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Rebuild your Immune System Now with Second Nature Care - Xymogen's Immunotix 500, IG26DF, GlutAloeMine, IgG2000 CWP and HistDao

[fa icon="calendar'] Dec 5, 2017 9:24:07 PM / by Dr. Isadora Guggenheim

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Children should eat a pound of dirt. It's rich in humic acid. Humic acid is used clinically to rebalance the intestinal microbiome. It has extraordinary anti-viral properties. Instead of sanitizing our environment we need to expose our children to many microbes; after all we are mostly made of microbes. We need to get used to it and stop fighting nature.

Forget the Lysol, Purell and bleach commercials - these chemicals dismantle our innate immune system. There are great alternatives for cleaning that are more effective and more human friendly. Just put ten drops of each essential oil (thyme, lavender, oregano) in water in a spray bottle. Voila, you have a cleaning product that won't disrupt your intestinal microbiome and cause future disease. We have fallen into an unusual comfort zone mentally and made our immune systems less functional in the process.

Can we eradicate disease for everyone? No.

Even though some of us have access to modern advances with diagnostic technologies, vaccines, cleaner water and access to healthcare - we will still confront old and newer diseases caused by modern living.

We do offer advanced immune panel testing to check you for all viral loads, celiac disease, autoimmune panels, unexplained fatigue and much more for free if your insurance is accepted. Our lab Empire City Labs does not balance bill; meaning you do not pay anything extra for labs.

Let's explore the pediatric world of celiac disease and review the latest findings published in the Expert Review of Clinical Immunology. You are born with celiac disease. It is a life-long inflammatory condition of the small intestine and even though there is no conclusive evidence to link celiac disease and other autoimmune conditions mediated by gluten exposure I'll try to illuminate the current facts. 30% of celiac patients have one or more autoimmune conditions while autoimmune conditions in the general population ranges from 3% to 11.6%.

Are autoimmune diseases gluten dependent? One multicenter Italian study, found the age of diagnosis to be the only significant predictor of developing autoimmune disease and individuals with celiac disease who developed autoimmune conditions was related to the length of time of gluten exposure. Older individuals developed more autoimmune disease. This was not based on actual amounts of gluten exposure at any given time, but based on the length of time or years that the individual continued to consume gluten in their diet because they were not aware of having celiac disease. In a large pediatric French study of celiac patients, the incidence of autoimmune disease was lower in the compliant gluten-free (GFD) group.

Celiac and autoimmune disease is a complex and dynamic relationship between genetics, environment and immunologic factors. I covered the genetic piece before with Human Leukocyte Antigen or HLA DQ2 and DQ8. Positive DQ2 is present in 95% of celiac disease individuals while 5-10% are positive for DQ8. What is interesting is susceptibility genes for celiac are shared with those for autoimmune disease meaning there is a substantial genetic overlap. Autoimmune diseases are encoded with HLA DR3-DQ2 and DR4-DQ8 haplotypes.

DR3-DQ2/DR4-DQ8 is associated with the highest risk for Type I diabetes, thyroid autoimmunity (Hashimoto's) and Addison's disease (low adrenals; think JFK's disease). We are talking about shared genetics just like in families where there can be tremendous harmony or dysfunction. One environmental incident can trigger other genes and a cascade of inflammatory immune responses.

When someone is genetically predisposed or positive to HLA DQ2 or DQ8 and they eat gluten, the gluten protein is recognized by T lymphocytes (immune cells) and these proteins are treated like foreign invaders (antigens). In the gut, an enzyme called tranglutaminase dances with the gluten proteins and tries to modify the gluten proteins through a process called deamidation to render them harmless.

Transglutaminase and the deamidated gluten proteins bind to HLA DQ2 or DQ8 and start to activate T cells that are specific for responding to gluten. Active T and B cells produce antibodies to the antigens. This kick starts an inflammatory process that destroys the mucosal lining in the gut. This is better known as the "adaptive response."   There is a more immediate reaction called innate immune response. This is when proteins from wheat, rye and barley provoke professional antigen presenting cells (foreign invader cells) and a local battle starts in the immune cells in the gut. Several chemicals are called to action. They secrete interleukin 15. This stimulates destructive lymphocytes that break down the intestinal barrier. Interleukin 15 is an important player because it connects the adaptive immune system with the innate immune responses. This has been confirmed in numerous studies. Both systems create autoimmune destruction in several diseases.

More about the function of the intestinal barrier . . . The intestinal barrier is supposed to have intercellular tight junctions to keep the outside out and the inside in. When the intestinal barrier is broken large proteins break through and bind to intestinal receptors that release zonulin.

Zonulin is the traffic cop for large molecules and balances the intestinal microbiome between tolerance and immune responses to foreign proteins that we eat. Zonulin can increase the intestinal permeability. Elevated zonulin levels correlate with increased intestinal permeability. We know that increased zonulin levels precede the onset of diabetes.

Researchers are testing a zonulin inhibitor to block the formation of autoantibodies and reduce the destruction of intestinal permeability. Intestinal permeability allows indigestible gluten fragments to reach the underlying gut tissues where destructive chemicals are secreted and destroy gut tissues. Nerve cells called dendritic cells bind to gluten proteins who can migrate from the small intestine and reach the lymph system where active T lymphocytes cause further inflammatory damage in any target organ - heart, lung, pancreas, ovaries, testes, brain, joints, prostate and liver.

Parents of children with autism see a significant difference in their child's behaviors when gluten is removed from the diet. Even adults notice a difference in their concentration levels and cognitive abilities when gluten is removed from the diet.

Have you experienced a family holiday meal where everyone is getting along and then a loud obnoxious and late family member barges in and changes the harmonious dynamic? You end up expending energy to confront and defuse the situation in order to achieve homeostasis or balance and it's difficult. Sometimes the situation gets out of hand; people become verbally hostile, the situation escalates,some leave the table, doors slam, in short nothing is the same in this disruptive state especially the food which has become cold and unappealing. The food loses all nurturing capabilities. The perpetrator or pathogen usually settles in and feels fine. In fact, they feel more powerful. That power correlates to the amount of destruction. The same thing happens in the intestinal microbiome when a disruptive pathogen comes in who does not get along with others.

To have a GOOD GUT you must have a harmonious community of microbes.

The main environmental causative factor for celiac is gluten, but this does not explain the connection between celiac disease and autoimmune conditions. We have to include early infant nutrition - breast milk vs. formula, length of breastfeeding, when gluten is introduced, infections, treatment for infections and subsequent intestinal microbiome composition changes from the treatments. Exposing an immature immune system to gliadin proteins in gluten in susceptible individuals can modify and influence the immune system early in life and predispose children to overt celiac disease and autoimmune conditions later in life.

Exposure to wheat, barley or rye either early (0-3 months) or late greater than 7 months was found to be associated with an increase of developing B-cell autoimmunity compared to gluten exposure at 4-6 months of age. The main link to this equation was how many gastrointestinal illnesses a child had as each G.I. illness created a 37% increased risk of antibody development to wheat or barley before 4 months of age and an 12% increased risk of autoimmunity for children not exposed to wheat or barley until 7 months of age. Dietary related-inflammation coupled with a gastrointestinal infection increases the risk of B-cell autoimmunity in children.

There must be something significant about this developmental window. We have to become more conscious about how many processed carbs and grains in general that we reflexively push into small hands because it is convenient. Breastfeeding may help to delay or reduce the risk of celiac disease. Some believe that infants should introduce gluten between 4 and 7 months in tandem with breastfeeding. A longitudinal follow up study found children who had dietary gluten exposure before three months of age had a significantly increased risk of developing celiac disease autoantibodies.

Bacteria patterns in patients with celiac disease have higher numbers of Bacteroides species and reduced levels of Bifidobacterium species and longum. Stool samples from untreated celiac disease patients were higher in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus, a normal bacteria when kept in check, but linked to ravaging infections when they proliferate in great numbers. This imbalance recovered after gluten was removed from the diet.

Immune system cross talk

We know that the intestinal microbiome talks to the innate immune system. This is seen with Type I diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. Signals from the gut send messages to the immune system with subsequent damage to the islet cells in the pancreas. Scientists are not sure which bacteria are involved or the mechanism, but the link is clear. We know that there are structural changes in the gastrointestinal cells that affect the thyroid and cause Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Celiac disease is also associated with primary hypoparathyroidism, polyglandular syndrome, malabsorption, chronic candidiasis (yeast), lower height, lower body mass index and delayed growth and development.

Viruses, bacteria and fungal infections are all potential autoimmune triggers. Once tissue destruction in the gut is established all pathogens can migrate into the bloodstream. Infections influence host immune tolerance by activating lymphocyctes, increase the likelihood of any target organ to create self-destructive antibodies secondary to that infection and inflammation created by cross reactivity caused by the pathogen masquerading or miming our cells.

Epstein-Barr, Parvo B19, Hepatitis C, C. pneumonia, Mycoplasma pneumonia, CMV, Herpes 6 are all associated with increased intestinal permeability and chronic autoimmune conditions.

How can you protect you child or children against the rising tide of autoimmune diseases?

I believe in testing and it's more clear than ever before that most pediatricians are lacking the clinical insight to order necessary tests. All of the studies that I reviewed on this subject recommend early testing for celiac disease and celiac genetic predisposition. We have been offering comprehensive celiac testing for the past fifteen years at Second Nature.

Due to the early exposures to gluten and recent radioactivity we need to advocate for thyroid testing. Height and weight needs to be monitored regularly. Concentration, ability to focus, mood shifts and watching any behaviors out of the ordinary should be discussed. We need to focus our efforts on building the immune system with probiotics, omega-3's and other gut friendly supplements that we don't get from our daily foods.

I recommend GOOD GUT products that all go into the blender for a delicious breakfast shake before school. Everything is in powder form - gluten and dairy free. GOOD GUT shakes are much easier to swallow than sauerkraut and raw milk goat yogurt in the morning.

Most of the studies came to the same conclusion. "Early elimination of gluten may prevent the manifestation of autoimmune conditions.

"Gluten-dependent autoimmune disease is a family disease."

The whole family needs to become involved with all dietary shifts. I recommend that families transition to being gluten-free, then dairy-free and finally grain-free. This is an individual family process and can be done without tears, deprivation and unproductive power struggles. The patient who comes through my door is the catalyst of change for the whole family.

Today, there are many resources for uncontaminated foods, testing, gluten-free supplements to rebuild and repair the intestinal microbiome, gluten-free food expos and gluten-free vacations. There is life after gluten and it turns out that it is a better life.

Topics: The Scoop on Poop

Isadora Guggenheim, ND, FNP, RN, MS, CNS, LMT, owner of Second Nature Naturopathic Care, LLC
For all appointments: Tel: 845 358-8385 Fax: 845 358-2963 drguggenheim@msn.com