Research and News August 2017

Health effects of excess blue lights and how to choose healthy lighting 
Great article on types of light we are exposed to and how to choose healthy lighting. Exposing ourselves to too much blue light (from electric indoor lighting, watching TV and using electronics) makes it harder to fall asleep and can increase the risk for macular degeneration, even eye cancer. If you have to read a screen, the Kindle Paperwhite emits no blue light! Read the article for more best practices for healthy lighting.

Why choose change? The pros and cons of body acceptance 
Have you moved away from ‘dieting’ and ‘weight loss?’ Do you believe all bodies should be accepted, and any desire to change indicates a lack of acceptance of your body? This NYT article summarizes a growing interpretation of the trend towards body positivity and away from negative body talk. There are lots of pros of shifting perspectives; after all, Functional Medicine is never about reaching some ‘ideal’ image, rather working towards ‘optimal wellness,’ a state (and set of goals) that is different for everyone. But when we decide to be stagnant about our health, isn’t that counterproductive? Can’t we both acknowledge individual goals and love and accept ourselves wherever we are on that journey? What are your thoughts?

Understanding the risks and benefits of mammograms
Great video that helps put the 20% risk reduction in breast cancer deaths from mammogram use in context.

Some tuna fish carry 36 times more chemicals 
Although all tuna fish carry some level of contamination, tuna caught nearer industrialized locations off the coasts of North America and Europe can carry up to 36 times more pollutants than species from more remote locations such as the West Pacific. This includes pesticides, flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Worst locations seem to be the northeast Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California analyzed tuna from 12 locations around the world to uncover these data.

Adult food allergy – an identification challenge for clinicians 
Adult-onset food allergy is not uncommon and can affect up to 35% of us. Some kinds of food allergy or sensitivity can be more insidious, masquerading as other conditions. Food-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis, oral allergy syndrome (cross-reactivity between certain raw foods and pollens), meat allergy (which may be tick-bite triggered), and eosinophilic esophagitis (including difficulty swallowing) are some important non-classic types of allergy manifestation. Food-related skin and respiratory disease are also possible.

Phthalates increase risk for allergic disease 
Environmental toxins can exert more than just hormone-disrupting effects. A major area of concern is their effect on our immune system. Commonly-encountered chemicals in our homes, cars, offices, water and air can exacerbate immune-mediated allergy, asthma and eczema. This review highlights phthalates as a particular problem, which are pretty easy to reduce exposure to (see www.ewg.org/skindeep/)

Compound in broccoli blocks allergic response to peanut and egg
Could changing our food habits reduce symptoms of food allergy? This mouse study shows that indole-3-carbinol, a compound derived from cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cabbage, can block symptoms of egg and peanut allergy. There are other similar plant compounds that have been studied to similar effect, making the possibilities intriguing, but it’s isn’t clear exactly how this translates to humans. Adding cruciferous vegetables to your diet certainly isn’t a bad idea for most of us, but if you have a food allergy, you should still always carry your epi-pen and be just as careful about avoiding exposure.

Gadolinium from MRIs deposits in the brain 
An excellent interview with Mayo Clinic investigator on the deposition of gadolinium in the brains of patients undergoing MRIs, showing cumulative deposits with increased number of MRIs. MRIs are necessary procedures for many diseases, but this makes a good case for chelation therapy after the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents, especially for those who receive numerous MRIs.

Highest vitamin B6 and B12 use linked with lung cancer in men 
The truth is we really don’t know the complete effects of long term, high-dose B vitamin supplementation. This recently-published study of 77,118 participants found that men with the highest intake of B6 and B12 had two times the likelihood of getting lung cancer, even if they were not smokers. While it’s true that not all studies have found such an association, the lack of clarity in the research should inform our approach. Yes, higher dose supplementation can be clinically important in some situations, but it shouldn’t be a uniform approach, and we should lean on diet and lifestyle as much as possible.

Microbes and food allergy—peanut oral immunotherapy improved with probiotics
Probiotics have always been key regulators of our immune system responsiveness, and now may be potentially helpful in inducing oral tolerance for peanut allergy sufferers. Four years ago, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, peanut oral immunotherapy PLUS probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) showed benefit for inducing oral tolerance in 82% of children. Now, follow up data shows that 80% of those were still able to eat peanut four years later, demonstrating lasting effects of the trial. Oral immunotherapy isn’t widely available, and currently limited to research studies for safety reasons, but this is promising work and underscores the important role of beneficial microflora in allergic disease.