Research and News June 2017

Rosacea—a sign that shouldn’t be ignored 
Many individuals suffer with rosacea, facial inflammation characterized by redness and bumpiness due to enlarged blood vessels. Often, the condition is mild, and considered relatively benign. But as Functional Medicine practitioners, we know that rosacea can be a sign of underlying imbalances that can associate with other health issues too. For instance, migraine (especially ocular migraine), autoimmune diseases (e.g., type 1 diabetes, Celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis), gastrointestinal disorders, and Alzheimer’s disease, are all more prevalent in individuals with rosacea. This is where Functional Medicine, with its investigation of, and attention to, underlying root causes and connections between different diseases can really shine.

Is there lead and mercury in your fidget spinner? 
Some fidget spinners may be a source of lead and mercury exposure. We do occasionally recommend patients with elevated levels of heavy metals use XRF spectroscopy to root out potential sources of exposure in their homes and items they encounter. Two Moms (not patients of our practice) tested several fidget spinners and found that the unbranded, made-in-China, light up version of their toy lineup contained both lead and mercury. The ones made in the USA did not. While their data hasn’t been verified by any official independent body, this is a useful reminder about the potential for exposure to heavy metals from unexpected sources such as certain children’s toys. Click to see how to test for lead yourself at home.

Lead exposure and autism risk during critical periods of development 
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are multifactorial to be sure; understanding and addressing the unique presentation of each individual is key to successful interventions. One of the pieces of the puzzle in ASD is toxic element exposure such as lead – autistic individuals appear to absorb more of these during critical periods of development than others, and less of the protective elements such as zinc (zinc and lead compete for absorption in the intestine so zinc repletion is very important). For more ASD resources on our site, see here, here and here.

Is it OK for our children to be overweight? Latest research shows not 
It’s tempting to think that childhood overweight and obesity aren’t terribly problematic – we assume that children will start eating more healthily eventually, or that they’ll grow out of it. Unfortunately, this assumption is doing our children a disservice. Recent research just confirms what we already know from prior studies – that excess weight in childhood has long-term health implications, including predisposition to diabetes, lasting arterial damage (cardiovascular disease) and high blood pressure. We work with many families to help shift dietary and lifestyle patterns to prevent and reverse these concerns. You can read more tips from us here.

How tea talks to your genes 
We know that diet and lifestyle directly alter the so-called ‘epigenetic’ layer that sits atop of our genetic code and controls what genes get tuned on and which are silenced. These environmental inputs are literally INFORMATION for our cells and have wide ranging impacts. In one recent study, women who drank tea displayed altered epigenetic (methylation) marks on genes related to cancer and estrogen metabolism, suggesting that one of the benefits of tea polyphenols may be mediated via epigenetic changes. Find out more about modulating epigenetics via methylation here.

Delayed infant food introduction can increase risk of allergies 
“Our findings support infant feeding guidelines that promote the introduction of foods such as cow’s milk products, egg and peanut between four to six months of age,” says Mr. Tran. “This is an important shift in thinking away from avoidance of potentially allergenic foods, toward their early introduction to reduce the risk of food allergy later on.” We’ve briefed clinicians about the new NIH recommendations for early introduction of allergenic foods before, and this latest study adds yet more support. As always, food introduction for high risk infants should be guided by a physician.

Simply bad advice from the American Heart Association!
Incredibly, the American Heart Association and Harvard are still falling short in their interpretation of the scientific literature around saturated fats and cardiovascular disease. This is really important, folks. To ignore the role that inflammation plays in plaque formation and promote the use of fragile and pro-inflammatory “vegetable oils” instead is far off the mark. Find out why LDL cholesterol is a poor surrogate marker for cardiovascular risk and how to choose the healthiest fats here and here.

Eating fried potatoes twice a week more than doubles risk of death 
This latest research shows an association between eating fried potatoes more than twice per week is associated with a two-fold increased risk of death. Even before we get near that dramatic ending, there’s a whole spectrum of other health issues that we see associated with poor quality food. And conversely, we see dramatic differences every day, when patients switch to a whole-foods, phytonutrient-rich, clean diet. Have you made your move yet? Join us!

Western diet increases risk for Alzheimer’s Disease 
We’ve been tuned into our aging brains recently, sharing some really exciting research around the potential for reversing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s, especially in its early stages, by taking a full Functional Medicine approach. Diet is an incredibly important piece of prevention and intervention, and this recent study drives home the message that a Western Diet, especially when combined with the presence of the ApoE4 gene and obesity, is associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk. We hear you loud and clear!