**************************************
April 2004 issue of Dr. Michael Greger's Monthly Newsletter
*******************************************************
CONTENTS (online at http://www.veganmd.org/newsletters.html)
I. Latest Updates in Human Nutrition
A. Milk and Multiple Sclerosis
B. Macular Degeneration: Go Nuts for Your Eyes
C. Cinnamon: Spice Up Your Life
II. Mad Cow Disease: We have until midnight tonight
III. Vegan "Iron Chef" Competition!
IV. My Thoughts on Violence and Activism
V. Personal Update - Back in business
VI. MAILBAG: "Meateaters cooking up new AIDS epidemic?"
*******************************************************
I. LATEST UPDATES IN HUMAN NUTRITION
-----------------------------------------------------------
A. Milk and Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a devastating disease characterized by your
immune system attacking the insulation of your own nerve cells,
causing unpredictable short-circuiting within your nervous system,
which commonly interferes with vision, speech and mobility.
But why would your immune system do such a thing? We know that other
diseases of so-called immune "autoaggression" may be caused by
something called "molecular mimicry," in which a foreign protein
looks just like one of the body's own proteins. So then when the body
makes antibodies against the foreign invader, it also unintentionally
makes antibodies against some of the body's own proteins.
For example, there is a protein in bovine milk that looks like a
protein in the human pancreas, and so human babies exposed to the
milk of cows may try to fend off the foreign bovine protein and, in
doing so, destroy their pancreas's ability to produce insulin,
leading to type I diabetes.
Numerous population-based studies around the world have linked
multiple sclerosis to dairy product consumption,[1-3] but cause and
effect could never be proven. So a prestigious research team of
German, Swedish, British and American scientists set out study bovine
milk proteins and see if they could find any milk protein that
cross-reacted with human nerve-sheath proteins. And now, for the
first time ever, they found it.[4]
If a milk protein is causing or contributing to multiple sclerosis,
why don't more people come down with the disease? Like all diseases,
susceptibility has both a genetic and an environmental component. We
don't know why in some people the bovine milk protein is able to
sneak through the blood-brain barrier into the central nervous system
and potentially trigger an inflammatory response that ends with your
own nerves as victims of collateral damage.
This research is still in the preliminary stage, and blaming dairy
for multiple sclerosis remains speculative, but evidence is mounting
that this disabling disease may just be yet another problem inherent
to humans eating the bodies and body fluids of fellow mammals.
-----------------------------------------------------------
B. Macular Degeneration: Go Nuts for Your Eyes
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the United
States. As a physician, every disease is personal, but in this case
particularly so as my 94 year-old grandfather suffers to this day
with this debilitating condition. We've suspected that total fat
consumption increases one's risk for the disease, but for the first
time ever, Harvard researchers studied people in the early stages and
tried to correlate all the different kinds of fat with progression of
vision loss. They took a few hundred folks, found out what kind of
fat they were eating and followed them for 5 years.[5]
They found that overall, the more fat people ate, whether in meat,
dairy products or processed baked goods, the faster the progression
of the disease, with only one exception: nuts. Those that ate just
one or more servings of nuts a week seemed to cut the rate of
progression in half. The researchers weren't sure if it was the
cholesterol-lowering fiber, the vitamin E, or the copper or
magnesium, or whether it was the special anti-inflammatory
anti-clot-forming antioxidant phytonutrients in nuts. The hope is
that the 8 million Americans suffering macular degeneration may be
driven less nuts by their vision loss if they can only be driven to
more nuts.
-----------------------------------------------------------
C. Cinnamon: Spice Up Your Life
I'm hoping to finish up a new DVD based on my anti-cancer talk next
month in which I delve into the Oxidant Stress Theory of disease and
review some of the unique phytonutrient antioxidants in plant foods.
Most of us remember the blueberry story that soaked the press 5 years
ago describing the antioxidant power of the berry's blue pigment. The
anti-cancer properties of blueberries literally... come out of the
blue. Whether we were talking about the orange beta carotene in sweet
potatoes, or the red lycopene in tomatoes, the colors themselves are
the antioxidants.
The blueberry study tested only 40 fruits and vegetables, though.
Newer data shows that blueberries, the previous "number one"
antioxidant food, got their little blue butts kicked down to number
six. Just when we thought blueberries were the winners, someone
tested walnuts, which then took the lead. And now, just when walnuts
were getting cocky, someone looked at herbs and spices, which almost
all blow walnuts out of the water. We now know that lots of the
flavor compounds in herbs are powerful antioxidants as well. The
flavors are the antioxidants. So there's these compounds called
gingerols. Guess where they're found? Don't forget rosmarinic acid...
So for maximum nutrition we should eat colorful and flavorful foods.
On a per weight basis herbs and spices rule the plant kingdom, but
how many grams of cloves can people eat? And just because herbs and
spices are at the top of the antioxidant ladder doesn't necessarily
translate into clinical benefit. While U.S. scientists continued to
tinker our tax dollars away force-feeding rodents blueberry pulp,
researchers in Pakistan had the novel idea of actually studying human
beings.
Researchers took 30 men and 30 women-all with type II diabetes-and
gave half of them capsules containing cinnamon and half of them
placebo capsules. After 40 days, those eating just 1/4 teaspoon of
cinnamon a day not only had significantly better blood sugar control,
but their cholesterol dropped almost 30%-that's like what you see in
cholesterol-lowering drugs!
Why hasn't this study been plastered all over the front pages? It was
certainly published in a prestigious American medical journal.
Perhaps it's because, although the statin medications net drug
companies billions in profit every year, a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
costs me less than a penny a day in the bulk bin at my local co-op.
And the research suggests that even just a pinch a day (less than 1/8
teaspoon) might have a similar effect.[6]. Are other spices as
medicinal as cinnamon? I guess we'll just have to wait for the
government of Pakistan to fund more studies.
*******************************************************
II. MAD COW DISEASE: We Have Until Midnight Tonight
The USDA is accepting public comments on their new mad cow
regulations (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/news/2004/bseregs.htm) up
until April 12, 2004. They have received over 2600 comments so far,
and the meat industry is madder than the cows-they estimate doing
things like excluding downer-cow brains from hamburgers will cost
them $150 million a year. But that's a drop in the bucket for them.
Please everyone email the USDA at FSIS.RegulationsComments@usda.gov
by tonight and include the docket number "Docket 03-025IF" in the
subject line. And tell your friends to write in too!
One proposal is to exclude cattles' small intestines from human
consumption in the U.S. In Europe, though, all of the intestines are
excluded from human food, from the small intestine down to the
rectum,[7] in part because there is concern that the colon may also
be infectious.[8] Tell the USDA that they should follow Europe's
example and exclude all cow and calf rectum, colon, and anus from the
American food supply.
I've even written a limerick to signify the event:
We do not need meat to sustain us
And what they do to the cow is just heinous
But if you've got to be crass
You should pass on the ass
And surely not dine on the anus. :)
Another proposal is to exclude skull, brain, eyes, vertebral column,
and spinal cord from processing into meat products from cows over 30
months of age, even though infection has been found in the brains of
cattle as young as 20 months.[9] In Europe, these risky tissues are
excluded from any cow over only 12 months of age.[10] In the U.S. the
brains, eyes, and spinal cords from cattle under 30 months "can be
rendered to produce products identified as beef stock, beef extract,
and beef flavoring without any identification of the source materials
other than 'beef'..."[11] This presents an unacceptable risk to the
American public. We should follow the EU's lead and exclude these
tissues from cattle over 12 months of age-it's a no brainer! :)
The most important proposal, though, is to exclude flesh from downer
cattle from the human food supply. Critics of the downer exclusion
will no doubt argue that many downed animals are unable to get up due
to a traumatic injury and are therefore being excluded
inappropriately. In Europe, though, where 1 out of every 4 cows is
tested, hundreds of cases of Mad Cow disease are found in animals who
appear perfectly healthy.[12] In fact, even the Washington State
Holstein who had Mad Cow disease didn't appear sick. Luckily it seems
she had a birthing injury which may have left her unable to stand,
and she was thus flagged to be among the small percentage of downer
cows tested.[13] The Canadian case similarly wasn't displaying CNS
symptoms. Ask the USDA to make the downer ban permanent, exclude all
downed animals-pigs, sheep, and other livestock-and require downed
animals be humanely euthanized immediately wherever they become
downed.
*******************************************************
III. Vegan "Iron Chef" Competition!
This year is the 30th annual Vegetarian Summerfest to be held July
21-25, and the festive folks at NAVS, the North American Vegetarian
Society, have quite an extravaganza planned. The Summerfest has
always been a fantastic family-friendly five-day feast of
cutting-edge educational sessions (at last year's Summerfest I broke
my speaking record-13 talks in 4 days!), entertainment, and good
wholesome vegan food. But this year they are going to outdo
themselves.
First off, how about a vegan "Iron Chef" style cookoff? It's going to
be me and Howard Lyman versus professional Chefs Ken Bergeron (winner
of a mere 3 Gold Medals at the International Culinary Olympics) and
restaurant owner Cathi DiCoco. Looks like the two mad cowboys are
going to have to kick some Bergeron butt. :)
And if that wasn't enough, I just got word that I can finally let the
carrot out of the bag--the original vegan M.D., Dr. Michael Klaper,
is returning to Summerfest for the first time in years to unveil the
preliminary results of his ground-breaking Vegan Health Study. We're
hoping to do some joint sessions-the two Dr. Michael's tag-teaming!
It's going to be quite an event. And you heard it here first! Go to
http://vegetariansummerfest.org/ to register.
*******************************************************
IV. My Thoughts on Violence and Activism
Every year I facilitate discussions on violence at the national
animal rights conference (July 8-12 this summer-check out
http://ar2004.org/). As a neutral facilitator, I try to get people to
arrive at their own conclusions on the matter, but for anyone
interested in my thoughts, I was privileged enough to have an article
published in the latest issue of the best animal rights publication
currently out there, Satya. You can read the whole issue online at
http://www.satyamag.com/thismonth.html or, even better, subscribe at
http://www.satyamag.com/subscribe.html
*******************************************************
V. PERSONAL UPDATE - Back in Business
I am typing this on my new laptop (!) thanks to the incredible
generosity of this movement. Eight people stepped forward with
donations large and small to support my work after my emergency
appeal last month as my computer fell ill. One organization came
forward as well-the Boston Vegetarian Society-promising to chip in
whatever extra I needed to make my new laptop a reality.
The Boston Vegetarian Society is probably the most active vegetarian
society in the United States. Soon to celebrate their 20th
anniversary, in addition to all their monthly programs, they put on
the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival, an all-volunteer endeavor which
brings thousands of people from all over to learn about vegetarianism
and veganism in a free fun friendly setting. Mark your calendars-it's
October 23rd this year. For more info check out
http://www.bostonveg.org They are doing such good work in the world;
I'm honored they considered me part of their mission.
You never know how dependent you are on something until it's gone. My
laptop is my life (how sad is that?), and I got my life back. Thank
you everyone.
I'm sorry this issue came out so late-I was busier than usual doing
everything from debating the USDA in Alabama to speaking a half a
dozen times at the swanky Conference on World Affairs. Now that I'm
settling down to hopefully finish the vegan nutrition book this
Summer I should be able to get the newsletreally live anywhere, and it
can
take me months before I'm able to
get back to my mail drop addresses. But, if you don't need me to get
anything in a timely fashion, I always update my latest "mailing"
address depending on what area of the country I'm in on my website at
http://www.veganMD.org/bio.html
*******************************************************
VI. MAILBAG: "Meateaters cooking up new AIDS epidemic?"
One astute reader caught a story[14] a few weeks ago about Simian
Foamy Virus, another AIDS-like retrovirus infecting people eating
monkey meat in the area of Africa where blood consumption originally
caused HIV to jump species. It took 20 years for HIV to incubate in
the human population before it's genetic material had a chance to
mutate into AIDS. Is Simian Foamy Virus the next AIDS? We should know
in a few decades.
Providing economic alternatives to help people move away from hunting
and eating gorillas, monkeys and chimps would not only help preserve
these endangered species, but development efforts might also reduce
the risk that ongoing cross-species transmission of retroviruses
could spark future epidemics similar to AIDS.
Meanwhile, bird flu continues to threaten. A few weeks ago the
Director-General of the World Health Organization got on TV and
warned that another influenza pandemic was inevitable.[15] Why? As a
virologist at the University of Ottawa explained, "If you get a virus
into a high-density poultry operation and give it a period of time,
generally a year or so, then you turn that virus into a highly
virulent virus. That's what always happens... You have to say that
high intensity chicken rearing is a perfect environment for
generating virulent avian flu virus."[16]
Quoting the WHO Director-General, "We know another [human] pandemic
is inevitable," he said. "It is coming."[17]
*******************************************************
REFERENCES:
(Full text of specific articles available by emailing
article-request@DrGreger.org)
[1] Medical hypotheses 19(1986):169.
[2] Neuroepidemiology 11(1992):304.
[3] Annals of Neurology 49(1997):55.
[4] Journal of Immunology 172(2004):661.
[5] Archives of Ophthalmology 171:1728.
[6] Diabetes Care 26(12):3215.
[7] Official Journal of the European Communities. Commission Decision
of 27 December 2000.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/bse/bse23_en.pdf
[8] European Scientific Steering Committee. Listing of Specified Risk
Materials. http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/ssc/out22_en.pdf.
[9] http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/bse/bse-statistics/bse/yng-old.html
[10] Official Journal of the European Communities. Commission
Decision of 27 December 2000.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/bse/bse23_en.pdf
[11] Federal Register. Docket No. 03-038IF.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/03-038IF.htm
[12] European Commission. BSE Cases in Cattle.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/bse/testing/bse_12evol09-03_en.pdf
[13] December 2003. http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0312/29/ltm.09.html
[14] The Times (London) March 19, 2004.
[15] BBC News March 18, 2004.
[16] Canadian Press April 07, 2004.
[17] BBC News March 18, 2004.
*******************************************************
If anyone missed previous months, check out my newsletter archive at
http://www.veganMD.org/newsletters.html
Until next month,
peace, love, and broccoli,
Michael
--
(206) 312-8640
mhg1@cornell.edu
http://www.veganMD.org
To subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter send a blank email to:
mailto:drgregersnewsletter-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
Four of my most popular talks are now online (free) at:
http://www.veganmd.org/talks/
Check out my Vegetarian Nutrition DVD at:
http://www.veganmd.org/dvd.html
HEART FAILURE: Diary of a Third Year Medical Student (full text now
available free):
http://www.upalumni.org/medschool
The thinker that most changed my life: Noam Chomsky
http://www.zmag.org/chomsky/index.cfm
The single article that most changed my life:
http://www.petersingerlinks.com/famine.htm
Please everyone donate money to Compassion Over Killing
http://www.cok.net/support/
|