Glyphosate Toxicity: What you don't know might kill you!

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the popular herbicide, Roundup.  Glyphosate toxicity is a big deal and what you don't know just might kill you!  Many people routinely spray their lawns with this chemical unaware of the toxicity.   In the United States, farmer's are applying ever increasing amounts to their crops before harvest. According the the World Health Organization, glyphosate is now declared a "probable carcinogen" which means is may cause cancer.  The industry still asserts that it is totally safe for humans, however, one only needs to look at the data to know that is not the case.  Ignorance may be bliss but I believe we may be on the verge of one of the most toxic man made environmental disasters in history... and unfortunately this chemical is persistent in the environment and human body and not easy to clean up.   France's highest court found Monsanto guilty of lying as far back as 2008 about the toxicity it's popular weedkiller, Roundup.  "The court confirmed an earlier judgment that Monsanto had falsely advertised its herbicide as "biodegradable" and claimed it "left the soil clean" (Read more here)

According to an Article in Nature published March 24, 2015:

Glyphosate is the world’s most widely produced herbicide, by volume. It is used extensively in agriculture and is also found in garden products in many countries. The chemical is an ingredient in Monsanto's weedkiller product Roundup, and glyphosate has become more popular with the increasing market share of crops that are genetically engineered to be tolerant to the herbicide.

California recently became the first state to issue plans to list glyphosate as a chemical known to cause cancer according to EcoWatch.  This is big news and we need to pay attention... the use of glyphosate has nearly doubled from 95 million pounds in 2001 to nearly 185million pounds in 2007, according to the latest  released report form the EPA and who knows how much it's increased sine 2007!  This is likely in part due to the increase usage of Round-up Ready genetically modified crops during that time period.

Dr. Anthony Samsel and Dr. Stephanie Seneff state in their recent article published August 2015:

Glyphosate has a large number of tumorigenic [cancer-causing] effects on biological systems, including direct damage to DNA in sensitive cells, disruption of glycine homeostasis, succinate dehydrogenase inhibition, chelation of [minerals such as] manganese, modification to more carcinogenic molecules, such as N-nitrosoglyphosate and glyoxylate, disruption of fructose metabolism, etc...

Sadly epidemiological evidence supports a strong correlation between the dramatic rise in use of glyphosate on crops and the multitude of cancers reaching epidemic proportions, such as breast, pancreatic, kidney, thyroid, bladder, and liver cancers.

In perhaps the most ironic twist of all, glyphosate has proven highly toxic to the basic phase one detoxification of the liver, the cytochrome pathways.  I find it incredibly alarming that one of the most toxic chemicals known to mankind also exerts it's influence by impairing human detoxification.  Here is an excerpt from  Entropy 2013, Glyphosate's Suppression of Cytochrome P450 enzymes and amino acid biosynthesis by the gut microbe:

Glyphosate's inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes is an overlooked component of its toxicity to mammals. CYP enzymes play crucial roles in biology, one of which is to detoxify xenobiotics. Thus, glyphosate enhances the damaging effects of other food borne chemical residues and environmental toxins. Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body.

Harvesting wheat after glyphosate application

Glyphosate may trigger autoimmunity, such as celiac disease by the following mechanisms:

• Spraying of wheat before harvest with glyphosate, a common practice in North America allows for a large exposure to glyphosate in wheat.
• Wheat may be the most common ingredient in all processed foods.
• Glyphosate also damages the microvilli in gut reducing ability to absorb vitamins and minerals
• Wheat contains gliadin, which is difficult for genetically susceptible individuals to break down.
• Glyphosate may attach to the gliadin as a consequence of a chemical interaction between the chemical make it even harder to break down this large protein molecule.
• It may not be recognized by the body or able to be broken down, making even more likely to induce an immunological response in susceptible individuals, contributing to development of celiac disease

In addition to celiac disease, researchers now believe that glyphosate may be linked to the following diseases:

1. Autism
2. Autoimmune diseases
3. Cancer
4. Parkinson's
5. Alzheimer's disease
6. Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis)
7. Cardiovascular disease
8. Depression
9. Infertility

Glyphosate is also toxic to our gut microbiome

Glyphosate is toxic to many of our benetifical gut microbes.  It may preferentially kill off species, like lactobacillus while leaving potential pathogens, like clostridia to run wild.  Glyphosate also chelates essential minerals, such as manganese, iron, cobalt, molybdenum, and copper so that the gut microbes do not have access to them.  This leads to chronic inflammatory states in the gut as well as increased intestinal permeability, a mechanism at the core of many chronic illnesses, including inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and autoimmunity.

If you are eating processed food, you are eating glyphosate...

Residues of glyphosate are commonly found in the most common foods in the American Diet, including

1. Corn
2. Soy
3. Sugar Beets (sugar)
4. Canola
5. Cotton (not food but in clothing, sanitary napkins and many products we use daily)

Nearly one billion pounds of glyphosate are doused on both conventional and genetically modified crops world-wide each year but GMO crops receive the largest amounts.  Processed foods undoubtable expose you to this toxic contamination, courtesy of wheat, corn, soy and the vegetable oil used.  And the meats from conventionally raised animals in confined feed lots are given fed that most likely contains glyphosate-laden corn and soy.

And finally... it gets personal

You may know that I grew up on a farm in Central Illinois.  My Dad and brothers still farm corn and soybeans there and I couldn't be more proud that they have recently switched over to non-GMO versions of these crops.  My brothers have started a few fields of organic crops as well.  Due to my own history of breast cancer and Crohn's disease, I have followed at 100% organic diet for at least the past 10-15 years.  Recently I realized just how pervasive this glyphosate exposure is in our environment when I sent out my urine to test my own glyphosate level.  I was shocked to get the results back (below) showing that my level was higher than the "Farmer" study, which tested farm workers on application day!  This made me realize how pervasive this dangerous chemical is in our environment and how important it is to remain vigilant to decrease exposure and work to get it banned.

Dr. Jill glyphosate levels

Ok, so what can I do about it?!

The most important thing to realize is that you cannot wash glyphosate off food since it is incorporated into each cell of plant.

Here are some tips to keep your diet free of glyphosate:

• Only way to 100% eliminate from your diet is to avoid conventionally grown and processed foods 
• Glyphosate accumulates in animal tissues, so make sure your meat was not fed GMO grains and your butter and dairy is organic
• Switch over to a 100% organic diet
• Take activated charcoal, clay or rice bran powder in aiding elimination of organophosphates and glyphosate after exposure
• Maintain adequate mineral status by taking a multi-mineral supplement that includes trace minerals
• Support glutathione production with N-acetylcysteine, glycine and glutamine or oral liposomal glutathione
• Support phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification by avoiding alcohol and taking liver support, like silymarin, lipoid acid
• It is much harder to reverse damage once it's done, so best to avoid glyphosate from the start—especially in children!

So go to it...  It's worth every penny to grown your own food or buy organic and begin to detox your body of this dangerous chemical!

5 Tips to Safely Celebrate When You Have Food Allergies

Gathering with family is an important part of the holidays for most of us. If you suffer from food allergies or eat a restricted diet due to a health conditions, it can be especially tricky to navigate. I'm putting together a short list of tips and tricks to get through it safely and make sure you still have a wonderful family get-together!

Here's my top tips for celebrating with family if you have some dietary restrictions.

1. Talk to the host prior to the event - Ask ahead of time what is on the menu and if the host would like you to bring something. If possible you might ask them to prepare the main course in a way that fits your dietary needs. You should also figure out if there will be enough dishes that you can eat to fill you or if you will need to bring your own food. By all means, do offer to bring a dish or two that you know you can eat and then share the love with everyone! I'm always tickled if family raves over my grain-free paleo-style dishes.
2. Know what it's swimming in - I've found that most of the common food allergens come in the sauces, dressings or marinades. These culprits frequently contain gluten, dairy, egg, soy, or sugar. You may ask the host to hold aside a portion of undressed salad or fix your piece of chicken or fish with no marinade or sauce. I usually ask for olive oil, salt and garlic ...It's delicious every time and I know I'm not getting any hidden gluten or dairy in the sauce.
3. Send a package ahead of you - if you're traveling to an area where there is no Whole Foods or natural grocery nearby to accessorize your diet, you can often ship ahead a small box of essentials. You can either pack them yourself or you can use a service, like Amazon or Vitacost and have them ship the necessary items. I frequently do this with non-perishables, like coconut milk, sunflower nut butter, chia seed, and high quality coconut or olive oils. Plus you can leave any of the gourmet leftover items with your host to enjoy! Better yet, order enough to get free shipping and include a hostess gift of some special gourmet food item that he/she cannot purchase locally. Organic dark chocolate or specialty cooking oils are a wonderful gift idea!
4. Don't go hungry - When we are hungry our brains may bypass the filter of what we know to be a better choice. We'll often we end up eating too much and pick foods that we'd normally avoid. This is why I vow never take my husband grocery shopping on an empty stomach... you just never know what will make it's way into your shopping cart! ;-) Eat a small protein snack prior to heading out, like nuts/seeds, guacamole or jerky. If you know there will not be any safe options, it's ok to eat your entire meal before you go and just enjoy the company and not the food.
5. BYOBF (Bring your own back-up food) - whether traveling by plane or car or just driving across town for a holiday get-together, you can never go wrong by having a few nonperishable snacks or options with you. You never know when you'll get stranded in the car or in the airport for longer than expected. I carry things like packets of sunflower nut butter, coconut butter and shredded coconut, a piece of fruit, dried organic beef or bison jerky, Alter Eco 85% dark chocolate bar, and/or packets or tins of wild salmon or sardines. I can't tell you how many times I've been stranded somewhere longer than anticipated and hungry and so thankful for my little stash! As the true saying goes, "Fail to plan and plan to fail..."

Wishing you a most delightful and delicious holiday season making many memories with your loved ones!

How to Heal a Leaky Gut, Part II

Did you miss my first Leaky Gut Article?! Read more here

So now you may be wondering if you have leaky gut...

Food allergies, toxins, sugar, antibiotics, parasites and stress can wreak havoc with your gastrointestinal system, upsetting the balance in your intestine as well as allowing harmful substances to enter the system. Gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or abdominal discomfort may be the first clue that something is wrong with the digestive tract, but did you know allergies
or even lack of energy and fatigue can often be traced to digestive problems as well?

Normally the gastrointestinal epithelium provides a semi-permeable barrier with allows nutrients to be absorbed while preventing larger molecules from crossing into the bloodstream. When this lining becomes inflamed or damaged, then the barrier becomes "leaky". The fallout results in larger, undigested food molecules and other “bad stuff” (yeast, toxins, and all other forms of waste) that your body normally doesn’t allow through, to flow freely into your bloodstream.

Causes of increased intestinal hyperpermeability or "leaky gut":

• Medications (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen and motrin
• Microbial overgrowth or infection
• Parasite infections
• Fungal overgrowth (Candida)
• Ingestion of allergenic foods
• Maldigestion/malabsorption (pancreatic insufficieny or low HCl)
• Radiation therapy or chemotherapy
• Stress
• Aging
• IgA deficiency
• Chronic alcohol intake
• Excessive or strenuous exercise
• Inflammatory bowel disease - Crohn's or Ulcerative colitis

The small and large intestines contains numerous dietary and bacterial products with toxic properties. These include bacteria, bacterial cell wall (LPS), peptides, and bacterial antigens capable of inducing antibodies which may cross-react with human tissues.... when these antibodies react, they may form systemic immune complexes which can circulate and deposit in tissues far away from the gut.

Abnormalities of the gut lining barrier lead to increased uptake of inflammatory molecules and pathogenic bacteria. With inflammation & injury to the gut lininng, mucosal absorption of normally-excluded substances increases dramatically. Intestinal inflammation enhances the uptake and distribution of potentially injurious bacteria and proteins .

Leaky Gut is seen in disorders such as:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's & Colitis)
• Inflammatory joint disease
• Food allergy
• Celiac disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Reiter’s syndrome
• Eczema & psoriasis
• Bipolar, depression and schizophrenia
• Allergies and asthma
• Autoimmune thyroiditis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Autoimmune liver & gallbladder disease

So how do we test for "Leaky Gut"?

Small molecules (glucose or mannitol) readily penetrate cells and passively diffuse through them. Larger molecules such as lactulose are normally are normally not able to diffuse through the cell. If the tight junctions between the cells are functioning properly, they will prevent the lactulose from leaking through. The Intestinal Permeability Test directly measures the ability these two sugar molecules—mannitol and lactulose—to permeate the intestinal mucosa.

Mannitol is readily absorbed and serves as a marker of transcellular uptake. Lactulose is only slightly absorbed and serves as a marker for mucosal integrity (ability of those "tight junctions" to keep out the bad stuff) The test is a 6 hour urine test that compares ratios of the two substances.

For more info:

Genova Diagnostics Intestinal Permeability Assessment
You will need to contact your functional medicine physician in order to order the test.
Now for some treatment options for this leaky gut!

Nutritional Support

1. Glutamine, an amino acid, has been shown to reverse intestinal mucosal damage from various insults. Glutamine is the principle fuel used by the upper intestinal tract to repair and heal.
2. Agents that stimulate protective mucus secretion may also help with the healing. Some common ones I use are marshmallow root extract and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) extract.
3. Probiotics are essential! Lactobacillus casei, bifidobacter species, and saccromyces boulardii, a beneficial type of yeast are all important to restore gut health.
4. Fish oil can be very helpful in the treatment of intestinal inflammation by decreasing inflammatory prostaglandins. EPA and DHA should be used in the range of 2-4gm daily
5. Quercetin functions as a natural mast cell stabilizer and decrease release of histmine which contributes to inflammation & injury. To be effective, quercetin should be used in powder form and taken 3-6gm daily.
6. Vitamins A and D are critical to supporting secretory IgA function and restoring the mucosal immune system. Ask your doctor for specific doses...

To Decrease Toxic Load:

• Eliminate all known foods that you are sensitive to. This can be determined through a comprehensive elimination diet or IgG/IgE food tests on the blood.
• Avoid alcohol, NSAIDS (ibuprofen, motrin, alleve), and minimize other medications.
• Bentonite clay is a well-known intestinal adsorbent which absorbs numerous toxins, endotoxins and bacteria. Its value in permeability alterations may result from lowering the toxin load in the lumen, thus facilitating repair. I also frequently recommend Upgraded charcoal tabs for the same purpose.
• HCI and digestive enzymes such as plant enzymes, pepsin and pancreatin might help to lessen the antigenic load or toxic molecules being presented on the intestinal lining.

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Photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

Is this gland taking you down? Sixteen Signs You Might Be Hypothyroid...

Photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

Your thyroid plays a part in nearly every metabolic process and when the thyroid isn't working you won't feel well!  This small gland has an average weight of 16.4 grams in the adult. Shaped like a butterfly, it lies low on the front of the neck and below your Adam’s apple and in front of the windpipe. When the thyroid is its normal size, you can’t even feel it.

The thyroid secretes several hormones, collectively called thyroid hormones. The main hormone is thyroxine, also called T4, but there are others, including T3 and even lesser known T1 and T2.   It requires adequate selenium, iodine, zinc, B vitamins and antioxidants for optimal function.  Thyroid hormones act throughout the body, influencing metabolism, growth and development, and body temperature. During infancy and childhood, adequate thyroid hormone is crucial for brain development.  Unfortunately, the thyroid gland is uniquely sensitive to drugs and environmental chemicals which may affect proper function.

More than 10 percent of the general population in the United States, and 20 percent of women over the age of 60, have subclinical hypothyroidism. But only a small percentage of these people are being treated.  It is important to ask your doctor to check you thyroid function if you feel that you are having symptoms.

Often, at first, you barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and weight gain.  You might simply attribute them to getting older. But as your metabolism continues to slow, you may develop more obvious signs and symptoms.

Top Sixteen Symptoms of Hypothyroid

1. Fatigue
2. Increased sensitivity to cold
3. Constipation
4. Dry skin
5. Unexplained weight gain
6. Puffy face
7. Hoarseness
8. Muscle weakness
9. Elevated blood cholesterol level
10. Muscle aches and pain
11. Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
12. Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
13. Thinning hair
14. Slower heart rate
15. Depressed mood
16. Impaired memory

Here is a simple checklist of symptoms that may indicate abnormal thyroid function:

____ My facial skin looks or feels thinner
____ My muscles feel weak, particularly the upper arms and thighs
____ I am having difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
____ I feel fatigued, exhausted all the time

____ I frequently require more than 8 hours of sleep at night

____ I feel better if I am able to take an afternoon nap every day

____ I am unable to tolerate exercise

____ I have less stamina or energy than others
____ My hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle, falling out
____ My skin is coarse, dry, scaly, thin 

____ My eyebrows are thinning, especially the outer 1/3

____ I frequently struggle with constipation or hard stools

____ I am always colder than others around me

____ I typically wear a sweater, even in the summer

____ I am having more breakouts or acne
____ I have pains, aches in joints, hands and feet 

____ I experience numbness or tingling in my hands & fingers
____ I am having irregular periods (women)

____ I am having trouble maintaining erection (men)
____ I am having trouble conceiving a baby
____ I have had one or more miscarriages
____ I feel depressed most of the time
____ I feel restless, or anxious 

____ I have puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face
____ My moods change easily 

____ I have difficulty concentrating or focusing
____ I have more feelings of sadness
____ I seem to be losing interest in normal daily activities
____ I'm more forgetful lately
____ My hair is falling out
____ I can't seem to remember things
____ I have no sex drive
____ I am getting more frequent infections, that last longer
____ My eyes feel gritty and dry
____ My eyes feel sensitive to light 

____ I am having difficulty swallowing or feeling a lump in my throat

____ I have a hoarse or gravely voice
____ I have tinnitus (ringing in ears)
____ I feel some lightheadedness or dizziness
____ I have severe menstrual cramps

Other conditions that may be associated with thyroid dysfunction:

• Infertility or frequent miscarriage
• Acne 
• High cholesterol 
• Irregular periods 
• Low libido 
• Fluid retention 
• Difficulty swallowing 
• Respiratory difficulties
• Iron-deficiency
• Glaucoma
• Frequent headaches

Family history that suggests you could have a higher risk for hypothyroidism:

• Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance
• Goiter
• Prematurely gray hair
• Type 1 Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sarcoidosis, Sjogren's, etc.)
• Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Elevated cholesterol levels

Ten Tips To Support a Healthy Thyroid:

1. Eliminate gluten from your diet!  One in three patient's with Hashimoto's thyroiditis are sensitive to gluten.
2. Selenium is essential to a healthy thyroid and the first thing I recommend for those with autoimmune thyroiditis or Hashimoto's.  You can get 200mcg of selenium by eating 2-3 organic brazil nuts daily! 
3. Wild caught fish, like salmon, supple ample omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for optimal thyroid function.  If you don't eat fish frequently, you can supplement with a high quality Omega3 supplement, like Thorne OmegaPlus 2-3 caps daily.
4. Get plenty of sunlight to optimize your vitamin D levels and take 1000-2000IU daily of Vitamin D3.
5. Herbs that support thyroid function include ashwaganda, eleuthero and other adrenal adaptogens. One of my favorite formulas is Gaia Herbs Thyroid Support
6. Dandelion greens, carrots, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, and sweet potatoes are all rich sources of essential Vitamin A 
7. Use organic coconut oil in your cooking -- it's great for high heat cooking and sautéing many different meats and vegetables. 
8. Filter your drinking water from chlorine and other harmful chemicals which suppress the thyroid and block iodine
9. Find daily ways to detox, like using a sauna, taking epsom salt baths, adding chlorella, parsley, or cilantro to your daily smoothie to help your body detoxify from chemical exposures (petrochemicals, PCBs, pesticides, and mercury)
10. Work on lowering stress levels through daily gratitude, prayer, meditation, yoga, deep breathing!

Environmental Toxins May be Poisoning Your Thyroid

Many environmental factors have the potential to impact thyroid function.  Some of these factors include:

• Potassium perchlorate, which inhibits iodine uptake by the thyroid, is used in rocket propellant, fireworks, and automobile airbags. Potassium perchlorate is stable in the environment and contaminates water throughout the United States. Newborns and infants are most susceptible to this inhibitory effect on iodine transport. The thiocyanates in cigarette smoke can have effects similar to potassium perchlorate.
• Isoflavones (phytoestrogens), found in soy proteins, are thyroid peroxidase inhibitors.
• Pesticides induce glucuronidation of T4 and reduce T4 half-life.
• Polychlorinated biphenyls are industrial chemicals that were banned in 1975 but still are routinely detected in the environment. They have been shown to reduce T4 levels in animals and are neurotoxic. Their effect varies because of partial agonist effect at the thyroid hormone receptor and their varied chemical structure.
• Bisphenol A—used in plastics, as resins for coating food cans, and as dental sealants—antagonizes T3 activation of the thyroid hormone b-receptor in rats, causing a thyroid hormone resistance–like syndrome.
• Keep your home free from these and other toxic chemicals
• And read the blog on MTHFR for how your genes can also make you more susceptible to thyroid dysfunction and poor detox!

A Prescription for Hypothyroid

If you are truly suffering from hypothryoid, no amount of nutritional supplementation will replace your abnormally low levels of thyroid hormone.  Ask your doctor to do comprehensive thyroid lab testing including:  TSH, free T4, free T3, total T4, total T3, reverse T3, thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOs), and thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb).  An ultrasound to evaluate the appearance of the thyroid is necessary if you are experiencing symptoms of enlarged thyroid or nodules.

Common drug options for thyroid replacement include:

• T4 preparations
• Synthroid
• Levothroid
• Levoxyl
• levothyroxine
• Tyrosint
• T4/T3 preparations
• NaturThroid
• Armour Thyroid
• ERFA thyroid
• dessicated thyroid
• Westthroid
• Thyrolar
• T3 only preparations
• Cytomel

References:
Could Thyroid Dysfunction Be Causing My Symptoms?
Drugs and Environmental Toxins take on the Thyroid
NEJM: Drugs that Influence Thyroid Function

Celiac Disease & Gluten Intolerance... What's up with wheat?

Have you been told you have "gluten-intolerance" or worse... that you have celiac disease?  Many people go for years without knowing the connection between gluten and their gastrointestinal symptoms, autoimmune disease (thyroiditis, arthritis, lupus etc), skin disorder (eczema, acne, psoriasis), and even neurological disorders (epilepsy, ADHD, autism, etc) 

What is gluten?

It's a protein found in wheat grain and part of "gluey" proline and glutamine rich proteins known as prolamines. Prolamines are found in all cereal grains, even rice, corn and oats. Gluten ingestion in susceptible individuals is assosiated with the serious neurological and autoimmune reactions often linked to autism spectrum disorder.  

Historically, we can see a large increase in chronic degenerative diseases, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and bone loss/tooth decay when societies start to increase intake of grains and especially wheat.  I have seen remarkable improvement in many patient's illnesses, especially skin disorders and autoimmune disease on a grain-free diet.

 Here is a must watch video from Peter Osborne, D.C. that does a very nice job of explaining the differences between gluten intolerance and celiac disease and explaining how this could be contributing to your symptoms...

If you want to know more about YOUR PERSONAL RISK, just ask Dr. Jill about how you can be tested for HLA typing DQ2/DQ8 genes to determine if you are at risk!