Introduction
According to recent estimates, an estimated 125 million Americans have at least one chronic condition, with that number expected to rise to 157 million by 2020. Another 60 million Americans suffer from multiple chronic conditions.
Unfortunately, while advances in medical science have yielded significant responses in treating or controlling acute conditions, there has not been a similar trend in managing chronic conditions. Nearly three-quarters of all Americans experiencing a chronic condition report difficulty in obtaining the needed care from a medical specialist — not surprising, given the complexity and multifaceted nature of these conditions.
Further complicating the issue is the role that environmental toxins play in initiating or exacerbating chronic conditions. Research has demonstrated that toxins increase the extent of the severity of the symptoms by stimulating the inflammatory response. Furthermore, these toxins (many of which are manmade) have at least an additive, and frequently a synergistic, effect on the magnitude and duration of the inflammatory response — the extent of which certainly warrants further research.
However, this does not imply that there is little that a patient can do. In many cases, the inflammatory response that aggravates chronic conditions can be minimized or controlled by first understanding how toxins affect the immune system and then initiating improvements to the internal and external environments to reduce the impact.
The Toxin-Inflammation Link
The extent of environmental toxins has increased exponentially since the 1930s, with the number of manmade chemicals estimated to now exceed over 160 billion kilograms per year. These chemicals then find their way from the ecosystem into our systems, as documented by two surveys: the National Human Adipose Tissue Survey (NHATS) conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the FDA's Total Diet Survey.
The goal of NHATS was to investigate the presence of xenoestrogens — synthetic substances whose unintended side-effect is an imitation or enhancement of the estrogen effect — in the environment and its direct effect on our bodies. During an eleven-year period (1976 to 1987), pathologists and medical examiners from 47 metropolitan statistical areas collected and chemically analyze a nationwide sample of adipose tissue specimens for the presence of these xenoestrogens.. The results were alarming — one hundred percent of the tissues analyzed had levels of organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, dioxins and furans, volatile organics, semivolatile organics, and trace elements, OCDD (a dioxin which is commonly present in dairy and meat products), styrene (a solvent), 1,4-dichlorobenzene, xylene, and ethylphenol. This clearly demonstrated that no one is immune from these toxins and their associated detrimental effects.
The FDA's Total Diet Survey (an ongoing program also known as the Market Basket Study) revealed some equally disturbing statistics. The survey analyzed the levels of DDE inadvertently ingested and subsequently stored in adipose (fat) tissue for years following exposure. An analysis of DDE presence in foods commonly found in grocery stores ranged from 81% (in cheddar cheese, pork sausage, quarter-pounders, white sauce, and creamed spinach) and 87% (in lamb chops, salami, canned spinach, meatloaf and butter) to 93% (in American processed cheese, hamburger, hot-dogs, bologna, collards, chicken, turkey and ice cream sandwiches) and 100 % (in raisins, fresh and frozen spinach , beef and bean chili con carne, and beef).
Both studies illustrated the thin and obviously highly permeable "wall" that separates the human body from those specific toxins. And according to the National Research Council, there are other external contaminants as well that have documented immunotoxic (immune system malfunction) effects on the body . These include chemical classes (metals such as lead, methyl mercury, arsenic), polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, (e.g., PCBs, TCDD), pesticides (e.g., chlordane, carbofuran), aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., benzene, toluene), drugs of abuse (cannabinoids, cocaine, opioids) and even therapeutic drugs (e.g., diphenylhydantoin, lithium) and natural products (e.g., antibiotics, plant alkaloids).
Exogenous (existing outside the body) toxins can also induce autoimmunity, whereby one's own immune system attacks tissues or organs, leading to functional impairment and inflammation throughout the body. Examples of these toxin-induced autoimmune conditions include systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, myasthenia gravis, pemphigus, glomerulonephritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, autoimmune hepatitis and scleroderma. Once these toxins enter the body, they prompt the release of proinflammatory cytokines which, for localized immune challenges brought about by toxins, leads to activation of peripheral nerves that signal the brain and ultimately an exaggerated pain response.
Other neurological responses to toxins, and specifically to environmental toxicants, are well documented. Neurotoxicity (an alteration of the normal activity of the nervous system) caused by environmental toxicants in this case refers to all external factors, beyond known chemicals that are present in contaminated air, water and soil. These include foods, radiation, pharmaceutical agents, occupational exposures, and lifestyle factors. Some of these toxicants include compounds such as cadmium, dyes, excitatory amino acids, formaldehyde, glycerol, organophosphates, pyrethroids, ricin, toluene, trichloroethylene and more.
An immune response can also be generated by an impaired intestinal tract. Responsible for 60% of the body's immunity, a healthy intestinal system with an appropriate level of intestinal permeability is able to balance its absorptive ability with its exclusionary function. However, should this balance be disrupted, due to infections, ethanol, NSAIDS, low dietary fiber, cytotoxic drugs, and nutritional deficiencies of zinc, vitamin A and folate, proportionally more antigens enter the body. This can result in an immune response that has been correlated with numerous chronic disease conditions, among them malabsorption, enteritis, arthropathies, food allergies, migraine and autoimmune diseases.
The Detoxification Approach
Given the high level of environmental toxins that can exacerbate chronic illness, it is clear that taking a holistic approach to treating chronic illness involves addressing environmental toxicity. This addresses the root cause, reducing or disabling the environmental triggers that set off the inflammatory response while strengthening the immune system.
One of the methods that has achieved scientific substantiation is detoxification, whereby toxin exposure is reduced and the body's own detoxification system is supported and enhanced to function to its best ability. Not only has it demonstrated considerable success as a foundational approach, it is also not disease-specific, which means it can be successfully utilized to treat symptoms resulting from a wide range of chronic conditions, without the side effects that are part and parcel of many conventional treatments.
An effective detoxification regimen includes the following key actions:
• Minimizing exposure to identified and suspected toxins
• Incorporating specific foods and nutrients that have demonstrated or suggested beneficial metabolic effects
• Altering lifestyle behaviors, following the best epidemiologic and physiologic evidence available
Reducing toxin exposure and increasing ingestion of beneficial foods and nutrients (see Sidebar: Detoxing with Herbs and Nutrients.) combined with lifestyle changes such as adequate exercise, adequate sleep, and effective stress management techniques is a viable three-part approach to addressing the fundamental commonalities of all chronic conditions — deleterious behavior of the immune/inflammatory mechanisms— and combating the effects of environmental toxins — without further weakening the patient's health.
Although the level of environmental toxins will continue to increase, continuing research into the area of holistic methods of detoxification will provide us with multiple methods of combating their effects, specifically in the area of reducing the inflammatory response and supporting immune function.
Sidebar: Detoxing with Foods, Herbs and Nutrients
Each day, your system is exposed to a variety of toxins and environmental attacks. By incorporating certain activities such as yoga (for deep cleansing and breathing), enjoying a regular sauna experience (to "sweat out" the toxins) and ingesting certain beneficial foods and nutrients (see partial list below), you can help support the overall functioning of your system plus combat the adverse effects of modern life.
Foods and Herbs
Beet Root
Benefits: Contains significant levels of glucosinolate compounds and the amino acid glutamine, important in supporting the detoxification system and maintaining optimal intestinal health
Broccoli
Benefits: Contains key detoxifying compounds including sulfurophane (induces a range of detoxifying enzymes and in particular those involved with the liver detoxification pathways) and indole-carbinol (shifts the type of estrogen that predisposes one to cancer (16-hydroxy-estrone) to the 2-hydroxy-estrone which is a biologically less powerful estrogen metabolite)
Brussels sprouts:
Benefits: Contains key detoxifying compounds including sulfurophane (induces a range of detoxifying enzymes and in particular those involved with the liver detoxification pathways) and indole-carbinol (shifts the type of estrogen that predisposes one to cancer (16-hydroxy-estrone) to the 2-hydroxy-estrone which is a biologically less powerful estrogen metabolite)
Burdock Root
Benefits: Traditionally been used for a wide variety of conditions, including chronic skin ailments, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and cancer prevention. Inulin (a carbohydrate that is a major constituent of burdock) possesses strong hypoglycemic (sugar-lowering) properties and also has mild anti-inflammatory properties and can stimulate the immune system, activating particular immune cells that may help alleviate skin conditions such as eczema while promoting the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines.
Cayenne
Benefits: Taken in any of its various oral forms, cayenne helps digestion, improves intestinal transit time, stimulates circulation, and relieves sore throats and colds.
Dandelion
Benefits: Contains high concentrations of vitamin A, as well as choline, a member of the B vitamin family that stimulates the liver and protects cellular DNA from oxidative damage, and its roots and leaves are often used to treat liver conditions such as jaundice and hepatitis, and to encourage normal digestion.
Kale
Benefits: A highly nutritive green vegetable that is an excellent source of vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene, and is rich in phytochemicals, including sulforaphane and indoles, that support health liver function and overall cellular detoxification.
Milk Thistle
Benefits: Protect liver cells and acts on biochemical pathways to aid in detoxification
Radish
Benefits: An excellent food for supporting the liver detoxification pathways and also offers cancer-protecting potential and is a good source of vitamin C.
Green vegetable juices
Benefits: Support the liver detoxification pathways and contain high doses of fresh chlorophyll which bind to toxins-including heavy metals.
Nutrients
Calcium-d-glucarate
Benefits: A combination of calcium and glucaric acid which is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. This is a potent detoxifying agent that specifically supports phase two detoxification pathways in the liver and throughout the body, and helps to prevent excess levels of estrogen to build up in the body and promote abnormal cell growth.
Chlorella
Benefits: Contains phytochemicals that support the complex network of enzymatic reactions that drive the human detoxification system. Chlorella is a high quality source of chlorophyll which binds to toxins and clears them from the body.
Glutamine
Benefits: The most abundant amino acid in the blood stream, it is the main metabolic fuel for enterocytes of the small intestine, lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts and plays a major role in the first line of immune defense in the intestine, as well as in the body as a whole. It is found most abundantly in high protein foods such as meat, fish, legumes, and dairy, with raw (uncooked) cabbage and beets representing two particularly high vegetable sources.
Cellular Purification Complex™ Researched and Formulated by Dr. Gina Cushman:
http://shop.drgina.com/Cellular-Purification-ComplexTM-_p_145.html
Customized Medical Purification Programs:
http://www.healthbridgehealing.com/purification_program.html
According to recent estimates, an estimated 125 million Americans have at least one chronic condition, with that number expected to rise to 157 million by 2020. Another 60 million Americans suffer from multiple chronic conditions.
Unfortunately, while advances in medical science have yielded significant responses in treating or controlling acute conditions, there has not been a similar trend in managing chronic conditions. Nearly three-quarters of all Americans experiencing a chronic condition report difficulty in obtaining the needed care from a medical specialist — not surprising, given the complexity and multifaceted nature of these conditions.
Further complicating the issue is the role that environmental toxins play in initiating or exacerbating chronic conditions. Research has demonstrated that toxins increase the extent of the severity of the symptoms by stimulating the inflammatory response. Furthermore, these toxins (many of which are manmade) have at least an additive, and frequently a synergistic, effect on the magnitude and duration of the inflammatory response — the extent of which certainly warrants further research.
However, this does not imply that there is little that a patient can do. In many cases, the inflammatory response that aggravates chronic conditions can be minimized or controlled by first understanding how toxins affect the immune system and then initiating improvements to the internal and external environments to reduce the impact.
The Toxin-Inflammation Link
The extent of environmental toxins has increased exponentially since the 1930s, with the number of manmade chemicals estimated to now exceed over 160 billion kilograms per year. These chemicals then find their way from the ecosystem into our systems, as documented by two surveys: the National Human Adipose Tissue Survey (NHATS) conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the FDA's Total Diet Survey.
The goal of NHATS was to investigate the presence of xenoestrogens — synthetic substances whose unintended side-effect is an imitation or enhancement of the estrogen effect — in the environment and its direct effect on our bodies. During an eleven-year period (1976 to 1987), pathologists and medical examiners from 47 metropolitan statistical areas collected and chemically analyze a nationwide sample of adipose tissue specimens for the presence of these xenoestrogens.. The results were alarming — one hundred percent of the tissues analyzed had levels of organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, dioxins and furans, volatile organics, semivolatile organics, and trace elements, OCDD (a dioxin which is commonly present in dairy and meat products), styrene (a solvent), 1,4-dichlorobenzene, xylene, and ethylphenol. This clearly demonstrated that no one is immune from these toxins and their associated detrimental effects.
The FDA's Total Diet Survey (an ongoing program also known as the Market Basket Study) revealed some equally disturbing statistics. The survey analyzed the levels of DDE inadvertently ingested and subsequently stored in adipose (fat) tissue for years following exposure. An analysis of DDE presence in foods commonly found in grocery stores ranged from 81% (in cheddar cheese, pork sausage, quarter-pounders, white sauce, and creamed spinach) and 87% (in lamb chops, salami, canned spinach, meatloaf and butter) to 93% (in American processed cheese, hamburger, hot-dogs, bologna, collards, chicken, turkey and ice cream sandwiches) and 100 % (in raisins, fresh and frozen spinach , beef and bean chili con carne, and beef).
Both studies illustrated the thin and obviously highly permeable "wall" that separates the human body from those specific toxins. And according to the National Research Council, there are other external contaminants as well that have documented immunotoxic (immune system malfunction) effects on the body . These include chemical classes (metals such as lead, methyl mercury, arsenic), polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, (e.g., PCBs, TCDD), pesticides (e.g., chlordane, carbofuran), aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., benzene, toluene), drugs of abuse (cannabinoids, cocaine, opioids) and even therapeutic drugs (e.g., diphenylhydantoin, lithium) and natural products (e.g., antibiotics, plant alkaloids).
Exogenous (existing outside the body) toxins can also induce autoimmunity, whereby one's own immune system attacks tissues or organs, leading to functional impairment and inflammation throughout the body. Examples of these toxin-induced autoimmune conditions include systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, myasthenia gravis, pemphigus, glomerulonephritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, autoimmune hepatitis and scleroderma. Once these toxins enter the body, they prompt the release of proinflammatory cytokines which, for localized immune challenges brought about by toxins, leads to activation of peripheral nerves that signal the brain and ultimately an exaggerated pain response.
Other neurological responses to toxins, and specifically to environmental toxicants, are well documented. Neurotoxicity (an alteration of the normal activity of the nervous system) caused by environmental toxicants in this case refers to all external factors, beyond known chemicals that are present in contaminated air, water and soil. These include foods, radiation, pharmaceutical agents, occupational exposures, and lifestyle factors. Some of these toxicants include compounds such as cadmium, dyes, excitatory amino acids, formaldehyde, glycerol, organophosphates, pyrethroids, ricin, toluene, trichloroethylene and more.
An immune response can also be generated by an impaired intestinal tract. Responsible for 60% of the body's immunity, a healthy intestinal system with an appropriate level of intestinal permeability is able to balance its absorptive ability with its exclusionary function. However, should this balance be disrupted, due to infections, ethanol, NSAIDS, low dietary fiber, cytotoxic drugs, and nutritional deficiencies of zinc, vitamin A and folate, proportionally more antigens enter the body. This can result in an immune response that has been correlated with numerous chronic disease conditions, among them malabsorption, enteritis, arthropathies, food allergies, migraine and autoimmune diseases.
The Detoxification Approach
Given the high level of environmental toxins that can exacerbate chronic illness, it is clear that taking a holistic approach to treating chronic illness involves addressing environmental toxicity. This addresses the root cause, reducing or disabling the environmental triggers that set off the inflammatory response while strengthening the immune system.
One of the methods that has achieved scientific substantiation is detoxification, whereby toxin exposure is reduced and the body's own detoxification system is supported and enhanced to function to its best ability. Not only has it demonstrated considerable success as a foundational approach, it is also not disease-specific, which means it can be successfully utilized to treat symptoms resulting from a wide range of chronic conditions, without the side effects that are part and parcel of many conventional treatments.
An effective detoxification regimen includes the following key actions:
• Minimizing exposure to identified and suspected toxins
• Incorporating specific foods and nutrients that have demonstrated or suggested beneficial metabolic effects
• Altering lifestyle behaviors, following the best epidemiologic and physiologic evidence available
Reducing toxin exposure and increasing ingestion of beneficial foods and nutrients (see Sidebar: Detoxing with Herbs and Nutrients.) combined with lifestyle changes such as adequate exercise, adequate sleep, and effective stress management techniques is a viable three-part approach to addressing the fundamental commonalities of all chronic conditions — deleterious behavior of the immune/inflammatory mechanisms— and combating the effects of environmental toxins — without further weakening the patient's health.
Although the level of environmental toxins will continue to increase, continuing research into the area of holistic methods of detoxification will provide us with multiple methods of combating their effects, specifically in the area of reducing the inflammatory response and supporting immune function.
Sidebar: Detoxing with Foods, Herbs and Nutrients
Each day, your system is exposed to a variety of toxins and environmental attacks. By incorporating certain activities such as yoga (for deep cleansing and breathing), enjoying a regular sauna experience (to "sweat out" the toxins) and ingesting certain beneficial foods and nutrients (see partial list below), you can help support the overall functioning of your system plus combat the adverse effects of modern life.
Foods and Herbs
Beet Root
Benefits: Contains significant levels of glucosinolate compounds and the amino acid glutamine, important in supporting the detoxification system and maintaining optimal intestinal health
Broccoli
Benefits: Contains key detoxifying compounds including sulfurophane (induces a range of detoxifying enzymes and in particular those involved with the liver detoxification pathways) and indole-carbinol (shifts the type of estrogen that predisposes one to cancer (16-hydroxy-estrone) to the 2-hydroxy-estrone which is a biologically less powerful estrogen metabolite)
Brussels sprouts:
Benefits: Contains key detoxifying compounds including sulfurophane (induces a range of detoxifying enzymes and in particular those involved with the liver detoxification pathways) and indole-carbinol (shifts the type of estrogen that predisposes one to cancer (16-hydroxy-estrone) to the 2-hydroxy-estrone which is a biologically less powerful estrogen metabolite)
Burdock Root
Benefits: Traditionally been used for a wide variety of conditions, including chronic skin ailments, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and cancer prevention. Inulin (a carbohydrate that is a major constituent of burdock) possesses strong hypoglycemic (sugar-lowering) properties and also has mild anti-inflammatory properties and can stimulate the immune system, activating particular immune cells that may help alleviate skin conditions such as eczema while promoting the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines.
Cayenne
Benefits: Taken in any of its various oral forms, cayenne helps digestion, improves intestinal transit time, stimulates circulation, and relieves sore throats and colds.
Dandelion
Benefits: Contains high concentrations of vitamin A, as well as choline, a member of the B vitamin family that stimulates the liver and protects cellular DNA from oxidative damage, and its roots and leaves are often used to treat liver conditions such as jaundice and hepatitis, and to encourage normal digestion.
Kale
Benefits: A highly nutritive green vegetable that is an excellent source of vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene, and is rich in phytochemicals, including sulforaphane and indoles, that support health liver function and overall cellular detoxification.
Milk Thistle
Benefits: Protect liver cells and acts on biochemical pathways to aid in detoxification
Radish
Benefits: An excellent food for supporting the liver detoxification pathways and also offers cancer-protecting potential and is a good source of vitamin C.
Green vegetable juices
Benefits: Support the liver detoxification pathways and contain high doses of fresh chlorophyll which bind to toxins-including heavy metals.
Nutrients
Calcium-d-glucarate
Benefits: A combination of calcium and glucaric acid which is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. This is a potent detoxifying agent that specifically supports phase two detoxification pathways in the liver and throughout the body, and helps to prevent excess levels of estrogen to build up in the body and promote abnormal cell growth.
Chlorella
Benefits: Contains phytochemicals that support the complex network of enzymatic reactions that drive the human detoxification system. Chlorella is a high quality source of chlorophyll which binds to toxins and clears them from the body.
Glutamine
Benefits: The most abundant amino acid in the blood stream, it is the main metabolic fuel for enterocytes of the small intestine, lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts and plays a major role in the first line of immune defense in the intestine, as well as in the body as a whole. It is found most abundantly in high protein foods such as meat, fish, legumes, and dairy, with raw (uncooked) cabbage and beets representing two particularly high vegetable sources.
Cellular Purification Complex™ Researched and Formulated by Dr. Gina Cushman:
http://shop.drgina.com/Cellular-Purification-ComplexTM-_p_145.html
Customized Medical Purification Programs:
http://www.healthbridgehealing.com/purification_program.html
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