inflammation

I mean, duh! Still, I found it interesting reading. The old dodos at least admitted they didn’t know much. But that’s because they haven’t been listening to doctors like me! For almost 40 years I’ve been pointing out that omega-3s reduce inflammation and zinc speeds up wound healing. Only last week I wrote a report […]

I mean, duh! Still, I found it interesting reading. The old dodos at least admitted they didn’t know much. But that’s because they haven’t been listening to doctors like me! For almost 40 years I’ve been pointing out that omega-3s reduce inflammation and zinc speeds up wound healing. Only last week I wrote a report […] The post Hey, Nutrition Helps Healing (They Just Discovered!) appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.

I saw a forum topic running recently on what constitutes an anti-inflammatory diet. The answers showed appalling ignorance; most of it was the “me-too” pseudo-expertise of avoiding gluten, grains and manufactured foods. It sent me Googling and I found that over 97% of websites did not have much idea what an inflammatory food was or […]

I saw a forum topic running recently on what constitutes an anti-inflammatory diet. The answers showed appalling ignorance; most of it was the “me-too” pseudo-expertise of avoiding gluten, grains and manufactured foods. It sent me Googling and I found that over 97% of websites did not have much idea what an inflammatory food was or […] The post What is an anti-inflammatory diet? appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.

Inflammation where? All over your body, of course. But guess what: Most of it is below the belt: it’s in your belly! Science has now come up with the latest understanding of what lies behind heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, arthritis, aging and even cancer… It’s fire in your belly, causing extensive and damaging inflammation. (inflammation is […]

Inflammation where? All over your body, of course. But guess what: Most of it is below the belt: it’s in your belly! Science has now come up with the latest understanding of what lies behind heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, arthritis, aging and even cancer… It’s fire in your belly, causing extensive and damaging inflammation. (inflammation is […] The post Silent inflammation is killing you appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.

Recent research has shed light on the crucial “conversation” between gut microbes and infant genes that appear to help the breast-fed infant make a safe transition from life in the womb to life outside. The study was published April 29, 2012, in the open-access journal Genome Biology reports. This confirms earlier findings that show breast-feeding gooses the developing immune system. It elucidated the chemical chatter between genes in the developing infants and their gut bacteria by comparing the bacterial communities and genes found in the guts of breast-fed vs. formula-fed (cow’s milk) 3-month-olds. The researchers studied the gut microbiome information and gene expression levels in the infant gut; they identified genes involved in immunity and defense with altered expression levels in relation to the gut bacteria in breast-fed infants. Breast-fed babies, it emerged, had more diverse gut biota, but their immune systems were ready primed for it. This was almost paradoxical. The babies’ fecal matter had more of the obnoxious, virulent organisms (including resistance to antibiotics and toxic compounds), yet the infant immune system was well primed and ready to shoot! What seems to happen is that killer defence genes are activated in the young immune system by the challenge of meeting hostile pathogens.

Recent research has shed light on the crucial “conversation” between gut microbes and infant genes that appear to help the breast-fed infant make a safe transition from life in the womb to life outside. The study was published April 29, 2012, in the open-access journal Genome Biology reports. This confirms earlier findings that show breast-feeding gooses the developing immune system. It elucidated the chemical chatter between genes in the developing infants and their gut bacteria by comparing the bacterial communities and genes found in the guts of breast-fed vs. formula-fed (cow’s milk) 3-month-olds. The researchers studied the gut microbiome information and gene expression levels in the infant gut; they identified genes involved in immunity and defense with altered expression levels in relation to the gut bacteria in breast-fed infants. Breast-fed babies, it emerged, had more diverse gut biota, but their immune systems were ready primed for it. This was almost paradoxical. The babies’ fecal matter had more of the obnoxious, virulent organisms (including resistance to antibiotics and toxic compounds), yet the infant immune system was well primed and ready to shoot! What seems to happen is that killer defence genes are activated in the young immune system by the challenge of meeting hostile pathogens.

The article in “New Scientist” started out OK, pointing out how Mum’s breast milk enhances the child’s immunity. No argument from me. It’s the ultimate “raw milk” argument, actually. Nothing in cow’s milk junk (raw or cooked) matches the magic of human breast milk for babies. It contains lactoferrin, a protein that inhibits the growth of bacteria, and special sugars that stick up pathogens so they can’t flourish. There are also lots of juicy Momma’s antibodies, to get the child started with immunity to a wide range of pathogens. This is easily monitored in the fact that breast-fed babies get far fewer infections than those fed on cow’s milk. So far so good. There’s nice semi-erotic picture of a delicious warm globe of a breast, filling a contented baby’s face as it suckles. Then the NEXT LINE, it says, “There is another way of furnishing a child’s immune system with first-class defenses that is quick, relatively cheap and arguably one of medicine’s greatest achievements: vaccinations against a dozen or more fatal diseases” Wait a minute! Grab the remote, hit REWIND; let’s back up here…

The article in “New Scientist” started out OK, pointing out how Mum’s breast milk enhances the child’s immunity. No argument from me. It’s the ultimate “raw milk” argument, actually. Nothing in cow’s milk junk (raw or cooked) matches the magic of human breast milk for babies. It contains lactoferrin, a protein that inhibits the growth of bacteria, and special sugars that stick up pathogens so they can’t flourish. There are also lots of juicy Momma’s antibodies, to get the child started with immunity to a wide range of pathogens. This is easily monitored in the fact that breast-fed babies get far fewer infections than those fed on cow’s milk. So far so good. There’s nice semi-erotic picture of a delicious warm globe of a breast, filling a contented baby’s face as it suckles. Then the NEXT LINE, it says, “There is another way of furnishing a child’s immune system with first-class defenses that is quick, relatively cheap and arguably one of medicine’s greatest achievements: vaccinations against a dozen or more fatal diseases” Wait a minute! Grab the remote, hit REWIND; let’s back up here…

Music is soothing to body, mind and soul. Those of us who enjoy a certain type of music know that is so. There have also been extensive experiments showing that obnoxious music, such as heavy metal and hard rock, is damaging to living tissues. Now there is a new piece in the jigsaw. It seems that operatic music is healing and nurturing to an organism under stress and likely to experience inflammation. Classical music is good. Mice with transplanted hearts listening to soothing classical music lived TWICE AS LONG as those that were deaf or listening to pop music. Time to change the content of your iPod, I think! Masateru Uchiyama of Juntendo University Hospital in Tokyo, Japan, gave mice heart transplants from an unrelated donor which were therefore expected to be rejected. For a week following the operation, the mice continuously listened to Verdi’s opera La Traviata, a selection of Mozart concertos, music by Enya, or a range of single monotones. Mice exposed to opera fared best – they survived an average of 26 days, with those who listened to Mozart close behind at 20 days. Mice who listened to Enya survived for 11 days and the monotone group only seven days.

Music is soothing to body, mind and soul. Those of us who enjoy a certain type of music know that is so. There have also been extensive experiments showing that obnoxious music, such as heavy metal and hard rock, is damaging to living tissues. Now there is a new piece in the jigsaw. It seems that operatic music is healing and nurturing to an organism under stress and likely to experience inflammation. Classical music is good. Mice with transplanted hearts listening to soothing classical music lived TWICE AS LONG as those that were deaf or listening to pop music. Time to change the content of your iPod, I think! Masateru Uchiyama of Juntendo University Hospital in Tokyo, Japan, gave mice heart transplants from an unrelated donor which were therefore expected to be rejected. For a week following the operation, the mice continuously listened to Verdi’s opera La Traviata, a selection of Mozart concertos, music by Enya, or a range of single monotones. Mice exposed to opera fared best – they survived an average of 26 days, with those who listened to Mozart close behind at 20 days. Mice who listened to Enya survived for 11 days and the monotone group only seven days.