An article published online on October 9, 2013 in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment reports the results of a meta-analysis conducted by Canadian researchers which found an association between higher serum levels of vitamin D and better prognosis for women with early stage breast cancer.

For their analysis, Pamela J. Goodwin of the University of Toronto and her colleagues selected eight studies involving a total of 5,691 women diagnosed with breast cancer from 1973 to 2010. Blood samples were collected, on average, within 90 days of diagnosis or shortly before treatment. Deficient levels of vitamin D were uncovered in 38.6% of the subjects.

When the lowest versus highest categories of serum vitamin D were compared in a pooled analysis, women whose levels were low had a risk of recurrence that was more than double that of subjects whose levels were high and a risk of death that was 76% higher.

The authors remark that vitamin D, when activated, can alter the transcription and expression of specific genes, resulting in growth arrest, apoptosis, aromatase suppression, decreased inflammation, and inhibition of angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, all of which help combat cancer.

“These findings support an association of low levels of vitamin D with increased risk of recurrence and death in early stage breast cancer patients,” the authors conclude.

The October 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association reports the finding of Finnish researchers of a reduction in silent brain infarcts and white matter changes in older men and women with higher levels of plasma phospholipid long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Silent infarcts, which are small brain lesions caused by lack of blood flow, are associated with a decrease in thinking skills and are estimated to affect approximately 20% of healthy older individuals.

For the current investigation, Jyrki K. Virtanen and colleagues evaluated data from participants aged 65 and older in the Cardiovascular Health Study who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain between 1992 and 1994. Of this group, 2,313 subjects underwent repeat MRI examination after five years. Those with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack, or whose fatty acid data was incomplete were excluded from the current study. Plasma samples collected from 1992 to 1993 were analyzed for phospholipid polyunsaturated fatty acid levels.

“Our results support the beneficial effects of fish consumption, the major source of long‐chain omega‐3 PUFAs, on brain health in later life.”

When those whose long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (EPA, DHA and DPA) levels were among the top 25% of 2,293 participants were compared with those whose levels were among the lowest 25%, they were found to have a 40% lower risk of subclinical infarct detected during the first MRI. Subjects whose long-chain omega-3 levels were highest also had fewer white matter changes in comparison with those in the lowest group.

“Among older adults, higher phospholipid long‐chain omega‐3 PUFA content was associated with lower prevalence of subclinical infarcts and better white matter grade on MRI,” the authors write.

In  a  healthy  digestive  tract,  food  and  all  its  components  are  digested  and  absorbed  into  the  blood stream. The 25 – 30 foot digestive tract extends from the mouth to the anus and helps break down large  proteins, carbohydrate and fat molecules in foods into smaller molecules that can be absorbed into the  blood by the cells of the intestine.

You are what you eat ! You are also what you absorb!

Separating the nutrients found in the food you eat, from the waste products that leave your body involves  numerous physiological functions. Among these functions are digestion, assimilation, nutrient distribution  and tissue uptake. Unfortunately, consuming todayʼs processed foods and living in todayʼs busy lifestyle,  this model of optimal digestion frequently malfunctions, leading to acute and chronic illness.

Causes of Gut Problems

• Overeating and eating before the previous meal has digested
• Eating to quickly, not chewing food thoroughly
• Overuse of alcohol, caffeine, soft drinks
• Eating on the run, at irregular times and skipping meals
• Eating a heavy meal at night
• Infections and infestations of bacteria, yeast, parasites
• Low levels of beneficial bacteria
• Food allergies or sensitivities
• Constant physical or emotional stress
• Medications like antibiotics, steroids, anti inflammatory drugs
• Insufficient protein in diet
• Ageing
• Nutrient deficiencies

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Accumulation  of  faulty  digestive  processes  leads  to  “Leaky  Gut  Syndrome”  and  subsequent  health  challenges. Under normal circumstances, the lining of the small intestine is nearly leak proof (impermeable)  and  only  fully  digested  food  molecules  are  permitted  to  pass  through  this  lining  into  the  blood  stream.  Unfortunately, this leak-proof lining is only one cell layer thick and can be easily damaged. If stresses  on these cells are too high, gaps begin to form between the cells, forming microscopic passages, which  allow  large  molecules  to  pass  through  undigested  into  the  blood  stream.  If  enough  of  these  gaps  are  present  the  situation  is  known  as  “Leaky  Gut  Syndrome”.  As  a  result,  a  leaky  gut  syndrome  places  a  tremendous  amount  of  stress  upon  the  immune  system,  the  liver,  and  virtually  every  other  organ  or  system in the body.

Signs and Symptoms of Poor Digestion

• Bloating, belching, burning, flatulence, nausea
• Indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation
• Food allergies
• Weak, peeling and cracked fingernails
• Iron deficiency
• Chronic fungal, bacterial infestations
• Undigested food in stool
• Fatigue and malaise
• Fevers of unknown origin
• Aching joints and muscles
• Skin rashes, eczema, acne
• Auto immune disease like lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis
• Autism

How Do We Fix It?

A comprehensive program based on functional medicine principles to remedy  “Leaky Gut Syndrome” and to ensure optimum digestion is essential. This approach is commonly referred to as the  “4R” approach in reference to the four steps required in normalizing digestive function.

Remove

Focuses on eliminating pathogenic bacteria, fungi, parasites and food allergies from the digestive tract

Replace      

Replenishes enzymes and other digestive factors lacking in the digestive environment

Reinoculate   

Refers to the reintroduction of beneficial bacteria to establish micro flora balance

Repair     

Involves direct nutritional support of the intestinal cells for the optimum repair of damage.

An article published online on August 28, 2013 in the journal Nature reports an association between gut bacterial “richness” and protection against obesity.The current research compared the gut bacterial genes of 169 obese and 123 nonobese Danish men and women. It was discovered that approximately one-fourth of the participants had up to 40% fewer gut bacterial genes than the remainder of the study population and correspondingly fewer bacteria.This group also had less bacterial diversity.

Subjects with low bacterial richness were significantly likely to have more adiposity or to be obese, and to have gained more weight over the previous nine years. They were also more insulin resistant, more likely to have high cholesterol, and had an increase in markers of inflammation and white blood cells, indicating a greater risk for diabetes or heart disease.

The research team identified eight bacterial species as possibly preventive against weight gain. The findings could lead to new therapies for obesity or the development of diagnostic tests to identify those at risk of diseases linked to gut microbiome alterations.

In another article appearing on August 28 in Nature, reported that a low fat diet improved microbial gene richness, in both diversity and numbers. “This indicates that you can repair some of the damage to your gut bacteria simply by changing your dietary habits,”  “Our intestinal bacteria are actually to be considered an organ just like our heart and brain, and the presence of health-promoting bacteria must therefore be cared for in the best way possible.