"An elemental diet for 2 weeks resulted in a clinical improvement in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, and was as effective as a course of oral prednisolone 15 mg daily in improving subjective clinical parameters. This study supports the concept that rheumatoid arthritis may be a reaction to a food antigen(s) and that the disease process starts within the intestine."
It sounds like dietary lectins may be the culprit here. From an excellent book:
The study of lectins and their effect on human health is a relatively new science. What are lectins? They are carbohydrate-binding proteins found in most plant foods.
Some of them are toxic and inflammatory and are notably found in foods consumed in large amounts by vegetarians: soy and wheat. In fact, wheat may be the most over-consumed food in the country. These lectins are suspected of binding to the gut wall and changing gut permeability, a condition commonly known as �leaky gut syndrome.� Incidentally, cholesterol maintains the health of the intestinal wall.42 With greater gut permeability, lectins and other substances which are best kept out of the bloodstream can eventually circulate to various organs and may create autoimmune responses. Rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-dependent diabetes, kidney disease, peptic ulcers, lupus, and celiac disease are all thought to have dietary lectins as a possible cause. For celiac disease, gluten (as in wheat) avoidance is a standard treatment.
"An elemental diet for 2 weeks resulted in a clinical improvement in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, and was as effective as a course of oral prednisolone 15 mg daily in improving subjective clinical parameters. This study supports the concept that rheumatoid arthritis may be a reaction to a food antigen(s) and that the disease process starts within the intestine."
Elemental diets are liquid diets that contain all the nutrients your body needs. The nutrients are usually in digested form so they put no stress on the digestive system. Elemental diets supply all your nutritional needs while giving your digestive system a rest.
I don't think that food antigens are always lectins.
Antigen: A substance that is capable of causing the production of an antibody. In other words, it evokes some kind of immune system reaction.
Lectin: Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins or glycoproteins which are highly specific for their sugar moieties. In other words, they are specific for a certain sugar. Like that old star trek episode, where an entity was progammed to select only one person. A lectin is will try to "connnect" with only a certain type of sugar.
I think there are lectins in foods that create immune responses in humans, but I think there are other substances, too. I think there are some proteins, if I remember, that can invoke an immune response.
probably bifrost99 would know more specifics.
so, I guess an elemental diet is one with no food allergens at all? do they define what exactly is in the elemental diet they used?
The allergens in food are those components that are responsible for an allergic reaction. They are proteins that usually resist the heat of cooking, the acid in the stomach, and the intestinal digestive enzymes. As a result, the allergens survive to cross the gastrointestinal lining, enter the bloodstream, and go to target organs, causing allergic reactions throughout the body. The mechanism of food allergy involves the immune system and heredity.
Immune system: An allergic reaction to food involves two components of the immune system. One component is a type of protein, an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE), which circulates through the blood. The other is the mast cell, a specialized cell that is in all tissues of the body. The mast cell is especially common, however, in areas of the body that are typical sites of allergic reactions, including the nose and throat, lungs, skin, and gastrointestinal tract.
Heredity: The tendency of an individual to produce IgE against something seemingly as innocuous as food appears to be inherited. Generally, allergic people come from families in which allergies are common-not necessarily to food, but perhaps allergies to pollen, fur, feathers, or drugs. Thus, a person with two allergic parents is more likely to develop food allergies than someone with one allergic parent.
Mechanism: Food allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction, meaning that before an allergic reaction to an allergen in food can occur, a person needs to have been exposed previously, that is, sensitized, to the food. At the initial exposure, the allergen stimulates lymphocytes (specialized white blood cells) to produce the IgE antibody that is specific for the allergen. This IgE then is released and attaches to the surface of the mast cells in different tissues of the body. The next time the person eats that food, its allergen hones in on the specific IgE antibody on the surface of the mast cells and prompts the cells to release chemicals such as histamine. Depending upon the tissue in which they are released, these chemicals cause the various symptoms of food allergy.
It sounds like dietary lectins may be the culprit here. From an excellent book:
The study of lectins and their effect on human health is a relatively new science. What are lectins? They are carbohydrate-binding proteins found in most plant foods.
Some of them are toxic and inflammatory and are notably found in foods consumed in large amounts by vegetarians: soy and wheat. In fact, wheat may be the most over-consumed food in the country. These lectins are suspected of binding to the gut wall and changing gut permeability, a condition commonly known as �leaky gut syndrome.� Incidentally, cholesterol maintains the health of the intestinal wall.42 With greater gut permeability, lectins and other substances which are best kept out of the bloodstream can eventually circulate to various organs and may create autoimmune responses. Rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-dependent diabetes, kidney disease, peptic ulcers, lupus, and celiac disease are all thought to have dietary lectins as a possible cause. For celiac disease, gluten (as in wheat) avoidance is a standard treatment.
Mike
true.
but because different lectins are specific for different sugars, you really need a glycosylation map of the digestive system to know which lectins will be attracted to the inner lining of the gut. They are working on it, but they aren't there yet.
An Allergy Avoidance Diet emphasizes the consumption of a wide-range of so-called hypoallergenic foods. These foods include lamb, pears, apples, rice, most vegetables, most beans and legumes (except peanuts) and the non-gluten grains (for example, millet, quinoa, and amaranth).
Typically the only sweeteners allowed are maple syrup or brown rice syrup. Acceptable beverages include rice milk, pear nectar, chamomile tea, and sparkling water (without any added sweeteners).
However, the foods that are included in an Allergy Avoidance Diet must be carefully selected for each individual, so that all problematic foods are eliminated. See the Principles section above for more details. https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?t...oodsemphasized
As far as I know, I don't have a food allergy, but I think I'll add millet
to my porridge recipe because I read that it's high in Vit B-17.
Quote:
Other things rich in laetrile are millet grain and buckwheat grain. Breads made with these grains, however, generally do not contain a high percentage of millet or buckwheat or else they would be too hard. Also, the seeds of berry plants, such as red raspberries and black raspberries are rich in laetrile. Red raspberries also have a second cancer killer in their seeds: Ellagic Acid, a phenolic. About four dozen foods have Ellagic Acid, but Red Raspberries have the highest concentration. Strawberries also have Ellagic Acid. www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Laetrile.html+Krebs+%2B+millet&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5& gl=us]Vit B-17[/url]
Thanks for the plug and for the kind words. I am, however, somewhat conflicted about my book. How can a nutritionist rightfully promote his book when he has developed cancer? There is a big credibility issue here, I think. I have done about 25 radio interviews promoting the book and just got a call to do another next month. I am not so sure I want to do it.
Although I have a family history of prostate cancer and know that there are probably several causes, I cannot shake the feeling that I may have been wrong about recommending foods high in arachidonic acid even though the research is mixed. There is so much uncertainty. I feel like an obese writer giving tips on weight loss.
scorpiotiger,
One must wonder why we all don't all succumb to serious problems since we all consume lots of dietary lectins--unless we eat a strictly paleolithic diet. And I am sure that some vegetarians who eat lots of lectins will say that some of the diseases the lectins are supposed to create show up in less numbers in vegetarians--maybe.
It has been suggested that our guts are protected from lectins by a coating of sialic acid molecules, but these molelcules may be stripped away by certain viruses, and mucus in the respiratory tract seems to be stripped away as well, but by lectins. Others have suggested that the use of aspirin and other anti-inflammatory medications might weaken our resistance to lectins. Perhaps if we are "forced" to use anti-inflammatories (like I have been), it would be wise to consume something like DGL (licorice) to counter the effects.
Thanks for the plug and for the kind words. I am, however, somewhat conflicted about my book. How can a nutritionist rightfully promote his book when he has developed cancer? There is a big credibility issue here, I think. I have done about 25 radio interviews promoting the book and just got a call to do another next month. I am not so sure I want to do it.
Although I have a family history of prostate cancer and know that there are probably several causes, I cannot shake the feeling that I may have been wrong about recommending foods high in arachidonic acid even though the research is mixed. There is so much uncertainty. I feel like an obese writer giving tips on weight loss.
scorpiotiger,
One must wonder why we all don't all succumb to serious problems since we all consume lots of dietary lectins--unless we eat a strictly paleolithic diet. And I am sure that some vegetarians who eat lots of lectins will say that some of the diseases the lectins are supposed to create show up in less numbers in vegetarians--maybe.
It has been suggested that our guts are protected from lectins by a coating of sialic acid molecules, but these molelcules may be stripped away by certain viruses. Mucus in the respiratory tract seems to be stripped away as well. Others have suggested that the use of aspirin and other anti-inflammatory medications might weaken our resistance to lectins. Perhaps if we are "forced" to use anti-inflammatories (like I have been), it would be wise to consume something like DGL licorice to counter the effects.
Mike, the last perfect man was over 2,000 years ago. I say do your interview and and tell them your problem. The ears of the audience will perk up when they realize they're listening to an honest man.
I used DGL for years and I still had a problem with esophageal inflammation. I'm now adding glutamine and inulin to my Vit C spiked green tea. Frankly, I think the best move I've made has been raising the head of my bed 6".
I'm afraid that genetics often overrules nutrition, but someday, even genetics will be mastered. In the meanwhile, I hope to improve my odds with unprocessed foods and exercise(if I can tear myself away from this computer).
One must wonder why we all don't all succumb to serious problems since we all consume lots of dietary lectins--unless we eat a strictly paleolithic diet. And I am sure that some vegetarians who eat lots of lectins will say that some of the diseases the lectins are supposed to create show up in less numbers in vegetarians--maybe.
I agree.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike
It has been suggested that our guts are protected from lectins by a coating of sialic acid molecules, but these molelcules may be stripped away by certain viruses, and mucus in the respiratory tract seems to be stripped away as well, but by lectins. Others have suggested that the use of aspirin and other anti-inflammatory medications might weaken our resistance to lectins. Perhaps if we are "forced" to use anti-inflammatories (like I have been), it would be wise to consume something like DGL (licorice) to counter the effects.
Mike
DGL is good. (I like the taste ). my personal opinion about keeping a good digestive system is to regulary eat soup made from bones (the gelatin helps the lining of the stomach), and eat yogurt (or probiotics, if you can't handle milk).
I think the dangers of lectins has been way overblown. I think what people forget is that the research that you read about lectins is based on the laboratory grade of lectins, unheated, untreated. A lot of lectins are inactivated by heat, and other things. A lot of research is based on finding laboratory uses for lectins. such as the lectin Dolichos Biflorus Agglutinin (DBA) that is used to determine type A subtype A1 or A2. DBA is approximately 5000 times more active in agglutinating blood group A1 cells versus A2 cells, and is used to distinguish these blood types in routine serology.
so.. when you see this type of research, the question that needs to be asked is what deactivates ( or enhances) the lectin, and do we do this before consuming a food with this type of lectin.
for instance, beans. You can get sick from eating beans without cooking them. that is because the lectin in them is toxic, but inactivated by cooking. WGA (from wheat) is another lectin that is inactivated by heat. Think about it... how many foods in our culture are toxic in their raw state, but ok after we ferment/cook/soak them. and not just because of lectins.
and sometimes the reactions you see in a study is "in vitro", not "in vivo". and they have found some lectins behave differently.. and they really don't know why. the tomato lectin is an example of this. While tomato lectin very strongly attaches to the surface of the intestinal lining in vitro, it doesn�t work that way in vivo.
Why is that? The intestinal mucus ALSO has sugars which the tomato lectin binds to. The mucus is constantly being turned over, very quickly. In the rat for instance, the turnover time is from 47 to 270 minutes. Next, if tomato lectin is something which is capable of causing an allergy, and antibodies are developed to this specific lectin--in the study using mice, this resulted in a response where IgA was secreted into the intestines when they were given tomato lectin, which bound with the lectin, thereby preventing it from binding to the intestinal lining and washing it out of their systems more quickly: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract
In the majority of instances sialic acid DOES NOT interfere with lectin binding. A few lectins, such as peanut agglutinin, soybean agglutinin, etc. are inhibited when the terminal sialic acid masks a galactosyl non-reducing penultimate sugar. In such cases the removal of the sialic acid by neuraminidase increases lectin reactivity. But even with galactose-reactive lectins the fine specificity is due to bigger carbodydrate side chain structures and not just the terminal residue. It would be nice to have a direct relationship established between food lectins and mammalian consumers and certainly blood groups would come into this picture but the situation would be far more complex.
I think we have more built in mechanisms to handle these toxic parts of foods, and our ancestors found that cooking, fermenting, and other processes made toxic plants consumable.
the problem is, a lot of the digestive system is unknown at this level. so, even if we know that a plant has a certain type of lectin, from what I've read, I don't think they can really know the effects - they just don't know enough about the human digestive system at that level.
But perhaps some people are more susceptible during illnesses, etc.. I think testing for food allergies is not a bad thing to do. There does seem to be controversy as to which tests are best (scratch or blood). And for some people, grains cause a problem. but.. is it the lectins or the gluten? rice and coconuts have lectins, but don't seem to cause problems like grains with gluten. so.. to group all lectins as bad is not the answer, either.
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Food Allergies
). my personal opinion about keeping a good digestive system is to regulary eat soup made from bones (the gelatin helps the lining of the stomach), and eat yogurt (or probiotics, if you can't handle milk). 
Hybrid Mode
