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.

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.

...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

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.

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