I have to make sense of the forest before I micromanage each tree: I suffer from the Ionian Enchantment. Back around 600 BC, greek philosophers maintained that all knowledge is linked, a concept that Dr. Wilson recently rehashed in his book CONCILIENCE. This is why I became a Generalist, even though that is not where the bread is buttered. I don’t care; I am more interested in the bread, nutrition that is, than butter—prestige and money.
My generalist approach and the literature research I do each week help me make sense of studies that may puzzle some people. As you know, health and disease are based on our environment, what we eat and how we manage stress. These factors are heavily influenced by our microbiome. The first three articles illustrate this point. See if you can explain why the diseases therein covered are related. You will find my take on them at the end of this newsletter.
Hugo Rodier, MD
Psoriasis associated with increased risk for cancer
“The New York Times (10/16, Bakalar) reports in a review of studies, researchers showed “among people with psoriasis, the risk of skin, esophageal, liver and pancreatic cancer was particularly high.” The study published in JAMA Dermatology included “58 studies and found that, over all, compared with people without the condition, psoriasis of any degree of severity was associated with an 18 percent increased risk for cancer, and severe psoriasis with a 22 percent increase.” The investigators also “found that severe psoriasis was associated with more than 11 times the risk for squamous cell carcinoma (a skin cancer), about double the risk for esophageal and liver cancer, and a 45 percent increased risk for pancreatic cancer.” Newsweek (10/16) reports the researchers “concluded those with psoriasis had a 1.18-fold increased risk of developing a range of different types of cancer when compared with those without the condition,” including, “colon, colorectal, kidney, laryngeal, liver, lymphoma, mouth, esophagus, pancreas and non-melanoma skin cancers.” Moreover, “the risk of developing, and dying, of cancer was 1.22 in those with severe psoriasis.”
Early menopause associated with heart attacks and strokes under age 60
“Reuters (10/18, Rapaport): “Women who go through menopause earlier in life may be more likely to have a heart attack or stroke before they reach age 60 than their counterparts who go through menopause later on,” investigators concluded after examining “data from 15 observational studies with a total of more than 300,000 women, including almost 13,000 women who survived events like a heart attack or stroke after menopause.” The Lancet Public Health.”
Chronic Diarrhea Linked to Obesity, Independently of Diet
Diana Phillips. Medscape, September 25, 2019
“Individuals with obesity are significantly more likely than their peers of normal weight to have chronic diarrhea, and the relationship does not appear to be mediated by diet or obesity-associated risk factors, new research has shown.
In a comprehensive analysis of health and nutrition data from a nationally representative sample, Sarah Ballou, PhD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues investigated the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and bowel habits in US adults. They found that the prevalence of diarrhea increased gradually with BMI. The investigators adjusted for demographic and psychological factors, lifestyle, laxative use, dietary factors, and comorbid diabetes.
The findings are reported in an article published online September 18 in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.”
Can plant based meat alternatives be part of a healthy and sustainable diet?
JAMA 2019;322:1547
A most definite YES.
But the article is hesitant to recommend the new and improved “fake meats” marketed by Impossible Food (soy) and Beyond Meat (peas). The authors have reservations because of the salt content of those products. They also feel the technology is too new to endorse them just yet. Ah, if they only were that careful with new pharmaceutical products…
I believe that anything that spares animals, the planet and our body is a very good thing, especially if you cannot tell the difference, taste-wise. Cutting back on animal protein consumption has all those advantages. If, a big if, we discover some negative consequences in the future, I am willing to bet they will be minimal and worth the risk. In the meantime, I am recommending these products to my patients.
Novel Device May Offer Long-Lasting Pain Relief
Damian McNamara. Medscape October 22, 2019
“A novel, noninvasive, over-the-counter electromagnetic neuromodulation device (ActiPatch, BioElectronics Corp.) appears to deliver long-lasting relief in chronic pain patients. However, at least one pain expert has concerns about the study methodology and interpretation of the results.
Results of a long-term prospective study that included 240 patients who had previously experienced chronic pain relief with the device showed that at 6 months, 97% of the 240 participants sustained 60% reduction in pain. (A short-term study included 682 individuals, and 240 of those people agreed to participate in the longer-term, 6-month study and complete three further assessments.) Responders also reported functional improvements in sleep quality, physical activity, and overall quality of life, as well as lower consumption of pain medications.”
Comments: we need all the help we can get to decrease the opioid epidemic.
Regularly eating nuts may prevent weight gain and lower obesity risk
“On its website, the NPR (9/30, Neighmond) “The Salt” blog reports that researchers found that “eating a handful of almonds, walnuts, peanuts or any type of nut on a regular basis may help prevent excessive weight gain and even lower the risk of obesity.” The findings were published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.”
Comments: if I had a dollar for each time patients tell me they don’t eat nuts because they are fattening, yet they stuff themselves with soda pop and refined sugars, I would be rich. Nuts also help the microbiome and “fatty liver” problems[1] by reducing insulin resistance, one of the main factors behind metabolic problems.
Young men who eat heart-healthy diet may have better quality sperm
“Reuters (10/24, Rapaport) reports researchers found that “young men who eat a heart-healthy diet may have better quality sperm than their peers who dine mostly on junk food.” The findings were published in Human Reproduction.” And…
Red pigment found in fruits and vegetables may increase concentration of fast progressive sperm in men
“The New York Times (10/15, Bakalar) reports a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that in “men who took lycopene, there was a significant increase in the concentration of fast progressive sperm – sperm that make forward progress in a straight line or in large circles – as well as in the proportion of sperm with proper size and shape.” The article says that lycopene, is “a red pigment found in” many “fruits and vegetables” [mostly watermelons and tomatoes].”
Comments: if you want to be virile, stop eating so much meat and refined sugars and turn to veggies… unless you don’t wish to reproduce.
Putting Humpty Dumpty back together again
I am betting you don’t need my help if you have been reading this newsletter ad/or the medical literature. Just in case, here is my take on the three first articles:
- Psoriasis and cancer: they are both inflammatory conditions that start with an unbalanced microbiome. The inflammation therein generated leaks out of the gut into our circulation, a condition called endotoxemia. From there, it’s just a skip and a jump to our skin. That is how practically all skin disorders are started. Remember that cancer is 85% environmental and inflammation-based. The toxins implicated are not properly eliminated in people whose microbiome is not optimal: it detoxifies as much as the liver and it influences how the liver works.
- Early menopause, heart attacks and strokes: the former signals poor detoxification of Xenoestrogens in the environment. There are 800+ chemicals that have an estrogen effect in our body. Women with poor microbiomes and liver function (see above), cannot eliminate those chemicals optimally. Xenoestrogens, aka Endocrine Disruptors, have been shown to affect menopause timing and circulation (heart and brain). Further, a disrupted microbiome also causes metabolic problems like inflammation-driven insulin resistance, which has been shown to be at the bottom of all three conditions.
- Diarrhea and obesity: after the comments above, you should be able to figure this one out (If you did not at the beginning of this newsletter).
- Association Between Nut Consumption and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Adults,
J. Liver International 2019;39(9):1732-1741. ↑
