Recently I discovered that I have celiac disease, an auto-immune disorder provoked by wheat gluten and similar grain proteins. Wheat, rye and barley are not tolerated by celiacs and must be avoided for life. Some are exquisitely sensitive and a trace will provoke strong symptoms; others can tolerate very small quantities of these proteins but the intolerance is never outgrown. Unfortunately many processed foods contain traces of gluten. For example some, but not all, soy sauces use wheat. Obviously this makes eating in Asian restaurants and any other place not careful with food cross- contamination a potential problem. Some bread crumbs dropped on a “gluten free” dish may be all it takes to provoke severe diarrhea and further bowel damage.

Cells lining bowel are harmed because of the body turning on itself (auto-immunity.) This can lead to chronic diarrhea, bloating, weight loss, fatigue, an unusual skin rash and malnutrition due to essential nutrients not being well absorbed. Anemia, various vitamin deficiencies and osteoporosis are all common sequelae and may be associated with depression.

Several genes have been identified as important in the development of celiac disease but many people with those genes don’t develop the disease. Ireland has one of highest rates of celiac disease in the world but exact numbers are not known. In the United States the incidence is estimated at little less than 1%, with most cases undiagnosed. Celiac disease may first present at any age from infancy on, and other auto-immune diseases like type 1 diabetes and thyroiditis are not uncommon. Diagnosis is by a combination of family and medical history, blood antibody tests and small bowel biopsy. A confirmed diagnosis requires strict lifelong gluten abstinence even if symptoms are mild since progression with possible severe outcomes like cancer and lymphoma can occur.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease (British spelling of celiac)

More and more interest and research on health effects of eating timing has popped up in the scientific literature recently. A previous blog discussed the value of intermittent fasting, concluding that longevity and freedom from chronic disease were greatly improved by periods of fasting which can be as simple as not eating for a consecutive 12 to 16 hours daily.

The brain has a master clock which governs sleeping and waking dependent on exposure to bright light. Every other organ has a similar clock: the pancreas produces less insulin at night; the human gut and its microbiome also have a rhythm with the genes of the gut itself and its bacteria switching on and off at the same time.

People who interfere with this normal circadian rhythm by staying up too late have increases in weight, blood pressure and blood sugar. Night shift workers typically have poorer health.

More extreme periods of daily fasting have surprisingly powerful effects. Prediabetic men who are limited to only eating in a six hour window each day have improvement in blood pressure, less hunger, and less insulin secretion compared to those allowed to eat over a 12 hour window. If laboratory animals are given a poor quality diet with around the clock food access they get fat and sick. The same diet and food quantity limited to an eight hour window does not cause obesity or disease.

Significant health improvements, especially in weight and blood sugar, are seen if most calories are consumed early rather than late in the day.

A recent book, The Circadian Code, by Dr. Satchin Panda of the Salk Institute reviews his and others’ research on eating patterns.

Recent books examine the history and problems of two major foods.

Milk! by Mark Kurlansky is filled with arcane information that only a quiz show addict or dairy farmer could love. One of his topics is the difference between various mammalian milks. Human milk is very different than that of other species; it is the only really good food for infants. Children who are breast-fed are typically 2 to 3 inches taller, more confident and emotionally healthy, much less allergic. Their IQ is 15 to 20 points higher. In spite of this, our government recently attempted to block a United Nations plan encouraging breast-feeding world-wide. Our food manufacturers make big profits from infant formulas.

James Walton’s Sugar- The World Corrupted From Slavery to Obesity is an historical, environmental and health triple header. Shortly after early European settlement in the Western hemisphere sugar production became the major business and drove most of the need for slaves. Sugar plantations created enormous wealth in Europe and the Americas, dominating policy decisions on slavery, trading and international relations. In the 21st century large amounts of land are wasted to produce high fructose corn syrup, cane and beet sugars for immense quantities of an addicting, unhealthy food used in most highly processed foods and beverages. It’s a dismal story, again reflecting public policy benefitting business and harming citizens.

Medical research on psychedelic drugs was encouraging in the 1950’s and 60’s until Timothy Leary, a Harvard professor, and a few of his colleagues began encouraging young people to trip on LSD and drop out of mainstream culture. This direct attack on the establishment and government was particularly threatening because of increasing resistance to the Vietnam war. The quick reaction was outlawing of LSD by the federal government in 1968 with President Nixon later calling Leary “the most dangerous man in America.” In subsequent years other psychedelic drugs (PD) were also banned, effectively ending promising research.

The excellent scientific journalist, Michael Pollan, has written a new book describing the history of psychedelics, current research, extensive underground therapeutic illegal usage and his personal experiences with guided trips supervised by experienced underground practitioners. Pollan contributed an article in the NY Times Magazine (May 15, 2018) describing some of the material in this book. One reviewer concluded that LSD is non-addictive and “less harmful to the human body than diet Dr. Pepper.”

MRI studies show that brain changes in experienced meditators are the same as those found in people taking a PD. Other research projects have documented:
67% of smokers have continued to quit smoking one year after a treatment with a PD; this is far better than any other treatment program
80% of dying people experience real peace in their last months leading some oncologists to demand access to these drugs
severely depressed patients are often cured or much better following PD therapy after all other current treatment methods have failed
many alcoholics are able to easily quit and maintain sobriety

Pollan emphasizes that his excellent personal experience and the results in various conditions are only possible under the guidance of an experienced therapist.

Michael Pollan: HOW TO CHANGE YOUR MIND; What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression and Transcendence

Many lives are filled with stress from relationships, work, political or environmental issues. Most reading material and media sources are a stream of bad happenings which re-enforce this stress.
The website The Daily Good offers a different message. After registration they send a daily email which briefly describes the work or writing of someone who is improving our society or helping others in some way. A link is provided for in depth information.
After a few seconds scanning that day’s story my day is started on an upbeat. Occasionally I’ll check out the link or find something I want to pursue, but usually it’s just a reminder that many clever people doing good things are as much part of our world as the more publicized politicians and criminals, the two of which are sometimes indistinguishable.

               https://www.dailygood.org

Recent changes in marijuana laws in several states have allowed analysis of effects on the general population which Michael Greger has reviewed in a recent NutritionFacts posting (6/22/18).

Medical cannabis provides pain relief to patients dying of cancer as effectively as moderate codeine. It may allow pain to be tolerable while awake and communicating whereas morphine is more effective for pain but does not allow this awareness.

After medical cannabis is legalized in a state opioid deaths drop 25%. There are also large decreases in sales of alcohol and drugs for depression, anxiety, pain, sleeping and migraines. Is it any surprise that major supporters of marijuana prohibition include big pharma, the beer and private prison industries?

There are different ways to approach healthy eating. The simplest is more veggies and fruits, less animal products, sweets and processed foods. More ambitious seekers of health aim at gradual improvement where hopefully they reach an optimal diet. The completely committed choose between Pritikin, Barnard, Esselstyn, McDougall, Fuhrman, Ornish or similar whole food plant based diets and eat this way immediately.

Any of these dietary changes is good for you. If you’re only willing to eat a few more veggies then do it, but greater commitment is much better. There aren’t good studies showing how much better total dietary change is. Food intake surveys show better health results for more vegetables and fruit daily up to 8 portions; after that results level off. All physicians reporting on their patients’ change to whole food plant based eating have many remarkable success stories for heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, auto-immune disease and, less often, cancer.

Careful, accurate analysis of cigarette smoking may provide help in assessing likelihood of dietary change effectiveness. Those who cut back 50% have only modestly less cancer and lung disease, not nearly 50% less. To have major impact total abstinence is necessary.

The other big reason for going all in from the start is that cravings for fat, salt and sugar are almost wiped out after a few weeks without them. The brain’s control centers can be quickly reprogramed, something that does not happen with gradual change.

A recent NY Times article (Tim Herrera, Smarter Living newsletter, June 10, 2018) discussed research on will power. What does it take to do what you know is best for you, especially in regard to food choice? There remains a modest number who ignore scientific evidence and advocate a high protein and high fat diet, but most know and admit that whole plant foods are good for health with caloric needs filled by minimally processed starches, legumes, seeds and nuts. But we were raised on rich, high fat, high sugar foods which we enjoy, indeed are often addicted to.

Research shows that resisting temptation is exhausting. End result is that we have less energy for other important tasks and that we often eventually give in and eat unhealthy food. Resisting temptation does not strengthen, it weakens. The solution is to minimize temptation: keep unhealthy foods out of sight, out of home cupboards and refrigerators. Meals or drinks with friends at places that offer only unhealthy choices are rejected. You might be surprised- most friends, especially good ones, will honor your request and go to a place with healthy options, and they’ll respect you for taking charge of your health. Some will join you in dietary change creating a strong bond.

Should you splurge and buy unhealthy food for home, throw the the rest away after eating some. You don’t want it there for tomorrow when you’ll resume your good habits. Many of us have a strong sweet tooth. Have healthy options on hand- oranges and dates are sweet, tasty and filling plus healthy. Keep home, office desk and travel bag well stocked with these these and similar choices. You can promise yourself an ice cream cone or candy bar after you eat some healthy sweets. You may decide you don’t want the ice cream after your orange; almost for sure you’ll eat less.

Modern medicine has decreed aggressive screening and treatment for cancer. In spite of shaky grounds for screening and the futility of many treatment plans most patients meekly agree to whatever a physician recommends about cancer. Most treatment programs including surgery, radiation and drugs are very expensive. With newer drugs cost is often astronomical, perhaps leading to poverty for patient and family. In spite of this most agree to whatever is ordered by their doctor not even pursuing a second expert opinion which I think is crucial for any major medical decision.

Contrast this to best treatment for more common, life threatening conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Physician recommendations of procedures and drugs are often followed. The by far best treatment of lifestyle change is either not offered or rejected even though results are better than standard cancer treatments and the cost is negligible, often negative. This I call “the Cancer Paradox.”

Why this illogical, expensive disparity? Most of the fault is with our medical system, starting with miseducation of physicians which is then compounded by strong financial incentives to over diagnose and over treat. Advice to take expensive drugs which offer little chance of success and likelihood of serious side effects is presented to the patient as an absolute. Advice to change diet or other lifestyle is an option to be considered if it is mentioned at all. Furthermore, lifestyle change requires an excellent support system with education, cooking classes, social and psychological professionals for the patient and family, but these are mainly non-existent. There’s no profit in such systems and money drives medical center and physician resource allocation.

What’s the answer? Unfortunately, it’s to find or create such a support system for yourself, family and friends. The internet has many possibilities as long as you’re careful to avoid the charlatans promoting fad diets, supplements and foods. Good luck!

Dr. John McDougall has coined the term “starchivore” to describe his diet regime which is based on the observation that populations that eat little animal products and refined oils rarely suffer from heart disease, diabetes, cancer or auto-immune disease. Many excellent epidemiological studies have confirmed this. McDougall advocates a low protein, low fat diet which includes some fruit and vegetables but is mainly “comfort foods”: potatoes, yams, rice, pasta, whole grains and other starches. Small amounts of salt and sugar are okay to increase palatability. Initially he taught that a few lower fat animal products were acceptable but in recent years he advocates staying vegan.

McDougall designed his medical practice around this diet which he created based on work of Pritikin, Kempner and Burkitt. He has successfully treated many thousands over the last 40+ years, first in private practice in Honolulu and later through clinics; 10, 5 and 3 day programs in Santa Rosa, CA; many books and an active free internet site which has access to many talks given at his “Advanced Study Weekends” plus patient interviews describing dietary success treating various chronic diseases and obesity. Deb and I attended his 10 day program and found it a powerful, instructive and pleasant experience. We’ve also attended many of his weekend and travel programs, befriending many “McDougallers.” The seed for many of my blogs was from his programs.

McDougall just announced his retirement from active practice; his Advanced Study Weekends and travel programs ended last year, but 3, 5 and 10 day treatment programs under the supervision of his colleague, Dr. Anthony Lim, continue as does his excellent educational website.