Its intended use was originally for stress and traumatic experiences. I have found it to be incredibly helpful for treatment of gut disorders that involve sympathetic overdrive. Just follow the instuctions.
Psy-Stabil by Pekana – This is another remedy that falls under the practice of homotoxicology, which is slightly different from homeopathy. Its effects are similar to Rescue Remedy but may be a bit stronger. It is also very helpful for relieving anxiety.
Rhodiola – This herb is literally miraculous for restoring circulation to the digestive system and also balancing the nervous system. It is also helpful for treating addiction and some causes of depression. Be careful! It has some interactions with medications. Practitioners, be sure to take the time to inform yourself before prescribing it.
Lactobacillus Rhamanosus – This beneficial bacterium is one of the few that generates hydrogen peroxide. It is very helpful for reintroducing oxygen to the digestive tract and reducing overgrowth of C. Diff and other obligate anaerobes.
Other tips for preventing stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system:
- Don’t skip meals! Every time your body has to accommodate a drop in blood sugar, it stimulates the production of cortisol and initiates a stress response
- Take time everyday to do nothing
- Give yourself the gift of extra time to complete tasks. Cramming more and more tasks into your day increases stress and reduces creativity and the possibility of spontaneity.
- Pay attention to the situations and people in your life who make you feel stressed. Reflect on why they trigger these feelings in you and decide if there are ways of managing your exposure to them.
- Spend time in Nature. This is proven to reduce stress levels.
“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.” – Hippocrates
by With the best of intentions are we slowly rendering our population incapable of developing natural, adaptive immunity? In his upcoming book, Doc, Terry Grossman M.D. gives a powerful example of this as he discusses the pros and cons of vaccines. I would like to expand on the subject.
In 2005, a study by W Katherine Yih et al, was published demonstrating that from 1998-2003 “As varicella vaccine coverage in children increased, the incidence of varicella (chickenpox) decreased [by 79%] and the occurrence of herpes zoster (shingles) increased [by 90%]”. These figures are beyond statistically significant. Similar trends were observed in several areas where the varicella vaccine was initially introduced. The explanation for the unexpected emergence of shingles was this. In any given population, there would have been an ongoing percentage of people with active varicella infection. Chronic, low-grade exposure to the virus throughout the population ensures that it remains on the immune system’s “radar screen” and is therefore kept at bay by our own adaptive immunity. Vaccinations work in a similar fashion. Another study done by Bryson et. Al. predicted that “a substantial increase in herpes zoster cases over the first 30–50 years after the initiation of mass vaccination, peaking about 20 years after the start of mass vaccination at an incidence of 51 percent over the pre-vaccination level and eventually falling below the initial incidence”. doi: 10.1016/S0264-410X(02)00180-9 Another study conducted in Germany also concluded there was sufficient evidence to suggest that varicella vaccinations lead to higher incidents of herpes zoster in the older population.
To be objective, before 2003, herpes zoster was not identified as a nationally notifiable disease, and no states in the US required reporting of cases. The study mentioned above seems to have accounted for record discrepancies within the chosen test site. However, a study came out in 2008 doi: 10.1086/522162 demonstrating that some areas where the varicella vaccine was introduced saw minimal change in reporting of herpes zoster cases. There is one claim in this study that I take major issue with. They state “Evidence from population-based studies suggests that rates of HZ [herpes zoster] were increasing in the United States before the introduction of the varicella vaccination program.” Another study states that the incidence of herpes zoster has been increasing since 1945. In both of these studies, several crucial data points were not accounted for. First, there was no oversight or requirement in reporting of herpes zoster events before the introduction of the vaccine in 1995. Second, access to health care has increased between 1945 and the present. Reports of incidents would not have been consistent through any subsection of the general population. I’m not saying they don’t have some valid points but in a scientific paper, these are presumptive and irresponsible statements. Their conclusion should have been that the data is inconsistent and not available.
There are always unknowns. However, the current research suggests that the introduction of the varicella vaccine saved an average of 90 lives per year and created an anthropogenic chasm in an entire system, between virus and human, that had evolved over the millennia to reach a steady state. Trends like this have the potential to remove human beings from the interconnected web of Evolution and Natural Selection. In this way, technology loses its place as a luxury and instead becomes a necessity of human survival.
by Hello to all of you wonderful people who have taken time out this precious life to read my blog. I had to check out for a while due to some personal tragedy. As some ancient cultures say ” I have been waiting for my soul to catch up with the rest of me” and I am FINALLY starting to write again. Upcoming subjects include:
-Evolution Dictates a Contrarian Approach to the Emergence and Spread of Human Pathogens
-Misinterpretation of Methylation. Why Folic Acid Doesn’t Cause Cancer
-A Conventional Interpretation of the Four Levels of Disease in Traditional Chinese Medicine
-A Conventional Interpretation of Digestion in Traditional Chinese Medicine
-Why We Need to Introduce a New School of Research if Science it Going to Successfully Evolve
I look forward to more great discussions and comments.
Sincere thanks to each of you!
Karen
by This post is for a good friend who will be doing an overland adventure through the Amazon. He asked me if there was anything he could do that would help keep him from getting sick while on his journey. Travel healthy!
For my readers who live in litigious countries, I am legally obligated to say to you: Please note the information below is not meant to diagnose, prevent or treat any disease. The information is provided for information only. There are inherent risks with travel (in fact there are inherent risks with living). If you make the sovereign decision to implement any of the information you obtain here, be sure that you aren’t allergic to any of the products I mention below BEFORE you go on your trip.
Before I submerged myself into indigenous Ecuadorian existence for three weeks back March of 2010, I researched the medical literature and interviewed several herbalists, nutritionists and conventional doctors about disease prevention for rainforest travel. Traveling with a group of Chinese Medicine Practitioners I had plenty of opportunities to see what other practitioners were trying, what worked and what didn’t. The following is an assembly of what I learned from the medical literature, what I’ve learned from treating disease and what actually worked while we were traveling.
When traveling in the Amazon, several things became quickly apparent. First, the South Park episode about saving the rainforest is a fairly accurate depiction. The Amazon literally wants you to become a part of it. Second, there are so many insects there who want to eat you that concerns about mosquito bites almost become a joke. Just be grateful that malaria can be treated and hope that you don’t get something worse.
Prevention of Gastrointestinal Infections:
Step One:
Your digestive tract should naturally be full of an incredibly diverse population of gut flora composed mostly of bacteria and fungi. When you consume food and water, unless it has been sterilized or chlorinated, you are naturally exposed to these various organisms and you establish a balance of both beneficial and pathogenic flora. Like an ecosystem, the more diverse, the more difficult it is to cause disruptions or allow invasion of non-native species. When antibiotics or chlorinated water are introduced, the balance of the digestive flora is significantly disrupted and the diversity plummets. Critters that wouldn’t normally be able to grow there are given the opportunity to invade. Doing a 14-21 day course of probiotics, prior to embarking on your journey, can add an extra barrier of defense by reducing the viability and survivability of any potential bacterial and fungal invaders. This is especially important for anyone who has been on a course of antibiotics in the past few months. You should also note that if you are on any proton pump inhibitors for heartburn like, Prilosec, Protonix or Zantac, you are at a much higher risk of GI infection since you have no stomach acid.
The Best Probiotics: Obtain a combination that provides various forms of bifidobacterium, lactobacillus and saccharomyces boulardii. In my clinical experience, the refrigerated brands, which contain live bacteria, and are much more effective despite claims from companies that sell the non-refrigerated forms. It’s important to get it from a company that ships these cold otherwise they die during shipping. My favorite brands are Jarrow, Natural Factors, Metagenics and Pharmax. These can be obtained from health food stores or from several online companies. If you order it online in the summer, pay the extra money for overnight shipping so it doesn’t overheat. Take the suggested dose with at least 8oz of water, 30 minutes before or two hours after eating. During your course of treatment, reduce your fruit and sugar intake and eat more vegetables, onions and legumes. This will ensure proper survival and establishment of these bacteria.
Of course you should take all the necessary precautions and try to minimize your exposure to unclean drinking water, uncooked vegetables and fruits that can’t be peeled. Be sure to educate yourself with more complete information at the CDC’s website.
Step Two:
While You are Traveling
Oil of Oregano – I use this in my clinical practice for various bacterial and fungal infections. I recommend it with a high level of confidence for prevention of GI infections while traveling. To emphasize its effectiveness, I often have patients with GI symptoms send in stool samples for analyses. Whenever pathogenic bacteria or fungi are found, sensitivity testing is performed so we know what substances will and will not kill the invaders. Oil of oregano often tests equally or more effective than antibiotics for clearing the various pathogens. Follow up stool tests almost always confirm these findings. In over ten years of practice I’ve never seen any side effects. However, if you have a tendency toward gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) oil of oregano can irritate it. If you develop any pain in the area above the naval (your stomach) I would discontinue it. Make sure you aren’t allergic to it before you decide to use it as you main defense.
In addition to the fact that this stuff really works, it provides additional benefits that make it ideal for travel in hot, humid areas. First, it doesn’t seem to wipe out the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Second, it has pretty strong antifungal properties and is an added tier of protection from topical fungal infections like, jock itch, candida and athlete’s foot, that thrive in warm, damp climates. For women, if you do end up having to take strong antibiotics on your trip, it’s very effective at preventing yeast overgrowth.
Dosage: For travel, I recommend 300 mg before every meal and an extra 150mg if you consume any small meal or drinks of unknown origin. My favorite brand from Designs for Health but most brands in health food stores are acceptable.
Story: In my own experience traveling through the Amazon, I was in several situations where I ended up sharing foods prepared by the indigenous peoples and even sharing drinks out of one cup passed around entire communities. No, I don’t recommend this. However, I was fine for the first 17 days. There was finally an incident where I decided to hike back from a village with a friend. The kind Santa Agua gentleman, who guided us back down the mountain, led us to his home where his wife offered us some fresh strawberries. It was so hot, we were tired and hungry, and the strawberries smelled so amazing. I didn’t have my oil of oregano but decided to take a chance. Sure enough, the next day I had new visitors in my tummy. This leads me to what to do if you do get sick.
If You Get a Gastrointestinal Illness or Disturbance
For the reasons mentioned above, I do everything I can to avoid taking antibiotics. However, I fully acknowledge that there is a time and a place for their use and urge travelers to get a prescription from their doctor to have if needed. I think it’s important to understand that developing diarrhea is an immune response that is designed to make the intestinal tract uninhabitable for those little invading critters. Just because you get diarrhea, doesn’t mean you have an actual pathogenic bacteria. Your body will initiate an immune response against almost anything it’s not familiar with. Stopping it with anti-diarrheal medicines can give invasive pathogens an opportunity to really establish themselves and make you really sick. There is, of course, a balance. If you are so sick that you are unable to stay hydrated then these medications might be necessary. Consult a physician.
Below is a combination I have found to be very effective at treating diarrhea or GI infections while traveling. This combination usually results in significant improvement within a day or two and is even capable of warding off more severe infections. It’s quite normal to still have loose stools and some cramping for several days after the initial infection. Important: If the diarrhea becomes severe or explosive, continues to get worse or is accompanied with vomiting or fever then it’s time to seek and use conventional medicine.
v Apo-Enterit 30 drops in water 3-4 times per day. Available from BioResource Inc. This is a German Biologic Drainage Remedy designed specifically for food poisoning and diarrhea.
v Pil Curing (aka Culing Pills) – these are available in vials from Chinese Medicine Pharmacies or from Chinese Medicine Herbalists. The best one is from the US Distributor, Solstice Medicine Company and is screened for various chemicals. Take 1-2 vials three times per day.
v Coptis – this is an herb with extremely potent antibiotic properties. It was one of the primary herbs used for bacterial infections for several hundred years in China. Take a small dose of 2-3 pills with each dose of Pil Curing. Available from Chinese Medicine Pharmacies and Practitioners. The company Mayway makes a nice preparation.
v L-Glutamine – this is optional but very helpful. 1000mg twice per day on an empty stomach helps to reduce inflammation in the wall of the intestines
Dietary recommendations if you are having gastrointestinal issues: Avoid raw vegetables and fruit. Eat easy-to-digest grains and small amounts of animal protein. A little fruit, fruit juice or coconut water throughout the day can provide extra potassium to help prevent dehydration. Careful, too much will make everything worse. Broth with lots of salt will also help to keep you hydrated.
Watch for future posts about travel medicine. Until then, travel healthy!
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I will be traveling to Mongolia for a few weeks and don’t expect to have the ability to do any posts. With regards to my series on Sugar’s Contributions to the Evolution, Then Devolution of Humans. I would like to leave you with a story that demonstrates why it has taken so long for our society to become informed about the adverse health effects of sugar. Before I start, I would also like to add that when I was traveling through Ecuador a few months ago, every medicine man and shaman that I met said one of the best things you can do to keep your people healthy is to minimize sugar. They understood that fruit sugar was the same as any other sugar. It’s amazing to me that they didn’t require any scientific evidence for this. They simply understood.
A few months ago, our nurse practitioner was following a study that was supposed to show that fructose, specifically from agave, had no adverse health consequences. At the time, she was admittedly hopeful about the outcome because she loves sugar and was convinced that fruit sugar, because it’s natural, couldn’t be that bad. The study looked at healthy individuals as well as type 2 diabetics. Each group consumed a controlled amount of agave syrup daily in addition to their regular diets. After just a few weeks the researchers had to abandon the study because the blood markers in both groups (fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1C) continuously rose. In the diabetics, the numbers reached unsafe levels. Since the intention of the study was to show that fructose from agave was safe, nothing was published and this valuable information never made it into the scientific literature.
This is a photo of Intipaxi, a traveling healer, whom I met in Ecuador. He would visit villages and teach the people how to use their local plants medicinally and how to keep themselves healthy. He continually talked about the importance of sunshine and walking barefoot on the Earth.
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