Jul 28, 2010
Recent pics
Here are some recent pics in the UK forum...a great forum by the way...friendly, informative and supported by small donations...so donate there if you find it helpful
Jul 14, 2010
Getting the right microbes with yogurt
I don't think its food so much as how we react to it and that depends largely on our microbial status in the small and large intestine..and to some extent our inflammation... simplistically, by adding some friendly microbes we drive out the bad ones..resulting in fewer pro inflammatory cytokines, peptides and interleukins.....and we look for fewer flairs.
Heres an interesting article in the NYT on microbes.. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/science/13micro.html?_r=3&ref=scie
Rather then the fecal route...we can go the oral route with yogurt...
basic recipe is...
i use whole milk..but you can use low fat...you can add milk powder, gelatin, tapioca or pectin for a firmer yogurt...
i use one small packet of gelatin for each quart or approx liter of milk
heat milk to 180F or just under 100c in a double boiler or one covered sauce pan in a larger filled with water,,,(you can heat just the milk but watch it or it will boil over, not as likely in a double boiler..
Heating the milk to 180F..just under 100c... breaks down the protein bonds so it doesn't curd...i heat it for a half hour as its supposed to make a firmer yogurt and kills any other unwanted microbes.
Let i cool to about 110F or 43C..so you can just hold your hand on the side of the pan
i use whole milk..but you can use low fat...you can add milk powder, gelatin, tapioca or pectin for a firmer yogurt...
i use one small packet of gelatin for each quart or approx liter of milk
heat milk to 180F or just under 100c in a double boiler or one covered sauce pan in a larger filled with water,,,(you can heat just the milk but watch it or it will boil over, not as likely in a double boiler..
Heating the milk to 180F..just under 100c... breaks down the protein bonds so it doesn't curd...i heat it for a half hour as its supposed to make a firmer yogurt and kills any other unwanted microbes.
Let i cool to about 110F or 43C..so you can just hold your hand on the side of the pan
add a couple of tablespoons of your favorite yogurt...(greek style yogurt has some good microbes as yogurt has to have two specific lactobacillus to be called yogurt.....
place in an oven at 110 or 43C...or what i do...i place it in a cooler with two big containers of hot water and a thermometer until i get a feel for the temp...you want it about 110f....130F or 54C will kill the bacteria..so not too hot...but too cold and it won't convert the milk sugar (lactose) to lactic acid...which is what we want and gives the sour taste alters the ph etc
Ccommercially they let this ferment for 4-6 hours..but leave it in 24 hours checking every 6-12 for temp... maintain 110 or near by changing hot water etc.. we want to remove all the milk sugar,,and get a tart product loaded with microbes. Set in the fridge to cool... when served, add fruit, or your preference..... sugar, honey, stevia, aspertame (me)...very good and done right about a trillion microbes a cup compared to a few billion in the commercial yogurt..
Ccommercially they let this ferment for 4-6 hours..but leave it in 24 hours checking every 6-12 for temp... maintain 110 or near by changing hot water etc.. we want to remove all the milk sugar,,and get a tart product loaded with microbes. Set in the fridge to cool... when served, add fruit, or your preference..... sugar, honey, stevia, aspertame (me)...very good and done right about a trillion microbes a cup compared to a few billion in the commercial yogurt..
or you can buy a yogurt maker...about $35 from amazon.....makes it easy..well, done a few times its all easy
for someone who is immuno compromised, on a biologic or other meds they should consult their doctor as these are live microbes in yogurt and in especially high amounts when homemade..though lactobacillius is generally safe and considered healthy, in the literature they have posed a problem to some so compromised.
Jun 5, 2010
The dirty dozen and the clean fifteen
pesticides in our food
an excerpt: "Of the 12 most contaminated foods, 7 are fruits: peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, cherries and imported grapes. Notable findings:
- More than 96 percent of peaches tested positive for pesticides, followed by nectarines (95.1 percent) and apples (93.6 percent).
- Nearly 86 percent of peaches contained 2 or more pesticide residues ‚ followed by apples (82.3 percent) and nectarines (80.6 percent).
- Strawberries and domestic blueberries each had 13 pesticides detected on a single sample. Peaches and apples were second, with 9 pesticides on one sample.
- Peaches had been treated with more pesticides than any other produce, registering combinations of up to 67 different chemicals. Strawberries were next, with 53 pesticides and apples with 47.
Celery, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale, collard greens and potatoes are the vegetables most likely to retain pesticide contamination:"
Jun 4, 2010
Yogurt to stop that inflammation
Lets suggest you have followed the formula, taken the D and many of the other supplements, gotten some sunlight or light, followed a moderate diet, eliminated other sources of inflammation such as gum disease, gout, infection etc and you still flair or are not clearing....looking for any obvious source of inflammation you have found none..then i would suggest considering internal sources of inflammation in the intestinal tract...
and the more explanatory, http://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/InflammatoryBowelDisease/16472
and when we consider http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19050268?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log
this suggests some types of microbes in the intestine can produce the same cytokine that is implicated in our inflammation. There may be specific microbes..but so far, that is an unknown....It is my recent experience that we may be able to reduce the presence of these and other "unfriendly"microbes by increasing the number and balance of specific lactobacillus bacteria commonly found in some types of yogurt and by doing so, limit less obvious source of inflammation.,,at least that is my experience.
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:tM5uzVcr2U4J:www.interpharma.co.th/textword/image_upload/Text/eng/Lactic%2520acid%2520bacteria%2520Probiotic.pdf+L.Plantarum+amd+L.Rhamnosus&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgv2w3EaTv9xkyUVvZtOVjGX9venipcDKQJ-e2gZwE7qjxehrHgC4TuzqIzu8f7w_I302NIVeL3915vzwDmqWnXjVWmEsDESaeVARiEM3d-L5oPiN2X3rosSdUD8ocJSxCg9J2R&sig=AHIEtbS3EccgmqbkopW5QV7pkBFSLe0TWg
To get this balance, there are a few routes one might take...the raw food route..which carries natural bacteria....its slower and random regarding type of microbe but effective for some. It undoubtedly presents an excellent prebiotic environment for friendly microbes to grow.
The probiotic in a capsule route with selected bacteria (although often unregulated as to effect and expensive) and ..the lactobacillus yogurt route which i am on....
If the assumption is correct that altering the microbial balance in the intestine can reduce our inflammation and increasing "friendly" microbes can help in reducing the "unfriendly" ones....and as the offending microbe(s) are often unknown, poorly understood primarily as they many are difficult to grow in a lab or expensive to sample..then we have to try shotgun approach to find what works for us... a question of what bug to add, at what volume and for how long http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/125/6/1401 .
The intestine contains more microbes then cells in the human body, literally a trillion microbes and from 300 to 1000 varieties with about 30 common varieties and much is still unknown about their effects.....I believe it is naive to think this balance of microbes doesn't have a major bearing on inflammation and our inflammatory response.....it's not so much what you eat, although that too is important as it can enhance microbe growth or exacerbate inflammation .....but it's the type and number of bacteria which may be more important.......some produce chemicals that can evoke an inflammatory response, alter the structure of the intestinal wall, and allow lectins and food intollerances to have a greater impact and further causing an inflammatory response...In short, when there are fewer problematic bacteria, the walls of the small intestine are more intact and we can eat a wider variety of foods without setting off a flair.
this waxing and waining of inflammation is not random..it has a cause..i believe an immune response from the intestine is involved..even without obvious GI symptoms...and why at times we seem more susceptible to a flaiand other times we are stable. Why at times we can eat one food and are fine...at others, the same food seems to cause a flair...its not the food so much as the status of the GI tract.
one more link that might open http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/470571_3
..on the basic formula, peppermint, sun and lactobacillius...although i don't mix the peppermint and yogurt....and i think that after a while on the daily yogurt...i no longer need or take the peppermint as often
..much of this is conjecture on my part..but it follows my recent experience...
bj
The literature suggests lactobacillus in yogurt is safer as these microbes have been around for some centuries and have been studied in both children and adults.. it is cost effective...with minimal cost one can buy yogurt and try it for a few weeks or even more effectively one can make yogurt at home which is healthier and more potent.....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus ...so far the yoplait (l. bulgaricus, bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12) and activa (bifidus regularus) seem effective.
If the assumption is correct that altering the microbial balance in the intestine can reduce our inflammation and increasing "friendly" microbes can help in reducing the "unfriendly" ones....and as the offending microbe(s) are often unknown, poorly understood primarily as they many are difficult to grow in a lab or expensive to sample..then we have to try shotgun approach to find what works for us... a question of what bug to add, at what volume and for how long http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/125/6/1401 .
The intestine contains more microbes then cells in the human body, literally a trillion microbes and from 300 to 1000 varieties with about 30 common varieties and much is still unknown about their effects.....I believe it is naive to think this balance of microbes doesn't have a major bearing on inflammation and our inflammatory response.....it's not so much what you eat, although that too is important as it can enhance microbe growth or exacerbate inflammation .....but it's the type and number of bacteria which may be more important.......some produce chemicals that can evoke an inflammatory response, alter the structure of the intestinal wall, and allow lectins and food intollerances to have a greater impact and further causing an inflammatory response...In short, when there are fewer problematic bacteria, the walls of the small intestine are more intact and we can eat a wider variety of foods without setting off a flair.
this waxing and waining of inflammation is not random..it has a cause..i believe an immune response from the intestine is involved..even without obvious GI symptoms...and why at times we seem more susceptible to a flaiand other times we are stable. Why at times we can eat one food and are fine...at others, the same food seems to cause a flair...its not the food so much as the status of the GI tract.
one more link that might open http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/470571_3
..on the basic formula, peppermint, sun and lactobacillius...although i don't mix the peppermint and yogurt....and i think that after a while on the daily yogurt...i no longer need or take the peppermint as often
..much of this is conjecture on my part..but it follows my recent experience...
bj
May 7, 2010
A couple of interesting links..
Vitamin D should be taken with a main meal to be absorbed properly
High dose vitamin D may reduce pregnancy risks
....We want adequate vitamin D...neither too much nor too little.....about 1000-2000iu/day in the summer with some sun and a little more in the winter appears about right.....Although vitamin D helps in one facet of inflammation it appears with too little D and we can lose control and conversely, too much vitamin D and again and we can lose control by producing too much ll37 peptide resulting in more redness. ...So we have to look for the sweet spot without increasing the ll37 peptide ... meanwhile, also want levels sufficiently high to get all the other health benefits of vitamin D ....as with most things, its a balancing act.
Assuming we are getting the right amount of D via supplement and/or sun and there are no other obvious causes of inflammation such as infection, then diet and whats happening in the small intestine is the likely instigator of any flairing....which is something the peppermint, gluten reduction and other diet changes can help with. With a remission and less inflammation..diet again can be more normal..as it is all connected and related.
Get some sun until prepink...it can help in many ways.
Mar 9, 2010
Inflammation and diet
Sometimes its easier to prove a negative so a few months ago i continued the formula but stopped the peppermint oil and began a high lectin diet for a couple of weeks to see if i could induce a flair....I ate primarily high lectin or high fat foods and what i believe are my known triggers such as bread, pasta ,tomato sauces, beans.etc ..I began by eating on consecutive days peanuts, bread, pasta, tomato sauces, beans etc to inflame the intestinal wall...by two weeks i was flairing and that was while on the formula with adequate D ....so even then, the diet can produce adverse effects especially when the small intestine and intestinal tract has been consistently injured over a number of days and weeks. Imagine how easy to do the same with some active inflammation elsewhere in the body, low levels of vitamin D often found in late winter and poor diet etc....
i believe any inflammation can lead to flairing as it kicks in an immune response... in this case it was an inflammation in the gut that caused the flairs...
To those who disbelieve that diet and its related inflammation are a fantasy or have no effect.... try it...but don't eat a normal diet which allows for some intermittent relief and self repair to the small intestine ...to prove this point in the short term, you have to overindulge with high lectin foods and not give the small intestine a chance to protect itself .....and then the results are obvious....
Going back on a bland or mild diet...it took about a week to two weeks to see the small intestine and flairing settle down, (the cells in the wall of the small intestine reproduce rapidly ) flora reestablishs etc.. but it takes weeks to months to reduce the increased redness and return the skin to normal
The redness or angiogenesis with the flairs is a byproduct of the wound healing peptide ll37 and inflammation via the gut (where the peptide also exists) as well as in our lesions...by reducing the D to reduce the peptide, getting some uva (spring sun) and back on the peppermint( alter that gut permeability etc) i am pretty much back to normal...and can "cheat" a little on diet again...to a more normal diet.
i believe any inflammation can lead to flairing as it kicks in an immune response... in this case it was an inflammation in the gut that caused the flairs...
To those who disbelieve that diet and its related inflammation are a fantasy or have no effect.... try it...but don't eat a normal diet which allows for some intermittent relief and self repair to the small intestine ...to prove this point in the short term, you have to overindulge with high lectin foods and not give the small intestine a chance to protect itself .....and then the results are obvious....
Going back on a bland or mild diet...it took about a week to two weeks to see the small intestine and flairing settle down, (the cells in the wall of the small intestine reproduce rapidly ) flora reestablishs etc.. but it takes weeks to months to reduce the increased redness and return the skin to normal
The redness or angiogenesis with the flairs is a byproduct of the wound healing peptide ll37 and inflammation via the gut (where the peptide also exists) as well as in our lesions...by reducing the D to reduce the peptide, getting some uva (spring sun) and back on the peppermint( alter that gut permeability etc) i am pretty much back to normal...and can "cheat" a little on diet again...to a more normal diet.
Mar 3, 2010
Peppermint oil revisited
I was thinking about the cause of flairs and other then an occasional infection...the only variable that changes day to day is our diet..so i began to read up on IBS and came across a number of studies where enteric coated peppermint is one of the few effective treatments..
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16121521
http://www.webmd.com/ibs/news/20081113/peppermint-oil-fiber-can-treat-ibs
and recalling that i had my most consistent and effective control was when i was taking the formula while habitually taking peppermint altoids..almost 15-20day...so it rang the proverbial bell and last july august i began the enteric peppermint and altoids..it helped considerably..others also achieved some positive results, especially hard over winter. Some these people also were on a variety of light treatments which the peppermint effect seemed to enhance.
so looking further into it ..the menthol in the peppermint is the most active ingredient, In the research literature, there is a connection between menthol and high test D or calcitriol in the anti proliferation of some cells http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2654468/
Under the uvb radiation of sunlight we make small amounts of calcitriol or high test D in our skin and we may see similar anti-proliferative benefits.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16121521
http://www.webmd.com/ibs/news/20081113/peppermint-oil-fiber-can-treat-ibs
and recalling that i had my most consistent and effective control was when i was taking the formula while habitually taking peppermint altoids..almost 15-20day...so it rang the proverbial bell and last july august i began the enteric peppermint and altoids..it helped considerably..others also achieved some positive results, especially hard over winter. Some these people also were on a variety of light treatments which the peppermint effect seemed to enhance.
so looking further into it ..the menthol in the peppermint is the most active ingredient, In the research literature, there is a connection between menthol and high test D or calcitriol in the anti proliferation of some cells http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2654468/
Under the uvb radiation of sunlight we make small amounts of calcitriol or high test D in our skin and we may see similar anti-proliferative benefits.
...The menthol does a number of things in the small intestine by effecting the cells in the lining by a number of subtle ways......, increased bile flow,smooth muscle relaxation by calcium channel blocking perhaps effecting permeability and with it immune response.
In the IBS studies, the enteric coated peppermint oil proved safe and effective over many months...at doses of 200mg 2-3 times a day...The enteric coating makes them dissolve in the small intestine rather then the stomach so those with acid reflux should be ok...unlike the altoids which may exacerbate acid reflux.... peak serum levels are reached in an hour and the half life is two hours...
I take the 50mg and one or two before meals..other take the 200mg. I often forget or its inconvenient to take the peppermint capsule so i have altoids also..but if i eat a high lectin meal which i don't eat daily or often but i did last night..a large plate of ravioli in tomato sauce with italian bread...so i took the peppermint a half hour before and works,...If i ate like that daily i'd start injuring the wall of the small intestine then the level of inflammation increases..and it ramps everything up...and a flair insues ..at least that's how it seems for me.......today its simple brown rice and salmon...
as a footnote..we are talking about enteric coated peppermint oil..in many countries there are other forms such as essence of peppermint or fragances etc....these maybe too strong, or not effective at all..as menthol by itself can be toxic...so look for the enteric coated peppermint so it dissolves in the small intestine and not the stomach ...perhaps peppermint tea may also help..
Now, some of these brands are quite expensive if taken 3 times a day..but i have seen it for less then $3 for 90 capsules http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-14901-good-n-natural-oil-of-peppermint-50-mg-90-softgels
In the IBS studies, the enteric coated peppermint oil proved safe and effective over many months...at doses of 200mg 2-3 times a day...The enteric coating makes them dissolve in the small intestine rather then the stomach so those with acid reflux should be ok...unlike the altoids which may exacerbate acid reflux.... peak serum levels are reached in an hour and the half life is two hours...
I take the 50mg and one or two before meals..other take the 200mg. I often forget or its inconvenient to take the peppermint capsule so i have altoids also..but if i eat a high lectin meal which i don't eat daily or often but i did last night..a large plate of ravioli in tomato sauce with italian bread...so i took the peppermint a half hour before and works,...If i ate like that daily i'd start injuring the wall of the small intestine then the level of inflammation increases..and it ramps everything up...and a flair insues ..at least that's how it seems for me.......today its simple brown rice and salmon...
as a footnote..we are talking about enteric coated peppermint oil..in many countries there are other forms such as essence of peppermint or fragances etc....these maybe too strong, or not effective at all..as menthol by itself can be toxic...so look for the enteric coated peppermint so it dissolves in the small intestine and not the stomach ...perhaps peppermint tea may also help..
Now, some of these brands are quite expensive if taken 3 times a day..but i have seen it for less then $3 for 90 capsules http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-14901-good-n-natural-oil-of-peppermint-50-mg-90-softgels
Mar 1, 2010
Spring and summer
spring and summer 2010
half of a multivitamin or none if you eat well
1000iu - 2000iu of vitamin D with meals
100-500mcg B12
200mcg Folic acid
100-200mcg selenium
one 200mg ibuprofen preferably in the evening
50mg-200mg enteric coated peppermint oil a half hour to an hour before meals
Or peppermint altoids...two before and after every meal and between meals.
500mg calcium with magnesium if a woman
and if moderate to severe
2-3 1000mg fish oil or
2 1000mg flax oil
a modest diet...low fat , low sugar and less or no gluten,wheat or flour and fewer high lectin foods (wheat, beans tomato and sauce, potatoes and for some corn or dairy.....at least reduce frequency (not on consecutive days) and volume.....take care of any infections..gum disease, sinus etc..
For some, lectins, gluten, dairy..or the diet in general are not an issue..but if flairs continue and there are no obvious infections..then the diet and resulting inflammation in the small intestine are probably the source..the peppermint will help with this... as well as some simple diet changes for the short run anyway. If you get some remission, this is less of a problem and you can again eat a a wider vareity of foods.
and very important, if possible, get some sun or light...uva, uvb, or tanning booth
Some changes...the multivitamin has been reduced in half to limit vitamin A because vitamin A can interfere with vitamin D.
half of a multivitamin or none if you eat well
1000iu - 2000iu of vitamin D with meals
100-500mcg B12
200mcg Folic acid
100-200mcg selenium
one 200mg ibuprofen preferably in the evening
50mg-200mg enteric coated peppermint oil a half hour to an hour before meals
Or peppermint altoids...two before and after every meal and between meals.
500mg calcium with magnesium if a woman
and if moderate to severe
2-3 1000mg fish oil or
2 1000mg flax oil
a modest diet...low fat , low sugar and less or no gluten,wheat or flour and fewer high lectin foods (wheat, beans tomato and sauce, potatoes and for some corn or dairy.....at least reduce frequency (not on consecutive days) and volume.....take care of any infections..gum disease, sinus etc..
For some, lectins, gluten, dairy..or the diet in general are not an issue..but if flairs continue and there are no obvious infections..then the diet and resulting inflammation in the small intestine are probably the source..the peppermint will help with this... as well as some simple diet changes for the short run anyway. If you get some remission, this is less of a problem and you can again eat a a wider vareity of foods.
and very important, if possible, get some sun or light...uva, uvb, or tanning booth
Some changes...the multivitamin has been reduced in half to limit vitamin A because vitamin A can interfere with vitamin D.
The dose of vitamin D is dependent on how much sun you get , your latitude, and body weight...if you live in the south..1500iu and some sun should do it...if in the north, 2000iu...as spring turns to summer reduce the D to 1000iu or 1500iu and some sun... some in northern us , canada or the UK may still need 3000-4000iu as uvb from the sun doesn't arrive until april....but even now, the uva of sunlight or a tanning light can help.
To those asking for me to post in the NPF forum...As of late February I am no longer allowed to post in that forum.. their word was "never".. they claim its because i am selling a product.. although i never left links or mentioned a product. The owners are an odd bunch, but it's their party and we know who pays for it.
We have a good thread going in the UK forum http://www.psoriasis-help.org.uk/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=c697a43943b9b3874d0a7287ae5465de&
under "Whats the alternative"and the vitamin D/ibuprofen thread...its a good group of people with an interesting, no nonsense, but fun and informative discussion
So, if you have questions email me and glad to help bj@barneysformula.net
bj
Feb 7, 2010
Menopause and inflammation
50ish and trying to reduce inflammation...perhaps it's menopause which can be adding to ones levels of inflammation
How Much Calcium should we take?
Vitamin D ...What kind?
Here is an interesting blog post from Dr William Davis. It deals with his experiences of Vitamin D in the soft gel vs the hard pill..
This is both interesting and disconcerting as the barneys supplement is the capsule but not in oil as the softgel..and if the Vitamin D portion is as ineffective as a hard pill as the Doctor suggests?
I can only suggest to take vitamin D with a full meal containing some fat or oil.
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