Great Funtional Medicine article about Inflammation and autoimmune diseases

[Quantum]

Here is an great article by Mark Hyman, MD, who has a Functional Medicine approach:  http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/07/30/how-to-stop-attacking-yourself-9-steps-to-heal-autoimmune-disease/

If you want the short version, here is the end of the article :

"Nine Steps to Treating An Autoimmune Disease:

1. Check for hidden infections — yeast, viruses, bacteria, Lyme, etc. — with the help of a doctor, and treat them.
2. Check for hidden food allergens with IgG food testing or just try the UltraSImple Diet which is designed to eliminate most food allergens  ( see at http://drhyman.com/downloads/UltraSimpleCompanion.pdf   ).
3. Get tested for celiac disease, which is a blood test that any doctor can do.
4. Get checked for heavy metal toxicity. Mercury and other metals can cause autoimmunity.
5. Fix your gut. For details, see my blog on irritable bowel syndrome.
6. Use nutrients such as fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D, and probiotics to help calm your immune response naturally.
7. Exercise regularly — it’s a natural anti-inflammatory.
8. Practice deep relaxation like yoga, deep breathing, biofeedback, or massage, because stress worsens the immune response.
9. Have an understanding of Functional Medicine, that addresses the underlying cause of disease.  "

--

The only thing I have changed is that I have added the link for the PDF document - you do not need to buy the book, just by reading this PDF you will know what this diet is about.  In short, it is all evidence for a turn toward an healthy diet:  eliminating refined sugar and white flour, replacing caffeine by green tea, getting rid of junk food, unhealthy additive, ....

This is a good checklist for any POIS sufferer to go through.  That's a very good starting poit, at least. 

Many of these subjects have already been discussed on the forum.


The rest of the article is informative and well written, too, and in lay terms.

Any comments ?

[FloppyBanana]

Hi Quantum,

You say "replacing caffeine by green tea", but green tea contains caffeine...  :-)
FB

[Quantum]

Hi Quantum,

You say "replacing caffeine by green tea", but green tea contains caffeine...  :-)
FB

Hi FB,

Actually, in his document I have linked to, the MD describe a gradual process, and the end result is decaffeinated green tea, and I just wanted to give an approximate idea - on have to read the documents for specifis.  Sorry If this has been could interpreted as a fact that I consider caffeine part of a healthy diet, because I don't.  Many POIS sufferers, in fact, seems to have issues with caffeine, directly, or when the effect wares off.

Personally I have stopped caffeine over 20 years ago.  When I use green tea for my POIS, I use the the Jamieson brand, which has no caffeine in it.

At any rate, everyone has to see for themselves how far they can go as to change their diet to a healthier one. It is an ongoing process, where you have to let go gradually og food and drinks you were found of.  As you discover new energy levels and benefits after getting rid of some unhealthy food,, you gain momentum, and it gets easier and easier to let go of old unhealthy stuff and change for new healthier alternatives.  After 20 years, I still make new choices in order to improve my diet, because better products become available, because more and more people are reading labels and look for real, healthy food, so the market answers.  As more info is available, it is also easier to make better choices.  For example, I recently realized that the "torula yeast" present in a brand of crackers I used to buy is not much better than MSG, so I stopped this one and went on with the other healthier crackers I was already buying, like the Crunchmaster brand, that have gluten-free organic crackers with brown rice, flax and sesame ( no financial stake in this brand, just cited as example of healthy organic crackers I like )


Did you read the functional medicine article, FB ?  Did you find anything of interest in it ?

[FloppyBanana]

Thanks Quantum,

I didn't read the article. However, I do believe in the functional "medicine". I read a lot about years ago. I can't eat Wheat or Lactose so when that happened 4 years ago I read lots about it.

I will try "Jamieson brand" green tea!
FB

[certainlypois2]

I am now actively working with a Functional Medicine doc from ParsleyHealth.com, and the ideas on this thread are not too far off.

I have a giant battery of blood tests I took his week that I'm waiting for results (30 vials of blood). I uploaded many old lab results from the past 6 months for my Functional Doc doc to review. Those labs were taken from recent ER visits due to the extreme anxiety and panic attacks that landed me in there (serious POIS flare-ups).

From my doc's cursory review of those old blood work and other gut flora labs (taken from a local functional medicine doctor back in October), she said it's very clear my body is actively fighting an infection, and that my gut biome is way out of whack.

All of this compromises the immune system, and a compromised immune system leads to allowing stress and other inflammation factors to take over and wreak havoc on your body.

In my case, I recently tested very high for reactivated Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Herpes Simplex 1 (HSV1). HSV1 roots itself in the ganglion nerves. It's very clear my body is actively fighting these infections.

In addition to this, I also believe that I damaged my prostate back in July due to some pretty bad "edging" sessions from porn addiction (build-up and no orgasm release). After one specific event that I remember, my prostate hurt for two weeks straight. I did not get it checked out back then. A visit to my primary care doc yesterday confirmed that my prostate is indeed swollen / inflamed / tender. So it's been pretty wrecked for at least 8 months now. I have a Urologist appointment scheduled for next week to investigate further. Next steps from him will likely be imaging / ultrasound tests.

It's also very likely that my immune system is fighting against Chronic Prostatitis as well (either bacterial or non-bacterial).

In the notes after my call today, my Functional Medicine doc recommended the following supplement stack for me (which I just ordered).

Depression Protocol:

* ProButyrate: 2 capsules twice daily to boost short-chain fatty acids in gut
* Megasporebiotic 2 at lunch to improve microbial diversity
* Glutagenics (L-glutamine) 1 scoop daily to heal intestinal permeability
* Serotone Active: 1 capsule at bedtime. Sedating - excellent if difficulty sleeping and helpful if dealing with depression, anxiety.


Anti-inflammatory protocol for prostate:

* Myomend: 2 capsules three times per day for 14 days. Then, move to daily thereafter. May finish bottle and then stop. Would cycle off and on every few months.
* Pea+:2 capsules three times per day for 14 days. Then, move to daily thereafter. May finish bottle and then stop. Would cycle off and on every few months.

My current stack in the past month has contained the following:

* Fish Oil (EPA/DHA) 1250 mg
* Vitamin D (1000 IU)
* Men's Multi-vitamin (containing A, C, D, E, B6, Folic Acid, B12, Biotin, Panthothenic Acid, Iodine, Zinc, Selenium, Choline, and Inositol)
* Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin)
* BrainMD Probiotics (lactobacillus)
* Zinc - 10 mg (I should increase this, from what I'm reading)
* Lemon Balm (at night for sleep + viral detox)
* Taurine - 500 MG (as needed for anxiety / boost GABA)

As well as toxin-fighting foods every day ("Medical Medium" protocol):

* Celery Juice every morning (roughly yields 4 to 6 oz, juiced from half of a stalk, organic)
* Antioxidant Detox Smoothie (wild blueberries, raspberries, cilantro, banana, whole milk w/ DHA) - sometimes twice a day.
* Red skinned apple (at least one or two a day)

After being on the above for a month, and not having any sexual activity / ejaculations, I feel my cognition coming back, fatigue lifting, depression and anxiety are reduced, and symptoms of bi-polar are reduced. I've never been known for bipolar episodes in my life until POIS.

Prior to developing POIS, I never had issues with inflammatory foods, alcohol, sugar, or significant sleep disorders. Now I can't have any of the above without stirring adrenaline and anxiety in my system, and my sleep patterns have been atrocious with insomnia.

I've been talking to some other members on this forum, and after applying gut-healing protocols, they've seen improvements in their POIS over the course of several months or more.

I strongly believe that POIS is a multi-faceted problem, as there is no clear answer for everyone, as symptoms vary from person to person. What is obvious is that the following factors pay critical roles in symptoms and ways to heal:

* Gut Health Disorders
* Liver & Kidney Functions
* Immune Disorders / Leading to Autoimmune Disorders
* Sleep Disorders / Obstructive Sleep Apnea / Nocturia / Blood Sugar Issues
* Chronic Stress / Inflammation / Life Factors
* Prostate Issues (could be leaking / retrograde ejaculation / bacterial issues)
* Removing Toxins (Mercury / Lead / Aluminum / Pesticides / others)

[swell]

Very nice info.  I do like functional medicine, I think they provide a really nice contrast to the MD's (who are very bright but dont use their brains to analyze and have really taken us patients for granted).  But that said, I am wary of functional medicine too, I fear they are talkers and start talking about without knowing the intricacies well enough as Medical docs do. 

(Life is so complex, learning everyday)

[millstone]

Very nice info.  I do like functional medicine, I think they provide a really nice contrast to the MD's (who are very bright but dont use their brains to analyze and have really taken us patients for granted).  But that said, I am wary of functional medicine too, I fear they are talkers and start talking about without knowing the intricacies well enough as Medical docs do. 

(Life is so complex, learning everyday)

Many functional medicine doctors are trained and certified MDs (look for that when you select your own functional doc).

This also means they have proper understanding of the human body. The key difference in functional medicine is focusing on solving root cause, not just treating symptoms with pharma prescriptions. The downside is it's not an overnight "fix". The upside is your body properly heals over time and you essentially "become your own pharmacy".