blaylock food0713 109

Edited by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.

Blaylock Wellness ReportLiving a Long, Healthy Life

The

Dangerous Food Additives That Damage Your Health

July 2013 Vol. 10, No. 7

Key Points

•Glutamate:cancer‘fertilizer’

•MSGcausesawiderangeofadversereactions

•Howtoxicadditivesharmyourliver

•Sulfitesdepleteenzymesinthebrainandbody

•Thelinkbetweennitrates,nitrites,andcancer

•Thedangersofcommonlyusedfooddyes

PLUS

Stomachailmentcausesheartsymptoms

ASKDR.BLAYLOCK

•Whyyoushouldkeepfoodawayfromaluminumfoil

CASE STUDY:

In today’s world, consumers expect the food they buy in the grocery store to be colorful and tasty, with just the right texture and smell to appeal to the senses. But what exactly are food manufacturers doing to enhance to the look, taste, and feel of the things that we eat?

It has been estimated that there are more than 14,000 substances added to processed foods, including flavoring agents, food colors, glazing agents, thickening agents, and preservatives. Many people think that these additives are essential for food safety and protect us from eating spoiled or contaminated foods.

But the truth is that the vast majority of these additives have nothing to do with food safety. Rather, they are designed to make foods more appealing For instance, bleaches are added to flour to whiten it, antifoamimg agents are used to reduce the formation of foam, bulking agents are used to expand food products, and thickeners increase the viscosity of certain foods.

In this month’s issue of The Blaylock Wellness Report, I will discuss the major health issues concerning four common food additives: glutamate, sulfites, nitrates/nitrites, and food dyes.

We Are Consuming Hundreds of ChemicalsIf you take time to read food labels, you may well be shocked

by what you see. One can’t help but wonder why there are so many ingredients in a simple product such as an English muffin.

When you see ingredients with names like 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptal, 5’-guanylic acid, 6-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloctoanoic acid lactone, and 3-phenylpropionaldehyde, you might begin to wonder what these complex chemicals could possibly be doing in your food, and what they might do to your body — especially over the long term. After all, most of us are consuming these foods for a lifetime.

When eating a day’s worth of these processed foods, we consume literally hundreds of complex chemical additives. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), these ingredients have all been carefully tested for safety. But is that really true? The answer might surprise you.

Most people assume that the FDA has a huge, sophisticated laboratory where they carefully test all 3,000 of the additives in its

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database. But that is not the case. In fact, the FDA merely asks manufacturers to submit the results of tests done in the company’s own laboratories or labs contracted by the company.

The FDA claims that it periodically reviews new information concerning previously approved ingredients. But once again, this is a questionable claim.

In addition, many research articles accepted by the FDA are, in fact, ghostwritten by the company making the additive.

Worse yet, the FDA does not test how combining these 3,000 ingredients in foods might trigger synergistic toxicity or even additive toxicity. We know, for example, that subtoxic (below toxic levels) concentrations of two or more ingredients, when added together, can produce full toxicity.

For instance, sulfites and monosodium glutamate not only cause very similar symptoms, but sulfites can magnify the toxicity of MSG.

The Most Abundant NeurotransmitterWhen I first wrote my book, “Excitotoxins: The

Taste That Kills,” scientists were just beginning to learn how glutamate damaged the nervous system and the brain. Since then, we have learned an enormous amount about the function of glutamate in the brain and how it can cause damage — sometimes permanent — when present in excess amounts.

In 1969, neuroscientist Dr. John Olney of the Washington University School of Medicine first discovered the way that excess glutamate destroys brain cells. He called this process excitotoxicity.1

He called the process by this name because when he added small amounts of monosodium glutamate to brain cells in a culture, the cells began to shrivel up and die after about an hour. He noted that just before this happened the neurons were firing very rapidly — suggesting that they were burning themselves up. Hence the name combining the root words excito (excite) and toxicity (poison).

Since then, neuroscientists have discovered that glutamate was not just any neurotransmitter, but, in fact, the most abundant neurotransmitter in the brain, accounting for more than 90 percent of the communication in the brain’s cortex and more than 50 percent of all communication in the entire brain. Glutamate transmissions exceed those of all the other neurotransmitters — such as acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine — combined.

Glutamate receptors play an important role in regulating other neurotransmitters. This is important because glutamate receptors — and hence glutamate — are now being shown to play a major role in a growing list of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including: •Alzheimer’s disease•Parkinson’s disease

Please note: All information presented in The Blaylock Wellness Report (including answers to reader questions) is for informational purposes only, and is not specifically applicable to any individual’s medical problem(s), concerns, and/or needs. No content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All information presented in The Blaylock Wellness Report should not be construed as medical consultation or instruction. You should take no action solely on the basis of this publication’s contents. Readers are advised to consult a health professional about any issue regarding their health and well-being. Any action you take on the basis of the information provided is solely at your own risk and expense. The opinions expressed in The Blaylock Wellness Report do not necessarily reflect those of Newsmax Media, Inc.

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•ALS, Huntington’s disease•Depression•Anxiety•Schizophrenia•Autism•ADHD•Obsessive-compulsive disorder•Chronic pain•Addiction•Strokes•Brain injury2-4

What Glutamate Does in the BrainSo if glutamate is the most abundant

neurotransmitter in the brain, and it is a toxin, why doesn’t it destroy the brain?

The answer is that glutamate — and other excitotoxins — damage the brain only if it is outside brain cells where the receptors are located. Because it is so toxic, God equipped our brains with a number of protective mechanisms that keep glutamate mostly within brain cells. The ratio of glutamate inside to outside the brain cell is 1,000 to 1.

A number of other mechanisms also help protect the brain, most of which require a lot of energy. Brain disorders such as stroke, trauma, neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s), and heavy metal poisoning result in

a loss of brain energy. This means that people with these disorders risk damage to the brain from even small exposures to dietary excitotoxins.5

As we age, our brain energy decreases, and protective systems begin to falter. Our brains also become progressively more inflamed.

Together, these factors make us extra sensitive to dietary excitotoxins, and our brains begin to leak glutamate from storage sites — primarily the glia, which are the brain’s immune cells. This is why the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease goes from around 3 percent at age 65 to nearly 50 percent at age 80.

Exposure to high levels of glutamate in the diet may also explain the explosion of obesity among the young and even among older people.6 MSG additives were introduced to the public on a grand scale via processed foods in 1948. Now they are out of control, as virtually every major food manufacturer uses some form of this excitotoxic additive.

Excess dietary glutamate during pregnancy and

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IMPORTANT

MSG Can Cause a Wide Range of Adverse ReactionsEating a meal high in MSG or

other glutamate additives can cause a number of symptoms, such as diarrhea, abdominal cramping, flushing of the face and chest, pain down one arm (resembling a heart attack), confusion, disorientation, impaired memory and extreme anxiety. Insomnia is also a common symptom.

Following a meal or snack high in a glutamate additive, children often become unmanageable, with fits of rage and rapid, incoherent speech. Usually, no amount of disciplining can stop the attack.

We see the same behavior in children and adults with episodes

of hypoglycemia (very low blood sugar). The reason for this behavior is that when the brain becomes hypoglycemic it releases high levels of glutamate internally.

In the case of reactive hypoglycemia, feeding the child a high-carbohydrate meal will rapidly calm him or her — almost as if you had given the child a tranquilizer.

It also explains why violent crimes are commonly associated with reactive hypoglycemia. While the carbohydrate will rapidly restore calm, in the long run it will make the reactive hypoglycemia worse.

Adults can have similar attacks of aggressiveness, clouded thinking, and

other adverse behavioral effects when consuming meals high in excitotoxic additives. Eating such meals over a lifetime can also accelerate brain inflammation, worsen damage by free radicals and lipid peroxidation, and cause the brain to age much faster than normal.

It should also be appreciated that the most damaging effect of excess glutamate can be silent — that is, it may cause no outward signs or symptoms that something is happening within the brain as described above.

This damage accumulates gradually and may take years or even decades to finally manifest as a major problem.



early childhood can cause a child’s brain wiring to develop abnormally. This can lead to learning and language difficulties, as well as behavioral problems such as depression, anxiety, aggressiveness, impulsive violence, and risk-taking.7, 8

Mothers have told me that after they switched unruly children to a low-glutamate diet, they were amazed to see a new child — one that was calm, well behaved, and pleasant to live with.

How Toxic Additives Damage the LiverWhen excitotoxic food additives are ingested,

they are carried from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver via the portal vein. This makes the liver very vulnerable to damage because it is exposed to the highest concentration of glutamate.9

Studies have shown that dietary MSG significantly raises inflammation, and causes a massive production of free radicals and lipid peroxidation in the liver that can persist for a very long time.

This increases the damage from other toxins such

as trans fats and high fructose corn syrup.10 Excitotoxic damage to the liver can lead to fatty

liver disease and worsen other liver disorders such as hepatitis and alcoholic liver damage.11 In addition, it reduces the ability of the liver to detoxify poisons entering the body from the environment, as well as poisons produced by the body itself. This can make us feel sluggish and sick, and cloud the mind.

Another study found that feeding MSG to test animals caused endothelial cells, which line the inside of arteries, to produce high levels of free radicals that persisted for periods that would be equivalent to decades in humans.

This glutamate-induced free radical generation would significantly raise a person’s risk of developing aggressive atherosclerosis, and hence increase the risk of stroke or heart attack.

MSG-induced inflammation of the brain’s blood vessels opens the blood brain barrier, which is the separation of circulating blood from the brain’s extracellular fluid. When this barrier is opened because of inflammation, there is a massive influx of glutamate into the brain after each meal.

Glutamate Is a Cancer FertilizerReceptors that react with excitotoxins such as

glutamate and aspartate are found in virtually every life form — both plant and animal. Recent studies have shown that glutamate is found in every tissue and organ in the body, including: •Skin and bones•GI tract•Pancreas•Liver•Kidney•Reproductive organs (testes and ovaries)•Prostate•Immune cells

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Proteins ‘Turn On’ CancersIn T. Colin Campbell’s newly released book, “Whole:

Rethinking the Science of Nutrition,” he discusses 20 years of research he has done on the link between excess animal proteins in the diet and cancer. He and his colleagues found that certain types of proteins could cause cancers to “turn on.” Removing the protein from the diet quickly switched the cancer growth off.

In fact, Campbell and the others found that many so-called carcinogenic substances, such as aflatoxin (a fungus found on peanuts), induced cancer only when high-protein diets were eaten.

One of the worst culprits they found was the protein casein — a milk protein. Casein is high in glutamate and is usually labeled on food labels as sodium or potassium caseinate. This goes along with the finding that glutamate promotes cancer growth.

High-protein diets are currently popular. I have been an outspoken opponent of protein shakes, bars and other proteins concoctions for many years. High-protein intake stresses the kidneys and liver, raises blood glutamate levels and suppresses a process called autophagy — a cell cleaning system. Impaired autophagy is seen in a number of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

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•Glands of the breast•Endothelium of blood vessels

The defenders of MSG cannot claim that a barrier protects these cells, because there is no barrier — the tissue or organ in question is exposed directly to glutamate in the blood.

What this means is that regularly eating foods high in glutamate additives (and aspartame) can alter the function of every cell in the body, not just brain cells.

Most cancers that have not yet spread can be cured by rather simple means. However, once the cancer spreads, conventional treatments have little chance of curing it. Only 5 to 10 percent can be controlled.

One of the most important discoveries of modern times is the role played by glutamate receptors in cancer growth, and the behavior of these tumors. Glutamate receptors have been discovered on many types of cancer, including breast, prostate, pancreatic, colon, primary brain cancers, squamous cell cancer, and lung cancer.12, 13

If we look at prostate cancer, for example, we see that glutamate causes the cells to grow rapidly and to invade other tissues more often.14 The presence of excess glutamate receptors on prostate cancer cells correlates with the prognosis and likelihood of early death.

Blocking these glutamate receptors dramatically slowed the growth of the tumors, making them easier to cure.

One of the most malignant cancer tumors is the glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain tumor. Studies have shown that such tumors have high glutamate levels, grow twice as fast as low-glutamate tumors, and are highly invasive — meaning they invade the surrounding brain tissue.15 Blocking the glutamate receptors dramatically slows their growth and invasion.

In several types of cancer, blocking the glutamate receptors greatly improved the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy to kill the tumor cells.

Ironically, oncologists rarely advise cancer patients to avoid foods high in glutamate. In fact, my review of diets recommended by cancer center dietitians shows they often contain foods high in cancer-stimulating additives.

One patient even told me that her oncologist

said it didn’t matter what she ate as long as she kept eating. This is terrible advice, because glutamate, aspartate, and other food excitotoxins are actually cancer fertilizers.

What You Need to Know About MSG in Your Foods

Many people assume that if a substance occurs in nature it is safe and somehow different from manufactured products. This is often true. In this case, however, glutamate is glutamate and it is harmful.

Monosodium glutamate is a naturally occurring salt form of glutamate, which makes it highly absorbable. But it is the glutamate in MSG that causes toxicity. All forms of glutamate, natural or artificial, are equally harmful if glutamate is isolated.

The difference is that natural glutamate rarely appears alone; it is always combined with other substances to create a complex protein. For natural glutamate to be released, it must be digested. This releases the glutamate slowly, allowing the body time to deal with it safely.

Cooking high-glutamate foods — such as red meats, tomatoes, and mushrooms — allows the glutamate to be released and even concentrated, as in meat juices (broths and stocks) and vegetable extracts (hydrolyzed proteins and soy proteins isolates and extracts). These forms of glutamate can be just as toxic as MSG.

Humans Are More Sensitive to Glutamate Than Any Other Species

The food additive industry uses a number of methods to defend it products, including hiring scientists to write favorable papers and intimidating independent scientists who choose to do accurate and reliable safety studies.

For instance, the food industry’s minions have made the claim that MSG does not cross the blood-brain barrier, and therefore is of no danger to the brain. I have demonstrated, along with others, that the blood brain barrier is damaged in many elderly people and people with neurological conditions.

In addition, the brain has a “back door” (called the circumventricular organs) that allows glutamate to enter, especially when blood levels are constantly elevated, as happens when people consume glutamate additives all day, every day.



Another justification, according to industry defenders, is that their finished food products do not contain the huge amounts of glutamate that are used in animal experiments, and that glutamate is naturally found in many foods.

There are several flaws in these arguments. First, the amount of glutamate found in foods — according to a study by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and others — was easily sufficient to cause brain injuries in babies and small children. It was also sufficient to cause damage in adults and especially the elderly.

We now know that concentrations of MSG dramatically lower than needed to kill brain cells can still damage synapses (connections) and dendrites (branches) of nerve cells and cause brain cells to function abnormally. These toxic concentrations are well within the range found in many foods.

Of all known life forms, humans are the most sensitive to glutamate toxicity. We are five times more sensitive than the most sensitive animal species (the mouse), and 20 times more sensitive than the rhesus monkey.

After ingesting a test meal of MSG, human glutamate levels can increase from 11 times to as much as 20 times higher in blood tests. Blood glutamate levels in small children have been recorded to rise as high as 50 times normal.

The average American is consuming massive amounts of glutamate on a daily basis, causing blood glutamate levels to remain persistently high. Worse yet, the amount of MSG and other glutamate additives in processed foods doubles every decade.

How To Protect YourselfThe best way to protect yourself against

glutamate is to avoid excitotoxin additives altogether. Exercise also reduces blood glutamate levels,

mainly by increasing the use of glutamate for muscle energy production. It’s a good idea to exercise for 10

to 20 minutes after each meal. However, you should wait for 30 minutes after eating before you begin to exercise in order to allow for proper digestion.

A number of natural substances found in plant-based diets have been shown to be very protective against excitotoxicity. These include: •Magnesium•Selenium•Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal-5-phosphate)•Mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols•B vitamins•Methylcobalamin•Folate• Flavonoids (such as curcumin, quercetin,

apigenin, ferulic acid, and luteolin)•Silymarin•Baicalein•Grape seed extract (anthocyanidin)•DHA•Vitamin D3•Hawthorn extract

Foods and additives that increase inflammation also worsen excitotoxicity. Omega-6 oils, sugars (especially high fructose corn syrup), fluoroaluminum (fluorinated drinking water), excess caffeine, and chlorinated water all have this effect.

Sulfites Deplete Enzymes in the Brain and Body

Sulfites are chemical compounds with antifungal and antibacterial properties that are used to preserve fruits and vegetables. The most commonly used sulfite is sulfur dioxide, which is a gas. Vegetables exposed to sulfur dioxide quickly bind the gas and convert it to sulfite. Other forms added to processed foods include:•Sodium sulfite•Sodium or potassium bisulfite•Sodium or potassium metabisulfite

Most tissues in the body contain an enzyme

A note from Dr. Blaylock: Advertisements for various supplements may appear in the newsletter or attached to the newsletter. I have nothing to do with these advertisements and do not endorse them. The

only supplements I endorse are those that I list in the newsletter. This is not to say that I object to the supplements; it’s just that I am not familiar with the supplements being advertised.

Please note that this advice is generic and not specific to any individual. You should consult with your doctor before undertaking any medical or nutritional course of action.

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called sulfite oxidase that detoxifies sulfites. But humans have much lower levels of this protective enzyme than test animals. In humans, the highest levels of this protective enzyme are found in the liver, kidneys, and heart; the lowest levels are found in the brain, spleen, and retina — which makes the latter organs highly vulnerable to damage by sulfites.

People who have an intolerance to sulfites often have lower levels of this protective enzyme, which can become damaged with aging and certain diseases. Those with asthma are at a special risk, with about 3 to 5 percent intolerance among asthmatics. In addition, allergies to sulfite exist, and can lead to sudden death from anaphylactic shock.

Sulfites are associated with headaches, shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness and nausea, cramps, low blood pressure, flushing, diarrhea, hives, wheezing and in rare instances anaphylactic shock.

Animal testing requires special animals in which sulfite oxidase has been suppressed to make them more like humans. Several studies have shown that sulfite in animals alters the function of the visual areas of the brain, creating high levels of free radicals and lipid peroxidation products accumulating in the hippocampus of the brain and the retina of the eye.16

This means that sulfites could interfere with memory, learning, and vision. In fact, they could worsen neurodegenerative diseases and diseases of the eye, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Several studies have shown that sulfites also impair important antioxidant enzymes in the hippocampus, which would make a person more vulnerable to other toxic substances such as MSG and heavy metals.17

When the antioxidant glutathione is depleted in neurons, sulfite becomes much more toxic. One study found that when an animal was under stress, the damaging effect of sulfites on the brain was magnified.18 And as we all know, stress is widespread

among the human population.There is also compelling

evidence that sulfites can trigger and intensify excitotoxicity by suppressing a critical protective enzyme called glutamate dehydrogenase.19 This enzyme, which is critical for brain energy production, is damaged by sulfites.

There may be a connection between Parkinson’s disease and sulfites as well. People with Parkinson’s have high levels of a toxic free radical called peroxynitrite in their brains. In the presence of sulfite, peroxynitrite damage to brain cells is magnified considerably.20

People with Parkinson’s disease also have very low levels

of glutathione in the affected area of their brains. In essence, a person with Parkinson’s disease is at a very high risk of worsening his or her condition when he or she ingests high levels of sulfites.

Obviously, avoiding the foods containing sulfites is important. Several supplements can be protective.

A recent study found that R-lipoic acid was protective in a dose of 200 mg three times a day with meals. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) greatly increases cell glutathione levels and can be quite protective. R-lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine both increase brain cell energy and glutathione levels. They also bind excess iron.

Nitrates, Nitrites, and Cancer RiskNitrates were originally used in curing meats,

and were later added to a number of other foods. They prevent meat spoilage by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms and also gives taste and color to meats. They also powerfully inhibit the growth of the food bacteria Clostridium botulinum spores, thus preventing botulism.

Recently the amount of nitrate/nitrites in foods has been reduced by about 69 percent. Ascorbate, erythorbate and/or vitamin E were added to foods prevent the conversion of nitrites into N-nitrosamine, a powerful carcinogenic agent. Some vegetables are also high in nitrates, including:

Foods High In SulfitesThe highest sulfite levels are found in:

Spinach (lower in organic)Dried fruitLemon juice concentrateShredded coconutWinesDehydrated potatoes

Also relatively high in sulfites:All jams and jelliesCorn syrupGuacamoleHorseradish, pickles and olivesShrimp, scallops, crab, and lobsterSoy proteinProcessed cheesesBeer



•Spinach•Beet juices•Bok choy•Collard greens•Broccoli•Tomatoes

The nitrate level of vegetables depends on the amount of nitrate fertilizers being used. For example, lettuce can have from 12.3 mg per 100 grams of fresh weight; spinach from 23.8 to 387.2 mg per 100 grams.

The average estimated intake of nitrates from foods in the United States varies from 40 to 185 mg per day. Nitrite intake is much lower, from 0 to 20 mg per day.

Another major source of nitrates is drinking water, especially private well water. It is estimated that 22 percent of private wells exceed the maximum contaminant level for nitrates set by the Environmental Protection Agency (10 mg/L). Meanwhile, only 5 percent of public drinking water supplies exceed this safety limit.

While previous evidence linked nitrates and nitrites to increased cancer risk, new evidence suggests the danger may have been overblown. In fact, some research has indicated that nitrates are converted in the body to beneficial substances, in particular nitric oxide, which plays a vital role in vascular health.21

I have a few problems with this view, because it is based on using nitrates in perfectly healthy people. Several lines of evidence suggest that in the face of inflammation, nitrites can be strongly carcinogenic.

Nitrates by themselves are harmless. But they are easily converted in the body to potentially more harmful compounds. Nitrates and nitrites can interact chemically with secondary amino acids where they are converted — mostly in the stomach — into N-nitrosamine compounds (N-nitroso compounds) of several types.22 N-nitroso compounds cause multiple cancers in most test animals.

Early studies suggested that consumption of cured meats was associated with a high incidence of stomach cancer and possibly brain cancers. More recent research has questioned this association.

For example, a series of studies done in elderly women in Iowa found that there was a possible link to bladder cancer and ovarian cancer in women who

drank well water with high nitrate levels. However, they found no link to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, colon, kidney, melanoma, rectal, or lung cancer.

Researchers did find that people with low vitamin C consumption or high meat intake had a higher rate of colon and kidney cancer.

Another study from Washington state found that nitrates found in well water were associated with higher rates of brain cancer in the offspring of pregnant women.

In fact, brain cancer has been linked to nitrate/nitrite intake in many studies. A meta-analysis of nine observational studies suggested a positive link to adult gliomas (cancers that arise in the glial cells of the brain or spine). There was a 48 percent increase with the highest intake of nitrates.

In one particular study, researchers induced in mice a condition resembling human acid reflux disease. They found that nitrate/nitrites had little effect on causing esophageal cancer in mice without pre-existing inflammation in the esophagus. But among those with inflammation, the nitrate/nitrite caused a high incidence of premalignant changes.23

In human cases of reflux, we know that a small percentage have intense inflammation in the lower esophagus and this is associated with a much higher incidence of esophageal cancer. A high intake of nitrate/nitrites could worsen the risk of cancer in these cases.

A 30-year study found a significant increase in esophageal cancer in those consuming the highest amounts of nitrite.

Again, the best protection against nitrates and nitrites is not to eat or drink things that contain them. I suggest avoiding cured meats altogether. But if you feel you must eat them, soak bacon and other such meats in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before cooking. This not only removes some of the nitrates, it also removes other chemical and bacterial contaminants.

Cooking meats in olive oil or coconut oils with added turmeric or rosemary will help prevent oxidation and formation of cancer-causing compounds such as heterocyclic amines.

A high intake of fresh, organically grown vegetables will neutralize many of these toxic substances. Turmeric, curcumin, quercetin, natural vitamin E, buffered vitamin C, grape seed extract,


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green tea extract, and a number of other plant extracts can also help neutralize damaging free radicals formed by these compounds.

The Dangers of Food DyesMany processed foods have various dyes added

to their formulas in order to change the color of the finished product. This is especially true of children’s cereals, candies, energy bars, and sprinkles. Everyone can see that.

What most don’t recognize are the foods with less obvious dyes: pickles, chips, frosting mixes, soft drinks, macaroni and cheese, and many brands of yogurt. In addition, most prescription and over-the-counter medicines contain one or more food dyes.

Food dyes are categorized as either natural or artificial. Natural dyes are made from extracts of colorful plant components, such as anthocyanidin from grapes, curcumin from turmeric, lycopene, and beta carotene. These dyes are often healthy, but are used less often because they are expensive.

The artificial dyes are extracts from compounds that were originally extracted from coal tar and petroleum products.

According to the FDA, food colorings are important because it makes the food look healthier. This sound more like a justification of deception, as it allows food processors to hide damaged or diseased products.

The FDA uses the code FD&C plus a number to indicate that the dye has been approved. There are seven main approved food colorings:•FD&C Blue No. 1•FD&C Blue No. 2•FD&C Green No. 2024•FD&C Red No. 40• FD&C Red No. 3 •FD&C Yellow No. 5• FD&C Yellow No. 6

A review of currently approved dyes raised several health concerns.24 For example, Red No. 3 causes cancer in animals. Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6 have been found to be contaminated with benzidine or other carcinogens. Blue No. 1, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6 cause hypersensitivity reactions. Yellow No. 5 damages DNA.

Tumor transformation studies have shown that Blue No. 2, Green No. 2024, and Red No. 4 increased

tumor incidence and death rate in exposed hamsters. Yellow No. 6 and Yellow No. 5 have been found to act like estrogen.25 Blue No. 1 was shown to alter the behavior of mice.

The link between food dyes and hyperactivity in children is inconclusive, but for certain dyes, such as Yellow No. 5, the evidence is strong — even for very small concentrations.

As with most toxic substances, testing is usually done in perfectly healthy animals or people, and the dye in question is tested alone. Foods contain multiple dyes and well as other toxic additives; when mixed, one often sees a magnification effect on toxicity.

In addition, a great number of people with chronic illness, chronic inflammation, aging effects, and who are eating an antioxidant-deficient diet are also eating these dye-contaminated foods on a daily basis.

Your main protection is to avoid all food dyes. Eating only fresh, organically grown foods can accomplish this. If you decide to eat a processed food, check the label and look for the dyes listed here.

The nutrients and supplements listed above also apply to protection from food dyes.

REFERENCES

1. Olney, J.W., Sci 1969; 165: 719-21.2. Cortese, B.M. and Phan, K.L., CNS Spectr 2005; 10. 820-30.3. Tonelli, L.H., et. al., Acta Psychiatr Scand 2008; 117; 198-206.4. McFarland, K., et. al., J Neurosci 2003; 23; 3531-7.5. Zeevalk, C.D., et. al., Dev Neurosci 1998; 20: 444-45. 6. Afifi, M.M. and Abbas, A.M., Acta Physiol Hung 2011; 98: 177-88.7. Blaylock, R.L., JANA 2003; 4: 21-35.8. Blaylock, R.L. and Strunecka, A., Curr Med Chem 2009; 16: 157-70.9. Farombi, E.O. and Onyema, O.O., Hum Exp Toxicol 2006; 25: 251-9.10. Collison, K.S., et. al., J lipid Res 2009; 50: 1521-37.11. Sasaki, Y., et. al., Life Sci 2009; 85: 490-8.12. Herner, A., et. al., In J Cancer 2011; 129: 2349-59.13. Speyer, C.L., et. al., Breast Cancer Res Treat 2012; 132: 565-73.14. Koochekpour, S., et. al., Clin Cancer Res 2012; 18: 5888-901.15. Blaylock, R.L., Surg Neurol Inter 2013; 4: 15.16. Derin, N. et. al., Neurotoxicol Teratol 2009; 31: 34-9.17. Kucukatay, V., et. al., In J Neurosci 2007; 17: 971-83.18. Derin, N., et. al., Toxicol Ind Health 2006; 22: 233-40.19. Zhang, X., et. al., J Biol Chem 2004; 279: 43035-45.20. Marshall, K.A., et. al., Free Radic Biol Med 1999; 27: 515-20.21. Hord, N.G., et. al., Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 90: 1-10.22. Ward, M.H., Rev Environ Health 2009; 24: 357-63.23. Modena, S.F., et. al., In Vivo 2009; 23: 919-23. 24. Kobylewski, S. and Jacobson, M.F., In J Occup Environ Health 2012; 18: 220-46.25. Axon, A., et. al., Toxicology 2012; 298: 40-51.



CASE STUDY:

StomachAilmentCausesHeartSymptomsEach month, I will share a case history from my

practice that reveals how alternative approaches can solve major health problems. Names and details have been changed to protect patients’ privacy, but the problems and their resolutions are real.

— Dr. Russell BlaylockOften in medicine, we see patients with

medical disorders that seem to have an obvious cause, but in fact something entirely different and unexpected is the culprit. One of my patients, James, represented a perfect example of this type of medical enigma.

A previously healthy 65-year-old man, James suddenly started experiencing shortness of breath and fluttering in his chest, which came on especially with exertion or exercise.

Alarmed by what seemed to be heart symptoms, James sought the help of his family physician. After a careful examination, his doctor recommended James see a cardiologist, fearing he was having a heart attack.

James underwent a stress test and an echocardiogram. The stress test revealed a series of abnormal heart contractions with exercise, but there was no evidence of ischemia (impaired blood flow to the heart) or serious types of heart arrhythmia. The echocardiogram was normal.

He was given a prescription for medicine to control the irregular heartbeat and sent on his way.

The Underlying Problem: Acid RefluxLater, James shared his medical problem with

me. He noted that just before the symptoms started, he felt a lump in his throat and was having some difficulty swallowing.

In fact, he had other symptoms of esophageal problems going even further back. For example, large meals could cause him to be short of breath and have a rapid heartbeat. I searched the medical literature and found that hiatal hernias and reflux can both cause arrhythmias, such as premature ventricular contractions and atrial fibrillation.

A hiatal hernia is a condition in which part of the stomach bulges through an opening in the diaphragm — the muscle wall that separates the

stomach from the chest. The diaphragm helps keep acid from backing up into the esophagus — a condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

A hiatal hernia makes it easier for stomach acid to leak into the esophagus.

After age 50, approximately 60 percent of people will develop a hiatal hernia, which usually causes no problem — but some can irritate the vagus nerve, which also controls the heartbeat.

On further questioning, James admitted that he tended to eat his meals rapidly and rarely chewed his food well — and he did like to eat large meals, often overeating.

Suspecting a link between his heart problem and esophageal problems, I placed James on a special diet and had him take digestive enzymes with each meal. I also recommended he take an “acidifier” — a teaspoon of organic vinegar mixed with 4 ounces of water — to help him digest his food and reduce the pressure on the lower esophagus caused by having a full stomach.

In addition, I recommended that he reduce his meal size and chew every bite of his food until it was a soft mush before swallowing it.

To improve his heart’s resistance to abnormal beats, I had him take 1,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine three times a day, 30 minutes before a meal; 100 mg of coenzyme Q10 twice a day; sustained release magnesium citrate/malate; and R-lipoic acide, 300 mg with each meal.

I also had him take DGL Plus (Pure Encapsulation brand), three capsules mixed with 3 ounces of water, 30 minutes before going to bed and first thing in the morning to sooth his esophagus.

Over the next two weeks his heart problems subsided and his esophageal problem disappeared as well.

James is now fully active with no further problems with his esophagus or his heart.

He is also a terrific example of how what may seem to be a complex health problem may actually have a simple — if not obvious — solution.


newsmaxhealth.com

Ask Dr. BlaylockAttention Blaylock Readers: Dr. Blaylock welcomes any questions or comments you would like to share.Each month, he will select a few to be published and answered in the newsletter. Please remember that he cannot answer every question. When submitting a question or comment, please include full name, city, and state.Please email the doctor at: [email protected].

Q: My husband grills our dinner four or five nights per week. He frequently puts the vegetables in aluminum foil. Do you think aluminum from the foil can be transferred to the vegetables or other foods?

— Janet Zitt, Bristol, Va.

A: Being from the Deep South I understand men’s obsession with grillin’. Unfortunately, when meats are grilled they generate powerful cancer-causing substances called heterocyclic amines. Flavonoids from fresh vegetables can significantly reduce this carcinogenic effect, but it is not absolute.

As for the aluminum foil… Yes, foods do absorb a considerable amount of aluminum from the foil. Aluminum foil and aluminum to-go boxes should never be used.

Q: I am a postmenopausal woman disturbed by night sweats. I’ve also lost a tremendous amount of hair. Is there something bioidentical or natural that I can take to offset this?

— Theresa S., Pottstown, Pa.

A: Women should not have to suffer such symptoms, especially night sweats and hair loss. You should have a comprehensive female hormone test that includes all three forms of estrogen, as well as progesterone, and testosterone, and sex-hormone binding globulin levels.

Natural hormone replacement is a safe and reasonable solution.

Q: My nephew is in treatment for Stage 3 pancreatic cancer. Do you have any knowledge about the Cancer Centers of America (CCA) and whether they are reputable?

— Richard W., Granite Bay, Calif.

A: From my review, this group, CCA, combines the best of traditional therapy with nutritional methods. The science behind nutritional prevention and treatment of cancer is strongly supported by the best science. I would suggest you read a copy of my book, “Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients” and past newsletters for more information.

Q: I am 83 and have had a problem with recurring boils on my back. I take 800 mg of turmeric three times per day as well as other recommended supplements. Is there another nutritional solution to my problem?

— Frederic H., Denver, Colo.

A: There are two possible solutions to your problem. One would be a strict plant-based diet (avoiding red meats, sugar, and simple carbohydrates).

A better option would be to use a silver preparation both orally and topically. There is an excellent product called Argentyn that comes in an oral and a topical ultrafine silver formulation.

It is also important to boost your immune system using beta-1-3-D-glucan and astaxanthin, and take a probiotic supplement such as Theralac daily.

Q: My husband has had restless legs syndrome for years, but it has gotten much worse recently. He takes Ropinirole every day, as needed. Sometimes he takes several doses a day, but he’s still not getting any rest. Can you help us?

— Betty L., Laguna Hills, Calif.

A: Restless legs syndrome appears to be caused by a deficiency of dopamine in the deep nuclei of the brain (striatum). The medication he is taking increases dopamine levels in this area of the brain.

An alternative is the supplement acetyl-L-


About Dr. BlaylockDr. Russell Blaylock is a nationally recognized, board-certified neurosurgeon, health practitioner, author, and

lecturer. He attended the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed his internship and neurosurgical residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C. For 26 years, he has practiced neurosurgery in addition to having a nutritional practice.

He recently retired from his neurosurgical duties to devote his full attention to nutritional studies and research. Dr. Blaylock has authored four books on nutrition and wellness, including “Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills,” “Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life,” “Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients,” and his most recent work, “Cellular and Molecular Biology of Autism Spectrum Disorders,” edited by Anna Strunecka. An in-demand guest for radio and television programs, he lectures extensively to both lay and professional medical audiences on a variety of nutrition-related subjects.

Dr. Blaylock has been appointed to serve on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Life Extension Foundation. He is the 2004 recipient of the Integrity in Science Award granted by the Weston A. Price Foundation. He serves on the editorial staffs of the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association, Surgical Neurology International, and the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, official publication of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. He is also a lecturer for the Foundation on Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.

Dr. Blaylock previously served as clinical assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss., and is a visiting professor of biology at Belhaven University, also in Jackson.

carnitine, which has also been shown to increase dopamine levels in the striatum of the brain for a much longer time, and promotes brain-cell healing.

Take it at a low dose to start: 500 mg twice a day, about 30 minutes before a meal. Later, you can increase the dose to 1,000 mg three times a day.

R-lipoic acid (200 mg) three times a day should be taken along with acetyl-L-carnitine.

Magnesium also eases restless legs (the time-release formula by www.jigsawhealth.com is best). In some people, a low iron level can cause the problem and a person suffering from restless legs should have a blood iron test.

Q: My husband had prostate cancer in 2007. The urologist insisted that he have a Lupron shot (to suppress testosterone) before treatment. Within a few months, my husband’s short-term memory was significantly impaired. What supplements do you suggest for improved brain function as a result of the Lupron?

— Suzanne H., Strafford, Mo.

A: Lupron has a great number of side effects; the company actually lists memory loss as a “less serious” effect. But memory loss is quite serious. I would hope his doctor considered stopping the Lupron.

As for repair, there are a number of things that

improve memory, such as huperzine A, ginkgo biloba, gotu kola, acetyl-L-carnitine, DHA, and R-lipoic acid. Diet and exercise are critical.

Curcumin and quercetin in combination (mixed with extra virgin oil) not only protect the brain but also suppress prostate cancer growth and invasion. DHA and silymarin also reduce prostate cancer growth and invasion and repair brain injury.

Q: It has been over 10 years since my last tetanus shot. I am 54 years old and I really don’t want this shot. Is it foolish of me not to have it?

— Elaine M., Woodgate, N.Y.

A: Your risk of getting tetanus is less than being hit by a meteor. Unfotunately, doctors recommend the shot with little knowledge of real risk of the disease or complications from the vaccine.

Tetanus comes from exposing deep puncture wounds to soil contaminated with animal feces. Cleaning a wound with a mix of peroxide and betadine will kill all tetanus organisms.

The tetanus vaccine has one of the highest complication rates of any vaccine — equal to that of the hepatitis B and Gardasil vaccines. The evidence suggests that such vaccines among older persons can increase one’s risk of a number of neurological disorders.