What's the Possible Link Between Seasonal Allergies and Suicide?

By James LaValle, R.Ph, CCN, ND

Anyone who suffers from seasonal allergies knows how depressing it is to experience trouble breathing for weeks at a time. But did you also know that science is uncovering a close relationship between those same seasonal allergies and suicide?

A major study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health examined the relationship between allergies and a history of both "suicide ideation", i.e., thinking about suicide -- all the way up to creating a detailed plan, and actual suicide attempts.¹

In addition, surveys of almost 10,000 research subjects showed a "positive and significant correlation" between allergies and suicide.

Many people might find a relationship between allergies and suicide to be surprising, but I don't. And that's because there's a strong relationship between your gut and your brain. Many of the neurotransmitters that affect your mood aren't manufactured only in your brain. They're also made in your gut -- and that means that your gut health and your emotional health can be closely related.

A healthy intestinal system maintains a "barrier" that keeps the by-products of your digestion where they belong. A robust population of "probiotics," the "good" bacteria assists in the proper digestion of your food, helps control the levels and the activity of potentially harmful bacteria, and keeps resident colonies of "yeast" in check.

Our good bacteria are also needed to direct the production of barrier proteins that keep the intestinal linings from allowing the passage of undigested proteins and other substances into the bloodstream.

When your population of probiotics decreases, pathogenic bacteria no longer just pass through the intestines -- but can take up residence there. At the same time, yeast colonies can begin to overpopulate the gut, with their byproducts damaging the intestinal tissue.

Left unchecked, the combination of byproducts from the bad guys and under-activity from the good guys can become so extensive that it can lead to a condition known as "leaky gut."

What does this mean? Proteins and protein fragments, some of which are "psychoactive," can cross over the (broken) barrier into your bloodstream. (Nutrients are the only substances that are supposed to be absorbed from your gut into your bloodstream to feed your cells.) And what's in your bloodstream can then also cross over the blood-brain barrier and affect the function of your brain.

My personal belief is that the dramatic rise in the incidence of allergies in both children and adults, and the general decline in our gut health, are directly related. Allergies are "born" in your gut, and as the study above indicates, they are nothing to mess around with.

One of the biggest factors in declining gut health is the pattern of drug use in the United States. The other is a general lack of dietary sources of "probiotics." The combination of the two can leave you vulnerable to serious consequences.

We are now several generations along into the heavy --and many believe indiscriminate -- use of antibiotics. Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, and they don't know the difference between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria." So when you take an antibiotic, you are killing off your probiotics along with whatever was causing the infection you were trying to treat.

This seriously compromises your intestines' ability to do their job. Good flora are responsible for keeping other microorganisms under control and maintaining a healthy balance between the "good bacteria" and potentially problematic populations of yeast.

But it's not just antibiotics that can impact intestinal integrity. Anti-inflammatory NSAIDs taken to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis, acid blocking drugs for indigestion, oral contraceptives, and chemotherapeutics can all damage or disrupt healthy bacterial flora.

Any shift away from a healthy balance in your intestines will only increase in severity over time -- unless you intervene. There are excellent supplements you can take on a daily basis to support your intestinal flora. The importance of these is just coming onto the radar for most clinicians.

What is the take away message? Your gut health is not only vitally important to your overall immunity and the prevention of allergies, it is important for emotional stability and mental well being. In my clinic, we see allergies as an indication that we have some work to do. The first thing we do is take steps to reduce yeast and replace gut flora. If you have a history of seasonal allergies and/or food allergies, I would seek out a practitioner that can help you work on rebuilding a healthier intestine.

To work preventatively, we can all benefit by following a two-part strategy. First, try to limit your use of drugs that have a negative impact on intestinal health, and consider trying some natural products that may cause less disruption to your healthy metabolism. For instance, natural products like MSM and boswellia may be an effective alternative to NSAIDS, or at least help you greatly reduce your reliance on them.

And second, take positive measures to keep your intestinal flora balanced and healthy. Any time you need a course of antibiotics, you should always take probiotics afterwards to replace your good bacteria. I recommend "probiotics" as part of a regular program of supplementation.

Reference

1. American Psychiatric Association 161st Annual Meeting: Abstract NR2-030. Presented May 5, 2008.

[Ed. Note: Jim LaValle is an educator, clinician and industry consultant in the field of integrative healthcare. He is a licensed pharmacist, board certified clinical nutritionist and doctor of naturopathic medicine with more than 20 years clinical practice experience in the field of natural therapeutics and functional medicine. Named one of the "50 Most Influential Druggists" by American Druggist for his work in natural medicine, LaValle has authored 13 books, including his latest, Cracking the Metabolic Code. For more information, click here.]

Cutting Edge Fitness: 5 Innovative Ways to Train without Going to a Gym By Carlo X. Alvarez

You get home from a long day of work and the last thing you want to do is drive to a gym, so you say, "maybe tomorrow". Well, those days are over because now all you need is your living room and a few cost-effective tools that can be found at any sporting goods store.

In later articles, we will introduce you to the vast world of training that can be done at your bedside when you wake up in the morning, or at night while watching your favorite television show. For now, here is a preview of the cool new ways to train.

• Resistance Bands: Resistance bands are quickly becoming one of the best ways to train due to their variable resistance and the fact that literally hundreds of exercises from strength training to flexibility, can be done with them,.
• Body Weight Training: When you think of using your own body weight for training, the most common preconceived notion is that it doesn't look very difficult. On the contrary -- mastering your own body is a key step on the road to using external forces for resistance such as dumbbell or free weight training.
• Plyometric Training: Also known as jump training, plyometrics is a sure way to boost heart rate and metabolism to the max. Once a base strength foundation has been developed, it has been proven that light to moderate jump training can improve tendon, ligament, and muscle strength of the lower leg.
• Physioball Training: Also known as stability ball, this form of training like band training, has gained enormous attention -- and for good reason. It is a very simple, cost-effective tool with which you can perform a plethora of exercises.
• Yoga Exercises: By far, the most relaxing form of the above-mentioned training, yoga focuses on total body relaxation and flexibility. A yoga mat is all that is required, and you will be well on your way to waving good-bye to joint pain, thanks to your newly found flexibility.

[Ed. note: Carlo X. Alvarez is a noted authority in the customized fitness and sports performance field. He is recognized for his integrated and systematic approach to training, based on a foundation of safe and proven methodology that has direct and measurable benefits to performance. To learn more, click here.]

Healthy Nutrition: An Allergy Preventive Diet By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

In recent years, we have seen both food and seasonal allergies dramatically increase in adults. Allergies are an indication of gut health, and may be a sign of internal inflammation. They are intimately involved with our immune system, and can even progress into chemical sensitivities and autoimmune conditions like Sjogren's Syndrome, Lupus, and MS. Allergies can also be an underlying cause of sleep apnea.

In the February 19 issue of THB, I discussed how to use an elimination diet to help detect food allergies/sensitivities. But there are some changes you can make to your diet to help prevent food allergies or sensitivities from happening in the first place.

The single most important measure you can take is to preserve and balance your "good" intestinal bacteria. You can do this by limiting your intake of sugary foods to prevent the overgrowth of intestinal yeast.

Because we have yeast organisms that reside in our gut, a diet that is high in sugars can promote yeast fermentation. In much the same way as baker's yeast will ferment bread dough or brewer's yeast will ferment grains into alcohol, intestinal yeast will ferment ingested sugars in the gut.

This not only produces an excessive amount of gas, but also increases the byproducts of yeast that are harmful to intestinal cells. In addition, sugar can actually promote the growth of the yeast population in your gut -- something that makes sense when you consider than any organism flourishes with an abundant food supply.

You can help keep yeast from over-proliferating by limiting their "favorite" food sources -- like desserts, soft drinks, juices and candy. Fruit is also high in natural sugars, and if you eat too much of it, it can also contribute to yeast proliferation. Keep to a reasonable 1 to 2 servings a day.

Another helpful measure you can take is to eat foods that contain natural sources of beneficial lactic acid producing bacteria, such as acidophilus. When you study the diets of other cultures, you often find that most have sources of foods that contain beneficial bacteria. They call these fermented foods.

Fermented foods are good for you because they contain lactobacilli bacteria, which actually help improve your digestion. Sauerkraut is a good fermented food, if it is traditionally made, as are Asian foods like Korean kimchi and Japanese natto.

Beneficial bacteria come from the soil, so vegetables usually hold traces of beneficial bacteria on their surface. Root vegetables are especially good sources because they contain bacteria that allows them to ferment on their own. You'll also find beneficial bacteria in some commercial brands of milk, yogurt, and kefir.

Interesting isn't it, that you can eat fermented foods and it's healthy, but you don't want to promote the internal fermentation I just described. The difference between the two is the organism that's doing the fermenting -- yeast versus good bacteria.

The final step I suggest you take to alleviate allergies is to rotate foods, especially those that tend to be highly allergic like wheat, cow's milk, nuts, eggs, and soy. The key here is to try to eat these foods every 3 or 4 days.

For those of you who "love bread," this may sound harder than it actually is. You can satisfy your desire for bread, crackers, and pasta by selecting those made from grains other than wheat.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention. To learn more, click here.]

Healthy Recipes: Vegetable Almond Medley: A Metabolic Code Recipe By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

Creamed vegetable recipes can be very good, but are usually made with regular flour and so are higher in starch. The almond flour used in this recipe provides a wheat-free, lower carb alternative. With the onions, garlic, and butter that flavor the vegetables, you can get even your "non-vegetable lovers" to enjoy them.

An excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and manganese
A good source of calcium, folate, and magnesium
Wheat and cow's milk free

Serves 5

Ingredients*
5 cups mixed vegetables of choice (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and snow pea pods)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
5 T. butter
3 T. almond flour
1 T. arrowroot flour (optional)
1 T. soy sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos (wheat/gluten free)
Tabasco, just a dash (or more if you really like the spicy hot flavor)
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Topping: 1/2 cup toasted almonds and 15 blue or yellow tortilla chips, crushed

*Use organic ingredients for optimal health benefits.

Directions:
Place uncooked vegetables in large buttered casserole dish. In a skillet, sauté onion and garlic in 2 T. butter. When onions are translucent, add mixture to vegetables. Toast almonds over low heat until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them! Set aside. Melt 3 T. butter in a skillet and whisk in almond flour. Add almond milk, soy sauce, and remainder of seasonings. Simmer for 10 minutes over low heat stirring occasionally until thickened. (Up to 1 T. arrowroot powder may be used to assist in thickening the sauce.) Add sauce to vegetables and toss to coat. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and corn chips or corn meal. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Delicious! Each serving provides the equivalent of 2 vegetable servings.

Nutrient Analysis:
270 calories, 20 g total fat, 8 g sat fat, 3 g mono fat, 1 g poly fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 7 g protein, 7900 IU vitamin A, 50 mg vitamin C, 45 mcg folate, 120 mg calcium, .2 mg copper, 200 mg sodium, 400 mg potassium, 50 mg magnesium, 2 mcg selenium, .4 mg manganese.

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 05-20-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/