A Natural Treatment of Osteoarthritis

By Michael Murray, ND

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease. Osteoarthritis is seen primarily, but not exclusively, in the elderly. Surveys have indicated that over 40 million Americans have osteoarthritis, including 80 percent of persons over the age of 50.

It is believed that the cumulative effects of decades of joint use leads to degenerative changes. This damage is compounded by a decreased ability to repair joint structures. As we age, there is a decreased ability to restore and manufacture normal joint structures such as cartilage.

The weight-bearing joints, like the knees and hips and joints of the hands, are the joints most often affected with osteoarthritis. In affected joints, there is much cartilage destruction followed by hardening and the formation of large bone spurs in the joint margins. Pain, deformity, and limitation of motion in the joint results.

The onset of osteoarthritis can be very subtle, morning joint stiffness is often the first symptom. As the disease progresses, there is pain on motion of the involved joint that is made worse by prolonged activity and relieved by rest.

Current Medical Treatment: More Harm than Good?

Research is indicating that current drugs being used in osteoarthritis may be producing short-term benefit, but actually accelerating the progression of the joint destruction. Based on data collected from the earliest signs of osteoarthritis to the most advanced stages suggest that cellular and tissue response is purposeful and is aimed at repair of the damaged joint structure. The process contributing to osteoarthritis appears to be able to be stopped and sometimes reversed¹. Therefore, the major goal of therapy appears to be enhancing repair processes by various connective tissue cells. Unfortunately, the current medications being used actually inhibit repair processes.

Several studies have attempted to determine the "nature course" of osteoarthritis.^1,2 That is the course of the disease if no treatment is given. In one study of the natural course of osteoarthritis of the hip over a 10 year period, all subjects had changes suggestive of advanced osteoarthritis, yet the researchers reported remarkable clinical improvement and x-rays confirmed recovery of the joint space in 14 of 31 hips.² The authors of the study purposely applied no therapy and regarded their results as reflecting the natural course of the disease. Nearly half of the patients had confirmed recovery without any therapy.

These results, as well as others, raise some interesting questions. Does medical intervention in some way promote disease progression? Can nutrition and various natural therapies enhance the body's own response towards health? The answer to both of these questions appears to be yes.

Aspirin and Other Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

The first drug generally used in the treatment of osteoarthritis is aspirin. It is often quite effective in relieving both the pain and inflammation, and is relatively inexpensive. However, since the therapeutic dose required is relatively high (two to four grams per day), toxicity often occurs. Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and gastric irritation are early manifestations of toxicity.

Other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often used as well, especially when aspirin is ineffective or intolerable. The following are representative of this class of drugs: ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin), fenoprofen (Nalfon), indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen (Naprosyn), tolmetin (Tolectin), and sulindac (Clinoril). These drugs are also associated with side effects including gastrointestinal upset, headaches, and dizziness, and are therefore recommended for only short periods of time.

One side effect of aspirin and other NSAIDs that is often not mentioned is their inhibition of cartilage repair and acceleration of cartilage destruction. Since osteoarthritis is caused by a degeneration of cartilage it appears that while NSAIDs are fairly effective in suppressing the symptoms, they possibly worsen the condition by inhibiting cartilage formation and accelerating cartilage destruction. This has been upheld in studies which have shown that NSAIDs use is associated with acceleration of osteoarthritis and increased joint destruction.^3-6 Simply stated, aspirin and other NSAIDs appear to suppress the symptoms by accelerate the progression of osteoarthritis. Their use should be avoided.

Glucosamine Sulfate: A Natural Alternative to Arthritis Medications

If current arthritis medications should be avoided, what is an arthritis sufferer to do? A naturally occurring substance found in high concentrations in joint structures appears to be nature's best remedy for osteoarthritis. This compound is glucosamine.

In the body, the main action of flucosamine on joints is to stimulate the manufacture of cartilage components. In other words, glucosamine is responsible for stimulating the manufacture of substances necessary for joint repair. This action alone suggests a therapeutic role in osteoarthritis. But, there is much more. Glucosamine has also been shown to exert a protective effect against joint destruction and, when given orally as glucosamine sulfate, it is selectively taken up by joint tissues to exert a powerful therapeutic effect in osteoarthritis.²

Numerous double-blind studies have shown glucosamine sulfate to yield as good as or even better results compared to NSAIDs in relieving the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis.^8-11What is amazing about these results is that glucosamine sulfate exhibits no pain relieving effects. While NSAIDs offer purely symptomatic relief and may actually promote the disease process, glucosamine sulfate addresses the cause of osteoarthritis. By getting at the root of the problem, glucosamine sulfate not only improves the symptoms including pain, it also helps the body repair damaged joints. This is outstanding, but what is even more outstanding is the safety and the lack of side effects associated with oral glucosamine sulfate. In contrast, the side effects and risks associated with NSAIDs currently used in the treatment of osteoarthritis are significant. The therapeutic margin, a measure of safety, is 10-30 times more favorable for glucosamine sulfate than for commonly used NSAIDs and no adverse side effects have been reported.⁷

The beneficial results with glucosamine are more obvious the longer it is used. Because glucosamine sulfate is not a pain relieving substance per se, it takes a while longer to produce results. But, once it starts working, it will produce much better results compared to NSAIDs. For example, in one study that compared glucosamine sulfate to ibuprofen (Motrin), pain scores decreased faster in the first two weeks in the ibuprofen group, however by week four, the group receiving the glucosamine sulfate was doing significantly better than the ibuprofen group.

Glucosamine Sulfate vs. Chondroitin Sulfate

Glucosamine sulfate is a simple molecule. As its name indicates it is composed of glucose, an amine (nitrogen and two molecules of hydrogen), and sulfur. It serves as the backbone structure to many glycosaminoglycans including chondroitin sulfate.

In contrast to glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate is a very large, complex molecule. Glucosamine sulfate has a molecular weight of 211. Chondroitin sulfate has a molecular weight of over 30,000. Chondroitin sulfate is so large it is virtually impossible for the body to absorb it intact. It must be broken down into smaller units. Chondroitin sulfate is 250 times larger than glucosamine. To put this perspective, for the body it would be the difference between trying to swallow a whole sesame seed versus a whole watermelon. It is simply impossible. Just like the watermelon, chondroitin sulfate must be broken down into smaller pieces to be absorbed. While 98 percent of orally administered glucosamine sulfate is absorbed intact, the absorption rate for chondroitin sulfate is estimated to be between zero and eight percent.¹²

From a clinical perspective, glucosamine is extremely effective if given orally. In contrast, the effectiveness of oral chondroitin sulfate is a subject of considerable debate. Most of the studies have utilized injectable forms. If chondroitin sulfate is effective orally, it is most likely due to the body breaking down chemical bonds and freeing up glucosamine.

Another analogy would be the difference between crude ore (chondroitin sulfate) and pure gold (glocosamine). While there is gold in crude ore, if you are trying to make jewelry, it is better to use the pure gold. If you are trying to restore joint structures, it is best to use glucosamine sulfate rather than chondroitin sulfate. Once absorbed, glucosamine is preferentially taken up by cartilage and other joint structures where it simulates the manufacture of mucopolysaccharides like chondroitin sulfate.¹²

Summary

The case of osteoarthritis is a classic example where current medical treatment simply suppresses symptoms, and since it doesn't address the underlying cause, the treatment actually promotes the disease process. The use of glucosamine is a classic example of how a natural substance improves a condition by addressing the underlying cause and supporting the body's ability to heal itself.

References 

1. Bland JH, Cooper SM: Osteoarthritis: A review of the cell biology involved and evidence for reversibility. Management rationally related to known genesis and pathophysiology. Sem Arthr Rheum 14:106-33, 1984.
   
   
2. Perry GH, Smith MJG, Whiteside CG: Spontaneous recovery of the hip joint space in degenerative hip disease. Ann Rheum Dis 31:440-8, 1972.
   
   
3. Brooks PM, Potter SR and Buchanan WW: NSAID and osteoarthritis -- help or hindrance. J Rheumatol 9:3-5, 1982.
   
   
4. Newman, NM, Ling, RSM: Acetabular bone destruction related to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Lancet: ii; 11-13, 1985.
   
   
5. Solomon L: Drug induced arthropathy and necrosis of the femoral head. J Bone Joint Surg 55B:246-51, 1973.
   
   
6. Ronningen H, Langeland N: Indomethacin treatment in osteoarthritis of the hip joint. Acta Orthop Scand 50:169-74, 1979.
   
   
7. Setnikar I, Pacini A, Revel L: Antiarthritic effects of glucosamine sulfate studied in animal models. Arzneim-Forsch 41:542-5, 1991.
   
   
8. Vaz AL: Double-blind clinical evaluation of the relative efficacy of ibuprofen and glucosamine sulfate in the management of osteoarthrosis of the knee in outpatients. Curr Med Res Opin 8:145-9, 1982.
   
   
9. Crolle G, D'este E: Glucosamine sulfate for the management of arthrosis: a controlled clinical investigation. Curr Med Res Opin 7:104-14, 1980.
   
   
10. Tapadinhas MJ, Rivera IC, Bignamini AA: Oral glucosamine sulfate in the management of arthrosis: report on a multi-center open investigation in Portugal. Pharmatherapeutica 3:157-68, 1982.
    
    
11. D'Ambrosia ED, Casa B, Bompani R, Scali G, Scali M: Glucosamine sulphate, a controlled clinical investigation in arthrosis. Pharmatherapeutica 2:504-8, 1982.
    
    
12. Setnikar I, Giachetti C, Zanolo G: Pharmacokinetics of glucosamine in the dog and in man. Arzneim Forsch 36:729-35, 1986.

Drugs, Not Foods, Are Toxic

By Jonathan Sevy, DC

"Steps are necessary to ensure that the existence of dietary supplements on the market does not act as a disincentive for drug development." (FDA Task Force Report, June 15, 1993)

The Food and Drug Administration is again spending millions of tax dollars in its yearly attempt to increase drug sales by restricting the distribution of dietary supplements.

These actions are contrary to the public interest.

FDA Commissioner David Kessler recently rationalized his efforts by alleging, "For every one of these products that has some value, there are thousands that are worthless." This is unsupportable. In fact, his charges are much more appropriate when applied to pharmaceutical drugs rather than to foods.

On 15 percent of the drugs on the market have been subjected to controlled testing, according to the United States Department of Technological Assessment. In fact, 85 percent of the drugs Americans take are unproven or have actually been proven ineffective!

Are these thousands of questionable drugs even safe? The prestigious Yale-New Haven hospital has published their conclusions that pharmaceuticals, properly prescribed and properly taken, account for 100,000 deaths each year in this country alone. Tens of millions more Americans are made sick or fail to seek appropriate health care every year because of chronic, ongoing drug use "taken as directed." One million are hospitalized annually solely as a result of reactions to prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. The cost in dollars and human suffering staggers the imagination. But the FDA wants to limit peoples' access to food supplements.

These drug statistics are not acceptable. They represent an indictment of the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry. If an automobile driver had a safety record like this, responsible authorities would make certain that his license was revoked before sundown and would probably jail the culprit as well. But the FDA ignores the drug disaster and wants to restrict the distribution of food supplements.

So the cycle continues. Drugs are approved by the FDA today, distributed, then found unsafe tomorrow and withdrawn, only to be replaced with new wonder drugs that are subsequently taken off the market as health hazards. If drugs were safe and effective, would we need the $1.5 billion of mindless, hard-sell advertising every month to goad us into taking them and giving them to our children?

In contrast, with few exceptions and very little advertising, food supplements have enjoyed great safety and increasing demand for decades.

How safe are these food substances? Vitamin A is often pointed to as one of the more toxic dietary supplements. Yet according to the Merck manual, vitamin A has had no fatalities associated with its use of abuse. This includes accidental ingestion of millions of IUs at one sitting and weeks of megadosages given to infants.

The simple, incontrovertible fact is this: All drugs are dangerous; foods and supplements are safe. Anyone with a paper and pencil can quickly figure out for themselves that pharmaceuticals will sicken and kill more Americans in the next seven days than "health foods" have in the past 10 years. Drugs need to be controlled much more strictly and distributed more sparingly than they are now. Supplements should be regulated for sanitation like any other food.

Curtailing sales of dietary supplements will not protect the public. It will harm millions of intelligent, responsible people. However, pharmaceutical manufacturers and their distributors will enjoy windfall profits if these FDA propositions are allowed to become law. Whose interests are really being served by this legislation?

Every year the FDA and pharmaceutical industry misappropriate tax dollars to mount another offensive against America's health. Unchecked, eventually these unprincipled forces will prevail. The flood of drugs will continue to rise, destroying more of our parents and children. Congress must permanently stop this ongoing campaign which is subverting the enlightened efforts of Americans who want to improve their lives by reducing their dependence on medical drugs.

Mineral Imbalances in Pregnant Mothers

By E. Blaurock-Busch, PhD

Few chiropractors are legally able to take an active part during a child's delivery, however all could become actively involved in improving the health of the pregnant mother and her unborn. Present prenatal care generally includes the addition of a prenatal supplement, but no obstetrician has the time or knowledge to check more than the patient's SMAC and CBS.

The importance of proper mineral balance is still underestimated, even though diligent research demonstrates that mineral deficiencies, excesses or malabsorption, contribute or cause diseases such as cardiac conditions, learning disabilities, schizophrenia, immune and hormonal dysfunctions, and a host of other maladies.^1,6

Unlike nutrients such as carbohydrates and protein, minerals do not supply fuel or energy to the body, but assist in the production of energy and in many vital chemical reactions of life. Certain essential macro- and micro-minerals are, for instance, constituents of, or interact with enzymes. Without proper enzyme functions, health and immunity suffers.^1,4,6

Magnesium is known to be part of many different enzyme systems and is involved in controlling various metabolic functions. Zinc is a necessary part of hormone systems, and a deficiency of this vital trace element can lead to impaired growth, sexual problems, even diabetes.^2,6

Excesses of certain elements can be equally threatening. Only a slight excess of sodium at the cellular level disturbs cellular balance. Iron is necessary for life, but if too much or not enough iron is stored, health is seriously impaired. Hemochromatosis is characterized by extensive iron deposits in the liver, heart, pancreas, and the spleen, and certain anemias are known to be caused by iron or copper deficiencies.^2,3 Excessive copper, however, is a cause of emotional instability as found in hyperactive children, and can lead to depression of so-called "unknown causes."^3,5,6

Dr. Carl C. Pfeiffer reported years ago that excessive copper and iron and/or zinc and manganese deficiencies are primary factors in one type of schizophrenia, called "histapenia" or "low blood histamine." His research substantiated that young schizophrenic women commonly display high copper levels. Pregnant women or females on the contraceptive pill often display elevated copper levels, and an extreme elevation of copper is not uncommon during the latter part of pregnancy, leading to postpartum depression and psychosis. Afflicted young mothers are known to experience great difficulties in adjusting to motherhood and similar emotional disturbances are seen in females using birth control pills. These mineral-induced problems are frequently not diagnosed, and the symptoms are commonly labeled "neurosis of unknown cause."^5,6

Until recently, copper was hardly understood. While this trace element is known to be essential to life, copper deficiencies and excesses were largely ignored. Besides Pfeiffer's studies and publications which mostly focus on copper overload, medical research indicates that copper deficiency can lead to a variety of abnormalities: anemia, skeletal defects, degeneration of the nervous system, reproductive failure, heart ailments, elevated cholesterol levels, impaired immunity, and defects in hair growth. Since blood tests are easily influenced by dietary and other means and only show mineral or trace element deficiency or excesses when homeostasis is threatened, blood mineral analysis may not show abnormalities until a severe disease process is present, especially when test values are compared to the usual two standard deviation reference range.¹¹

Blood tests allow us to view circulating nutrient levels, while urine analysis measures the body's capacity to excrete. Hair mineral analysis reflects deposits at the cellular level. The researchers Huelo, Boudene, and Ibraham state that "specific toxic metallic trace elements are bioconcentrated in mammalian hair." Collected without injury to the host, easily preserved and readily analyzed hair has often been used to estimate the degree of exposure to specific toxic and nutrient elements. "For measurements of past or continuous exposure," the medical scientists state, "Hair appears to be more adequate and an even better source than blood and urine." Hair mineral analysis is a perfectly suited test for evaluating the mineral balance of infants.⁷ Used in conjunction with blood and urine mineral assays, hair mineral analysis can detect imbalances due to chronic exposure and malabsorption syndromes. Either problem can lead to tissue storage problems (insufficiency or overload) and often remains undiagnosed and untreated until classical deficiency or toxicity symptoms are apparent. Since environmental problems are a legitimate concern, utilizing the combination of blood, hair, and urine mineral analyses enables conscientious physicians to diagnose and prevent problems before organic damage is serious, even irreversible. As Martin Laker in his 1982 Lancet article points out, macro- and micro-trace elements may be measured in various human specimen, but to concentrate on one parameter only is ignoring the complexity of biochemical functions. "An example of this is the release by hemolysis of the zinc-containing enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, from the erythrocytes (where it normally accounts for 75-85 percent of total blood zinc) into the plasma, so that both exhibit spurious zinc levels."^8,9

Drs. Huel, Boudene, and Ibraham are concerned with the effects of the environment on both young mothers and their newborn. Cadmium is a known environmental pollutant, also found in cigarette smoke. It is known to be deposited in the kidney, and thus excessive cadmium exposure can lead to kidney disease and high blood pressure. Studies demonstrate that organic cadmium levels of smokers were significantly higher than those of nonsmokers.¹² Research demonstrated that high cadmium levels are indeed common in hypertensive mothers and, moreover, the offsprings of these mothers also showed high cadmium levels. There is increasing evidence, the researchers say, that cadmium levels are readily passed on to the unborn of pregnant women. The sad fact is that babies of hypertensive mothers showed hair cadmium levels three times higher than their hypertensive mothers, and it is suspected that the cause is a possible change in the permeability of the placenta during pregnancy.⁷

Lead is less readily passed on to the fetus; however, Huel, et al., report that an inverse relationship was found between the lead content in the mother's hair and the babies gestational age.⁷

Lead is easily absorbed in bone and brain tissues, and studies substantiate that children with high lead levels display emotional disturbances and are subject to learning disabilities, even mental retardation.^1,3,4,6,10 Bone biopsies of infants have shown that even minute lead exposure results in bone tissue storage at an early age, especially when calcium is undersupplied, as is often the case in the milk-intolerant infant.

Calcium deficiency also increases cellular aluminum retention, and our studies of hyperactive/hyperkinetic children clearly indicate that low calcium tissue levels frequently accompany high aluminum tissue levels. In our studies, calcium supplementation has proven effective in blocking aluminum retention. This seems to substantiate Bjorksten's theory that calcium can inhibit aluminum absorption and cross linking of molecules, thereby preventing aluminum concentration in aortic and brain tissue.¹⁴

Animal studies indicate that oral ingestion of aluminum can result in increased deposition of aluminum in the brain and cause related changes in memory and learning ability.¹³ Infants with impaired kidney function are very susceptible to aluminum toxicity, and while a 1983 study, concerned with an uprise in progressive encephalopathy in children with uremia, could not locate any known exposure to aluminum, the source was later identified as infant milk formulas.¹⁶

Yokel reports that increased aluminum was found in hair of several 12-18-year-old boys with severe emotional problems, and the hair of a two-year-old with severe emotional problems, who resided near an aluminum processing plant, was reported to have an increased aluminum concentration.^17,18 Yokel states that routine analysis of hair for trace metal content showed unexpectedly high concentrations of aluminum in patients with severe neurologic and other disorders. In many cases, dolomite was thought to be the aluminum source.^17,19 Trace Minerals International's studies on supplements confirm that dolomite generally contains considerable amounts of this aluminum and other toxins.

Guenay Saner, et al., of the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Istanbul, Turkey, found a definite relationship between hair manganese concentration of infants and congenital malformation. When compared with healthy, full-term infants, significantly lower hair manganese levels were found in infants with congenital malformations and their mothers. Saner theorizes that manganese deficiency may play a role as one potential factor in intrauterine malformations. Manganese is supplied to the fetus by a homeostatic mechanism, which is mainly dependent on the manganese status of the mother. According to Saner, prenatal manganese analysis of maternal hair may prove to be a reliable indicator for the risk of intrauterine malformations.¹⁵

While hair mineral analysis is not commonly accepted by orthodox medicine, the United States government has declared hair analysis as a valuable testing method, and in a paper on biological monitoring of toxic trace minerals further stated that "if human hair samples are collected properly, cleaned and prepared for analysis correctly, and analyzed by the best analytical methods using standards as required, in a clean and reliable laboratory by experienced personnel, the data are reliable." It is yet another useful test in an age of growing environmental concerns.

Just a few years back, obstetrics and especially pediatrics did not have to be overly concerned with the mineral evaluation of pregnant women and newborns. As the growing body of international research indicates, the declining global health alone dictates a change.

References 

1. Schmidt K, Bayer W: Mineralstoffwechsel and Abwehrsystem, Verl f. Med Dr Fisher, Heidelberg, 1982.
   
   
2. Schmidt KI, Bayer W: Magnesium: Nutritive, metabolische und therapeutische Aspekte, Verlag f. Medizin Dr. Fisher, Heidelberg, 1986.
   
   
3. Paige DM: Manual of Clinical Nutrition. Nutr Publ, Inc., 1983.
   
   
4. Hodges, RE: Nutrition in Medical Practice. Saunders, 1980.
   
   
5. Blaurock-Busch E: Mineralostofftherapie in der Behandlung verhaltensgestoerter Hyperkinetiker. Naturheilpraxis 11, 87.
   
   
6. Pfeiffer, CC: Mental and Elemental Elements. Keats, 1975.
   
   
7. Huel G, Boudene C, Ibraham MA: Cadmium and lead content of maternal and newborn hair: Relationship to parity, birth weight, and hypertension. Arch. Environ Health, 36(5):Sept/Oct. 1981.
   
   
8. Laker M: On determining trace element levels in man: The uses of blood and hair. Lancet, July 31, 1982.
   
   
9. Agget PJ, Harris JT: Current status of zinc in health and disease states. Arch Dis Childhood, 1979:909-917.
   
   
10. Leads from MMWR: Childhood lead poisoning, United States Report to the Congress by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. JAMA, 260(11):September 16, 1988.
    
    
11. Maugh TH: Hair: A diagnostic tool to complement blood serum and urine. Science, 202:1271-73, December 22, 1978.
    
    
12. Ellis KL, et al: Cadmium: In vivo measurement in smokers and nonsmokers. Science, 205:323-324, July 20, 1979.
    
    
13. Effect of aluminum on behavior. Physiol Behavior, 36:63-67, January 1987.
    
    
14. Bjorksten J: Longevity, 2. JAB Pub., 1986.
    
    
15. Saner G, et al: Hair manganese concentrations in newborns and their mothers. Amer J Clin Nutr., 41:1042-1044, May 1985.
    
    
16. Aluminum in infant formulas. Int. Clin. Rev., January 1986.
    
    
17. Yokel RA: Hair as an Indicator of Excessive Aluminum Exposure. Clin Chem., 28(4):662-665, 1982.
    
    
18. Rees EL: Aluminum toxicity as indicated by hair mineral analysis. J Orthomol Psychiatr., 8:37-43, 1979.
    
    
19. Roberts HJ: Dolomite as a source of toxic metals. N Engl J Med., 304, 423, 1981.

Anti inflammatory omega 3 

Keywords; anti inflammatory omega 3, freshly ground flax, fatty fish, alpha linolenic acid.

Owing to the consumption of large amounts of seed oils in the Western diet, such as in the sunflower, which has an omega 6 to 3 ratio of 200 to 1, arachidonic acid is maintained at high cellular levels, providing the ingredients for high pro inflammatory substances in the body at the cellular level.

The end result of this high omega 6 diet is oedema, pain and joint and muscle stiffness; atherosclerosis, asthma, cancer, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus.

Anti inflammatory drugs inhibit the production of pro inflammatory substances such as prostaglandins and cytokines, which are derived from the dietary omega 6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid.

Prevention of the conversion of omega 6 arachidonic acid to prostaglandins and cytokines is the aim of the exercise.

Freshly ground flax seed

But non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs taken long term have serious side effects. Are there alternatives?

Omega 6 and the Western diet

Canola oil has a healthy omega 6 to omega 3 ratio of 2 to 1 but has other issues which are fully discussed on wikipedia. Notably that canola, rape seed, is fully genetically modified to reduce the high levels of a known toxin, erucic acid, to 2 percent which is thought to be safe. Thought, but not for certain.

Virtually all seed oils, including both canola and sunflower are solvent extract and contain traces of xylene and, because of the high temperature extraction methods, trans fatty acids.

Since we get plentiful omega 6 in our diets, it's best in general to avoid seed oils especially in salad dressings. Use olive oil rather.

Anti inflammatory omega 3, ω3

Omega-3 consists of three essential fatty acids, containing 18-carbons (ALA), 20-carbons (EPA) and 22-carbons (DHA)

• Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA)
• EicosaPentaenoic Acid (EPA)
• DocoHexaenoic Acid (DHA)

Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA)

ALA is found in large amounts (50-70%) in Flaxseed oil (aka Linseed oil). Flaxseed is grown in large quantities, but most of it is used in animal feed, or for industrial purposes.

Flaxseed oil for human consumption is first cold pressed. 

Although EPA is also an "essential" omega-3 fatty acid, ALA can be converted in the body to EPA. However, many nutrients and minerals are required for this conversion to occur readily, read a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

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Less concentrated, but still significant amoutns alpha linolenic acid are found in pecans and avocados.

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EicosaPentaenoic Acid (EPA)

Fish oil

Cold water fish oil is the main source of EPA. Fish like salmon.

Here's the interesting part: Pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and cytokines  are eicosanoids. Notice the "eicosa" in EPA and Prostaglandins.

Researchers James et al reporting to the American Society for Clinical Nutrition have shown that EPA acts as a competitive inhibitor of Arachidonic Acid in its conversion to the pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and cytokines.

They report that decreased synthesis (up to 90%) of these pro-inflammatory substances has been observed when fish oil or flaxseed oil are added to the diet of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. 

DocoaHexaenoic Acid (DHA)

About sixty percent of the brain is fat, and fully half is DHA. In particular, the Optic nerve is considered an extension of the brain and together with the retina has the highest concentration of DHA in the body.

Of interest is that fish don't make omega 3 fatty acids. They consume them in their diet, from algae and seaweeds.

Vegetarians who have no desire to eat fish, or swallow these capsules, for their DHA can in fact find seaweed and algae products on the market, rich in omega 3 oils.

Better still, join the Chinese and eat seaweed regularly.

Are there any adverse effects from taking large quantities of omega 3? Consumption of more than 3g of EPA and DHA has, according to the FDA, the potential of serious risks including haemorrhagic stroke. Of importance is that even a generous helping of salmon, say 100g contains only a total of 2.5g of PUFAs, in the main made up of omega 3.

Obtaining omega 3 from natural sources remains safer than swallowing large amounts of fish oil capsules.

Plus of course you get the very healthy fish protein and the other many unknown compounds found in all whole foods, as compared to pills from a bottle. 

Fish Soup @ anti inflammatory omega 3

Cold water fish is a European favourite, providing the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Dead easy to make. 

Overall recommendations @ Anti inflammatory omega 3

• Freshly ground flaxseeds for ALA
• Fatty fish and/or fish oil for EPA and DHA
• Anti inflammatory drugs
  

Very readily oxidised flaxseed oil

One of the great difficulties is that omega-3 fatty acids go rancid as soon as they are exposed to air. Fish (DHA and EPA), like house guests, go off after three days. Flaxseed oil (aka Linseed oil) is so readily oxidised that it releases large amounts of heat, exothermic, that it is dangerous to leave old rags soaked in this omega-3 oil (ALA) lying around. They literally can ignite.

• Fresh fish if possible, and do your homework before purchasing fish oil capsules.
• Eat avocados within half an hour of peeling. 
• Crack your own pecans and walnuts. 

What are Phytosterols?

Keywords; what are phytosterols, functional foods.

These are very important plant fats; they are compounds with a structure similar to that of cholesterol. They control the movement of fluids through cell membranes and are found in small quantities in every vegetable we eat. 

Don't be put off by the formulation below. This isn't a lesson in organic chemistry but it may be interesting to some. Notice that cholesterol and beta sitosterol have very similar structures. 

I'm a chemistry major; hence odd references to molecular formulations throughout this chiropractic site. The finer structure is important but, I think you'll agree, I do try to keep it simple. 

Their similarity to cholesterol means that these compounds compete with the intestinal absorption of ordinary animal fats. Eating larger quantities of plants increases the fecal excretion that we have consumed in, say, meat and dairy products.

What's particularly interesting is that food scientists have repeatedly confirmed that phytosterols reduce the unfriendly low density lipoprotein cholesterol whilst not affect the friendly HDL form; blood levels of the latter should be as high as possible.

The high density version helps keep blood vessel walls free of atherosclerotic plaque. Everyone with a cholesterol problem should be able to give a short answer to the question, what are phytosterols?

Don't take them in pill form; they are so easy to incorporate in your diet. What could be simpler than half an avocado per day? Fill your avo with hummus and you're home and dry. 

Cholesterol lowering plant fats

Ordinary animal cholesterol + an extra ethyl group which is ringed.

The American national cholesterol education program recommends phytosterol enriched foods as part of their prevention of cardiovascular disease program.

This is where naturopathic and medical doctors find themselves poles apart. The former say we should be eating more foods that are rich in phytosterols. Medicine says we should enrich food artificially with phytosterols and take drugs to lower cholesterol; at a great profit to the drug companies. If you know what phytosterols are, you can save yourself a mint simply by including them regularly in your diet. Taking statins? Rather answer the question, what are phytosterols and make a few small alterations to your diet. 

There are many studies proving conclusively that the phytosterol compounds will reduce serum low density and total cholesterol and, what's more, in a short time.

A study at McGill University found that after only 10 days, with no change of diet, the addition of beta sitosterol had a significant effect on low density cholesterol in the blood. They concluded that these findings suggest that a significant lowering of low density and total cholesterol in the blood plasma can be achieved by a modest dietary intake of the phytosterols in a food such as soybeans, the main ingredient in tofu.

Personally, I would rather enjoy the phytosterols in avocado than soybeans which are not my favourite.  In any case avos have even more phytosterols than soybeans, and chickpeas, almonds and extra virgin olive oil are also particularly rich according to webMD.  They recommend aiming for 2000 mg per day, but the average American diet has less than a quarter of that. No wonder so many are taking statins. 

Functional Foods

Phytosterols are considered to be functional foods, meaning that they have health promoting and disease preventing properties.

They not only improve the health of blood vessels but there are numerous studies confirming their anti cancer nature; particularly of the breast, prostate and colon. More, they have powerful anti oxidant properties.

The phytosterol beta sitosterol and the prostate gland are often mentioned in the same sentence. 

Conditions like prostatitis which is now recognised very frequently to be a non infective condition, benign hypertrophy which is really just an enlarged gland, and the cancer which is the leading fatal malignancy of men, are all common in older men; the latter tends to metastasizes to the pelvis and spine; they occur regularly and are particularly nasty.

The maximum urinary flow rate at which men can pee is reduced by prostate enlargement. 

Squaws wouldn't understand perhaps since they tend to have the exact opposite problem; a leaking bladder is a known side effect of having taken post menopausal hormone replacement therapy. In brave talk, men have an air lock; it's difficult to initiate urination, and the stream is weak and slow. It takes for ever to have a sweet pee.

Perhaps worse, braves are unable to empty their bladders completely. The post void residual volume of urine is increased, meaning they have to pee more often, and frequently have to get up several times at night. Disturbed sleep leads to other problems, not least of which is short term memory loss. The stagnated urine leads to bladder infections too.

Non bacterial prostatitis, also called chronic pain pelvic syndrome, doesn't respond to antibiotics. It's a nasty condition causing men to visit the toilet more often, with urgency as they are unable to empty their bladders. In short, men suffer from difficult, painful and frequent urination.

It responds best perhaps to a prostate massage; a non painful but awkward and awkward procedure by which your doctor, and some chiropractors, cross friction the prostate, via the anus, for about two minutes to squeeze out the excess fluid. For my money, that's what I would do, rather than have an operation to excise it which often leads to impotence. You're looking at a two minute embarrassment once a month as compared to the risk of permanent impotence? For me it's a no brainer.

Better still, and preferably before the symptoms start, start today making sure you are eating adequate quantities of phytosterols.

However, in the event that you have already started with chronic prostate problems, there is very interesting research that beta sitosterol, a common phytosterol, has a very significant effect on urine flow.

A typical avocado weighing about 170 grams would contain roughly 130 mg of beta sitosterol according to Duester, writing in the journal of the American dietetic association. 

In a powerful randomised, double blind, placebo controlled project, the gold standard of research, men gained dramatic relief within six weeks from taking 130 mg of beta sitosterol daily. Not only did their symptoms decrease, but the residual urine in the bladder as determined by ultrasound scans and the flow rate improved dramatically.

Eating natural phytosterols as in avocados has no side effects; however there are concerns about taking it in pill form as there is also inhibition of the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin E. It's a completely natural substance that you should be eating every day. They are God's gift to the prostate.

A person enjoying plenty of fruits and salads might eat nearly 1000 mg of phytosterols, of which a large portion is beta sitosterol per day, but the meat and potatoes man might have almost none.

Beta sitosterol

Research concludes that beta sitosterol is an effective treatment for benign prostatic hypertrophy.

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Results

There was significant improvements when comparing the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy with beta sitosterol as compared to a placebo; the  quality of life especially was much improved. There were also significant improvements in the maximum urinary flow rate, and a decrease in the post voidal residue in those treated with beta sitosterol. 

The conclusions of the researchers is as follows; these results show that phytosterols and in particular beta sitosterol are effective in the treatment of a benign enlarged protstate.

Phytosterols and varicose ulcers, haemorrhoids 

A proprietary gel called MELLADERM, which contains beta-sitosterol and honey has dramatic effects on varicose ulcers.

What are phytosterols? Sesame seeds.

The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reports the amounts of phytosterols present in nuts and seeds.

Sesame seeds have the highest total phytosterol content (~ 400 mg per 100 grams), sunflower seeds (280 mg/100 g), pumpkin seeds (265 mg/100 g).

The main problem with sesame seeds is that you have to "fletcherise" to get the nutritional value from them. Chew each mouthful 32 times! The best alternative is to grind them in a cheap coffee grinder and make them into Tahini, a sort of sesame "peanut butter", only nicer,  and not spoiled with the addition of sugar, chemicals and hydrogenated oils.

Tahini is widely used in the Middle East in various foods such as hummus. Rich in phytosterols.

SEED OILS

Various seed oils such as sunflower, rapeseed (Canola) and corn oil are also rich in phytosterols, and are in fact one of the best sources. Phytosterol sitosterol (beta) is one of the most abundant of these cholesterol-lowering plant phytosterols.

This phytosterol complex is particularly heat labile; they are easily destroyed by high temperatures.

Extraction of these seed oils involves multiple chemical extractions, heating to very high temperatures, refining, degumming and bleaching which results in a loss of 10-70% (Kochhar, 1983; Phillips et al., 2002) of the phytosterol in comparison with their crude oils, or just enjoying the freshly ground seeds. A simple coffee grinder in every kitchen for grinding seeds and spices is a must. 

Furthermore, Piironenen et al found that the refining regimen causes significant oxidation and other intermolecular transformations of phytosterols.

Try and find cold pressed oils. Better still, grind your sunflower seeds and enjoy olive oil; it's all cold pressed.

Everyone with a cholesterol problem needs to be able to answer the question, what are phytosterols?

PHYTOSTEROLS AS A FOOD ADDITIVE

Farquhar et al. found that artificially adding a beta-sitosterol extract made food products unpalatable and unmarketable. Its chemical properties make it "difficult and inefficient" as a food additive. 

CONCLUSION @ WHAT ARE PHYTOSTEROLS

It really shouldn't be necessary for us to take extra phytosterols. If we eat them every day, we are far less likely to get raised cholesterol, prostate hyperplasia, haemorrhoids, varicose ulcers and many cancers.

They are found in all vegetables, salads, seeds and cold pressed oils. Fruit oils, from the olive and avocado too are rich in beta-sitosterol - up to 2%.

Healthy Breakfast Menu 

For me the healthy breakfast isn't negotiable, but it doesn't have to be a large meal. Boring perhaps, but I have so many patients in their eighties, with all their marbles intact and having a ball that I too want to reach a happy and healthy eighty something vintage. Don't you? Yes, the best laid plans of mice and men do go awry, but healthy breakfast foods swing the percentages in your favour.

But does it also have to be boring? Absolutely not. Every breakfast for me is a feast of delicious flavours and tempting tidbits.

For starters your needs on a working day, for most of us, during the week, are quite different to a sedentary weekend. Plus, others may disagree, I think there needs to be a day now and then when we let our hair down, and indulge ourselves just a little. Do it every day, and you'll turn into a belly up beached whale. Sunday is probably the day to take a break from your healthy breakfast recipes. Have an egg perhaps, a mushroom, and even a waffle, but with healthy flour and raw honey, not syrup.

What's the first thing you do in the morning? Hopefully not light a cigarette, but almost certainly a sweet pee. That fluid needs to be replaced so that your tissues remain well hydrated.

Do you know what silver tea is? I learnt about it from my grandmother, and she certainly lived to a very happy and healthy eighty; a cup of warm water, perhaps with a slither of lemon to start the day. Whatever, it needs to be long and wet. For me it's two very large mugs of very weak black tea with a slice of any preferably tart fruit that we have in the house; lemon, plum, grapefruit and any your favourite will do.

Now, what about the fruit in your muesli?

There's so much research now confirming that raw foods are full of compounds called phytosterols; they are antioxidants.  They really are anti cancer foods, and it's a non negotiable. Plus it fits beautifully in with working person's need for quick breakfast ideas. What can be more delicious and quick than half a dozen bright red strawberries, a quarter of cantaloupe, a bunch of grapes, or whatever's in season. An absolute must, and the brighter the colours the better the research seems to be confirming.

Orange juice facts

Bought OJ in a carton is definitely not on the healthy breakfast menu, but if you have the time and energy to squeeze your own, that's great. What's the difference?

It takes less than three minutes to squeeze two oranges using any orange juice press including washing out the press.

CARB

You get enough carbohydrate really in your fruit, but I think 3-4 spoons of an oats based muesli is a good option. Oats is one of the super foods rated most highly for lowering cholesterol. Add a handful of raisins to sweeten it, your omega 3 from two or three walnuts and some crushed linseed, also known as flaxseeds, and perhaps some pumpkin seeds. Good for the prostate. Crushed sunflower seeds are great too.

I buy a cheap zero sugar muesli, and every weekend spend ten minutes making up a large container with various healthy tasty goodies. Then it's quick and ready for Monday morning. Soak with boiling water, and leave to stand. Perhaps nuke it for one minute. Then it's much more digestible.

Most likely you are looking for low carb breakfast recipes and a muesli is quick and easy and fits perfectly into our healthy breakfast menu. Absolutely avoid the high sugar all brans, cocoa pops and the like. They instantly put pounds on all the wrong places. And don't get your kids started on them either. The soluble fibre in our apple diet is far more effective against constipation than bran. Plus bran adsorbes calcium, not good for a woman's bones. A is for horses, bran too. If you don't know the cockney alphabet, google it; it's great fun. 

An aside

I wonder how long it's going to be before the first American sues his parents for having allowed him to become an obese nine year old? The sooner a test case comes before the courts the better, as far as I'm concerned. By nine years of age the size of your fat cells has been determined. Allow your child to become fat by the age of 9 and you have condemned him/her to a life long struggle with obesity.

Pure negligence on the part of parents, with a not dissimilar effect on your child's longevity as to encourage or allow him to become a smoker at age 9.

What about the protein?

Another non negotiable is a littleprotein. Meat is a definite no no, only once a day unless you want to be in the high cancer risk group, but there are many good options. Protein is what stops you from being starving at 11 o'clock, and starting to snack; that's a quick route to the extra pounds that none of us need especially if you earn enough to own a computer and internet connectivity.

I'll admit to being odd. My first choice is hummus, homemade without the garlic. It's really delicious, you can in only four minutes, literally, make a batch of this authentic hummus recipe that will last half a week in the fridge, and keep you going for a whole morning. It does for me, and I can promise you that at the chiropractic coalface one needs it.

Other good protein options for your healthy breakfast menu are yoghurt, stick with the low fat, dairy is high in the cholesterol that clogs your arteries, a piece of fish left over from last night, an egg twice a week max, or a cheese sandwich.

PS. I've been up for nearly three hours now, finished my two large mugs of tea and have just ground the beans for the first indulgence of this bright sunny summer morning. A cup of coffee, ah!