Type 2 Diabetes & Insulin

Type 2 diabetes can be summed up as too much sugar in the body, rather than just blood sugar that’s too high. This happens USUALLY by consuming too much sugar and carbohydrates too often and this ends up with the body having no where to put the extra sugar that is eaten. A bit like trying to stuff more clothes in a suitcase that is already full, so the clothes spill out, a bit like the sugar spilling out into the blood, giving high blood sugar which then leads to insulin resistance where the body ‘ignores insulin’.

Insulin lowers blood sugar by moving it into different cells, but if the cells are already full of sugar they can’t take anymore sugar, like trying to get on the tube in London when its packed.

The liver can make this extra sugar into fat which can be stored on the body or in the liver (non alcoholic fatty liver). This means a lot of people with fatty liver which often comes with insulin resistant should be cutting out sugar and carbs, rather than  good fats.

Pre-diabets, type 2 diabetes and fatty liver can be ‘reversed’ by fasting, ketogenic diet or just calorie restriction as it will force the body to use up its sugar supply and help with insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity is where the body responds properly to insulin, rather than ignoring it.

When insulin and sugar levels are high in the body, mTOR is activated and this is the main growth pathway in the body, so it will cause all cells to grow, including cancer cells. mTOR is not bad at all if it is not on all the time, but if mTOR is on all the time and the person is in ‘growth and storage’ mode all day then this makes a favourable environment for cancer to grow in. Cancer is complicated and it is not just about mTOR, sugar and insulin but this is why some people choose to fast, limit calories or sugar for health reasons.

People can also get insulin resistant / Type 2 diabetic due to stress, lack of exercise prolonged poor sleep and lack of/loss of muscle mass so it is not diet alone.

Plant molecules or neutraceuticals

As type 2 diabetes is multi faceted there are certain plant molecules that can help and have other benefits even if you don’t have insulin resistance as long as they are used in conjunction with other lifestyle changes.

Berberine  can modulate autophagy in adipose tissue to help prevent weight gain  and metabolic syndrome (pre diabetes) as well as protect against atherosclerosis (blocked arteries) . Berberine activates AMPK  inhibits mTOR and upregulates PPARγexpression. Berberine helps regulate glucose metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity. Berberine also increases production of new mitochondria, which are what use fat and glucose in the body to make energy.

Metformin also activates AMPK and inhibits mTOR, which is why some biohackers use it for its potential anti-ageing and anti-cancer effects. Metformin works to inhibit AMPK and lower blood sugar  by slightly different mechanism to berberine.

Metformin has some gut related side effects like diarrhoea and  wind as well as possibly lowering B12 levels, where as berberine can help with some gut issues. Berberine has bad bioavailability so better used in liposomal form.

Cinnamon activates AMPK which then activates glucose utilisation and improves fat burning (if in a calorie deficit or in ketosis). Cinnamon improves metabolism by lowering fasting blood glucose levels and Hemoglobin HBA1c, a measure of average blood glucose levels over time. Cinnamon contains a key bioactive compound, trans-cinnamic aldehyde, which decreases bacterial survival by activating autophagy in microbial invaders, which can help ward off infections.

Milk Thistle is well-known for its liver-protective properties and Silibinin &  silybin from milk thistle inhibit mTOR  Silibinin activates AMPK, and can restore NAD+ levels in non-alcoholic fatty liver as fatty liver and type 2 diabetes come together most of the time.

Li C, He J et al. Berberine regulates type 2 diabetes mellitus related with insulin resistance 2017 Jun;42(12):2254-2260.

Santos HO, da Silva GA. To what extent does cinnamon administration improve the glycemic and lipid profiles? Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018 Oct;27:1-9

Salomone F, Barbagallo I et al. Silibinin Restores NAD+ Levels and Induces the SIRT1/AMPK Pathway in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver. Nutrients. 2017 Sep 30;9(10

Deng Y, Xu J. et al. Berberine attenuates autophagy in adipocytes by targeting BECN1. Autophagy, 2012; 10(10), 1776–1786

Fan A, Wang J. Berberine alleviates ox-LDL induced inflammatory factors by up-regulation of autophagy via AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. Journal of Translational Medicine, 2015; 13(1), 92.

Yao Z, Wan Y. Berberine induces mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis and protective autophagy in human malignant pleural mesothelioma NCI-H2452 cells. Oncol Rep. 2018 Dec;40(6):3603-3610

Choi Y, Lee K et al. Activation of AMPK by berberine induces hepatic lipid accumulation by upregulation of fatty acid translocase CD36 in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2017 Feb 1;316:74-82

Wang J, Qi Q. Berberine induces autophagy in glioblastoma by targeting the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1-pathway. Oncotarget. 2016 Oct 11;7(41):66944-66958

Mahmoud AM, Hozayen WG et al. Berberine ameliorates methotrexate-induced liver injury by activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and PPARγ, and suppressing oxidative stress and apoptosis in rats. Biomed Pharmacother. 2017 Oct;94:280-291

Li C, He J et al. Berberine regulates type 2 diabetes mellitus related with insulin resistance 2017 Jun;42(12):2254-2260.

Kong W, Zhang H et al. Berberine reduces insulin resistance through protein kinase C-dependent up-regulation of insulin receptor expression Metabolism. 2009 Jan;58(1):109-19

Gomes AP, Duarte FV et al. Berberine protects against high fat diet-induced dysfunction in muscle mitochondria by inducing SIRT1-dependent mitochondrial biogenesis. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2012 Feb;1822(2):185-95

87. FEng K, Chen Z et al. Quercetin attenuates oxidative stress-induced apoptosis via SIRT1/AMPK-mediated inhibition of ER stress in rat chondrocytes and prevents the progression of osteoarthritis in a rat model J Cell Physiol. 2019 Mar 10.[Epub ahead of print]

88. Kim SG, Kim JR et al. Quercetin-Induced AMP-Activated protein kinase activation attenuates vasoconstriction through LKB1-AMPK signaling pathway. J Med Food. 2018 Feb;21(2):146-153

89. Klappan AK, Hones S. Proteasome inhibition by quercetin triggers macroautophagy and blocks mTOR activity Histochem Cell Biol. 2012 Jan;137(1):25-36

90. Wang K, Liu R et al. Quercetin induces protective autophagy in gastric cancer cells: involvement of Akt-mTOR- and hypoxia-induced factor 1alpha mediated signaling. Autophagy 2011: 7, 966–978.

91. Klappan AK, Hones S. Proteasome inhibition by quercetin triggers macroautophagy and blocks mTOR activity. Histochemistry and Cell Biology 2012; 137, 25–36.

92. Beekman K, Rubió L. The effect of quercetin and kaempferol aglycones and glucuronides on peroxisome proliferator activated receptorgamma (PPAR-γ). Food Funct., 2015, 6, 1098–1107

93. Escande E, Nin V et al. Flavonoid apigenin Is an inhibitor of the NAD+ ase CD38 implications for cellular NAD+ metabolism, protein acetylation, and treatment of metabolic syndrome. Diabetes, 20113; 62(4), 1084-1093.

94. Li X, Wang H et al. Protective effects of quercetin on mitochondrial biogenesis in experimental traumatic brain injury via the Nrf2 signaling pathway. PLoS One. 2016 Oct 25;11(10):e0164237

95. Shaik Y, Caraffa A. Impact of polyphenols on mast cells with special emphasis on the effect of quercetin and luteolin. Cent Eur J Immunol. 2018;43(4):476-481

96. Jiang K, Wang W et al. Silibinin, a natural flavonoid, induces autophagy via ROS-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction and loss of ATP involving BNIP3 in human MCF7 breast cancer cells. Oncol Rep. 2015 Jun;33(6):2711-8

97. Duan WJ, Li QS et al. Silibinin activated ROS-p38-NF-κB positive feedback and induced autophagic death in human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells. J Asian Nat Prod Res. 2011 Jan;13(1):27-35

98. Bai ZL, Tay V. Silibinin induced human glioblastoma cell apoptosis concomitant with autophagy through simultaneous inhibition of mTOR and YAP. Biomed Res Int. 2018 Mar 26;2018:6165192

99. Feng N, Luo J et al. Silybin suppresses cell proliferation and induces apoptosis of multiple myeloma cells via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Mol Med Rep. 2016 Apr;13(4):3243-8.

100. Serviddio G, Bellanti F et al. Silybin exerts antioxidant effects and induces mitochondrial biogenesis in liver of rat with secondary biliary cirrhosis. Free Radic Biol Med. 2014 Aug;73:117-26

101. Liu X, Xu Q et al. Silibinin-induced autophagy mediated by PPARα-sirt1-AMPK pathway participated in the regulation of type I collagen-enhanced migration in murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Mol Cell Biochem. 2019 Jan;450(1-2):1-23

102. Salomone F, Barbagallo I et al. Silibinin Restores NAD+ Levels and Induces the SIRT1/AMPK Pathway in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver. Nutrients. 2017 Sep 30;9(10

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This blog is about detox and women of all ages. Detox  is one of those words we have all heard but most people don’t know what detox really is or how to do it.

Doing a biochemical detox has huge benefits for women of all ages, including mums who are thinking about starting a family, so before the unborn baby, more like the  level of the ‘unmade baby’.

Biochemical detox is a process that the body does every day at the cellular level up to the levels of organs. This means there are many moving parts in detoxification that have to work together seamlessly to escort the toxins out of the body. Due to many factors, including gut health, liver function, infections, toxin load  and age our bodies often need help with the detoxification process.

Detox is a word associated with green smoothies and getting off drugs or alcohol,  in my view as biochemist this is in part why people get mislead or confused.

Detox 101

To do a biochemical detox the body has to prepared

• You  sufficient vitamins and minerals to perform the biochemical reactions needed to remove toxins
• Your gut needs to be healed and healthy
• Sufficient bile flow is need
• The toxins needs to be ‘pushed out of cells’ using specific compounds  and transported
• The toxins needs to be caught in the gut using binders so they can be removed
• The kidneys and skin need to assist with toxin removal via urine and sweat

Without getting too technical here are some examples of toxins. They all affect the brain and body in unfavorable ways and some people are more sensitive than others. Too many toxins,  not enough nutrients and inflammation are at the root of disease.

• Heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic
• Pesticides/herbicides
• Plastics, dyes, some ingredients in cosmetics/cleaning products and fire retardants
• Drugs and medications in the water
• Mould toxin, bacterial toxins and endotoxin (made in our own bodies)
• Plant toxins like oxalates

Toxins interfere with metabolism, nutrient absorption, mood, energy levels, sleep, brain function, the immune system as well as creating inflammation which leads to pain and other disease.

It is much better to take out things out of the body  which shouldn’t be in the body first, before adding in medication as lot of problems go away when the toxins go away.

Planning a baby

Firstly, toxins can interfere with hormones in men and women, making it harder to get pregnant. Secondly it is much better to do a detox before getting pregnant as the toxins can be passed to the baby and its hard work being pregnant and many toxins cause fatigue. Thirdly, mercury is a funny toxin in that if mum is exposed to lots of mercury, instead of producing a mercury resistant baby there is evidence that the opposite can happen, which is a mercury sensitive child.

Pregnancy

As doing a detox during pregnancy has not been researched it should be avoided. However avoiding toxins and toxic people during pregnancy will make a big different. That would be avoiding high mercury fish like tuna or swordfish, avoiding excess cosmetics/cleaning products, avoiding high oxalate foods (chard, spinach, potatoes, sweet potatoes, almonds, nuts)  and taking care of gut health to manage endotoxin.

Children

There is a link between toxin load and gut issues and ADHD and autism.  Detoxification can be safely done with children with a practitioner as long as there are blood tests to identify toxin load (some cant be identified like mould or oxalates) and evidence there is leaky gut/gut infections. Its  a good idea to limit the toxins children encounter and there is movement to make sure play areas, toys and children’s cosmetics are low or toxin free, but it’s a good idea to check or choose low toxin.

Teens

As we grow older we naturally accumulate more toxins and teen years have other stresses like puberty, social media and school. Under the supervision of a parent biochemical detoxification is safe for teens and can be very helpful if there are hormone imbalances or mental health concerns. Toxins have adverse effects on the brain and are linked to anxiety and depression. Many teens are on anti-depressants and anti anxiety medication unnecessarily and we don’t know the long term affects of brain chemistry altering drugs on a developing brain.

Young adults

Similar to teens except they now have control over diet and can make their own decisions about health. Many teens/young adults got OTT with alcohol, processed food and drugs. Young women also use contraceptive which are synthetic estrogens and the body can have a hard time removing these when other toxins are present. Lyme disease, herpes, Epstein- Barr (glandular fever), yeast infections   and other microbes can now rear their heads. Microbial detox (viruses, bacteria, yeast, fungi & parasites) goes very well with toxin removal as the protocol is very similar. Toxins weaken the body so the microbes have more control. The microbes interfere with toxin removal, so removing toxins and microbes together is more effective.

30s – 40s

This is the age when ageing can start to show up and very conveniently the detoxification pathway in the body, the glutathione system and nrf-2 strongly link in to the anti-ageing pathway. Lots of the compounds used in detox like quercetin, resveratrol and berberine are known to have anti-ageing properties if they are used in the correct form. Toxins interfere with sleep, metabolism, fat burning and energy production, ‘early middle aged spread or weight gain’ can be avoided. As we age our bodies are less efficient at making glutathione which is our body’s most powerful detox molecule, is a strong anti oxidant and protects the brain. Glutathione is used as standard in a detox, but lots of people carry on using it afterwards during times of stress or just as a supplement.

50s-60s

The menopause can be easy for some and traumatic for others. Some of the plant compounds like gentian, solidago, luteolin  and CBD used in detox are also useful for balancing mood and hormones, making it easier to manage some of the symptoms which arise in the menopause. Toxins and bad sleep on top of hormone issues make the menopause  worse.

Toxins like lead encourage osteoporosis, which is thinning of the bones and women post menopause are more at risk of osteoporosis. During a detox it is necessary to make sure you have sufficient minerals and vitamins, particularly vitamin K2 If someone is at risk of osteoporosis. Lots of people benefit from the pre-tox, which is getting ready to do a detox and this is where people make sure they have a enough nutrients and the body is ‘detox’ ready.

As we age we become more insulin resistant which can then lead to type 2 diabetes and other disease. Some of the symptoms of insulin resistance are weight gain, inability to lose weight, fat around the middle and sugar cravings. Certain nutraceuticals  in the fasting plans contain berberine which is can help with blood sugar and insulin resistance. Fasting is often used along side detox as it makes it more efficient and fasting is brilliant way to control insulin resistance or blood sugar. Older people aren’t as good at something called ‘autophagy’ which is when the body ‘spring cleans’ and gets rid of old and damaged cells. Not enough autophagy is linked to disease so older people need to fast more, so it is perfectly safe if done properly.

70+

You are never too old to start a detox plan. The older you get the more toxins you collects so it makes sense to get them out as they burden the body and it does not deal so well with burdens as we age.  My 74 yr old mother is doing  a detox at the moment. She is not keen on the fasting so she is doing no carbs until evening meal and using something called keto before 6 on those days which contains berberine, milk thistle, cinnamon, resveratrol and quercitin. She is doing a full detox on the other days using something called liver sauce which has toxin push so nrf-2 activators and alpha lipoic acid, immune support and liver support in it, along with binders, some CBD and glutathione. She  is also using H2 elite which is hydrogen producing supplement as hydrogen is an anti oxidant and I also gave her a grounding pillow.

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Marijuana or cannabis  has been used medicinally for thousands of years and offer many health benefits, particularly for inflammation and pain. CBD or cannabidiol is one of the medicinal compounds and it is legal in many countries.

• Chronic pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia
• Autoimmune diseases (inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis)
• Gut disorders (colitis, IBS, Leaky GutCrohn’s)
• Neurological conditions (Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Huntington’s, stroke, traumatic brain injury)
• Metabolic syndrome (diabetes, obesity)
• Neuropsychiatric illness (autism, ADHD, PTSD, alcoholism)
• Cardiovascular dysfunction (atherosclerosis, arrhythmia)
• Skin disease (acne, dermatitis, psoriasis)
• Some cancers

If you would prefer to watch my video all about cannabis and CBD here it is.

Cannabis plants contains lots of alkaloids or ‘active plant molecules like CBD, CBG, THC, CBC and more. Scientists are still discovering new compounds in cannabis.

THC is the compound which makes people high or ‘stoned’
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the more medical compound which offers the health benefits, although THC still plays a role if used in small amounts.

Cannabis Receptors and Endocannabinoids

There are 2 types of cannabis receptors (locks) in the body CB 1 and CB 2. CB1 is mainly in the brain and central nervous system and CB2 is in the rest of the body, particularly the immune cells.

We make our own endo-cannabinoids,  Anandamide and 2-Arachidonly Glycerol 2AG (keys) which go in the CB1 and CB2 receptors.

Anandamide is released in ‘exercise highs’ and ‘flow states’ Mediation causes the body to make more anandamide and CBD increases the pool of anandamide and 2AG. So CBD helps you make your own cannabinoids.

Does CBD work on its own?

By itself THC can only press the getting high button, which are the CB1 receptors.

CBD can’t bind the CB 2 receptors (the healing buttons) or CB1 itself,’ but it makes the CB2 receptor or ‘button sensitive’ so now the THC can press the CB2 button to switch on all the good effects

CBD also helps anandamide and 2AG press the CB2 button

CBD turns on detox genes in the gluthathione system or pathway by activating nrf-2. This natural detox system is also part of anti-ageing system in the body, which can also be activated by fasting. CBD also helps control inflammation by turning down inflammatory genes and turning up anti-inflammatory genes.

CBD can activate AMPK which is a protein or a ‘metabolic switch’. AMPK does lots of useful things including helping to close up leaky junctions like leaky gut. AMPK is activated during fasting and to some extent a ketogenic diet.

THC can only press the CB 2 healing button when CBD is there, THC can’t turn on genes or activate AMPK. So it is a myth that CBD can’t work without THC. But the THC being there does add more ooomf to the system .

CBD and the Brain

When a person is stressed or in fight or flight they DON’T heal, detox or digest properly. The GABA system is associated with relaxation.

Lots of toxins make people stressed by potentiating the GLUTAMATE pathway which then pushes the person into fight or flight. These toxins  are mercury, glyphosate and endotoxins.

This over excitement in the brain  encourages free radical production in the brain which causes  neuro-inflammation. This produces brain fog but also makes all other neurological conditions like Parkinson’s, Dementia and MS worse.

CBD helps balance the GABA – GLUTAMATE systems so this is why it is helpful for people with neurodegenerative conditions, adrenal fatigue and during a detox.

Thank you for reading – Please get in touch if you have any questions or want to book a consultation with me

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Detoxification is a natural process inherent to the human body. It is a complicated biochemical process involving many reactions, a healthy liver, gut, kidneys and a means for the toxins to get out, which is by pooing, weeing or sweating them out. I haves implified it and given suggestions.

Fat stores toxins and anything which liberates fat will release toxins eg fasting, exercising, being ill or losing weight by adopting a lifestyle that works for you. Its just how biology works

Over time, our bodies accumulate a variety of toxins from our environment, cosmetics, plastic, food sources (eg methyl mercury from fish), inorganic mercury from tooth fillings. Inflammation inhibits detox and more toxins create inflammation.

SOME EXAMPLES OF TOXIN OVERLOAD SYMPTOMS

Mercury – Fatigue (slows down energy production), anxiety (ramps up fight or flight system via glutamate), thyroid issues.

Lead – Fatigue, mood disorders, headaches, high blood pressure

Plastics/pthaltes/fire retardants- Hormone disruption (thyroid) and estrogen mimetics (irritability, weight gain, brain fog, inflammation, some cancers)

Bacterial endotoxin (LPS) – From leaky gut, infected root canal. These are bits of broken up bacterial makes body think you have a full infection. Systemic inflammation, brain fog

Efficient detoxification depends on a series of seamless reactions that bind toxins to shuttle molecules and “escort” them out through a series of doors. The glutathione system is the most important of the detoxification systems and includes glutathione and the enzymes that work with it. The detoxification process proceeds in three parts or “phases”, Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III.

BRIEF BIOCHEMISTRY / ANATOMY OF HOW TO DETOX

1. The toxin needs to be pulled out of the cell (alpha lipoic acid helps) or released from fat (do something that burns fat)
2. Glutathione or other molecules bind the toxin and ‘tag it for removal. It gets put into bile. This means the liver needs to be healthy. Fatty liver, leaky liver, stressed liver or glutathione deficient liver will struggle
3. Enough bile needs to be made and this is dumped in the small intestine. There are specific ingredients needed to make the bile ‘flow’ like choline and cholesterol
4. If the gut is inflamed or cant get the bile + toxins out they get reabsorbed and stay in body
5. Using binders such as activated charcoal, xeolites, activated citrus pectin, clay and certain gums will bind to the toxins and then they get pooed out
6. The kidney is quite delicate so should only be allowed a little bit of the toxin load and not all toxins can come out in the wee and sweat.

This is relevant to everybody and it doesn’t mean you can’t use cosmetics, eat fish etc you just need to make sure the detox system is working properly at all phases.

It takes months to get the heavy metals out for example lead likes to go in bones so makes osteoporosis worse as it is liberated as the bones break down and also dumps lead in the blood stream.
Mercury inhibits pretty much all enzymes so goes all over the body.

Detoxing is important to consider BEFORE planning a baby

The hormone disruptors from plastics/household chemical hide in fat so when people fast, do a keto diet, go on a fitness kick etc the toxins come rushing out and either mess up the weight loss or give people fasting flu or keto flu, so they give up.

If you want to learn more about detoxification please get in touch

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Researchers are discovering that inflammation may be at the root of diseases as diverse as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease  is the most prevalent form of dementia, but the exact biological mechanism of this disease is not fully understood. Alzheimer’s disease  is highly correlated with neuro-inflammation and oxidative stress in brain causing neuronal loss and cognitive impairment.

Nuclear factor of activated B-cells (NF-κB) is involved in physiological inflammatory processes and thus representing a promising target for inflammation therapy for inflammatory diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Phytochemicals (plant alkaloids or botanicals) are able to interfere with the NF-κB pathway.

These phytochemicals inhibit the phosphorylation or the ubiquitination of signalling, which is like a ‘start inflammation tag’. Blocking this process  inhibits  the degradation of IκB and  NF-κB is unable to go into the nucleus  of the cells or bind to DNA to switch on genes which produce  pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Pro inflammatory cytokines include tumor necrosis factor, interleukins, lymphokines, monokines, interferons, colony stimulating factors, and transforming growth factors produced by monocytes, T-cells, platelets, and endothelial cells. These molecules are part of the body’s defences and are supposed to be for acute inflammation or ‘short term use’.

Problems and disease arises when the levels of cytokines rise when there are no ‘invaders’ in body or stay elevated for long periods of time (chronic systemic inflammation).

A list of some plant molecules have been shown anti-inflammatory effects in Alzheimer’s  models in vitro as well as in vivo.

• Curcumin – Tumeric
• Resveratrol – Coloured berry skins
• Pterostilbene –  Related to resveratrol various Vaccinium berries
• Punicalagin – Pomegranates and bush willow
•  Macranthoin G – Eucommia ulmoides bark  (small tree native to China), is a derivative from chlorogenic acid methyl ester and caffeic acid
•  Salidroside – glucoside of tyrosol found in the plant Rhodiola rosea.
•  4-O-methylhonokiol – It is found in the bark of Magnolia grandiflora
•  lycopene– Lycopene is a carotenoid found in tomatoes
• Obovatol – Isolated from the bark of Magnolia obovata
•  Gallic acid a type of phenolic acid, found in gallnuts, sumac, witch hazel, tea leaves, oak bark
•  Galantamine – bulbs and flowers of Galanthus snowdrops  daffodils  .^[
• Glaucocalyxin B, –  aerial parts of Rabdosia japonica
• Tetrandrine –  Stephania tetrandra S Moore,^[1] and other Chinese and Japanese herbs
•  Berberine – Barberry and goldenseal
• Oridonin – Chinese medicinal herb Rabdosia rubescens
• Anatabine –Solanaceae family, including tobacco, tomatoes, and eggplants
•  Tanshinone IIA – Root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge
•  Artemisinin –  Artemisia annua, sweet wormwood
• Dihydroasparagusic acid – Dihydroasparagusic acid is the reduced form of asparagusic acid, from Asparagus plants.
• Geniposide – present in fruit of Gardenia jasminoides.(related to coffee)
•  Xanthoceraside – from the husks of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge
• 1,8-cineole – 1,8-Cineole (11, eucalyptol) is an achiral aromatic component of many plants, including Salvia and Eucalyptus leaves
• Paeoniflorin –  Derived from Paeonia lactiflora

The doses contained in plants alone is not enough for therapeutic effects and because plants contain lots of other compounds, some of which are harmful (oxalates or lectins), toxix or block the absorption of mineral. In addition some plants / fruits contain a lot of sugar so it undoes all the anti inflammatory effects.

In my view it is better to seek out the pure botanical rather than eat the whole plant. In the correct dose these compounds may help with inflammation and neurodegenerative disease, how ever more is not better as they can be harmful at higher doses

Seo EJ, Fischer N, Efferth T Phytochemicals as inhibitors of NF-κB for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Pharmacol Res. 2018

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‘Don’blame ancient foods for modern disease’

Here is a list of key, cheap nutrients for a healthy heart.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is athlerogenenic as homocysteine levels go up.

Niacin (flush version) / Vit B3- regresses plaques on angiograms , reduces heart attcks by a greater % than statins do

Good quality Fish oils that aren’t oxidised or better just roe or caviar with EPA & DHA.

Magnesium balances calcium, acts a relaxant and 70% of Americans are deficient in magnesium due to depleted soils, making it hard to obtain enough from diet. 

Vitamin K2 is important for partitioning calcium, so sending it where it is needed like bones and teeth and away from arteries and soft tissue- butter, cheese & natto contains a lot of K2 and many believe the Japanese (who live in Japan) low level of heart disease is due to their natto rich diet.

Vitamin D3 plays a role in 100s if reactions in the body and is needed for heart health. Fear of the sunlight, living in a region with little sun or just simply spending too much time indoors causes vitamin D3 deficiency.

Eating heart which Is very cheap (and nice ) will also provide heart healthy nutrients and glandular/organ therapy 101 says “eat the organ or gland you wish to heal in yourself” so works for adrenal and liver issues. 

The best way to check your heart health and avoid a premature heart attack is to have a CAC or calcium scan. Ask your GP to book you one if you are concerned

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This isn’t a post about the core or Pilates powerhouse, but it does involve useful advice if you feel like you lack energy or are interested in anti-ageing. It is about the mitochondria, which are key for energy production in the body. Damaged mitochondria increase inflammation and promote disease and obesity. This blog is also about how we are more of a bag of bacteria than we ever believed and how not being aware of this can be making us slow, tired and fat.

What is the powerhouse of the cell? 

Lets go back in time…..

A long long time ago as in billions of years when there was more oxygen in the atmosphere than there is today and was poisonous to many life forms. Some species of bacteria, including purple bacteria  were able to take oxygen and create a substance which is the universal energy currency of the cell known as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.  We can live for at least three weeks without food,  for about two to three days without water. But without ATP, we would die in seconds.

To cut a very long story, short relics of this ancient bacterium is still living within us and continues to create ATP, the energy that our cells need in order to function – it is called the mitochondria and is The power house of the cell. The most important thing our mitochondria do is extract energy from the food we eat, combine it with oxygen, and make ATP. Without them we couldn’t live and in turn we are their home, but who is in charge us or them? Or are we a team? New research  shows that, these bacteria are in charge of what we do, way more than scientists ever expected.

On average our cells contains between nine hundred and two thousand two hundred  mitochondria. The cells in body that require the most energy  are the brain, eyes (retina), and heart. These cells have  about ten thousand mitochondria each. We have more mitochondria than the number of bacteria living in our  gut!

Not only do our mitochondria keep us alive they determine how our body reacts to the world around use. When our mitochondria become more efficient, our mental and physical performance increases. The better your mitochondria are at making energy, the better your body and mind will perform, the more you can do, and the better you will feel while doing it and the faster you will recover.

Mitochondria also in charge of other essential tasks such as transmitting signals between cells, cellular differentiation (a means one type of cell transforms into another), and maintaining the cycle of cell growth and cell death cycles. So to sum it up mitochondria create all the power, control communication, and decide what lives and dies (and when). These little bacteria are actually way more in charge of our biology than we thought.

Therefore, it is sensible to conclude that anything designed to kill bacteria is also going to hurt or harm our mitochondria. It has already been shown that tetracycline (an antibiotic) is a harmful to mitochondria. Fungi and mould have been the at constant war with each other long before we came on this earth, sort of microbial warfare. That means moulds, fungi, yeast etc have all kinds of weapons and toxins designed to kill bacteria of course mitochondria. In fact many antibiotics such as penicillin, streptomycin are made by fungi. If its in your food or in your house, mold can negatively impact your brain.

Many mold toxins are direct mitochondrial toxins. This is a huge problem, but few people know about this or talk about it. About the 25 percent of the population are very sensitive to mould toxin these people get extra inflammation and sickness  from exposure to mold. The rest of us just pass it off as a ‘bad day’. In fact, in a study about 85% of people with chronic fatigue tested positive to mold toxins compared to 0% in the healthy group.

What happens to our cells when the mitochondria are sick?

• If neurons and nerve cells have energy problems, you get cognitive issues and brain fog.
• If heart cells  have mitochondrial defects, you get heart problems and feel tired.
• If myocytes (muscle cells) can’t or don’t  make energy, you see symptoms of the dreaded fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
• If  intestinal cells have energy problems, you see leaky gut and autoimmune diseases.
• Damaged mitochondria are inefficient and trigger inflammatory pathways in the body

Poor mitochondrial function lead  our body to create molecules that cause inflammation, and these molecules then damage our mitochondrial function even more. And that leads to sugar cravings! Eating sugar causes insulin levels to spike, which triggers the release of inflammatory cytokines, which lead to weight gain, which leads to insulin sensitivity so it’s a vicious cycle.  Omega-6s oils (usually vegetable oils) are the building blocks of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids which also add to this inflammation bomb and we haven’t even started to talk about the environmental factors.

When you take into consideration all of the ways that inflammation affects the body, it becomes  clear that many chronic diseases start out looking very similar on a cellular and biochemical level. Diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, osteoporosis Fibromyalgia and other degenerative diseases are all the result of mitochondria problems.

It is pretty clear now that nearly every cause of lowered energy production in our body  lays the foundations for progressive declines in appearance, performance, stamina, strength, mental abilities and the development of chronic diseases.

What can we do ?

In Part 2 of this blog I will give you more tools to help you protect your mitochondria but here is the start.

• Check your home and office for water  leaks and address any potential mold issues right away.
•  Keep track of how you feel in different environments—you might discover that one or more of the places you spend a lot of time in contain toxins.
• Mitochondria and gut bacteria love polyphenols. There are many different kinds found in coffee, dark chocolate, green tea, tart cherry anthocyanins, pomegranate, grape skin, grape seed, green banana flour. You can buy polyphenol supplements with a blend of different types.
• Mold toxins, heavy metals, and some pharmaceutical drugs are directly toxic to your mitochondria.
• Activated charcoal or activated coconut charcoal (best version) is a cheap and easy supplement to mop up poisons in your body. The charcoal binds to toxins in the gut and then you poo them out, just don’t take it at the same time as medications or supplements as the charcoal will bind them too.
•  COENZYME Q 10 (COQ 10 )  this antioxidant is made in our mitochondrial membranes. It carries electrons into the mitochondrial inner membrane, as there is something called the electron transport chain which is key to energy production, so briefly COQ-10  helps your mitochondria produce energy more efficiently. Statins affect the cell membranes so you should take COQ-10 if you take statins.
• Your body stores toxins in fat, so anything you do to break up the fat in your body will help you detox. Using an infra red sauna and exercise will help you sweat out some toxins, I will talk more about light in Part 2.
• We all know inflammation is health and mitochondria  risk.  You can have inflammation levels checked by a functional medicine doctor. Levels of substances such as homocysteine, CRP (C-reactive protein)  and Lp-PLA2 (lipoprotein-associated phospholipase) are good tests for inflammation.

Thank you for reading ! More in Part 2 next week

Sara

To find out more about mitochondria, toxins and what to do you can check out Dave Asprey’s new book ‘Headstrong’.

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