Owner: The Food Doc Journal URL:http://thefooddoc.blogspot.com Join Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2007 21:56:40 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: In The Food Doc Journal, an online expert doctor, Dr. Scot Lewey, provides a free source of knowledge about food and the digestive system. Site statistics:Click here
Leaky gut may occur from gluten even in absence of celiac disease 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Zonulin levels are increased in disease
.htm">celiac disease
. However, chronic gluten (gliadin) exposure also affects zonulin in non-celiac intestine. The result is an increased gut permeability (or leaky gut). Just published in Gut is an article reporting abnormal claudin proteins result in patchy loss of barrier function or tight junctions (leaky gut) in active Crohn's disease. Drago et al published a report in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology in April 2006 that transient zonulin release could be triggered by exposure to gliadin even in normal intestine. An increase in intestinal permeability was noted in normal intestine though it was not as pronounced as in celiac disease patients. Intestinal tissue from celiac patients, even those in remission, exposed to gliadin demonstated a sustained increase in zonulin release resulting in significant and sustained increased intestinal permeability. Zonulin affects expression of the proteins claudin and occludin that constitute the cytoskele Read more:absence
, Leaky
, Leaky gut
Leaky gut with normal biospsies:Lymphocytic enteritis and TNF 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Leaky
gut can occur without visible or microscopic signs: Obvious visually apparent defects of the lining of the intestine or mucosa such as ulcerations and erosions or atrophy are associated with increased intestinal permeability but ultra structural studies have shown that areas of the lining can have gaps in the intestinal barrier. Your gut can be leaky though it may look normal during endoscopy. Your gut can be leaky with a normal or minimally abnormal biopsy. Lymphocytic enteritis is probably the earliest microscopic sign of a leaky gut. This relatively new term refers to biopsy findings of increased intraepithelial lymphocytes without villous atrophy or blunting. Since lymphocytes release chemical mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) it makes sense that increased numbers of lymphocytes in the villi releasing TNF can result in a leaky gut. With only intraepithelial lymphocytois malabsorption and symptoms can occur. An increase risk of celiac disease and Crohn's and col Read more:Leaky gut
Leaky gut in active Crohn's disease due to altered gut permeability 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A just published article in the journal Gut reports abnormal claudin protein levels result in patchy loss of barrier function or tight junctions (leaky gut) in Crohn
's disease
. This report highlights the growing importance of gut permeability or leaky gut in Crohn's and colitis as well as celiac disease. In the same issue Dr.'s Weber and Turner write a review that is titled "Inflammatory bowel disease: Is it really just another break in the wall?" that "tight junction permeability is the rate limiting step that defines the overall epithelial permeability". They go on to say that "tight junction defects may be an important source of the overall intestinal barrier defects - that is, permeability increases - seen in patients with IBD" Finally they add that "Zeissig et al provide strong evidence that the tight junction barrier function is altered in IBD". In a separate online article I review the basics of tight juntions, the proteins zonulin, claudin and occludin and ho Read more:Leaky
, Leaky gut
Eosinophilic esophagitis responds better to steroid spray in non-allergic children than in allergic children:Importance of food elimination diet? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Eosinophilic esophagitis EE), also known as allergic esophagitis, may be misdiagnosed as acid reflux in adults and children. Symptoms include choking spells or swallowing difficulties, chest or upper abdominal pain, heartburn not relieved by acid blocker medications, and bouts of vomiting refusal to eat. It is caused allergy blood cells called eosinophils that are not normally present in the esophagus with the exception of relatively few numbers in the lower esophagus in the setting of acid reflux invading the lining of the esophagus or feeding tube, often as a result of food and/or inhaled pollen allergies.Eosinophils invade the lining of the gut in response to allergic reactions to foods or medications and parasite infections. Once present in the lining they release chemicals in response to foods or other stimuli that can cause swelling, constriction, bleeding, perforation, itching, pain, or scarring of the affected gut. EE was first described in children but is now being recognized Read more:better
Probiotics, stress and the war on terrorism in the gut 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Though it is a rat study I hated during my gastroenterology training, I love a new article by Zareie et al from Toronto published in Gut. Though the link of stress
to gut inflammation and bowel diseases is still debated or ignored by many doctors these researchers found probiotics prevented intestinal abnormalities from stress in rats. Their introduction is refreshing as they write "the influence of chronic stress on intestinal dysfunction and clinical outcome of chronic intestinal disorders is recognised…stress is an important risk factor for both development and the reactivation of intestinal inflammation in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)" There are "genetically susceptible rodent models" in whom "chronic psychological stress induces mucosal dysfunction via increased epithelial ion secretion and permeability, enhancing binding of luminal antigens…and initiation of mucosal inflammation" In other words, rats that are water stressed develop a leaky gut tha Read more:Probiotics
Food Symptom Diet Diary: Importance of Establishing Your Baseline Frequency and Severity of Symptoms 1970-01-01 00:59:59 . Food intolerance may be associated with a number of symptoms:Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and other food intolerance may be associated with numerous digestive and non-digestive symptoms. Some of the most common non-digestive symptoms reported by people include fatigue, headaches, bone, joint and muscle pain, mental fogginess, neuropathy, and skin rashes. The most common digestive symptoms include bloating, diarrhea, excess, constipation, heartburn, nausea, vomitting and abdominal pain. Rating the severity and frequency of common symptoms:A good place to start when determining if foods are causing your symptoms is to keep a symptom diet diary along with your own "Top Ten Symptoms" list. Before making any change in your diet or eating pattern you should have a medical evaluation and record your baseline symptom, rating each for frequency and severity. With one of my patients I have recently published the HealThySelf Journal that has daily food symptom diary sheets for 3 mon Read more:Diary
, Frequency
Leaky gut associated diseases may be helped by taking probiotics 1970-01-01 00:59:59 The passage of bacteria, yeast and food toxins through the wall of the leaky gut results in immune activation that is self-perpetuating or autoimmune. The inflammation may occur locally in the gut or in more distant bodily sites such as the joints, skin, and nervous system.Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome are all associated
with a leaky gut or increased intestinal permeability. Gluten increases gut permeability even in normal intestine. Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Motrin, Advil, Ibuprofen, Aleve, Celebrex, Mobic, and Bextra; steroids like prednisone; and birth control pills are all felt to increase gut permeability. Alcohol also increases gut permeability. This results in an increase risk of cirrhosis. Toxins produced add to the alcohol injury directly on the liver. Antibiotics are therefore now being advocated to rid the gut of bad bacteria in people with liver disease. Taking a daily probiotic m Read more:Leaky
, Leaky gut
Celiac diease, gluten and the brain-gut connection supported by finding of intestinal and brain antibody deposits. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Antibodies for tissue transglutaminase found in intestine of blood test negative celiac disease are also found in intestine and brain in people with brain disease due to gluten. Gluten ataxia is a brain disorder characterized by balance disturbance not explained by any other cause but due to ingestion of gluten. The disorder responds to a gluten free diet if irreversible brain damage has not already occurred. Calcifications can be seen in the brain on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Deposits of gluten related antibodies have been found in brain tissue obtained on biopsy and autopsy specimens. Mario Hadjivassiliou, M.D. from Sheffield England recommends gluten ataxia be added to a list of gluten related diseases that includes peripheral neuropathy and the skin disorder dermatitis herpetiformis. He has called for a new paradigm to be accepted where celiac disease is not considered primarily as an intestinal disease. Dr. Hadjivassiliou and colleagues recently published a report of nine Read more:Celiac
, connection
, deposits
Autism linked to cow's milk protein when GI symptoms present: More thoughts on the brain gut connection. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Though most doctors have been and remain skeptical of a link between autistic behavior and diet many people report improvement of their children's behavior when wheat and cow's milk or dairy are avoided. There are quite a number of lay organizations, websites, and articles that advocate a gluten-free and casein-free diet for autism spectrum disorder. Scientific studies that satisfy evidence-based standards of medical experts are very rare. However, studies proving dietary interventions result in a favorable outcome in health and disease are very difficult to design and carry out. An article in 2005 examined the association of immune response to common food protein
s in a group of autistic children and found there was a link between cow's milk protein and autistic behavior when gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
were also present. Innate immune response was evaluated by measuring the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, chemicals released by white blood cells (WBC) of the body. Both au Read more:Autism
, connection
, linked
, thoughts
Gluten-free casein-free breakfast sausage recommended by the Food Doc 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Gluten-free breakfast sausage from Applegate Farms are also casein
-free, dairy-free. Three choices include chicken apple, chicken maple and chicken sage sausages that are already cooked. Add gluten-free pancakes or waffles from Bob's Red Mill and you have an old fashioned breakfast that is quite tasty and filling without gluten or casein exposure. The sausage should be safe for children with autism spectrum disorder on a gluten-free, casein-free diet. Adverse behavior or brain opiate like effects of casomorphin or gluten exorphin are also avoided. Those with celiac disease, cow's milk protein allergy or intolerance and gluten sensitivity may enjoy sausage that is relatively low in fat, high in protein and free of pork. Applegate Farms has a nice website that provides easy to understand nutritional and food allergy or intolerance information. Their products are organic and pesticide free. Their meat products include gluten-free casein-free hot dogs made from chicken, beef and turkey. Read more:Gluten
Leaky gut explained: Part I 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Leaky gut syndrome is a term for increased intestinal permeability. The intestine is lined with a single layer of epithelial cells. In the small bowel these epithelial cells are called enterocytes. Enterocytes form the intestinal barrier. The small intestine lining has projections called villi. The enterocytes of the small intestine have projections on their surfaces known as microvilli where digestive enzymes reside. Intestinal villi and microvilli dramatically increase the absorptive area of the gut. Damage to the enterocytes or their microvilli can affect digestion and absorption. The enterocytes are joined to each other by tight junctions or zonula occludens that form a barrier to fluid and proteins. The tight juntions may open up the spaces between the cells, the paracellular space allowing movement of intestinal contents inside the body. Abnormally leaky tight junctions result in increase intestinal permeability or a leaky gut. This altered intestinal permeability or barrier func Read more:Leaky
, Leaky gut
Probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii is effective weapon in war against altered gut bacteria terrorism related leaky gut syndrome 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Saccharomyces boulardii is probiotic yeast that has been shown effective
in the treatment of several diarrheal intestinal illnesses including antibiotic associated diarrhea, travelers diarreha and HIV/AIDS diarrhea. Saccharomyces boulardii has been shown to be effective in preventing relapses of Crohn's disease and treating pouchitis, a form of intestinal inflammation in surgical pouch created in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. A recent French study provides new insights and hope in the use of probiotics in the treatment of IBD. Functioning like a traffic cop, Saccharomyces boulardii prevents T lymphocyte white blood cells critical to development of Crohn's disease from migrating from lymph nodes surrounding the bowel and thereby prevents colitis in an IBD mouse model. The effect is curative relative to the amount of the yeast administered. Human studies have confirmed that a steady state of Saccharomyces boulardii is reached in the gut in about 3 days but eliminated within 2- Read more:against
, related
Blood tests for Crohn's and colitis blood tests and the link of altered gut flora in IBD. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 What are Crohn
's and colitis
blood tests
? Currently available blood tests utilized for the diagnosis of Crohn's disease and colitis include pANCA, anti-ASCA, anti-OmpC, and anti-CBir1 flagelin antibodies. Future blood tests will likely include antibodies against certain sugar (mannose) residues that are present in the cell wall of the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae. Anti-Laminaribioside and anti-Chitiobioside antibodies are present in some Crohn's patients who are anti-ASCA negative. Such tests will likely help further distinguish people with ulcerative colitis from Crohn's disease, a problem in about 10% of people with IBD. What is pANCA antibody?pANCA is peripheral anti-nuclear antibody. It is an antibody to protein in the nucleus of the cell. People with ulcerative colitis develop a positive pANCA frequently though it may be present in some people with Crohn's disease and rarely in normal people. The pANCA antibody has been further divided into subsets by Prometheus Laborator Read more:flora
Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Explained Based on Presence or Absence of Inflammation 1970-01-01 00:59:59 In reflecting on how I can help empower people to understand what is going on in their bodies, make changes to achieve better health and be more effective advocates for themselves when dealing with doctors I realized I may need to define some terms more clearly. So, this post will briefly introduce the definition of inflammation and how its presence or absence separates colitis from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS. However, these distinctions may not be valid on the ultra structural level or in the role of food proteins and altered gut bacteria and yeast in causation.Colitis defined: Colitis is inflammation of the colon, also known as the large bowel or large intestine. Colitis can be acute or chronic. There are known causes of colitis and some forms of chronic forms of colitis that are of unknown cause. Colitis can be visually recognizable during scope examination of the colon or may be only found under biopsy examination of the lining or microscopic colitis. Inflammation
defined: Infl Read more:Irritable
, Presence
, Syndrome
Microscopic colitis may be misdiagnosed as diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome if colonoscopy and intestinal biopsies are not done. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Just published from the Mayo Clinic is a study that indicates that there is a significant overlap of the symptoms of IBS and microscopic colitis
. In a group of biopsy proven microscopic colitis patients, the authors noted that approximately half had symptoms that would have met diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel
syndrome. Symptom-based criteria for diagnosing IBS are not specific enough to rule out microscopic colitis. They state "patients with suspected diarrhea
predominant irritable bowel syndrome should undergo biopsies of the colon to investigate further for possible microscopic colitis if symptoms are not well controlled by antidiarrheal therapy" The diagnosis is made by intraepithelial lymphocytosis only seen under the microscope when the colon on the surface looks normal. Many doctors don't biopsy the colon when it looks normal despite the patient having a history of diarrhea. Microscopic
colitis is a known treatable cause of such symptoms that can only be diagnosed Read more:colonoscopy
New study supports fish as brain food for babies despite prior FDA warnings to limit intake during pregnancy. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 According to a study published Friday February 16, 2007 in the British journal The Lancet, pregnant women who eat 12 or more ounces of fish per week have children with higher IQ's. The study found that pregnant women who ate on average more than 340 grams of fish per week had children with IQ scores significantly higher than those who ate less fish during pregnancy
. In the U.S. more than 340 grams of fish per week is equivalent to eating 1 ½ to 2 servings of fish in the typical U.S. restaurant. A 3-ounce serving is about the size of the palm of your hand or a deck of playing cards and is equivalent to approximately 85 grams. The typical chain restaurant in the U.S. serve 8-10 ounces of fish as an entre whereas higher end restaurants typically serve 6 ounces. Six ounces of fish is 170 grams and eight ounces is 227 grams. A crab cake is about 70 grams and a single fish stick about 25 grams and typically most Americans would eat a couple of crab cakes or 4-6 fish sticks in a meal. The Read more:brain food
, despite
, warnings
Eat More Fish: Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Seafood and Fish Oil Capsules Prevent Colon Cancer 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Eating fish may reduce colon cancer risk. A new study found that men not taking aspirin with high blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had a 66% reduction of colorectal cancer compared with those with low levels. Omega
-3 fatty acids aid brain function and protect against dementia and heart disease. Cold water fish or seafood are high in omega-3 fats. Fish oil capsules can be taken as a nutritional supplement. In addition to fish or seafood other sources of omega-3 fats are listed below.• Fish and seafood• Fish oil capsules• Flaxseed oil• Free-range chicken• Game meat• Leafy green vegetables• Liver• Nuts: Brazil, Cashews, Macadamia, Pistachios, walnuts• Omega-3 enriched chicken eggs• Pasture-fed beef or buffalo• WalnutsOmega-3 fatty acids may block the chemical pathway linked to cancer development and growth. Eating the equivalent of a U.S. standard sized meal of fish or seafood a twice week is linked to higher IQ babies. For those taking fish oil capsule, the ty Read more:Cancer
, Capsules
, Colon
, Colon Cancer
, Fatty
, Fatty Acids
, Fish Oil
Gluten associated SPECT brain imaging abnormalities in frontal area of brain reverse with gluten free diet 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Though reports of functional brain scans or SPECT imaging in celiac disease are limited there are some very interesting findings. The most dramatic is the report in 1997 of a patient with established schizophrenia who was newly diagnosed with celiac disease as confirmed by a positive endomysial antibody blood test and villous atrophy on intestinal biopsy. Before starting a gluten-free diet he had an abnormal SPECT scan showing decreased blood flow to the frontal
lobe of the brain. On a gluten-free diet his schizophrenia and celiac disease symptoms resolved and both the intestinal biopsy and brain scan normalized. More recently in 2004, Usai et al., reported that 70% of 34 celiac disease patients had abnormal SPECT scans showing the most pronounced abnormalities in the frontal areas of the brain that are less severe on a gluten free diet. Disturbances of the frontal area of the brain are associated
ADD, anxiety, depression, Bipolar disorder, drug and alcohol addiction, and schizophreni
Gluten causes brain dysfunction and gluten free diet may be for everyone with neurological and psychiatric symptoms 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Brain dysfunction
may be only sign of gluten related disease. Dr. Mario Hadjivassiliou recently reported at the International Celiac Symposium that his neurology clinic has followed over 300 patients with gluten sensitivity presenting with various symptoms
. The most common neurological sign is ataxia, a condition of impaired balance. It was present in almost half. About 60% of patients with gluten ataxia have shrinkage of the cerebellum portion of their brain. They also may have irreversible loss of brain Purkinje cells. MRI scans of the brain often reveal bright white spots in this area.Gluten causes
34% of all unexplained sporadic axonal neuropathies. Gluten sensitive enteropathy is 10 times more common in these people. I recently treated a woman who had years of a known diagnosis of such a neuropathy though she had never been tested for celiac disease. She came to me after I diagnosed her daughter's celiac disease. Though she does not meet strict criteria for celiac disease she h Read more:everyone
, psychiatric
Leaky gut and altered bacteria in gut linked to AIDS. More support for probiotic use? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Leaky
gut and bacteria in the gut are important in the progression of AIDS
after HIV infection. Benchley et al report elevated levels of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a component of the cell wall of gram negative bacteria in the gut, in people with AIDS versus those HIV infection without AIDS. Lower levels of LPS therefore less bacterial translocation and leaky gut were observed in people with HIV infection treated with combination anti-viral medications and in monkeys with AIDS like virus who were treated with antibiotics to reduce gut bacteria. Signs of chronic systemic immune activation including severely depleted T-helper type CD4+ white blood cells are associated with HIV progressing to AIDS. Immune activation in AIDS is then believed the result of the breakdown of the gut mucosal barrier or a leaky gut by HIV infection. Elevated LPS in the blood is a marker of bacterial translocation that is associated with increased gut permeability. Translocation is movement of bacteria or bacte Read more:Leaky gut
, linked
Celiac disease linked to altered gut bacteria: More support for probiotics? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Why celiac disease
develops in 1% of people in the world who eat gluten-containing grains but not in the other 35-45% who are genetically at risk is not known. Having abnormal levels of gut bacteria levels is a risk. A 2005 study from Sweden revealed that altered short chain fatty acids (SCFA) levels produced by gut bacteria are a new piece to the puzzle. This also provides further support for the use of probiotics in the treatment and prevention of celiac disease. The healthy human gastrointestinal tract contains millions of live microbes that aid in digestion and produce various nutrients including SCFAs. These short fragments of fats when unbranched are health food for the intestine. Altered levels of SCFAs are measurable and result from an inbalance of gut microflora. Tjellström et al measured short chain fatty acids levels as an indicator of gut bacteria levels in children with celiac disease and healthy children and found significant differences. The found both untreated CD an Read more:Celiac
, linked
Probiotic VSL#3 breaks down toxic protein gliadin that causes celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity 1970-01-01 00:59:59 The probiotic VSL#3 breaks
down gliadin, the toxicprotein
produced from gluten. VSL#3 hydrolyzes gliadin peptides according to De Angelis et al. ("VSL#3 probiotic preparation has the capacity to hydrolyze gliadin polypeptides responsible for Celiac Sprue" in Biochim Biophys Acta. 2006; 1762(1): 80-93). They observed almost complete breakdown of gliadin during prolonged fermentation in bread dough. The ability to decrease the toxicity of wheat flour is a giant step forward. VSL#3 (www.vsl3.com), a commercially available probiotic, has previously been shown effective in digestive conditions such as Crohn's disease
, IBS, antibiotic associated diarrhea. Probiotics are known to decrease gut permeability. This study confirmed proteins extracted from dough pre-treated with VSL#3 released less zonulin, the protein that controls tight junctions between intestinal lining cells. Zonulin is believed to be important in the development of celiac disease. It increases permeability of leaky gut t Read more:breaks down
, causes
Gluten Sensitivity: A Gastroenterologist's Personal Journey Down the Gluten Rabbit Hole 1970-01-01 00:59:59 After publishing two of my earlier articles in the print and electronic version of his popular celiac newsletter ScottFree, Scott Adams the founder of celiac.com, asked me to write an article on gluten sensitivity. The first article of a two part series just published is titled GlutenSensitivity
: A Gastroenterologist's PersonalJourney
Down the Gluten Rabbit
Hole by Dr. Scot Lewey. New resources for eosinophilic gut diseases and food allergy, intolerance and toxic reactions I would like to pass on include the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders site and the the extensive All Allergy Net Databases. I also encourage you to subscribe to my online articles and view my video What is the difference between Food Allergies and Food Intolerance?.As a practicing gastroenterologist I specialize in celiac disease, food allergies, colitis, Crohn's disease, eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease, food intolerance, swallowing disorders, and diagnostic endoscopy including the pill cam
Irritable bowel syndrome linked to increased intestinal mast cells and intraepithelial lymphocytosis as well as stress 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Our digestive tract is the largest line of defense we have to maintain against outside attack. It is vulnerable to stress
, foreign food proteins and bad bacteria. Irritablebowel
syndrome is reported to be the most common gastrointestinal disorder. In this month's issue of Gut, Guilarte et al. from Barcelona Spain report finding of mildly increased intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and marked increased mast cells
patients with diarrhea predominant IBS who also had higher levels of psychological stress than normal volunteers.A stress-mast cell axis has been proposed for possible cause of IBS. Mast cells typically release chemicals in response to allergens and parasites but have also been linked
to stress. Increased mast cells have been found in the large and small bowel of patients with IBS especially when a stain for tryptase, an enzyme specific for mast cells, is performed. Mast cells can increase intestinal permeability (cause leaky gut), increase visceral sensitivity (increased Read more:Irritable bowel
Gluten-free pizza and beer 2007-03-01 03:28:00 As a doctor who treats many people with celiac disease and who is personally gluten sensitive, I am uniquely aware of the challenges of a gluten-free diet. I am also casein sensitive. So, pizza is something that has been missing from my diet for months. However, those of us on a gluten-free diet can enjoy Amy’s gluten free pizza. And if you are also avoiding casein, you can eat Amy’s gluten-free dairy-free Spinach Pizza. The pizza is made with a rice crust and soy-based mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. Therefore, if you are sensitive or allergic to soy you will want to avoid this pizza. Also, not all of Amy's products are gluten-free so you need to pay attention to the pizza boxes to confirm that they are gluten-free. The Spinach Pizza also contains tomatoes, potatoes, sunflower seeds and rice. Spinach and organic sun-ripened tomatoes are combined with several herbs for a very tasty, yet gluten-free dairy-free pizza. There are no trans fats, preservatives or MSG. However, more tha Read more:Gluten
Allergic or Eosinophilic Esophagitis and GERD differentiated by biopsies though some people have both 2007-03-08 05:48:00 GERD causes symptoms of heartburn and food sticking but so can an allergic condition of the esophagus known as eosinophilic esophagitis (EE). EE is characterized by the presence of an abnormal number of allergic type cells called eosinophils in the esophagus. In many patients and the number of eosinophils may not be high enough to separate EE from GERD, however a new study found another allergy cell, the mast cell, may help differentiate allergic esophagitis from acid reflux esophagitis. This study also provides further support that some people
have both acid reflux and allergy. Eosinophils are not normally present in the esophagus but are seen in small numbers under the microscope in biopsies of esophagus due to acid reflux. A count of more than 15-20 eosinophils per high power field (HPF or 40x) is the usual range considered diagnostic of EE though
some pathologists use 24 or more. In reflux, up to 7 eosinophils per HPF is considered typical. This study found significantly higher e Read more:Allergic
Is it Gluten That Prevents Bread Mold But Makes Us Ill? The Food Doc Twinkie Experiment. 2007-03-15 01:16:00 Recently, our daughter’s teacher told us the story of her son's initially failed science project. After a week of no mold on moist sandwich bread left out in a cool dark closet they had to use gluten-free bread to get the experiment to work. This came as no surprise to my wife and I since in our gluten-free household we routinely freeze any gluten-free baked goods that we don’t expect to eat within a couple of days to avoid wasting the food due to mold.My first opportunity to try my own experiment was a few weeks ago when I asked one our houseguests to leave a slice of the regular bread we had bought for them on a paper plate as an experiment. After about five days of only crumbling bread without mold was exposing our household to unwanted gluten, my wife, who has Celiac disease, threw it out. Remembering an urban legend about 30-year old Twinkie
s, I did some research. I found a quote from Dr. Steven Masley describing foods containing trans fats being like "embalming fluid" and h Read more:Bread
, Experiment
, Gluten
Wheat gluten found to be toxic to dogs and cattle proven almost a hundred years ago failed to prevent the birth of the non-decaying Twinkie. 2007-03-20 03:49:00 Wheat gluten has been suspected as a possible cause of the recent epidemic of kidney failure and death of dogs and cats from pet food. I will highlight just two of numerous publications dating to the early 1900’s published on wheat gluten toxic
ity in cattle
and dogs. A 1948 American Journal of Physiology article documents experiments trying to prevent
seizures in dogs fed wheat gluten. This research was prompted by a twenty-five year history of theories about the cause of a condition called “canine hysteria” or “running fits”. Death, blindness, seizures and ataxic neurological symptoms are described in dogs fed meal made with wheat gluten. The symptoms are eerily similar to what have been described recenlty in dogs and cats eating pet food containing wheat gluten. Many of the symptoms are also identical to those experienced by humans with untreated celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Dating back to the early 1900’s adverse health were known to occur from the nutritional Read more:birth
, Twinkie
, Wheat gluten
Wheat and gluten as a cause of bloating death in cattle. Is there a parallel to wheat gluten's contribution to the obesity and gas-bloating in humans? 2007-03-28 19:31:00 Wheat fed to cattle
can kill them. Excess wheat
or barley feed can result in a bloating disorder known as wheat pasture bloat, feedlot bloat, free-gas bloat or frothy bloat. Wheat and barley are fed to cattle because they are a cheap source of high protein grains that result in rapid weight gain for finishing cattle off for slaughter. However, if too much wheat or barley is fed to cattle, especially high gluten containing wheat, the cattle die. Their stomach, called the rumen, accumulates excessive gas putting pressure on the heart and lungs leading to death
. My physician wife with celiac disease grew up in rural Missouri and their family had a few head of cattle. When I asked her if she had ever heard of pasture bloat she described how she once tried to help the local vet save one of their cows that developed pasture bloat. The vet punctured the cow's "stomach" to let gas escape but the cow still died. I have patients who tell me they feel like they are dying from abdominal pain an Read more:humans
, obesity
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