ATLANTA HEAL NEWSLETTER

May 2008

Published by the Atlanta Chapter of the Human Ecology Action League (HEAL), Inc.
P.O. Box 28116, Atlanta, GA 30358-0116.  www.atlantaheal.org

MAY MEETING

The speaker at our May 17^th meeting will be Charles W. Skillas, PhD. Dr. Skillas will speak on Energy, Entities, and Hypnotherapy. More information on the speaker's background is in the March newsletter.

The meeting will be at 1 pm in the home of Andrew Bunecicky. Directions to Andrew's home: From I 285, take GA Route 400 north to exit 12A going east on McFarland Road (about 15 miles from I 285). Should be merging right onto McFarland Rd. Go through first light and past Wendy’s to next light and turn left into “Corporate Point at the Meadows” commercial park (This is Shiloh Road about ½ mile east of Route 400). Go ½ mile and turn right after GM Training center onto Shiloh Road East. Proceed about 1 mile to stop sign. 200 yards after sign, turn right onto Ridgefield Drive. Proceed around several turns to end of road, house is at beginning of cul-de-sac on left 6865 Ridgefield Drive.

The April meeting was a sharing session on how HEAL members cope with everyday life. Following are some of the comments made.

Ian Greenberg has been out of his house for over five months during renovations. He has been staying at his parents' house and has a better understanding of how people with MCS can wind up homeless. He has been frustrated by delays caused by outgassing materials but hopes to be back in his house soon.

Leah Spitzer has closed her dog training school after 30 years because clients were not compliant with her no scent policy. She feels isolated and misses the contact with people but has started a new business and is thinking about writing a book or two on her area of expertise.

Anonymous talks to family and friends, exercises, cooks, works in the yard, detoxes with saunas and coffee enemas, and participates in church activities with members who are receptive to his needs. Even so, the loneliness and vigilance get tiring. He uses a respirator for activity in the basement and attic which has been outgassed for several years.

Pat Hetzler visited a family member in Connecticut in November, a home where she had previously been safe. This time there was a bad smell and within 20 minutes she had heart arrhythmia. She was accused of being a drama queen. She becomes emotionally distraught from exposures and says that is harder to deal with than the physical symptoms. Since November she has been dealing with nausea and an inflamed bile duct. All the tests create a lot of turmoil and every decision is a major deal.

Shari Withrow is highly sensitive to mold and is concerned about surviving the long mold season in Atlanta. She is hypervigilant, uses visualization, and both listens to and talks to her body. She lost her whole former life, but doesn't feel as alone now with HEAL members who don't think she is crazy. She keeps a journal as a reminder of past symptoms, things that help, and to remember the good times.

Jim Boswell has relocated to north Georgia to be closer to our HEAL group. He appreciates the camaraderie and the understanding of fellow sensitives. He has found molybdenum, N-acetyl-cysteine, Pau d'Arco capsules and tea, and the homeopathic remedy Detoxosode (for pollution, and, and chemicals)by HVS Laboratories to be helpful.

Jean Leslie says the HEAL group feels like family and that she appreciates the support from her husband. She learns through reading and has benefited from coffee enemas. She has health challenges with her bladder, electromagnetic fields, and trouble with her joints, but says that she gets over exposures in hours now, rather than days.

Marycallie Laxton experiences insomnia and sleeps OK only two nights a week. Most days she is in a fog and says her head feels like it's made of concrete. She recently felt like passing out while shopping, so she asked for help and the merchandise was brought outside for her inspection. She has problems tolerating foods, supplements, and homeopathics. Taking part in church activities brings her joy though it takes her two days to recover.

Carol Berman read Gut and Psychology Syndrome and has been on the GAPS diet for over two months. She finds it challenging but is now able to tolerate probiotics for the first time.

A SOLUTION TO THE GAP IN MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

In her book Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, writes about a natural treatment for depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia (clumsiness), schizophrenia, and autism. The author says that most people with these conditions also have digestive disorders, malabsorption, nutritional deficiencies, diarrhea, bloating, constipation, reflux, thrush, chronic cystitis, asthma, eczema, ear infections, chest infections, and allergies to foods, chemicals, animals, pollen, and dust. At the core of GAPS is an abnormal gut flora producing a lot of toxins.

Digestive health cannot happen without well functioning gut flora which has to be dominated by specific species of bacteria, yeasts, and viruses, known as the beneficial or probiotic microbes, which produce every antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral substance we know of. The whole length of the digestive tract is coated with a bacterial layer which provides a natural barrier against invaders, undigested food, toxins, and parasites. Beneficial bacteria produce organic acids which reduce pH near the wall of the gut to 4.0 – 5.0 creating an unfriendly acid environment for the pathogenic microbes which require more alkaline surroundings. Healthy gut flora also neutralizes nitrates, indoles, phenols, skatol, and other toxic substances, inactivates histamine, chelates heavy metals, and other poisons. The author cites a study which dramatically shows how healthy gut flora protect us from toxic substances by neutralizing them or grabbing on and holding tight until they are eliminated. The study used two groups of animals. One was treated with antibiotics, the other was not. Then both groups were given huge amounts of organic mercury in their food and water. In animals treated with antibiotics about 95% of the mercury got into their bodies (blood stream, bones, muscles, etc) while in those not treated with antibiotics only 1% of the mercury managed to get into the body from the digestive tract. These beneficial microbes produce enzymes which break down proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and fiber, and release vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and humic acids which ensure that these substances are transported through the gut wall, making them available to the body. The microbes also synthesize vitamin K₂ and the B vitamins. B vitamin deficiency is a clear indication that the gut flora is abnormal.

The author says that 84% of our immunity is in the gut wall. The walls of the ileum, the last three-fifths of the small intestine, are packed with large numbers of lymph nodes, which produce lymphocytes and filter the lymph coming from the ileum, removing bacteria, viruses, fungi, dead cells, and toxins. When the gut flora is disabled, the first line of defense can't function so the second line, which is responsible for allergic type reactions, becomes hyperactive and the person starts reacting to everything. The gut flora's influence on the immune system reaches far beyond the gut itself. Research shows that when the gut flora is damaged, not only do the levels of IgA, lymphocytes, macrophages, interferons, cytokines, etc., in the digestive system drop, but the whole immune system gets out of balance.

There are three types of flora, the first being the friendly bacteria. More on that later. The second type is transitional flora, or the microbes we swallow with food and drink. They can cause disease if the population of beneficial flora is damaged. Third is the opportunistic flora. The most commonly present of these is the candida family of yeasts with 200 different species. Using glucose and carbohydrates for food, candida produces alcohol, which the liver converts into acetylaldehyde, an extremely toxic substance which contributes to autoimmunity and B₆ deficiency. Two other toxins produced are dermorphin and deltorphin, identical to toxins found in the fungus that grows on the skin of Amazonian frogs which local tribes use on the end of their darts to paralyze their enemies. Candida, along with spirochaetaceae and spirillaceae, causes leaky gut.

Other opportunistic organisms are bacteroids, which eat sugar, starch, and lactose, and are the most ubiquitous opportunistic bacteria in the gut of the adult population in the western world. These bacteria are almost always found in infected tissues of the digestive tract, abscesses, ulcers, urinary infections, lung infections, peritonitis, infected heart valves, blood infections, mouth infections, tooth and gum disease, gangrene, and post-operative infections. They hang around in mucous membranes of the body waiting for the opportunity to cause trouble and are usually found doing their dirty work with clostridia, which is considered more dangerous than bacteroids. Clostridia are almost always detected in the stool of people with severe depression, muscle paralysis, schizophrenia, psychosis, and autism. They produce neurotoxins that without a healthy gut wall, can get into the bloodstream, brain, and nervous system. Anticlostridia drugs are toxic so the best way to control them is with beneficial bacteria.

Other bad guys such as the proteus family, E. coli family, staphylococci, and many other bacteria in the gut produce too much histamine which leads to allergies, low blood pressure, excessive production of saliva, dysfunction of the hypothalamus, emotional instability, sleep abnormalities, and addictions. Other amines cause cerebral depression with symptoms of withdrawal, intellectual regression, and behavioral and emotional difficulties.

Other opportunistic organisms are viruses and sulfate-reducing bacteria. The latter eat sulfur which is essential for hundreds of biochemical reactions, the most important of which is detoxification. An overgrowth of sulfate-reducing bacteria promotes the production of hydrogen sulfide.

As you can see, opportunistic bacteria transform the gut from a source of nourishment into a source of toxicity. The author says that it appears that the character of our individual opportunistic flora may determine what disease we succumb to.

There are many causes and many ways the gut flora can be damaged. Most drugs have a detrimental effect on gut flora, particularly those prescribed for long periods of time. Pain killers stimulate the growth of haemolytic forms of bacteria and campylobacter. Steroid drugs damage gut flora, suppress the immune system, and are associated with candida overgrowth. Contraceptive pills have a devastating effect on gut flora of a woman and affect that of any children she has. Establishing normal gut flora in the first few days of life plays a crucial role in the proper maturation of the immune system. Many other drugs including sleeping pills, heartburn drugs, neuroleptics, cholinolytic drugs, and cytotoxic drugs all cause damage to the gut flora, digestive systems, and immune system. The author says that drug induced gut dysbiosis is usually the most severe and the most resistant to treatment. Although the worst damage comes from antiviral drugs, the effects of antibiotics are well known. Antibiotics have a devastating effect on beneficial bacteria in the gut as well as other organs and tissues. They change benign bacteria and viruses to pathogenic forms and damage the immune system. The penicillins have a damaging effect on lactobacilli and bifidobacteria and promote the growth of pathogenic proteus family, streptococci, and staphylococci. Tetracyclines damage the gut wall, set the stage for autoimmune reactions, and stimulate the growth of candida, staphylococci, and clostridia. The “mycins” have a devastating effect on colonies of beneficial E. coli and enterococci permitting the invasion of pathogenic E. coli. Antifungal antibiotics lead to the stimulation of the growth of proteus family and lactose-negative E. coli. Combinations of antibiotics have a more damaging effect than single drugs. Damage is worse when administered orally and when the course is a lengthy one on a low dose.

Diseases like typhoid, cholera, dysentery, salmonella, and some viral infections can also cause lasting damage to gut flora. Chronic illnesses like diabetes, autoimmune disease, endocrine disease, obesity, and neurological conditions are accompanied by serious defects in gut flora. Damage is also a common after effect of surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiotherapy.

The third cause of gut flora damage is diet. Too much sugar and processed carbohydrates increase candida, streptococci, staphylococci, bacteroids, and some clostridia species. Sugar also promotes worms and parasites. Better eating habits correct the problem.

Another factor is stress. Short term it has a detrimental effect on the gut flora, but long term physical or psychological stress can do serious damage to indigenous flora. Other factors are physical exertion, old age, alcoholism, exposure to toxic substances, seasonal factors, extreme climates, and exposure to ionizing radiation. All have a profound effect on friendly bacteria.

The treatment for healing the gut includes probiotics and the GAPS diet which is largely based on the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) developed by Dr. Sidney Haas in the days when doctors treated their patients with diet and natural methods. His book, The Management of Celiac Disease, was written when celiac disease was an umbrella term for a great number of inflammatory conditions of the gut, all of which were treated by the specific carbohydrate diet. Eventually celiac disease was defined only as a gluten intolerance and treatment for all the other inflammatory gut conditions was forgotten. Fortunately for us Elaine Gottschall took her daughter who suffered from severe ulcerative colitis and neurological problems to see Dr. Haas in 1958. After two years her daughter was free of symptoms and Mr. Gottschall used what she had learned to write Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet and help thousands of people. Crohn's Disease, diverticulitis, celiac disease not cured by a gluten free diet, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis, generalized fatigue, chronic skin rashes, lactose intolerance, soy protein intolerance, excess mucous, ear infections, night terrors, poor memory, excess gas, psoriasis, muscle aches, stiff joints, headaches, spaciness, constipation, and diarrhea are some of the diseases and conditions that clear up on the diet.

The GAPS diet eliminates gluten, casein, soy, lactose, and sugar. It allows proteins, fats, certain forms of dairy, and fruits and vegetables containing mono saccharides, which need little or no digestion. With impaired digestion the more complex disaccharides and polysaccharides can't be broken down and absorbed, so they stay in the gut, becoming food for pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This condition also encourages microbes from the colon to take up residence in the small intestine. Bacterial growth appears to damage the villi and destroy enzymes on the intestinal wall and digestion is further impacted because of excess mucous production. Breaking the Vicious Cycle is a good introduction to the SCD and its healing potential and Gut and Psychology Syndrome is full of valuable information which includes a clear explanation of the GAPS diet, which differs slightly from the SCD.

The other arm of the gut healing protocol is the use of probiotics. Dr. Campbell-McBride says that a combination of the three main groups usually works the best. Lactobacilli include commonly known members of the family such as L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. rhamnosus, L. plantarum, L. salivarius, L. neuteri, and L. casei. They are normal and essential inhabitants of the human gut, mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, nose, upper respiratory tract, vagina, and genital area. They are also found in human breast milk. Members of the bifiobacteria, the second group, are B. bifidum, B. breve, B. longum, and B. infantis. Bifido bacteria are most numerous in the human bowel, lower intestines, vagina, and genital area. In the adult they are about seven times more numerous than lactobacilli and produce antibiotic-like substances and act as a source of nourishment for the body. Bifiobacteria actually synthesize amino acids, proteins, organic acids, vitamin K, pantothenic acid, B vitamins 1, 6, and 12, and assist in absorption of calcium, iron, and vitamin D. The third group is bacillus subtilis, or soil bacteria which includes B. lichenformis, B. cereus, B. brevis, B. mesenteritis, and B. pumilus. Soil bacteria are transitional microbes which do not colonize the gut, but clean the gut of putrefaction on the way through. Humans used to consume soil bacteria in large amounts when we were drinking water from wells and streams.

In addition to various gastrointestinal disorders, other health problems that respond to treatment with probiotics are allergies, chronic viral infections, urogenital infections, hepatitis, liver diseases, TB, meningitis, malignancy, arthritis, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.

Dr. Campbell-McBride has postgraduate degrees in both neurology and human nutrition. In her clinic in Cambridge she specializes in nutrition for children and adults with behavioral and learning disabilities and adults with digestive and immune disorders. Anyone wanting to know more about GAPS and the connection between nutrition and brain function can order the book from Gut Health, Inc., the US distributor for the book and for Bio-Kult, a probiotic formula containing 14 strains of beneficial bacteria. 404-786-7661 or www.guthealth.info .

-Gut and Psychology Syndrome, “Gut and Psychology Syndrome: The GAPS in our Medical Knowledge”,

Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet

BUSINESS

[] In June a short version of the newsletter will be sent out to announce summer activities along with an updated membership list.

[] Members have requested more sharing sessions, specifically every other meeting, so look for more of them starting in the fall.

[] Apologies to members who receive the paper newsletter for the misdated April edition. Mark noticed the error before sending the e-newsletter last month.

Thank you to Ian Greenberg for proofreading this newsletter.

As always, our aim is to educate, not medicate.

SOME OF OUR MEMBERS