Jrblilie1's Weblog

A Good Bug?

jrblilie1 — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 02:03:19 +0000

Asthma, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative Colitis, rheumatoid Arthritis, and other diseases of the immune system have increased dramatically over the past few decades in the developed world. Scientists are unsure why, but one of the theories circulating is known as the hygiene hypothesis, which basically says our environment is too clean. Humans aren’t exposed to microorganisms in the environment as much as they used to be when more people farmed or were in closer proximity to animals. And, while many diseases have diminished, thanks to advances in medicine and better prevention, people aren’t exposed to bacteria that helped regulate the immune system. Proponents behind this theory postulate that this lack of exposure may, at least in part, be responsible for the surge in autoimmune diseases. This led researchers at the University of Iowa to look for a safe parasite-one that wasn’t known to cause infections or illness in humans-for therapeutic purposes. Introducing the whipworm, a pig parasite. The whipworms lay their eggs in the human digestive tract, and appears to cause the body to produce a helpful type of immune system cells (T2 helper cytokines), as a defense against the worms. In contrast, in many autoimmune diseases, immune cells known as T1 cell cytokines proliferate and fight against the body’s cells, much like they do when fighting foreign invaders. This separate immune response from whipworms, appears to help counter the inflammatory response from diseases such as Crohn’s, etc. This treatment is radically different from current pharmacological treatment which tend to suppress the immune system, and has several undesirable side effects, like increased risk of infections, slow wound healing, increased cancer risk, diarrhea, and constipation among the more common ones. Whipworm, from pigs don’t naturally infect humans and can’t reproduce in them. Once ingested, they pass through the stomach to the intestine. There, the worms hatch and latch on, stimulating the favorable immune response-after about two weeks, they die and are excreted. There have been a few studies done to date (2005). One study examined 29 Crohn’s patients and found that after six months, 21 were considered remitted (no control group was used). The other was a study of 54 patients with ulcerative colitis. Patients with the whipworm treatment improved significantly more than those who got a placebo. There was also two studies looking at whipworm and multiple sclerosis, published last year in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal. Results showed brain lesions decreased in four of five patients three months into treatment, and rebounded two months after it ended. Studies using whipworm are either underway or being planned for the following conditions: Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatric arthritis, autism, tree nut allergies, and seasonal allergies like hay fever. Sounds pretty cool using a bug to fight disease. Stay tuned for results on these studies.

Stay well, John R blilie, M.S.

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Can 10 Minutes of Daily Exercise Get You Fit and Improve Your Health?

jrblilie1 — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:55:28 +0000

It seems so, according to a recent study done at McMaster University In Hamilton, Ontario. While there’s a dearth of studies attempting to quantify how much exercise to do to achieve health benefits, this one looked at how little to do to accomplish the same thing. Even though I need exercise for both my mental and physical being, I like the concept of reaping the benefits with the least amount of time planted-I have plenty of other things I could do. This study (cited by Gretchen Reynolds in the New York Times, 2/15/12), gathered several groups of volunteers; one group was sedentary but generally healthy; the other composed of middle-age and older patients who have heart disease. The exercise protocol was this: Bicycling for one minute at 90% of their maximum effort, followed by one minute of rest. This was repeated 10 times, for a total time of 20 minutes. After several weeks, both the unfit volunteers and the cardiac patients showed significant improvement in their health and fitness, with the results in the cardiac group especially remarkable-the improvements in blood vessel function and heart were highly significant. One would think that such a high intensity regimen would be dangerous for heart patients, but none have experienced heart problems related to the workouts. The cardiac group also enjoyed the sessions; much more so than the longer, slower sessions they had been doing in rehab. The training also improved insulin sensitivity, important for controlling blood sugar, and prompted the creation of cellular proteins involved in energy production and oxygen. I have been doing these shorter, more intense sessions for a few years now, and my own blood work has never looked better. Hemoglobin is up, blood pressure down, cholesterol great, kidneys and liver working great. Try the shorter, intense sessions, especially if your bored with your exercise OR if you don’t like to exercise at all. Any questions on how to start, email me.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

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Rewrite the Tapes in Your Brain

jrblilie1 — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:52:06 +0000

I was taking a medical history on a new client a few days ago, when I asked how much exercise she does in a week. Her reply was one I’ve heard many times over the past 20+ years: “I’m a little nervous about trying organized exercise again because I always start out the first few weeks very motivated and disciplined, but the enthusiasm soon fades and my sessions become intermittent, then cease altogether. I start and I stop, over and over. It’s very frustrating to fail every time I start; it makes me not to want to start again.” Does this sound familiar? If so, I have some unsolicited advice to share from my own personal experience. Rewrite the tapes in your head. These are the old negative recordings that are called cognitive distortions. In the above instance, my client was a fortune-teller; one who makes irrational doomsday predictions about the future based solely on their negative experiences of the past. Leave those experiences in the past. In this case, I simply asked her two questions: “Does your thinking help you achieve your goals?,” and Does your thinking help you feel the way you want to feel?” Both of her answers were no, which makes them irrational thinking, so one of the things we will work on between sessions will be for her to be aware of any of her negative behaviors and ask herself those two questions. This is the first time I’ve tried this approach for exercise adherence, and I’m hopeful for success. I remember (and still have it) a handout from a psychology class I took in college. It was written by Portia Nelson and goes as follows: I. “I walk, down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in-I am lost….I am helpless-It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.” II “I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk- I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place. But, it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out”. III “I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in….it’s a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.” IV “I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.” V “I walk down another street.” I wish you the best of luck with your own hole in the sidewalk.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

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Balance Training, Weak-Side Strengthening, and Belly Fat

jrblilie1 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:41:19 +0000

I posted a video today on strengthening the weak-side of the lower body; specifically the pelvis (glut medius). Included are four exercises which can be done in two to three minutes, and are vital toward balancing muscle strength from the hip to the foot. I service several patients after they have had at least one fall, many times more than one. Please don’t wait until you’ve had a fall to take this issue seriously; a fall can be a life-changing event, and not for the better. Anyone can do these exercises, and the only equipment you really need is a tennis ball. Check out the video for more detail.

The following questions are frequently asked by clients: What is the best way to get rid of belly fat? Can I do more ab work to get rid of it? First of all, lets review belly fat. Excess belly fat is the worst kind of fat to have for your health (it doesn’t look so great, either). Deep belly fat, called omentum, wraps around your organs and causes several metabolic and health issues. It excretes proteins and hormones that increases blood sugar, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and blood pressure. It makes you more prone to get type 2 diabetes and increases inflammation throughout the body. Fat released from omentum travels to your liver, is processed, then shipped off to your arteries to clog them up. It also reduces adiponectin, a stress and inflammation reducing chemical related to the hunger-controlling hormone leptin. Bad stuff, indeed. The good news is that you can make physiological changes to reduce belly fat, and it’s not all about calories-the type of food is important. Let’s return to the questions. The best ways to get rid of belly fat is high-intensity, short duration exercises. These can be done walking, running, on a bike, on a rowing machine, using calisthenics, resistance bands, sand bags, weights, etc. The key is work at a high intensity that’s short but not very comfortable. And, there is no such thing as spot reducing. Fat comes off everywhere on the body, including the belly. Certain foods also help. Beans, lentils, whole grains, and other high fiber foods are excellent at getting rid of belly fat, as long as you eliminate or drastically reduce refined grains, bad fats, and sugars. Green tea has been shown to have special calorie/fat-burning compound called catechins, that boost metabolism-doseage is seven cups/day. It seems like a lot, but it’s not. I brew a pot (12 cups) of a mixture of green (mate) and peppermint tea every other day. Apple cider vinegar also burns fat and calories. I take 2 Tbsp, 2 x/day. I have dropped 10 pounds of belly fat in 8 weeks following the all the above. I also try to sit as little as possible. If you have excess belly fat, get serious about getting rid of it-your health, mind, and body will be grateful.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

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Caffeine + Nitric Oxide = a Great Workout!

jrblilie1 — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:55:34 +0000

I do some of my workouts at the Jewish Community Center in Scottsdale. They have a great gym, basketball and volleyball courts, and an incredible swimming pool. A few weeks ago, a fellow gym member was talking about a pre-exercise drink he used and said it really galvanized his workouts- he performed better and enjoyed them more. The supplement was called ‘Black Powder’, with a long list of ingredients like amino acids, creatine, green tea, caffeine, and so on. What really got me interested, however, was that this supplement contained a good amount of nitric oxide, or NO3. I’ve written before about the benefits of NO3; it’s the most important vasodilator in the human body, relaxes arteries and lowers blood pressure. In other words, it’s very good for you. My interest piqued, he brought me six servings of it and I gave it a try. I drank it 15 minutes before my workout, and WOW! I had one of the most satisfying workouts ever. I felt stronger, had greater endurance, and, since I workout at 6:00 am, was more wide-awake and felt like I put more work into my workout. I normally have a cup of coffee before my workouts. Caffeine has long been known to enable a person to invest more effort into a workout, and has been known to free up stored fats to use as an energy source, something most people want to do; burn fat. In addition to increasing alertness and fat-burning recent research reveals another caffeine benefit; an adenosine antigonizer. Adenosine is a substance that builds up in the muscle during exercise and blunts the force of contraction. The more adenosine in the muscle, the less force it generates. Caffeine reduces adenosine levels, thus enabling more forceful contractions and delays fatigue. There is also evidence that caffeine reduces potassium buildup in the muscles, which happens during anaerobic activities, which is what I do during workouts. Caffeine also affects the central nervous system, affecting mood, alertness, and fine motor coordination during exercise. With this particular supplement also supplying NO3 in good quantities, the increased circulation means that I felt energized from the top of my head to my toenails. There are a couple of caveats with this supplement; I only took it six times and don’t know if there would be a muted effect when I habituate to it. Also, the ‘Black Powder’ contains a couple of food colorings, of which I’m not in favor of. I’m sure there are other products like ‘Black Powder’. Give it/them a try if you’d like an exercise boost.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

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Take Out The Trash

jrblilie1 — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:50:08 +0000

I think we all know that exercise is good for you; it improves cardiac health, weight control, improved muscle tone, coordination, and balance. Exercise is a great stress reliever, improves bone density, etc. However, one of the most important aspects of exercise is rarely, if ever, mentioned- trash removal. It has long been known that cells accumulate waste products from the wear and tear of everyday living. Cells contain mitochondria, which are like little energy factories, and like factories, they put out their own smoke, or waste. In addition, viruses or bacteria, broken or misshaped proteins, and broken-down cell membranes for a kind of garbage dump inside the body. When our bodies are young and healthy, cells are extremely efficient at sweeping away this junk, even recycling some of it for use as fuel-going green as they say. This process is called autophagy, or “self-eating.” Without this system of trash removal, cells become choked with trash and begin to die off. Unchecked, researchers believe it can lead to disease states such as diabetes, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. The slowing of autophagy as we get older is considered a factor in aging. New research, published last month in Nature, looked at this cellular housecleaning chore by taking two groups of mice, one set with a normal cleaning system, and the other bred to have a blunted system. They had the mice run. After just 30 minutes, the normal mice had significantly more autophagy activity-the other group had no increase. More striking, however, was when Dr. Beth Levine of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, stuffed both groups with a high-fat kibble for several weeks until they developed a rodent version of diabetes. The normal mice subsequently reversed the diabetes by running; the autophagy-resistant animals did not. Bottom line: An increase in autophagy, prompted by exercise, seems to be a critical step in achieving the health benefits of exercise. Another reason to get out there and be active. For a more in-depth review of this study, check out the article by Gretchen Reynolds in the New York Times (2/01/2012).

I had another hike with my son yesterday, up what is called Shaw Butte, in north-central Phoenix. This time, we took along one of his friends, and I took my dog “Jake” for his first hike. Thank heaven I had Jake. The first quarter-mile or so was very steep, and Jake helped pull me up. My son and his friend didn’t need help-they soon left Jake and I in the dust. 14 year-old legs, hearts, and undoubtedly better autophagy were on display. Once I got over the shock of the fact that I am getting older AND slower, I relaxed and enjoyed a great hike and a vigorous workout. The weather was a perfect 70 degrees, and the views of the valley were beautiful.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

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Berberine, Natural Antibiotics, Curcumin for Prostate

jrblilie1 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:02:13 +0000

I’ve spoken of berberine before, but additional studies have come to light, showing its promise in improving health in other areas. First, let me review (For those of you that subscribe to Whitaker’s Health & Healing, this you already know). Berberine is an alkaloid plant that has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for years. In a clinical trial published in Metabolism, people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were randomly divided into groups and assigned to take the pharmacological drug Metformin or berberine. Berberine was every bit as effective as metformin, with NO side effects. In addition, berberine did something diabetes drugs did not. Berberine lowered triglycerides by 35.9%, LDL cholesterol by 21%, and total cholesterol by 18%, compared to minimal declines in cholesterol and an increase in triglycerides in the other group. Also, recent research suggests that berberine has a role in cancer prevention and treatment-it inhibits the growth of cancer cells, curbs the development of blood vessels that feed tumors, and helps prevent metastasis. There are also studies that demonstrate that berberine improves bone density and preserves cartilage, protects against acute brain damage and neurodegenerative disorders, and may play a role in warding off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Whitaker predicts that berberine will be the next big thing in anti-aging medicine. For more details, read Dr. Whitaker’s Health & Healing, February 2012.

I recently had a minor cold that morphed into a sinus infection. I was going to get some antibiotics, and mentioned this to a homeopathic doctor who I provide services for. He instead suggested the nutritional supplements liquid silver and lomantium dissectum var. multifida, known by the label LDM-100. I am more than pleased to say that within 5 days, the infection was gone (I try to avoid taking antibiotics whenever I can).

An article in a previous Health & Healing, January 2012, lauded the protective effects of curcumin on prostate cancer. As I’ve said many times, curcumin helped cure my ulcerative colitis, and is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound. Curcumin also interfere’s with the spread of cancer cells by regulating the body’s inflammatory responses, and promoting tumor cell death (apoptosis). For those at risk or diagnosed with prostate cancer, Dr. Whitaker recommends 4-8 grams daily.

Here’s a few “Did You Knows?” 1). Smelling peppermint oil every two hours was shown to reduce appetite and calorie intake. 2). Ginger root extract, 2 g/day, reduces inflammation in the colon, which protects against colon cancer. 3). Cherries are high in sleep-inducing melatonin-they may help with sleep. 4). Overweight women who lose considerable weight have significant increases in vitamin D. And, my favorite; taking a single step uses about 200 muscles.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

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A Sharper Mental Edge?

jrblilie1 — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:08:21 +0000

I came across an article in today’s Wall Street Journal regarding a purported brain enhancer called citicoline-it’s popping up in beverages and dietary supplements. Citicoline is an organic molecule found naturally in the body, with greater amounts in the brain. Citicoline is supposed to speed up formation of brain cell membranes and may boost neurotransmitter function (serotonin, dopamine. etc). Results have been mixed, although citicoline shows promise for people who have had mini-strokes in the past. A large trial is currently underway, and results will be announced in May. A Cochrane Collaboration review has looked at 14 studies (through 2010) and concluded citicoline “has a positive effect on memory and behavior, at least in the medium term.”It might be worth a try….

Stay well, JohnR Blilie, M.S.

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Bad Fat Into Good Fat? Way Cool!

jrblilie1 — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:51:33 +0000

Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School have discovered a new hormone produced in response to exercise that may be turning people’s white fat brown, and in the process decreasing the likelihood that they will develop diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other health problems. The study, published 1/11/12 in the journal Nature, provides new insights on how the body responds to exercise at the cellular level. Scientists have believed for years that muscle cells communicate with other cells during and after exercise; in particular, fat cells. But the how and what they say have been mysteries, until, in the new study, they looked at a particular substance, PGC1-alpha, which is produced in large quantities during and after exercise. Bruce Spiegelman, professor of cell biology and medicine and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, led the study. He says that “It seems clear that PGC1-a stimulates many of the recognized health benefits of exercise.” Mice that are bred to produce large amounts of PGC1-a in their muscles are more resistant to age-related obesity and diabetes, much like humans who exercise. One thing that PGC1-a does is pump up the expression of a protein, Fndc5, which breaks apart into different pieces, one of which is a hormone called irisin, which enters the bloodstream and surfs to fat cells. There, it begins turning regular fat, especially the deep, visceral fat around organs-into brown fat. Brown fat is the “good” fat-it is metabolically active, using oxygen and energy. End result, they burn calories. White fat, or “bad’ fat, just sits there, causing metabolic problems. In essence, irisin appears to be one of the more important missing links in our understanding of how exercise conveys health benefits. What is not known at this point is how much or what types of exercise produce the greatest natural irisin increases in healthy people. Until then, some exercise is better than none. A follow-up on yesterday’s blog on the brain: A new study from The Archives of Neurology suggests that for some people, a daily walk or jog could reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or change the course of the disease if it begins. In this study, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis recruited 201 adults, ages 45-88, who were part of continuing study at the university’s Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Some had a family history of Alzheimer’s, but none, as the study began, had the disease. All performed well on tests of memory and thinking. At the beginning of the experiment, all volunteers had their brains scanned using positron emission tomography (PET scan), to look for signs of amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. People with a lot of plaque have more memory loss. Next they tested them for APOE, a gene involved in cholesterol metabolism. Everyone carries the APOE gene, but those who have a particular version of the gene known as e4 are at 15 times the risk of developing Alzheimer’s as those who don’t. In this study, 56 of the volunteer’s turned out to be positive for APOE-e4. All participants were asked to fill out detailed questionnaires about their exercise habits during the past 10 years. For the group as a whole, exercise provided marginal benefits-the ones who reported walking or jogging often, had fewer amyloid plaques than those who almost never did, but the difference was insignificant. However, when the scientists examined the results for the people with the e4 gene variant, the situation changed. Those that exercised had plaque accumulation similar to those who were e4 negative. Bottom line; activity levels enable those with the genetic predisposition to get Alzheimer’s to ‘turn off’ that gene, and stand a greater chance of aging normally. For a more complete account of these two studies, read Gretchen Reynolds, The New York Times-Phys ED column.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

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The Brain & the Gut

jrblilie1 — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:02:34 +0000

I came across two interesting articles this week concerning our “two brains”, the one in your head and the one in your gut. A report in the Wall Street Journal (1/17/12), details the importance of the gut to overall health. The gut, consisting of the esophagus, stomach, and intestines, has its own nervous system (called the enteric nervous system), and can operate independently from the brain. It can control organs including the pancreas and gall bladder via nervous connections. The gut also contains many of the same neurotransmitters found in the brain, and also manufactures its own hormones-these can interact with other organs such as the heart and lungs. The brain, spinal cord, and gut are filled with nerve cells; the small intestine alone contains 100 million neurons, roughly the same amount as in the spinal cord. The vagus nerve stretches from the brain to the stomach, and is the main conduit between the two.I think most of us know that when our gut feels bad, such as with indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, or worse; we feel bad. However, the ailments go beyond digestion. Disruptions in intestinal flora affect mood, depression, and may be indicated in epileptic issues. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter found in the brain, is manufactured in the gut. Low levels of serotonin in the brain are known to affect mood and sleep. Serotonin also helps push food through the digestive tract, is necessary for repairing liver cells, and plays a role in normal heart development and bone-mass accumulation. The gut may also shed some light on Parkinson’s disease; some of the damage to the brain neurons that make the neurotransmitter dopamine also occur n the gut neurons. So, what can you do to keep your gut healthy? A diet rich in citrus fruit, fiber-rich foods like beans, leafy greens and yellow vegetables. The onion family is also beneficial to gut health; onions, leeks, and garlic contain anti-cancer, antibiotic, antiseptic properties. Several spices are also helpful; turmeric powder, rosemary, peppermint, and oregano are some of the best. There are also simple exercises that can help; deep breathing, the prone cobra position (yoga), supine bridge (lying on your back with knees bent-lift your tush into the air), and the wood chop (self-explanatory). If you take care of your gut, you’ll be much better off, both physically and mentally.

A column written by Gretchen Reynolds,in the New York Times (9/28/11) reaffirms the benefits of exercise on the other brain (in your head). Earlier studies, of which I’ve blogged about, have shown that exercise sparks neurogenesis-the creation of new brain cells. This particular study, at the University of South Carolina, looked at whether exercise helped existing brain cells, akin to what exercise does to strengthen skeletal muscle. Like muscle, many parts of the brain get a workout during physical exercise. “The brain has to work hard to keep the muscles moving, and all of the body systems in sync”, says J. Mark Davis, a professor of exercise science at the Arnold School of Public Health at the university. To see if exercise helped existing brain cells, researchers exercised mice for eight weeks-a sedentary group was kept in the same cages as the runners, so that with the exception of the treadmill sessions, both groups shared the same environment and routine. At the end of two months, scientists found markers of renewed redevelopment in the brain cells in all of the exercising mice-the sedentary group did not show this effect. And, although this study was done with mice, and mouse brains are not human brains, there is reason to believe that there is a similar effect in humans, since both mice and humans show muscle cell re-genesis with exercise. Revitalized brain cells could reduce mental fatigue and sharpen your thinking. There is also hope that this finding and others could lead to treatment for neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Best part, the physical stimulus to get your brain cells into shape is a 30-minute jog, or the equivalent.

Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.

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