It has been known in the fitness industry by savvy trainers for some time that doing hundreds of crunches does not ‘spot reduce fat’ around the mid section, lunges, squats and running, whilst great forms of exercise do not specifically reduce fat on the legs etc, you did know that didn’t you?  The good news is cutting edge scientific research has found in the last decade or so that knowing a persons specific hormone balance, we can possibly optimize their body composition, following site-characteristic protocols. Here are four example indicators:

1. Fat around thighs indicates high estrogen levels, very common in today’s world full of plastics and xeno-estrogens (biological estrogen mimickers).

2. Fat on the front of the tummy or umbilicus represents high or imbalanced Cortisol or stress hormone problems, again modern day stressful lifestyles!

3. High levels of Insulin are shown in Fat storage areas around the ‘love handles’ this is a reflection of blood sugar problems and poor diet.

4. A poor Thyroid function and high goitrogen levels can commonly lead to high levels of Fat storage around the neck, mid back and low shoulder blade area.

5. The fifth clinical pearl is that high Androgen levels, promote Fat storage around the upper arms and mid-section area.

If all this sounds complex, the real solutions are healthy, regular levels of exercise and following a good balanced diet and stress management, you can’t beat your body into submission, it just doesn’t work. Work smart, not simply hard. The truth is you can get better results with the same time spent working out, sounds good doesn’t it? If in doubt speak to someone about your nutritional intake!

Excess levels of hormones found in the body are not being processed correctly by the liver, usually due to stress and poor diet, genetics does play its part but normally the former two are more influential. Laboratory testing is usually the best way to find out your hormones levels, and ‘If you’re not assessing, you’re guessing’ as a teacher of mine likes to say. Speak to your GP or a qualified Nutritionist if you need clarification. Again I’ll stress the importance of balancing stress, nutrition and exercise, they are key in getting the body you deserve.

1. High lower body (upper thigh skin fold and gluteal fold) fat measurements; indicate high amounts of so-called Alpha-2-receptors, (more common in women) plus high levels of estrogens. The recommended treatment for this would be clearing the liver from high circulating levels of estrogen. Also by locally blocking alpha-2 receptors we maximize fat loss, and minimize fat accumulation.  I also suggest the supplement indole-3-carbinol, (found in Broccoli type vegetables) as an estrogen detoxifier, as well as some isoflavones . A healthy liver naturally cleanses the body of unwanted hormones so keeping it healthy is paramount.

2. High umbilical (abdominal) skin fold measurements alarmed health care professionals because one study consisting of 30,000 women over a period of 12 years discovered that women with higher umbilical fat measurements, (abdominal fat accumulation) were more likely to develop heart disease than other ordinary overweight women. As I mentioned before, this group had to deal with high stress and chronically elevated cortisol. Stress reduction and regular sleep patterns are key. Also the supplement phosphatydylserine has shown a dramatic reduction of circulating cortisol, (as well as improved mood, memory, and motivation  to fight stress and depression). Fish oils rich in essential omega-3 oils and Liquorice Root, which helps the regulation of cortisol production. Glycyrrhizin is a component of liquorice, which is capable of inactivating cortisol. Another good idea for any person belonging to this particular group is to limit (reduce) their caffeine and simple sugars consumption. These are factors that could impact (increase) their levels of cortisol in the body.

3. People with a high, mid-axillary (upper outer lat region) fat measurement, usually have some form of thyroid problem. This can measured in blood test by your GP. The supplements that I recommend to treat this particular problem are: the Ayurvedic herb Guggul, which stimulates synthesis of T3, the active form of thyroid hormone. Also a good choice would be a Bladderwrack a natural source of Iodine, Zinc and Selenium, all responsible for thyroid hormone production. Finally, Ashwaganda and Coleus root(a member of the mint family) both used frequently to stimulate the thyroid gland.

4. If a supra iliac (love handles) skin fold is high, then the person could have a circulating insulin problem, so a glycemically balanced diet is recommended here. Take frequent smaller meals, consisting of essential fats and high fibre. Supplements such as chromium, fenugreek and flax seeds will control levels of blood sugar and insulin. So, to remind you once again of the importance of good nutrition as it makes your life in the gym much easier or the body you have much stronger and healthier!

Speak to Guy about creating a balanced nutrition plan to suit your personal needs with the possible inclusion of testing, and the recommendation of certain herbal supplements. www.successfulhealth.co.uk

Call on 07980 865 892

References:

Your guide to Healthy Hormones 2003 – Dr D Kalish,

The Body Typing Diet 1999 Dr Sandra Cabot

Biosignatures Information 2005 – Poliquin Performance Institute

Unfortunately, strategies employed in the past by most of our clients to lose weight include calorie-restricted diets full of processed foods (bars, shakes, packaged meals) and overdone cardiovascular workouts. Both these misguided approaches lead to short-term weight loss and in the long-term damage one’s metabolism to the point where future weight gain is inevitable.

As Personal trainers, Health practitioners and Nutritionists we are up against incorrect but widely accepted notions of how to lose weight and we frequently have clients that are experiencing weight loss resistance. For these people employing all the fad diets and spending hours in the gym does not help them meet their weight goals. In reality in order to lose weight in a healthy manner people need to adopt multiple lifestyle changes and address all three body systems for an integrated approach to getting fit.

The Three Body Systems and Weight Loss

The three body systems include the hormonal system, the digestive system and the detoxification system. For most people there is no simple, single solution for losing weight, all three body systems need to be addressed along with a program incorporating exercise and lifestyle changes. The hormonal system regulates our metabolic rate and controls how we burn body fat, the digestive system provides us the nutrients we need to burn body fat and the detoxification system, when not working properly, prevents the burning of fat stores. Most weight problems are brought on by years of poor lifestyle choices such as inactivity and lack of sleep combined with hormone imbalances, digestive and detoxification issues.

The Hormonal System

With regards to the hormonal system, most weight gain can be traced to the adrenal, or stress, hormones. The adrenal hormone cortisol, best known for its pivotal role in responding to stress, also promotes the burning of body fat, helps regulate emotions, and counters inflammation — all part of the body’s “fight or flight” response to threat. Cortisol levels rise under stress, but if stress continues without enough rest for recovery, as often happens with our modern pace of life, the adrenal glands become exhausted and cortisol levels drop. This has a chain-reaction impact on metabolism, slowing down our metabolic rate resulting in increased body fat. The more stress we are under, the more body fat we store.

The Role of Cortisol

Cortisol is secreted in response to any stress in the body, physical or psychological. Excess cortisol leads to a breakdown of muscle protein, which releases amino acids into the bloodstream that are then converted by the liver into energy, our fuel for running away or fighting. After the stressful event has passed, cortisol levels return to normal. With chronic or repeated stress the body continues to produce cortisol. If the call on the adrenal glands to produce cortisol perpetuates, the glands eventually weaken, leading to adrenal fatigue and ultimately exhaustion or adrenal burnout. Adrenal exhaustion leads to increased body fat, fatigue and depression. In fact, according to scientists at the National Institute of Mental Health, adrenal exhaustion is the leading cause of depression in the United States.

Adrenal Exhaustion

With stress, a surge of cortisol prepares the body to fight off an attack or flee. For millennia this mechanism operated under conditions that would be followed by long periods of rest and full recovery. Today, however, we are essentially locked in a culture-wide “fight or flight” state. Poor diets, lack of exercise and sleep, and long work hours leave bodies in a chronic state of stress, with many restorative functions continually sacrificed or impaired.

Adrenal exhaustion leaves people feeling lethargic and fatigued. An abnormal adrenal rhythm also impacts:

• Skin regeneration, causing wrinkles and premature aging
• Sleep quality, leading to trouble falling and staying asleep
• Bone health, which creates osteopenia or bone loss
• Muscle and joint function, leading to achy arthritis-type joint pain and neck, shoulder, and lower back pain
• Immune function, leading to frequent illness

Reversing adrenal burnout requires a well-designed exercise program, improved sleep habits, stress reduction and a dose of self-realization regarding the importance of our emotional and spiritual lives. If left unchecked, fluctuations in cortisol have a profound impact on the sex hormones, leading to problems in women such as PMS and menopausal symptoms and to low sex drive in men.

The Digestive System

The second body system, the digestive system is referred to as the “mother” system because it feeds our body tissues with the nutrients we need to function. Intestinal fungal overgrowth, which triggers over consumption of carbohydrates and sweets and digestive tract infections such as parasites and food sensitivities play a part in weight gain. Moreover, a perfectly functioning digestive system is an important first step in any weight loss program, as your body needs to absorb key vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids to properly regulate metabolism and burn fat. In the majority of patients I have treated, weight gain has been connected to a fungal, bacterial or parasitic infection in the GI tract.

Food allergies are another important digestive system factor affecting the success of weight loss programs. Sensitivity to gluten (found in many grains) is the most common food reaction triggering hormone imbalance and weight gain, yet it often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. If untreated, gluten intolerance can bring low energy, depression, obesity, and diabetes as well as high risk of osteoporosis. Gluten intolerance is also seen in the majority of people with eating disorders.

Problems with the digestive system and hormonal system are the most common underlying causes of weight gain in the patients I have treated. In other cases the underlying cause is found with the body’s third major system, the detoxification system.

The Detoxification System

Detoxification pathways remove harmful chemicals generated from normal body functions such as physical exertion and breathing, which create waste products that need to be removed from the tissues. Detoxification pathways are also busy removing alcohol and metabolizing (breaking down) medications, chemicals in our food such as pesticides and herbicides, along with pollutants we are exposed to in our air and water. If you are taking in more toxins than you can flush out through the liver, kidneys, stool, and skin, you will have a backlog of waste products in the body that can cause a number of symptoms including fatigue, skin problems, irritability and poor concentration or memory.

Toxicity also leads to weight loss resistance. Toxins are stored in fat tissue in the body and people who are overweight will hold on to fat tissue tenaciously in an attempt to protect the body from the damage that would be caused by the release of these stored toxins. In addition, liver toxicity leads to weight gain through fluid retention and bloating as the body attempts to buffer or neutralize the negative effects of toxins on the body. I have had countless patients quickly lose five to ten pounds of body weight that is simply excess fluid flushed out of the body as they dump out toxins. Ironically, if you are dehydrated you will also tend to retain fluid. As I’ve heard Dr Bob Rakowski say many times in reference to drinking enough water, “The solution to pollution is dilution.”

Toxins build up in the body as by-products of what we consume including alcohol, prescription drugs and over the counter medications. Additionally in our daily lives we are exposed to environmental toxins in our air, water and food supply. These chemicals accumulate over the course of a person’s life and contribute to clogging the liver detoxification pathways, which are alternately helped by eating healthful sources of protein and vegetables. Vegetarians who eat insufficient protein are at risk for detox problems, as are people who do not eat enough vegetables. Liver detox pathways can be corrected through an organic foods diet and simple lifestyle changes such as increasing water intake.

Improving the Three Systems

All three body systems — hormonal, digestive, and detoxification — can be improved by applying the principles presented in our Nutrition & Lifestyle packages. These changes will lead to healthy weight loss in most people. In cases where multiple problems may have been brewing for years, overcoming weight loss resistance may require further functional testing, such as food allergy testing, designing herbal or nutritional programs and possibly working with other healthcare professionals. This can range from dentists who practice mercury removal to chiropractors, osteopaths or doctors of natural or oriental medicine.

It certainly takes some detective work to diagnose the causes of each persons weight gain and to determine the best course of treatment, and it takes determination on the client’s part to stay with a program and maintain it for the long term. But what better reward is there than good health?

You see, I truly believe that what we all want in life, above all, is to be happy and that to be happy we need to set specific measurable goals to allow us to achieve success in 5 key areas of our lives.

• The first of these is to achieve high levels of health and energy, most people would put their health above all other personal considerations. No matter what your goals in life whether they are financial or in support of children or athletic endeavours, your success and performance are directly related to your health and energy levels. The healthier you are the more you have to give to others. Remember the health and safety demonstrations on airlines? When the oxygen mask drops from above what is the instruction given? …..It makes perfect sense!

• The second is to enjoy loving relationships. Start with yourself, as nobody is going to respect you if you don’t love and respect yourself.  The more people you have in your life who love and respect you, and whom you love and respect, the happier you are.

• The third is to perform meaningful work, a business or a career that makes a difference. We are put on this earth to be useful in some way, and we are only happy when we feel, deep inside, that what we are doing is somehow helping others in a positive way.

• The fourth is to achieve monetary freedom. We live in a material world. Food clothing, shelter, transportation – everything has to be paid for, not only for ourselves but also for our dependants. One of our chief responsibilities as an adult is financial independence. This is important and at the same time only useful if backed up with health, as it is of no benefit being the richest man/woman in the graveyard or hospital ward!

• And the fifth is to express your individuality, the opportunity to use your unique abilities in a way that gives you deep satisfaction. Whatever vehicle you use to display your skills and talents you can use to ensure you grow as a person, educate yourself and add to the improvement of the people around you.

Following this order of strategy in my opinion is the best way to obtain a happy, healthy, rich and fulfilling life, so get exactly what you want from YOUR life!

For more information on how to ensure you get your health, fitness and life goals. Contact Guy on 07980865892 or email guy@successfulhealthcoach.com

Eat high quality (organic where possible) meat & vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch & no sugar.

Drink clean water, 2-3L per day.

Eat regularly, when hungry, every 3-5hrs.

Understand good posture, body mechanics, technique before intensity and endurance.

Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch.

Learn how to lunge and twist in 3 planes of motion

master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds.

Climb, Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard & fast.

Exercise four or five days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy!

Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.

Practice either specific dynamic Joint mobility, stretching, Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Kung and ……

Meditate daily, laugh & smile!

‘We don’t get what we want, we get what we expect!- Chris Howard, Hypnotherapist, NLP & Results Master practitioner, Owner of Chris Howard Group.

1. Know Your Outcome- It is important to clearly define the end result we are looking for, concisely, with detail, in positive terms. Clarity is power. We end up getting what we focus on most. Good or bad!

2. Decide & Take Action – It is important to change the dreams we have into reality. Talk can simply be wishful thinking, if it not acted upon. It is said ‘even if we are on the right track, we’ll get run over if we stand still! Action steps must be planned, written out and acted upon consistently, a small success every day, starting today, can lead to Massive Results!

3. Situational Awareness- Notice what results you are getting. No event is seen as a failure, it is just feedback needing to be used and learnt from to ensure better results next time. Like an opponent in chess, there are many ways to succeed, it’s a question of learning from your mistakes and not making them again.

4. Flexibility Of Behaviour Controls Results- If we keep doing the same things and expect different results that is madness! We keep trying until we get our results we want, grab the power of flexibility.

5. Operate From A Physiology of Success- Get your body in the correct state to achieve the goals you want. Both psychologically and biologically, so that means getting you posture, thinking and focus on the task at hand. So too should you prepare your body with the nutrition and rest it needs to perform optimally.

6. Model The People Who Have What You Want! – Certainly there are people who are getting the results you want, learn from them, do what they do. Whether it’s the business minds of the wealthy or the nutrition and exercise habits of the fit & truly healthy find out what they do.

7. Use Everything & Anything To Your Advantage- If you find inventive ways to get your results, you will get there faster. Things such as incorporating more exercise into your day without being in the gym or finding ways to make money whilst you sleep. It makes life easier!

Contact Guy & find out more on how to get the results YOU want! 07980 865 892

There is no more contention around any health issue than the subject of how to choose foods that are right for you. People who want to eat healthy, nutritious foods are frequently confused about what to do. Many follow what they assume are healthy diets with the best intentions, only to unwittingly be causing health problems by eating foods that are harmful to them. The following discussion of this complex and misunderstood issue provides a starting point for making sensible food choices based on science, not opinions. The focus of this discussion will be on food intolerance and food allergies with a special emphasis on the newly discovered condition referred to as sub-clinical or hidden gluten intolerance. The purpose of this discussion is to help you understand the importance of eating foods that are well tolerated and to teach the value of avoiding those foods that can lead to health problems.

When it comes to eating the right foods, it is difficult for even the most well educated person to understand all the different opinions presented by doctors, nutritionists, fitness experts, magazine articles, etc. It is clear that there is little to no consensus on what constitutes a healthy diet or how to go about choosing foods wisely.

There are dozens of diets to help a person lose weight, enhance athletic performance, or incorporate foods such as soy products to help hormonal balance; in fact, there are diets for every imaginable purpose, but sorting through the contradictory advice has become so challenging that many people simply give up. Each week the media reports more and more information about the beneficial aspects of certain foods and the harmful attributes. Even the official government recommendations and the new “food pyramid” has replaced the old four food groups. The challenge is to wade through all the available information and find what is right for each of us as individuals.

First and foremost, any diet related advice must be based on sound physiological principles, not on personal experiences, preferences, current fads or product marketing. Science can guide us in terms of explaining the basic requirements for normal human physiology and function when it comes to how to eat. Additionally, there are sophisticated laboratory tests available that screen for food intolerance and food allergies to determine what specific foods are right for you. These lab tests can be used by anyone seeking to determine reliable, science-based dietary recommendations.

There are two general topics to investigate in determining the best diet for you. The first subject is coming to an understanding of the basic physiological principles around food and diet that apply to all of us. Scientists have known for decades that proper blood sugar control is absolutely required for maintenance of appropriate fat levels, to have good cognitive function, and to stimulate healthy immune function. The second issue each of us must investigate is what specific foods are harmful and which foods are well tolerated and health promoting for our unique body chemistry.

In my practice, I use an Adrenal Stress Profile to analyze cortisol and DHEA levels, revealing valuable data on how well patients have maintained blood sugar control over time. I also use gluten free diets and nutritional typing evaluate patients’ unique biochemistry and how they react to specific foods.

Gluten

Sub-clinical, or hidden, gluten intolerance is a health problem at epidemic proportions in certain populations in the western world and remains largely unrecognized by conventional medicine.

Definition of Sub-Clinical

Sub-clinical means – hidden. In other words, there are often no obvious symptoms that would direct a doctor or patient to suspect sub-clinical conditions. Since symptoms aren’t obvious and sub-clinical gluten intolerance often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, many people can suffer from the health consequences related to sub-clinical gluten intolerance without understanding the true cause of their problems. By their very nature, sub-clinical problems are hard to recognize and frequently go undetected despite the best efforts of health professionals and patients.

Discovery of Sub-Clinical Gluten Intolerance

The condition of sub-clinical gluten intolerance was first documented in the United States by observations of physicians involved in treating patients with chronic fatigue, weakened immunity, and environmental illness. Over the course of many years, there has been continual work to uncover the nature and extent of this problem in the United States and Europe. In 1994, a technological breakthrough in the form of a highly specialized salivary test for sub-clinical gluten intolerance made more comprehensive investigation into this problem possible.

The First Tests For Subclinical Gluten Intolerance

The first tests for sub-clinical gluten intolerance in the United States were run on a large group of chronically ill patients. These patients had been previously unresponsive to all known treatments. Through laboratory research of this patient population of chronically ill individuals, it had become evident that they all suffered from some hidden inflammatory condition that had yet to be identified. The observation that there was a genetic component to the condition narrowed the range of possible explanations. At one point, researchers realized there could be a connection with the diets of this select group of patients and their unknown condition. When the initial salivary tests for sub-clinical gluten intolerance were run on several hundred people from this population, over 85 percent tested positive. This outstanding discovery has now been demonstrated time and time again with a wide range of patients.

In the last ten years through testing thousands of patients the subtleties of this condition have been gradually understood. The evaluation process has become even more comprehensive, and many of those people with this condition who may have gone undiagnosed in the past can now be accurately tested.

Relationship To Celiac Disease

Sub-clinical gluten intolerance is often confused with a medical condition called celiac disease, celiac sprue, or non-tropical sprue, sometimes referred to as gluten enteropathy or gluten intolerance. The reaction to gluten in celiac disease is similar to sub-clinical gluten intolerance, except as to the degree of intensity. Comparing sub-clinical gluten intolerance to celiac disease is like comparing first-degree sunburn from a day at the beach to a third degree burn from a fire victim. They are both burns, but vastly different based on the severity or degree of damage.

Celiac disease is not hidden, or sub-clinical, and as such it is easier to diagnose. A person with celiac disease may have blood in their stool or experience disabling pain when they consume gluten-containing foods. Other symptoms of celiac include steatarhea, which is undigested, and unabsorbed fat in the stool, and dermatitis herpetiformis, a skin condition. These obvious symptoms often lead doctors to recognize those with celiac in childhood when grains are first introduced in the diet. Others with celiac disease are not diagnosed until the adult years. In addition to the clinical presentation, celiac disease can be detected by a blood test and confirmed with a biopsy of the small intestine. The clear signs and symptoms of celiac disease make its identification relatively straightforward. Sub-clinical gluten intolerance, however, is difficult to diagnose based on symptoms alone.

Gluten/Gliadin

What exactly is sub-clinical gluten intolerance? Sub-clinical gluten intolerance refers to exposure to the gliadin molecule and to a specific inflammatory reaction taking place in the small intestine of afflicted individuals. In fact, gliadin intolerance would be a more scientifically accurate term than gluten intolerance to refer to this condition. Gliadin is a polypeptide, a long chain of amino acids, which is present in the gluten protein portion of certain grains.

This subject is confusing and there is much misinformation about gluten and gliadin. To clarify, gliadin, the molecule that causes the problem, is present in some, but not all gluten-containing foods. People with this problem must avoid glutens from the grains of wheat, rye, barley, kamut, spelt, teff and couscous. Some of these grains have lower concentrations of both gluten and gliadin than wheat does, but any food containing this specific gliadin, even from a lower concentration food source, is not well-tolerated by people with sub-clinical gluten intolerance.

This dietary restriction eliminates bread, pasta, bagels, and cereals. There are rice and almond-based breads available, usually found in the refrigerated section of your local health food store. There are also rice, sweet potato/yam, and corn-based noodles, and cereals, crackers and other gluten free substitutes on the market.

Safe Glutens

Rice, corn, oats, buckwheat, and millet have glutens, but the glutens in these foods do not contain the gliadin molecule that can provoke the inflammatory reaction; therefore, they are usually safe. Other safe grains include quinoa and amaranth. In some cases, people are allergic to rice, corn, oats, or millet, independent of the reaction to gluten/gliadin. Reading labels can be very misleading; don’t trust them. Some companies list their products as gluten free, without understanding the scientific basis of the problem with gliadin. For clarity of communication sub-clinical gluten intolerance will be used to refer to this sensitivity to gliadin in the rest of this discussion.

Soy

Soybeans are another food to which many people with gliadin intolerance react. It is best to avoid all concentrated forms of soy protein such as soy protein powders, tofu, and tempeh while you are first eliminating gliadin and then to reintroduce it back into the diet at a later time to see how reactive you are to soy. Even though soy has gotten a lot of attention in terms of its ability to help women with hormonal imbalances and bone loss, this does not hold true for those women who are gluten intolerant, as soy can actually cause inflammation and ultimately exacerbate hormonal imbalances and accelerate bone loss. Soy products can be very helpful for women who tolerate gliadin and have no allergy to soy. Much of the original research on the benefits of soy comes from Japan and China where gluten intolerance is not as common as it is in the United States. Additionally, the traditional diet of these Asian countries is rich in foods that help balance the negative issues associated with soy consumption.

Safe Foods

So, if you have sub-clinical gluten intolerance what can you eat? As already mentioned, rice, corn, millet, quinoa, amaranth, oats, and buckwheat are ok, unless you are allergic. There has been some debate about whether or not oats are “safe”, and while they do contain a small amount of gluten, it usually does affect most gluten sensitive people and can therefore be tolerated unless one experiences adverse symptoms. With sub-clinical gluten intolerance you can also safely eat any type of meat or poultry, including chicken, turkey, beef, pork, and lamb, and fish such as salmon. Any kind of vegetable and any type of fruit is o.k., as are all beans, and as mentioned, soybeans may be a problem.

Treatment

Obviously the main treatment for this problem is total avoidance of the offending gluten containing foods. In addition to this dietary change you can help decrease the inflammation associated with the gluten reaction with several natural products. Deglycerized licorice root can be used to assist in the healing process by further reducing inflammation and helping protect irritated tissue.

Most people don’t feel better immediately after eliminating gluten from their diets, as it can take 60 days for the inflammation to subside and up to 9 to 12 months for the lining of the small intestine to heal. On rare occasions an individual may experience significant improvement within weeks of beginning on a gluten free diet. In certain cases people may feel considerably worse upon initially starting a gluten free diet. For most people with this food intolerance, by around 6 to 9 months of being gluten free, noticeable changes have taken place.

Physiological Effects of Sub-Clinical Gluten Intolerance

Following are some of the physiological changes that result from sub-clinical gluten intolerance.

In those with sub-clinical gluten intolerance, gliadin causes a mucotoxic inflammatory reaction as it comes into contact with the wall of the small intestine. This reaction usually goes unnoticed at first. In fact, this low-grade inflammation may go undetected for years or even decades before it results in the expression of symptoms. The ultimate effect of this hidden wear and tear is the slow destruction of the healthy mucosa, or lining tissue of the small intestine. In some cases there may be symptoms in childhood such as allergies, asthma, reoccurring infections, a constant upset stomach, or milk intolerance. Often these symptoms fade in the early adult years only for the problem to reappear when a person is between 35 and 55 years of age.

Inflammation

Inflammation comes from the Latin root inflammare, which translates as “to set on fire” or “to flame within.” This “setting on fire” is a literal description of the actual destructive process gluten initiates. Inflammation is your body’s way of reacting to injury. When exposed to gliadin, the inflamed small intestine undergoes significant structural changes.

Inflammation is a familiar experience to everyone. For example, the reaction of the sinuses during a bad cold or flu is an inflammatory reaction. Other examples of inflammation are from the response to physical trauma, like pain from a low back injury or from hitting your thumb with a hammer. In all these situations the inflammatory response is activated. This response is the body’s attempt to repair tissue damage and prevent infections by quickly bringing our own internal 999-response team to the injury site. This physiological protection includes the immediate activation of a complex system that takes place regardless of the initial source of inflammation. The purpose of this physiological mechanism is to handle the insult, whether it is physical trauma, a viral or bacterial infection, or the gliadin molecule in those who are gliadin sensitive. In each case the body attempts to remove the harmful substance and quickly control the damage that has been caused.

With a mucotoxic reaction to gluten in the gastrointestinal tract, initially there will be heat, redness, swelling, and importantly a change or interruption in the normal function of the small intestine. On the cellular level, a series of events take place, including dilation or enlargement of blood vessels with increased permeability and blood flow. This brings more blood to the site of injury to provide greater protection in the form of white blood cells and other immune system cells. There is also an exudation, or leaking of fluids from the blood vessels into tissues with an accompanying swelling. This is followed by movement of leukocytes, or white blood cells, into the tissues for enhanced immune protection. Additionally, there is also fibrin formation. Fibrin is a thin white filament structure that aids in the physical repair process. We are all familiar with fibrin in its role in helping blood clot. In this case fibrin helps plug up any areas in the intestinal wall that require structural support.

12 to 14 hours after this series of physiological reactions, the body’s response to gliadin fades provided there is no further exposure. At this point the physical regeneration and repair process can begin. If you eat gluten again, the gliadin exposure is repeated, there is no let up in the inflammatory cascade and the damage to the lining of the small intestine continues.

Assuming there is no further exposure, the blood vessels return to normal size and normal blood flow is reestablished. Then the protective white blood cells degenerate or reenter the blood circulation, and cellular disintegration or proliferation takes place in which injured cells are replaced and swelling disappears with resorption of tissue fluid and breakdown of fibrin. The “999″ response team cleans up, packs up and goes back to wait for the next emergency call. Under normal conditions the inflammatory response eliminates the insult and removes injured tissue components. This process accomplishes either regeneration of the normal tissue architecture and return of physiologic function or the formation of scar tissue to replace what cannot be repaired. This whole sequence of events can take place each time a gluten sensitive individual eats gluten-containing food.

This inflammatory reaction goes largely unnoticed simply because it is not severe enough to cause immediate symptoms. If a gluten intolerant person eats gluten-containing foods for extended periods of time, over and over again, the low-grade inflammation can lead to a variety of problems. With long-term exposure, the results of this low-grade response to the gluten/gliadin molecule can be devastating to a variety of body systems. Its effect on the digestive system is the most immediate.

Digestive System

Good health requires proper digestion and absorption. Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of the food we eat. As food is digested it needs to be absorbed. Absorption is the process of bringing the nutrients from our gastrointestinal tract into the rest of our body’s tissue. Digestion is initiated when we chew food and begin to break it down with digestive enzymes. Food then enters the stomach where further breakdown occurs from the presence of stomach acid, called hydrochloric acid, and pepsin, which together begin the breakdown of proteins. From the stomach the products of digestion enter the small intestine.

Villi

The small intestine is called “small” because it is smaller in diameter than the large intestine. However, it is in fact longer and in many ways more crucial to our health than the large intestine. The lining of the small intestine consists of villi, fingerlike projections that stick out from the wall of the intestine into the lumen or center. These villi are between 1/2 and 1 1/2 mm long, just barely visible to the human eye. On the ends of the villi are microvilli, sometimes referred to as the brush border. These two adaptations, villi and microvilli, increase the surface absorption area of the small intestine up to 1,000 fold. It’s estimated that the entire absorptive area of the small intestine is roughly the size of a basketball court.

This total area for absorption can be compromised by any condition that irritates the lining of the small intestine. In gluten intolerance there is a destruction of the villi, referred to as villus atrophy. This leads to poor digestive function and affects many vital structures on the intestinal wall. Poor intestinal function caused by improper digestion of food is referred to as maldigestion or literally “bad digestion.” Inadequate absorption of nutrients is referred to as malabsorption: the inability to get the vital nutrients your body needs delivered to your cells.

Effect on Immune System/Hormonal System

One system significantly impacted by maldigestion and malabsorption in the small intestine is the hormonal system. I have treated hundreds of gluten intolerant patients whose indigestion problems were misdiagnosed as heartburn, IBS, and who suffer from chronic bloating and gas. Sub-clinical gluten intolerance creates a significant stress on the immune system and can lead to a compromised immune system. The mechanism of action occurs in several different ways. There are specialized immune cells that line the small intestine called immunocytes. These immune cells produce secretory IgA, a critical component of the thin, healthy mucous that is makes up your first line immune defense. The inflammatory response produced in individuals that are gluten sensitive destroys a certain percentage of these cells, and this in turn can lower your immune defense thereby opening the door to intestinal infections. Through this mechanism, parasites, bacteria, viruses, and yeast or fungal organisms can more easily infect someone who is gluten intolerant and suffering from a weakened first line immune defense. This lowered immune defense is referred to as depressed secretory IgA, and can result in many other food reactions. This is because secretory IgA also helps the body process food antigens.

Food Antigens

Food antigens can create significant health problems. An antigen is a marker that is recognized by our immune system as o.k. or not o.k. Antigens mark substances as foreign to the human body. The recognition of what is an o.k. antigen and what is not an o.k. antigen allows our immune system to attack and destroy harmful substances. For example, when you have a viral infection like the common cold, the viruses that infect us have antigen markers on their outer surfaces and our immune system recognizes these antigens and then makes antibodies to destroy the virus. Food is also foreign to the body and therefore has antigens. Typically we don’t react to food antigens. However, in some people food reactions do occur because of an inappropriate response of the immune system to antigens in food. Other people may be sensitive to pollen antigens or mold antigens and have reactions to these substances. The overall weakening or depression of our first line immune defense called SIgA makes us more susceptible to antigens of all sorts and can make a person highly reactive to food antigens who might not otherwise have this problem. This is another link between gastrointestinal stress and the immune system.

Corticosteroids

Another avenue through which sub-clinical gluten intolerance affects the immune system is through the inflammatory response. Many people have heard of corticosteroid medications such as prednisone or cortisone. They are used for a wide variety of medical purposes. Corticosteroid injections are used for joint and muscle injuries to reduce pain. Corticosteroid sprays and inhalers are used by people who suffer from asthma and allergies to improve function of the airways.

Cortisol

Our body also makes its own corticosteroids, the most abundant of which is the hormone called cortisol. With chronic, low-grade inflammation from gluten intolerance, or for that matter, any stress that inflames the digestive tract, our bodies produce increased levels of cortisol. Since cortisol is also one of the major modulators of immune function, this suppresses our immune response. As a matter of interest, this immune-suppressing role of corticosteroids is used in medicine in certain circumstances when immune suppression is the goal. With organ transplants, and in some serious autoimmune diseases, corticosteroids are used therapeutically to suppress immune function. However, in other situations, this immune-suppressing role of cortisol and corticosteroid medications works against our health.

When cortisol production becomes abnormal, our hormonal and immune systems are affected. While elevated cortisol suppresses our immune response, it also causes a catabolic/breakdown state to exist in our body, and symptoms of adrenal exhaustion will eventually appear: fatigue, depression, loss of libido, allergies, and frequent illness.

Mucosal Lining / Leaky Gut

There are also many connections between sub-clinical gluten intolerance and other intestinal problems. To describe this connection in more detail, we’ll review the structure and function of the small intestine.

The small intestine is constructed like a tube. The inside of the tube is the healthy mucosal lining. Mucosal tissues also line the sinus passageways, the lungs, the urogenital tract, the mouth, and throat. These lining tissues act as vital barriers to defend the body from infectious organisms. The small intestine lining tissue also performs the crucial function of absorption of nutrients. Under chronic inflammatory stress, this healthy mucosal tissue breaks down and a condition called increased permeability, also known as leaky gut syndrome, occurs.

Leaky gut syndrome refers to the loss of integrity of this mucosal or lining tissue. Having leaky gut syndrome is like having a screen door with large holes in it that allows flies and other insects to get through. With leaky gut syndrome the lining of your intestine becomes overly permeable and molecules that were not intended to cross into your blood stream enter, or leak in. This leads to a great deal of immune stress as your body tries to handle all these uninvited guests.

Lacteals

Gluten reactions also cause other problems. There are structures called lacteals that are located in the tips of the villi, which can be destroyed by reactions to gluten. These lacteals are responsible for helping in the absorption of fats by breaking them down into fine droplets. If this process is compromised it can result in poor absorption of healthy fats that are critical to your health.

This depletes the body’s source of fat-soluble nutrients leading to essential fatty acid deficiencies, low levels of vitamin A and vitamin E. Even if taken in supplements, the full benefit of fat-soluble nutrients will not be realized. Deficiencies of these nutrients depletes nutrients critical for the function of every cell in the body and negatively effects blood sugar control, nerve cell function, steroid hormone production, anti-oxidant formation, and many other processes.

It is also common for people with sub-clinical gluten intolerance to develop blood sugar problems, sometimes referred to as Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome.

Nutritional Deficiencies

The lack of normal absorption in the small intestine leads to predicable nutritional deficiencies. Calcium absorption can be poor, and this nutritional deficiency, coupled with abnormal corticosteroid production, can lead to accelerated osteoporosis. Iron, B12 and folic acid deficiencies are also commonly observed. This can lead to fatigue, mild depression, memory loss, and greater risk for elevated homocysteine levels, a key factor in development of heart disease.

Poor digestive function leading to maldigestion and malabsorption of protein will be reflected in amino acid deficiencies. Amino acids are the building blocks of our body and are vital for production of neurotransmitters such as serontonin. Low levels if amino acids result in low levels of neurotransmitters.

Our brain utilizes many different chemical messengers called neurotransmitters to communicate. They are made from amino acids found in protein containing foods. Improper digestion and/ or absorption of protein generates amino acid deficiencies, which directly effects how we think and feel. The prevalence of this problem can be seen in the numbers of people benefiting from prozac and other anti-depressant medications. This generation of anti-depressants are called SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These medications prevent your brain from reabsorbing the serotonin naturally produced so that you experience higher serotonin levels. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, is manufactured from an amino acid. Therefore, a deficiency in amino acids can lead to a serotonin deficiency. And, conversely, restoring normal amino acid levels can help restore normal serotonin levels.

If you either (A) do not eat adequate protein, or (B) cannot digest protein well, or (C) cannot absorb the amino acids from protein, you will develop amino acid deficiencies that ultimately effect brain function and other body processes. The approach taken in natural therapies is to look for causative agents, such as maldigestion and malabsorption and treat the cause of the deficiency directly, thereby improving the outcome. In this case, addressing dietary intake of protein, the ability to digest it with sufficient stomach acid and digestive enzymes and the ability to absorb is critical to optimal health. In certain people who have food sensitivities, this one factor can prevent recovery from weight gain, fatigue, recurrent infections and a cycle of chronic illness.

Depending on the extent of the problem, a person may need to undergo extensive nutritional counseling to restore normal levels of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Natural therapies can be used with great success providing the appropriate foods are being eaten and normal gastrointestinal function has been restored.

Lactose / Sucrose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is defined as the inability to digest the carbohydrate portion of milk products. The carbohydrate portion of milk is referred to as lactose or milk sugar. Lactose intolerance frequency accompanies gluten intolerance. Lactase, a specialized enzyme that aids digestion of lactose in milk products is usually lacking in people with sub-clinical gluten intolerance. Lactase breaks down lactose or milk sugar in the same way sucrase enzymes breaks down sugar or sucrose. Damage to the architecture of the intestinal wall and the subsequent decrease in enzymes for lactose and sucrose digestion leads to problems in digesting dairy products such as cheese, ice cream, and all types of milk products.

This enzyme deficiency is why people with sub-clinical gluten intolerance need to avoid pasteurized cow’s milk products. As the villi on the intestinal lining heal from a gluten free diet, most individuals will be able to tolerate raw or unpasteurized dairy products again in nine months to a year. In other people, there will be a more or less permanent sensitivity to dairy products.

However, in the initial two months of eliminating gluten, it is absolutely required to avoid all milk dairy products, because they will inflame the intestine lining just like gliadin does and prevent healing. This includes the complete elimination of pasteurized cow’s milk products such as cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk. Goat’s milk yogurt and goat or sheep’s milk cheeses such as feta cheese and others are acceptable alternatives. In this instance, eggs are not considered as dairy products. Raw or unpasteurized dairy products are healing foods for the damaged GI tract lining.

Multiple Delayed Food Allergies

Sub-clinical gluten intolerance often leads to the development of multiple delayed food allergies. Leaky gut syndrome and the accompanying premature leaking of food antigens into the bloodstream cause this. In time, this overexposure to food antigens causes the immune system to react, and foods that would otherwise be tolerated can become allergenic. Although the problem with food allergies is generated by the damage from gluten, removal of gluten and pasteurized dairy from the diet is not always sufficient to remedy this problem. Depending on your circumstances, your doctor may recommend a 4 to 5 day food rotation diet or food allergy testing. Many books are available from your local bookstores on food rotation diets.

There are different types of food allergies: some are immediate and some are delayed. Immediate food allergies are usually easy to recognize — for example, you eat a strawberry and get a rash. These don’t usually require testing to determine. However, delayed food allergies are hard to identify because the reaction may not appear for hours or days after eating the offending food. For example, eating an allergic food on a Monday night could generate a migraine headache or cause fatigue on Tuesday or Wednesday. Due to this difficulty in identification of delayed food allergies one of two strategies should be followed. The first choice is to follow a rotation diet. By doing this, even though the exact foods to which you are allergic have not been identified, you will be rotating all your foods, so that any delayed allergic responses will be significantly reduced. This reduces the stress on your hormonal/immune system.

The second option is to pursue additional testing for delayed food allergies. Multiple pathway food allergy testing is designed for this purpose. This testing is done from a blood sample and identifies exactly which foods you are reacting to. You will then know what foods to avoid and what foods are safe.

Allergy vs. Intolerance

There is a great deal of confusion and misinformation about food allergies and gluten. Gluten intolerance is not a typical food allergy. It is an inherited condition that leads to a mucotoxic, or inflammatory response. Gluten intolerance has a genetic basis, meaning it passes from generation to generation. Gluten intolerance is found most frequently in those with Irish, English, Scottish, Scandinavian, and other Northern European and Eastern European heritages. The research study published in the British Medical Journal in November of 1998 found previously unheard numbers of people suffering from celiac disease, the medical condition related to gluten intolerance. They found approximately one in 150 people with this condition. It is suspected the levels of sub-clinical gluten intolerance are much higher, perhaps as high as one in three Americans. Sub-clinical gluten intolerance and celiac occur less frequently in non-European populations.

It is important to note that many people who are gluten intolerant do not test positive on food allergy testing for wheat, rye, barley, and other gluten-containing grains. Do not be misled by the fact that you do not test positive to these gluten-containing foods. You still must avoid the offending gluten foods if you are gluten intolerant. Many people live for thirty or forty years with sub-clinical gluten intolerance and do not experience obvious symptoms. Some people who are constitutionally strong and eat small amounts of gluten-containing foods may never experience obvious symptoms. However, with or without obvious symptoms, intestinal damage is still taking place.

Food Cravings

Along with gluten intolerance comes food cravings, and it has frequently been observed that people crave that which they are allergic to. Please take note, if you crave gluten, there is a high probability that you are gluten sensitive.

Parasites

The structural changes to the small intestine from gluten intolerance create the perfect habitat for development of pathogenic infections. Inflammation in the small intestine causes a structure called crypts to deepen. The elongating of these crypts, referred to as crypt hyperplasia and deepening of the crypts, makes for a deep pocket where a pathogen such as a parasite can survive by evading the usual immune surveillance that occurs in the lining tissue. Inflammation also slowly destroys the immune cells that help protect this area and these two factors taken together create a situation where parasite infections can take hold and become chronic. Parasites deeply embedded in the intestinal lining can even be resistant to powerful antibiotic treatments.

Because of this, people with gluten intolerance need to rule out the possibility that they are harboring a chronic parasitic infection. Eliminating gluten from their diet can be the first step in getting these chronic infections cleared.

Candida

There is a relationship between Candida, an opportunistic organism in the gastrointestinal tract, and food intolerances. Inflammation caused by sub-clinical gluten intolerance and/or lactose intolerance weakens the immune response in the intestinal lining. This weakened mucosal immune defense can open the door for Candida to overpopulate and become invasive Candida (invasive means to invade and attach itself to the healthy mucous lining of the intestines).

Nutritional Deficiencies

Gluten intolerance causes multiple nutritional deficiencies, including inability to absorb fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Malabsorption of fats leads to deficiencies in the fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and E and K and importantly, the essential fatty acids from which we manufacture all our reproductive hormones and adrenal hormones including estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol and DHEA. Other nutritional deficiencies that appear early in the disease process include lack of calcium, folic acid, iron and vitamin B12. Lack of reproductive hormones leads to disruption of the normal menstrual cycle, causing PMS or menopausal symptoms. The combination of calcium deficiency and female hormone imbalances leads to osteoporosis, or weakening of the bones. Even if women take estrogen and calcium supplements, they may not be adequately absorbed. Folic acid, B12 and iron deficiencies lead to anemia, depression and increased risk of heart disease and neurological diseases. Lack of the anti-oxidants vitamins E and A compromise our ability to fight free radicals and can further contribute to degenerative conditions such as cancer and heart disease.

Tolerated Foods

• Beef, pork, lamb, any type of meat
• Poultry-Chicken, turkey, duck, any type of poultry
• Fish and Seafood — tuna, salmon, trout, halibut, swordfish, shrimp, clams, mussels, crab, any type of fish or seafood
• All vegetables
• All beans except soybeans
• Corn
• Rice, including wild rice, basmati rice, brown rice, black rice, white rice, rice flour
• Rice Bread
• Rice crackers
• Potato
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Amaranth
• Oats
• Buckwheat (not a wheat)
• Wheat and barley grass (has no protein)

Avoid

• Wheat
• Rye
• Barley
• Teff
• Spelt
• Cow’s milk and cream products (cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc)
• Soy

In July 2002 the scientific research community was rocked by the news of the latest long-term study on hormone replacement therapy. A ten-year clinical trial conducted by the National Institutes of Health, studying over 16,000 women, was abruptly halted by a safety monitoring board because the rate of several life threatening diseases among the subjects rose above the agreed upon safety levels. Pulmonary embolism risk (blood clots in the lungs) among these thousands of women had gone up 114%, heart attacks and cardiac death increased 29%, breast cancer rates experienced a 26% rise, and there was a 41% increase in risk of stroke. There were reductions in colon cancer risk and hip fractures that were not significant enough to outweigh the dangers.

One might assume the drug being tested, prempro, was new or unfamiliar, but in fact, it was then used by six million women in the USA, and premarin, the estrogen contained in prempro, has been prescribed widely since the early 1960’s. Forty years after its introduction to the USA & UK, premarin, the most widely used form of estrogen in the world, has been determined to be no longer safe. This latest study confirms research conducted over the last thirty years on the benefits and risks of estrogen therapy. Estrogen has now been proven to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes and does not help to improve the health of the cardiovascular system as previously thought.

The myth promoted by drug companies advertising campigns over the last forty years is that estrogen deficiency is the major problem creating female hormone symptoms at menopause. However, in natural medicine we view menopausal symptoms as a sign of overall hormone imbalance in both the ovarian hormones and the hormones that generate stress response produced by the adrenal glands.

Dr. Peter Ellison of Harvard University has pioneered the use of salivary hormone testing. He has found that in industrialized countries women have estrogen levels that are at the high extreme of the world wide levels measured and should be considered abnormal. Dr. Ellison believes these abnormally high levels of estrogen may relate to our current high levels of breast and uterine cancer. In his studies conducted on people from all over the world, he demonstrates a relationship between hormone levels, diet and exercise. An inactive woman who consumes more calories than she uses will have elevated estrogen levels. Dr. Ellison has shown how the tendency of Americans to overeat and under-exercise, reflected in the 61% of the population that is overweight or obese, explains the tendency toward higher estrogen levels.

Excessive estrogen levels are further promoted by exposure to xenoestrogens, which are chemical compounds found widely in our environment, mostly as byproducts of the petrochemical industry. These toxic compounds in the air and water and exert a powerful estrogen-like effect when they enter the female body. One commonly unrecognized source of xenoestrogens derives from heating plastic food containers or Styrofoam cups in microwaves, which releases xenoestrogens from the plastic into the food or liquid that is consumed. Using glass containers prevents this problem.

The imbalance between estrogen and progesterone is further exacerbated by the fact that many women experience lower than optimum progesterone levels. This in combination with estrogen excess leads to a variety of problems. It is the balanced ratio of these two hormones that maintains healthy body functioning; an excess of either can create problems.

Progesterone is the pro-gestational hormone. Its role in fertility is to keep the uterine lining intact when a woman becomes pregnant. Whereas estrogen promotes movement of salt and minerals into cells, progesterone protects the integrity and function of cell membranes, the outside lining of cells. As part of its antagonistic role to estrogen, progesterone is a diuretic. Progesterone increases fat-burning metabolism and has an anti-inflammatory role. It maintains proper cell oxygen levels and importantly protects against the negative effects of estrogen. It is often difficult for women to determine if they are low in progesterone because this can occur even in the course of a monthly period.

Stress also reduces progesterone production by chaining the levels of two other hormones, cortisol and DHEA. When the ratio of cortisol to DHEA shifts due to chronic stress, a phenomenon known as pregnenolone steal occurs wherein progesterone is shunted into the stress hormone pathways, making less progesterone available for its important role in many body functions. The vast majority of women athletes I have worked with find relief from their female hormone symptoms as they correct their cortisol and DHEA ratio.

The key to achieving optimum physical functioning for women and to safely relieve the symptoms of menopause is to balance the adrenal hormones while establishing an appropriate diet, to eliminate any known source of stress and to balance progesterone and estrogen levels. Either an excess or deficiency of any of these hormones will create an imbalance.

Case Study #2: Emily S.

Emily is a 52 year-old runner whose major complaint was a 10-15% reduction in her marathon times in the last year alone. She also suffered from anxiety, inability to sleep, low sex drive, low energy, excess neck and shoulder tension, decreased stamina and the beginnings of osteoporosis. Her run times had begun to decrease in the several years before menopause and the steady decline was troubling her. She was also beginning to experience the onset of fatigue after her longer training runs, rather than the usual pick up in energy she had been accustomed to with exercise. Fatigue after training in a person used to the boost exercise can provide is a key indicator of stress hormone problems.

She was evaluated by testing the following hormone levels: progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, DHEA and melatonin; all lab assays were taken from saliva samples. A mother of two, she stated that the best she ever felt in her life was when she was pregnant, a comment women frequently make when they are chronically low in progesterone. It was determined that her estrogen levels were normal, but because her progesterone levels were so low, she was experiencing estrogen dominance, as the ratio of the two hormones was abnormal. She also had low cortisol and DHEA levels and low melatonin. In Emily’s case we had nowhere to go but up! She was advised to take a specific dose of progesterone to bring her into the right balance between progesterone and estrogen and to undertake a complete nutritional, herbal and dietary program to correct her cortisol and DHEA imbalances. She also used melatonin for one month in the evenings, in conjunction with progesterone, to restore her sleep cycle.

Within three nights her sleep and anxiety had improved. Within the first month of the program Emily reported that her sex drive and energy had returned and her neck and shoulder tension had disappeared. In many cases such dramatic improvements have a downside. Now one year into her program, she is on a low maintenance dose of progesterone and remains symptom free as long as she carefully controls her blood sugar and avoids extended periods of over-exercise.

Most common underlying causes of depression:

1. Neurotransmitter dysfunction caused by:

• Nutritional Deficiencies
• Neurotoxicity
• Neuron Bundle Damage from Physical Trauma
• Genetic Defects of Neurotransmitter Production

2. HPA axis dysfunction caused:

• Sleep disorders
• Blood sugar control problems
• Improper exercise
• Chronic pain or inflammation
• Emotional and spiritual disconnection

Based on my clinical experience the two most common underlying causes of depression include neurotransmitter dysfunction or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. Neurotransmitter dysfunction results from nutritional deficiencies, neurotoxicity or errors of metabolism. HPA axis dysfunction can result from any significant stress including lack of sleep, over or under exercise, poor blood sugar control, chronic pain or inflammation or emotional and spiritual disconnection.

There are of course serious cases of serious depression, suicidal ideation, manic-depression and other forms of mental illness. These cases require institutionalization and psychiatric medications. However, the vast majority of people diagnosed with “depression” can be successfully treated with simple, natural therapies because the origins of the problem come from poor lifestyle choices, not from an incurable mental health problem. As practitioners we need to be able to distinguish between who requires medical care and anti-depressant medications as they pose a danger to themselves or others and who is suffering from “lifestyle” generated depression that we can safely and effective work with.

Neurotransmitter dysfunction refers to abnormal levels of the 140 plus neurotransmitters present in the brain. Two “master” neurotransmitters that help regulate brain function and are acted upon by most anti-depressant medications include serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin is manufactured from 5 hydroxy-tryptophan and dopamine is made from the amino acid tyrosine. Research conducted by Dr. Marty Hinz of DBS Labs has demonstrated that vitamin C, calcium, cysteine and most importantly vitamin B6 are required for neurotransmitter production. While balancing brain chemistry through the use of amino acids requires expert knowledge and extensive lab testing, the crux of most neurotransmitter dysfunction is poor lifestyle habits.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Diets based on processed food with poor quality protein sources will lead to amino acid depletion and eventually results in neurotransmitter deficiencies. Our brains can only have sufficient neurotransmitter production if we eat a diet rich in high quality protein, appropriate for our metabolic type. Protein deficient diets and processed food or fast food based diets will rob us of the nutrients such as B6 that we require to maintain brain chemistry properly and depression will result. This then begs the question, should we even call this nutrient depletion syndrome depression? Neurotransmitter depletion leads to cravings for carbohydrates and compulsive overeating, forcing people into a downward spiral of weight gain and depression.

Anti-depressant medications can exacerbate neurotransmitter dysfunction. Over time these medications deplete neurotransmitters. This was first established by researchers at MIT in the 1960’s and has been repeatedly demonstrated in studies since then. However, most conventional medical doctors prescribing these drugs are unaware of these studies as they are not part of the typical pharmaceutical reps doctor education materials. In fact anti-depressant medications lead to short term flooding of the brain with more neurotransmitters and this artificial push is short lived as over time these neurotransmitters are degraded and broken down at a faster rate than they would be in a non-medicated individual. We end up with short term relief of symptoms and a worsening of the original deficiency state with ever lower levels of naturally available neurotransmitters. This means drug dosages need to be increased to maintain effectiveness, or patients need to change medications, or the medications eventually just don’t work as well as they once did and people have to live with the return of symptoms.

The natural therapy correction for this type of “depression” is switching to an organic foods based diet, eating high quality protein and farm fresh produce based on our metabolic type. This diet provides us with the critical amino acids, vitamin C, cysteine and B6 required for neurotransmitter repletion.

Neurotoxicity

Neurotoxicity is another leading cause of “depression”. Neurotoxicity refers to damage to the neuron bundles in the brain from neurotoxic drugs; neurotoxic pesticides and herbicides; heavy metals such as mercury and lead; parasitic infections such as giardia that release neurotoxins; and the thousands of chemicals now present in the environment that we are regularly exposed to.

When you really think about how neurotoxic our food and water supply has become, it is amazing we can be happy or think at all!

Neurotoxins destroy the firing capacity of neuron bundles. This leaves us with neuron bundles that do not conduct the nerve impulses we require to feel happy and at peace. Therefore we experience the results of low serotonin and low dopamine, namely, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, brain fog, poor memory and a general lack of enthusiasm for living life to its fullest; we become “depressed”.

Neuron Bundle Damage from Physical Trauma

Head trauma also damages neuron bundles. Even one major head injury can damage neuron bundles and decreased neuronal firing. This too can lead to depression. These clients require extra attention to all the lifestyle principles of the HLC work to keep their brains properly functioning. Some with extensive head injuries may require additional natural therapy.

Some people are actually suffering from depression unrelated to HPA axis dysfunction, neurotoxin exposure or head injury. They may have been born with inborn errors of metabolism in production of the key neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. In this situation there is a limited ability to “correct” the problem. Typically with this type of depression there is a strong family history of mental illness, manic depression, suicide, alcoholism, drug addiction or other obvious signs that there is a genetic tendency to poor neurotransmitter function. This group of people can have life changing experiences if their brain chemistry is balanced through amino acid therapy. The conventional medical approach of anti-depressant medications can also provide benefits in treatment and relieve suffering.

We need to be astute enough in our assessments to identify these cases and refer them to an experienced psychiatrist or alternative medical practitioner. These are the truly mentally ill. In my experience they are few and far between when compared with the total number of client’s I have worked with diagnosed with “depression” and put on anti-depressant medications.

Case Study:

Patricia was a 47 year old female client. She complained of debilitating low back pain and numbness down the left leg, fatigue and depression.

She worked with a Level IV CHEK practitioner who developed a corrective exercise program that relieved her back condition.

The client was dramatically improved and had experienced considerable pain relief and improvement in mood. We also initiated an HLC assessment to complement her CHEK corrective exercise program.

As with all clients we started with the basics.

There were two issues of immediate concern: (1) Poor lifestyle factors (diet, sleep, stress and exercise related) leading to nutrient depletion and hormone down regulation; and (2) neurotoxicity.

(1) Poor lifestyle factors

To remedy this Patricia’s CHEK practitioner implemented an HLC program which included teaching her to eat for her metabolic type, hydrating, and making healthy food choices whenever possible by choosing organic and locally grown foods. Patricia discovered that making proper food selections had a strong effect on her sense of well being.

Patricia also agreed to eliminate gluten. I have observed hundreds of cases in my clinic in which gluten intolerance triggered depression through HPA axis down regulation. This occurs because the body’s reactions to gluten includes an inflammatory response in the lining of the small intestine causing abnormal cortisol production, which eventually results in depression via HPA axis down regulation. The scientific community recognizes that HPA axis problems are a leading cause of depression. As practitioners we must then make the leap to treat depression as an HPA axis dysfunction syndrome. Therefore any lifestyle issue that improves stress hormone production will help relieve the “depression”. Lack of sleep and the stress of her pain further exacerbated her cortisol problems. Lack of exercise and lack of chi-building activities completed the lifestyle factor catastrophe. Patricia needed rebuilding and repair of the HPA axis to heal. Interestingly, research has demonstrated exercising 3-5 times per week to reduce depression as effectively as the anti-depressant medication Zoloft.

Using HLC work-ups her CHEK practitioner improved her diet choices, having her eat properly for her metabolic type and getting her off of gluten. While the corrective exercise program got her out of pain, the lifestyle therapies working synergistically together began the healing process for her brain. This led to an obvious level of improvement in mood and energy levels.

Part of Patricia’s program included a concerted effort at reducing her level of neurotoxins. Neurotoxins can be found in many places. Since many pesticides and herbicides act as neurotoxins, an organic food diet was essential for reducing neurotoxicity. Patricia’s high levels of lead, mercury and cadmium seen on lab tests generated a further toxic load for her central nervous system. Her parasitic and fungal infections also put a burden on her detoxification system, while at the same time the digestive system problems reduced her capacity for absorbing key nutrients required to help assist the detoxification process.

Her treatment program included intensive focus on lifestyle factors and rehabilitative exercise; replenishment of neurotransmitters and detoxification through a Metabolic Typing diet, saunas and juicing; rebuilding of her adrenal hormone production by improving sleep patterns, reducing her stress by relieving her chronic pain; clearing her GI track of pathogens with a parasite and fungal cleanse and addressing her energetic blocks.

This treatment plan took place over the course of more than a year and she achieved complete remission of all symptoms and returned to work, active, depression free and pain free. I continue to look forward to our twice yearly check ups as her achievements in healing herself are inspiring.

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