Back in the early nineteen sixties, a navy surgeon, by the name of Dr. Judah Folkman, happened upon a discovery that would revolutionize the way that we view cancer development in the human body. While testing the impact of preserved blood on fast growing tumor cells (a model used to mimic fast growing tissues of wounds) he noticed that cancer cells that would normally ravage the body of a living mouse, could only seem to grow to the size of the tip of a ball point pen in a Petri dish. He wondered why the same tumor cells didn’t replicate with the same level of aggression in a Petri dish as they did in a living creature. After all, he had taken great care to mimic the conditions of living tissue.

After dissecting the large tumors from the living creatures and comparing them to the tiny tumors from his Petri dish experiment, he noticed only one difference between the two tumors; the large tumors from the mice were filled with thousands of tiny networks of blood vessels while the tumor cells from the Petri dish experiment had no such blood supply. From this experiment, he hypothesized that the cancer cells could not develop into a large tumor mass unless and until it had developed a network of small blood vessels called capillaries to feed the cells.  This process of blood vessel development was named “angiogenesis”.  Said another way, if we could prevent cancer cells from developing a blood supply of their own, we could stop cancer growth in its tracks and even cause existing tumors to regress! Furthermore, if tumor cells could not develop a blood supply, they would not be able to metastasize.

Dr. Folkman’s hypothesis and experiment was met with ridicule and rejection from the medical community. In fact, after discussing with a colleague his worry that his research would get picked up and stolen by other researchers, his colleague replied, “You are totally protected against intellectual theft. Nobody will believe you!”

Dr. Folkman continued his experiments, and over the years, his hypothesis went on to be accepted.  His research led to the development of a new class of medication called anti-angiogenesis drugs. Since then, other anti-angiogenesis medications had come to market. Unfortunately, the clinical results were somewhat disappointing; some tumors responded quite well, while others responded partially or not at all.

William Li, founder of The Angiogenesis Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of anti-angiogenesis therapies and lifestyles, believes that the main reason that the medications are not living up to their potential is because we are getting to people too late in the game, after the cancer is fully developed and situated.  He believes that if we can use non-toxic tactics to prevent the small cluster of cancerous cells from forming a blood flow in the first place, we can prevent tumors from developing altogether. This would be what Dr. Folkman calls, “Cancer without disease”.

We All Have Cancer

It is a well-known fact that we all have these microscopic cancer cells throughout our bodies. In fact, research that looked at healthy men and women who had died in car accidents, discovered that 40% of women between the ages of 40-50 have these microscopic tumors within their breasts and 50% of men, between the ages of 50-60, have these micro-tumors in their prostates. It is even more disturbing that virtually 100% of men and women in their 70s have micro-tumors in their thyroid! The only thing preventing these people from developing the disease of cancer is the fact that the tumor cells had not developed a blood flow yet. The question is, “what can we do to prevent those harmless micro-tumors from ever developing a blood flow?” Dr. William Li believes that he has the answer…

Eat to Starve Cancer

The anti-angiogenesis medications, used to treat existing tumors, do not come without side effects. These side effects, although fewer than conventional chemotherapy, would make them inappropriate tools for preventing angiogenesis in micro-tumors. There is good news, however, researchers discovered that nature offers an abundance of natural compounds with potent anti-angiogenesis activity. Best of all, rather than blocking angiogenesis altogether, they normalize it. Disease begins when the growth of blood vessels occur unimpeded by the natural systems of checks and balances within the body. These natural anti-angiogenesis compounds appear to regulate and normalize the angiogenic balance within the body.

Angiogenesis is Essential to Health

Once we reach adulthood, it is generally accepted that blood vessels stop growing. There are three situations, however, that seem to defy this rule: menstruation, pregnancy and injury/wounds. During menstruation, pregnancy, and injury, the body produces protein chemicals that act as fertilizer for blood vessels; this stimulates the growth of new capillaries. When we injure ourselves, blood vessels grow beneath the scab to bring nutrients and oxygen to the damaged area in order to repair the damage. After the wound has healed, the body produces anti-angiogenesis compounds that stop the growth and prune back the blood vessels if needed. This process is tightly controlled; when angiogenesis is not well controlled, many diseases can arise.

Angiogenesis Gone Haywire

There are two ways that angiogenesis can become problematic; you can either have too few or too many blood vessels growing in a particular area of the body. In the case where there is too little angiogenesis, you see diseases such as:

• Wounds that won’t heal
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Neuropathy
• Hair loss
• Erectile Dysfunction

In cases where there is too much angiogenesis, you see diseases such as:

• Cancer
• Blindness
• Psoriasis
• Endometriosis
• Obesity
• Rosacea
• Alzheimers

Cancer – The Ultimate Disease of Excess Angiogenesis

Although there are many diseases that can be connected to angiogenesis, abnormal blood vessel growth is a hallmark of all solid tumors. It is an accepted theory that one key to controlling cancer growth, especially metastatic and aggressive cancer, is to shut down the process of angiogenesis within the diseased tissue without affecting the healthy tissue.

Cancer’s Weakness

Generally speaking, blood vessels are stable and resilient tissues. Blood vessels found in tumors, however, appear to be built in a hurry. Their structure and architecture is disorganized and fragile, which makes them more susceptible to anti-angiogenesis therapies than normal tissues. This weakness may prove to be one of the greatest advantages that we have over this deadly foe.

Nature’s Advantage

When the scientists discovered the presence of proteins that promote angiogenesis, they realized that nature, with all of its systems of checks and balances, must also make proteins that inhibit angiogenesis. They first discovered these compounds in the urine of mice, which were resistant to cancer; they named this compound angiostatin. They then began to find compounds with similar activity in the foods that we eat, such as fruits, vegetables and tealeaves. Researchers have made great strides in defining which foods appear to have the most potent anti-angiogenesis activity. A non-exaustive list is provide below:

1. Green Tea
2. Strawberries
3. Blackberries
4. Blueberries
5. Raspberries
6. Oranges
7. Grapefruits
8. Lemons
9. Apples
10. Pineapples
11. Cherries
12. Red grapes
13. Red wine
14. Bok Choy
15. Soybean
16. Ginseng
17. Maitake
18. Licorice
19. Turmeric
20. Nutmeg
21. Artichoke
22. Lavender
23. Pumpkin
24. Sea Cucumber
25. Tuna
26. Parsley
27. Garlic
28. Tomato
29. Olive Oil
30. Grape Seed
31. Dark Chocolate

Of these foods, the ones that appear to have the most potent anti-angiogenesis activity include (in order of potency):

1. Soy extract
2. Artichoke
3. Parsley
4. Berries
5. Soy
6. Garlic
7. Red grapes
8. Brassica
9. Citrus
10. Lavender
11. Green tea
12. Glucosamine
13. Turmeric
14. Tea

(Lists taken from a lecture by Dr. Li during a TED conference)

Power Resides in the Synergy

According to Dictionary.com, “Synergy” is defined as “The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.” In a study on the anti-angiogenesis activity of tea, researchers tested the ability of three different types of tea to inhibit blood vessel growth. In this study, they determined that they all had anti-angiogenesis activity, however, of the three, Earl Grey appeared to be the most potent. The researchers then decided to combine the two weaker teas and test the anti-angiogenesis activity of the mixture. They discovered that the combination of the two weaker teas resulted in more inhibition of blood vessel growth than the stronger Earl Grey tea. According to Dr. Li, this shows the presence of what is called “Nutritional Synergy” meaning, smaller quantities of many different nutrients and phytochemicals is likely superior to high quantities of fewer nutrients.

Future of Anti-Angiogenesis Studies

Currently, there is mounting laboratory and animal research that is confirming the anti-angiogenesis activity of foods. Using a special test tube model of blood vessel growth, Dr. Li and his organization is working to map the anti-angiogenic activity of common fruits, vegetables, herbs and teas. The ultimate goal is to form a menu of foods that are likely to inhibit this key step in the growth of abnormal cells into metastatic tumor masses.

One study, published by Harvard Medical School, tested the effect of dietary lycopene (a red pigment found in foods such as tomatoes, berries, etc) on the risk of prostate cancer. They determined that men, who consumed the most lycopene-containing foods, enjoyed the lowest incidence of prostate cancer. The researchers then tested the tumor biopsies for the presence of blood vessels. They discovered that of the men who went on to develop prostate cancer, the more lycopene they consumed, the lower the density of blood vessels in the tumor. This finding suggests that even when lycopene fails to completely inhibit angiogenesis, is appears to slow the growth and potentially decrease the virility of the existing tumor mass.

Obviously, more research needs to be performed to confirm the legitimacy of the laboratory and animal findings. I believe that there is sufficient data, in combination with epidemiological research showing an inverse relationship between fruit/vegetable intake and cancer risk, to start to incorporate larger quantities of the foods, which have anti-angiogenesis activity.

Using These Findings

The rules are simple:

1. Consume many servings of vegetables, fruits, and spices
2. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables; choose them based on color and spectrum
3. Choose fruits that are lower on the glycemic index (lower sugar content)
4. Drink a variety of teas including: green tea, Earl Grey, jasmine and white tea.

Supplements for Prevention of Angiogenesis

Many people have been asking me about herbs and nutritional supplements that may give them a leg up on this issue. Although we do not have research on specific supplements, as they pertain to angiogenesis, I suspect that whole-food, freeze-dried extracts of fruits, vegetables and herbs will provide a spectrum of concentrated anti-angiogenesis compounds. I personally use a variety of whole food fruit, vegetable, mushroom and nutritional extracts for their broad benefits. This research has solidified these products as part of my long-term supplement plan. Below I list the supplements that I feel would provide the greatest anti-angiogenic activity; it should be noted that every one of these food-products offer multiple health benefits, in addition to being great means of protecting against angiogenesis:

1. Berry Greens by New Chapter – There are many whole food formulas on the market, I chose this formula because it is highly concentrated, has a good number of plants with certified anti-angiogenic activity, can be found in either capsules or powder and is readily available. I recommend 6 capsules per day or one tablespoon per day as a supplement to a healthy diet. If you get few fruits and vegetables in the diet, or you have a history or high risk of cancer, I would recommend doubling this dose.
2. PolyResveratrol-SR by Thorne Research – This formula combines resveratrol, pterostilbene, a highly absorbed curcumin, a highly absorbed green tea extract and quercetin. These compounds have anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic activity. The recommended dose is one capsule twice daily (although higher doses may be even more effective).
3. Vitamin D – Aside from vitamin Ds other anti-cancer qualities, it also appears to inhibit angiogenesis. Recommended doses are 2,000-4,000 iu per day.

Conclusion:

Normalizing angiogenesis within the body appears to be a critical step in the maintenance of healthy cells. After listening to a 20-minute lecture by Dr. William Li of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and researching the topic in depth, I am convinced that this may be one of the most important findings in medical history. I look forward to the results of Dr. Li’s research on the anti-angiogenesis activity of various foods and will continue to keep you updated as new research is published on the subject. 

As a practicing “Natural Pharmacist,” I believe that we should be using Complementary Medicine instead of alternative medicine… and I think it all goes back to the toolbox that we employ.

In our practice, we have a saying… “To a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

When you go to the typically trained physician, the only tools that they are trained to use are drugs and surgery. If you go to the local herbalist, the tools that he/she uses are herbs. The chiropractor uses his hands, the acupuncturist uses her needles… you get the picture. All of these may be appropriate tools, depending upon the situation.

The toolbox that we should have at our disposal should include all of the tools mentioned above, and more. When it comes to our health, we should be able to diagnose a problem and then lay out all of the tools that would possibly be helpful in fixing the problem. Of the tools that could be used, some are more likely to cause side effects than others, so those should be put towards the end of the line. Doesn’t it make sense to use the least invasive, least-likely-to-cause-problems tool first?

When using herbs and vitamins, make sure you get competent advise… use health care professionals that have traditional training as well as training in the complementary fields so that the most appropriate tools can be chosen… and ask them about how big their toolbox is!

In this article I will discuss how to prevent and even reverse lipotoxicity. If you have not read the first article, I highly recommend that you go back and read through it. You can view the article by clicking the following link: Lipotoxicity: Could this be the Cause of Your Fatigue and Disease? For those who have already read it, allow me to list the key points of the previous article in order to jog your memory:

1. Lipotoxicity occurs when fat enters non-fat cells and builds up to toxic levels
2. Lipotoxicity leads to diabetes, fatty liver, heart disease, heart failure, fatigue and kidney dysfunction
3. Lipotoxicity occurs almost entirely due to poor diet and lifestyle

The three main causes of lipotoxicity are:
1. Too much unhealthy fat in the diet
2. Too many unhealthy refined carbohydrates in the diet
3. Too little exercise and activity

Before we get into the prevention and treatment of this condition, how do you know if you are suffering with lipotoxicity?

There are many signs and symptoms of lipotoxicity, however, it is important to note that you do not necessarily have to have symptoms in order to be in a lipotoxic state. This process likely starts off as a symptomless state. As fat accumulates in cells of organs and tissues, you likely reach a “tipping point” where symptoms such as fatigue and exhaustion during activity begin to show up. Then the process of lipotoxicity may begin to show up as “named diseases” such as heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver, hypertension, etc. Below I list the key ways to tell if you may be suffering with lipotoxicity:

1. If you are overweight or diabetic, you can assume with near certainty that you suffer with some degree of lipotoxicity.
2. If you have been diagnosed with heart disease
3. If you have been diagnosed with fatty liver
4. If your cholesterol numbers are out of balance
5. If you have elevated triglycerides
6. If you suffer with fatigue with no known cause
7. If you find it difficult to exercise for prolonged periods of time

Now that you know how to identify it, how do you reverse it?

The study of lipotoxicity is in its infancy. We are just now learning why it develops and how it triggers damage in the cell. In the body, fat can exist in two main forms: free fatty acids or triglycerides. When fat is carried into the cell as a free fatty acid, it is typically changed into a storage form of fat called a triglyceride. Fat cells have a nearly endless ability to convert free fatty acids into triglycerides, however, other cells, such as the muscle, pancreas, kidney, liver and heart are limited in the rate at which they can convert free fatty acids into triglycerides. It appears that it is the accumulation of free fatty acids in the cell that leads to disease and death of that cell.

If we could potentiate the conversion of free fatty acids into triglycerides within the cell then we could interrupt the damage caused by fat accumulation.

In fact, there is a way to achieve this which leads us to the first technique that I will suggest to limit the damage that free fatty acids can cause in the cell. Scientists discovered that one way to combat toxicity from fat was to fight fire with fire. They discovered that by providing the body with healthy fats, specifically omega-9 (extra virgin olive oil) and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish oil/flax oil) then you could enhance the body’s ability to turn free fatty acids into triglyceride and prevent lipotoxicity from damaging and ultimately killing the cell.

This may be one reason why the Mediterranean diet and omega-3 fatty acids protect the body from disease! More on this when we talk about supplements.

The battle does not stop there because although I believe that these healthy fats will significantly limit the damage caused by the buildup of unhealthy fats in the cell, if your diet continues to remain high in bad fats you will ultimately overwhelm the defenses provided by healthy fat. I lead with this tip because it is easy to implement and could provide rapid protection while you work on your lifestyle and diet.

The next tip is to begin to exercise aerobically for as long as you can. By exercising aerobically, you are doing three things:

1. Burning fat while you exercise which will IMMEDIATELY begin to unclog the cells of the muscles and organs
2.Triggering the body to build more fat burning and metabolizing enzymes throughout the body.
3. Building more mitochondria of the cell (the engines that burn fat for energy)

Basically, you are turning the body into a fat metabolizing machine! In order to optimize these results the key here is to exercise for as long a period of time as possible at a rate that does not leave you overtly breathless. You should be able to maintain a conversation fairly comfortably. If you exercise too aggressively you will shift the fuel that your body is using for energy from fat into carbohydrates. In addition, you will cause the body to build more sugar burning enzymes rather than fat burning enzymes. Although building more sugar burning enzymes is not a bad thing for health, for the purposes of reversing lipotoxicity we want the body to build more fat burning enzymes in order to burn away the fat that is clogging up the cells. Your ultimate goal is to build up to at least 45 minutes of walking every day. I realize that many of you can hardly get up the stairs, this is because of the lipotoxicity! You must realize that the very problem of lipotoxicity is your biggest obstacle to reversing it. You are tired due to fat clogged cells, you will have to push through the fatigue in order to get to the other side.

The next step is to tackle the diet. You must cut out refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. Refined carbohydrates are foods such as:

1. Bread
2. Pasta
3. Rice
4. Cake
5. Candy
6. Cereal

Unhealthy fats include:

1. Butter
2. Margarines
3. Vegetable Oils (canola, safflower, peanut)
4. Red mea

These foods cause insulin to be produced in excessive levels which causes fat to enter the cells at a high rate. You must limit the intake of these refined carbohydrates in order to reverse lipotoxicity. Instead, reach for more low glycemic carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables. It is also wise to eat lean proteins.

Now let’s discuss supplements that we can use to reverse lipotoxicity.

1. Fish oil – You should be taking fish oil with each main meal of the day. 2 capsules with each meal should be sufficient to counteract some of the negative effects of lipotoxicity. You may also benefit by combining the fish oil with a vegetarian formula called Udo’s 3,6,9 Oil Blend by Flora. This formula will provide more omega-3 fatty acids along with omega-9 fats. Take two softgels with each meal. You may be able to get away with fish oil alone, however, if you have significant problems then I recommend combining the two.

2. L-Carnitine tartrate – Carnitine helps the cells to metabolize fat in the mitochondria. The recommended dose is 1,000 mg twice daily. (Call 888-794-4325 for this product).

3. Hepatopro by Life Extension Foundation – This formula contains a special form of phosphatidylcholine which helps to emulsify fat and reverse some of the fatty buildup in the liver, an organ that is crucial in the metabolism of fat. Take 1 softgel with each meal.

Conclusion:

Liopotoxicity is a direct cause of poor vitality and disease that is the result of excessive intake of unhealthy fats, refined carbohydrates and lack of sufficient activity. The fix will not come from a prescription pad, you must change your diet and lifestyle in order to fix the problem. This article covers a number of tools and techniques for freeing your cells from the oppression of fat and lipotoxicity.

Parent Essential Fats (PEFs) – These are primarily vegetarian sources and are made up of the true essential fatty acids that cannot be made by the body. Examples of PEFs are alpha linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid from flax, chia and other nuts and seeds. Another example would be linoleic acid which is an omega-6 fatty acid from nuts and seeds. Neither can be made by the body and thus must be consumed. They are primarily used as building blocks for the second fundamental form of essential fatty acids—Essential Fatty Acid Metabolites (EFAMs).

Essential Fatty Acid Metabolites—EFAMs are the fatty acid metabolites that are made from the parent essential fatty acids. These are commonly found in animal sources such as meat and eggs because the animal has converted the PEFs into the active metabolites. The two most famous omega-3 fatty acids are EPA and DHA from fish, shrimp and wild game. These two are the most abundant essential fatty acid metabolites but are not the only important EFAMs. These can be made in the body and thus are not considered true essential fatty acids; however, if the body cannot produce sufficient amounts then these fatty acid metabolites become conditionally essential and thus must be consumed. There are a number of reasons why these fats may become conditionally essential. One big change in paradigm for me has been how we look at these EFAMs. We would often talk about how fish oil was the only omega-3 fatty acid supplement you needed because the fish has converted the PEFs for you; however, perhaps the body wants the ability to make the EPA, DHA and any other metabolites as it sees fit. As you will see, the new approach focuses on providing the body with higher levels of PEFs and smaller, supportive doses of the EFAMs such as the EPA and DHA found in fish oil. This will prevent an excess of active metabolites while allowing the body to decide how much EPA, DHA, and other metabolites it wants depending on need.

Why Can’t Some People Make Enough EFAMs?

There are a number of reasons why some people have difficulty converting the parent essential fatty acids into active essential fatty acid metabolites.
Genetics – Some people’s bodies just do not produce the necessary enzymes to convert the parent essential fats into the active metabolites. These people must include the EFAMs in their diet.

Trans fat consumption—I don’t need to preach the evils of trans fats, let me sum up the topic of trans fats by just saying this, “Trans fats are the devil.” They poison the system by occupying the membrane of the cell, crowding out healthy fats and inactivating the enzymes needed for proper conversion of PEFs. They have been linked to cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and other diseases.

Too little saturated fat intake—That’s right, you may not be getting enough saturated fat in the diet from clean sources. I am not talking about hydrogenated oils, I am talking about natural saturated fats from such sources as organic butter and coconut oil. It turns out that saturated fats are essential in the conversion of PEFs into EFAMs.

Certain metabolic health problems—Diabetes and Syndrome X cause a deficiency of certain enzymes needed for the conversion of PEFs into EFAMs. Other conditions and medications may also effect the ability to convert PEFs, especially omega-3 fatty acids, into the active metabolites. If you consider yourself to be in bad health then it is recommended that you take special care to get the EFAMs from omega-3 fatty acid sources such as fish oil, free-range egg and fish.

The omega-3 fatty acids are still considered one of the most important nutritional supplements that one can take. There are four reasons why this supplement is so high on our list of priorities:

Our diets are dangerously deficient in healthy, undamaged omega-3 fatty acids.
The way that we cook and process foods destroy the healthy qualities of the omega-3 fatty acids

We consume far too many omega-6 fatty acid containing foods
Our diets and lifestyles contribute to an inability to convert precursor essential fatty acids into active fatty acid metabolites. More on this later…

In a nutshell, there are many different fatty acids that are important to our health. Although we have a tendency to focus on the EPA and DHA, two fatty acids found in fish oil, it is important to note that there are many different types of fatty acid metabolites that are also important to the body. This is why we were never big fans of fish oil supplements that claim to “concentrate the omega-3 fatty acids and throw away the rest.”

When we evaluate the work of researchers who study the diets of our hunter/gatherer ancestors we find some pretty interesting stuff.

Our bodies appear to be built to function on a diet that contains an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of between 6:1 and 1:1. This means for every 1-6 grams of omega-6 fatty acids we should be getting 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids.
The primary source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, in our ancestors’ diets, was from plant sources. Wild game was more of a treat and thus the PEFs were likely the primary source of omega-3 fatty acids with small doses of the EFAM omega-3 fatty acids when available.

Our body is very efficient in absorption of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids and appears to have no system for controlling essential fatty acid uptake into the cell. This means that the concentration of PEFs and EFAMs in the cell are proportional to the intake. This likely stems from a relative scarcity of PEFs in the diet and a relative importance to health as we evolved. This means that if 10% of our fat consumption comes from essential fatty acids then our cell membranes will contain close to 10% of the fatty acids as those same EFAs.

Why Our Efficiency at Absorbing EFAs May Be Killing Us

As I have researched essential fatty acids and their impact on our health, I have concluded with more certainty than ever, that a healthy balance of proper fats is essential to the achievement of optimal health. On the flip side, the consumption of the wrong fats and/or damaged/oxidized fats is one of the most important contributors to disease. The reason for such a negative impact on our health seems to stem from the efficiency with which our body seems to absorb and utilize the fats that we consume.

Over the past century, our fat intake has changed dramatically. Whereas the consumption of essential fatty acids was somewhat scarce in our diet, now they are abundant. This abundance of essential fats, omega-3 fats included, can result in too much of a good thing as we started to cook, fry and otherwise process these fats in such a way that results in damaged/oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids. These damaged fats take advantage of our efficiency in absorbing healthy fat and end up entering the membranes of our cells. These oxidized fats ultimately cause dysfunction in the cell that seems to be a major player in the development of disease, especially heart disease, obesity and cancer. In addition, the abundance of omega-6 fatty acids, also oxidized, throws the balance of omega-3 fatty acids further out of whack. With the combined effect, we have the perfect storm for disease:

Unbalanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids which can reach a level of up to 20:1 in many diets.

The abundance of oxidized/damaged omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

In a nutshell, the average American’s cell membranes are full of oxidized fats and even if they were not oxidized, the imbalanced ratio alone would be sufficient to cause disease and dysfunction. We are in real trouble here. Did you know that scientists dissected the plaques of arteries from people who had died from heart disease and discovered almost no saturated fat in the arteries and plaques of these unlucky people? You know what they found plenty of? That’s right, oxidized omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Yet we spend so much time and money attacking saturated fats when in essence it is the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically oxidized omega-6 fats, that are to blame for many of our health problems. Saturated fats appear to be benign at worst and helpful at best!

Changing the Paradigm for Fats & Oils

I started the article by saying that I have been rethinking my approach to supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil. Let me now discuss my conclusions:

What we eat is more important than what we supplement with. We must first stop consuming oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids which means we want to avoid fried foods, especially those cooked and fried in oils which are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids such as: Canola oil, grapeseed oil, walnut oil, corn oil, safflower oil and soybean oil.

If you do cook, use extra virgin coconut oil or organic butter as these contain saturated fats that will not oxidize nor will they through the omega-6:omega-3 ratio out of balance. Do not worry about the saturated fats in these oils as they will not cause heart disease as the authorities report. I also like to snack on a combination of organic coconut flakes and chia seeds called CocoChia by a company called Living Fuel Rx. I consume s couple tablespoons daily, it is a delicious treat and provides both healthy saturated and omega-3 PEFs.

For many people, fish oil cannot be called an essential fatty acid because the body does have the capacity to make the EFAMs, EPA and DHA, that are found in fish. It should be considered conditionally essential in those groups who I discussed earlier in the article, however, for most of us these fats should be taken in as natural a form as possible and used in smaller quantities. They should also be used in the context as support for a lifestyle and diet that is low in cooked polyunsaturated oils, as described above. For general maintenance, we are recommending a new, whole food fish oil product that is called WholeMega by New Chapter . This formula is a brand new form of fish oil that is standardized to more than just EPA/DHA. In fact, it contains many different EFAMs that exist in smaller quantities but play critical roles in the health of the body. In addition, this product has a natural antioxidant that is built into the fish oil so as to prevent oxidation within the capsule and body. The recommended dose for many people is 2-4 capsules daily. In some people, higher doses of this or another fish oil may be needed.

Supplement with PEFs. The majority of the essential fatty acids should come from the parent essential fats, this will permit the body to make its own EFAMs as it sees fit. We should consume these fats raw and uncooked and they should compromise only a small percent of our caloric intake. According to fatty acid expert, Mary Enig, Ph.D., omega-3 fatty acids should compromise 1-1.5% of our caloric intake. If your daily caloric intake is 2,000 calories, you should consume 2.2-3.3 grams of PEF omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, we should consume 2-3% of our caloric intake as omega-6 fatty acids which means someone who eats 2,000 calories daily should consume 4.4-6.7 grams of omega-6 fats. This consumption can come from diet and/or supplements but it should be in an unadulterated form. I recommend the formula called Udo’s 3-6-9 Oil Blend which can be used as a liquid on top of prepared food or in capsule form as a supplement to prepared food.

Trans Fats should be avoided entirely. These fats are not naturally found in the diet and wreak havoc on the health of the body. Trans fatty acids will short-circuit our the efforts above. The government now requires that foods list the quantity of trans fat within prepared foods, however, the food industry has found creative ways to mask the trans fat content of food by making the serving size of food so small that it can legally say “Contains 0 grams of Trans fat”. In addition, the industry has replaced trans fats with a new kind of fat called interesterified fatty acids that may turn out to be worst than trans fats. We will talk more about this in the future.

Make sure that you eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables and supplement with plenty of antioxidants in order to protect these fats from unwanted oxidation.

Don’t be afraid of saturated fat or cholesterol in the diet. In fact, eating a free-range egg a day is a good practice to provide the body with important EFAMs, PEFs, antioxidants, amino acids, and phospholipids.

Watch your intake of refined carbohydrates. When you consume excessive levels of carbohydrates, the way that your body processes fats gets disturbed. We have discussed this in detail in previous articles and radio shows, so I will spare you today.

Get a copy of Know Your Fats by Dr. Mary G. Enig. This book, although quite technical, really does a good job of answering the questions around consuming healthy fats.

Many health issues are not adequately treated by conventional medical approaches. There are certainly very few cures for chronic health conditions. While many acute conditions are self-limited, that is, they get better over time on their own, healing may be accelerated reducing disability time using PEMF’s. Fractures are a good example. However, fractures still frequently do not heal adequately, and create significant disability, discomfort and lost time from work, while they are healing. Fractures, not only break bones, but also tear surrounding tissue. The soft tissue and the bones both have to heal. Pulsed electromagnetic fields have been found to decrease the healing time, of all wounds in the body. Conventional medical treatment may involve surgery, to be certain the bones heal properly or simply casting to protect the fracture from being disrupted from normal activity. Electromagnetic fields, go right through casts and bandages to accelerate the healing of the underlying tissues, including the bone.

Below is list of conditions, both acute and chronic that may benefit from short-term treatment with high-intensity magnetic fields to either provide significant relief from pain, discomfort, reduced function and/or disability to a point where conventional approaches may work better or other less intensive long-term therapies would be more useful for maintenance and control. Chronic pain conditions are usually managed in conventional medicine with painkillers, which are often potent, cause side effects or may lead to addictions. If nonconventional approaches are used, people may be able to reduce the need for potent painkillers.

Pulsed electromagnetic fields penetrate deep through the body and may facilitate the healing of most damaged, inflamed or non-functional tissues. However, PEMF’s may not restore tissues that are permanently scarred or dead. As with many other conventional therapies, it is not known what the benefit will be until after the therapy has been used for some time. This is because modern medical diagnostic approaches cannot always tell us the extent of damage in tissues and the potential for recovery.

Some conditions found to benefit from Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Ankle Sprain
Bell’s Palsy
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Cystic Fibrosis
Depression
Endometriosis
Epilepsy
Fractures
Hepatitis
Herniated Disk Disease, Acute
Lung Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscle Injury
Neck Pain
Pancreatitis
Parkinson’s Disease
Peripheral Neuritis
Polycystic Kidneys
Post-Herpetic Neuralgia
Prostate Hypertrophy
Pyriformis syndrome
Sciatica
Sickle Cell Anemia
Spinal Cord Injury
Stroke
Tinnitus
Torticollis
Tourette’s Syndrome
Traumatic Brain Injury
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Wound Healing

Call Your Prescription for Health 410-356-2169 ext 205 if you have an interest in getting treatment with this new health technology. We will design a treatment program for you that typically takes between 5-10 sessions spread out over several weeks. If you wish to know more about Electromagnetic Fields and how they may be of help, go to www.drpawluk.com. You would want to read the sections on Magnetic Field Basics – biologic actions; Health Topics and Treatment Basics.

According to the study:
1. Smoking kills 467,000 people ever year
2. High blood pressure kills 395,000 every year
3. Obesity kills 216,000 people yearly
4. Physical inactivity kills 191,000 yearly
5. High Salt intake kills 102,000 yearly
6. Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency kills 84,000
7. Trans-Fat intake kills 82,000
There are a few take home messages from this study. First, you can appreciate the totality of how your lifestyle choices impact your longevity. Many people come to us to ask us “what can I add to my program to improve my health?” My answer to them is, “what can we take away to improve your health?” Can we remove the cigarettes, the trans-fat, the excess salt, the 50 pounds that you are carrying around your midsection, etc. It makes no sense to focus on taking a fish oil if the person’s biggest vice is smoking which negatively impacts his health to a much greater degree than omega-3 deficiency. After we tackle these things then we can talk about adding things to improve health such as exercise, more fruits and vegetables and specific supplements.
Clearly, omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most important supplements on the market. In fact, I believe that this figure of 84,000 greatly underestimates the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Now would be a good time to renew your commitment to taking an omega-3 fatty acid formula. People often ask us about the best type of omega-3 to take. With so many choices, it can certainly can get confusing. Given the current evidence, I still believe that fish oil is the optimal form of omega-3 fatty acid. You may have heard of krill oil which is currently being marketed as a superior omega-3 fatty acid. Unfortunately, we just do not have sufficient evidence to confirm this claim. For now, fish oil would be the omega-3 of choice. We commonly recommend the Super Omega-3 from Your Prescription for Health as this is a potent and purified product that is certified to be free from heavy metals as well as lipid peroxides. Many other good brands exist out there and New Chapter is currently preparing to launch their own fish oil product. Krill oil may be a better choice for people who cannot take larger fish oil capsules, people who cannot tolerate fish oil and those who have severe problems absorbing fat.

There is good news though…we are learning at an alarming rate and slowly but surely putting together pieces of the puzzle of health and disease. I want to discuss one such piece of the puzzle that seems to explain why some organs lose function and could explain a key factor in the development of diabetes, heart failure and kidney failure to name a few. This process is known as…
Lipotoxicity.

The body has a nearly endless supply of storage bins for fat called “fat cells”. When we eat a meal that has more calories than we can use, it stores the excess away into little “baggy” cells called adipocytes (fat cells). Our bodies, as wondrous as they are, are outdated models for today’s modern world. They were designed under the stimulus of famine and are unable to handle the onslaught of fat and carbohydrates that define the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.).

Fat, as it turns out, is the least well metabolized form of energy in the body. This means that it is very easy to overwhelm the body with too much fat. When this happens the fat finds its way into cells of the muscle, pancreas, liver, kidneys and heart and thus been closely linked to a number of common health conditions:

1. Diabetes
2. Heart failure
3. Kidney failure
4. Fatty liver
5. Unexplained fatigue

These conditions can be attributed to what scientists have described as lipotoxicity, a term used to describe cells that are so full of unwanted fat that their function is severely compromised leading to disease. When left unchecked, lipotoxicity leads to another process called “lipoapoptosis” where the cells of organs literally die through a process I call “death by fat”. In a minute, I am going to discuss why this is happening and how to fix and prevent it from occurring.

Why does this happen?
Scientists are still piecing together the variables that must happen for lipotoxicity to occur. From what I can tell, there are two main culprits…

1. A diet high in omega-6 and long-chain saturated fats.
2. A diet high in carbohydrates that causes an increase in insulin levels
3. A sedentary lifestyle

The worst cases of lipotoxicity occur in people who combine all three of these variables. With that said, it is possible to develop lipotoxicity by taking in too much fat even in the absence of the other two variables. It is much more common, however, to see lipotoxic people who are guilty of all three violations of the above mentioned variables. Let’s talk about what happens with each…

When the body was developing, carbohydrates and proteins appeared to be fairly readily available. Thus the body found little need to store energy from these sources. So, when we eat a lot of calories from carbohydrates and protein, the body has no problem burning away excess energy from these two sources. Fat, however, is a prized commodity to our “Model T” bodies. This means evolution appears to have developed plenty of tools for storing fat, but few for burning it away. Thus, fat builds up very easily. Remember, humans of the Paleolithic years were likely quite skinny, not because they wanted to be but because food just was not that easy to come by. Humans, however, were not the only skinny creatures on earth. The animals that we killed for food were likely quite lean as well. Think about it, when was the last time you saw a fat deer? Fat just was not a very abundant source of energy so the body sopped it up like a sponge when we did wander upon an animal with some fat.

Today, however, fat is everywhere and the body cannot metabolize it fast enough. In fact, we take in so much fat that our bodies cannot even store it in fat cells fast enough. Thus, it ends up entering cells such as the muscles where it causes insulin resistance, the liver where it causes fatty liver, the heart where it causes heart failure and the kidneys where it leads to kidney dysfunction. The primary way that scientists develop rats afflicted with lipotoxicity is to feed them high fat diets.

So what do carbohydrates have to do with lipotoxicity? Well, carbohydrates are directly and indirectly responsible for lipotoxicity. In fact, I would consider carbohydrates to be the great multiplier for lipotoxicity. When we eat a lot of refined carbohydrates, two things happen…

1. Carbohydrates get converted into fat, thus adding to the “lipo-load” or “fat-load” of the body
2. Carbohydrates cause insulin to be secreted which acts as a carrier for fat to enter into fat cells as well as muscle and organ cells.

That one-two punch results in a multiplication of the lipotoxicity problem. The Standard American Diet is notorious for combining carbohydrates with fat. Examples include (just to name a few):

1. Hamburger (source of fat) and hamburger bun (source of carbohydrates)
2. French fries (source of carbohydrate and fat)
3. Pizza (Crust is a source of carbohydrate while cheese and pepperoni are a source of fat)
4. Steak (source of fat) and mashed potatoes (source of carbohydrate and fat)

Now I am seeing some health experts suggesting that you combine carbohydrates with fat in order to slow the absorption of the carbohydrates (lowering the glycemic index). That is the wrong approach!

To complete what can be described as the “perfect storm of lipotoxicity” we add to the mix a lifestyle almost devoid of activity. Aerobic activity kicks up fat burning, it literally liberates fat from muscles and organs helping to clear the pumps. When we are sedentary it is very easy to buildup fat stores in fat cells as well as muscles and organs. Exercise, in any form, kicks up a process called oxidation which burns fat away.
One final note about lipotoxicity. Our society is dealing with an epidemic of fatigue. It appears that our spunk has left us and it turns out Lipotoxicity could be to blame. The mitochondria are small organelles of the cell that are responsible for powering your body. When the cells get clogged up with fat, these organelles lose their function and can no longer power your body efficiently. When you are lipotoxic, you are running on reserve systems. These systems will keep your life support running but will not let you enjoy spunk and vitality.

In next week’s column I will talk about how to prevent and reverse lipotoxicity. If you are anxious to get started with reversing your lipotoxicity today, I will give you a hint…re-read the three variables that lead to lipotoxicity and do the opposite. Next week I will tell you about diet, lifestyle and supplements to reverse thus debilitating process that is responsible for so much disease and death in our society.

Dr. Sinclair pioneered the work that led to the discovery of a longevity gene called the sirtuin gene. They discovered that a special enzyme called “SIRT1″ is normally responsible for guarding and regulating the activity of certain genes associated with longevity and youth. It turns out that SIRT1 is also called into action when the DNA is damaged by everyday free radical stress. When this DNA damage occurs, the SIRT1 must devote its attention to repairing and regeneration and in turn ignores its role of promoting longevity and youth. The result is an unwanted acceleration of aging!

Food is potential energy and the role of digestion and metabolism is to turn the food material into energy. During this conversion, oxygen is used and free radicals are released. When free radicals are released in excess, this can result in damage to the DNA. The more food that your body has to metabolize the more free radical stress will be produced. Other things like toxins, exercise, stress and poor food choices can result in even more free radical stress. Controlled fasting appears to decrease the oxidative stress and thus allow SIRT1 to promote longevity and youth rather than be dedicated to repair of damaged DNA. In addition, the controlled fasting or calorie restriction could possibly result in an activation of the genes that promote the production of SIRT1.

What if we could promote more SIRT1 enzyme with a drug?

This is precisely the hope of scientists, to discover a drug that could be marketed as the fountain of youth. However, as I mentioned previously it appears that nature is way ahead of us. A natural compound known as resveratrol, appears to activate the SIRT1 gene thus promoting the production of more SIRT1 enzyme! This was a breakthrough discovery which has led to the development of resveratrol supplements which may help us live longer and healthier lives.

So how do we know that resveratrol will slow aging?

Well, we don’t know. Resveratrol’s benefits are still in the theory stage. Scientists have been able to genetically engineer mice to produce more SIRT1 enzyme. These mice live longer and appear to be protected from cancer when scientists inject mice with cancer-causing compounds. We also know that normal mice who are fed resveratrol also appear to achieve the same degree of protection and longevity as the mice who are genetically engineered to produce more SIRT1. Other animal studies have confirmed that resveratrol supplementation protects against other diseases such as heart attack, stroke, cancer, diabetes while also promoting longevity. Do, these results translate to benefits in humans? We hypothesize that they will, but given the evidence available we cannot be sure. Human trials are underway to help answer some of these questions.

Do I take resveratrol?

In short, yes, I do. I wrote an article about the benefits of whole food antioxidants and talked about the antioxidant formula that I use in my own program called Botanical Treasures by Natura Health Products. This formula contains 20 mg of resveratrol per two capsules and I take six capsules daily which will provide 60 mgs of resveratrol daily. In the animal studies, it has been determined that a human dose as low as 2 mg and as high as 2432 mg is considered safe and effective. As you can see, there is a wide discrepancy in dosage between the studies. Many of the studies found that a human-equivalent dose between 30 and 300 mg would be sufficient to have a therapeutic benefit. As human trials are completed and more light is shed on human dosing I may change this recommendation, however, for now it stands at 30-300 mg. Within the next month, Natura Health Products will be releasing a new resveratrol formula that will combine a pure resveratrol formula with other synergistic nutrients. We will alert you when it is released for those who want to supplement with extra resveratrol.

Summary:

Although I would love to say that resveratrol will absolutely prolong life and slow aging in humans, the research is quite preliminary. This places resveratrol into the class of supplement that is what I call a “supplement luxury” which means if money is no object, feel free to add it to the program based on the positive animal research to date. If money is tight, then I recommend that you dedicate those resources to more proven tools such as vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and whole food antioxidants. If the resveratrol happens to come along with other supplements, such as the Botanical Treasures, well then that is icing on the cake. Admittedly the research is intriguing and resveratrol is considered safe, who knows, it may one day prove to be the discovery of the century.

I once saw a funny tee shirt that reads “Eat well, exercise daily…die anyway.” Admittedly, this statement is a true statement, in the end something always gets us. The part that is left out of this witty testament, however, is what happens in between birth and death.

There is a story of a widow who was bringing her great-grandchild to visit her husband’s grave. When they arrive at the site she says to her great grandchild, “what do you think is the most important piece of information on the grave stone?” The child says, ” well his birth year, because if he were never born then we would not be here today.” She smiles and says, “no, try again.” He thinks for a second and says, “the date of his death then, because that is the day that we all remember him?” She replies, “no, but they are all good answers,” she continues, “the most important information on his grave stone is the little dash in between his birth year and the year of his death because it is how we live that matters!” There is great wisdom in that statement and that wisdom applies to our health. We cannot control our birthday, nor can we control the fact that one day we will leave this life, but we do have control over how long we stay and how we feel while we are here!

So let’s talk a bit about aging…

There are many theories about what causes us to age, some believe it is free radicals, some believe it is predetermined in our genetics, some believe it is the toxins and others believe it is stress. The truth of the matter is aging is likely a normal process that is controlled by all of the above mentioned factors and then many others that we have not yet described.

Researchers have not discovered a way to stop aging but they have discovered ways of slowing the process and in many situations reversing some of the ravages of premature aging. As with any situation, the first thing to do whenever we find ourselves in a ditch is to stop digging! Today’s article, is dedicated to one of the most important ways that we dig our hole deeper and thus speed the process by which we age. In addition, when we control this process we can actually see reversal of many of the signs of aging! So let’s get started with our discussion on a process called GLYCATION!

Glycation occurs when the body’s proteins react with sugar forming a substance in the body called Advanced Glycation End Products, AGEs for short. While glycation is a normal process of everyday metabolism, the rate of glycation and thus aging is significantly increased by the Standard American Diet (SAD) and lifestyle. We will talk more about this later. For now let’s continue with our discussion about what glycation is and why it is so devastating to health…

To help you visualize the process of glycation, imagine a fresh hamburger patty. When the patty is uncooked the patty is soft, pink and malleable, however, if we cook it, the patty turns brown and becomes harder and less shapeable. That browning effect comes from the proteins reacting with the sugars in the meat in a process similar to what happens in the body. That’s right, the meat gets “glycated” by the cooking process. In the body, glycation causes tissues to become harder, thicker and less pliable. This process results in:

1. Cataracts – The lens becomes cloudy and thicker until vision is impeded. This process is similar to the process of cooking an egg white. It starts out clear, but becomes white and cloudy after the proteins in the egg become glycated by the cooking process.
2. Hardening of the arteries
3. Wrinkles and loss of skin suppleness
4. Kidney damage and failure
5. Loss of muscle flexibility
6. Nerve damage

You can see how widespread and potent the aging effects of glycation can be to the tissues of the body. Because proteins make up a large percentage of the body’s structures, there is no tissue or organ that is safe from the process of glycation.

Glycation occurs more aggressively in diabetics and that is what makes this disease such a devastating condition. In fact, Lancet, a well respected, peer-reviewed journal, estimates that diabetes ages the average heart by 40 years. The majority of this problem is directly related to the glycation process. So what do we do about it?

Preventing and How to Reverse Glycation

Advanced Glycation End Products occur from many different reactions in the body. To achieve the most dramatic decrease in the glycation stress of the body we will want to implement a multifactor approach. With that said, we start with the most powerful way to decrease the formation of these powerful aging agents.

In chemistry, one way to decrease the number of chemical reactions that occur in a test tube is to simply add less of one of the chemicals. In the situation of glycation, the more sugar that is available, the more likely glycation is to occur. Simply decreasing the amount of sugar in the blood will decrease the amount of glycation that can occur, no other change in lifestyle will have such a dramatic effect on glycation.

For those of you who are saying, “but I don’t eat a lot of sweets!” you are not safe either if your diet is filled with carbohydrates like bread, pasta and cereals. In the body, these carbohydrates are digested and absorbed as sugar. So the first step is always, limit the amount of sugar AND carbohydrates in the diet (especially refined carbohydrates).

The second step to controlling glycation is to enhance the body’s ability to process and utilize sugar so that it doesn’t hang around and wreak havoc in the blood. This means EXERCISE! The more you exercise, the more sugar your body is able to burn away and the less sugar that is available to lead to glycation.

Now that we have talked about the bread and butter of controlling glycation we can talk about things that we can do to reverse glycation that has occurred before it causes permanent changes. Scientists have found that a number of nutritional components in the diet play a very important role in controlling glycation and even reversing it! These compounds include:

1. Carnosine, a combination of two amino acids beta-alanine and histidine. Research has found carnosine to be a potent inhibitor of glycation. In test tube studies, carnosine has been able to reverse aging damage to cells resulting in more youthful and efficient function. In one human study, 15 healthy subjects were given histidine and carnosine. The researchers found that these compounds protected the LDL (bad cholesterol) from glycation and oxidation. In order to achieve a significant blood level, it is recommended that 1,000-1500 mg of carnosine be used in a supplement program.
2. Benfotiamine is a fat soluble form of thiamine. Aside from benfotiamine’s anti-glycation effect it also appears to protect enzymes, heal damaged nerves and decrease inflammation which is triggered by elevated blood sugar. 150 mg once or twice daily.
3. Beta-alanine is an amino acid which is the precursor to carnosine. While carnosine appears to work on the fast forming glycation compounds, beta-alanine acts on slower forming glycating products. Recent studies suggest that beta-alanine significantly increases carnosine production in the muscles. Recommended dose is 1,000 mg twice daily.

Glycation is, no doubt, one of the most powerful promoters of the aging process and although we may not be able to stop it entirely; using diet, exercise and cutting-edge supplements we can significantly inhibit it and even reverse some of the damage caused by already existing Advanced Glycation End Products.

If you have metabolic syndrome or diabetes then you will want to take an aggressive stance on fighting these harmful compounds. Although the science of these supplements is in the early stages of discovery, I feel that there is sufficient scientific evidence to warrant their use. I feel that we can expect to see a decrease in complications associated with diabetes and possible a slowing of the aging process in otherwise healthy people. I look forward to confirming this hypothesis as more research comes to light.

The items described in this article have been combined into one formula called Mitochondrial Optimizer by Life Extensions.