*November 2003 issue of Dr. Greger's Newsletter*

[Guest guest]

**************************************

November 2003 issue of Dr. Michael Greger's Monthly

Newsletter

*******************************************************

 

CONTENTS

 

I. Latest Updates in Human Nutrition

A. Soy Foods and Bone Health

B. Meat Molecule Builds Up in Human

Tumors

C. Got Testicular Cancer? The Dairy

Connection

D. Best to Keep Dead Birds Out of Your

Kitchen

E. Long-term Multivitamin Use May Lower

Colon Cancer Risk

F. Iodine Deficiency Reported in

Vegetarians and Vegans

G. Raw versus Cooked: Which is More

Natural?

 

II. Top Mad Cow Disease Story of the Month

 

III. Personal Update -- Help! My car is totaled

 

IV. MAILBAG: " I'm a vegan and yes i suffer from

GAS!! "

 

*******************************************************

 

 

I. LATEST UPDATES IN HUMAN NUTRITION

--------------------------

 

A. Soy Foods and Bone Health

 

Wyeth pharmaceuticals, the marketer of Premarin hormone

replacement therapy, has been killing both women and horses (see

http://www.equineadvocates.com/premarin.html) for over 50 years. Last

Summer, the hormone replacement therapy arm of the Women's Health

initiative was stopped abruptly, years before it was supposed to end,

because there were so many more deaths in the treatment group. Women

taking the hormones had more heart attacks, more strokes, more fatal

blood clots, and more breast cancer than the control group.

 

But the treatment group did have less hip fractures; the hormones

did seem to protect the womens' bones. A review published last month

in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded, however,

that even for women at high risk for osteoporosis, the benefits of

drugs like Premarin do not outweigh the risk.[1] So what's a

postmenopausal woman to do? Soy.

 

A randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical trial (the

" gold standard " study design) just published showed that the

isoflavones in soy seem to protect menopausal women from bone loss

just as powerfully as hormone replacement therapy, but without the

side-effects.[2] So drinking the equivalent of about 2 cups of

soymilk a day, women can go through menopause with strong bones, and

without the cancer, heart disease, a stroke or two and blood clots in

the lung. And using soymilk instead of Premarin, your smoothies won't

taste like urine

 

--------------------------

 

B. Meat Molecule Builds Up in Human Tumors

 

For years there has been suspicion that components of meat and

dairy were absorbed whole through the human digestive tract,

triggering autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and

childhood diabetes as our bodies try to fight off these foreign

substances. Last month, researchers published new evidence that

a substance found in lamb, pork, beef and dairy can build up in human

tissues and may contribute to chronic disease.

 

If you take autopsy samples, you can find traces of a molecule

called NeuGc in human tissues, particularly in human tumors

(especially breast cancer). And you can find relatively high

concentrations of anti-NeuGc antibodies in human blood. This mystified

researchers, as human beings can not produce this substance. But other

animals can. Maybe, the researchers proposed, human beings

absorbed it from eating these other animals.

 

So the researchers went vegan for a few days to clear their

system (no animal-derived ingredients in foods or drugs or shampoo),

and then basically drank a glass of diluted pig mucous. Within days

this invading meat molecule could be found oozing from their bodies,

in their saliva, urine--even their hair clippings.

 

Maybe, the researchers speculate, this is why meateaters have

such higher rates of cancer and heart disease compared to

vegetarians. Yes, they acknowledge it could just be the

saturated fat in meat and dairy, but maybe it's also because of the

incorporation of this foreign substance found exclusively in animal

products (plants don't produce NeuGc either). The researchers found it

particularly interesting that vegetarian diets seem to improve

rheumatoid arthritis. Maybe this reactive alien molecule also triggers

autoimmune diseases like hepatitis and arthritis.

 

This article was published in the proceedings of the most

prestigious scientific body in the United States, the National Academy

of Sciences. The researchers end their provocative article

wondering what the long-term consequences might be of constantly

challenging our immune systems in this way, and what the long-range

implications are of having anti-Neu5Gc antibodies circulating

throughout the bodies of meateaters and milk-drinkers.{3]

 

--------------------------

 

C. Got Testicular Cancer? The Dairy Connection

 

Testicular cancer is the most rampant cancer among young men in

North America. The rates of testicular cancer have been steadily

climbing over the last fifty years, yet there's been little data on

dietary risk factors for this dreaded disease. A study published last

month in the International Journal of Cancer changed all that.

 

Last month, the biggest study on diet and testicular cancer ever

conducted was published, studying the diets of hundreds of cancer

victims. By far the strongest, most significant dietary risk factor

associated with the cancer was the consumption of cheese. Those men

that ate the most cheese were almost 90% more likely to develop cancer

of the testicles. The investigators guessed that it may be the

hormones in milk and dairy that were to blame. The second strongest

dietary risk factor seemed to be the consumption of lunch

meat.[4]

 

--------------------------

 

D. Best to Keep Dead Birds Out of Your Kitchen

 

Normally I only discuss studies that were published within the

last month, but with the holidays coming up I wanted to share with you

a landmark article on food safety which was published earlier this

year.

 

Knowing that poultry is the most common cause of food poisoning

in the home, researchers had 50 people take chicken straight from a

supermarket and prepare a meal with it as they normally would in their

own kitchen. The researchers then took samples from the kitchen

sponges, dishcloths, hand towels, etc and tested them for the presence

of diseases like campylobacter and salmonella.

 

And indeed they found a number of contaminated samples.

" Antibacterial " dishwashing liquid did not seem to offer any

protection. They conclude that " Pathogenic bacteria can be

recovered relatively frequently from the kitchen environment. "

Yet another reason to have a vegetarian Thanksgiving.[5]

 

--------------------------

 

E. Long-term Multivitamin Use May Lower Colon Cancer Risk

 

Last month, a massive study of almost 150,000 people was

published and found that those who reported they regularly took

multivitamin supplements were less likely to be diagnosed a decade

later with colon cancer.[6] Breaking down the various nutrients, it's

thought that perhaps it was the increased calcium and vitamin D intake

from supplements that was responsible for the reduced risk.[7] Note

that dairy products were NOT found to be protective.

 

The Harvard School of Medicine recommends that everyone take a

multivitamin (containing vitamins B12, D, E, B6, and folate),

although the Institute of Medicine has not made such a recommendation.

If anyone isn't getting enough color or variety in their diet (like at

least DAILY dark leafy greens) a multivitamin may be useful. I compare

the pros and cons of all of the vegan multivitamins currently on the

market in a handout

on my website (at

http://www.veganMD.org/writings.html).

 

--------------------------

 

F. Iodine Deficiency Reported in Vegetarians and Vegans

 

Last month, yet another article appeared on iodine deficiency in

vegetarians and vegans [8]. Quoting from the paper: " One fourth

of the vegetarians and 80% of the vegans suffer from iodine

deficiency... " Only 9% of the meateaters were deficient. The milk

drinkers were protected in part because iodine containing

disinfectants are used to clean the milk processing equipment which

kind of leach into the milk. None of the vegetarians and vegans were

eating sea vegetables. And none were using iodized salt--they

were all using " natural " sea salt, which has significantly

less iodine. Iodine deficiency was actually a prevalent problem in the

U.S. before the iodization of salt became a common practice in the

1920's.[9]

 

So, vegetarians who don't eat sea vegetables or use iodized salt

should consider supplementing their diet with iodine. I don't

encourage people to add salt to their diet--it's not good for your

bones--but if you do use table salt, use iodized salt. For more

information, see the British Vegan Society's iodine

page (at http://www.vegansociety.com/html/info/info56.htm). The

best source, though, is sea vegetables (seaweed).

 

Sea vegetables have lots of B vitamins and lots of minerals,

particularly the trace minerals, like iodine. The only problem with

seaweed is that you can actually get too much iodine. The World Health

Organization places the safe upper limit of iodine intake at 1000 mcg

per day. And it's less for kids-like 300 mcg may be too much for a

five year old. See my handout on nutrients for

the amounts found in common seaweeds (at

http://www.veganMD.org/writings.html).

 

--------------------------

 

G. Raw versus Cooked: Which is More Natural?

 

" Raw foodist " lifestyle advocates tend to argue that

cooking is unnatural. They often argue that since we evolved

eating raw foods like the rest of the animal kingdom, we are better

adapted to eat that way. In a landmark article just published in the

journal of Comparative Biology and Physiology, however, two Harvard

anthropologists argue just the opposite.[10}

 

First, they note that other than the new deliberate " raw

foodists, " there do not seem to be any current or historical

populations, small groups or even individuals living for more than a

few days without access to cooked foods. Then they take on the belief

that cooking is a recent phenomenon for our species.

 

Mammalian species like ourselves can evolve adaptations in as few

as 5000 years. Human beings have been cooking for at least 250,000

years, and maybe as long as 1.9 million years, long before we were

even Homo sapiens. They argue that not only have humans adapted

to eating cooked foods, they argue that human beings have adapted so

much that eating cooked food now seems obligatory for optimum health.

And indeed the medical literature backs them up.

 

The only study I know of 100% raw foodists followed for years was

published in 1999.[11] It showed that a third of the raw foodists were

suffering from Chronic Energy Deficiency. Many were just wasting

away. Most of the women suffered menstrual irregularities and

half of the women lost their menstrual periods altogether, which could

lead to devastating osteoporosis. And this was in modern urban people

with relatively low activity levels who had access to high-quality

high-calorie produce from around the world year-round. How might

our nontropical gatherer/hunter ancestors lived through a single

winter without cooking, especially with their extreme energy

expenditure?

 

There have been major changes in our digestive biology over the

past few hundred thousand years, and the researchers argue that these

changes may have been due to the availability of cooked foods. 100,000

years ago, for example, the size of our jaws and molar teeth started

to shrink, perhaps as an adaptation to softer, easier-chewed cooked

foods. They also posit that perhaps other differences between our

digestive systems and those of the great apes may also have been

because of our adaptation to cooked foods--our smaller gut volume,

longer small intestine, smaller colon, and faster gut passage

rate.

 

They conclude that while well-supported individuals in an urban

environment with a relatively sedentary lifestyle may be able to

thrive on a raw food diet, it is neither natural nor necessarily

desirable for optimal health.

 

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II. TOP MAD COW STORY OF THE MONTH

 

Every month I update the Organic Consumer Association's mad cow disease

website (at http://organicconsumers.org/madcow.htm). I thought I'd

start including highlights from each month for the newsletter. For

background on this critical issue, I encourage people to read my paper

" U.S. Violates WHO Guidelines for Mad Cow

Disease. " (at

http://organicconsumers.org/madcow/GregerBSE.cfm)

 

This last month, yet another case of mad cow disease was

discovered in Japan, but what makes this one so special is that the

bull was just a baby, only 23 months old. Since mad cow disease is

almost unheard of under 24 months of age, countries like Germany and

the UK don't even start testing their cattle until two years of age,

and the rest of Europe doesn't start testing until 30 months.

 

Japan remains the only country that tests every single animal

that enters the food chain, so they picked up what may turn out to be

a new strain of mad cow disease attacking younger cattle. This

is particularly troublesome as the U.S. is considering opening it's

borders to Canadian beef from cattle under 30 months of age, thinking

that this would protect the American public. But they may be

wrong.[12]

 

In other news, the Premier of Alberta, the Canadian Province in which

the mad cow disease was uncovered this year, took aim at the owner of

the now infamous mad cow at a meeting of U.S. governors. Any

" self respecting " rancher, he said, instead of taking the

animal to slaughter where it was discovered, would have " shot,

shoveled and shut up. " [13]

 

And finally, vying for the number one mad cow disease story of

the month, Peter Putnam. Peter is dying from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

in Washington state. He is 35 years old. You can read about his

family's struggle here. On

autopsy the world will discover whether or not this is the first

domestic death from mad cow disease in the United States.[14]

*******************************************************

 

 

IV. PERSONAL UPDATE -- Help! My car is totaled

 

This has been a tough month. I hit the father of all potholes and

bent the chassis so bad that one of the wheels of my car is at such an

angle that it was pronounced unfixable. My mechanic told me the best

thing I could do was just junk it. So I'm stuck. I was

planning on resuming my speaking tour in January, but obviously I

can't without a car.

 

So, if anyone, anywhere, knows anybody with a car they want to get rid

of, I'm desperate. And not picky. While a relatively safe car

with decent gas mileage would be ideal, I've been driving an old

beater shooting for 200k miles with half the doors, windows and locks

broken--missing one window entirely, no radio, etc.--so almost

anything would be a step up.

 

And since I have pending 501c3 status, a donated car may be able to

used as a fully tax deductible donation. So please, if anyone can

help, I'd be forever grateful. And using my frequent flyer miles I can

fly one-way from New York anywhere to pick it up and drive it

back.

 

And I know miracles can happen. Last month I sent a shout out there

for an LCD projector to liven up my talks this coming year. And Thomas

Barnard, THE Dr. Thomas Barnard--physician, professor, author,

lecturer, radio host--donated to me his $3000 LCD projector!

 

People ask me how I do it. How I can keep going, doing 40

talks a month, on the road full time most of the year. This is how.

Because of everyone's amazing support, not only materially and

logistically, but all the incredible vegan love coming my way.

Thank you Tom. Thank you everybody.

*******************************************************

 

 

V. MAILBAG: " I'm a vegan and yes I suffer from

GAS!! "

 

I actually get asked that question rather frequently--in private.

Usually takes the form of woman asking me if I can do something about

her husbands gas. And meanwhile the poor guy is there, you

know, lookin' down at the floor. Perhaps it's time I clear the

air

 

There was a review article published few years ago in the

Quarterly Journal of Medicine entitled: " Vegetarian Diet: Panacea

for modern lifestyle disease? " And of course the answer was yes,

noting that vegetarians had less obesity, high blood pressure,

diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, cancer, kidney disease,

maybe less stroke, less age-related vision loss, less diverticulosis,

less gallstone and of course, less constipation. But after going

through how vegetarianism is this cure-all panacea, the article did

say that there were two drawbacks of a vegetarian diet--vitamin B12,

we all know we need to take our B12, and... increased intestinal gas.

Hmm, one one hand heart attacks, cancer, and strokes... or on

the other, flatulence. Hmm.

 

Let me start off by saying that intestinal gas is normal and

healthy. Everyone seems to think they have too much gas. According to

the best research, though, the average American passes gas 14 to 23

times a day.

 

Now if you're thinking to yourself, who the heck funded this

research? You may be surprised that the real ground-breaking work in

this area was done by NASA in the 1950's. So this is your tax dollars

hard at work. They were actually really afraid that astronauts

would like suffocate on their own gas, or that some spark would ignite

the methane. I'm serious; so this is like space age research.

 

So anyway, the average person passes gas almost every hour.

That's the norm. It is rare that a person has too much gas. Of

course, when I gave this talk at the Vegetarian Summerfest conference

last month, I asked if anyone in the audience cared to venture a guess

as to how many times the average person passes gas every day. I was

hoping someone would say like 5, 10, and then I could wow them with

" No, 14 to 23! " So of course what's the first guess? 200.

So, OK, maybe some people do have too much gas. For those wanting

to cut down on emissions, here are some tips.

 

Flatulence come from two places: swallowed air, and fermentation

in the bowel. Things that can cause you to swallow extra air include

gum chewing, ill-fitting dentures, sucking on hard candies, drinking

through a straw, eating too fast, talking while you eat, and cigarette

smoking. So if the fear of lung cancer doesn't get you to quit

smoking, maybe fear of farts will.

 

The main source of gas, though, is the normal bacterial

fermentation by bacteria in your colon of undigested sugars. Thanks to

the poorly digested sugar lactose, the number one source of farts in

the United States is dairy products. I don't know why that's not on

any of the got milk ads... They don't call it cutting the cheese for

nothing.

 

In fact, in the medical literature the two most flatulent

patients--thunderously farting every ten minutes around the clock,

reportedly interfering with their sex lives--were both lactose

intolerant and were cured once dairy products were removed from their

diets. The actual Guinness book world record belongs to a guy named

Frank who drank a glass of milk then farted 70 times in 4 hours.

Whew!

Other indigestible sugars include sorbitol and xylitol in sugar

free candies. The fizziness in soda is carbon dioxide which gets

absorbed by your gut, but the fructose in the high fructose corn syrup

that sweetens the soda, may contribute to gas. Bread can do it;

there's a sugar in wheat that the body can have a hard time

digesting. In fact, the word Pumpernickel in Old German--and I

swear I'm not making this up--means " goblin that breaks wind. "

The second leading cause of gas, though, after dairy is sadly

beans, which contain two poorly digested sugars, raffinose and

stachyose.

 

Now beans are so incredibly nutritious, that you should

experiment with ways to keep them in your diet at all costs.

Lentils, split peas and canned beans tend to be less gas producing.

Tofu usually isn't an offender. Repeated soakings of dried beans, and

tossing the cooking water may help if you boil your own.

 

Some of the gas associated with eating beans or other healthy

foods, is simply due to an increase in fiber. To help your body adapt,

you can increase your fiber slowly. Within two weeks your body should

adapt and the gas problem should diminish.

 

In terms of things you can take, there is a vegetarian Beano out

there, that contains enzymes which break up those musical bean sugars,

called Say Yes to Beans! The Beano product itself contains fish

gelatin.

 

If you're going to be stuck on like a nine hour flight or

something and need a windbreaker, pepto bismol and generic equivalents

can bind up the sulfur in your gut and eliminate odors, but this is a

short term solution only. It should not be taken for more than a few

days at a time; you can actually get bismuth toxicity.

 

There's also an activated charcoal-lined cushion you can sit on

to absorb the smell for like long plane trips or something. It's

called, and again I just couldn't make this stuff up, the " Toot

Trapper. " In fact because people kept thinking the product was

a joke, the company actually was forced to change the name. It

is now the Flatulence Filter.

 

For natural solutions, there's peppermint, which can aid

digestion, relax smooth muscles, help with any cramping or bloating.

Exercise helps your body absorb gas, so less comes out in the end. If

you really have gas pains or something there's a position we use in

the hospital to release trapped gas. Basically it uses the

principle that gas rises, so if you kneel down on your knees and

elbows, head down with your butt in the air, and stay there for 10

minutes things will start to move.

 

But to reiterate, intestinal gas is normal and healthy. As a

medical review article on the various methods to control flatulence

concluded, " Perhaps increased tolerance of flatus would be a

better solution, for we tamper with harmless natural phenomena at our

peril. " In fact these sugars in beans that don't get

digested--and so make it down to our colon--feed out good bacteria. So

they function as prebiotics and make for a healthier colon. So, every

time you fart, think " happy bacteria! "

 

*******************************************************

 

 

REFERENCES

 

[1] Journal of the American Medical Association

290(2003):1729.

[2] Nutrition reviews

61(2003):346.

[3] Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

100(2003):12045.

[4] International Journal of Cancer 106(2003):934.

[5] Journal of Applied Microbiology 94(2003):842.

[6] American Journal of Epidemiology 158(2003):621.

[7] Cancer Causes Control 14(2003):1.

[8] Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 47(2003):183

[9] Journal of the American Dietetics Association

79(1981):17.

[10] Comparative Biology and Physiology 136(2003):35.

[11] Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism

43(1999):69.

[12] October 8, 2003 Financial Times (London, England)

[13] September 17, 2003 Winnipeg Sun (Manitoba, Canada)

[14] September 22, 2003 Spokesman Review

(Spokane, WA)

 

 

If anyone missed previous months, I've revamped my newsletter archive.(at

http://www.veganmd.org/newsletters.html)

 

Until next month,

love,

Michael

--

 

(206) 312-8640

mhg1

http://www.veganMD.org

 

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