Dietary Therapy for a Weakened Middle Burner

by Don Richard Paladin April 22, 2000 In the early 1980's I began my journey into investigation of alternative healing. One of my healing practitioners, a Westerner, with training in Eastern therapies recommended, Prince Wen Hui's Cook (1) by Bob Flaws. Unfortunately this practitioner's diagnostic skills were not fined tuned. He had been trained in taking pulses, a method used in the Chinese system of differential diagnosis. My pattern was one in which the energy in my lungs and heart was in excess. He assumed that my metabolism was in excess and that I needed to lower it. He recommended diet to lower my metabolism not realizing that my problem was a "deficiency" disorder for which I needed support of my spleen-pancreas/stomach organ system. One of the most essential elements of differential diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is correctly determining the energy dynamics pattern of the person to be treated. I went to many alternative practitioners who simply made things worse because of their lack of comprehension of differential diagnosis. It took me more than ten years of reading and rereading books on TCM before I could grasp the basic elements of this view from another culture. I have an above average understanding of the BASICS of TCM for an American but I am not at an expert level. I would highly recommend that if anyone so choose to use a TCM dietary approach to aid in their healing that they seek a consultation from a naturopath or doctor of Oriental Medicine trained in differential diagnosis. In this page I focus upon a deficiency of the middle burner (spleen/stomach), cold syndrome. I know that the whole body system must be considered. Below are some basics of TCM and diet for those who may seek to use a protocol to help restore their weakened spleen-pancreas/stomach organ system. Please be aware that if your ROOT organ system is not a weakened spleen-pancreas-stomach organ system, then this dietary approach will not help in your healing and may actually make you worse. I only present and share this information with no claims that it may be beneficial to you. TCM BASICS - (with a focus on Middle Burner Deficiency) 1.According to Chinese medicine, health and longevity are a product of our inherent constitution or inherited vigor and our moment to moment interaction with the universe. (2)

Said another way, both the environment and our genetic predisposition work together to impact the quality of our health. An important feature of Chinese cosmology not directly obvious in the above statement is impact of the dynamic nature of time upon the growth and development of all of us.

The Chinese healer looks for the pattern of disharmony during his differential diagnosis. He understands that part of that disharmony may be caused by our inherited nature. When I went for diagnosis and treatment with Dr. Henry Lu in Vancouver, Canada in 1987, he told me that I had a weakened middle burner or spleen-pancreasstomach organ system. He did this by taking my pulse, asking questions, and seeing a cleft or crack on the middle of my tongue about half an inch from the tip. I was later to learn from my readings that my middle burner would be the root cause of my chronic illness. When I showed several individuals the cleft in my tongue and told them how it reflected a disorder of a weakened spleen-pancreas-stomach organ system, their response was similar. One an M.D. and the other an Asian waitress at my favorite Chinese restaurant both said the same thing, "You were probably born with that "crack" in your tongue." It was a teaching opportunity for me. "Yes, I said. I was. It reflects an inherited weakness in my organ system." Then I explained the concept of inherited constitution of Chinese cosmology to them. I also explained that I needed to balance my weakness with those "elements" and their analogues that complement my weak system. That is what I will attempt to do on this page with my diet, which is only one of the eight healing practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine. [The others are massage, acupuncture, geomancy, Chi Gong and Tai Chi, moxibustion, astrology, and Herbology.] For illness in which weakness in digestion is a primary factor, then diet is the most critical path to rebalance and better health.

2. In preventive dietary therapy, as in all life-arts, moderation is the key. (3)

It is wise to start slowly altering ones diet. The first step is recognizing the most problematic foods and removing them. The ones remaining should be nourishing and complementing the weakness of your system. If one has weak energy, then add those foods that increase energy. This can be tricky because where there is an imbalance both excess energy and deficiency can exist. For those with an over active upper burner (heart and lungs), one can have lots of energy clustered in our upper organ systems but be very weak in our lower organ systems. When I first started Eastern Healing treatments, some of the practitioners focused upon the heat in my lungs and heart and tried to prescribe diets that "cooled" me down. This only fed more greatly into the strong cold imbalance [lower metabolism] I already had. My lungs and heart may have had lots of energy but the rest of me became like an ice cube. What they also did not understand was that many pungent foods that will rise energy up will also stimulate the cortex of the adrenals and cause an increase in cortisol production. Trying to cool my heart and lung energy would not get at the root problem, the lack of warm energy from the middle triad (e.g., kidney medulla) of my spleen-pancreas and kidneys. We don't want to repress the fire in our bodies when the overall pattern is one of deficient energy in the lower parts of our body. We want to move it down (yang energy actually flows down the body in the Chinese cosmology) to the lower organs.

We do this by using treatments that warm the middle burner and stimulate the fire of the kidney medulla. What I later learned after years of reading and researching the Chinese healing practices informally was that our kidney medullas are responsible for heating the body. Remember the concept of the ENERGY DYNAMICS OF THE WHOLE IS REFLECTED IN ALL THE PARTS. I will come back to that. Right now . . . just be concerned with systematically and gradually changing your diet so that you nurture your "root organ" system with the correct foods.

3. If the Middle Burner Fire [stomach/spleen-pancreas] becomes weak it will draw on the Lower Burner or Primordial Fire [kidney medulla energy]. This "Little Fire" supports the "Big Fire" or Mind. If the Essences becomes depleted, the Heart/Mind will become agitated and disordered. This in turn will further impair the digestive functioning leading to a vicious circle of depletion. Therefore, the Qi or Middle Burner Fire is called the Root of Postnatal Life. (4)

The essential point here is that the source of all warming energy is to be found in the MIDDLE element of the body's sub-parts. The source of energy that keeps us healthy is found in the middle of the kidneys and the middle of the body in the spleenpancreas-stomach system. The kidneys are said to control the fire or energy of the mind. When there becomes an imbalance of the MIDDLE, all the organ systems can become dramatically impacted. This is not an easy concept to explain briefly. It is important because it helps one understand the relationship between the psychological problems with their root cause in the Central Nervous System and the imbalance caused by a weakened digestive system that must nurture and create energy for the whole body. The pattern of the weakened middle triad is repeated throughout the whole body system in all the parts. In my case it was the weakened bottom two triads that lacked proper energy flow. I had an overactive, head, cortex, heart, adrenal cortex, etc., all parts of the upper triads. Excess in the upper triad produced analogue biochemicals that fed into the imbalance. For example, the source of body heat from my kidney system should have been produced by a strong kidney medulla. Instead, my adrenal cortex most easily produced higher levels of cortisol that actually cooled my body down even more then needed..The kidney medulla was the middle triad of the kidney organ system. Although I have no lab results for my brain chemicals as I do from an adrenal panel lab test, I could extrapolate that my brain cortex is probably highly active but both my middle brain and brain stem are, relatively speaking, underactive. The solution for me then is to find foods that will stimulate biochemical analogues to nourish my central nervous system and lower brain - and my digestive system. - and my kidney medulla - all the parts of the body organs systems. How can I extrapolate this information from all my diagnoses? It is simple. I know that the ENERGY DYNAMICS OF THE WHOLE IS REFLECTED IN ALL THE PARTS. A healer trained in TCM can look at my tongue and see the energy dynamics

of my whole body system or feel my pulses and discover the energy dynamics of my whole body. If you think of three levels of the triad as a simple musical scale, then each organ system would resonate energetically with the same note much in the same way that two "c" keys an octave apart will resonate. When talking about the body we are talking about both energy and biochemicals. The easiest way to get the biochemicals the body needs to sustain itself is from food. If we give the body the wrong foods, we feed into the wrong pattern.

4 Preventively it therefore of utmost importance to maintain the vigor of the Middle Burner Fire and this is done mostly through diet. (5)

The correct diet is basic to ALL health. If you don't understand and believe that then you have not heard of many relationships between diet and health. To maintain our health we need to strengthen the MIDDLE fire of our bodies if it is weak. We do this by selecting the right foods to complement our energy needs.

5. The basic methodology of Chinese medicine is heteropathy. A treatment is selected which will balance or cancel an imbalance or syndrome. Excesses are dispersed, Deficiencies tonified. Hot problems are cooled off, Cold problems are warmed up. (6)

As mentioned above this approach can be tricky. One must first know which organ is the root cause of the illness. My heart and lung energy were in excess but it did not respond to the treatment to disperse them and cool them down. That was because the real problem was the incredible weakness of the middle burner which is responsible for vital energy (post natal chi) extracted from foods. My body was not effectively getting energy that it needed to support and control other organ systems. This is why it is important that someone correctly diagnose a patient's energy pattern. If the over all pattern is a COLD SYNDROME which I have had, then the approach would be to tonify (nourish) the root cause or weakened organ system with food and herbs . . . and other treatments.

6. Although each patient is unique, over two thousand years of Chinese clinical practice succeeded in delineating a number of syndromes of patterns of disharmony. (7)

This simply says there are patterns within groups of individuals that respond to similar treatment. If one has a particular pattern of disharmony as recognized by differential diagnosis, one should respond to the basic approach and protocol for treating this pattern. The trick becomes knowing which patterns respond to which treatment protocol. It helps to have someone who has a good grasp of differential diagnosis and patterns of disharmony doing your treatment.

7. Based on such an energetic diagnosis, the next step for the practitioner is to clearly state the appropriate therapeutic principles. (8)

Once you have been through a bonafide diagnostic process, the next step is for the practitioner to create the appropriate treatment. This process is much different from a Western diagnosis but is amazingly valuable complementary information for healing.

8. First law of Therapeutics, be sure to first eliminate foods that will aggravate the condition. After this is accomplished, add foods that will benefit the condition. (9)

Yes, the first step is getting rid of those foods that are a problem. If you get bloated from wheat and have abdominal distress, get rid of it. In my case, I loved the taste of wheat products. It was not until several years after getting laboratory diagnostic information that I had gluten intolerance that I removed the wheat and other gluten grains completely from my diet. It was from reading the research related to heart disease and diabetes that I realized that wheat was a real problem for me. It may have always been something that does not nourish the energy dynamics of my body. Wheat is cooling. I have always had a slower metabolism. My body may have been responding in its unique way to wheat and I have ignored the response . . . or more likely, I have not been able to figure it out until recently. This one concept is critical to our healing. Find and get rid of the bad stuff first, then replenish and nourish with the good stuff for our bodies. Of course, we each decide what food complements our energy system based upon or own unique needs. Getting the right ones can be a challenge.

9. A final guideline in erecting a treatment is not to make the patient's diet too extreme. In a Hot problem do not just prescribe everything Cold or Cooling you can think of for the patient. The extremity of the diet should be balanced with the extremity of the patient's condition. This sort of balance cannot be learned from a book but must be learned in the clinic through experience. (10)

In the past I have tried to treat myself with WARMING herbs. Usually what happened was that I had lots of heat in my stomach organ system but it did not move out to the other organs. [If you check your tongue and see a kind of yellow covering in the center of your tongue, this can be heat in the stomach]. It is a trick to balance your diet so that you are nourishing all your organ systems. In the diet below, there is an over focus on treating the middle burner system. The problem is that most of my organ system is out of balance and needs to be nourished. By eating things locally grown in season you can add small amounts of things not on the basic diet to help with seasonal energy. The real key is getting rid of those that feed into the imbalance like I did with wheat and gluten proteins. Then add those that support the middle burner. Then supplement with small amounts of things that may not be recommended. In the summer I eat one or two tomatoes grown in my garden because I love the taste.

Tomatoes are cooling but in the heat of summer this will be OK for me..

10. Most of my dietary [Bob Flaws] recommendations are not any more specific than to eat tonifying and nourishing foods [increase and balance the metabolism] and to avoid foods cooling to the Middle Burner Fire, for patients with Deficiency, or to avoid foods that aggravate the Liver, for patients whose problems stem from the Liver. (11)

Bob Flaw wrote the book from which I have taken the above quotes. I think his basic approach is the safest approach for those of us with food intolerance. It is a simple approach: Remove and restore.

11. In the realm of dietary therapy, if a disease is diagnosed as a Cold Disease [a deficiency of vital energy], cold foods should be avoided and warm foods should be eaten. Foods that are energetically cool and cold are: cucumber, bananas, tomato, soy products (such as tofu, tempeh, soy milk), citrus fruit, spinach, seaweed, melons, millet. Foods that are warm and hot are: squash, carrot, peach, mussel, onion, litchi nut, leek, kidney, mutton, garlic, coconut milk, chicken, chestnut, and amasake. (12)

I don't know how many people with MCS and food intolerance have trouble with the cool/cold foods list, but I have problems with them ALL. I love both cukes and bananas but have the worst gut ache in the world when I eat them. They are very hard for me to digest. When the pain reaction is as strong as it is with some foods, we simply condition ourselves to avoid them. The key is listening to our bodies and trying to figure out which ones trigger a response. I think the above list should be of help to many of us with food intolerance. The Chinese do not categorize foods by their biochemical nature or their calories. Foods are categorized by their energy dynamics. Warm and hot foods increase the metabolism. Cold and cool foods slow the metabolism down. I have found that foods that push my body into a cold pattern are the ones for which I have the most intolerance. Surprisingly some hot foods will also cause problems. The ones that are pungent cause energy to rise. This stimulates the upper triad of my organ systems. Very hot foods are used in TCM to dry and cool too. Why would pungent foods stimulate lowering of the body metabolism? I will suggest a possible reason later.

12. Before attempting to reduce any Excess one should first take into account the extent and nature of any concomitant Deficiencies. (13)

Here is the warning again about excesses. It is hard for us with a strong logical view to grasp a mutually inclusive phenomenon. If one shows some heat symptoms in ones body, that does not necessarily mean one treats the heat symptoms first. Look at the whole dynamics of the energy pattern. Look for the root organ system. Nourish the root system first. Later you can deal with the excess. I learned this the hard way. I

think it is because so much of our medical approach in the Western view is geared to the acute disorders and excess energy patterns. Chronic illnesses are not well understood and treated in the West.

13. The diet must match the specific etiology and conformation, otherwise it will not be helpful at best and at worst it may prove detrimental. (14)

My greatest fear in sharing my diet is that someone will incorrectly assume this diet is for them and use it. They will then make their illness worse. Let me say again and directly that I am not recommending this diet for anyone. This is a treatment that has helped me. One needs an appropriate diagnosis to know whether this diet will benefit them. I am sharing information about my long term experience with diet and healing. You must find what works for you. I hope by explaining the basics and giving the sources that you may create your own treatment protocol with the appropriate experts.

14. Deficient Spleen Qi means that the day-to-day function of the Middle Burner is impaired . . . If this situation is not corrected the patient will not be able to extract the pure Qi from food. Not only will the Spleen function be impaired, but over a period of time there will be a drain on the root energy of the Middle burner, the foundation of post-natal life and source of Acquired Essence. (15)

When our spleen-pancreas system becomes weak, it will impact the energy in all the other organ systems. It becomes a downward spiral to ill health. The road back up is supporting the system so that it works to create the energy that one needs for balance and health.

15. What should a person with Spleen Qi or Spleen Yang Deficiency eat? Cooked squash, carrot, sweet potato, yam, rutabaga, turnip, leek, onion, and pumpkin (lightly stir-fried, steamed, baked, and/or mashed); well-cooked soft rice, sweet rice, and oats; butter; small amounts of chicken, turkey, mutton, beef or anchovy (particularly broths, soups, or gravies of these); cooked peach, cherry, and strawberry; dried litchi and fig; cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper [be careful with pungent spices]; tapioca and custards; kudzu root, arrow root; and moderate amounts of sweeteners such as honey, molasses, barley malt, rice bran syrup, and sugar. [Sweeteners are contraindicated for those with hypoglycemia] What should be avoided? Salad, citrus fruit and juice, too much salt, tofu, undercooked grain, millet, buckwheat, milk, cheese, seaweed, agar, too much liquid with meals and too much sweet. (16)

These are the foods the Bob Flaws recommends in his book for Spleen Deficiency. Be aware that one can have a weakened middle burner and still not tolerate some of the recommended food. The one food on the list I know I have problems with is black pepper. In fact, I have problems with many pungent foods which cause energy to rise. This pattern feeds into the part of my energy that gets clustered in my upper burner

[heart and lung energy]. I found that I could tolerate white pepper but not black pepper. What is the difference? The black pepper has the exterior layer still intact. They remove it to create the white pepper. I felt intuitively that the outer or upper layer in foods may actually be the source of upward stimulation with an analogue biochemical structure that feeds into our excess upper burner pattern. Black and white pepper are the only examples of experiencing the differences of this energy in foods. Pungent foods actually will stimulate a reaction to cool the body. It is safer using a minimum of them. I have tested positive for reactive hypoglycemia. Glucose and fructose are problematic for me. Like spices, sweet foods and drink are cooling and will slow your metabolism down. If you have a weak spleen-pancreas, best to avoid most fruit except for an occasional seasonal treat. I will have small amounts of fruit this summer in the heat of the season. I know consciously that the fruit will lower my metabolism. Other authors have made recommendations for a weakened middle burner system. They have been included below.

16 If the Spleen [spleen-pancreas organ system] is weak it may not have the energy to create peristalsis for the transportation of food and liquids. By strengthening the Spleen this torpidity can be tonified. (17)

One of the obvious symptoms of a weak spleen is undigested food in ones stool. The spleen is very involved in sending energy to the other organs. So weakness and poor muscle tone are symptoms of this weakness, too.

17. Sugar also has a strong ascending nature and over consumption will lead to too much energy rising to the upper half of the body creating an Excess there while leaving the lower half Deficient. This may manifest as mucous disorders, hyperactivity, fluid accumulation disorders, fatigue, and emotional disorders, all of which are common in our culture. (18)

An important fact to remember is that a mechanism for cooling can be found in the cortex (outer layer) of the kidney. This is where the hormone cortisol is produced. Those of us with a constitutional pattern toward upper burner (upper level of three levels) excess, will be predisposed to having problems with a sugar metabolism because it feeds into an excess of this pattern. Sugar and pungent foods stimulate WATER and COOLING according to Chinese medicine. If one is hot or has hot disorders, that is good. If one has a COLD SYNDROME then these foods are not going to be beneficial. Mucus is being stimulated by this biochemical mechanism. If you have dark yellow or green mucus on your lungs, you may have a DAMP HEAT disorder. If you have clear white sputum, you have a DAMP COLD disorder. This suggests that sweets and heavy fruit diets are not beneficial for those who may already have a predisposition toward excess rising energy in the upper part of their bodies and organ systems. [As unfair is it seems, sugar would be great for that thin, dry and very energetic type person who tends toward constipation.]

18. Cold syndrome: This syndrome includes all diseases caused by cold pathogenic energy or a decline in yang energy with yin excess. The symptoms may include low body temperature, pale complexion, withered spirits, fatigue, sleeping with legs curled up, love of warmth, fear of cold, cold abdominal pain that lessens with warmth, absences of thirst or thirst with a craving for hot drink, discharge of watery stools, clear and long streams of urine, pale tongue with a white and sliding coating, and deep and slow pulse, which are mostly seen in chronic and weak diseases. (19)

This definition of the "Cold Syndrome" should help one understand if one fits into this pattern. If you don't see yourself in this definition, then the diet on this page is NOT for you. One must also remember that for me the spleen-pancreas-stomach organ system are my root (cause) organ system. The problems have been transferred to all my organs. I also have a very big issue with my liver function. One must consider all of the whole when trying to balance. Finding the "root cause" means that in case of an energy deficiency we need to strengthen (tonify) that organ system first before dealing with the excesses found in other organs. Think of it as a "balance." It is wiser to add to the light side to balance then to try to remove. This is especially true in a case where one side may almost be empty. In this model we want to add on or increase the energy in order to increase and restore health.

19. Deficiency syndrome. This syndrome encompasses all diseases caused by a decline in body energy. The symptoms of this syndrome include pale complexion, low spirits, fatigue, weakness, palpitations, shortness of breath, excessive perspiration, night sweats, tender tongue with no coating, and deficient and weak pulse. (20)

Deficiency (cold pattern) disorders are most often found in chronic rather than acute illnesses. It is believed that they are caused by a lack of vital energy in the body that allows the downward spiral of ill health.

20. In East West Master Course in Herbology, Michael Tierra explains, " The spleen [spleen-pancreas considered a single organ in Chinese medicine] is considered responsible for the transformation and transportation of energy in the body. It controls fluids. It has the function of controlling the lymphatic secretions. Dysfunction of the spleen is associated with indigestion, swollen abdomen, diarrhea and edema. Deficiency of the spleen results in weak muscles and malnourishment due to poor assimilation, hypoglycemia and diabetes. . . . Diseases of the stomach correspond in many ways to those of the spleen-pancreas although they tend to be more superficial and acute. . . . Diseases of Earth include hypoglycemia, diabetes, off-centeredness, lack of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, mucus diseases, menstrual irregularities, stomach and digestive disorders, and inability to stay in the moment and concentrate." (21)

Remember that when the spleen system becomes deficient and ill health takes over, it will impact all the other organs because it is the source of vital energy. Diabetes,

hypoglycemia, and digestive disorders are illnesses that are symptoms of the malfunctioning of this organ system. If one has the cleft, crack, or line in the middle of the tongue about half an inch from the tip, this suggests weakness in the spleen-pancreas-stomach organ system. It also suggests potential heart disease. I have included some recommendations for a diet for heart disease after the Chinese Dietary Therapy for a weakened Middle Burner.

21. Chinese nutrition is defined as "the science that deals with the healing properties of foods to correct disharmonies within the body." ... Chinese nutrition deals on an energetic level to which balance is the key. Foods are selected according to their energetic qualities such as warming, cooling, drying, or lubricating. Thus, Chinese nutrition would seek to warm the coldness, cool the heat, dry the dampness, lubricate the dryness and so forth . . . Generally speaking, warming food raise metabolism and cooling foods lower metabolism. (22)

Are you getting the point yet?

22. There is a useful relationship between food colors and the elements and corresponding body system. White foods nourish the lungs; black and dark blue foods nourish the kidneys; green foods nourish the liver; yellow and orange foods nourish the spleen-stomach; red foods nourish the heart. Thus a person with weak digestion (spleen weakness) should include plenty of yellow and orange foods, such as sweet potatoes and winter squash, as these are the colors that correspond to the Earth element and the spleen organ. (23)

The important colors to nourish our weakened system are green and orange/yellow foods. In fact, I believe that supplements would also apply to this rule. I have found that both folic acid and riboflavin are orange. I have expanded use of them in my personal regimen.

23. Ones diet should follow the seasons, eating what grows locally. Nature has the perfect plan in providing the appropriate foods for the given season. The fruits and vegetables that ripen in summertime tend to be on the cooling side because their growth period occurs during the cooler months. In wintertime we will tend toward a more warming diet. (24)

In the last 60 years we have been able to eat fresh fruits in the middle of the cold winter. I have found that food that is fresh and in season always tastes better. The opposite is also true. Eating a tomato in winter is not a gastronomic pleasure for me. I don't know how significant it is eat seasonally, but I have for a number of years.

24. The foods for energy deficiency [beef, chicken, ... goose, grapes, herring, . . . mackerel, ... sweet and white potatoes, rabbit, ... shiitake mushrooms, squash, ... and white string beans] mostly affect the stomach, spleen, and pancreas, all of which are regarded in Chinese medicine as the acquired sources of the immune function. When they are deficient, the body's immune function will be impaired, which is why energy tonics play an important role in enhancing the immune function. A Chinese physician in the third century named Zhang Zhong Jing said, "When the spleen and pancreas are full of energy, the body will be immune from disease." (25)

A weakened spleen system will be implicated in a weakened immunity. The Chinese believe in a bimodal immune system as we do in the West but it is unified. They believe that the upper burner [heart, lungs] has its energy collecting point in the thymus area of the chest and the lower burner associated with the kidneys has its energy collecting point in the prostrate area. It is likely, considering the Eastern view, one part of the immune memory system is analogue and another is digital. One part remembers specific antigens like the humoral system and the other can generalize to an analogue system of stimuli that are structurally similar. This will explain the "spreading phenomenon" so common in MCS. Those of us with an over active upper burner are likely to have an over active analogue system of immune response. However, we will also have a weakened digital response. This is, in fact, my own experience as reflected by lab results to measure my immune profile. The key will be to reduce the overactive component of the immune response (Cellular) and to stimulate the Humoral response. This may be done with supplementation and diet. I am working on this now and will address this issue later.

25. A Chinese medical book published in the third century, entitled Prescription for Acute Diseases, said, "Good health is first and foremost to be found in foods; anyone who does not know how to eat the right foods cannot stay in good health." (26)

Need I say more? I am amazed how far Western medicine has evolved away from the wisdom of Hippocrates who suggested that we let food be our medicine. Some wisdom is eternal.

26. Yang deficiency, or kidney yang deficiency, refers to a lack of yang energy in the kidneys [medulla], which is essential in the maintenance of body warmth . . . A person with yang deficiency often displays fatigue, cold limbs, ... soft bones, low spirits, and diarrhea, backache, shortness of breath, frequent urination (especially at night), pale complexion, hair loss, edema, impotence in men and infertility and vaginal discharge in women. A few common diseases are indicative of yang deficiency, including bronchial asthma, asthmatic tracheitis, allergic rhinitis, chronic nephritis, vitiligo, psoriasis, tuberculosis of bones, osteoporosis, and diabetes mellitus. (27)

This is an important concept in the overall energy picture. Even though warmth of the body can be generated by food, much of a basic metabolism is already with us. Those

of us with food intolerance and chemical sensitivity are deficient in our level of body warmth (yang energy). We will want to stimulate with supplementation and food those that resonate with the kidney medulla. It is no surprise that people with asthma are given adrenalin analogues to decrease their cold syndrome reactions to environmental triggers. They also work for us with MCS. The common factor in MCS and asthma is the deficiency of yang energy and its chemical analogues found in the Middle Triad.

27. USE ANIMALS' INTERNAL ORGANS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR OWN . . . It is wise to make use of animals' internal organs to strengthen your own, which means to eat animals' kidneys and liver to strengthen your own internal organs. (28)

Before you raise your nose and rebel about using animal internal organs, please be aware that some supplements and drugs are derived from animal organs. In this case the principle is most important for us with weakened digestive system. We have weakened digestive enzymes and bicarbonate produced by our underactive pancreas. I tried a number of vegetarian enzymes under the direction of my environmental physician. It wasn't until I tried the enzymes made of animal organs and other supplements and started taking Trisalts (bicarbonates)an hour after eating did I really begin to increase the efficiency of my digestion. Of course, I had also removed the foods that were problematic. The use of digestive enzymes and bicarbonates an hour later as a protocol is recommended in Optimal Digestion: New Strategies for Achieving Digestive Health.(29) Middle Burner Warming Diet The list of foods below are taken from a number of sources that deal with Chinese Dietary Therapy. I have only focused upon foods that will warm the middle triad of our bodily systems. Many sources recommend removing the most critical precipitators of imbalance toward a cold pattern of disharmony. Removing sweets, most grains, soy, pungent spices, fruits, and fruit juices will go a long way to helping restore the energy to the middle burner. The rest is about fine tuning and listening to ones body. I will also again mention the addition of digestive enzymes and some stomach acid followed an hour later by bicarbonates to neutralize everything for the colon. Food List Recommend (hypoglycemia) Foods to Avoid

beets# ? butter# soy carrots? (*Can lower blood sugar) wheat green onions# + Sugar leeks & garlic + (garlic is pungent an can be a problem) Chinese Chives+ Most grains (particularly gluten ones) pumpkin ? Fruits other than

recommended chicken*#+ mustard # recommended adzuki beans# ? green beans+ kale+ mustard greens+ rice# ? (most tolerated grain) shrimp* vinegar (brown rice sparingly)+ ? coriander fennel* oysters* mussel* caraway* potato (Yukon yellows)# ? spearmint star anise white pepper* beef*#+ winter squash*# lamb/mutton*#+ dill seed* walnuts*#+ crab apple* sardines* raspberry*# strawberry*# trout or carp# perch* peach# parsley+ olive oil# ? ginger# shiitake mushrooms# green olives dates (sparingly)+ almonds# cole vegetables (braccia family) ?

Fruit juices Nuts other than Most spices (pungent ones)

Coffee Teas? Simple carbohydrates

Foods To Raise HDL Cholesterol and Lower Triglycerides As I have already alluded, heart disease may be an end organ disease for a weakness of the middle burner. I have struggled for years with high cholesterol and triglycerides and low HDL levels. The challenge became what to do to bring those levels into normal range. In the spring of 2000 after changing my diet by eliminating sweet foods (low carbs) and gluten grains, my cholesterol level dropped to almost withing normal range. My triglycerides had been higher than 850 and were now within normal range

at 143. What changed my lab results after many years of doing all kinds of things with my diet? I think it was the simple elimination of the grains and sweets. I still need to increase my HDL levels. As I write this, I am now working at this with diet. I am trying to fine tune my diet. Jean Carper has written a number of books on healing and diet based upon review of current research of foods. Her new book, The Miracle Heart (30) seems to be just what I need to focus on raising the my HDL. Helpful Foods/Supplements Beans ? Carrots Olive Oil Avocados Almonds Walnuts Garlic (Problematic for some EI's) Onions (raw, yellow?) Fatty Fish Tea (green) Vegetables rich in Vitamin C Vegetables rich in Beta Carotene Purple Grapes Oysters Mussels Folic Acid Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Magnesium/Calcium Selenium Co Q-10 Omega-3 Fish Oils Beta carotene Avoid foods

High in Saturated Fats Trans Fats (vegetable oils) Glutenous Grains Simple Sugars Fruit juices Iron (supplements)

[Digestive Enzymes & support... Carper does not recommend this but for someone with a weakened middle burner this will be critical]

Pattern of Disharmony - Weakened Middle Burner (31) If you have a preponderance of the following symptoms, you may have a weakened middle burner: ____Cold hands and feet ____Fatigue easily ____Concentration problems ____Sugar cravings ____Abnormal sleeping patterns ____Diminished libido ____Undigested food in your stool

____Digestive disorders ____Food intolerance ____Bloating and water retention ____Loose stools ____Love of warmth and massage ____Palpitations ____Abdominal swelling and pain after eating ____Frequent urination (usually clear and copious) ____Cold abdomen to the touch [Touch forehead then stomach to compare warmth] ____Pale white moss [tongue coating] on your tongue ____Weak yang pulse [Taken by a trained practitioner] ____Clear or white mucous ____Preference for warmth and dryness over coldness and dampness ____Pain and soreness throughout body ____Tongue cleft (split, crack or line) in the middle of tongue about half inch from tip ____When putting on weight it is usually as abdominal fat

Remove, Replace, Restore & Repair In Optimal Digestion (32) Dr. Jeffrey Bland summarizes his protocol for improving digestion and detoxification: Step 1: Remove Common food allergies or sensitivities Bad bugs - candida or bacterial overgrowth or parasites Problem from viruses Minimize environmental toxins and digestive toxins Step 2. Replace Betaine hydrochloride (hydrochloric acid) Enzymes (animal-based or plant based) Bicarbonate (which enables the enzymes to work) Step 3. Restore Beneficial Flora Probiotics-L. Acidophilus and other probiotics Provide prebiotics if starches and sugars are tolerated Increase fiber Increase resistant starch in the diet to reduce acidity and raise fatty acids Monitor level of starches and sugars Step 4. Repair Provide nutrients to heal the GI mucosa Support the immune functions of the GI tract Continue to avoid allergens and irritants; certain drugs, alcohol, and foods that trigger allergies . On this page I have attempted to suggest dietary therapy that has helped improve my health. It should be remembered that I have lab results the reflect problems with cholesterol, homocysteine, glucose metabolism (hypoglycemia), immunology and

detoxification. I have also been to a number of healers trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) who have made a number of suggestions. Please do not forget that "Dietary Therapy" is only one of the eight branches of T.C.M. When energy metabolism is an issue, one needs to work on energy building issues too . . . but that is another page. The best approach is for one to listen to their body, remove the foods and things for which they have an intolerance, and add those that will enhance their energy and health. This page has been created as information to help you find your own solutions to your particular dietary and energy enhancing needs. I hope I have stimulated thought and maybe shined a little light along the shadowy path of chronic illness leading to a restoration of health. Good luck. References

1. Bob Flaws & Honora Wolfe, Prince Wen Hui's Cook: Chinese Dietary Therapy, Paradigm Publications, Brookline, Mass., 1983. 2. Ibid. , p. 7 3. Ibid., p. 11 4. Ibid., p. 12 5. Ibid., p 12 6. Ibid., p. 19 7. Ibid., p. 25 8. Ibid., p. 26 9. Ibid., p. 29 10. Ibid., p. 29 11. Ibid., p. 31 12. Ibid., p. 36 13. Ibid., p. 36 14. Ibid., p. 38 15. Ibid., p. 39 16. Ibid., p. 41 17. Ibid., p. 54 18. Ibid., p. 70 19. *Henry C. Lu, Chinese System of Natural Cures, Sterling Publishing, NY, 1994, p. 32 20. Ibid., pg. 33 21. Michael Tierra, East West Master Course in Herbology, Santa Cruz, CA, 1981, "The Chinese Theory of Five Elements, Lesson 6, p. 5 #Michael Tierra, East West Master Course in Herbology, "Herbs as Special Foods and Foods for Healing," Section I, Lesson 3, p. 1 - 47, Santa Cruz, 1981 22. + Maoshing Ni, The Tao of Nutrition, Published by the Shrine of the Eternal Tao, Los Angeles, CA, 1987, p. 5 23. Ibid., p. 9 24. Ibid. p. 22 25. Henry C. Lu, Chinese Foods for Longevity: The Art of Long Life, Sterling Publishing, NY, 1990, p. 38 26. Ibid., p. 32 27. Ibid. p. 39 28. Ibid., p. 179-180 29. Trent W. Nichols & Nancy Faass, Optimal Digestion: New Strategies for

Achieving Digestive Health, Avon Books, NY, 1999, p. 30 30. Jean Carper, The Miracle Heart, The Ultimate Guide to Preventing and Curing Heart Disease with Diet and Supplements, Harper Paperbacks, NY, 2000 31. Henry C. Lu, Chinese Foods for Longevity: The Art of Long Life, Sterling Publishing, NY, 1990, p. 107 - 149 32. Trent W. Nichols & Nancy Faass, Optimal Digestion: New Strategies for Achieving Digestive Health, Avon Books, NY, 1999, p 181-182.

Links: "The Celiac/Autoimmune Thyroid Connection: A Major Thyroid Disease Breakthrough" at http://thyroid.about.com/health/thyroid/library/weekly/aa040700a.htm "Zonulin Could Be Linked To Many Autoimmune Ills" at http://unisci.com/stories/20002/0501004.htm "Newest Research: Reasons Why You Should Avoid Soy" at http://www.mercola.com/2000/apr/9/soy_research_update.htm "Lower Your Grains and Increase Your Health" at http://www.mercola.com/article/carbohydrates/lower_your_grains.htm Nutritional Supplements for Specific Conditions, taken from The Physicians Handbook of Clinical Nutrition (1995 edition) (Australian) http://www.accessnable.com.au/inform.htm Healthy Liver and Weight Loss (A well written and informative article written by an Australian doctor about liver function.)
http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Nutrition/cabot37.htm

Hypoglycemia Support Foundation at http://www.hypoglycemia.org/ Hypoglycemia Homepage Holland - the Unabridged Collection at http://lightning.prohosting.com/~hypoglyc/ SYNDROME X at http://www.americanheart.org/Heart_and_Stroke_A_Z_Guide/syndx.html Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/PUBS/COLUMNNN/nn971022.htm

Return to MCS - The Poisoned Web

Note: This page on Dietary Therapy is in its first format. Please send back any comments to Sunergos@juno.com. If you don't understand something, please ask. I have intentionally tried to write in a non-authorative but personal style. I decided to

quote heavily from other sources so that others may explore information on their own. As I mentioned on the Dietary Therapy page after many years of reading books on TCM, I began to eventually get it. I don't mean to imply that I have resolved my MCS. I continue to find the correct elements to restore my health to greater balance. I am better this last year. I believe it is in part due to the shift in the foods I have been eating and the addition of supplements that support digestion. If you need some clarification, please let me know. I only have "book" knowledge and not clinical experience. I seek no remuneration for this information. I do ask, however, that if you do read this information that you do something productive for the MCS Community. I would like to encourage anyone who has found this information useful and stimulating to please either donate to an MCS Research Fund or to write to your Congressional members and seek support for research funds for MCS. For me, RESEARCH is the most important thing we call all encourage to resolve the issues related to our illness. Thank you. dp

Note: July 4, 2001, After a long absence from looking at research [I have been searching for safer housing for the past year], I went to the local library last Wednesday and did some research. I was excited to find information that answered some questions I had about my problem increasing my HDL levels and [I suspected] increasing my yet untested serum paraoxonase [PON 1]. For those of you on our state list who are new, I have discussed the issue of a deficiency of PON 1 before. We have a number of links on our links page at http://wsmcsn.homestead.com/files/links.htm My basic hypothesis is that we have some major biochemical imbalances that need to be treated by restoring the biochemicals that increase the balance and removing those biochemicals which feed into the imbalance. For example, if one has insulin dependent diabetes, one supplements with insulin and avoids a high sugar diet that would feed into the imbalance. \ For those who don't remember what I wrote in the past on the list, here is a quick review:\par 1. I believe that nutrition is one ESSENTIAL element in the natural healing process ... so I believe selecting a beneficial diet will help improve my personal ecology. [THERE ARE OTHER ELEMENTS besides diet].\par 2. I believe that MCS is a metabolic disorder probably caused by a deficiency of NATURAL human enzymes and biochemistry. [Yes, chemical intolerance is an environmentally induced disorder but there has to be biochemical component to it or every human exposed to the same chemicals would develop the same reactions. ... This is known as VARIABILITY OF TOLERANCE]\par 3. From what I have read about MCS the past 19 years, I believe our most common family history is diabetes and heart disease. These are both related to a malfunctioning of our spleen-pancreas and liver systems. [Some of us have a more highly impacted spleen-pancreas function and others have a more impacted liver system. BOTH are a problem in MCS.]\par 4. I hypothesize for those of us with indicators for heart disease and diabetes/hypoglycemia and who are also pesticide intolerant that we have a deficiency of the enzyme PON 1 (serum paraoxonase). We MAY be a subset of those with MCS. [WE NEED RESEARCH ON THIS!!!!!! I don't think PON 1 is the MASTER DOMINO in the sequence that

leads to MCS. WE NEED TO FIND THAT COMMON LINK THAT LEADS TO A FAILURE TO CATABOLIZE TOXIC CHEMICALS!!!!]\par \par Last year I was all excited because I stopped eating gluten grains, revised my diet, and my energy became better. I lost weight (about 25 pounds) and my cholesterol and tryglycerides plummeted after having immensely high numbers in everything except HDL for years. My lipid profile was the best in about 17 years last year. I was disturbed that my change in diet did not bring my HDL into safe numbers because I had read in the PON 1 research a correlation between HDL and PON 1 activity. That is ... the better the HDL the better the PON 1. I hypothesized that if I could increase my HDL that I could increase my PON 1 and DECREASE MY INTOLERANCE TO PESTICIDES and other toxic chemicals that may be detoxified through this biochemical mechanism. Even though I have better energy and better lab results I REMAINED chemically sensitive. I wondered if my hypothesis was wrong ... and still do.\par \par Last Wednesday I found some research I have imported that helps me explain why I may NOT have INCREASED my HDL satisfactorily. [Please don't think just this ONE change will make me PESTICIDE and ENVIRONMENTALLY TOLERANT. I still hope we find the MASTER ENZYME LINK!]\par \par Here is what I think is the problem with the HDL. As long as I have added nutrients that supported a HEALTHY heart, I have taken both OLIVE OIL and FISH OIL (fish oil daily) in my diet. Listen to this ONE: The research I have imported in to this email indicates that FISH OIL actually DECREASES PON 1 levels. YES, DECREASES! The OIL that increases PON 1 levels is TRIOLEIN. I had to do a search to find out where I could get this oil. It is a major component for OLIVE OIL. So based upon restore that which enhances balance and remove that which increases imbalance, I am increasing my personal consumption of OLIVE OIL and removing my daily supplementation of fish oil. \par \par Please understand I may be way ahead of the curve on this issue.[Or WAY OFF base!] The thing about testing environmental issues is that one can only do it one item at a time. After reading the research below, my lab results INDICATE that fish oil MAY be implicated in my low HDL levels. I will be taking my annual exam soon. I will wait until I have about a month with this new protocol in my diet (INCREASED LEVEL OF OLIVE OIL ... REMOVAL OF FISH OILS and the avoidance of soy and gluten grains). I will report back to the group then.\par \par If there is anyone else on the list with a similar health profile and would like to be part of an INFORMAL test group, then email me. [This is my health profile: documentation of abnormal lipid profile with prediction of heart disease, documentation of reactive hypoglycemia with a family history of diabetes, documentation of abnormal homocysteine levels corrected with supplementation, documentation of a porphyrin disorder, a long history of chemical intolerance but particularly of pesticide intolerance (pyrethroids, glyphosate, organophosphate, etc.). I am hypothesizing that I have LOW PON 1. I could not afford the $500 at the U of W Department of Genetics to test for my serum paraoxonase levels. Changing my fats intake is a cost effective way to test my hypothesis. Of course, I do wonder about other factors mentioned in the research. I do eat lots of cheese to help with the hypoglycemia. I think I may remove that too and just take a tablespoon of OLIVE OIL between meals. In my search I found research that suggested the TRIOLEIN can improve the feelings of satiety. When one eats carbohydrates the sugar levels go goofy. Cheeses are high in saturated fats and cholesterol. These were implicated in decreasing PON 1 in the research below. The olive oil may fill the biochemical void.} dp [To be revised later. Rough note addendum]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uid s=11015468&dopt=Abstract : J Nutr 2000 Oct;130(10):2427-33 Books

Dietary fat modulates serum paraoxonase 1 activity in rats.

Kudchodkar BJ, Lacko AG, Dory L, Fungwe TV. Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA. We examined the effects of dietary fats with specific fatty acid compositions, on serum paraoxonase (PON1) activity in rats. Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into four dietary groups. One group received the control diet [AIN 93M with soybean oil (5 g/100 g diet)], whereas the remaining three groups received the modified control diet supplemented with (15 g/100 g diet) triolein, tripalmitin or fish oil, respectively. After 20 d, blood was obtained after overnight food deprivation and PON1 activity was determined. Serum lipids and lipid components of lipoproteins were also determined. Serum PON1 activity [micromol/(L.min)] was significantly (P: < 0.05) higher in triolein (98 +/- 6) and lower in fish oil (41 +/- 4), compared with tripalmitin-fed rats (63 +/- 11). Serum PON1 activity in tripalmitin-fed rats was comparable to that of controls (67 +/- 9). Serum PON1 activity correlated significantly with serum lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity (r = 0.77, P: < 0.001) and was transported in blood principally in association with the denser subfraction of HDL, very high density lipoprotein (VHDL; d > 1.15 kg/L). Serum PON1 activity correlated strongly with serum lipids as well as lipids of VLDL, HDL and its subfractions. Multiple linear regression analysis, however, showed a significant relationship of serum PON1 activity, principally with the phospholipids of VHDL (r = 0.47, P: < 0.002). These data suggest that the modulation of serum PON1 activity by dietary fat may be mediated via the effect of the specific fatty acids on the synthesis and secretion of VHDL, the subfraction of HDL that transports the majority of PON1 in the blood. PMID: 11015468 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

October 8, 2000 I continue the search for information that will help restore my ability in a toxic world. Alhtough the dietary changes have helped with the digestive problems, I continue to be very, very chemically sensitive. This spring and summer were again very difficult. For the most part much of the past five or six months I have been "brain dead." I think much of my frontal lobe ability simply is not present during this time. As fall arrives

this improves. I would like to import my latest message to my network into this site. At this point I am importing only rough data. Eventually when I have dealt with the more pressing issue of a safe and healing habitat, then I will come back to my unfinished work and reedit this work. The following was sent out today. While doing my shopping at the Food Co-op I used the new nutrition database to look up some things. I inadvertently clicked on the wrong supplement. When I read the blurb about Glucaric Acid, it piqued my interest. I printed the information and came home and did a web search. What most interested me was that this supplement is involved in detoxification. In the past I was concerned about the relationship of enzymes and biochemicals to under active liver, spleen, pancreas and stomach functions. Digestive enzymes and a restructured diet have greatly helped me with digestive issues. Unfortunately, they have not helped with detoxification issues. I just kept telling myself that if I could find a supplementation (food regimen) that would help with the detoxification process in the liver, I would be closer to reducing my reactions. I have hypothesized that because our digestive/liver system is under functioning that we have a failure of catabolism. I feel we need support in helping breaking chemicals and organisms like bacteria and viruses down. Our detox systems don't seem to be effectively neutralizing things that may be toxic. After reading many sites that dealt with Glucaric Acid, I think I might be on to something. I don't know that it will help with MCS. The first step in an investigation would be an assay to determine the glucuronidase activity in those with MCS. All I have to go on is really just a hunch this stuff MAY be useful. One of my MCS friends in town has two sisters who have developed breast cancer (one of whom has died). We have talked about the fact that all three sister may be manifesting toxic induced disorders. We wondered what the common biochemical factor was. My MCS friend and I have similar MCS profiles. We are both very formaldehyde and pesticides sensitive. Although no member of my family has had breast cancer (or other hormone linked cancer), high cholesterol and heart disease are an issue for us. Interestingly, Glucaric Acid supplementation helps reduce LDL cholesterol (which is an issue for me). This suggests a pancreas/liver connection to me. In fact, I did find some indication in my search that pancreatitis is associated with abnormal Glucaric Acid levels. I may be imposing my current level of understanding (limited as it may be) on this, but intuitively I believe there MIGHT be some connection. [BUT, HEY! I see connections in everything!] As usual I have many more questions than answers. It is on days like these I wish I had my own direct red phone line to researchers investigating MCS. I am NOT recommending anyone go out and buy Calcium D-Glucarate to treat MCS. In fact, I am wondering if the calcium might not be contraindicated for someone with MCS like myself who has perpetual muscle twitching (24/7) that suggests a deficiency of magnesium. The Calcium D-Glucarate that is the PATENTED supplement was designed to be more slowly absorbable ... and PATENTED by a company who was involved in cancer research. I don't know what percentage of those with MCS have or develop cancer. I assume the mechanism for development is different and there are different biochemical deficiencies. I will take a dietary approach. I will eat more brussel sprouts, broccoli, apples, and carrots which are high

in Glucaric Acid. I am importing quotes from my file on information about Glucaric Acid. As many of you know, I have not been trained as a western scientist. There are great limitations of my understanding of biochemistry. I would be curious about any thoughts those of you with some back ground in science have about this issue. One piece of important information I do understand: For many people with MCS antibody mediated induced illness is not a problem. This suggests to me there may be a failure in our metabolisms to naturally BREAK DOWN biochemicals (like pesticides, solvents, and even FOODS). If we can find and RESTORE the deficient enzymes and biochemicals that assist in the process of breaking down and neutralizing these toxic chemicals, we are on our way home. Thanks for taking time to read this. Take care, Don Paladin IMPORTED INFO FOLLOWS

D-Glucaric Acid *Organic Compounds in Urine: Metabolic Profiling to Assess Functional Nutrient Deficiencies Gut Dysbiosis, and Toxicity, Natural Medicine (1998), Pizzorno and Murray, Churchill Livingstone, London. J. Alexander Bralley, Ph.D., C.C.N. and Richard S. Lord, Ph.D., at http://www.metametrix.com/articles/artcl_uoa.htm *The Importance of Replenishing Phase II Cofactors, FMRC Update Winter 2000, at http://www.healthcomm.com/research/update/back-issues/spring00/home.html * Estrogen Metabolizers , at http://www.medlean.com/ML_estrogenmetabolizers.html * Urinary Organic Analysis, Indicators of detoxification function, at http://216.117.138.253/library/oa8_detox.html * The following is a current review of information concerning D-Glucarate, at http://www.md-phc.com/nutrition/calcium_d.htm

-------------------------------------------------------http://www.michiganapples.com/health.html D-glucaric Acid Perhaps the mysterious ingredient in apples is D-glucaric acid. Preliminary research, according to a study published in Nutrition Research, indicates that it and a related compound may be natural regulators of cholesterogenesis. Laboratory rats fed the substances showed markedly reduced blood cholesterol levels. The results point to the need for further studies to identify the mechanism by which this effect is achieved, the researchers stated.

They also did an analysis of many fruits and vegetables to determine their D-glucaric acid content. Apples had higher readings than all other types of fruit except grapefruit. A bonus that D-glucaric acid appears to offer, based on the early research, is that the form of cholesterol that it lowers is the damaging LDL type. Reductions of up to 35 percent were found in the laboratory studies. The "good" type of cholesterol, the HDL that should have a relatively high ratio to LDL in an ideal blood cholesterol profile was not affected. The research adds to the case that apples are a real health food. ----------------------------------------------at http://www.doctormurray.com/articles/breastcancer.htm The Glucuronidase Factor One of the key ways in which the body gets rid of estrogen is via attaching glucuronic acid to the estrogen in the liver and then excreting this complex in the bile. Glucuronidase is a bacterial enzyme that uncouples (breaks) the bond between excreted estrogen and glucuronic acid. Not surprising is the finding that excess glucuronidase activity is associated with an increased cancer risk, particularly estrogen-dependent breast cancer. The activity of this enzyme is increased when the diet is high in fat and low in fiber. The level of glucuronidase activity may be one of the key underlying factors explaining why certain dietary factors cause breast cancer and why other dietary factors are preventive. The activity of glucuronidase be reduced by establishing a proper bacterial flora by eating a diet high in plant foods and supplementing the diet with the "friendly bacteria" Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Other dietary factors which can dramatically reduce the activity of this enzyme are the consumption of onion and garlic, and foods high in glucaric acid like apples, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, and lettuce. Glucaric acid in a pill form, calcium D-glucarate may turn out to be the "magic bullet" in the prevention of breast cancer, especially in women who have already battled breast cancer. Preliminary research is quite encouraging.5 Currently, women with a history of breast cancer are prescribed the drug tamoxifen. This drug is associated with numerous side effects and is quite controversial in its overall effectiveness. In contrast, calcium D-glucarate is completely safe and, if preliminary results hold true, more effective. Calcium D-glucarate is currently being investigated at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. It is just entering the health food market as well. --------------------------------------------------------at http://www.thepillboxpharmacy.com/breast.htm BREAST CANCER We are led to believe that advances in medical technology, self-examination practices and early detection have helped many women in the battle against breast cancer. Yet breast cancer remains the second-leading cause of cancer death among American

women. By the year 2000, it is estimated that more than 1 billion women worldwide will have breast cancer. More startling is that the death rate of women with breast cancer today remains at 262 per 1 million, the same level it has been for the last 62 years. This indicates that conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, for all their high-tech properties, have failed to reduce the overall death rate. Where, then, do we go from here? The causes of breast cancer still are unclear. Family history is a major risk factor, although it accounts for only 5 percent of cases. That small percentage of women who have the breast cancer gene BRCA1 have a 59 percent risk of developing breast cancer by age 50; only 2 percent of the normal population develops breast cancer by this age. Surprisingly, 75 percent of women with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. Exploration of the primary causes has recently narrowed to two areas of concern: environmental toxins and diet. Environmental toxins include pesticides and herbicides in produce and animal products, air pollution, cigarette smoke, and residential and industrial compounds. These dangerous substances damage cellular DNA and lead to mutations and tumor development. In part, this damage is caused by the ability of these substances to mimic harmful estrogens in the body and research data show a positive correlation between breast-cancer incidence and certain body estrogen levels. Pesticides are fat-soluble and tend to remain in the fatty tissue of birds, fish, humans and other mammals. Studies have shown a higher level of pesticides in women with breast cancer than in women with benign breast disease. A 1993 study by the Washington, D.C.-based National Cancer Institute (NCI) found that some women with breast cancer had high levels of the chemical DDE, a compound derived from DDT, the infamous organochloride used in chemical pesticides and electrical components. Although DDE and DDT are now banned in the United States, many imported fruits and vegetables continue to contain residual DDT as well as other harmful environmental toxins. Avoiding foreign produce is beneficial, but be mindful that American produce still may contain residues of other hazardous chemical pesticides. Washing and peeling fruits and vegetables removes only an estimated 25 percent of residues, probably because they soak in to some extent. According to the Environmental Working Group, based in Washington, D.C., the foods that may present the greatest contamination risk include apricots, bell peppers, cantaloupe, celery, cherries, cucumbers, green beans, grapes, peaches, spinach and strawberries. A sensible solution is to purchase only certified organic produce grown in the United States. Diet, which relates to the above concerns but goes far beyond properly grown and treated produce is another nongenetic cause of breast cancer. The type and amount of fat in a womans diet in particular may have considerable influence on her breastcancer risk. Obesity is one of the key factors associated with excess estrogen levels and breast cancer, because obesity increases estrogen output. Excess estrogen can increase

cellular growth in tissues of the breast and reproductive organs. Still other breastcancer risks related to prolonged estrogen exposure are menstruation before age 9, menopause after 55, having the first child after 40 and having few or no children. Although the exact role of dietary fat in breast cancer is unknown, some forms of fats such as omega-3 (in flaxseed or fish oil) and olive oil appear to provide protective benefits against breast cancer. Meanwhile, excess amounts of saturated fats such as those found in meats and dairy products may lead to an increased incidence of breast cancer. Most nutritionists recommend a low-fat diet that includes sufficient amounts of healthy essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and -6, as well as olive oil; omega-3 and olive oil in particular are the strongest protectors. DETOXIFICATION The elimination of unwanted toxins, chemicals, foreign substances and the body's own estrogen should not be overlooked. Toxins damage cells and suppress immune function. Internal cleansing lessens the body's toxic burden so the immune system then can rebound. Detoxification typically includes cleansing the intestines, liver and lymphatic system. This process relies on a predominantly alkaline diet rich in phytochemical-laden fruits and vegetables. A variety of juicing programs can assist in this process. Nutrients that help support the detoxification process include sufficient dietary and supplemental fiber such as oats, psyllium, mixed grain and vegetable fibers; friendly flora such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum; essential fatty acids; herbs such as ginger for general detox, garlic for intestinal detox, milk thistle for liver detox, fenugreek to break mucus, red clover and burdock for traditional blood cleansing, and aloe vera for intestinal detox and immune enhancement; the sulfur amino acids N-acetyl cysteine and methionine for detox and heavy-metal removal; and antioxidants such as vitamins E and C, selenium and glutathione. A healthy lifestyle that includes exercise stimulates general immune function, increases circulation and purges lymphatic pathways of impurities. Stress reduction, sufficient sleep, relaxation and an improved breathing technique also assist in proper internal functioning, immune enhancement and neutralization of toxic stress hormones such as cortisol, which can halt the body's protein synthesis. Calcium D-Glucarate Because estrogen plays such a pivotal role in the development of breast cancer, controlling the body's hormonal balance may decrease or block the effects of circulating estrogens. Through a natural process known as glucuronidation, the body eliminates toxins, excess estrogen and other hormones from the body. In the liver, estrogenic compounds bind to glucuronic acid and are then excreted. This process, however, is disrupted by B-glucuronidase, an enzyme produced by intestinal bacteria. Recent findings suggest that D-glucaro-1,4 lactone and its precursors, D-glucaric acid salts and D-glucarates, can inhibit the activity of B-glucuronidase and may help control different stages of the carcinogenic process.

Calcium D-glucarate (CDG), a new supplement on the vitamin shelves, is the calcium salt of D-glucaric acid, a natural substance found in small quantities in the body. It also is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables such as apples, broccoli, carrots, oranges and spinach. CDG increases net glucuronidation and thus helps remove hormones, steroids and cellular toxins from the body. Animal studies have shown that a CDG-supplemented diet can inhibit mammary carcinogenesis and also inhibit tumorigenesis by more than 70 percent.

-------------------------------------------------------at http://www.gaines.com/html/product_info/AdvMed/AMNCDGinfo.htm Supports Phase II detoxification of chemicals and hormones. By supplying a slowrelease form of D-glucaric acid, calcium D-glucarate is an effective agent that enhances the deactivation of toxic sub- stances and encourages their elimination from the body. When calcium glucarate is converted to D-glucaro-1,4-lactone, it counteracts the enzyme beta-glucuronidase which can otherwise interfere with conjugation and detoxification of steroid hormones and potentially carcinogenic compounds. Beta-glucuronidase enzymes are present in all cells, particularly the liver, kidney, lung, intestinal epithelium, breast and endocrine acid derivatives may exert a protective, non-antioxidant effect on the immune system. -------------------------------------------------------------------------at http://www.metametrix.com/articles/artcl_uoa.htm Indicators of detoxification function Glucarate Glucaric acid (glucarate) is the oxidation product of glucuronic acid. It is a by-product of the predominant liver Phase II detoxification reactions involving glucuronic acid conjugation and decreased glucarate is an indicator of reduced overall hepatic function. A great variety of drugs, food components and products of gut microbial metabolism are prepared for excretion by glucuronidation. Glucarate elevation is an indication of enzyme induction due to such potentially toxic exposures [39,40].The excretion of D-glucaric acid, a metabolite of the cytochrome P-450 pathway, is considered a marker of the viability of hepatocytes and is a useful clinical prognostic predictor in biliary atresia [41]. Any exposure that results in stimulation of hepatic P-450 activity will result in increased excretion of glucarate. Urinary D-glucaric acid, an index of hepatic enzyme activity, was elevated in pesticide-exposed groups [42] Patients with clinically quiescent chronic pancreatitis showed elevated glucarate indicating a relationship of toxic metabolite stress to heightened free radical activity and hence to the genesis of chronic pancreatitis [43].[Don's note: There is the reference to the pancreas and the relationship to glucaric acid. Am I grasping at straws? dp] The evidence of increased utilization of phase II conjugative pathways of xenobiotic disposal is in keeping with on-going toxic metabolite stress from heightened phase I oxidative metabolism. Glucarate measurements have been advanced as useful biomarkers to xenobiotic exposure, being particularly useful as a screening tool in reproductive epidemiology

[44]. Source Natural Medicine (1998), Pizzorno and Murray, Churchill Livingstone, London. J. Alexander Bralley, Ph.D., C.C.N. and Richard S. Lord, Ph.D. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------at http://www.healthcomm.com/research/update/back-issues/spring00/home.html Source: The Importance of Replenishing Phase II Cofactors, FMRC Update Winter 2000, In humans, sulfation and glucuronidation are key Phase II activities that seemingly go hand in hand, that is, most compounds that are detoxified by glucuronidation are also detoxified by sulfation. These two reactions are important routes of excretion for a variety of xenobiotics, including many drugs, neurotransmitters, and steroid hormones. Dietary sources of sulfate and glucuronic acid are necessary to support these activities. Of these cofactors, sulfate is the most easily depleted. The "net" glucuronidation activity is also indirectly enhanced by calcium d-glucarate - found in some fruits and vegetables - which provides an inhibitor of beta-glucuronidase, the enzyme involved in the de-glucuronidation of the conjugates.[5,6,7] -----------------------------------------------------at http://www.medlean.com/ML_estrogenmetabolizers.html Calcium D-Glucarate Description: Calcium-D-Glucarate helpa the body excrete excess levels of estradiol It is very effective nutrient for removing toxins, carcinogens, and excess steroid hormones. It is being studied effects for preventing lung, prostate, and breast cancers. Calcium D-Glucarate is the calcium salt if D-glucaric acid, a naturally occurring substance found in humans and in many plants. Calcium D- Glucarate has been shown to be an effective detoxifying agent through its effects on glucuronidation. Glucuronidation is quantitatively one of the most important Phase II conjugation pathways for the detoxication and excretion of xenobiotics, lipid soluble toxins, and steroid hormones. The final rate of elimination of toxic chemicals which undergo glucuronidation is measured not only by the rate of conjugation with glucuronic acid but also by the rate of de- glucuronidation by beta-glucuronidase. Beta-glucuronidase, coming largely from intestinal bacteria, cleaves the glucuronic acid from the glucuronide allowing the toxin or conjugated hormone to be reabsorbed by the ileal mucosa. Calcium D-Glucarate increase net glucuronidation by inhibiting betaglucuronidase. In animal models, oral administration of calcium D-glucarate results in a 50% inhibition of beta-glucuronidase for 5 hours. The effect of Calcium D-Glucarate on reducing serum estrogen levels may help to accounts for the results from a group of animal studies evaluating the effect of Calcium D-Glucarate on mammary cancer, where 50-70% reductions of tumor

formation have been reported. In rats fed a calcium glucarate fortified diet, researchers found that serum estradiol levels were decreased by 23% and the urinary excretion of 17-ketosteroids were decreased by over 50%. ----------------------------------------------------at http://216.117.138.253/library/oa8_detox.html Indicators of detoxification function Glucarate Glucaric acid (glucarate) is the oxidation product of glucuronic acid. It is a by-product of the predominant liver Phase II detoxification reactions involving glucuronic acid conjugation and decreased glucarate is an indicator of reduced overall hepatic function. A great variety of drugs, food components and products of gut microbial metabolism are prepared for excretion by glucuronidation. Glucarate elevation is an indication of enzyme induction due to such potentially toxic exposures 39,40.The excretion of D-glucaric acid, a metabolite of the cytochrome P-450 pathway, is considered a marker of the viability of hepatocytes and is a useful clinical prognostic predictor in biliary atresia 41. Any exposure that results in stimulation of hepatic P-450 activity will result in increased excretion of glucarate. Urinary D-glucaric acid, an index of hepatic enzyme activity, was elevated in pesticide-exposed groups 42. Patients with clinically quiescent chronic pancreatitis showed elevated glucarate indicating a relationship of toxic metabolite stress to heightened free radical activity and hence to the genesis of chronic pancreatitis 43. The evidence of increased utilization of phase II conjugative pathways of xenobiotic disposal is in keeping with on-going toxic metabolite stress from heightened phase I oxidative metabolism. Glucarate measurements have been advanced as useful biomarkers to xenobiotic exposure, being particularly useful as a screening tool in reproductive epidemiology 44. ------------------------------------------------------------------